RTA8 - TL mod?

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JayMX
JayMX Posts: 435
in Vintage Speakers
I’ve searched and don’t find a thread detailing whether this mod is possible (or worth doing)... I picked up an absolutely pristine pair of RTA8's the other day and got to thinking maybe I should try putting 198's in them, see what all this TL fuss is about.... From what I can see, all I would have to add is a 16μf cap to the HF section of each crossover and put the 12μf in parallel with the 2ohm resistor. I’m thinking Sonicaps and Mills + a pair of 198's... worthwhile?

RTA8's added to the ol' Polk-pile:
u4n0kegqtcng.jpeg

RTA8 schematic:
253fajmqrt6c.jpeg

RTA8TL schematic:
vhm30phizsml.jpeg
Current Collection: Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5B (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7b (Peerless), RTA15TL (SL3000), SDA CRS+ (194’s), SDA SRS 2.3TL, R100's, R200’s, R300 🤩
Pairs that have passed through: Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (3x pair), Monitor 7b (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10b (5x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, RTA12c (194's), SDA CRS, SDA 2 (2x pair), SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2 (2x pair), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s) (2x pair)...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,793
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    You'll also need to remove and jump the 2.7ohm resistor.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    Don't forget the tweeter wave guide plate.
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  • JayMX
    JayMX Posts: 435
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    F1nut wrote: »
    You'll also need to remove and jump the 2.7ohm resistor.
    - oh yup! Roger that. 👍🏻
    FestYboy wrote: »
    Don't forget the tweeter wave guide plate.
    - think I could probably fab something up... what are the stock ones made of?

    Is this a waste of time or worth it?
    Current Collection: Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5B (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7b (Peerless), RTA15TL (SL3000), SDA CRS+ (194’s), SDA SRS 2.3TL, R100's, R200’s, R300 🤩
    Pairs that have passed through: Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (3x pair), Monitor 7b (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10b (5x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, RTA12c (194's), SDA CRS, SDA 2 (2x pair), SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2 (2x pair), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s) (2x pair)...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,648
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    I'd go 194's and call it a day. Much better than the sl2000's. I have some 8T's in the closet I need to upgrade someday..
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  • smglbrth
    smglbrth Posts: 1,460
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    ken brydson wrote: »
    I'd go 194's and call it a day. Much better than the sl2000's. I have some 8T's in the closet I need to upgrade someday..

    Yup, agreed. I have a pair w/updated crossovers/194’s. The difference was night/day but I wouldn’t bother TL’em.
    Remember, when you're running from something, you're running to something...-me
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  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
    edited January 2019
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    As mentioned, you're eliminating the 2.7 ohm shunt resistor. You're also eliminating the polyswitch (not compensating for it), and adding a contour network. The woofers also changed from 6510s to 6516s. The T/S parameters for the woofers may be quite different. The changes made to the high-pass section were not done willy-nilly.
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
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  • kepnach
    kepnach Posts: 1
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    you guys are really nuts...holly sh#t...that JayMX pix with all those Polk's blows me away...I'm just happy listening thru my stock 1987 RT8a's :)
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  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    kepnach wrote: »
    you guys are really nuts...holly sh#t...

    You have no idea >:)
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  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,627
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    I have seen someone post their Rta8t's used the 6511 driver, but the original RTA-8T used the MW6501. Then revied using the MW6510. Then the RTA-8TL 2 uses the MW6516 driver.

    Maybe they are all fairly similar overall.
    I remember us owning an older pair or Rta 11t's that actually had different drivers in each speaker (left and right) but they sounded identical as far as we could tell.

    Bought from original owner and when asked he said he never did anything to them.
    Wondering if all these driver varations are not really different so much, if Polk used them all?
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  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,627
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    found this...

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/2336565#Comment_2336565
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 4,684
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    Hey Jay, did you ever attempt this mod? Impressions?

    Ive still yet to find TS parameters on the 6516's.

    I kept the Mylar 16uf's in the TL xovers for now. They spec'd out....

    n6c71q7pf4z6.jpg
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    That photo in the first post -- it's like Tetris but with vintage Polks! ;)
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  • JayMX
    JayMX Posts: 435
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    xschop wrote: »
    Hey Jay, did you ever attempt this mod?

