Time to Upgrade the Garage!

RavynX

Hey all, new poster here. I was scouring Craigslist 2 days ago looking for some speakers. I came upon several Bose 201 and 301 series for decent prices but reviews (from audiophiles) said to go with Polk as their typical saying is "No Highs or Lows, Must be Bose". hehe. I actually have a set of old Bose 3-2-1 in the house right now since they were given to me but we do spend a lot of time out in the garage either working on or detailing cars. Sadly, and I'm afraid to admit this, we're using a set of $30 Logitech 2.1 desktop speakers as our current setup. We've had a lot of expenses and fix-ups after moving in 1 year ago.

Long story short, I would really like to replace our current setup for a bit better quality. They Logitechs can pump out sound at a decent volume but you can really hear the system distorting (especially the bass). My criteria isn't too much but I'm pondering how many speakers I need and where to place them. I will get a video and photos when I go home today of what the garage looks like. We don't need to pump out loud music but nice good quality sound to fill the garage without overworking the system would be perfect.

tl;dr, I know.

I've been looking at Polk T15 speakers on craigslist (can get a pair for $60) and other Polks of the like but I'm not quite sure what to go for. Budget is the most limiting factor so I'm sticking to Craigslist if I can. I'd like to stay under $200 for the speakers and I can pick up a receiver separately. Do I have to have a subwoofer or can certain sets of speakers compensate?

pretzelfisch

pair of Monitor 45t from newegg http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882290269 if you wait they will go on sale for like 150 for the pair.

RavynX

Oh also, I live in Central Texas but I've put it radiant barrier and insulation in the garage so it doesn't get any hotter than ambient temps. Lately when I return home from work the garage has been 104*F but that's the highest I've seen so far. Winters get down to 20-30*F but those don't last long.

Mystery

Newegg has cherry 55T for $99 each that are regularly $249 each.


For some reason, black ones are $149 each.

pretzelfisch

Mystery wrote: »

Newegg has cherry 55T for $99 each that are regularly $249 each.


For some reason, black ones are $149 each.

I see at newegg some receivers are coming with a polk sub

RavynX

DSkip wrote: »

By central TX, you mean Austin area?

http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/3996041724.html Well worth $30.

http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/4004386589.html Get him down to $200 and sell the leftovers. Towers look like RT400's, depending on what surrounds/center are, you might be able to turn a profit on this AND keep a pair of speakers. If you pursue, let us know what the package consists of.

http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/3996071115.html This might be the same guy above. Talk him down to $60, but $75 still isn't shabby for those.

http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/3910304483.html Another good deal. Sell off the excess and get you some damn nice bookies for about $50.



I was looking for some Monitor 7/10 as I think those would be PERFECT for your application, but there weren't any listed currently. Don't buy new for what you intend to use them for.

Thanks DSkip for the links. I'm in San Antonio but we'll be traveling to Austin this Sunday; we frequent occasionally. Also, should I be worried about having wood exposed to the elements in a garage setting or will it be okay? The rain isn't an issue but humidity might be.

Nightfall

DSkip wrote: »

http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/3996041724.html Well worth $30.

These and they're cheap too.

Theheadsn

Good luck on the garage I did mine up a couple of years back.

If you get a second you should check it out. If you need any advice, I'd be more than happy to share anything that Ive learned and picked up on the way
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/system-showcase/view.php?userid=133520

cnh

You want to fry some speakers in a garage in Texas? I'd be a little worried about "heat" and melting glues so I'd probably just buy a set of beat up garage speakers that can pound and let them rot slowly out there. You know, something like old school (not very musical or detailed but they play LOUD) big A...D Cerwin Vegas.

The only place I would ever consider running something like this! Some run Monitor 10s in their garage systems but I really think 10s "deserve" a "better" spot in your home than an outdoor furnace. Or in my case, a "freezer"?

cnh

RavynX

I contacted all of these people, responses below...

DSkip wrote: »

http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/3996041724.html Well worth $30.

These sold yesterday.

DSkip wrote: »

http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/4004386589.html Get him down to $200 and sell the leftovers. Towers look like RT400's, depending on what surrounds/center are, you might be able to turn a profit on this AND keep a pair of speakers. If you pursue, let us know what the package consists of.

He still has these and will be getting me more photos and model numbers later, I hope.

DSkip wrote: »

http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/3996071115.html This might be the same guy above. Talk him down to $60, but $75 still isn't shabby for those.

He said these are sold; looks like deleted the ad after I contacted him.

DSkip wrote: »

http://austin.craigslist.org/ele/3910304483.html Another good deal. Sell off the excess and get you some damn nice bookies for about $50.

No response yet.

DSkip wrote: »

I was looking for some Monitor 7/10 as I think those would be PERFECT for your application, but there weren't any listed currently. Don't buy new for what you intend to use them for.

Cool, I'll keep an eye out for some.

RavynX

I've seen a few of these up for sale, how are they in quality/sound?

