Monitor 5(b?) question.

bobman7
bobman7 Posts: 55
edited September 2009 in Vintage Speakers
Found a deal on some monitor 5 for around $15 bucks...but they appear to be in kinda rough shape and one is lacking a tweeter. should I jump on them anyway and repair it?
2 Ch Rig
RTA12B
Audio Research D-90
Nikko Beta III
Harman/Kardon FL8450
Computer Rig
Monitor 5
Yamaha RX-500u
Post edited by bobman7 on
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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited September 2009
    I would. For $15 bucks, it'd still be a great price after fixing them.

    Got pictures? Depending on what tweeters they have, you could just get a pair of RD0-194-1 replacement tweeters from Polk.
    The nirvana inducer-
    APC H10 Power Conditioner
    Marantz UD5005 universal player
    Parasound Halo P5 preamp
    Parasound HCA-1200II power amp
    PolkAudio LSi9's/PolkAudio SDA 2A's/PolkAudio Monitor 7A's
    Audioquest Speaker Cables and IC's
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited September 2009
    Go get um. I feel it is my responsibility to tell you that vintage Polk's are more addictive than crack.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • Paden501
    Paden501 Posts: 286
    edited September 2009
    Indeed. I started with a pair of 5b's 2 months ago...... I now have 5b's, 4a's and SDA-1Cs just a few months later.
    ~Matt
    My System

    Front L/R: Definitive BP10Bs
    Surrounds -Polk Audio Monitor 4As
    Preamp: B&K Reference 20
    CD: Jolida JD100a
    L/R Amp: Carver TFM-24
    Turntable: Pioneer PL-516 W/ Shure M97xe
    TV: Sony 52" XBR9
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  • bobman7
    bobman7 Posts: 55
    edited September 2009
    went and got em...both tweeters are shot, but otherwise the drivers and in pretty good shape. They don't sound quite as good as my rta 12s but oh well...lookin forward to gettin em fixed and put in use.
    3n33m13pd5O25Q45P999d046a5e3ae2a3102e.jpg

    Which tweeters do I need to buy?
    2 Ch Rig
    RTA12B
    Audio Research D-90
    Nikko Beta III
    Harman/Kardon FL8450
    Computer Rig
    Monitor 5
    Yamaha RX-500u
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited September 2009
    Do you have an ohm meter? Do those speakers have a fuse on them? The SL2000's would be upgraded any ways. The recommend replacement tweeter is the RDO194. Call Polk CS, and mention you are a Club Polk member to get the discount. They are $48 each shipped for Polkies.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • bobman7
    bobman7 Posts: 55
    edited September 2009
    where would the fuse be? I don't have an ohm meter...
    2 Ch Rig
    RTA12B
    Audio Research D-90
    Nikko Beta III
    Harman/Kardon FL8450
    Computer Rig
    Monitor 5
    Yamaha RX-500u
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited September 2009
    If there is a fuse it would be in the cup where you hook up the speaker wires. You can get a cheap digital multi meter at Rat Shack for around $20.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • bobman7
    bobman7 Posts: 55
    edited September 2009
    No fuse...do I need an ohm meter?
    2 Ch Rig
    RTA12B
    Audio Research D-90
    Nikko Beta III
    Harman/Kardon FL8450
    Computer Rig
    Monitor 5
    Yamaha RX-500u
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  • bobman7
    bobman7 Posts: 55
    edited September 2009
    would these work?
    http://cgi.ebay.com/pair-Polk-Audio-SL-2000-Silver-Coil-Dome-Tweeters_W0QQitemZ170381405393QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSpeakers_Subwoofers?hash=item27ab85ecd1&_trksid=p4999.c0.m14#ht_3599wt_1165
    2 Ch Rig
    RTA12B
    Audio Research D-90
    Nikko Beta III
    Harman/Kardon FL8450
    Computer Rig
    Monitor 5
    Yamaha RX-500u
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  • fbm211
    fbm211 Posts: 1,488
    edited September 2009
    Yes but as ben said get the RDO194s from polk.You will be better off with them.
    SDA-2BTL with custom IC
    Adcom 565 monoblocks--Monarchy Audio M-10 preamp
    Theta Data Basic Transport--Stello DA100 Signature DAC--Camelot Dragon Pro2 MK III
    Harman Kardon T-55c TT
    DH Labs Q-10 Signature Speaker Cables With Furez silver plated copper bananas
    Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy Cryo-Silver Reference AES/EBU
    Revelation Audio Labs Prophecy Cryo-Silver i2s digital cable
    4 Furutech FP-314Ag with FI-11cu Plugs/FI-11AG IECs--- Power Cords
    DH LABS REVELATIONS ICs-amps
    Revelation Audio Labs Paradise cryo-silver ICs-Source to pre
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  • bobman7
    bobman7 Posts: 55
    edited September 2009
    fbm211 wrote: »
    Yes but as ben said get the RDO194s from polk.You will be better off with them.

    at 3x the cost...=\
    2 Ch Rig
    RTA12B
    Audio Research D-90
    Nikko Beta III
    Harman/Kardon FL8450
    Computer Rig
    Monitor 5
    Yamaha RX-500u
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited September 2009
    One of the domes is in rough shape, and Polk was kind enough to supply/re engineer better tweeters for speakers that are 20yrs old. The new tweeters should be able to last another 20+ years.
    bobman7 wrote: »
    at 3x the cost...=\
    Add the shipping, hope they make the trip, and have a sub par set of tweeters. I'd pass.
    The new ones are treated textile domes. The old ones are a poly type of dome. They age more like milk than wine. Don't worry. You won't regret it.
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • bobman7
    bobman7 Posts: 55
    edited September 2009
    one last thing question, whats the best amount of power to push these with?
    2 Ch Rig
    RTA12B
    Audio Research D-90
    Nikko Beta III
    Harman/Kardon FL8450
    Computer Rig
    Monitor 5
    Yamaha RX-500u
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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited September 2009
    bobman7 wrote: »
    would these work?
    http://cgi.ebay.com/pair-Polk-Audio-SL-2000-Silver-Coil-Dome-Tweeters_W0QQitemZ170381405393QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSpeakers_Subwoofers?hash=item27ab85ecd1&_trksid=p4999.c0.m14#ht_3599wt_1165

    Yes, those would work. Personally, I'd just wait until you've got the coin for the RD0's though.

