Something I have always regretted

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RichterCAG
RichterCAG Posts: 70
edited February 2012 in Speakers
In the days before I became a Polkie, I was big into Infinity.

My first pair of speakers were Infinity SL40. Beautiful finish, solid wood vineer. My reciever of the time was an older Technics. Purchased in the infant days of 5.1, I had no idea what I was doing. I eventually blew the speakers.

Always intending to repair them, they were kept in the storage room of my house. Flash forward some 5-6 years later, we remodeled the house. Never fixed the SL40's.

I bit the bullet and had them incenerated in the backyard of a friend's farmhouse. I did it to make room in my own house.

still can't believe I did that..
JVC 61FN97
Harman Kardon avr330
RTi10 l/r front
CSi5 center
Atrium 45 (four for the surrounds.)
Post edited by RichterCAG on
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
    edited October 2008
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    Except for the really big (and really expensive) Infinity line arrays, I've always found the Infinity 'box' speakers to be a bit strident for my taste. I have a pair of RSb three ways that I found at the dump and mean to refoam... someday. They are in good working order (including the EMITs) but have the usual very scratchy L-pads.

    EDIT: I don't know the SL40s though, so I don't know if you did a good thing or a bad thing. I do know that the "SM" series were pretty forgettable.
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  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 4,939
    edited October 2008
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    I suppose you could have bought drivers and tweeters for them and made your own hybrid, just to make use of the cabinets, but there's no guarantee they would have reminded you of their former glory or that you could have got your money back for the parts from selling them on eBay.
    Alea jacta est!
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
    edited October 2008
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    infinity info:
    http://www.bobbyshred.com/infinity.html
    http://www.infinity-classics.de/infinity/index.htm (auf Deutsch)
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
    edited October 2008
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    http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=184720

    Not to be unkind, but it looks like immolation wouldn't be such a bad fate for these.
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  • Mike Kozak
    Mike Kozak Posts: 930
    edited October 2008
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    I had a pair of RS-3000s that I bought new in 1988/89. I always loved them till I bought my Polk Monitor 7Cs and compared them. The Infinitys were way too bright compared to the Polks.
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  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited October 2008
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    I feel for you. I used to have a mint pair of ESS Heil AMT 1d’s in storage at my folks place. One fine day when doing a cleanout they decided to simply throw them away. The horror of it all still haunts me.
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  • RichterCAG
    RichterCAG Posts: 70
    edited October 2008
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    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=184720

    Not to be unkind, but it looks like immolation wouldn't be such a bad fate for these.

    Why would you say that?

    The only speaker I've personally owned that deserved immolation w as a KLH HTIAB. I returned this product after 3 days of ownership.
    JVC 61FN97
    Harman Kardon avr330
    RTi10 l/r front
    CSi5 center
    Atrium 45 (four for the surrounds.)
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
    edited October 2008
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    It looks pretty similar in construction values to the truly awful "SM" series. The drivers are not identical though. The SM used the 'polycell' tweeter, really cheesy cone MR and woofer, and the box was thin (1/2", I think) particle board with no damping inside. They were really not nice.

    It's entirely possible that the SL40 speakers in the OP are much nicer; appearances do deceive... but if I picked 'em up and they felt light or flimsy, I might call out, "where's that naptha?"
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  • RichterCAG
    RichterCAG Posts: 70
    edited October 2008
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    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    It looks pretty similar in construction values to the truly awful "SM" series. The drivers are not identical though. The SM used the 'polycell' tweeter, really cheesy cone MR and woofer, and the box was thin (1/2", I think) particle board with no damping inside. They were really not nice.

    It's entirely possible that the SL40 speakers in the OP are much nicer; appearances do deceive... but if I picked 'em up and they felt light or flimsy, I might call out, "where's that naptha?"

