Polk Monitor 5 tweeters suck

djnagle

AK Subscriber
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I have a pair of Polk Monitor 5 speakers and really like the bass and midrange but the high grate my ears. Does anyone else have that problem. Is there something I can do about it?
 
The SL2500 is not a good match, it's entirely the wrong tweeter. The original SL2000 with it's nasty 5dB spike should be replaced with the RD0194 available from Polk.......smooth.

Besides that, the SL2500 is not available.
 
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Is the RD0194 a drop in replacement? Anything else i should do while I have it apart?
 
I know the RDO tweeter is a good replacement for the sl3000 tweeters because of the crossover spike but not sure that earlier tweeters are considered a direct replacement. From my experience i replaced my Sl3000 tweets with the RD0 but also had to redo the crossover for my polk. The RD0 are available for $40 each
 
What flavor of Monitor 5?
The original morph of the Monitor 5 used the Peerless silk dome tweeters... which really are, IMO, pretty peerless.
I know that, at some point, the 5 (or 5 Series II or... whatever :p ) used the widey-regarded-as-execrable SL2000 "silver coil" tweeter.

"Monitor 5A" with Peerless (borrowed image).
xufit242t5fo.jpg


Monitor 5 of some sort with the SL2000 tweeter:

11208624684_1b0900317e_b.jpg


source: http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/which-version-of-polk-audio-monitor-5.618440/
This pair, which were a gift from one of AK's finest members, still reside at my house. I don't find the tweeters all that objectionable -- which probably says more about the state of my elderly hearing than it does about the tweeters :)

... besides the above, there were Monitor 5jr and Monitor 5jr+ and M5 and I don't know what all kind of alphanumericabet soup of these rather nice little loudspeakers :confused:

some info on the Polk tweeter menagerie: http://www.gimpod.com/sda-id.html
 
I know the RDO tweeter is a good replacement for the sl3000 tweeters because of the crossover spike but not sure that earlier tweeters are considered a direct replacement. From my experience i replaced my Sl3000 tweets with the RD0 but also had to redo the crossover for my polk. The RD0 are available for $40 each
The RDO-194 tweeter IS a direct replacement for the SL1000 & SL2000 tweeters, no modification to the crossover is necessary.
The RDO-198 tweeter is a direct replacement for the SL3000 & SL2500 tweeters.
 
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These are the first generation Monitor 5. I am trying to think of what tweeter it has. I'll pull one and post pix.
 
I know the RDO tweeter is a good replacement for the sl3000 tweeters because of the crossover spike but not sure that earlier tweeters are considered a direct replacement. From my experience i replaced my Sl3000 tweets with the RD0 but also had to redo the crossover for my polk. The RD0 are available for $40 each

You have things mixed up. The SL2000 has the 5dB spike. The SL3000 does not have a spike.

The tweeters are $50.00 each.
 
This found image (eBAY/Google) purports to show a Monitor 5jr+ with the Polk SL1000 tweeter.
ggs1xjh0pub5.png

I don't have any strong recollection of hearing the SL1000, which (kinda sorta) looks like the Peerless, but was - I think - made by (or, at least, for) Polk.
@F1nut knows way.
 
In that case you should have the Peerless tweeter, which is a smooth one. You probably need to upgrade the crossovers as the caps are way past their lifespan.

The tweeters don't suck, it sounds like they aren't to your liking. If they are the Peerless then I would adhere to what @F1nut says.

If they are the SL2000, they do have their detractors and almost all Polk fans will agree that they are harsh and should be swapped out with the above mentioned RDO.

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They're $48.00 each plus tax with free shipping, if you're a Member of Club Polk not sure what the cost is if not a member.
 
I currently have a pair of modded 5's with the RDO's and they sound great. Imho they are worth the monetary effort if you plan on holding on to them for awhile.
 
I should probably invest in a pair [of the RD0194s, that is] for the Monitor 5 thingies here, apropos of this thread.

I know the 7's get all the love and rightly so as I owned a pair for quite awhile however the 5's a no slouch and I like their size not too big not too small. I say go for it sir they'll probably sound great with any of the plethora of Yammy's? or is that HH Scott tube gear? you have.
 
The 5 is a perfectly dandy little loudspeaker and will work great with Yamaha soiled state (a classic pairing) and probably also with vacuum tube HH Scott hardware... although (full disclosure), long, long ago I tried my Monitor Series Model 7As on my EICO HF-81 (pp EL84, ca. 12 wpc) and the combination was not synergistic. I was surprised, since almost every other pair of loudspeakers in the house (in those days) sounded very, very good hooked to the HF-81.

@Dswankey, whenever I see a post by you, I am reminded of the beautiful HFT-92 that you sent me, quite a while ago. Thanks again - and again! :)
 
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