Monitor 5 x-over upgrade

ANWKLO

I would like to upgrade the crossover of monitor 5. Which of the following capacitors (can be combination of brands) are best in terms of performance and valuation please?


Mills 2.7 Ohm 5W resistor
Mills 6.2 Ohm 5W resistor

ClarityCap 12 mfd SA Range Polypropylene Caps US$15.40 630Vdc
ClarityCap 33 mfd SA Range Polypropylene Caps US$38.75 630Vdc

ClarityCap 12 mfd PX Range Polypropylene Caps 250Vdc US$8.3
ClarityCap 30 mfd PX Range Polypropylene Caps 250Vdc US$ US$17.3

Solen 12uF 400V Polypropylene Capacitor US$ 7.03
Solen 33uF 400V Polypropylene Capacitor US$ 14.19


Jantzen Silver Gold Z-cap 12uF Capacitor US$42.6
Jantzen Silver Gold Z-cap 33uF Capacitor US$42.6


Obbligato aluminium-foil MKP 630VDC

dorokusai

I'd go with the Clarity Cap SA. I've used them before and been very happy...otherwise, just slap some Solen in there. Either one would be an improvement.

heiney9

I concur with Doro, the Clarity PX series is great as well and a little more budget friendly and they are smaller too. I originally used the Solens and recently replaced the high pass with Clarity Caps and am very happy w/the result.

I'd also recommend the 12W Mills if you can get them rather than the 5W. Other wise looks good.

H9

ANWKLO

Should I use Clarity caps (PX / SA) for the low and high pass

heiney9

ANWKLO wrote: »

Should I use Clarity caps (PX / SA) for the low and high pass

You certainly could if the cost is within your budget....not sure there is enough difference between the two to justify the cost. My approach to refreshing my 5B's was more economics. They are used in a second system w/modest electronics and I personally couldn't justify more than what I spent on the Solens/Mills along with the RD0's. I am glad i swapped in the Clarity PX series recently. Much smoother, better definition and less "shouty" compared to the Solen in the high pass.

If you are running your 5B's with excellent electronics front to back then perhaps the extra resoultion the SA series offers will be noticeable.

My 1C's were a different story, however.

H9

madmike

I recently upgraded the X-overs in my 5B's. I used the Clarity SA series of caps and the Mundorf resistors and I am very pleased with the results. I got all my parts from Madisound. Once everything is on the X-over board it's pretty tight getting the X-over cup back in the cabinet.

ANWKLO

madmike wrote: »

I recently upgraded the X-overs in my 5B's. I used the Clarity SA series of caps and the Mundorf resistors and I am very pleased with the results. I got all my parts from Madisound. Once everything is on the X-over board it's pretty tight getting the X-over cup back in the cabinet.

I notice the Clarity Cap and Mundorf resistor are available from Madisound. There is no Mills resistor. Is Mundorf resistor as good as Mills? What is the performance improved in percentage:)

ANWKLO

heiney9 wrote: »

You certainly could if the cost is within your budget....not sure there is enough difference between the two to justify the cost. My approach to refreshing my 5B's was more economics. They are used in a second system w/modest electronics and I personally couldn't justify more than what I spent on the Solens/Mills along with the RD0's. I am glad i swapped in the Clarity PX series recently. Much smoother, better definition and less "shouty" compared to the Solen in the high pass.

If you are running your 5B's with excellent electronics front to back then perhaps the extra resoultion the SA series offers will be noticeable.

My 1C's were a different story, however.

H9

The value of polkaudio stock high pass is 34uF. The Clarity Cap PX only have 30uF. Is it good enough Do I need to replace the internal wires as well, i.e. Belden 8471:)

Face

30uf is too small. You can parallel a 15uf and 18uf instead.

You can replace the internal wire if you want, but it may not make a big difference.

ANWKLO

Face wrote: »

30uf is too small. You can parallel a 15uf and 18uf instead.

You can replace the internal wire if you want, but it may not make a big difference.

Thanks. It seems that the Clarity Cap SA 33uF or Solen 33uF are simple connection other than price. The value of polkaudio stock low pass resistor is 6.2 Ohm. The Mundorf resistor only have 6.8 Ohm. Is it good enough

Face

I would try to keep tolerances within 5%. For the low pass, you can use a regular wire wound resistor. http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=404_86_88&products_id=1006

skrol

Just curious... What version of the Monitor 5's do you have, do they have Peerless tweeters and roughly what year were they manufactured (should be on the woofers magnets)?

I have a pair of 5A's (US Peerless tweeters) from 1983 and I have found that even among the 5A's there are differences in the XO component values. Yours are different from mine.

Stan

madmike

I used the 33uF SA series. But then I have the RDO-194's. This is still within 5%.

heiney9

The high pass in my 5B's (early sl2000) were 12uF (not 34uF). Do you have the peerless tweets? Look at the schematic again the 34uF is the low pass section. I am staring at a 5B x-over out of a set that used peerless tweets and the only difference is an add'l resistor. The caps are 12uF for the high pass and 34uF for the low pass. Solen makes a 34uF for the low pass which works great.

H9

ANWKLO

heiney9 wrote: »

The high pass in my 5B's (early sl2000) were 12uF (not 34uF). Do you have the peerless tweets? Look at the schematic again the 34uF is the low pass section. I am staring at a 5B x-over out of a set that used peerless tweets and the only difference is an add'l resistor. The caps are 12uF for the high pass and 34uF for the low pass. Solen makes a 34uF for the low pass which works great.

