HELP My Polks Are Seized/Frozen

[CT-Seven 764]

Moved to the new place on Friday with joy and excitement. I am dead tired as my wife is expecting (ITS A GIRL!!) I am super tired as I had to do this almost single handed.

 

Saturday night I decided to go head and hook up the system installed the MKII routed my cables and made everything look nice and I decided to power the thing up and start jamming... BUT!!

 

My polk monitor 10A's have their 4 drivers frozen/seized up, that bums me out since I had checked the woofers when I purchased them by doing the push test but I never went ahead and used them physically, I built the stands and the top but I never tested them but now all four are rock solid.

 

But then again I am happy my baby girl is healthy and the house is slowly taking shape.

 

Now to save a little penny here and there to buy some new ones or find a way to fix the polks

 

This popped up locally but then again this money is better placed for the house/baby/bills vs a luxury

http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/msg/4476143702.html

 

I wont be mean and I will show pics of my atleast installed setup

 

The proof is in the vid

 

[CT-Seven 764]

I get sound from the right tweeter only and partial from all four drivers the left tweeter does not work

[kve777 6,896]

I can send you a set of drivers. I have a pair I bought for $75.00. PM me your address.

[CT-Seven 764]

I can send you a set of drivers. I have a pair I bought for $75.00. PM me your address.

Thanks KVE but, Stand fast on that offerI might have something cooking... to get those SDA2

[kve777 6,896]

 

 

 

 

I can send you a set of drivers. I have a pair I bought for $75.00. PM me your address.

Thanks KVE but, Stand fast on that offer

I might have something cooking... to get those SDA2

I already took them apart.  

[kve777 6,896]

Congrats on the baby! Good luck on the SDA's. (Make sure you use a common ground amp) I'll keep the drivers handy.

[Schurkey 139]

The voice coils/magnets/pole piece can all be re-aligned using home-made PVC pipe and machine screws as a "special tool", with automotive anaerobic thread-locking compound as the glue.

 

Having the mid-woofers lock up is said to be a common problem with the older Polk drivers, the usual explanation is "bad glue" holding the drivers together. Some sort of mechanical shock knocks the pieces out-of-alignment when the glue bond breaks.  In my case, I dropped the driver on the floor from waist-height.

 

I've re-aligned exactly one Polk driver--not at all difficult, and like most projects the second one should be a bunch easier than the first. (That darned "Learning Curve" thing, amplified by the fact that the tooling is already made when you do the second one.)

 

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?135716-Let-s-Try-to-Fix-a-MW6511-Damaged-in-Shipping...&p=1878797&viewfull=1#post1878797'>http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?135716-Let-s-Try-to-Fix-a-MW6511-Damaged-in-Shipping...&p=1878797&viewfull=1#post1878797

 

(The entire thread is here: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?135716-Let-s-Try-to-Fix-a-MW6511-Damaged-in-Shipping )

 

Polk supplies a replacement tweeter that's said to be better than the originals.  It's not a drop-in replacement for your tweeter, though.  Seems to me the screw-holes are spaced a little differently.  (You could research that at Club Polk    $50 plus tax shipped in the USA.

 

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?28-Vintage-Speakers

 

 

[kve777 6,896]

The voice coils/magnets/pole piece can all be re-aligned using home-made PVC pipe and machine screws as a "special tool", with automotive anaerobic thread-locking compound as the glue.

 

Having the mid-woofers lock up is said to be a common problem with the older Polk drivers, the usual explanation is "bad glue" holding the drivers together. Some sort of mechanical shock knocks the pieces out-of-alignment when the glue bond breaks.  In my case, I dropped the driver on the floor from waist-height.

 

I've re-aligned exactly one Polk driver--not at all difficult, and like most projects the second one should be a bunch easier than the first. (That darned "Learning Curve" thing, amplified by the fact that the tooling is already made when you do the second one.)

 

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?135716-Let-s-Try-to-Fix-a-MW6511-Damaged-in-Shipping...&p=1878797&viewfull=1#post1878797'>http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?135716-Let-s-Try-to-Fix-a-MW6511-Damaged-in-Shipping...&p=1878797&viewfull=1#post1878797

 

(The entire thread is here: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?135716-Let-s-Try-to-Fix-a-MW6511-Damaged-in-Shipping )

 

Polk supplies a replacement tweeter that's said to be better than the originals.  It's not a drop-in replacement for your tweeter, though.  Seems to me the screw-holes are spaced a little differently.  (You could research that at Club Polk    $50 plus tax shipped in the USA.

 

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?28-Vintage-Speakers

 

 

AHA! Can I have the bad ones? I want to try fixing them! Oh- One of my tweeters is bad, torn membrane, just noticed you have Peerless type. I'll give you one from a Monitor 5.

[PMAT 2,054]

You guys are so helpful. What a great place huh? Did you get the SDAs? That looked like a good deal. The Polk forum guys love the Carver AL III speakers. It was an open minded forum, hopefully still is. Good Luck and enjoy Daddy's little girl.

[CT-Seven 764]

at the owners house

Bling Bling

At my house that's my bedroom window and that small brush is in front of my balcony, waiting for my dad to bring me a hand truck and to offer me a hand (85 lbs each!!)

 

DaddyTJ chipped in a bit (...ok he chipped in a lot) to help me pick these SDA up hopefully my wife does not have a COW!! seeing how they are SOOOO big but when she hears them I think she will love them

 

Kve777 is helping me fix the Monitor10's to give them to my dad

 

[CT-Seven 764]

 

AHA! Can I have the bad ones? I want to try fixing them! Oh- One of my tweeters is bad, torn membrane, just noticed you have Peerless type. I'll give you one from a Monitor 5.

