Thrift store score - M5jr series 2

Zentish

I like to wander through the thrift store looking for interesting things and today I was looking at the speakers and practically stumbled over a little Monitor 5jr Series 2.

I gently laid it down and began examining it - it was a bit scuffed, missing the grill, and the passive radiator even moved when the driver was gently pressed and the tweeter looked pretty good. I took a closer look and realized that the center of the PR was torn loose. I looked around for it's mate and didn't see it, thought about what it would take to repair and set it aside to wander around the store a little more.

I circled back to the electronics area again and standing in the middle of a nearby aisle was another M5jr - this one with the grill. I went through the second unit and found the grill frame was a bit cracked but the PR was intact and the unit was in otherwise OK condition.

The sticker read $7.99, just like it's mate that I'd so recently abandoned. I put it under my arm and went over to where I'd left the other M5jr to find a man examining it very closely, administering a compression test. "Too bad that one's ruined," I said to him. He looked up and said "yeah" with a sad face. "This one seems fine though" he looked at the one under my arm, shrugged and wandered off. I grabbed the damaged unit which now seemed a lot more worthwhile for spare parts.

I bought them both, took them home and benched them. The intact unit sounded fine, even at moderate volume. The damaged unit definitely has some issues: I listened to it at low volume and the tweeter seemed to switch from "normal" to "muddy" randomly. Besides the ripped PR, the crossover seems to have some loose components so I'll have to decide what to salvage.

The tweeter reads SL2500 from '91, the woofer is a MW6502, the crossover has a 1ohm resistor and a 13.5uF cap.

The working unit looks like it could be a very decent matching center channel for my M5B mains.

boston1450

Great price just for parts. Or as you stated use one for center. How are condition of cabinets? If you decide to repair them keep us informed ! Post some pics if you could. Great score BTW

BKphoto

i've never found anything good at a thrift store...

11tsteve

You got a pretty good deal there! I, like BK, never seem to have and thrift luck, but I did score my 5JR's for $24 on Ebay... but mine are SL2000 and have a 12 uF cap. It's a fun speaker to work on and I think mine will be the fronts for an HT rig. Currently I am stripping the vinyl off, which was pretty damaged.

pumpkinman

BKphoto wrote: »

i've never found anything good at a thrift store...

The Monitor 7's I recently sold where $5 at a Thrift Store and the only issue with them was a blown fuse.

The trouble is you have to be lucky enough to be there when they are but on the floor or be there every day.

Zentish

The cabinets aren't too scuffed up, there are a few minor dings in the corners and faded drink rings on top. They're also very dusty.

I'll put some pictures together and post them.

It looks like the capacitor might be hard to find, 13.5 isn't listed as an available part anywhere I can find.

M7's for $5! I'd like to find some of those!

11tsteve

i found one, but not from a usual source. It says it is a film cap, but I have no idea as to quality... perhaps someone else might know?

http://www.tedss.com/CJD-13.5-100-5/?gclid=CMiTmNq4ybwCFQtgMgoduHcAPA

Sonic Craft will make custom values if you would want to go that route.

boston1450

Not sure- but i have a set of 5jr crossovers i dont need. Its early 5jr. ones with no passive. I have pics. Free/Karma - If that works / helps

boston1450

Pic of crossover

Hofy

Of all the things stereo related I drag home from Goodwill, I have yet to see any speakers other than the BPC type.

aldine

A few months ago I found a pair of rta8t at a thrift store for $30.

boston1450

Too much ^^^^

bugsnt

Nice Score - I wish I could get lucky enough one day.

BKphoto

I've been meaning to go into the city and check out pawn shops....

Zentish

boston1450 wrote: »

Not sure- but i have a set of 5jr crossovers i dont need. Its early 5jr. ones with no passive. I have pics. Free/Karma - If that works / helps

Wow, thanks for the offer boston1450! Your crossover looks quite different from mine. I think i'll try to find the right CAPs to fix the existing one - all of the schematics I've seen show that the crossovers for different tweeters have different value parts.

I also think I read around here that CAPS can be run in series to add up to the right value. I'll have to do some more research on that.

11tsteve

parallel, not series. and two Sonic Craft 6.8 uF would be close (13.6). Some around here will say that is within spec, and some will say nothing but the exact value will do.

boston1450

Zentish wrote: »

Wow, thanks for the offer boston1450! Your crossover looks quite different from mine. I think i'll try to find the right CAPs to fix the existing one - all of the schematics I've seen show that the crossovers for different tweeters have different value parts.

