Polk Monitor 11 speakers at that auction site

[mhardy6647]

I thought I knew it all when it came to the early Polk Audio lineup. I've even seen and heard the nearly unknown Polk Model 9's... but I don't remember the Monitor 11's. There's a pair of them at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3044621005&category=14993

They look like RTA12's without the "real time tweeter array", or Monitor 10's in extra big boxes with the RTA 12 (and LF 14's) big foam-fronted passive radiator. The fact that the "Left Channel" and "Right Channel" speakers are so labeled suggests to me some funny internal wiring and/or circuitry (a la the Polk SDA's), since the driver complement is utterly symmetrical.

Interesting.

(Disclaimer... link offered for entertainment purposes only. I am not nor do I have any connection to the seller)

 

[bully]

Good-looking pair.
Has Polk maintained their original quality over the years?
Like, is Polk still Polk, or have they been engulfed and devoured?

 

[Toasted Almond]

I had a pair of those RTA12C's for awhile. THEY were labeled right and left also. They are a non-SDA design, and all drivers were aligned on the vertical axis. I couldn't figure out the left and right reasoning, but there it was.

Almond, Toasted/MSgt, USAF

 

[mhardy6647]

re: new vs. old Polks

I have a good friend in Baltimore who set up an HT system with Polk speakers (don't ask me the models!) about 2 years ago. I've listened to music on the system and think it sounds pretty good. I think the Polk-bashing somewhat common on the audio forums is a little mis-directed. Polk's mandate was historically good sound at bargain prices, and I think they're still in the running for that. I wouldn't say that the sound quality today is up to the early Polk stuff, but I think the modern Polks do reflect current tastes in HT/hi-fi sound. Today's Polk cabinetry is much nicer than my 1978 Monitor 7A's (rosewood vinyl).

You could still do far worse, IMO...

 

[Toasted Almond]

I've had a lot of Polk's thru here over the years. It started about 1989 when I blew up a pair of AR-5's. Perfect excuse to buy new speakers (and fix the 5's of course). I "stole" a couple pair of RTA 11t's from the BX at McGuire AFB. $1,000 list speakers and I got two pair, brand new in boxes, for under $600. They were okay and I used them in surround with an original Dynaco Quadaptor, and the original Carver Receiver (157wpc). Then in 1991 I got the opportunity to buy the Carver "Amazing's" and did. Sold all the Polk's to finance the purchase. Fast forward to 1999, put a new addition on the house as a big rec room, and I wanted 4 RTA 11t's for THAT room. Found them CHEAP, stuck them in, and they lasted till I found the original AR-9's from 1978. Sold all four Polk's to finance THAT purchase/restoration project. Now the AR-9s do solo home theater duty, cause I don't think I want anything else in the room to detract from their magnificent sound (except MAYBE another pair of them).

Since 1999 I have had pass through here:
Polk Monitor 4's - mint, paid $5/pair
Polk M-3's - okay condition, paid $13/pair
Polk R-2's - excellent condition, $10/pair
Polk RT-5's - mint, received for free (still here)
Polk RTA12c - mint, original boxes and manual, $50/pair
Polk Monitor 7's - drivers fine, cabinets little scratched, $10/pair

All of the above Polks were ultimately listenable, with the R-2's and M-3's having the most faults.

Almond, Toasted/MSgt, USAF

 

[F1nut]

My father owns a pair of the Monitor 11's, which he purchased after attending a New Year's Eve party at Matt Polk's house. They still sound as good as the day he bought them. Very close design to the 10B's, but are floor standing with a larger cabinet. They are normal stereo speakers, no SDA technology.

IMHO, the last audiophile speakers that Polk made were the SDA and SRT series. The newer LSi line is a step up from recent years, but the SDA's still blow them away.

 

[dorokusai]

Polk Audio

Polk is holding up quite well I think. Anything sold at BB and CC gets bashed, its just the nature of things sold at chains. Klipsch and Athena will shortly be joining the ranks of bashed speakers.

I am a Polk fan. The build quality is good and solid. The sound quality is great or excellent, depending on the line being demo'd. (e.g. RTi and LSi Series) Bass is always a staple of a Polk speaker, tight and punchy. I think the Polk bookshelves are pretty hard to beat in their price class.

I also have a pair of SDA's, and agree with F1. They are my favorite also.

 

[Raycomics]

Polks

I don't know bout the newer stuff, but I have a pair of Original,
built in Matt Polk's Garage in Baltimore, MD straight to Soundscape, (Circa 1977) Monitor 10s.

I still listen to and enjoy them. They are still very hard to beat for the money!

Whenever I go to audition a pair of Polks, I don't hear ANYTHING distinguishable that would justify spending my hard earned money on a new pair.

Just My $.02

 

[dorokusai]

Ray - I agree somewhat, but the LSi is the real standout of the Polk lineup. Have you heard them? Have you heard SDA's? I would be suprised if you didn't at least think they sounded good. The Vifa tweeter on the LSi's, is quite nice.

The R and RTi line are standard fare, nothing amazing, but then again, they aren't trying to be.

I have heard many many brands, I chose Polk because of previous history with owning them.

 

[Raycomics]

Polks

D -

Please keep in mind that my statement referred to Polks in the price range (<$600) of the Original 10s.

I have not aquditioned Polks in the $1000 and up range, so I could not comment on them.

 

[merrylander]

I still like my Model 7Bs coupled with a Yamaha CR-820, they seem to be a good match. Can't recall what I paid for them in Ottawa, but the invoice is around somewhere. The chap I bought the Advents from has a pair off their newer tower speakers with the built in amp for the woofer. He was driving them with some
expensive gear (he has so much stuff there like Spec 4, and Marantz 140, etc that I'm never quite certain who is powering what), and they sounded good to me.

Rob

 

[RuSsMaN]

I'm in the camp that the best Polk has ever made is long out of print. That being said, I still believe they offer a good value thoughout the lines (up to the LSi).

I think the LSi is a step in the right direction, but I really don't care for them much. They are a very flat, accurate speaker, but they seem to lack 'life', if that makes sense.

When I listen to the LSi, within a couple songs I'm done - and I feel like I've been working, or concentrating on something. I go to listen to my SRS's, I'm grinning uncontrollably within the first 10-15 seconds - and before I know it 2 hours have gone by.

The LSi just doesn't draw me *into* the music, it seems to lack the abilty to bring out the *emotion* in the music.

Cheers,
Russ

 

[dorokusai]

Ray - I know, your statement is a fair one. I was just wondering whether you had heard some of the older SDA's or newer LSi's. I fully believe that once you start to get over $500, that the competition is very fierce, and they are not high end speakers. Its a commercial everyman speaker, you know what I mean?

Russ - I think the LSi is a very nice speaker, great high end and a value....BUT, that comment is dead on. They are a little too directional, and don't give you the same feeling that the SDA's, or Carver Amazing's can. I like a full speaker also, and they are not that.