Monitor 5 specs. ?

Orangeman

Hello all,
Anyone know the sensitivity of the Monitor 5 in Db's ? Are they efficient, or do they need a good amount of power ?
Thanks, Orangeman

F1nut

Around 90dB @ 1 watt/1 meter.

F1nut

They are 6 ohm nominal. The -3dB limits are 43Hz-20kHz. Recommended amplification is 20-125 watts per channel.

codycatalist

F1nut wrote: »

They are 6 ohm nominal.

heiney9

I use a 12 wpc tube hybrid amp (mosfet output, tube input). It plays to a moderate level, but not loud and lesser dynamic. I would say based on my experience with 5B's, no they won't play very loud or get the best out of them.

I also use a 16wpc all tube 6V6 push/pull integrated at times with them, and again they play to a moderate level, but not very loud a little more dynamic than the above.

I also use a 30wpc all tube 6L6 push/pull integrated and that wakes them up and they sound much better, more dynamic and louder.

I enjoy all 3 amps for different reasons. But 1wpc tube amp won't run a pair of 5B's, they aren't efficient enough.

H9

boston1450

Yes Polk has drop in replacement tweeters.. What do you have for tweeters in them ? Call to see if they have them in stock. Tell them your a member & get a discount.... I run 5a's w/peerless tweets on a Yaqin ms30L & it does a decent job. I also need to do the xovers. So their on the "to do list"

befuddle

If you google -Polk monitor 5 speakers- and scroll down to "This is a attempt to catalog the various..." their site picture lists the various models of the vintage monitor line

heiney9

Orangeman wrote: »

I got the Monitor 5's free from the guy I got the used PSB T-6's from. He said I'm glad for someone to haul them away ! As far as I know they are the original "fisheye" tweeters. Since I have the new high end caps and resistors for the X overs I think I'll do that first. I hope to hear some improvement. I really like the sound of the 5's stock so we'll see, maybe I won't feel the need for new tweeters. I read here that the OEM tweets are nasty and brittle, with several spikes in the pass band. Maybe my old ears just don't hear it !
BTW - do you know the cost for a pair of drop new in's ?
Also how do you know what model of 5's you have, straight 5 or 2's, B's etc. Is it on the back label ?
Thanks Boston

I tried to do one upgrade at a time, first new caps and resistors as well as a few other things. The tweeters were even worse (unlistenable, IMO) replaced the old Sl2000 (fisheye) tweets with the new silk dome RDO-194's and they sound great. Perfect in my office rig. That was about 7 years ago...lol

Get the tweets, they are less than $100/pr shipped for free from Polk....tell them you are a Forum member.

H9

boston1450

1st one is the SL-2000 2nd one here is a SL-1000

westmassguy

Orangeman wrote: »

The tweeters in my 5's are the SL-2000 fisheyes.
Question, will the new drop in tweeters play nice with the original non recaped etc X over. I may get the new tweeters and then get around to recaping the X over.

Light years ahead in sound quality

Orangeman

Thanks, F1Nut !
One more , what impedance are they ? Is there a spec sheet available on the web ?
I'm looking at getting a 1 watt / Ch. tube amp and read that the amp drove a pair of 10 ohm 93 db/ meter speakers to around 88 db. Loud enough for me. I want to know if 1 watt/Ch will drive the Monitor 5's to a decent level in my small quiet room.
Thanks !

Orangeman

Thanks Heiney9,

I thought the 5's are not efficent enough for one watt. My speakers are PSB Image T6 or B&W Matrix One. Amplification is a 100 w/ch S/S Nakamishi PA-5 or a 40 w/ch four EL-34 all tube Assemblage ST-40. I switch out gear from time to time also. I use the Polks on the porch in the summer, I guess I should try them in the main system. They might sound pretty good with the tube amp, no ?
I have the parts to upgrade the Monitor 5 cross overs, just got to get to it ! I should get the new drop in tweeters also. Are they still avaiable from Polk ?