    I remember the SL40 well enough to be sure that the3 weight and construction of the cabinet were heavy. Thick sides and a good center of gravity.

    oh, why did I burn them!?!
    :(:confused::o
    JVC 61FN97
    Harman Kardon avr330
    RTi10 l/r front
    CSi5 center
    Atrium 45 (four for the surrounds.)
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited October 2008
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    Before I became a Polkie, I was big fan of Infinity also. I had a pair with emit tweeters which had very nice detailed sparkling highs, but I have not looked back.
    Ben
    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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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
    edited October 2008
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    RichterCAG wrote: »
    I remember the SL40 well enough to be sure that the3 weight and construction of the cabinet were heavy. Thick sides and a good center of gravity.

    oh, why did I burn them!?!
    :(:confused::o

    okey-dokey; sorry to have cast aspersions on them :-(
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,713
    edited October 2008
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    Sure don't look like real wood veneer to me. Looks like vinyl, love to know how they wrapped real wood around the corners of the cabinet.
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  • RichterCAG
    RichterCAG Posts: 70
    edited October 2008
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    WilliamM2 wrote: »
    Sure don't look like real wood veneer to me. Looks like vinyl, love to know how they wrapped real wood around the corners of the cabinet.


    OK, so its vynal.
    JVC 61FN97
    Harman Kardon avr330
    RTi10 l/r front
    CSi5 center
    Atrium 45 (four for the surrounds.)
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  • RichterCAG
    RichterCAG Posts: 70
    edited October 2008
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    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    okey-dokey; sorry to have cast aspersions on them :-(


    Not what I meant :)
    I just remember them fondly... guess my text came out differently then what I had pictured in my mind.
    JVC 61FN97
    Harman Kardon avr330
    RTi10 l/r front
    CSi5 center
    Atrium 45 (four for the surrounds.)
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
    edited October 2008
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    No I wasn't whining (at least not deliberately); your speakers may well be considerably superior to the somewhat lookalike SMs. No harm, no foul.

    Lots of nice speakers floating around though. Need some more? :-)
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  • jsours
    jsours Posts: 9
    edited June 2011
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    OK, I see this thread is old, but I wanted to throw in for the SL 40s. I have some Yamaha NS-570s, some Timewindows, some Infinity RS5s, some Fried A/5s, some Klipsch KG2s, Polk Model 5s, Sansui SP300s, DLK 3s, and so on. I would put these solidly in the middle of the group. They are nice speakers.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,522
    edited June 2011
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    I sometimes miss both my Infinity RS-IIIb's and my AR9Lsi's from the 80's.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited June 2011
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    The thread may be old but....

    I'm with Mhardy and most Infinity loudspeakers from this decade should be set on fire, especially the SM series. However, I do feel for your regrets as everything holds a different level of love, regardless of what others may think.

    Consider it a learning experience and that you're now better audio educated to realize what's good and not good...worth your time and not worth your time. There's not a single audio nut worth his salt here that hasn't been thru the same event and has some remote regret over something historically.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Glowrdr
    Glowrdr Posts: 1,103
    edited June 2011
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    At least they put up a good fight in the fire and didn't go up in smoke on the way down? lol

    I've owned a few things that weren't even exciting to burn let alone enjoy in my daily life
    65" Sony X900 (XBR-65X900E)
    Pioneer Elite SC-37
    Polk Monitor 70's (2)
    Polk Monitor 40's (4)
    Polk Monitor CS2
    Polk DSW Pro 660wi
    Oppo BDP-93
    Squeezebox Duet
    Belkin PureAV PF60
    Dish Network "The Hoppa"
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  • 98Badger
    98Badger Posts: 317
    edited June 2011
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    I started off with the Primus line and they served me well for about 3-4 years. Didn't care for their subs, but I didn't know any better at the time. Moved on to much higher quality gear since. Unfortunately the cost was significantly higher as well. Can't say I regret owning the Infinities.
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  • 27dnast
    27dnast Posts: 255
    edited June 2011
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    This reminds me of a pair of Genesis 44's that I owned from 1989-1994. They sounded fantastic... but I drove them way too hard... always needed constant repairs. Wish I had held on to them... they'd probably sound great again with a little TLC.
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited February 2012
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    ^^^ reported^^^
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Fuzzgruble
    Fuzzgruble Posts: 1
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    Very old thread I know, but I have been happily running a pair of the SL40s as my fronts in the living room for a couple years now after picking them up for $60.
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
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    Tell us more... Sources, power....etc
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,049
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    lightman1 wrote: »
    Tell us more... Sources, power....etc

    I like his/her/its/their moniker.
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  • daboyz
    daboyz Posts: 5,206
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    Have a pair of SL40's that I'm using in my great room. Have them hooked up to the main watching tv. Very stout with a nice sound. Wish I could put an amp on them to really enjoy them more.
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