    @xschop - nope - never got around to it. My brother in law heard them stock and was super stoked when I gave them to him for his birthday. He's still rocking them to this day.

    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    That photo in the first post -- it's like Tetris but with vintage Polks! ;)
    @mhardy6647 - I've actually thinned my herd quite a bit since this was taken. I always enjoyed arraying the ol Polk collection symmetrically...
    q5wwj5wvlhpm.jpg

    These days the family is a little smaller, but still just as happy. :)

    Current Collection: Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5B (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7b (Peerless), RTA15TL (SL3000), SDA CRS+ (194’s), SDA SRS 2.3TL, R100's, R200’s, R300 🤩
    Pairs that have passed through: Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (3x pair), Monitor 7b (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10b (5x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, RTA12c (194's), SDA CRS, SDA 2 (2x pair), SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2 (2x pair), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s) (2x pair)...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    ^^^ FavorableInsecureFiddlercrab-size_restricted.gif
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 4,684
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    You'd give Festyboy a run for his money on inventory.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • JayMX
    JayMX Posts: 435
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    xschop wrote: »
    You'd give Festyboy a run for his money on inventory.

    @FestYboy has been sadly silent for a year or so now. 😢
    Current Collection: Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5B (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7b (Peerless), RTA15TL (SL3000), SDA CRS+ (194’s), SDA SRS 2.3TL, R100's, R200’s, R300 🤩
    Pairs that have passed through: Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (3x pair), Monitor 7b (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10b (5x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, RTA12c (194's), SDA CRS, SDA 2 (2x pair), SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2 (2x pair), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s) (2x pair)...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,555
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    As long as I've been here I've seen more than one come in burn it up like a madman and sadly poof disappear....
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  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
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    For those still interested, the Monitor 10 SL3000 Mod will work quite nicely. It's the same crossover
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 4,684
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    I can add that when installing the RD-0198, I'm not so sure that plastic wave guide is needed anymore due to the 198 having a waveguide in the bezel. The SL2500 did not have a waveguide, but a thin foam ring around the dome... Experiment till you're happy with the sound.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 16,895
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    I just want the 7’s B)
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 16,895
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    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    As long as I've been here I've seen more than one come in burn it up like a madman and sadly poof disappear....

    Agree, I slowed down quite a bit the last few years myself, I have been a little more active this last couple months.. I still miss the old days, and old fourm pages, it just hasn’t been the same. I will give Polk credit for being more active on the page, and I still find myself having a little regret for not taking advantage of the Legend sale they offered..

    DarqueKnight has even been on hiatus for the most part anymore, I have wondered if he has still been rocking his Polks or has moved on to something like VR3 (Trey) has..

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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 4,684
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    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    As long as I've been here I've seen more than one come in burn it up like a madman and sadly poof disappear....

    I miss lightman.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,132
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    xschop wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    As long as I've been here I've seen more than one come in burn it up like a madman and sadly poof disappear....

    I miss lightman.

    That's what happens when you get cat scratch fever....some lose their balls
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 4,684
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    He kept it real.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,555
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    xschop wrote: »
    He kept it real.

    You have no idea!
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 4,684
    edited March 2022
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    Getting rid of the last bit of ugly on these 8TLs. Leaving a little extra length so I can flute them on CNC when I get a chance...
    The design is glue-on and only adds 1/4" length of inner flute when done.

    pspxrtmpbyab.jpg

    4nmonvv8xnw2.jpg

    u344jes2draq.jpg


    8jc1cvwhbbsq.jpg




    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    Someone call my name? :D
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  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    Its been a hot minute since I've shown my face here (much to my chagrin), but I'm not out of the game. The 'coof made some priorities shift as I imagine it has for a few here, but that being said, I'm back to bug you all once more, AND get back to some of the projects that were pushed.
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 4,684
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    Glad to see the curator is back at the museum!
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    On the hunt for 3.1TL, 15TL, and RTIa 12... that should complete the collection. That is unless I get a hankering for the S series, or LSiM?


    I still have a problem and refuse to move onto step 2.
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