I also think I read around here that CAPS can be run in series to add up to the right value. I'll have to do some more research on that.

your very welcome sir.. I kinda knew they were different but i figured id give it a shot. As i couldnt remember if they were from a ported earlier version or the passive. Im thinking they were a ported- i always keep the spare parts

Zentish

11tsteve wrote: »

parallel, not series. and two Sonic Craft 6.8 uF would be close (13.6). Some around here will say that is within spec, and some will say nothing but the exact value will do.

CAPs in parallel, so next to each other connected sorta like this picture and not end to end:


PCB
I
_______
I I
CAP1 CAP2
I I
________
|
PCB


GRRR- editor removes the spacing!

THANKS!

Zentish

Some pictures

Ripped PR:

Crossover CAP:

Crossover RES:

Since they have an SL2500 and the sticker calls out Series 2, they're definitely not the original M5jr.

Tonight I'm going to try and clean the vinyl and prep the working unit to test as a replacement for my CS245i

PolkieMan

$15 that was a deal, plus it helps someone have a job
I go to Goodwill and Salvation Army every Saturday I have not had any luck at Pawn Shops

Zentish wrote: »

Some pictures

Ripped PR:

Crossover CAP:

Crossover RES:

Since they have an SL2500 and the sticker calls out Series 2, they're definitely not the original M5jr.

Tonight I'm going to try and clean the vinyl and prep the working unit to test as a replacement for my CS245i

lanchile

Last time I went to goodwill I got a pair of B&W 686 in mint condition for $60!
I was so happy with the sound and build quality of the B&W that I sold my RTi-A1.

boston1450

Zentish wrote: »

Some pictures

Ripped PR:

Crossover CAP:

Crossover RES:

Since they have an SL2500 and the sticker calls out Series 2, they're definitely not the original M5jr.

Tonight I'm going to try and clean the vinyl and prep the working unit to test as a replacement for my CS245i

condition looks pretty good-passive little too much thumping id say.. Drivers alone are worth more than you paid just for them alone. Great find either way. Good Luck getting em up n running

11tsteve

i would get the # from the back of the passive basket and start cruising Ebay... or somebody here might have a spare.

Zentish

11tsteve wrote: »

i would get the # from the back of the passive basket and start cruising Ebay... or somebody here might have a spare.

I already found a pair of them on Ebay, debating if I really need 2...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polk-Audio-sw-6528-Passive-Radiator-5jr-/201035825328?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item2eceab4b0

If I get both of these working I guess I can use them as a dual-center channel setup, there's certainly room under my display.

11tsteve

i debated that when I was purchasing for my 11T's. I found 2 pairs of the passives for my speaks @ $20/pair. I bought both.... and being new with refurbishing speakers, my screwdriver slipped once puncturing a hole in the surround. Then my dog... well, we won't go into that. Then somebody here needed one of them.
I am just saying, if the money is not a lot, sometimes its nice to have extras.

That is a little pricey in my opinion, but I imagine they are getting more scarce.

Zentish

So tonight I dropped the working 5jr+ into my center slot, replacing my CS245i, re-ran the ONKYO Audyssey setup, and sat back with my Prometheus BluRay.

The 5jr was quite different sounding than the 245i, with a little bit better highs, but a bit harsher and less defined when reproducing voices.

It could be that I'm just used to the 245i as it's been my center for 14 years, it could be that the 5jr's crossover has gone bad (which wouldn't be surprising since it's mate was pretty abused).

I'm going to do a few more rounds of switching between them with different sources, but my first and second impression is that the 5jr+, while possibly a better tonal match to my 5B mains, doesn't make a more desirable center than my CS245i.

Interesting anyways.

Time to rethink things...

BKphoto

"Last time I went to goodwill I got a pair of B&W 686 in mint condition for $60!
I was so happy with the sound and build quality of the B&W that I sold my RTi-A1."



not a B&W fan....I have a pair of 507's (sitting in my basement) found the bass response lacking unless you really put the juice to them...I do a lot of low volume listening (when kids are sleeping)...they are solid, but filled with Bennic's which surprised me...

Zentish

BKphoto wrote: »

"Last time I went to goodwill I got a pair of B&W 686 in mint condition for $60!
I was so happy with the sound and build quality of the B&W that I sold my RTi-A1."

not a B&W fan....I have a pair of 507's (sitting in my basement) found the bass response lacking unless you really put the juice to them...I do a lot of low volume listening (when kids are sleeping)...they are solid, but filled with Bennic's which surprised me...

I'm not a B&W fan either, they made my short list 2 years ago when I caught upgrade-itis but when I listened to them I decided that they weren't my cup-a-tea.

That said, for $60 I would snap those puppies up in a short second with no regrets.