Pair of Monitor 7Cs

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Jimbo18
Jimbo18 Posts: 2,325
edited October 2012 in Vintage Speakers
Just bought my first pair of Monitor 7's. $75 for some with nice wood veneer cabinets with some decent, but not original stands for them.

I was thinking that I might set them up in my bedroom in place of the Rt55s since I think I will like them better for music. But for TV and movies, what would be a good center channel to use with them? I only have a CS400 and a CS150 right now.
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  • gmjungbluth
    gmjungbluth Posts: 232
    edited October 2012
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    The polk website has a page that recommends pairings for all speaker series. I incidentally asked the same question on this forum not too long ago in the vintage speaker section - I thnk the recommendation was cs400i or RTi6.

    I ended up buying a Polk monitor 5jr which is perfectly patched to the 7s. I think it is about the same size as smoke of the heftier center channels - I have it laid horizontally.
    HT System:
    Marantz NR-1403
    Front: Klipsch CF-4
    Rear: Paradigm Atom V3
    Center: Boston Acoustic VR12
    Sub: Bowers & Wilkins ASW600

    2Ch:
    Restored Fisher 500C
    Yamaha P-500 Turntable

    Living Room:
    Harman Kardon 3380
    Restored Polk Monitor 7B

    Bedroom:
    Harman Kardon VR-3750
    Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble
    Polk PSW10

    In and out of rotation:
    KLH Model 6,
    Polk LSI7
    NAD 7100
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  • kidglove13
    kidglove13 Posts: 207
    edited October 2012
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    I just got done refurbing a pair of 7's and I have to say they are a sweet sounding speaker

    I read they were good but they are way better than I expected, especially after a recap.

    Besides the lack of SDA that my 1B's have and a much bigger sound stage I have to say the sound quality easily rivals my unmodded 1B's, well at least I think so
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  • Mystery
    Mystery Posts: 2,546
    edited October 2012
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    I use a Polk Monitor 4 as center and works well with CRS+.

    Klipsch RB81, KG3.5, B&W DM602.5, Polk.
    Subwoofers: Klipsch RW10, Triad ProSub Bronze.
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  • Oldfatdogs
    Oldfatdogs Posts: 1,874
    edited October 2012
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    I think you are gonna love the 7Cs,the 7s are my favorite of the vintage monitors,good price too.I think you will be good with the CS400.Enjoy .
    Dan
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,325
    edited October 2012
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    Thanks, guys, for the suggestions. I hooked them up late last night so didn't get much opportunity to play with them yet, but they rocked pretty nicely to some Boston. The soundstage is much better than with the RT55's, I think, and they seem pretty easy to drive.

    The guy I bought them from said he replaced the mids but I didn't think to ask if he did any other mods to them. He upgraded to Monitor 70s and installed them right after he demo'd the 7s for me.

    I will probably stick with the CS400 since I like that center channel, but haven't had much opportunity to determine how it sounds with the Monitor 7s versus the RT55s (which I have a buyer for if I like the 7s better).
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,325
    edited October 2012
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    I really like the Monitor 7's more than the RT55, which are also a good speaker. Not sure I know all the correct terminology yet, but they seem more open and have a larger soundstage.

    I was wondering about the tweeter's though. I have read several threads concerning the differences between the Peerless and the Polk SL1000, 2000, 2500, etc. Are the tweeters in my 7C's SL2500? And would an upgrade improve them much? My high frequency hearing is not what it was 40 years ago, so perhaps an improvement will be lost on me anyway. Just curious if the RDO 194 or 198 is a direct replacement and if it would make a big difference.
    Monitor7C_zpsc900a3e8.jpg
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  • PolkieMan
    PolkieMan Posts: 2,446
    edited October 2012
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    Take them out to be sure but yea the 194/198 sound much better even to my old ears
    Jimbo18 wrote: »
    I really like the Monitor 7's more than the RT55, which are also a good speaker. Not sure I know all the correct terminology yet, but they seem more open and have a larger soundstage.

    I was wondering about the tweeter's though. I have read several threads concerning the differences between the Peerless and the Polk SL1000, 2000, 2500, etc. Are the tweeters in my 7C's SL2500? And would an upgrade improve them much? My high frequency hearing is not what it was 40 years ago, so perhaps an improvement will be lost on me anyway. Just curious if the RDO 194 or 198 is a direct replacement and if it would make a big difference.
    Monitor7C_zpsc900a3e8.jpg
    POLK SDA 2.3 TLS BOUGHT NEW IN 1990, Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-198
    POLK CSI-A6 POLK MONITOR 70'S ONKYO TX NR-808 SONY CDP-333ES
    PIONEER PL-510A SONY BDP S5100
    POLK SDA 1C BOUGHT USED 2011,Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-194
    ONKYO HT RC-360 SONY BDP S590 TECHNICS SL BD-1
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  • Big Dawg
    Big Dawg Posts: 2,005
    edited October 2012
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    Unless I'm mistaken, those are rdo194s in there already.

