Getting Polk fever
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avguytx
Lunatic Member
Hmmmm.....listing a top 5 of Polks. That's a toughie! Well, here's my own personal preference list...
SDA SRS II (yeah, I own 'em)
SDA 1C (owned 'em...great all around SDA speaker for their size/performance)
Monitor 10B (just plain hard to beat....great performance)
Monitor 7B (same as 10B)
RTA 12's (most any iteration....would love to own a pair someday)
I'd take any of the larger SDA's (2.3, 1.2's, etc) for one day when I have a room big enough for them. But, I am thoroughly happy with my SRS II's and the Monitor 10B's I own do one helluva garage duty at my best friends house.
SDA SRS II (yeah, I own 'em)
SDA 1C (owned 'em...great all around SDA speaker for their size/performance)
Monitor 10B (just plain hard to beat....great performance)
Monitor 7B (same as 10B)
RTA 12's (most any iteration....would love to own a pair someday)
I'd take any of the larger SDA's (2.3, 1.2's, etc) for one day when I have a room big enough for them. But, I am thoroughly happy with my SRS II's and the Monitor 10B's I own do one helluva garage duty at my best friends house.
bigstereo
Super Member
Polk Monitors series 5/7/10 are a good and cheap bet. IMO they're a good sounding speaker. Easy to find without spending an arm and a leg. Another plus is that Polk still has new parts for them. Used original parts are everywhere and reasonably priced too. The new modern Polks are also a good value and sound great.
John in MA
Respect the gamba tuba
SDA SRS 1.2TLs are hard to beat for the "oh crap" factor, but you need a large room to enjoy them. I'm stuck in a cupboard with mine at the moment.
SRS II's and 2.3TLs are often said to be the best Polk speakers just from a clean sound perspective.
Late SDA 1s and 2s are good all-around midsize speakers. Cheap, too. SDA CRS is the bookshelf version.
For non SDAs, Monitor 10, RTA-11T (like a vertical, bigger M10,) and RTA-15TL (listed as having as good a frequency range as the 1.2TL) are all excellent speakers. Also very underrated. You can get 11T's for $150-250 for what was a $1K pair of speakers originally.
SRS II's and 2.3TLs are often said to be the best Polk speakers just from a clean sound perspective.
Late SDA 1s and 2s are good all-around midsize speakers. Cheap, too. SDA CRS is the bookshelf version.
For non SDAs, Monitor 10, RTA-11T (like a vertical, bigger M10,) and RTA-15TL (listed as having as good a frequency range as the 1.2TL) are all excellent speakers. Also very underrated. You can get 11T's for $150-250 for what was a $1K pair of speakers originally.
John in MA
Respect the gamba tuba
Polk used rubber surrounds. They last forever. Only problem with Polk woofers is that if the speakers get dropped the magnets can sometimes shift.
I have a set of 11Ts. They're very good speakers.
I have a set of 11Ts. They're very good speakers.
Bstable
Super Member
He saw mine, and just had to keep up with his little brother....Mine are in much better condition though
mhardy6647
Lunatic Member
There were a few models that used passive radiators with large flat cones decorated with a foam sheet. The foam at this late date is often wrinkled but (in my limited experience) intact. The original RTA-12 has a passive like this, as does the LF-14 "subwoofer". Probably a few other models as well.
Also the sometimes maligned, early Polk product called the MiniMonitor (not to be confused with a later Polk product with the same name) used a CTS extended range driver with a foam surround, as well as a 4" passive radiator that also had a foam surround.
Useful forums and some legacy product information at www.polkaudio.com
Good info on late-classic period Polk speakers at www.polksda.com
Also the sometimes maligned, early Polk product called the MiniMonitor (not to be confused with a later Polk product with the same name) used a CTS extended range driver with a foam surround, as well as a 4" passive radiator that also had a foam surround.
Useful forums and some legacy product information at www.polkaudio.com
Good info on late-classic period Polk speakers at www.polksda.com
What about new Polk? They still make good speakers these days? I've found a pair of RTI A7's local for $500. I'm wondering if they'd be worth it. It seems to be about half the price of buying them new. Normally that would be a good thing, but I like shopping cart garage sale prices, i.e: 99.5% off original price.
Any chance you may head north to New Jersey? I can't blame you if you don't thats for sure. If you do get up this way drop me an e-mail/PM and I have some Polks you should listen to. I will not part with my SRS2's or Monitor 10's but do have a great sounding pair of SDA 2a's you need to hear. They sound much better than the Monitor 10's but can't compete with the SRS2's. They have Obbligato Copper caps Mills resistors and RDO-194 tweeters. The sound stage they put out is crazy. Its so crazy its almost unreal which I don't like at times but it is cool.
If I were you I'd pick up a nice set of SDA2a's or b's, single tweeters and dual driver with passive for a couple hundred and hear for yourself how great they sound. Then dump the SL-2000 tweeters for RDO-194 and you'll be set for while. The RDO's from Polk will cost you somewhere around $100 for the pair.
After you accomplish this then you can thank me :thmbsp:
bigstereo
Super Member
Yes.
I bought a pair of these http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/tsi/index.php?s=tsi500
last summer at a great sale price and I love em.
cornhulio
Super Member
I've read numerous feedback from owners of new RTIs that claim they are bright especially for music so beware and audition them long and hard: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=17712246#post17712246
My new CSI3 center was so bright with music I had to change the tweeter in it: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=175305&d=1256155710
You will be blown away by the stock tweeters in the vintage polks (SDA, RTA, Monitor 10, etc). They have clarity, detail, smoothness and air beyond any others I've heard.
