Polk Audio Monitor 4 / LF 14 System

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  • oldschlpolkie
    oldschlpolkie Posts: 101
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    These are my 4s and crossovers but they look a lot different than the ones above. I only have about $35 in them so I was thinking about re-veneer and crossover re-build. They sound good but not a huge fan of this tweeter when compared to my other Polks.
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  • oldschlpolkie
    oldschlpolkie Posts: 101
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    I also had a pair of the 4s I bought brand new back when I was in college in the late 80s and I'm pretty sure they had a different tweeter than these.
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  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,481
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    I believe those are the Monitor 4.5. It & the monitor 4a used the tweeter with the square bezel. However, the 4.5 has the beveled front baffle & the Polk logo on the grill instead of the cabinet. Not sure if they used the same mid-woofer.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,652
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    Stev187 wrote: »
    , I think that with the LF14 properly amplified, these M4s could give the SDA 2As a major run for their money.
    Steve

    Not going to happen...


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  • oldschlpolkie
    oldschlpolkie Posts: 101
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    So you think a crossover rebuild would make them sound better or maybe its the tweeter or both??
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  • Stev187
    Stev187 Posts: 8
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    DaveHo wrote: »
    I believe those are the Monitor 4.5. It & the monitor 4a used the tweeter with the square bezel. However, the 4.5 has the beveled front baffle & the Polk logo on the grill instead of the cabinet. Not sure if they used the same mid-woofer.

    Actually, I think those are just a "newer" version of the M4. The 4.5 was a little taller cabinet (17" instead of 14.5" I think). I actually have two sets of M4s. The first set I purchased in 1983 for $218. The other set I grabbed on eBay about 10 years ago for maybe $65. They are the later M4s you have pictured there. No offense, but those later M4s don't sound anywhere near as good as first generation M4s. Great cheap bookshelf speakers: my son has them in his room now.

    Steve

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  • Stev187
    Stev187 Posts: 8
    edited February 2017
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    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Stev187 wrote: »
    , I think that with the LF14 properly amplified, these M4s could give the SDA 2As a major run for their money.
    Steve

    Not going to happen...

    Funny you should say that... this is why I logged on tonight.

    I just wrote a too-long post that I accidentally deleted, so I'll try to be brief here.

    This morning, I went into work super early to re-arrange my office audio and set up the SDA-2As to perform a proper A/B comparison. I had them both in an apartment a couple of years ago, but that was without the LF14 and in a less-than-ideal setting.

    Believe it or not, I prefer the M4/LF14 rig. I don't think that setup would beat out the SDAs for me without the separate plate amp for the LF14. I also rearranged the speakers in my office with the LF14 on a far wall. It is amazing how that thing transforms the M4s.

    As I posted before, I have listened to these M4s every day since 1983. I love these little things. My ears and brain have probably been re-mapped to prefer them. But to my listening, the SDAs were flat and a bit muffled by comparison. The SDA effect is very cool, but it requires that you be seated in front of the speakers in that sweet spot. I work at a standing desk, and I move around a lot.

    I'll keep these SDA-2As, as they belonged to my dad and they are very cool. I also need to give them much more juice; I've read they require 200+ wpc to "wake up" a bit. A dedicated listening space at home after the kids go to college perhaps. But for now, the M4/LF14 setup is my hands-down favorite. Even I was surprised.

    New Tweets

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    I also took this forum's advice and replaced that SL1000. You know, it never really bothered me (I replaced the thing probably 20 years ago). But when I dialed in with my ears, that speaker was a little bright, brittle, and the highs were louder. When I replaced it with a Peerless, it was much more even and warm. I bought a pair of Peerless tweets, so I have a spare now. I don't think they came from Polks because the leads had been soldered, and my M4s were dry fitted. The original Peerless I have was also stamped M4 on it.

    Thank you to everyone who has chimed in on this thread. I feel so lucky to have these speakers. It's fun to talk about them with all of you, too!

    Steve




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  • K_M
    K_M Posts: 1,627
    edited February 2017
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    One of my favorite set ups we had running for a while, was with the 5jr+ speaker and a mid sized subwoofer.

    For whatever reasons, our M4 speaker was just not as open or clear sounding. Not even mentioning the more limited bass.
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  • jrhoburton
    jrhoburton Posts: 1
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    Reviving an old thread...

    I also have a pair of M4's I got new about the same time (83?), currently being refinished. Now I see a LF14 in local ads. Tempted to go get it. Also a small model in local ads that I think is the Monitor Jr. Needs refoam.

    The problem is that I now have "Polk overload" due to having found an early pair of M10's, and a pair of M7C's at the thrift store recently. Probably need to sell something.

    ehz9bdbrmics.jpg


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  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,209
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    Polk called that one the Mini Monitor.
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
    Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
    Onkyo A-8017 integrated
    Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
    iFi nano iDSD DAC
    iPurifier3
    iDefender w/ iPower PS
    Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
    iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
    Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
    Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,652
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    I'd go buy that Polk "center" channel, which it isn't. It's the LF14 which is a low frequency driver.
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  • JayMX
    JayMX Posts: 441
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    @jrhoburton - I’m in the neighborhood too. Those have been tempting me, but New Years resolutions, trying to keep my impulsive Polk purchasing in check. If you do pick them up and need help refurbishing, let me know. Good stuff! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
    Current Collection: Monitor 4a (Peerless), Monitor 5B (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7b (Peerless), RTA15TL (SL3000), SDA CRS+ (194’s), SDA SRS 2.3TL, R100's, R200’s, R300 🤩
    Pairs that have passed through: Monitor 4b (Peerless), Monitor 5a (Peerless), Monitor 5b (SL1000), Monitor 5b (SL2000) (4x pair), Monitor 7b (Peerless), Modified Monitor 7c’s (194’s), Monitor 10a (Peerless), Monitor 10b (5x pair), RTA8, RTA8TL, RTA 11T, RTA12c (194's), SDA CRS, SDA 2 (2x pair), SDA 2a, SDA 2b, SDA 1b, SDA 1c, SDA SRS 2 (2x pair), SDA SRS 3.1TL (198’s) (2x pair)...and more to come, it’s a sickness.
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  • StantonZ
    StantonZ Posts: 440
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    I am currently using my Monitor 4's (purchased in 1981) as my main speakers in an apartment until we move back into a house. I have never "modded" them (and probably never will), so they are all original components (Peerless tweets) and still sound great after all these years!
    Yamaha RX-A2050 AVR (5.0.2); LG OLED77C2 4K TV
    (4) Polk Monitor 10B's w/SoniCaps, Mills, and RDO-194 tweets (R/L F/R)
    (2) Polk RC80i (Top Middle)
    Polk CS300 center channel
    Analog: B&O TX2 Turntable, Nakamichi Cassette Deck 1
    Digital: Pioneer CLD-99 Elite LD, Panasonic DMP-UB900 UHD Blu-Ray
    Bedroom: Arylic Up2Stream AMPv3 driving Polk Monitor 4's w/peerless tweets
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  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,990
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    That’s a heck of a price for the LF14
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  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,149
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    I had an opportunity to pick up a LF14 several years ago for $50. When I met the guy for the purchase, I discovered that both drivers were frozen. Passed on the deal. I was going to use it with some monitor 4's.
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 3,530
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