Monitor 12b

NeilGabriel

Sorry if someone posted this already. This seems like a steal for $200. Anyone have these or heard them? I've never been crazy about the tweeter on top speaker design...but it is vintage polk....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Polk-Audio-12b-monitor-series-loudspeakers_W0QQitemZ130125236617QQihZ003QQcategoryZ14993QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

engtaz

I have the exact model. They are really good. Got mine for $150. I do recommend them.

danger boy

if i were closer to them.. they would be mine already... the top mounted tweeter can be hidden under it's removable hood..

the few RTA12's I've heard.. have been very impressive.

*A crossover upgrade would be a snap on these. since it sits outside the box.

NeilGabriel

engtaz wrote: »

I have the exact model. They are really good. Got mine for $150. I do recommend them.

ok...so $200 isn't a steal, let's just say "bargain"? I think Stubby might have a pair of these, I will have to get down and give them a listen....thinking maybe his were an 11? was there an 11?

engtaz

No it is a good price. I got a great deal and considered myself lucky.

danger boy

there was an RTA11, that looks nothing like the RTA12

and there was a rare monitor 11 too... that looks kind of like a RTA12 in size mostly.

BottomFeeder

I've got the 12C's and they're terrific. If you do a search on here, you'll find that they're held in very high regard. The seller's actually got them mislabled - they're Polk Audio RTA12B's. I bet that's why he's had no bids. They also look to be in good condition. Snag'em!

NeilGabriel

"The tweeters also have been changed out to the newer style 1” moving coil tweeter. "<---from the seller. What does this mean? The RDO? How big a risk would there be in shipping these, especially with the dangling tweeter?

Anybody have a spec sheet on these? I can't find them in the Polk vintage list. I'll go see if polksda has them. Maybe they could take over as fronts in my HT set up.

heiney9

NeilGabriel wrote: »

"The tweeters also have been changed out to the newer style 1” moving coil tweeter. "<---from the seller. What does this mean? The RDO? How big a risk would there be in shipping these, especially with the dangling tweeter?

Anybody have a spec sheet on these? I can't find them in the Polk vintage list. I'll go see if polksda has them. Maybe they could take over as fronts in my HT set up.

No, I'm guessing he replaced the peerless with the sl2000 (silver dome coil). These were true RTA's. (Real time array). The xover is phase compensated and the tweeter axis is in alignment with the mid-woofer axis; the idea is that the sound waves from each driver reach your ear at precisely the same time in the correct phase which enhance the listening experience.

Obviously set-up, listening position and room acoustics play a great deal in getting them right, but Polk made the design accordingly to try and achieve true time alignment (on paper so to speak).

I heard a pair a long itme ago and they are impressive, listen to those that own them. $200 is a very good deal for a great sounding speaker.

H9

P.s. I suspect swapping tweeters will upset the intial idea of how the speaker was designed. Whover gets them certainly could hunt for the peerless (assuming that's what was in them originally) or update the xover to work with the sl2000.

NeilGabriel

danger boy wrote: »

there was an RTA11, that looks nothing like the RTA12

and there was a rare monitor 11 too... that looks kind of like a RTA12 in size mostly.

We had this discussion a couple months ago, and I thought I had it figured out. Here seems to be the source of the problem.

This is link to a Monitor 11 sold on Ebay.

http://polksda.com/ebay/5725101681_Monitor11.pdf No external tweeter on top. I also think we saw a Monitor 11 with the flat passive instead of the cone...maybe not.

The first post on this thread is a link to the RTA 12b (see pic below). It has the tweeter on top and the Monitor 11 does not.

Until you look at the pic from the Polk Manual (Below), which lists the speaker with the external tweeter as a Monitor 11. Was this an earlier version of the 12B that did not use RTA or do they just have the wrong speaker pictured? It sure looks like the 12b.

heiney9

Ok, for the umpteenth time.

