Monitor 10s vs. 7s

d4dooley

New guy here again. So I got a setup with Monitor 10s a month or so ago, and I like them, they are in good shape, etc. I have the opportunity to trade them out for Monitor 7s though, which are highly regarded from what I can tell. What do you all think? 10s or 7s?

Also, I was wondering if my 10s are 10A or 10B model? The model number is 10 184932. Pic attached as well.

mhardy6647

I prefer the 7 to the 10 but I'd recommend listening to both before making a decision.
That's a later version of the 10 with the SL2000 "Silver Coil" dome tweeter in your photo.

d4dooley

It looks like the 7s that I am looking at have the same silver coil tweeter, not the peerless. I would think that there wouldn't be much of a difference between the two then. But they are a bit smaller, which I do like as well.

Mikey081057

You should listen to them both if you can and decide what sounds best to you in your listening space. Then decide to upgrade the crossover and make all the necessary mechanical mods that will make them sound better so you can enjoy them for many years to come.

Mystery

Silver tweeters are okay for most situations.
At very high volumes, they sound somewhat screaming.

I had both 7 and 10 and both with silver as well as peerless tweeters.
Never compared them side by side though.

cnh

As you can see in my sig below, I have both a set of 7s and 10s. While I do prefer the 7s for most music, when I want to rock out or turn up the volume, I really have to go with the 10s-more bass, louder not quite as good imaging and staging but they're great for when you need some more punch!

I agree with everyone above; you really have to hear both and compare them. If it were me, obviously, I would keep both in the house!

cnh

Mikey081057

cnh wrote: »

As you can see in my sig below, I have both a set of 7s and 10s. While I do prefer the 7s for most music, when I want to rock out or turn up the volume, I really have to go with the 10s-more bass, louder not quite as good imaging and staging but they're great for when you need some more punch!

I agree with everyone above; you really have to hear both and compare them. If it were me, obviously, I would keep both in the house!

cnh

You can never have too many speakers!

voltz

Buy Both to be on the safe side I have 10's & 4's and I love my 10's but have never heard the 7's. If you upgrade the crossovers they become a whole new experience!!

d4dooley

voltz wrote: »

Buy Both to be on the safe side I have 10's & 4's and I love my 10's but have never heard the 7's. If you upgrade the crossovers they become a whole new experience!!

I'd like to see the look on my girl's face when she gets back from out of town to find both pairs at the house. She's pretty cool, but not THAT cool. Ha

boston1450

Agree with above. Let your ears decide. Definetly worth having both & if bought right you can always sell em off. I myself like the 7's better. I enjoyed them with the sl2000's. Had the 10's with sl1000's & they were ok. Tad bit bassy. I thought. With a RDO or Peerless would be much better I'm sure. I have the 11's with Peerless & love them a lot. Listening to them now

ken brydson

Mikey081057 wrote: »

cnh wrote: »

As you can see in my sig below, I have both a set of 7s and 10s. While I do prefer the 7s for most music, when I want to rock out or turn up the volume, I really have to go with the 10s-more bass, louder not quite as good imaging and staging but they're great for when you need some more punch!

I agree with everyone above; you really have to hear both and compare them. If it were me, obviously, I would keep both in the house!

cnh

You can never have too many speakers!

Tell that to my wife...

Mikey081057

ken brydson wrote: »

Mikey081057 wrote: »

cnh wrote: »

As you can see in my sig below, I have both a set of 7s and 10s. While I do prefer the 7s for most music, when I want to rock out or turn up the volume, I really have to go with the 10s-more bass, louder not quite as good imaging and staging but they're great for when you need some more punch!

I agree with everyone above; you really have to hear both and compare them. If it were me, obviously, I would keep both in the house!

cnh

You can never have too many speakers!

Tell that to my wife...

Put her on the phone... is there anything else you want me to tell her...Lol... I understandya

xjghost

d4dooley wrote: »

voltz wrote: »

Buy Both to be on the safe side I have 10's & 4's and I love my 10's but have never heard the 7's. If you upgrade the crossovers they become a whole new experience!!