    One of the SL-2000's in that auction looks kinda funny too...almost like the dome is separating from the surround around one edge. If you're really trying to keep it low cost, the SL-2000's will work, but IMO you'd be better off just holding off for the much superior RD0's.



    It looks like one of the dust caps on the MW is pushed in.

    Get some masking tape, and gently, but firmly(makes sense right?), press part of it against the dust cap. Let it sit for a few minutes so that the adhesive will bond a little better.

    Then gently pull out the tail end of the masking tape...the dust cap should pull back out with it. There will still be some light creases in it, but it'll look a lot better.



    As far as the best power to push them goes...it depends. I'm driving my 7A's(basically the same speaker with a larger passive radiator), with my Adcom GFA-545(100 wpc) and they sound absolutely fantastic.
    The nirvana inducer-
    APC H10 Power Conditioner
    Marantz UD5005 universal player
    Parasound Halo P5 preamp
    Parasound HCA-1200II power amp
    PolkAudio LSi9's/PolkAudio SDA 2A's/PolkAudio Monitor 7A's
    Audioquest Speaker Cables and IC's
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  • bobman7
    bobman7 Posts: 55
    edited September 2009
    thanks for the tape tip, got that all sorted out.

    I ended up fixing the one intact tweeter(driver magnet somehow shifted from the metal plate its attached to, so the air moved by the MW was pushin the plastic cap all over and just making a mess of things) , so I'm just gonna buy on SL2000 for now and maybe upgrade if i'm not satisfied with how they sound. Thanks for all the help guys!
    2 Ch Rig
    RTA12B
    Audio Research D-90
    Nikko Beta III
    Harman/Kardon FL8450
    Computer Rig
    Monitor 5
    Yamaha RX-500u
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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited September 2009
    bobman7 wrote: »
    thanks for the tape tip, got that all sorted out.

    I ended up fixing the one intact tweeter(driver magnet somehow shifted from the metal plate its attached to, so the air moved by the MW was pushin the plastic cap all over and just making a mess of things) , so I'm just gonna buy on SL2000 for now and maybe upgrade if i'm not satisfied with how they sound. Thanks for all the help guys!

    I see you're snagging one of the ones in the FM. That'll do the trick! It'll get the speakers going for ya.

    The vintage Monitors are really some fantastic sounding speakers, that belie their price tags. IMO, it's hard to beat the vintage Monitors for the price.
    The nirvana inducer-
    APC H10 Power Conditioner
    Marantz UD5005 universal player
    Parasound Halo P5 preamp
    Parasound HCA-1200II power amp
    PolkAudio LSi9's/PolkAudio SDA 2A's/PolkAudio Monitor 7A's
    Audioquest Speaker Cables and IC's
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  • kcoc321
    kcoc321 Posts: 1,788
    edited September 2009
    I saw you are looking at getting some Sl2000's from Bluecomet, so I am assuming you aare going that route.
    If those don't work out, odxdiver also has some,
    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88118

    at least these are from Polk members and you know they will work, for now and you can always upgrade to the RDO-0194's later when you can afford it.

    I would also budget to eventually upgrade the cross-overs. I have heard a pair that Geoff727 upgraded the tweeters and crossovers, as well as did some dampening upgrades, and they sounded amazing. Course he was driving them with a McIntoch Amp and had fine tuned the placement in the room, which had some sound proofing as well. The imaging was so clear and precise I closed my eyes and would have sworn I was sitting 5 feet away from the musicians, Live...That is what got me into all my latest audio 'addiction'.....
    SWEET.

    LOL, looks like we all posted the same time, except I got distracted....hehe
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  • bobman7
    bobman7 Posts: 55
    edited September 2009
    Dug up an old technics amp (SU-V76) which does a surprisingly good job driving these...wish I had another tube amp around though. Even missing one tweeter I'm extremely pleased with these :)
    2 Ch Rig
    RTA12B
    Audio Research D-90
    Nikko Beta III
    Harman/Kardon FL8450
    Computer Rig
    Monitor 5
    Yamaha RX-500u
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  • nms
    nms Posts: 671
    edited September 2009
    Congrats man. Before you know it you'll be hunting for a pair of SDAs. :)

    The tweeter upgrade is highly recommended - the SL2000s are a little harsh to my ears.

    As others have said it's hard to beat the performance of vintage Polks for anything close to the price. Since Polk still sells replacement drivers, you can essentially rebuild an entire speaker with new components, so it's a safe buy too!
    My system

    "The world is an ever evolving clusterf*ck." --treitz3
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  • madmike
    madmike Posts: 81
    edited September 2009
    Definatly go with the RDO-194-1's. I replaced the ones in my 5B's ( had one tweeter blown so replaced both to have a matched pair) and boy did that really wake them up. They do take awhile to break-in but they are worth it.
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