Are these Monitor 10s worth buying?

Ramble_On · September 6

I am new to the forum and currently piecing together a vintage system to linsten to my vinyl collection. I am considering purchasing a pair of Monitor 10s in my local area, but have concerns about their condition. Also, I am looking for more information about the specific model and age.

On the back there are a series of screws on both speakers that are not present in other versions I see online. Is this normal?

Thanks for any direction.

pitdogg2 · September 6

Nope, not normal. A previous owner put brackets to hang the speakers.

Gardenstater · September 6

Someone had a wall mount bracket mounted on them. They were not built to handle that cantilevered mounting system so I'd be careful and make certain that the enclosure back to side joints are still sound.

From what I can see in the pictures they don't look too shabby but one of the pics is more than a little out of focus.

I think I see a silk dome crease on one of the tweeters. That should take a little $ off the offer.

You'll need to push on the cones evenly at the dust cap to cone area and listen/feel for rubbing. A very common occurrence with these old MW6500 drivers and they aren't as available on eBay as they used to be, or as inexpensive.

The red binding post nut is supposed to be on the left. The other speaker doesn't appear to even have any nuts.

I would say 1979 or earlier because of the silver basket MW6500s. I think that would make them 10As. If they are 1978 they would be 10s. They went with black baskets after around 1979.

Ramble_On · September 6

Thanks for the quick replies... very helpful. They are asking $385. Is that reasonable, considering the condition?

pitdogg2 · September 6

Walk.

xschop · September 6

More like run... the opposite direction.

Look for a set of Monitor 7's. You'll be much happier.

Gardenstater · 7:01AM

If that is 385 Rial, then grab them lol.

But seriously, if you go into it eyes open and know that there are only a small handful of people in the forum that prefer the 10 over the 7.......for example joebass3 does but only after he did some extensive asymmetrical internal damping work on them.......Stu Lumsden himself said his preferred monitors were a pair of 10s stacked vertically with the top one inverted......if you still want them and if they pass the inspections I suggested, and depending upon where you live.......I would just offer no more than $200/$175 and gladly walk away if it was rejected. He can part them out for maybe $240 but that is more work on his hands and he will have to pay a cut to eBay if he goes that route. You might even go lower because of the issue with the binding posts and the half badge missing on the grille and the ugly screws in the back, and the tweeter dome crease. Yeah F it.....say $175/$150 absolute tops. This guy is California Dreamin' or something. He will probably end up parting them out sadly.

PS: Don't do it unless you are open to the idea of worst case scenario parting them out yourself on eBay. If that's something you would never do then take a pass.

Are these Monitor 10s worth buying?

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