 

Sure Kev no Problem 

[kve777 6,896]

Here are the donor carcasses, kicked to the curb- trash day tomorrow. Monitor 10's, Monitor 5's, Monitor 5A's. Water damaged cabinets.See the cracks at the corners? Yeah, too bad. Oh, somebody put pole mounts in the 10's.

 

 

[Schurkey 139]

I suppose it's too late to save all the grille retainers.

[kve777 6,896]

I suppose it's too late to save all the grille retainers.

I tried, they did not want to come out. Any time I come across broken ones I use Velcro squares, stapled in place. How many do you want? I'll try in the morning...trash day is Wednesday, I put them out a day early. Lost track of the days. See my apology post.

[fill35U 1,847]

 

 

 

I suppose it's too late to save all the grille retainers.

I tried, they did not want to come out. 

 

You could always take a hammer, break up the front corners of the face, and send the pieces -with the grill retainers- to Schurkey. Let him take the time and trouble to extract them. 

 

Sorta like sculpting: just remove everything that isn't grill retainer... 

[Jim Coash 126]

I have repaired plenty of Polks over the years because I was a dealer for so long.  As far as the woofers go, unless you can get identical, factory replacements, having them re-built is a much better option.  I have been sending all types of drivers to The Circuit Shop in Grand Rapids for many years.  They will replace rotted foam surrounds with improved foam, rebuild open voice coils and completely re-furbish just about any type of raw frame speaker.  I have never had any problems with their work and always found the results to be perfectly matched to the original design or an improvement.  Tweeters usually cannot be fixed unless they have a replaceable diaphram.  Most of the pro models do and the better home units made in the modern era.  They can be done by anyone with a little skill.  In some cases, it is about the same cost to get a comparable tweeter that is also an upgrade, but try to match the original and always replace in pairs.  That also goes for re-coning.  If only one is bad, have both serviced to be identical when finished.  Of course, remember that in nearly all cases, in my vast experience, speakers that have been damaged have been destroyed by the user simply because they were over driven by an amp to small for the application. In all the years I sold and serviced audio, a lack of power was the most common problem.  Carver amps solved most of those situations for me.  The more power you have, generally, the safer your speakers are.  Jim

[Retriever 1,142]

I have a set of Rt600i dome tweeters fully funtional if they fit?

 

The diaphram is removable. Plastic snap in!

[CT-Seven 764]

 

 

I have a set of Rt600i dome tweeters fully funtional if they fit?

 

The diaphram is removable. Plastic snap in!

 

I think They dont fit but thanks anyway Jim

[CT-Seven 764]

There was a bit of confusion the SDA 2 weighed in at 145 each not the kindness thing to move.

 

Brought the first one in and my wife flipped out on how big they are...

 

But as soon as I hooked them up and she heard the clarity/definition she forgot about the size

 

Could not use the UMBILICAL CORD as Bob Carver would not allow it but I think its not necessary the m500 is mellow and the polks sound just right

 

Im happy because I can post again in the "what are you listening now section"

 

Pics or it did not happen

[helicopter pilot doug 110]

Those speakers are SRS 2's and if you got them for $175 ya done good!!! The Monitor 10A's are some great speakers, but can't hold a candle to the SRS2's. Did you get the interconnect cable? Is it blade/blade or pin/blade? I have the SRS 2's with the blade/blade configuration and did an upgrade and rebuild of the crossovers. These speakers sound wonderful. Because of their size, they are not known for WAF though! LOL

 

On the Monitor 10A's, let me look out in my stash and see what I have available. Seems like I have the main drivers and the Peerless tweeters for Polk 10A's. The newer tweeters Polk sells won't fit the opening, and the crossovers are not made for them. For the 10A you need the peerless tweets.

[CT-Seven 764]

Thanks Doug, I would really appreciate it as I would like to fix them for my father to keep

 

The cable I have is the Blade/Blade type

[CT-Seven 764]

I have been awake since 6:30am listening to them very subtly

 

The meters on the MKII barely jump but I can hear them clearly

 

Cant wait for the weekend to crank them a bit more to hear them sing

[helicopter pilot doug 110]

Thanks Doug, I would really appreciate it as I would like to fix them for my father to keep

 

The cable I have is the Blade/Blade type

The blade/blade type have been upgraded to use the superior RDO-198 tweeters.  It's not an official polk upgrade, but several, myself included, have done this upgrade and are very happy with the outcome.   Here is the thread over at Club Polk about it.  It's very long, and the best parts are in the last few pages.  http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?74946-SDA-SRS-2-Crossover-Parts-list

 

BTW, do have a set of peerless tweeters, but can't seem to find the MW6500 or 6501 which I think are the drivers in the Monitor 10A's.  Do you know which MW's you have?  Should be on the stickers on the back of the drivers.

 

[kve777 6,896]

Well I have four MW's for sure, if you get a Peerless from Doug, that's the best way to go. I have the M-10 SL2000 type crossovers, and SL3000 tweeters otherwise. I only have four of the Peerless types, saved for my RTA-15tl's. I like them there.

 

@JimC- Many of us here do our own speaker repairs. Personally I have done hundreds with great success. I've helped out members with theirs, too. These old Polks are susceptible to magnet movement. The bond breaks when jarred and the motor shifts, jamming the v.c. Since they were free previously, I think that's what we have here. I've fixed them before. But you are right, clipping is a speaker killer.

 

[CT-Seven 764]

Wow kev that would be great PM details on how to get her done.

 

I will PM doug and see