L200 questions

pkquat

I recently got some L200s on loan with an option to buy. An aquantence got them with a McIntosh tube amp he really wanted as part of a package the seller would not break up. So he is selling stuff to pay for the amp and recoup some money. The history is unknown. There is a cabinet blemish and the very tip of the tweeter broke off on the same speaker. They do sound very good for the most part.

I read they need to be about 3 feet from a back wall. I am hoping to test this soon. Right now they are only a foot or so away and I am using RTA 11ts as stands. The bass is obnoxiously boomy but holy cow they pack a punch for their size. I don't think stands will make much difference unless I move the speakers from the wall. I am not sure how that set up will work in the two rooms these might go in.

The very high end and most of the tweeter range seems at a lower volume than the midrange compared to the RTAs, M5As with peerless, M5Bs with RD0198, and SDA 2.3tls. with upgraded crossovers and RD0198S. The tweeters are very clear and sound great, but something is missing. Could this be the distance from the wall?

I read somewhere here there were different port designs but can't find the post. Is this true, and how does one tell?

I recently noticed one tweeter is missing the very tip of the spike. I can't really hear any difference between the two and heard it probably won't make an obvious difference. Can anyone confirm this? I will probably buy a replacement while I still can if I buy these and try and knock at least $100 off the price.

Anything else I should know when giving these a listen? Amp right now is a Krell 300i and it seams to have more than enough power, but I do notice an efficiency drop compared to RT5s, 4As, 5jr+, and RTA 11ts.

msg

This is the L200, not the R200? People have sometimes accidentally said one while meaning the other.

What you describe re: being obnoxiously boomy when too close to the wall I experienced with the R200, but can't say I experienced the same with the L200. The L200 uses the Power Port, while the R200 uses the X-Port, and the latter does need a lot of room. I did not notice this with the L200.

Your other notes re: comparison to vintage Polk speakers you listed and the mids and highs presence... Could be that what you're noticing is the effect of being more balanced across the frequency range? You'll likely need some time to settle in with them and adjust to their sound.

If after that they're not sitting well with you and you're not getting a great deal, I'd consider passing and buying new, or used pair of known history, so you're not questioning whether there's something not right about them.

Emlyn

It's difficult to accurately test a speaker's bass performance while they are sitting on top of a large speaker with active drivers. Kind of like sitting them on top of a drum. The sound pressure produced by the L200s activates the drivers and resonates the cabinet to a degree in the larger speakers. I'd withold judgement about bass until they L200s are properly set up.

But, the L200s have a lower efficiency rating (85.5 db) than the old Polks had. Just means needing to boost the volume knob up a smidge more.

pkquat

Yes these are the L200 with the power port. Maybe I confused comments about the R200 needing to be away from a rear wall. That said, I am thinking the L200's need some distance as well. I'll update when I get a chance to try them out in a different location or can move some stuff around.

I would hope the SDA 2.3tls are a good reference. They were done by Sea, and Glenndog had them before me. My other speakers have profiles I would say are in a similar ball park Hopefully the right environment changes things.

It could be the cabinets below are adding something. I thought I had been told once that the drivers and such would absorb bass. Either way I thought my other book shelve speakers sounded ok on top of them, but they all have front firing ports or PR with the 5jr's.

audioluvr

Spelling and grammar here helps...

pkquat

Any info on what the insulation in the L200s should be like would be appreciated.

I skimmed through some of the demo reviews here again and it seams like one should be able to have them not too far from a back wall. I saw some interesting stands too. I'll have to see if I can find something easy and creative this weekend.

I saw some on the pics of the inside online, and the cutaway of the R200 (I could not find one of the L200). It had me wondering if maybe something happened with the insulation inside and what if any it had. I took the crossover cover off and all I saw was insulation and the wires. I assume the wires run down to the crossover at the bottom of the cabinet according to pictures I found. I could not see the crossover. The cabinet appeared to be full of insulation. Based on the R200 cutaway this could be correct, but I got to wondering if maybe it should be up higher or extra was stuffed in there.

VR3

Behind the woofer it has insulation, behind the tweeter and at the port it does not which is normal

Crossover is mounted on the bottom of the enclosure