H9

Oh yes. I may make a mistake. The stock high pass should be 12uF and low pass is 34uF. The original tweeters were Peerless. They were replaced by SL1000 when they are bad:o

ANWKLO

skrol wrote: »

Just curious... What version of the Monitor 5's do you have, do they have Peerless tweeters and roughly what year were they manufactured (should be on the woofers magnets)?

I have a pair of 5A's (US Peerless tweeters) from 1983 and I have found that even among the 5A's there are differences in the XO component values. Yours are different from mine.

Stan

Yes, yours are different from mine. They were manufactured in 1979. The original tweeters were Peerless. They were replaced by SL1000 when they are bad:)

skrol

I have also seen some 5A's with the Polk Audio badge on the grill and some on the cabinet just below the grill. Mine are the later. Where is it on yours?

ANWKLO

skrol wrote: »

I have also seen some 5A's with the Polk Audio badge on the grill and some on the cabinet just below the grill. Mine are the later. Where is it on yours?

Polk Audio badge on the grill (low right hand corner):) Have you upgrade the x-over

kcoc321

ANWKLO wrote: »

Yes, yours are different from mine. They were manufactured in 1979. The original tweeters were Peerless. They were replaced by SL1000 when they are bad:)

Since you now using the Sl2000's or the RDO-194 replacements, you do not need/ want the 6.2 resistors, unless you are going to use Peerless tweeters again. The 6.2's resistors are there for the Peerless tweeters.

ANWKLO

kcoc321 wrote: »

Since you now using the Sl2000's or the RDO-194 replacements, you do not need/ want the 6.2 resistors, unless you are going to use Peerless tweeters again. The 6.2's resistors are there for the Peerless tweeters.

I am now using the SL1000. What Ohm resistor should be used

Face

Do you find them kind of bright?

ANWKLO

Face wrote: »

Do you find them kind of bright?

Only in some source of music, such as Kenny G's saxphone. SL 1000 is fine for most of the music that I have listened. SL1000 sounds more open air than Peerless. Peerless sounds smooth:)

Face

With the 6.2ohm resistor and Claritycaps you should be ok. I tried Solen caps with SL1000's, they ran me out of the room.

ANWKLO

Face wrote: »

With the 6.2ohm resistor and Claritycaps you should be ok. I tried Solen caps with SL1000's, they ran me out of the room.

What is the sounds of SL1000 with Solen caps

Face

Bright.

kcoc321

ANWKLO wrote: »

I am now using the SL1000. What Ohm resistor should be used

You have a 2.7ohm Resistor which should be used.

I agree, from what I have researched, that the Solen Cap on the HP will not be good. Much better to go with the Clarity Cap or SonicCaps on the HP.

Face, are you advocating keeping the added 6.2ohm resistor to the HP?
As I understand it, they were only there for the Peerless tweeters.

I ask because I am researching while I save up to do all of mine, and I have one set of 7b's with the SL1000. Does adding the 6.2o in the HP neutralize the brightness of the SL1000 tweeters, at least until I can afford to get RDO's?

Face

Added resistance will pad down the tweeter. So if they're borderline bright for him now, replacing the 6.2ohm with a 2.7ohm would be a bad idea. So yes, you could go with a higher value resistor for the time being. Adding/subtracting resistance in that particular circuit will only affect the tweeter level, but that's not always the case.

heiney9

ANWKLO wrote: »

What is the sounds of SL1000 with Solen caps

Stick an ice pik in your ear bright....you'll experience the same with the Clarity cap or Sonic cap or whatever. The sl1000 is a poor tweeter, gets worse as it ages and when you start refreshing caps and resistors you will really notice it.

Sorry, but those are the facts...........if you like that kind of sound then you're set, but in the end you may find you need the RD0's.

GL and be sure to let them break in

H9

ANWKLO

heiney9 wrote: »

Stick an ice pik in your ear bright....you'll experience the same with the Clarity cap or Sonic cap or whatever. The sl1000 is a poor tweeter, gets worse as it ages and when you start refreshing caps and resistors you will really notice it.

Sorry, but those are the facts...........if you like that kind of sound then you're set, but in the end you may find you need the RD0's.

GL and be sure to let them break in

H9

One of the Peerless bad in August 2006 and was replaced by SL1000. The other Peerless was replaced by another SL1000 in May 2009. I have listened both of them concurrently for nearly 3 years. As I said before, SL1000 sounds more open air than Peerless. Peerless sounds smoother than SL1000. You may notice they are a little unbalance only if you are very concentrated. I don't think SL1000 is a poor tweeter.:)

However, I have not yet hear the sounds of RDO

To conclude, Mills 6.2 Ohm 12W for Clarity Cap SA 12uF while Mills 2.7 Ohm 12W for Clarity Cap SA / Solen 33uF are matched:)

skrol

ANWKLO wrote: »

Polk Audio badge on the grill (low right hand corner):) Have you upgrade the x-over

I have not upgraded the XO but I plan to do it eventually.

skrol

Face wrote: »

Added resistance will pad down the tweeter. So if they're borderline bright for him now, replacing the 6.2ohm with a 2.7ohm would be a bad idea. So yes, you could go with a higher value resistor for the time being. Adding/subtracting resistance in that particular circuit will only affect the tweeter level, but that's not always the case.

This is interesting. I have the Peerless with 2.5 ohm and have wondered if this is correct as I have seen others with 6.2 ohms. See thread: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83521

I even spoke to Polk CS and they seemed to think it was right with the 2.5 ohm. Does it differ depending on if you have the Denmark or US Peerless? Or could it be XO's that were intended for the SL1000?

I do plan to redo / upgrade the XO's and I want to use the right values.