Cheers

Orangeman

I got the Monitor 5's free from the guy I got the used PSB T-6's from. He said I'm glad for someone to haul them away ! As far as I know they are the original "fisheye" tweeters. Since I have the new high end caps and resistors for the X overs I think I'll do that first. I hope to hear some improvement. I really like the sound of the 5's stock so we'll see, maybe I won't feel the need for new tweeters. I read here that the OEM tweets are nasty and brittle, with several spikes in the pass band. Maybe my old ears just don't hear it !
BTW - do you know the cost for a pair of drop new in's ?
Also how do you know what model of 5's you have, straight 5 or 2's, B's etc. Is it on the back label ?
Thanks Boston

Nightfall

What, exactly, do the tweeters look like? Clear with possibly a yellowish tint to them? Black with a hole in the center?

heiney9

The man mentioned his tweets looked like "fisheyes", clearly an SL2000 tweeter.

H9

Nightfall

heiney9 wrote: »

The man mentioned his tweets looked like "fisheyes", clearly an SL2000 tweeter.

H9

I figured, just wanted to make sure. Probably overthinking it but some fish eyes are pretty black.

Nightfall

Hah! I'm following now. I guess I've only ever looked down at mine, never straight on.

boston1450

I just had to look at yours n play match game

Orangeman

The tweeters in my 5's are the SL-2000 fisheyes.
Question, will the new drop in tweeters play nice with the original non recaped etc X over. I may get the new tweeters and then get around to recaping the X over.

Orangeman

One last question, would it be best to first do the X over mod, give them a listen then get the new tweeters, or, just get the new tweeters and do the X over mod later ?
Thanks all

boston1450

Get the tweeters. Get the tweeters. Did i say get the tweeters yet

boston1450

You WILL notice a difference & then you'll thank yourself. If you have the xovers done you will also notice a difference & know that those 25+ y/o xovers are fresh & probably better then when new

Orangeman

Thanks Boston, lets see.............get the tweeters. Then upgrade the X overs......... I got it !!
I think the 5's are pretty good sounding old speakers, but then so are my B&W Matrix One's of the same vintage.
Cheers !

boston1450

B&W's are great speakers. Id love to go up the chain with them-but wallet & wife says no. Maybe i got the winning lottery ticket Good luck with your Polks. Keep the boxes & sell off the old tweeters to fund your upgrades. Have fun

pkquat

Orangeman wrote: »

One last question, would it be best to first do the X over mod, give them a listen then get the new tweeters, or, just get the new tweeters and do the X over mod later ?
Thanks all

Orangeman wrote: »

Thanks Boston, lets see.............get the tweeters. Then upgrade the X overs......... I got it !!
I think the 5's are pretty good sounding old speakers, but then so are my B&W Matrix One's of the same vintage.
Cheers !

I not sure if you meant rebuild or "mod" the crossovers. The replacement tweeters for the SL2000 are the RDO 194. These can be used with the existing crossover. There is also the RDO 198 which people think is a little better than the RDO 194. Both are much better than the SL2000. To use the RDO 198 the crossover needs to be modified per this schematic. https://us.v-cdn.net/5021930/uploads/attachments/4/6/7/2/8/18767.pdf

This is known as the SL3000 or TL mod.

If you plan on using the RDO 198, you might as well rebuild and mod the crossover at the same time.

Orangeman

Pkquat,
Thanks for the schematic. I think for now I'll get the 194 tweets, pop them in, enjoy and then later when I get to it refurb , not mod, the X overs. I got the same value high end caps and resistors as per the original schematic.
I read here awhile ago that you should delete the polyswitch, correct ? I think that's what it's called.
Boston,
Keep looking for used B&W's. They're out there. I got my Matrix Ones, with the B&W Italian marble base stands at a trade show, back there were such things in my area in the late '80's.

Orangeman

BTW - I'm using the Monitor 5's on the little back porch with a CD player, an iPod for streaming, and my Hafler DH -200 amp and DH -101 preamp I assembled back in the day. The 5's image fantastic and disappear bacause there's no back wall. Just fly screen. If I wanted I could pick up an inexpensive table and spin vinyl also.

codycatalist

I agree the imaging on the Monitor 5s is great! I loved running mine on a marantz integrated amplifier. They meshed VERY well.