I'd like to see the look on my girl's face when she gets back from out of town to find both pairs at the house. She's pretty cool, but not THAT cool. Ha

I love my 10's and for what it's worth if she don't like two pair you need a different girl..... J/S.....

boston1450

ROLMAO. That there is funny. Gotta love Club Polk humor. Welcome

gmjungbluth

I've had 10s and 7s. I'm never letting go of my 7s with Peerless tweeters and upgraded crossovers. The imaging is much more precise than the 10s and in my opinion the increased bass is not worth it. If you're going to use these in a HT setup then you will likely be running a subwoofer and then the bass extension of a 10 vs 7 becomes irrelevant. I would go with the 7s. But condition, room acoustics, and your own perceptions are just as important here as the differences in the speakers - one may be better suited to your tastes than the other.

d4dooley

So last night while cleaning some records and listening to the stereo... my 10s started "crackling". It wasn't "popping" from the records either. It seems to be when they are being pushed by louder parts of songs, and I'm not listening to Metallica either. We're talking CSNY and Jim Croce and John Lennon.

This is the first time that I've heard this, and it worries me. Probably deserves a new thread... but what to do??? I am going to try and single out the cause first (either receiver/amp or turntable), and move on from there. Crud. My receiver/amp is only pushing 35 watt per channel though.

I am not a stereo expert by any means as well. I guess I'm about to start learning though.

BKphoto

sell everything, start over before she gets home... make sure your paypal account is only in your name...she will never know....

ha...

Mikey081057

BKphoto wrote: »

sell everything, start over before she gets home... make sure your paypal account is only in your name...she will never know....

ha...

Hey I thought that was my secret!

Big Dawg

First, I believe that you have 10Bs.

Second, the crackling is probably due to the poly caps which have almost certainly gone bad (though really the whole crossover is due to be replaced/upgraded due to age, and the crackling could really come from a different component, although almost certainly it is due to the age of the crossover).

Third, both speakers have their sweet-spot. The 10s really rock out better if you prefer bass heavy music, but personally i find that the 7s hold their own with bass heavy music and are far and away better for almost any type of music. The 10s are hard to beat for home theater, you might find that you can live without a sub - especially good if you've in the apartment upstairs!

d4dooley

Thanks, Big Dawg. Yes, they are 10Bs. I have a Sony soundbar with sub and amp already for my TV sound that works for me. We don't watch a ton of TV anyway. I'm pretty much just spinning vinyl and playing my iPod on this system. I'll try and single something out and if turns out to be the speakers, I'll either sell them or price out a fix to the poly caps/replace and upgrade the crossovers I guess.

Big Dawg

If it's the poly caps, call Polk CS. As a forum member (maybe just as a Polk owner), i think they might send you a pair free.

Big Dawg

Btw, most people prefer to just remove the poly caps and put a wire in their place. The key is to not drive too much distortion at high volumes or you can blow your tweeters.

mhardy6647

The gizmo referred to in the two posts above is the Raychem "Polyswitch" -- it's a type of self-resetting circuit breaker (as stated, used to protect the tweeters). Unfortunately, even at best, they have some negative sonic consequences compared to a fuse (older "Monitor Series" Polks had fuses mounted on the crossover cup on the back by the speaker terminals) or... no protection at all :- )

FYI, here's an example of the Polyswitch (1.10A, probably about right for the Polk tweeters):
http://www.parts-express.com/raychem-te-connectivity-rxe110-110a-polyswitch--071-262

Faustin

I just helped a friend rebuild his 10b crossovers last week. His were really acting up. Sounded like crap and got to the point that after 3 or 4 songs the polyswitch would trip and he would lose the high end. I removed the polyswitch and replaced it with a .5 ohm resistor. They of course need some time to burn in, but they are sounding much better and the little poly trouble maker has been defeated.

westmassguy

35 watts from a receiver will be eaten up by the 10s very quickly even at moderate listening levels. The 7s won't draw as much current from the receiver. You can twist the Polyswitches, thereby shorting them, as a test. This will make the tweeters slightly louder, and annoying if they're the original SL2000s. As recommended, a .5 ohm resistor should be installed, not a jumper. The hi-pass section of the later model 10s took the nominal resistance of the Polyswitch into account when sizing the resistor directly after it.

soundfreak1

7's also! Have had both side by side and the 7's are more detailed, less boomy, and less fatiguing, overall better sounding speaker too my ears.

RandyWilliamson

My 10's sound great and I can't imagine life with less boom!! I can always turn down the boom but the choice to turn up is most def there. Consider upgrading xos's and slapping in a pair of rd0198's and think you'll find all the balance 7's likely give and then some. That being said I havent owned 7's.

Cylontymany

I have both 7s and 10s with peerless tweets and I like them both! They both need recapping but I can here why folks like the 7s better but the 10s are no slouch either! It really depends on ones own ears for the final say. They both have their own sound.