Two Questions on Monitor M4 upgrades.

mannye

I would like to recap the crossovers. What are you guys using? At 25 years old, I would do it regardless of if they sound OK or not because chances are the upgrade can only improve things.

Also, I hate the spring loaded connections. Anyone find a 5 way post I can substitute? I don't mind routing a new hole if I have to.

Nightfall

http://www.soniccraft.com/

westmassguy

Check out Parts Express. The have a boat-load of binding post cups. Measure the diameter of the existing opening, and match it to one of their stock posts. I found one for my 4.6s that fit perfectly, no modifications required, other than soldering.

mannye

Thanks! There seems to be several binding post cup solutions that will work out.

Now all I have to do is find those pesky values on those capacitors no one seems to have. Mouser turned up nothing sonicraft doesn't seem to have them, or a hold on reality. My Bottlehead Paramours would have cost me a million dollars each if I had used Black Gate caps wow.

Several searches reveal caps that are close but no cigar. 5.8 MFD 50V is a rare one. Or I'm not seeing the value.

westmassguy

mannye wrote: »

Thanks! There seems to be several binding post cup solutions that will work out.

Now all I have to do is find those pesky values on those capacitors no one seems to have. Mouser turned up nothing sonicraft doesn't seem to have them, or a hold on reality. My Bottlehead Paramours would have cost me a million dollars each if I had used Black Gate caps wow.

Several searches reveal caps that are close but no cigar. 5.8 MFD 50V is a rare one. Or I'm not seeing the value.

Sonic Craft should have everything you need from Caps to Mills 12 watt resistors.
You can use Caps with Higher Voltage, but not Lower Voltage.

mannye

westmassguy wrote: »

mannye wrote: »

Thanks! There seems to be several binding post cup solutions that will work out.

Now all I have to do is find those pesky values on those capacitors no one seems to have. Mouser turned up nothing sonicraft doesn't seem to have them, or a hold on reality. My Bottlehead Paramours would have cost me a million dollars each if I had used Black Gate caps wow.

Several searches reveal caps that are close but no cigar. 5.8 MFD 50V is a rare one. Or I'm not seeing the value.

Sonic Craft should have everything you need from Caps to Mills 12 watt resistors.
You can use Caps with Higher Voltage, but not Lower Voltage.

Thanks. I will give them a call. The website only showed electolytics that were not the right MFD value. I guess it's been a long time since I waded through tons of tiny little type to find caps and resistors. I may have just missed it. I'm sure a phone call will clear it up.

westmassguy

Why are you using Electrolytics? They Suck. Use the Gen I Sonicap Metalized Polypropylenes.

On3s&Z3r0s

Normally I use Sonicap Gen 1's too, but honestly my personal feeling is that while the M4 Series 2 is a nice little bookshelf speaker, it doesn't quite merit $75 in caps. But, Sonic Craft does make a Gen 1 in exactly the 5.8uF value specified (I think just for the Polkie market).

I used the 5% tolerance yellow Daytons from Parts Express, a 12uF and a 5.6uF. They may not sound as good as they possibly could now, but they sound a boatload better than they did. The tweeters are much less shrill and more balanced with the bass. They Daytons are smaller too, which might make a difference depending on how you're thinking of putting them on a board. I put some pics on your other thread in case you're interested in an apples-to-apples on your same speaker.

P.S. all props to Westmassguy, without whose guidance I would not have attempted half of the things I have done with the Polks I have encountered. I just wanted to offer another source of components you could use in your XO mods.

mannye

Awesome! Thank you very much! I agree that $75 is too much to invest in these guys especially if they can get 90% of the way there with your suggestion. Of course, now I'm on the lookout for a pair of the big ones. Sigh. Hooked.