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Vintage Speaker Dilemma, Need Advice

What would you do if given the choice

  • Upgrade Polk Monitor 5B

    Votes: 4 18.2%

  • Buy the Boston Acoustics a150

    Votes: 12 54.5%

  • Buy the Pioneer HPM-100

    Votes: 5 22.7%

  • Buy the Sony SS-7330

    Votes: 1 4.5%
  • Total voters
    22
HiResDes

HiResDes

New Member
Howdy guys I recently stumbled upon this forum about a month ago and after a month of lurking I realized that the guys around here seem more down to earth than folks around headfi with more vintage audio equipment knowledge. I'm happy to say I've also recently made the jump into finding a nice entry system to play my vinyl and digital setup on and so I thought what better time than now to make an account.

Anyway I acquired a pair of Polk Monitor 5B for fairly cheap a while back and have found myself in a sort of crossroads with them. They sound fairly good, but the high end seems a little sibilant and I was wondering if it'd be worth the investment to acquire RDO-194 tweeters and replace capacitor and resistors which would run me around an additional $150 or to acquire something else and sell them.

I recently stumbled a listing for Boston Acoustics a150 for $160, Pioneer HPM-40 for $125, and some really cool looking Sony SS-7330 for $100. Would any of these be a worthwhile upgrade.

Also I took a look inside my polks to check out the measurements of the crossover components and it struck me that maybe they had already been updated recently, if someone could take a quick look and help me confirm my suspicions I could potentially save a bit of money, here are the pics:

https://imgur.com/a/dDtG5
https://imgur.com/Ar2YVrM
 
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The capacitors in your pics look original. If you keep them, I would recommend replacing them. When I recapped my Polk model 5's, the top end woke up quite a bit (every speaker reacts differently though). I also replaced the resistors with Mills 1%.
 
HPM-40s not in the same league. HPM-100s, as you say in the poll, would be fun to have, but probably not daily listeners for you--slammin' bass is neat, midrange less so.... A-150's are excellent! Don't know the Sonys.

Unless you have reports on that tweeter substitution being a good mod for the Polks, it's a crap shoot as to whether it would actually be an improvement.

FIRST thing i would do is recap the Polks. Those are the originals, and they are 28-year-old electrolytics. They gotta go. You may then like them enough better to keep them. Otherwise, it's a good selling point when you get something else.

Welcome to AK, btw!
 
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ive owned hpm40, ba a 150 and polk 10b. i liked the bostons the most and still have them. i have wheat colored grill series 1 and think they sound and look great. just my opinion
 
The Sony 7330s, I find, are rare beasts, not sold in the USA, dating back to 1972, and next to TOTL in their day. Beautiful speakers, and the guy who had some in the AK thread I found loved them. You won't see them every day, and I don't think I could let them go by, in your position. Just make sure all the drivers are working before you buy--OEM replacements will be hard to find. (The trick is to take a paper towel roll tube, and listen through it to isolate each driver.)

http://audio-heritage.jp/SONY-ESPRIT/speaker/ulm33.html
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/sony-ss-7330-yes-sony.368533/

5696899819_f4fc3ccb18_b.jpg
 
I concur, try the Sony, they made some awesome gear back in the day
DonQuixote99 said:
The Sony 7330s, I find, are rare beasts, not sold in the USA, dating back to 1972, and next to TOTL in their day. Beautiful speakers, and the guy who had some in the AK thread I found loved them. You won't see them every day, and I don't think I could let them go by, in your position. Just make sure all the drivers are working before you buy--OEM replacements will be hard to find. (The trick is to take a paper towel roll tube, and listen through it to isolate each driver.)

http://audio-heritage.jp/SONY-ESPRIT/speaker/ulm33.html
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/sony-ss-7330-yes-sony.368533/

5696899819_f4fc3ccb18_b.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Alright maybe I'll go with the Sony's then if the drivers are intact, you guys think it would be tough to get to the crossover to change the components of the Sony? I appreciate all of the help already, I thikn I'm going to go ahead and recap the Polk's in the meantime.
 
The Bostob 150's would be the ones I would listen to, then probably purchase! A well desibned, well rounded speaker set
DC
 
DonQuixote99 said:
The Sony 7330s, I find, are rare beasts, not sold in the USA, dating back to 1972, and next to TOTL in their day. Beautiful speakers, and the guy who had some in the AK thread I found loved them. You won't see them every day, and I don't think I could let them go by, in your position. Just make sure all the drivers are working before you buy--OEM replacements will be hard to find. (The trick is to take a paper towel roll tube, and listen through it to isolate each driver.)

http://audio-heritage.jp/SONY-ESPRIT/speaker/ulm33.html
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/sony-ss-7330-yes-sony.368533/
Click to expand...
The ones I found don't seem to have the original tweeter going by your pic and look much more worn condition wise
00z0z_ckPS1bZKcJ7_600x450.jpg
 
HiResDes said:
The ones I found don't seem to have the original tweeter going by your pic and look much more worn condition wise
00z0z_ckPS1bZKcJ7_600x450.jpg
Click to expand...

That's a Philips Tweeter. It's a good tweeter, but you are right, not original. Unless you're up for a long term search for original parts, I'd move on to the Bostons.

You didn't mention your price constraints, or what you are using for an amp, but I would seriously consider some ADS L710s if I were you.
 
baco99 said:
That's a Philips Tweeter. It's a good tweeter, but you are right, not original. Unless you're up for a long term search for original parts, I'd move on to the Bostons.

You didn't mention your price constraints, or what you are using for an amp, but I would seriously consider some ADS L710s if I were you.
Click to expand...
I'm just using an old Sony STR‑DE845, and I have about 200 bucks total to work with right now, though I can stretch to $300 if I don't to the Polk repairs. Oh and I also have a Denon DP 300F Turntable with an upgraded Shure cartridge hooked up right now.
 
HiResDes said:
I'm just using an old Sony STR‑DE845, and I have about 200 bucks total to work with right now, though I can stretch to $300 if I don't to the Polk repairs. Oh and I also have a Denon DP 300F Turntable with an upgraded Shure cartridge hooked up right now.
Click to expand...


Are you using it for surround or 2 channel?

Given that info, I would advise doing the recap on the Polks first, then replacing the receiver next. Find some good clean power, 50 watts or more with a dedicated integrated amp or separates.
 
baco99 said:
Are you using it for surround or 2 channel?

Given that info, I would advise doing the recap on the Polks first, then replacing the receiver next. Find some good clean power, 50 watts or more with a dedicated integrated amp or separates.
Click to expand...
Two channel it pushes up to 100 watts in this mode and honestly sounds just as good as the old Marantz I used to have.
 
Alright I got my speakers in, got a deal on them for $120 since they weren't in the best connection, the only problem is that while shipping one of the woofers started to come apart from the cabinet creating large chips and holes where the woofer was once drilled. I went ahead and just unscrewed it out, but now I need to fill back in the holes to be able to securely attach it again. Is wood puddy strong enough to hold the screws?
 
If it were me, I would just rotate the driver a few degrees and screw them in there. I sincerely doubt that it would have any changing effect. You did not clarify which speakers you got for $120. Let us know so we can enjoy with you. BTW, I too would have chosen the BA 150s.
 
Get some good wood glue, break off some toothpicks into the hole with glue smeared all over them, let dry and re-set the screw back into your holes......
DC
 
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