Newbie magnet glue question

[p. rex]

Hello all,

First, let me introduce myself. I'm Jordan, a student at UT Austin, with a nasty stereo habit. I've just bought a nice pair of Polk Monitor 10a's, to satisfy my need for something with more balls than my current Genesis Physics bookshelf speakers. I figured the Polks would be a fine choice, since my father has long had a pair of Monitor 5jr+'s that I have always loved.

Anyway, I've been doing a little research and have noted that the mid-woofers from this era have issues with the magnets coming unglued. I intend to eventually implement the J-B Weld fix detailed in several threads on this forum, but I'm supposed to pick the Monitor 10's up tomorrow and drive them 150 miles from Houston to my apartment in Austin. While I know that all drivers are currently good, I'm concerned about the risk of one letting go in transit. From your experience, do these woofers mainly get damaged in shipping or from falls, or is minor jostling enough to do the trick?

Also, should my father be concerned about shifted magnets on his 5jr's? He bought them in 1991 and hasn't had any problems since (he says they're the best $300 he's ever spent), but they've had a fairly sheltered existence.

[Driver_King]

As long as you don't let them tumble across your seats, don't let them fall onto the ground, or drop them down the steps, then you should be set. If you want, you could take some pillows from a couch and keep them protected that way. The magnets will only shift if they are suddenly jolted. You should be fine though. ;)

[Driver_King]

Oh and if you like the 5Jr's, you should absolutely love the 10's. Make sure you have good amplification. Do the speakers have speaker stands? Use at least 12 gauge wire. From what I understand, crossover and tweeter upgrades can help take the 10's to a whole other level. Just some thoughts. :D

[p. rex]

Thanks, Driver_King.

Good to hear that they shouldn't be that vulnerable. Regrettably, no stands were included. Since original stands seem impossible to find, I'm probably going to have to improvise. I think cinderblocks should serve as fine, acoustically inert stands, although I'm trying to figure out a way to fabricate a six-degree wedge to provide the needed incline for the speakers.

Amplification-wise, I'm using a Technics SU-V10X. It's a fairly nice mid-80s integrated amp; top-of-the-line, with a decent power supply and a rated output of 120 wpc into 8 or 4 ohms. Not quite up there with the big heavy power amps, but I think it should be enough to control the drivers at the sane volume levels I'll be listening at.

[phocion]

I drove a pair of sda's across the country before I heard of the driver magnet problem, and they arrived in perfect condition. Since then I have picked up numerous polks, large and small, and never had a magnet fall off the wagon. I don't think they are quite as fragile as they have been presented, and you should be fine buckling them in the back seats like precious kid cargo ;)

As a side note, I wonder if there were certain runs that had weak glue? I looked around on here, but found nothing definitive. I figure a reputation for breakage might be attributable to a single poor run of product, rather than all mids ever...

[Driver_King]

Thanks, Driver_King.

Good to hear that they shouldn't be that vulnerable. Regrettably, no stands were included. Since original stands seem impossible to find, I'm probably going to have to improvise. I think cinderblocks should serve as fine, acoustically inert stands, although I'm trying to figure out a way to fabricate a six-degree wedge to provide the needed incline for the speakers.

Amplification-wise, I'm using a Technics SU-V10X. It's a fairly nice mid-80s integrated amp; top-of-the-line, with a decent power supply and a rated output of 120 wpc into 8 or 4 ohms. Not quite up there with the big heavy power amps, but I think it should be enough to control the drivers at the sane volume levels I'll be listening at.

I have a late 70's Technics amp myself. It's currently powering my Monitor 5Jr's and does very well. At 100+dB levels, I'm hard pressed to ever see the needle go beyond 1/4 of the way (only about 10-15 watts). The Technics amplifiers seem to have a warmer tone to them. I think your Technics will suit you very well, especially as a starter amp.

[HB27]

I bought a beautiful pair of Monitor 10s last year off of Craigslist.
They were less than 2 miles from my house.
TWO magnets shifted on the short and smooth trip on that short distance.
I'd remove the mid woofers for the trip. Label the wires and drivers.
JB Weld them before re-installing.
They may make it safely with no problem. I wouldn't take the chance for the 10 minutes it takes to be safe.
Congrats on the purchase of a killer speaker.

[helipilotdoug]

Hi P. Rex, and welcome. :) I too live in the Austin area. I'm sure you will love those Monitor 10A's. The suggestions above are good guidelines to transporting your speakers. Either lay them backs down on pillows, heavy blankets etc. to cushion them, or remove the drivers. Your amp should serve you well for the type listening you will be doing. Have a good year at UT, and don't party your a$$ off too much down on 6th street! :D