Polk Score Question

2DualsNotEnough

Addicted Member
I picked up a pair of Polk Audio speakers at a Thrift store today,and I was wondering if anyone had info on this model.The only model id on the speakers is a small stapled on paper tag on the back that says "model 5".I looked them up online,and on the vintage section of the Polk website,and the only thing I saw similar was the "Monitor 5".Thanks for any help I can get!
Jimmy
 
By the way,I picked these up at the local thrift for 15 dollars for the pair,and the drivers and grilles are in first rate shape.The cabs have little flecks of pain on them which I havent tried to clean off yet,and theres a little bit of peeling of the veneer in a few corners,but basically really nice.I hooked these up to my SX-780,and liked the spacious sound and the detail.I hooked them to my T-amp and was very,very impressed.These are definetly keepers!Anyone else here own a pair of these?
Jimmy
 
I haven't got that model so I can't help you but I do have a set of Monitor 10Bs and wouldn't part with them for the world!
 
Yup, those are Polk Monitor 5's. Same drivers as the Monitor 7 (6-1/2" coated paper woofer, Peerless (or possibly Polk) silk-dome tweeter) and an 8" passive radiator. Interestingly, the original version of the Polk 7 used an 8" passive radiator, too, but in a much larger box.

The Polk original 5/7/10/11/12 monitors are good sounding speakers that have held their value pretty well. The 5's are nice speakers IMNSHO.

As an aside, I've owned a pair of Monitor 7A's (10" passive radiators) since about 1978.

There is a Vintage [Polk] speakers forum at www.polkaudio.com AK member Russman is quite active there.

EDIT: From your first photo, the tweeter appears to be the Peerless silk dome. Nice tweeter. These would be a fairly early incarnation of the 5's. As to the two fuses, the top one should be a 1A fuse for the tweeter. The bottom one is a 1-1/2A (IIRC) system fuse.
 
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You got some good speakers there. I'd still have my Monitor 7s but I got the newer RTi 38s. A friend of mine is still enjoying my old 7s. The only thing that can be a problem is getting replacment drivers if you need to. I replaced one of my tweeters with a Peerless from PE. They aren't selling them anymore and Polk wants twice the money for it. Beware of your teenage chindren. I don't know how he managed to blow the that tweeter. The fuse is supposed to go first.
 
Jack Keck said:
I don't know how he managed to blow the that tweeter. The fuse is supposed to go first.

Overheating. The fuse will only blow with a power spike. You can overheat the speaker if you send a clipped signal to the speaker. It causes excess heat which overheats the VC for the speaker and it blows.
 
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