PolkFest Reserve Deal—EXTENDED For Forum Members

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    edited November 2021
    Joey_V wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Made some very minor changes -- listening to relatively modern (ca. 2011, IIRC) Rhino expanded/remastered version of aoxomoxoa (the remix, not the original mix) and it is sounding pretty darned good.

    lk2tm5ok2zlm.png

    Exceptional vocal clarity for a two way at the (discount) price -- and I am a vocal clarity kind of hombre. :# They're doing an admirable job of bringing ol' Jer' back from the dead... to the Dead. ;)

    This is just a staged photo ;) to compare the R200 to the oh-so-cleverly named :p ELAC Debut 2.0 b6.2 (man, I hope they didn't pay anyone to come up with that moniker!). I was kind of surprised that the form factor of the R200 is quite similar to the Andrew Jones-designed ELAC.

    51660583575_9367b91f7f_b.jpgDSC_0972 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

    51658893707_969481c6eb_b.jpgDSC_0971 (3) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

    More to come...

    That looks nice
    How’s the vinyl wrap?

    Better than average*. I was taken aback by the direction of the grain on the top side**, though -- is this a 21st Century thing and/or a nod to the form factor (depth vs. width) of the design?

    I would prefer the grain running across rather then front to back on the top... but, then again, I am an Old Guy with pronounced Old Guy sensibilities.

    j7ii4ed3wfwl.jpg


    * Better looking than the ELACs, although the ELACs do have a nice quasi-naturalistic texture. Otherwise, the ELACs are kind of cheap looking -- even though at their orginal MSRP they were inexpensive but certainly not cheap.

    ** Derp, the ELAC top vinyl "grain" runs front to back, too! I hadn't noticed it as much on the black vinyl finish, despite the texture thereof, until I looked at the photo I posted earlier! :p
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,272
    O3P73EO2 wrote: »
    I am a new member, any chance I can still get in on the discount code + 10% off? Please pm me if so. Thank you
    Welcome! How about starting off with the effort of some reading on your own?

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  • Emlyn wrote: »
    Regarding the 703s they are all around a bit bigger, richer and smoother sounding than the R200s but not as detailed. The cosmetic build quality of the cabinets and port plate is far higher with the LSiM series in the dark finish. I never did like the orange tone cherry finish on that line. The more detailed presentation is the most noticeable sound difference. Both lines still have a similar sound quality that results from the polypropylene cone/ring radiator tweeter combo.

    Thanks for the quick reply. Sounds like they’d both be pretty great speakers based on that info. Would love to hear them side by side one day. Lsim sound with more transparency and detail could be interesting.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    edited November 2021
    I am both pleased and impressed with the quality of vocals from the R200. This is with respect to, e.g., my Frankenaltecs and Quad ESL-57s, which both excel at midrange reproduction.

    I realized today that I need to spend some time listening to some well-recorded piano on the R200. Piano is really, really tough to get right -- more to the point, to make sound real. The most real reproduction of piano I've heard to date is by Altec Duplexes (604E, in my own case, with Doug Sax's MasteringLabs crossovers), which get the weight and texture of piano, as well as the size, very right. It will be interesting to see how the R200s fare against that rather lofty benchmark. :)



  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,272
    You've had a little over an hour. So how did the R200s fair against that rather lofty benchmark?
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,272
    Do the walnuts have texture? Or are they smooth?
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  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,960
    Is the 10 percent off still offered, and if so how is it obtained? I emailed Polk about the regular discount code late Friday but haven’t heard anything yet. Assuming I get the discount code on Monday how do I get the additional 10 percent?
  • motorhead43026
    motorhead43026 Posts: 3,892
    edited November 2021
    ^^ the 10% was offered via a pop up on the Polk website. It said “enable notifications” and get a 10% discount.
    2 channel: Anthem 225 Integrated amp; Parasound Ztuner; TechnicsTT SL1350; Vincent PHO-8 phono pre; Marantz CD6005 spinner; Polk SDA2BTL's; LAT International speaker cables, ZU Mission IC's and power cables all into a PS Audio Dectet Power center.

    Other; M10 series II, M7C's, Hafler XL600 amp, RB-980BX, Parasound HCA-1500 amp , P5 preamp, all in storage. All vintage Polk have had crossover rebuilds and tweeter upgrades.

    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.

    Imagine making politics your entire personality.
  • smglbrth
    smglbrth Posts: 1,457
    msg wrote: »
    Do the walnuts have texture? Or are they smooth?

    Smooth, you can feel the seam on the back but you can't really see it. I, personally, think it's a pretty decent finish and I also like the grey grill covers.

