Difference between SL5500 and SL5505 tweeters?

Raimund
Raimund Posts: 6
edited March 18 in Speakers
Hi there,

one of the tweeters in my trusty RT400 speakers is broken. The RT400s have SL5500 tweeters built in. I am located in Europe and buying a replacement in the US isn't worth it for me, since with shipping and tariffs I could buy a whole new RT400 for the same money. However, here in Europe I can only find SL5505's.

My question is: Is there any difference between the models SL5500 and 5505 (I also found 5501 somewhere) and are all of them compatible with the RT400 speakers?

Thanks for your help!

Btw. I did already ask Polk's Customer Service, but they couldn't help me as they don't have the RT400 documentation anymore.
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Best Answers

  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,539
    Answer ✓
    They are the same but one can't go next to certain televisions
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 27,249
    edited March 19 Answer ✓
    VR3 wrote: »
    They are the same but one can't go next to older CRT televisions
    Fixed it.


    If your TV is LED, OLED or even Plasma then you have no problems. Both tweeters will sound the same.

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Answers

  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,370
    Did they try to sell you a soundbar.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 27,249
    @SeleniumFalcon

    In some instances when the numbers are so close the difference is a bucking magnet to prevent CRT television interference.
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 4,297
    Let me see what I can find out.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,539
    If I had to guess. It's probsbly a bucking magnet versus not
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 7,617
    VR3 wrote: »
    a bucking magnet

    LANGUAGE!!!!!! :o
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  • SeleniumFalcon
    SeleniumFalcon Posts: 4,297
    From Polk's transducer engineer:
    "The SL5500 tweeter is soft shielded, but I'm not sure about the SL5505." "Soft shielding" means it has a reverse polarity magnet attached but not a shielding cup.
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  • Raimund
    Raimund Posts: 6
    edited March 19
    thanks for all the answers so far!
    SeleniumFalcon wrote: »
    From Polk's transducer engineer:
    "The SL5500 tweeter is soft shielded, but I'm not sure about the SL5505." "Soft shielding" means it has a reverse polarity magnet attached but not a shielding cup.
    so are they different enough that it wouldn't be a good idea to combine them? (meaning an SL5500 in one speaker and a 5505 in the other)
    but would it be possible to use the 5505 in an RT400 speaker at all? (i could probably get a pair of 5505s and change both tweeters)
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  • Raimund
    Raimund Posts: 6
    ok, that's great! since I have no TV and only use the RT400s for cd- and vinyl-listening, i'll get the SL5505!!
    thanks, everybody!
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 18,165
    I would stick with matching the tweeters, no matter what option you pick to use..
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,370
    I'D opt for SL5000's if you can find them in your area.
    Very smooth with Polk's Dynamic Balance material/dome.
    Just another option.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • Raimund
    Raimund Posts: 6
    Toolfan66 wrote: »
    I would stick with matching the tweeters, no matter what option you pick to use..

    That's what I would prefer as well, as I guess the difference in running time alone (25 years vs. zero - the replacement is unused) would make a difference in sound, right?
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  • Raimund
    Raimund Posts: 6
    xschop wrote: »
    I'D opt for SL5000's if you can find them in your area.
    Very smooth with Polk's Dynamic Balance material/dome.
    Just another option.

    These are indeed available from the same dealer, if a bit more expensive. However, if they are a significant upgrade, I would definitely consider getting those. Would I have to change anything in the crossover or could I just install them as is?
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 29,539
    Only time tweeters degrade over time would be if they used ferrofluid
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,370
    edited March 20
    Forgot what the DCR is of the 5000's, but if it is within +- 0.5 ohm. of factory tweeters Id use them. They are smoothest of the bunch.

    Guess I should add the 5000s are better suited for critical music listening. All RT speakers were geared for home theater and had bright sounding tweeters
    Post edited by xschop on
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • Raimund
    Raimund Posts: 6
    Both the 5000's and the 5500's seem to be rated at 6 Ohms, however that is only from a few ebay auctions where people posted photos of multimeter measurements. The range was actually about 5.5-6.8 Ohms - both tweeters measuring in the low and high end of the spectrum.
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,370
    Well, when some folks use a voltmeter, some don't account for or zero the meter leads.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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