There was

RTA-12 (real time array, tweeter on top of the cabinet)
Monitor 12 had 4 mid woofer and PR

RTA 11T- tall slender cabinet with a D'appolito array (MTM) and 2 PR's
Monitor 11- similar to the Monitor 10 except they were in taller "studio" style cabinet with a base. The grill doesn't cover the whole speaker (the base is showing)

RTA 15T tall slender cabinet ala RTA 11T with more drivers
Monitor 15- military issue only (haven't seen one in awhile) not like the RTA 15T more like a Monitor 12.

H9

Feel free to add or correct as nec.

heiney9

I will also add that if the seller doesn't use the correct terminology (RTA vs. Monitor) it can be confusing to a perspective buyer. Most on here who look at these speakers know the difference regardless of how they are listed FS.

H9

heiney9

See I finally got this straight myself

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52356&highlight=monitor+12

H9

NeilGabriel

I thought I had the differences down as well, but isn't the picture on the Polk manual then an RTA 12b and not a Monitor 11 as it says in the manual?

heiney9

Where does it say it's a Monitor? I assume because it's pic is on the manual which states "monitor reference series". Technically they are "monitors" that term gets over used and used incorrectly many times.

I'd have to see the rest of the manual to see how Polk "listed" it. The RTA 12 has always had the tweeter mounted on top of the cabinet to achieve the Real Time alignment. Since higher freq tend to travel faster than mid freq the tweeter is set back farther in the array, hence one of the reasons why they mounted it on top.

H9

W WALDECKER

heiney9 wrote: »

Where does it say it's a Monitor? I assume because it's pic is on the manual which states "monitor reference series". Technically they are "monitors" that term gets over used and used incorrectly many times.

I'd have to see the rest of the manual to see how Polk "listed" it. The RTA 12 has always had the tweeter mounted on top of the cabinet to achieve the Real Time alignment. Since higher freq tend to travel faster than mid freq the tweeter is set back farther in the array, hence one of the reasons why they mounted it on top.

H9

I am looking at the boxe's from the Minty looking RTA 12c's that i bought yesterday from Mike and on the box it is printed, Real-Time Array Reference Monitor System (R.T.A 12)C

NeilGabriel

OK...this is my stupidity I guess. The manual cover shows the speakers in the pic above, but the speakers in the specs portion include an 11, a 10, a 7, and down. I just noticed that the speaker spec page does not line up with the picture...in other words, the pic was not an attempt to show all of the speakers described in the manual.....likely a stock photo....

so, now I am just back to wondering if I should have a friend in Chicago try to pick these up...anyone know where Sterling, IL is?

jtgranby

NeilGabriel wrote: »

OK...this is my stupidity I guess. The manual cover shows the speakers in the pic above, but the speakers in the specs portion include an 11, a 10, a 7, and down. I just noticed that the speaker spec page does not line up with the picture...in other words, the pic was not an attempt to show all of the speakers described in the manual.....likely a stock photo....

so, now I am just back to wondering if I should have a friend in Chicago try to pick these up...anyone know where Sterling, IL is?

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&country=US&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&addtohistory=&cat=&address=&city=Sterling&state=IL&zipcode=

NeilGabriel

jtgranby wrote: »

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?formtype=address&country=US&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&addtohistory=&cat=&address=&city=Sterling&state=IL&zipcode=

thanks...that was more of a joke for H9 since he lives in IL....I didn't mean to prove stupid twice in one day.

heiney9

NeilGabriel wrote: »

so, now I am just back to wondering if I should have a friend in Chicago try to pick these up...anyone know where Sterling, IL is?

Over by Dixon IL .

BottomFeeder

My RTA12C's have the sl2000 & sound great, and others - Doro et al - have recommended and installed the RDO and give them big props.

Haven't yet done it w/mine.

danger boy

heiney9 wrote: »

Ok, for the umpteenth time.

he's not listening I don't think.

danger boy

still no bids on these.. someone close should snag them...

BottomFeeder

Oh yeah, as for shipping, mine were shipped upright, strapped together, on top of their own palatte, w/a private shipping company. A bit spendy, but totally worth it.