    And, I don't consider monitor 70s to be in upgrade. Those are mighty fine speakers you have there.
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  • PolkieMan
    PolkieMan Posts: 2,446
    edited October 2012
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    Yea you very well could be right always check what you have before you order haha that's why I got too much stuff
    Big Dawg wrote: »
    Unless I'm mistaken, those are rdo194s in there already.

    And, I don't consider monitor 70s to be in upgrade. Those are mighty fine speakers you have there.
    POLK SDA 2.3 TLS BOUGHT NEW IN 1990, Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-198
    POLK CSI-A6 POLK MONITOR 70'S ONKYO TX NR-808 SONY CDP-333ES
    PIONEER PL-510A SONY BDP S5100
    POLK SDA 1C BOUGHT USED 2011,Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-194
    ONKYO HT RC-360 SONY BDP S590 TECHNICS SL BD-1
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,325
    edited October 2012
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    Thanks, guys, I love the speakers. I was hoping that it might be the RDO 194's. The owner told me he replaced the mids, but didn't mention the tweeters, so perhaps he did both, or he only did the tweeters and mis-spoke.

    I sold the RT55's already, and am using the RT35's as surrounds, but I guess I need to get some 7's or 5's in place of them. Not that I listen to that much surround in the bedroom anyway. It's mostly TV or music so I am not too concerned about it.

    I liked the RT55's but these are much nicer to my ears. I will be on the lookout for more from this line. I saw someone else in the Charlotte area with Monitor 7's for $75 and there was an ad for Monitor 10s but I will have to check the price.
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  • StuartB
    StuartB Posts: 87
    edited October 2012
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    Looks like RDO tweeters to me.
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  • tx_polkhead
    tx_polkhead Posts: 248
    edited October 2012
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    Those tweeters look like the SL2500's in my Monitor 5JR+'s easy way to confirm is to unscrew the driver and see what is stamped on the back of it.
    Polk Audio RTA 12c's, Monitor 7c, Monitor 5JR+, SDA CRS+
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  • Mike Kozak
    Mike Kozak Posts: 930
    edited October 2012
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    I knew those looked familiar, I sold them to the nice man Jim. Sure do miss them though, but they are in a good home I know that!
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,325
    edited October 2012
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    Mike Kozak wrote: »
    I knew those looked familiar, I sold them to the nice man Jim. Sure do miss them though, but they are in a good home I know that!

    Mike, I love the speakers and as I told you at the time, it was great meeting you. They sound awesome and any thoughts I had of "flipping" them went out after I hooked them up.

    Good luck with your new 70's.
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,325
    edited October 2012
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    tx_polkhead, I took both tweeters out and checked them and there wasn't anything on the back of either one. Maybe the previous owner, Mike can chime in and tell me if he ever upgraded them.
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  • gigbyt
    gigbyt Posts: 145
    edited October 2012
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    I had a pair of 7's with peerless tweets, avery good speaker overall.
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  • Mike Kozak
    Mike Kozak Posts: 930
    edited October 2012
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    I did not upgrade the tweets, they worked fine when I bought them.
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  • Mike Kozak
    Mike Kozak Posts: 930
    edited October 2012
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    They are great speakers, sound better than my 70s I think, but the 70s look better for my home theater setup. (goofy I know, but the sound of the 70s are good, just not quite as good) I have had them for about 3 years now.
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  • hewlew1
    hewlew1 Posts: 154
    edited October 2012
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    I dont know why but I have no desire to own any of the newer polk lines. I think the old ones sound better,just my 2 cents.
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,325
    edited October 2012
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    Mike Kozak wrote: »
    I did not upgrade the tweets, they worked fine when I bought them.
    Thanks for the info, Mike. I guess they must be the 2500's. I couldn't find anything on the back of either tweeter to tell me what they were. They sound good to me as they are, and since I just found out I am getting laid off, I don't think I will be spending anything on upgrades.
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  • Mike Kozak
    Mike Kozak Posts: 930
    edited October 2012
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    Sorry to hear about the Job situation, hope it is a short term break for you!
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,325
    edited October 2012
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    Mike Kozak wrote: »
    Sorry to hear about the Job situation, hope it is a short term break for you!

    Thanks, Mike, I have feelers out already but the job market is, as everyone knows, pretty thin these days.
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  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,325
    edited October 2012
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    One last pair of photos of the tweeter. Everything I look at online brings me back to various pictures of the RDO 194 posted on one of the threads on this board.

    Mike said he didn't change the tweeters out but these really seem to match the RDO 194, don't they?
    DSCN9618.jpg
    DSCN9619.jpg
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