problem with 4.6s

Dmb_Fan

I just received my Polk 4.6s today that I bought on ebay. The speakers are in overall good shape physically and for the most part sound wise. however, I recognized right away that my tweeter didn't appear to be working in one of the speakers. I checked the forums here and located a recommendation to pull and check the crossover. After a few minutes of work I located a dead spot on the crossover at a transistor? iI am not sure what it is called exactly but the numbers on it are as follows: 13.5mfd 5.0v np 85(degrees)C 812, it is black and has a wire coming out of the middle that is soldered to one area and then another solder underneath of the part itself (this is where the dead spot is.)

Now..would this part even be available? does Polk still fix these? Should I bother to take it somewhere local?

True novice here that only knows enough to figure out where to start.

Thanks in advance

Monitor 5s and now 4.6s

jcaut

Hi Dmb_Fan,

That part you're inquiring about is a capacitor. If it is indeed bad, you can get replacements from most any source that sells speaker parts to DIY'ers, like Parts Express. (I could probably even send you what you need from my personal inventory and save you the shipping (those capacitors only cost around 50 cents), if you determine that it is actually bad.)

I think you need to do a little more troubleshooting first though. If you're checking the crossover circuits for continuity, then a functioning capacitor will show to be "open". They don't pass DC. What I would do is remove the tweeter that isn't working (note the polarity: which wire goes to which terminal). Turn off your amp or receiver, lower the volume all the way, and connect the speaker wires directly to the tweeter. Play some music and very slowly and carefully raise the volume level to see if you get any sound from the tweeter. If you don't then the tweeter is bad. If you do get sound, then the problem is in the crossover or wiring.

Crossover component failure does happen, but it's not very common. Also, some older Polks used fuses or polyswitches to protect the tweeters. That could also be your problem, but since I'm not familiar with those particular speakers, I can't tell you where to look. Polk Customer Service would be glad to help you troubleshoot them, and they can be reached at 800-377-7655.

Jason

Dmb_Fan

Jason,

Thank you very much for the response. I did try the tweeter to the amplifier last night and I got zero sound. So maybe it is just the tweeter itself is bad. I just saw one of these on ebay this week (the 2500 model) sell for about the same price I paid for the speakers ($41 for the speakers + $35 for shipping.) Does Polk sell replacement tweeters? or could you possibly steer me in the right direction of a person to contact that might have one available?

Thanks again! huge help!

Tim

jcaut

Tim,

I don't know about the availability of the replacement tweeter. Polk does keep a reasonable selection of replacement parts for many models- What's the model number on the tweeter? You mention 2500, as in SL2500?

The problem you may run into is that even if the tweeter is available, it may cost more than you paid for the speakers. If it's not available new, then you might find one on ebay, or on the flea market forum. Forum members have been known to hoard spare parts.;) Or perhaps another, available tweeter could be made to work. In situations like that, it just becomes a judgement call as to whether or not it's worth the effort to fix.

Best thing to do would be to call customer service at the number I gave above. Ken Swauger, or any of the CS folks will be able to advise you as to the availability of replacement parts. If you buy a part from Polk, you can get a discount by telling them that you are a Club Polk member.

pmlewis

I have a pair of Mon 5 series 2 for sale local on the forum. If nobody local bites in the next 24 hours I consider parting out the drivers.

Dmb_Fan

pmlewis,

thanks for the response to my post. Please keep me updated as to the status of your M5s. I would appreciate your help in selling me some parts. (I also sent you an email)

Dmb_Fan

I just wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions and assistance. I ended up buying a replacement tweeter from Club Polk (very friendly and helpful.) The seller of the speakers was also great and refunded me $20 of the purchase price. So in the end, I have a very nice looking pair of 4.6s with a brand new tweeter for a total price of $107.

jcaut

Great!