Monitor 7 vs Altec Bolero...?
ivan100000
Posts: 11
Hi All--
I have a pair of Monitor 7 speakers purchased new by my dad @1987 that I'd been planning to dump on eBay in the near future. They've been sitting in my storage spot for the past 5 years or so, and I didn't even know what model # they were until I went up there last weekend to check them in anticipation of doing some pre-sale research. I'd never paid much attention to the Polks; somehow I assumed they were a generic Circuit City/Best Buy bargain speaker, but I see that without exception they get great reviews from speaker nuts & audiophile sites online.
Will the Monitor 7 sound comparable to my Altec Bolero 890C set (also with passive radiator) from the late-'60s? My storage space is 35 miles away & I won't have the opportunity to go back there & retrieve the Polks for another week and a half. Cosmetically the Polks are like new, whereas my Altecs are so-so; if I like the Polks perhaps I'll keep them instead. I should mention that my system consists of a McIntosh MX110 preamp & a McIntosh MC225 amplifier.
I'd appreciate any opinions while I wait to A/B them myself.
Regards,
Ivan Z.
I have a pair of Monitor 7 speakers purchased new by my dad @1987 that I'd been planning to dump on eBay in the near future. They've been sitting in my storage spot for the past 5 years or so, and I didn't even know what model # they were until I went up there last weekend to check them in anticipation of doing some pre-sale research. I'd never paid much attention to the Polks; somehow I assumed they were a generic Circuit City/Best Buy bargain speaker, but I see that without exception they get great reviews from speaker nuts & audiophile sites online.
Will the Monitor 7 sound comparable to my Altec Bolero 890C set (also with passive radiator) from the late-'60s? My storage space is 35 miles away & I won't have the opportunity to go back there & retrieve the Polks for another week and a half. Cosmetically the Polks are like new, whereas my Altecs are so-so; if I like the Polks perhaps I'll keep them instead. I should mention that my system consists of a McIntosh MX110 preamp & a McIntosh MC225 amplifier.
I'd appreciate any opinions while I wait to A/B them myself.
Regards,
Ivan Z.
Post edited by ivan100000 on
Comments
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No, it'll sound quite a bit different. More like a 1970s-era British monitor (LS-3/5A, KEF 104, Chartwell, Spendor, that sort of thing) than a West Coast speaker. The bass will likely be qualitatively, and maybe even quantitatively, better from the Polk than from the Bolero (believe it or not). The midrange will be less pronounced, but the quality of the MR (e.g., transient response) of the 7 family is quite good.
Mind you, I am, at some level, a fan of both "sounds", having a purchased-new pair of Monitor 7As in our family room and a nice pair of Altec Valencias (basically Altec Voice of the Theatre components in a smaller, ported cabinet) in the living room. -
No clue as I've never heard them side by side. That's something your ears alone will have to tell you. The Altecs will be more efficient typically.Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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You might want to try asking at the forum at www.audioheritage.org (from which I found the attached)...
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Also not sure, but give them a try. The worst that can happen is you don't prefer them and end up selling them as planned. And if you happen to like them, well you now have a whole new world in front of you.
And welcome to the club!
