Picked up some 7b's for free!
buckaroo
Posts: 6
A buddy of mine had a set of 7b's sitting in his basement, and he gave them to me for free recently (I *did* offer him payment, but he wouldn't take it), with a warning that one of the tweeters (which appear to be Peerless, correct?) was bad:
When I got them home and checked them out, as many of you probably guessed the tweeter problem turned out to be a bad fuse. Replaced it and the tweeter lit right up. Can't be happier with them - they sound amazing set up on a couple of makeshift stands, even if cosmetically they're a little rough around the edges.
About that, I notice that on the top of both speakers there are three dimples in the veneer that look like the top of a screw or a nail. On one them, there's bubbling under the veneer that seems most likely to me to be corrosion from such a fastener:
Is there bracing in this area that would use fasteners? Any idea what these dimples might be?
Eventually I plan to re-veneer and re-cap them, but my priority now is to pull the woofer and secure the magnet - it hasn't come loose yet, but an ounce of prevention, etc.
Here they are in situ - placement isn't ideal, and I need to get a legitimate set of speaker stands, but it all works for now:
When I got them home and checked them out, as many of you probably guessed the tweeter problem turned out to be a bad fuse. Replaced it and the tweeter lit right up. Can't be happier with them - they sound amazing set up on a couple of makeshift stands, even if cosmetically they're a little rough around the edges.
About that, I notice that on the top of both speakers there are three dimples in the veneer that look like the top of a screw or a nail. On one them, there's bubbling under the veneer that seems most likely to me to be corrosion from such a fastener:
Is there bracing in this area that would use fasteners? Any idea what these dimples might be?
Eventually I plan to re-veneer and re-cap them, but my priority now is to pull the woofer and secure the magnet - it hasn't come loose yet, but an ounce of prevention, etc.
Here they are in situ - placement isn't ideal, and I need to get a legitimate set of speaker stands, but it all works for now:
Comments
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Someone likely had them mounted. There is nothing in the speakers to cause that. Have you looked at the bottoms for other screws?
That's a vinyl covering, not wood veneer.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 -
Yeah, I figured it was vinyl - just used the wrong word
. I want to peel it off and replace it with real wood veneer eventually.
I thought about the possibility of screw-mounting points (yes, the marks are on the bottom as well), but it didn't make sense to me that the vinyl is unbroken. I wonder if something heavy was sitting on it? But then what would the apparent corrosion bubbling under the vinyl be? Unless the vinyl is not original? I guess I won't find out until I peel it all off... -
It's original vinyl.
The vinyl is broken, it has screws driven into it.
The bubbling is the particleboard falling apart and trapped under the vinyl.
You'll need a heat gun to help remove the vinyl. Best to start on a back edge corner. Heat a small area, pull up that small area, heat another small area and repeat until skinned clean. Fair warning, it isn't easy.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 -
The vinyl is broken, it has screws driven into it.
At first I thought, "no way. I'm looking right at it, and it's unbroken." But then I looked closer, and started poking at it, and it turns out that you're of course correct: it looks to just be a really well color-matched waxy filler, probably something like this: https://www.fastcap.com/product/softwax-kit.
That puts that "mystery" to bed.
And yeah, getting the old vinyl off is going to be a bear - that's why I'm saving it for last, after I address other age-related maintenance. I'm just tickled to have such a great-sounding set of classic speakers, regardless of looks. -
Have you done a air leak test yet ? Are the holes thru ? Push in & HOLD IN on the passive & watch the MW come out. Should stay out 3-5 seconds before going back to resting position. If less then you got leak..
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Numerous reports here and at - ahem - certain dumpster-diver web forums
of de-vinyling these old cabinets. It looks (to use a phrase from math textbooks) straightforward.
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boston1450 wrote: »Have you done a air leak test yet ? Are the holes thru ? Push in & HOLD IN on the passive & watch the MW come out. Should stay out 3-5 seconds before going back to resting position. If less then you got leak
No leaks, happily!mhardy6647 wrote: »Numerous reports here and at - ahem - certain dumpster-diver web forums of de-vinyling these old cabinets. It looks (to use a phrase from math textbooks) straightforward.
I'll dig around - it'll be good to see what I'm in for!
Loving the sound of these more and more the longer I listen to them - if I had to characterize them, I'd say they're "relaxed" or "laid back." An entirely pleasant listen, no fatiguing harshness at all. -
Just don't do what this guy did.. LOL!!!
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/199637/polk-audio-monitor-7-eruption-series-evh-5150-van-halen/p1 -
Just don't do what this guy did.. LOL!!!
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/199637/polk-audio-monitor-7-eruption-series-evh-5150-van-halen/p1
Yeah, yeah, but they are still very cool😎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 -
Just don't do what this guy did.. LOL!!!
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/199637/polk-audio-monitor-7-eruption-series-evh-5150-van-halen/p1
Holy Moley
! Not my style, but ya gotta admire the attention to detail! -
If you remove the mid-woofer or PR, make sure the batting is pushed up into place behind the mid-woofer and tweeter but not behind the PR. It tends to fall down.Stan
Main 2ch:
Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.
HT:
Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60
Other stuff:
Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601 -
Good advice, thanks!If you remove the mid-woofer or PR, make sure the batting is pushed up into place behind the mid-woofer and tweeter but not behind the PR. It tends to fall down.
