Monitor 10 questions
nables30
Posts: 20
New owner of some monitor 10’s.
I’m looking for help identifying what I actually have. I’ve kinda browsed through some post about these speakers and in some ways it has helped but in other ways I’m more confused. I’ve taken some pictures of one of the speakers which I will share here and if there is interest in helping me I will get pictures of the other one as well.
Here goes the questions
#1, from the pictures I’ve seen I think these are RDO-194 tweeters. Is this correct or can someone set me straight?
#2, can anyone give me info on the crossover I have shared a picture of? Does it match well with the current tweeters?
#3, what upgrades can I/should I make to these speakers?
I’m enjoying these speakers so far but something is missing. In my limited listening to these so far I think the low end is great but it seems like the mid range to mid highs are a little weak and missing some clarity.
[i
mg]https://us.v-cdn.net/5021930/uploads/editor/8g/bq5ukvcighvm.jpeg[/img]
I’m looking for help identifying what I actually have. I’ve kinda browsed through some post about these speakers and in some ways it has helped but in other ways I’m more confused. I’ve taken some pictures of one of the speakers which I will share here and if there is interest in helping me I will get pictures of the other one as well.
Here goes the questions
#1, from the pictures I’ve seen I think these are RDO-194 tweeters. Is this correct or can someone set me straight?
#2, can anyone give me info on the crossover I have shared a picture of? Does it match well with the current tweeters?
#3, what upgrades can I/should I make to these speakers?
I’m enjoying these speakers so far but something is missing. In my limited listening to these so far I think the low end is great but it seems like the mid range to mid highs are a little weak and missing some clarity.
[i
mg]https://us.v-cdn.net/5021930/uploads/editor/8g/bq5ukvcighvm.jpeg[/img]
Comments
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Btw, no fuses on the binding post plate
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Caps are original... Swap them with anything new and improvements will happen.
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Btw, no fuses on the binding post plate
Those have a polyswitch. Little blue round or square thing next to the 12uf electrolytic cap. -
Thanks pitdogg2. Would these be a first gen crossover for these speakers? Or do these crossovers help determine which monitor 10’s these would be?
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10C, last version.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 -
Thanks FestYboy for the help. Any particular caps you would recommend for the version of the 10’s I have? Also, from what I’ve read (and subsequently I’m kinda confused about) there are different versions of the crossover and some of them match better with the different tweeters that are available. So my question is, do I have a good match here? Also, can you tell which tweeter I have? From the limited research I’ve done and the few pictures I’ve found so far, I think I have RDO-194’s. I need one of you far more knowledgeable friends to confirm or set me straight. Thanks again!Caps are original... Swap them with anything new and improvements will happen.
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F1nut I appreciate the help. Can you help me understand what makes them 10C’s and is that a good thing or bad (compared to the other versions of the 10’s)? I’m quickly catching the Polk bug and want to get up to speed on these.10C, last version.
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The beveled front edge.
Sonicap caps and Mills resistors.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 -
If you really like those Monitor 10's, you should find another pair of vintage Polks instead of redoing the crossovers on those. Just IMO and not that you asked.
If you have the room SDA 2B's or RTA-12's
If you don't have the room Monitor 7's.afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
Not sure you saw this - When you hit & open Vintage Speakers read thru these & get valuable info... nice speakers.... is it me OR are the woofers dusy & dirty ? if so, you can use "real" Windex & cotton balls you can lightly clean the woofer surrounds. Just wipe it lightly & it will remove all that dust n grim away. If you notice it's a little sticky that is suppose to be that way... welcome to the forum
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Cotton cloth. Cotton balls shed little fibers.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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The tweeters LOOK like RD-0194’s. Remove one, and if the +ve spade is red, then I think it’s certain. Your crossover looks like the standard crossover for Monitor 10’s.
The crossover is fine for original SL-2000 or RD-0194 tweeters, as the 0194’s are direct replacements.
Replacing the blue poly switch with a Mills 0.5 Ohm 12w resistor seems to be the consensus. Replace the 2.0 and 2.7 Ohm resistors with Mills as well. Replace the 34uF cap with a Solen 33uF. Close enough, and the cheaper Solen will be fine, as it’s not in the signal path. Use 12 uF Gen 1 Sonicaps to replace the existing 12uF electro and Mylar caps.
