I got some 5Jr's, multiple stereo questions (newbie alert!)
boltaction
Posts: 42
Hello Audiophiles, this is my first post to the forum.
I have a Yamaha CR-640 Natural sound reciever and a pair of Polk 5Jrs. I can't tell if they're plus or regular. They have passive bass speakers that are the same size as the drivers. Anyways, I paid $60 for them and I got the amp for free.
They are exceptionally detailed compared to my previous sony 3-way speakers. I can honestly say I am impressed. I actually gave my sony speakers away to a friend.
Here are my questions:
1. The Yamaha is from 1980, 40-Watts per speaker RMS. To anyone familiar with this amp, is that class A watts? Is this considered a good quality reciever? Can anyone provide me with information?
2. The polk speakers were not treated well, but all speakers are fine. No rips or damage. Someone pushed their finger against the middle of the midrange speaker and I very carefully popped it back out. No noticable sound difference. One tweeter (SL2000 I believe) has its right side glue holding down the metal leading to the speaker ripped off but the wire is still present. I cannot hear a difference between either speaker. I paid $60. Was this a good price?
3. What should I do next to improve the sound of my system? I am on a college budget but I am falling in love with good sound. Any recommendations? Sub recommendations or better amp for a low price?
Thank you for any help, I am new at this but I learn quick. P.S. I am using generic monster cable.
(Tweeter info from http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25377 )
I have a Yamaha CR-640 Natural sound reciever and a pair of Polk 5Jrs. I can't tell if they're plus or regular. They have passive bass speakers that are the same size as the drivers. Anyways, I paid $60 for them and I got the amp for free.
They are exceptionally detailed compared to my previous sony 3-way speakers. I can honestly say I am impressed. I actually gave my sony speakers away to a friend.
Here are my questions:
1. The Yamaha is from 1980, 40-Watts per speaker RMS. To anyone familiar with this amp, is that class A watts? Is this considered a good quality reciever? Can anyone provide me with information?
2. The polk speakers were not treated well, but all speakers are fine. No rips or damage. Someone pushed their finger against the middle of the midrange speaker and I very carefully popped it back out. No noticable sound difference. One tweeter (SL2000 I believe) has its right side glue holding down the metal leading to the speaker ripped off but the wire is still present. I cannot hear a difference between either speaker. I paid $60. Was this a good price?
3. What should I do next to improve the sound of my system? I am on a college budget but I am falling in love with good sound. Any recommendations? Sub recommendations or better amp for a low price?
Thank you for any help, I am new at this but I learn quick. P.S. I am using generic monster cable.
(Tweeter info from http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25377 )
Post edited by boltaction on
Comments
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Excuse me, I should give you an idea of what I listen to. I have a collection of Das Alte Werke vinyl of classical composure that I listen to when the mood strikes me, but mostly punk rock, ska, reggae dub, complex contemporary, Dave Matthews Band, etcetera.
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You have the 5jr+ speakers. Depending on whether they're the original 5jr+, or the 5jr+ series II, they could have the SL2000 or the SL2500. If the tweeter has a foam ring around the dome, then it's a SL2500. The 2500 is, in most people's opinions, the better tweeter.
Your Yamaha receiver probably has enough juice to run those speakers, but you can always go up. You'll sooner blow speakers from having not enough power than from having too much. I have run my 5jr's on anything from 15wpc to 100wpc. Your amp is old enough that it might be able to put out more than the rated wattage. I don't have any experience with that particular amp, though.
The power could still be an issue... see if you can borrow a higher-powered amp and give it a test run to see if the speakers improve. My guess is they will...
If you can't hear the difference between the damaged tweeter and the good one, then you probably don't have anything to worry about there.
You already have the better of the 5jr series, so the biggest way you could improve your sound is to upgrade the speakers to something bigger and better. But hey... they might not be necessary... Give a different amp a try and report your findings. I bet those 5jr+'s sound nice... I wish mine were the passive radiator version.
Welcome to the forum...
NadamsLudicrous gibs! -
Just read your reply...
You may want to add a sub or get some bigger speakers to be able to handle rock and the other stuff you like to listen to. I run my 5jr's with a powered sub meant for home theater use. It's a 10" offering from DCM and it really adds some punch to the low end that's missing from the 5jr's.
However, with my Monitor 10 Series II speakers, I would never have to add a subwoofer. They're basically two times the speaker that the 5jr+ is. Ironically, they do still use the same SL2500 tweeter
. Ludicrous gibs! -
I checked and they are definately the SL2000's. As a beginner to higher quality audio, you'll have to forgive my inability to articulate what I want out of my speakers.
I also listen to Hip Hop. Atmosphere's God Loves Ugly is a high treble with a multiple instruments-and-voices-at-once complexity album, which really shines using these speakers.
For instance, the bass is definately not "thumping" but very detailed when manually turned up. I try not to do that though because I get the impression I am losing some midrange at the same time. From what you said, I should definately consider a subwoofer. I normally use craigslist to find audio products. What sort of subwoofer by any manufacturer do you recommend, that can power itself? -
Welcome to the forum.
1. No, not Class A
2. If you want to improve the sound, buy 2 new replacement tweeters from Polk, $48.00 each for Club members. The new ones are much smoother than the SL2000's.
3. See above. Maybe when you have cash in hand down the road look into better power, until then enjoy what you have.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 -
Considering you have the SL2000, I would agree with F1nut that you should get the replacement tweeters from Polk. They're redesigned to help with some flaws the original sl2000's had.
Make sure to mention you're a Club Polk member so you get the discount.
As for subs... shop around and see what you can afford. For heavier bass and to really get the punch you seem to be looking for, the 5jr+'s probably aren't going to cut it regardless. They're better than the regular 5jrs like I have, simply because they have the passive radiators. But I just don't think they're going to satisfy you.
What I would recommend to you is to price some things out. Price out larger speakers like the vintage Polk Monitor 10 series, or even the slightly smaller Monitor 7's. These would give you more of the bass without having the need for a separate subwoofer (especially the 10's). Once you get done buying new tweeters an a sub to mate up with your current 5jr+'s, you may find that you're over the price range of a whole new pair of speakers.
Plus, if you ever get into home theater, you'd have the larger speakers for fronts and still have the 5jr+'s for rear surrounds
That'd be in the future, tho...Ludicrous gibs! -
Thanks for everyones help. I will keep an eye out for cheap second hand Monitor 10's or 7's. I may like high bass, but only when its clean. If it's one thing I cannot stand it is overwhelming bass that clips. I guess I am pretty lucky to run into these speakers.
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I run my 5jr+ together with set of 5b's at the same time on my yamaha cr-620 for years.......Joey Ward
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Ok Joey Ward........ what's your point of digging up all these irrelevant 10 year old threads?
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motorstereo wrote: »Ok Joey Ward........ what's your point of digging up all these irrelevant 10 year old threads?
I see that my point was wrong. Thank youmotorstereo wrote: »Ok Joey Ward........ what's your point of digging up all these irrelevant 10 year old threads?
Joey Ward -
motorstereo wrote: »Ok Joey Ward........ what's your point of digging up all these irrelevant 10 year old threads?
I see that my point was wrong. Thank youmotorstereo wrote: »Ok Joey Ward........ what's your point of digging up all these irrelevant 10 year old threads?
I don't want you to feel picked on man. There is nothing wrong with going through old threads to get your learn on, in fact we encourage it. You just don't need to comment. We've had many a newb comment on everything to run their post count and on the 101st post guess what? A FS ad.
Hang around, engage in some recent discussions and enjoy the hobby.