They were my main 2 channel rig until I scored some SDA 2B...whole different level.

Glad you are enjoying Orangeman, feel free to poke around the forum and become a long time member!

Orangeman

Not to mean to change the subject, but do you really hear an easily heard, and I mean big improvement, in the sound in a phono amp going from current production Russian 6922 tubes to any of the vaunted new old stock 6922 tubes ? I don't want to pay around 90.00 hard earned $ a pair for NOS tubes and hear no big change !
Thanks

skrol

Here are the specs that I collected:

Monitor (Model) 5
1979 – 198? $450
Peerless tweeter (Denmark 7514__)
1 – 6.5” Diameter tri-laminate polymer bass-midrange MW6500
1 – 8” Diameter fluid coupled subwoofer (sub bass radiator)


Monitor (Model) 5A
198? – 1984 $350


1 – 1” soft dome tweeter (Peerless USA 5514__) or SL-1000
1 – 6.5” Diameter tri-laminate polymer bass-midrange MW6500
1 – 8” Diameter fluid coupled subwoofer (sub bass radiator)

Dimensions Cabinet Size 21.5" H x 10.5" W x 8.5" D

Monitor 5B
1984 $450


Subwoofer 1 - 8" Diameter fluid coupled subwoofer (sub bass radiator)
Midrange 1 - 6-1/2" Diameter (16.51cm) drivers
MW6502
Tweeter 1 - 1" Diameter (2.54cm)
Polk SL2000 silver coil dome tweeter

Overall Frequency Response 28Hz - 26kHz (30Hz – 26KHz)
-3 dB Limits (43Hz – 20KHz)
Crossover Frequency 60Hz and 3000Hz
Nominal Impedance 4 ohms (6 ohms)
Recommended Amplifier Power 10-125 w/channel
Efficiency 91 dB (90 dB)
Max Output Level 116 dB

Dimensions Cabinet Size 21.5" H x 10.5" W x 8.5" D
Weight 29. lbs.

Monitor 5 Series 2
1990 $450

Subwoofer 1 - 8" Diameter (20.32cm) sub bass radiator
Midrange 1 - 6-1/2" Diameter (16.51cm) driver
Tweeter 1 - 1" Diameter (2.54cm)
Polk SL2500 dome tweeter

Overall Frequency Response 30Hz - 25kHz
Lower -3dB Limit 43Hz
Upper -3dB Limit 23kHz
Nominal Impedance 8 ohms
Recommended Amplifier Power 20-125 w/channel
Efficiency 90 dB

Dimensions Cabinet Size 22" H x 10" W x 10" D
(55.88cm H x 25.40cm W x 25.40cm D)

Shipping/Other Total Shipping Weight 48.00 lbs. (21.77kgs) / pair

pkquat

Orangeman wrote: »

Pkquat,
Thanks for the schematic. I think for now I'll get the 194 tweets, pop them in, enjoy and then later when I get to it refurb , not mod, the X overs. I got the same value high end caps and resistors as per the original schematic.
I read here awhile ago that you should delete the polyswitch, correct ? I think that's what it's called.
Boston,
Keep looking for used B&W's. They're out there. I got my Matrix Ones, with the B&W Italian marble base stands at a trade show, back there were such things in my area in the late '80's.

You can replace the polyswitch with an equivalent (sorry, I couldn't immediately find the part number) or you can delete it. If its removed, it is recommended to increase the 2Ω resistor to a 2.5Ω one or add a 0.5Ω resistor in series. Mills resistors are recommended.

I have a DH-220 and a DH-101 as well, although DH-101needs a new transformer and possibly some other work. It has quite a hum, and I haven't been able to get the volume pot completely deoxidized. When it was working better, the bass tone control on the 101 paired very well with my M4a's and decent with the 5A's with the USA peerless tweeter. A little boost at 50Hz and below is just what they needed to sound much bigger.