Monitor 4 Series 2-good center speaker match for a pair of SRS 3.1TLs?

jimbo1421

Hello,
A pair of Monitor 4 Series 2 speakers have turned up near here and I wonder if they would match better as a center speaker with my SRS 3.1TLs than my current CS400i? The M4 tweeters are likely to be SL1500s. The M4s would lay on their sides, which might not work so well. In another thread, DarqueKnight suggested disconnecting one tweeter.

Should the pair be connected in series or parallel?

I have tried a few listening tests this evening, playing mono LPs, and comparing the CS400i by itself in Mono Movie with the 3.1s in Direct mode. The 3.1s are brighter but the timbre seems about the same.

Any thoughts?

Jim

txcoastal1

I'm assuming you are not using a separate amp. M4's as DK suggests is on track, but the coonected to 2 amp outputs then Y-cabled via RCA to HT receiver, not stacking speaker cables to receiver amp output or amp output.

jimbo1421

Sorry, I don't quite follow. The speakers will be connected to the NAD T955 5 channel power amplifier.

Jim

txcoastal1

Each monitor 4 speaker needs its own channel to the amp. Then RCA to Y cable to center channel of the HT receiver/processor

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txcoastal1

Yep2 wrote: »

jimbo1421 wrote: »

Hello,
A pair of Monitor 4 Series 2 speakers have turned up near here and I wonder if they would match better as a center speaker with my SRS 3.1TLs than my current CS400i? The M4 tweeters are likely to be SL1500s. The M4s would lay on their sides, which might not work so well. In another thread, DarqueKnight suggested disconnecting one tweeter.

Should the pair be connected in series or parallel?

I have tried a few listening tests this evening, playing mono LPs, and comparing the CS400i by itself in Mono Movie with the 3.1s in Direct mode. The 3.1s are brighter but the timbre seems about the same.

Any thoughts?

Jim

Id try one first. Then 2 in series.
If you wire 2 in series, you only need 1 channel for both.

If you are going to parallel/series try it both ways

16ohms series cuts watts in half
4ohms parallel double watts but both off same tranformer

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txcoastal1

http://www.polksda.com/monitor4.shtml

8ohm

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txcoastal1

I've also had this discussion with DK about the LSi9's years ago when he had the 9's leaned over as a pair for center...FYI...several years ago

Better to split the signal from the amp to processor than series/parallel to the amp

Nightfall

I've got mine wired in series off the same amp (AVR) but the only thing that power supply is running is the pair of Monitor 5's and a pair of Monitor 4's.

jimbo1421

Since I only have a 5 channel amp, I would have to either use one M4 speaker or two in series.

Does anyone have an opinion on the matching of the Monitor 4 Series 2 versus the CS400i as a center with the 3.1TLs?

Jim

K_M

Never liked the Monitor 4 speaker. Not bad, but did not really sound like the rest of the vintage monitor line really. The 5jr.+ sounds far better, and much closer to the other's of that era.

jimbo1421

Thanks K_M. The Monitor 4s sold a few days ago, but there are a pair of 5jrs an hour's drive from here. The question isn't if they match other Monitors, but if they are a better center match to my SRS 3.1TL pair than my current CS400i. Has anyone tried any of the Monitors as centers with 3.1TLs?

agfrost

If you get the series 2, they came with the SL2500 tweeter. The RD0198 is the direct replacement for the SL2500, so you could pop those in and have a direct matching tweeter to your 3.1TLs.

If you haven't put RD0's in your SDAs, you can try them as is, and even perhaps swap the Monitor's SL2500 for a SL3000 if you can source them.

Edit: I can't comment on whether this would be *better* than your current center, I just know you can match tweeters if you get into the Series 2 monitors that came with SL2500. (I have a pair of M5jr+Ser2).

jimbo1421

Thanks, Jay. I will find out soon if these are Series 2.

Jim

pkquat

If the 5Jr's are not Series 2 all that is needed is to change the 12uF cap to a 13.5uF and you can use the RD-0198 tweeters. The Series 2 cabinet is slightly larger than the original 5jr+ and the bass goes a little deeper.

I have an original 5jr+ center paired with my SDA 1C's . They all still have SL2000's and they blend well. IMO after a quick test I kept the 5Jr vertical. With it horizontal it had smaller sweet spot, although it could have been my imagination. I also rarely run the center, I get a good phantom center with the SDA's.

jimbo1421

Thanks, pkquat. That's a good tip.