Your thoughts on RTA Monitor 11

HB27
HB27 Posts: 1,518
edited February 2008 in Vintage Speakers
I've got a very nice pair of RTA Monitor 11s. I'm used to the Monitor 7, 10, and 12s. I have to say I'm very impressed with the RTA 11 in bass response and imaging.
I don't see much on here about the 11 and was wondering what some of the experts thought of them.
HB
Post edited by HB27 on
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited February 2008
    Nice speakers.

    ronnie, is that you?
    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

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  • HB27
    HB27 Posts: 1,518
    edited February 2008
    Not Ronnie, It's just another Polk fan in Indy. When I first set them up I had the L & R reversed and they had an echoing effect. The proper placement was a large improvement though I'm not really sure why.
    HB
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited February 2008
    It's because they are mirror imaged speakers.
    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

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  • HB27
    HB27 Posts: 1,518
    edited February 2008
    I understand the mirror imaged factor but they're not the first pair of imaged speakers I've owned. I will say the mirror imaging is the most critical I've run into though. I moved them back to reversed early this morning and got the same effect. I moved a few items around and put up a couple of sound deflectors to eleminate the echoing and the sound from the reversed imaging is very good. I may even leave them like this for a while. My room is accoustically challenged at best and this little adaptation is pretty nice.
    I was hoping for a couple of easy mod suggestions to come out of this thread from someone very familiar with the RTA Monitor 11. I feel there's an untapped treat in these.
    I'll admit I like larger cabinet speakers and I'm watching for a pair of the big boys to come up for sale close to me. I've got a Polk Member buddy close that has a pair close to what I'm looking for but not quite.
    Sorry for a newbie type post. I'm actually just new to the Polk ins and outs.
    Thank you for your time in replying
    hb
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,964
    edited February 2008
    my thoughts? I'll take 'em if you don't want 'em! :-)
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited February 2008
    The first upgrade you could make is to change out the tweeters. The RTA 11s have the SL2000 tweeters, and its replacement (the RDO-194) can be ordered from Polk directly. They are a great sounding tweeter, and not as harsh or forward as the SL2000.
    The second is to replace the capacitors and resistors in the crossover. These two upgrades will give you brand new speakers as good or better then stuff made today.
    Jake
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited February 2008
    Welcome to Club Polk.

    You have some great speakers. Instead of spending more money to change a sound you haven't even gotten accustomed to yet, just sit back & enjoy that classic Polk sound!

    I have the original SL2000 tweeters in my 18 year old RTA-8T's I've never heard a problem with them & they sound just great to me. They don't give me a headache even after listening to them all day long. So in my book they are just fine.

    Just relax & enjoy your music HB. It is NOT mandatory to automatically switch out the tweeters just because so many people on here say they rot.

    Listen to your ears first & foremost before you go making any changes.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • HB27
    HB27 Posts: 1,518
    edited February 2008
    Are these "dimples" the SL2000 tweeters?
    Thanks, HB
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited February 2008
    Looks to be a Peerless tweeter.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • HB27
    HB27 Posts: 1,518
    edited February 2008
    Thank you. I thought Peerless also. I know there's confusion on the RTA Monitor 11. Here's one of them.
    HB
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited February 2008
    The Peerless is a nice sounding tweeter, you don't need to change it like you would the SL2000's.
    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

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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited February 2008
    Those Peerless tweeters are great as they are. I wouldn't touch 'em myself.
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • HB27
    HB27 Posts: 1,518
    edited February 2008
    Thanks guys for the welcome and info/advice. I should have been more specific, my apologies. First post Newbie nerves.
    I'm happy with the tweets but these have been sitting unused for years and the drivers don't seem to be blending well. I'm suspecting a bit of cap deterioration and was wondering about PR response. Do the passives have tendencies to "loosen up" and muddy the lower end? Can this be a sign of crossover aging? I just suspect these speakers may have a lot more in them that can be brought out with a bit of tweaking or freshening up. I'm quite handy with a soldering iron and can rebuild about any audio component. I just don't know all the details of the Polks, their tendencies, or their preferred "eating habits". These just seem to have more in them than I'm getting out. I'm suspecting these are an extremely good speaker that's not hitting on all cylinders. I run tubes mostly and have many options for driving them. I've tried them on McIntosh 75s, Triad 6L6 monos, EL84 integrated, and EL34 Dynaco ST70. On the SS side I've put them on a Crown D150, PS400 with Crown IC150A pre,(very harsh pre) Adcom GFA-555 w/ GTP-400, Kenwood KR-6050, and an old Pioneer SX-727 which they seem (or my ears) to like best of the SS.
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited February 2008
    Don't post that last sentence at AK.
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  • zappem2000
    zappem2000 Posts: 4
    edited February 2008
    New to this forum but i have a pair of 11Ts and wow do they sound good when driven by my Cayin KT88 amp...the soundstaging, the presence, the bass and the clarity of the presentation of sound. Fantastic!

    sigh now one of the tweeters is acting up and no 11T goodness for me :(
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited February 2008
    HB,
    I found my old Monitor 10's sounded muddy while sitting on the floor, try elevating them and/or moving them away from the back wall. Are you sure both mid/woofers are working?
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • HB27
    HB27 Posts: 1,518
    edited February 2008
    I tried raising them off the floor. I just sold my Monitor 7b's that had the original stands and I've got a pair of Monitor 12s on stands also. Heighth isn't the issue with these. All drivers are working great. The MW's are solid and smooth and the tweets are stable and clear. Driven at lower volume/watts they're clearer is the reason I'm wondering if they need brought back up to specs or if the PR's deteriorate and lose their crisp sound. I chose to get experienced info is why I'm asking instead of just digging into them and trying everything.
    I appreciate all the help and suggestions so far.
    Thank you,
    HB
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,204
    edited February 2008
    HB27 wrote: »
    Thank you. I thought Peerless also. I know there's confusion on the RTA Monitor 11. Here's one of them.
    HB


    Those are NOT RTA 11's, they are Monitor 11's and both are completely different animals from each other.

    Here is what the RTA 11's look like

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=21353&d=1166326929

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited February 2008
    Yeah, we call them Monitor 11's, but they really are RTA Monitor 11's.
    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

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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,204
    edited February 2008
    F1nut wrote: »
    Yeah, we call them Monitor 11's, but they really are RTA Monitor 11's.

    Now I kinda realized that they go by the name RTA Monitor 11, just hadn't seen them referred to that way in awhile. :)
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited February 2008
    I hear ya. :)
    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

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  • HB27
    HB27 Posts: 1,518
    edited February 2008
    Here ya go. Original boxes
    2008_0216audio0003.JPG
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