Polk T15 - http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/ele/3963376475.html

RavynX

cnh wrote: »

You want to fry some speakers in a garage in Texas? I'd be a little worried about "heat" and melting glues so I'd probably just buy a set of beat up garage speakers that can pound and let them rot slowly out there. You know, something like old school (not very musical or detailed but they play LOUD) big A...D Cerwin Vegas.

The only place I would ever consider running something like this! Some run Monitor 10s in their garage systems but I really think 10s "deserve" a "better" spot in your home than an outdoor furnace. Or in my case, a "freezer"?

cnh

Well, maybe slightly exaggerated but I get what you're saying. We have enough radiant barrier and insulation in the garage so it doesn't get above 105*F or so in the summer (basically ambient temp). If glue starts to melt at this temperature then there's something wrong with the quality of the speaker. I can understand your point if the garage isn't insulated and temps get well above 120*F but that's not the case here. I'm more worried about humidity and foam surrounds drying out than heat/cold.

Conradicles

Some monitor 10's are a good affordable garage rig speaker set.

RavynX

There is someone selling 2 pairs of the Polk Monitor 30 speakers for $60/pair. Thoughts?

RavynX

RavynX wrote: »

There is someone selling 2 pairs of the Polk Monitor 30 speakers for $60/pair. Thoughts?

http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/ele/4015557932.html

Nightfall

DSkip wrote: »

Search is over, get these before they sell.

http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/ele/4018392720.html

Good find skip. Great price and a better choice than those Monitor 30's, no doubt.

RavynX

Here's our garage layout. I was thinking of putting 1 pair per side of the garage.

nguyendot

S2k and 330ci?

Nightfall

More pics of the S2000! :cool:

rpf65

Living about an hour from you, I would recommend you use outdoor speakers in that garage. You're not just dealing with heat, we have a fairly high humidity rate during our 6 months of summer. Just saying that home speakers are designed and manufactured for controlled environments, where outdoor speakers would last quite a bit longer in a garage.

RavynX

nguyendot wrote: »

S2k and 330ci?

My S2000 and my girlfriend was detailing a friend's '05 M3.

RavynX

Should I go with the single pair of Polk Monitor 5s or the dual pairs of Polk Monitor 30s?

cnh

Monitor 5s will put out more bass and can take a lot of power so can probably play pretty loud. Is the reason you want to use four speakers instead of two the SIZE of your garage? How big is it, exactly?

If it were me, I'd think two 5s might do it if amplified properly? The 5s are a better speaker than the M-30s (which are entry level Polks).

I see that garage is nicely "insulated" so it probably won't "melt" anything. lol

cnh

RavynX

cnh wrote: »

Monitor 5s will put out more bass and can take a lot of power so can probably play pretty loud. Is the reason you want to use four speakers instead of two the SIZE of your garage? How big is it, exactly?

If it were me, I'd think two 5s might do it if amplified properly? The 5s are a better speaker than the M-30s (which are entry level Polks).

I see that garage is nicely "insulated" so it probably won't "melt" anything. lol

cnh

Yeah, I wasn't sure if I needed to fill each garage space with 2 speakers each having 1 in each back corner or if I could just use 1 speaker per side of the garage.

DSkip wrote: »

I'd go monitor 5's over the 30's, if for no other reason than I mentioned before. At $50, even if the cabinets end up shot, you can part them out for more. I don't think you'll have anything to worry about though as far as cabinet destruction. The M5's will sound better as well, like cnh pointed out.

Cool, thanks.

RavynX

The guy with the Polk Monitor 5s is either brief with his responses or something is up. I've given him my number to call/text but he just e-mails back. Doesn't seem motivated to sell them. I'm waiting to hear back on whether he wants to meet up halfway with me since he's on the opposite end of town; close to parts of San Antonio I don't like to venture to. >.< We'll see where this goes...

RavynX

And these also popped up a couple days ago: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/ele/4023928870.html

Polk Model S10, any good?

Mystery

RavynX wrote: »

And these also popped up a couple days ago: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/ele/4023928870.html

Polk Model S10, any good?

One has wrong tweeter.
They are pretty good speakers. Lots of bass.

RavynX

D'oh, forgot to reply to the thread. Shortly after the last post I purchased 2 pairs of Polk Monitor 30 speakers from a guy who just got stationed here from Hawaii. He wanted too much for the Onkyo receiver so I just purchased the 4 M30s for $120 total. I put 2 on each side of the garage. I also purchased a Denon AVR-3802 and have been using that.

Unfortunately when I was showing a friend that backside of the Denon unit I brushed one of the S-video connections on the back and that somehow shorted out the tweeters on two of the speakers. 0_o It's been difficult finding tweeters for the Polk Monitor 30s and it's almost just worth it to find two used ones again to replace them. I'm keeping an eye out for alternative options on Craigslist again...

cnh

The Denon is a nice match for the Polk M-30s. Sorry to hear about the tweeters. I'm sure you can find two used M-30s on the cheap!

How did that setup sound to you?

cnh

txcoastal1

Not sure what part of Texas you're in but here's a pair in Dallas area for$25

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/ele/4336870160.html