    Interesting to hear about viewpoints on the cabinets. My 8t's are "hollow", period. When I knock on the R600's it sounds hollow on the bottom but when I get to the bottom driver I get a solid "thunk". It's not solidly all the way up but I do notice a difference. Of course, not owning any multi-thousand dollar speakers I wouldn't really have the knowledge on this. It would be nice to see a cutaway of the R600's however...
    Remember, when you're running from something, you're running to something...-me
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,272
    ^ good info, thanks! I have a set of HSU Research HB-1s in Rosewood that are like what you describe. Not a bad finish.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    msg wrote: »
    You've had a little over an hour. So how did the R200s fair against that rather lofty benchmark?

    I was writing letters of recommendation for one of my students from last year's Glycobiology course (yeah, I've been meaning to do this) ... :p

    oh, and listening to All the Traditions on VPR. Not on the R-200s :blush:


  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,030
    dromunds wrote: »
    Is the 10 percent off still offered, and if so how is it obtained? I emailed Polk about the regular discount code late Friday but haven’t heard anything yet. Assuming I get the discount code on Monday how do I get the additional 10 percent?

    I tried to get the "extra 10%" today before I bought a pair of R200's, no dice. It must have expired.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
  • ALL212
    ALL212 Posts: 1,552
    It’s still there. You have to disable pop up and ad blockers.
    Since my phone has neither I just checked and I got the code, didn’t record it.
    Then it resets for an unknown time period.
    Aaron
    Enabler Extraordinaire
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,030
    Dang, I already pulled the trigger. Oh well, still a great deal. I do hate missing any possible discount though....

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
  • JayMX
    JayMX Posts: 433
    I am such a sucker - enablers the lot of you. The discount was quite compelling. I dropped the hammer. Don't tell my wife. :#:D
    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.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    Your secret is safe with us... and with google, of course.

    B)
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    edited November 2021
    so...
    Now...
    I am just sayin'...
    but this image from the R-series brochure suggests that the core demographic for these loudspeakers is either folks who take pretty sloppy care of their rekkids and/or who buy their vinyls from Goodwill. :#

    zbg7c1qmk4n8.png

    source: https://www.polkaudio.com/-/media/files/documentmaster/polk-us/us/polk_reserve_series_brochureweb_07072021.pdf
  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,158
    JayMX wrote: »
    I am such a sucker - enablers the lot of you. The discount was quite compelling. I dropped the hammer. Don't tell my wife. :#:D

    Same here...I slipped my set of black R200 into the living room today and I really don't think anyone will notice the difference between these and the old Mirage M290 that have been sitting there for 9 years. The front profile just sorta blends into the AV cabinet. Yes, I know these would sound better on stands, but the wife likes here big cabinet with places to put photos, nick-knacks, etc.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    Listening to Cowboy Junkies (actually, due to terrible weather, only Margo and Michael Timmins) recorded live at WXRV-FM's performance space (!) in Haverhill, MA, on a very snowy day in the late 1990s.

    Oooooooooooh, Margo! :)

    z91smrjy7u8m.png
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    51665522194_a5640772b2_b.jpgDSC_0027 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

    Doin a little mano a mano speako a speako comparison today.
    The Polk does seem to be winning. :)

  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    Come to think of it, ELAC Polk might be a good performing name for a musician.
  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,158
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    so...
    Now...
    I am just sayin'...
    but this image from the R-series brochure suggests that the core demographic for these loudspeakers is either folks who take pretty sloppy care of their rekkids and/or who buy their vinyls from Goodwill. :#

    zbg7c1qmk4n8.png

    source: https://www.polkaudio.com/-/media/files/documentmaster/polk-us/us/polk_reserve_series_brochureweb_07072021.pdf

    Hmm, that photo really crops off the depth and is deceiving. Shame on Polk. Promoting bad record care AND misrepresenting the depth of the speaker! I still like them. All forgiven :wink:
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,874
    edited November 2021
    Full disclosure: I did snip the image from the brochure , but I don't think that I cropped the image itself.

    I am just amused and kind of befuddled by the bedraggled condition of the album jackets in that image. If they don't smell musty, they probably smell like the clothing section of a thrift store. :/

  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,272
    edited November 2021
    @CarlJacobson_POLK I did think it was a pretty good joke that this is the first thing you see when you click on the Reserve Series...
    92dlfkiznua4.png
    For a brief moment, you're like, $chiit! All the speakers are gone!
    Then the page finishes loading and
    biw7qa4gu5xo.png
    Post edited by msg on
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