In saying this, I only have experience rebuilding a set of Monitor 5A’s crossovers, but these are the parts I used in similar positions, and mine sound great.
Others with greater experience may have better advice.
Mr Relish -
Of course, you can use a 34uF Sonicap for the 34uF electro replacement. Up to you.
Mr Relish -
Thanks for the info. Not sure I have the room for anything larger than these. It’s hard to get the recommended distance away from these speakers in my current listening area. I picked these up pretty cheap from a person that I was purchasing an amp from (it was an add on). Maybe someday I can go that route because the SDA’s look pretty sweet to me.If you really like those Monitor 10's, you should find another pair of vintage Polks instead of redoing the crossovers on those. Just IMO and not that you asked.
If you have the room SDA 2B's or RTA-12's
If you don't have the room Monitor 7's.
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Keep in mind that the new caps are going to be much larger than the current stock ones. You will have to get a bit creative to fit everything on the board. Myself and others have mounted the resistors on the bottom of the board instead of the top. Another option is to make another mounting board and attach it with nylon stand offs to the current board. That will give you a lot more real estate to work with. You may have to lengthen the leads on the caps to get them to reach down to the original pcb.
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I will check that out when I get a chance this afternoon. And yes, these speakers are pretty dirty. I was trying to figure out a plan of attack to get them cleaned up. Cosmetically, the cabinets are a little beat up, so at some point I might try to refinish them or have them refinished. Right now I want to invest in getting them sounding their best and if I really like them I will do a good restoration.boston1450 wrote: »Not sure you saw this - When you hit & open Vintage Speakers read thru these & get valuable info... nice speakers.... is it me OR are the woofers dusy & dirty ? if so, you can use "real" Windex & cotton balls you can lightly clean the woofer surrounds. Just wipe it lightly & it will remove all that dust n grim away. If you notice it's a little sticky that is suppose to be that way... welcome to the forum
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So, if I wanted to find someone to rebuild the crossovers, with the sonicaps and mills resistors, who should I talk to? I searched a little for the parts earlier and they were out of stock or not listed as options. And, right now I’m not sure I have time to take it on anyway, but would like to get it done. Is there anyone on this forum that rebuilds them?
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Contact Westmassguy.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 -
I concur -> westmassguy
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Starting tear down to get the crossover’s rebuilt. Is there a trick to getting the disconnect off of the spade terminal on the woofers? I can’t get them free and I’m afraid to pull to hard and break something
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2 options: spread the curls , or, with a small pick, pull out on the second (middle) rib on the flat side to relieve tension on the detent and slide it off.
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Got the crossovers out and sent out to Dave for a rebuild. I will add the pictures of the tear down here. It looks like a repair or partial upgrade was done to these speakers in the early 2000’s based on the tweeters and woofers that I found.
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While I’m waiting for the crossovers to come back I would like to ask some opinions if anyone has any for me.
First, I listen to Rock, Prog rock, Alternative, classic rock, Blues, some heavy metal and some classical music. I have three amplifiers available to run these guys:
McIntosh 2100 (Solid State)
Audio Research D-70 (Tube)
Marantz PM-8006 (Integrated Amplifier)
When I get them put back together. Which one do you guys think would make them sing the best?
Second, in your experiences with Monitor 10’s, are there any albums or songs that really show off what they can do? -
Best answer, try all 3.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 -
^^^^^
Pay attention to this.
In so many words, your gear, your space, your ears, your taste.
Don't chase gear, chase the sounds.
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F1 I agree with this! I was just looking for a jumping off point. I was wondering if people tended to prefer tube or solid state with this model.Best answer, try all 3.
tonyp063, you are so very right. “What sounds good” is such a subjective question with huge variables unique to each persons experience (equipment, listening environment, and even a persons taste and hearing characteristics). Mostly I’m just trying to find out what you guys like and to hear about your experiences that have worked or not worked for you (with gear and listening space setup).^^^^^
Pay attention to this.
In so many words, your gear, your space, your ears, your taste.
Don't chase gear, chase the sounds.
Thanks to both of you for your continued help and advice, I look forward to continuing this conversation and learning a little bit more from all of you.
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