Model Nine?

[polksda]

I've never seen nor heard the original Polk Model Nine speakers. What were they like compared to the Monitor line that came after? They look kinda funky.

[RuSsMaN]

They are funky, I've only seen pictures, never heard one.

Cheers,
Russ

[Tour2ma]

Any pics you can post? I've never seen them.

[polksda]

This is the only picture I have.

[okiepolkie]

Interesting.
Do they have any of them at HQ in their hall of vintage speakers?

[VR3]

Originally posted by okiepolkie
Interesting.
Do they have any of them at HQ in their hall of vintage speakers?

No...

What? Polk actually had a FR speaker? No tweet... very...interesting...

[nadams]

I'm not sure what to make of that picture, but the cabinet on the left has a tweeter up at the top. Is this a front/rear shot of a single speaker?

[RuSsMaN]

They were 4" drivers, the front has the single driver and Piezo tweeter.

The rear shows the other active drivers, and a passive radiator.

Tour, you saw a picture of these when Stu showed up at TPGII.

Cheers,
Russ

[VR3]

BIPOLAR POLKS??

I WANT TO FIND A PAIR OF THOSE - NOW!

w00t w00t...

My Gross musta been behind some of that ;)

[RuSsMaN]

No, Sandy was a marketing man, had nothing to do with the design here.

This was around the time a 'B' company was developing the first 901 series. Rumor has it, a speaker name of 'Bozo' was tossed around, but thought better of.

That is all.

Cheers,
Russ

[nadams]

aha.. that's what i thought

[Tour2ma]

Originally posted by RuSsMaN
Tour, you saw a picture of these when Stu showed up at TPGII.
Nope... no recollection of that...

I musta been high on "Dee-Lite" at the time...

[mhardy6647]

They had a pair of the 9's at the student pub (Rathskellar) at Johns Hopkins (Matt's alma mater) when I was an undergrad there. They were painted white (inexplicably).

According to John Dorsey at Soundscape: the "Bozo" story is at least partly true. They were going to build 901 knockoffs, but got a 'cease and desist' letter from the attorneys at the Cambridge company later to be located on the Mountain (the Landfill) in Framingham, MA. Left with boxes full of 4" FR drivers, they came up with the Model 9. I didn't know until now that they also had a piezo tweeter!

The ones at JHU were the only ones I've ever seen. They used them for general sound reinforcement, and lasted for quite a few years.

[jwm]

I was a salesman in a stereo store in State College, PA (Watson Equipment Sales, WES) and we were one of the first stores to sell the polk's. The model 9 was a rear firing tower that was sensitive to placement from walls. All and all not the greatest sounding speaker. In my opinion the 7 was the best sounding with the 10 close but not quite as good. I have been looking for a pair of nines for old time sake, can't find them anywhere! If anyone has a pair for sale please let me know.
Thanks
Jim

[RuSsMaN]

Welcome aboard Jim. I agree with your thoughts on the 7's, short of the statement regarding the 10's being 'close'.

As far as the 9's go, the line starts to the left friend. Good luck.

Cheers,
Russ

[danger boy]

that model 9 is like the Studebaker Avanti of speakers. :p

kinda weird, kinda freaky looking.. kinda just bizzare.

[supasoul20]

Hey I'm moving so I have to sell my Polk Model 9's. They're in great shape, sound good. They're in San Diego now, first $80 takes them. See pic. (pnin22@yahoo.com)

[danger boy]

cool supasoul20 and welcome to Club Polk. Hope you stick around.

tell us how you came to aquire those Model 9's? Did you buy them new? Yard sale, or given to you by someone? Just curious.

thanks

[TroyD]

If he'll ship, I'll take 'em.

BDT

[Polk65]

BDT, If no one has the time, I will pony to Tejas.

[TroyD]

As in pick them up and take them to Texas? That would be AWESOME.

BDT

[Polk65]

If someone here gets these I will pick them up and drive as far as Tejas. Hopefully someone in AZ or NM can pony too.

[dcmeigs]

I bought some SDA-1As off ebay a couple of days ago and the guy gave me some manuals and brochures. One of them is entitled "The Experts Rave About Polk". By experts I think they are refering to the magazines like Stereo Review, Musician, High Fidelity, Audiogram and Off the Record. It contains reprints from all those publications.

One of the articles is an undated reprint from the Washington Post that looks to have been written in the mid 80s. Pictured in the photos is a pair of SDA-1s. Here is a couple of paragraphs.

The firm later contracted with a District (DC) retailer to make 700 speakers. The retailer took delivery on about 200 of the speakers, leaving the three (men) with "a lot of parts." Turning adversity aside, Polk used the parts to make the first of the company's line of high-quality speakers in November 1973.

The Polk Model 9, the first speaker marketed under the Company's name, "sold well enough to get us into business," Klopfer said. About a year later came the Polk Model 7, a relatively low-priced speaker using high-quality components, and Polk was in the fast lane.

End Quote

[dorokusai]

It wasn't the first Polk speaker and after you've heard them once, not much need to keep them on the quest. They're interesting and a pair has since been donated to the Polk museum, thanks to a couple Polkies.

[dcmeigs]

It's in the paper. It must be true.

OK, I'll bite. So what was the first Polk speaker?

[dorokusai]

If I can find the picture, I'll post it. It's a big ugly, dance club looking speaker.

[RuSsMaN]

Yeah. PA speakers.

[jtgranby]

Is this the pic?
JT

[dorokusai]

Yep, that's the one....thx Jim.

There are a couple others from the beginning, but if they still exist it would be a miracle.

Here's one of the first "Car" speakers :D Original Mini-Monitor with angled cabinets for rear deck placement. I should have taken a side view....you get the idea. They were quickly discontinued due to the DAP assembly process disintegrating when in the sun for too long.

[dcmeigs]

Yeah Baby! What do you think the wife would think of a set those beauties in the living room?

[TroyD]

If someone here gets these I will pick them up and drive as far as Tejas. Hopefully someone in AZ or NM can pony too.

Shoot me an email at: troy.dion@charleston.af.mil or PM me if you wouldn't mind helping out w/this...I'm in no hurry for these, thought they would be cool for Polkfest.

Troy

[thehaens@cox.net]

Troy and Steve - I picked the speakers up today....so whenever you are in the area come by and pick em up. Unfortunately the front and rear covers are "glued" in place so I couldn't really check the drivers and the condition. But all of them seem to work from a quick 5 min. audition. Here are a few pics. The pictures make them seem larger than they really are. These babies are small..

Scott

[Polk65]

Scott... You da man!

C. G. again.