MW65xx - How many are there?

[Rev. Hayes]

Long story short-


I have Monitor 10s (1979?)

One MW6500 (gray cardboard ring) dies

I have a spare MW6500 (no cardboard ring) which I temporarily install

I order another MW6500 (gray cardboard ring)

New MW6500 arrives but is not the same as the original.
The basket, the thickness of the cardboard ring, markings and the excursion are all different. (no further scientific measurements taken)



So, the question is, how many different MW6500s are there.

Or for that matter, how many versions of each MW65xx exist?

Could we make a list with pics and numbers?

I don't as of now know how this could best be organized. I'll post pictures as soon as the camera battery charges and see what the response to this thread is.

[dorokusai]

Almost every one of them looks exactly the same, how un-interesting would that be? As far as a list in regards to parts? It already exists and actual specifications will never be available.

EDIT: I believe if anything that a compatibility list would be useful and it's being worked on.

[Rev. Hayes]

Almost every one of them looks exactly the same, how un-interesting would that be?

Yeah, the phone book's a drag too.....

until you need it.


I'm going to post pictures of my not matching MW6500s and I hope other people do to because it will help me find what I'm looking for.

I'm looking for an actual match to my original drivers.

[dorokusai]

Yeah, the phone book's a drag too.....

until you need it.


I'm going to post pictures of my not matching MW6500s and I hope other people do to because it will help me find what I'm looking for.

I'm looking for an actual match to my original drivers.

That's cool. I guess the fact that I've seen them ad-nauseum over the years may make me colder to caring about what a driver is or isn't.

It's just a matter of time in regards to finding a match but the cardboard rims are much harder to find. I've had a pair bouncing around in the back of my truck for a couple weeks.

[Rev. Hayes]

[dorokusai]

If you keep that format, I'll compile it into an eventual sticky Rev. Hayes. Can you photo them on a simple white background?

[Rev. Hayes]

This is the one I'm looking for.
I took the last two digits in the SN(?) to be the date of manufacture. 1979?

Note the added fins, thinner cardboard, and official Polk label w/ cyphers.

An interesting specimen.

[dorokusai]

The "fins" are simply from the stamping of the frame. It has no function.

The drivers will be all over the place in regards to marking. It may be a sticker, or not, may be written by hand or be the wrong driver overall from a practical standpoint, may be for another model and stamped as such, an RTA11TL in an RTA8, etc etc etc.

The Monitor and RTA series are difficult to get specific in regards to what hit the ground. This is the best place to come for Polk information, period.

[Rev. Hayes]

Ahhhhh...

The elusive pygmy MW6500, just now seen in the Club Polk FM.

Perhaps the discoverer, Lasereth, will tell us more about this strange member of the MW6500 family.

[lmuller1]

Kind of drives you crazy huh... I'm trying to get a matched one for mine also as one of my 6500's has no cardboard and it's 1982 while all 3 of the others are 1990 and I think are the thicker ones but I'd have to pull one to be sure. If I have to, I'll look around for a 6.5" driver with the cardboard from anything and remove it and glue it onto the one I have. UGH

[Rev. Hayes]

If you keep that format, I'll compile it into an eventual sticky Rev. Hayes. Can you photo them on a simple white background?

Oops. I just now saw this. I was too busy goofing around.

I think that would be great.
If other people get interested and follow suit I do think it would be a valuable resource.
These speakers are getting older/rare and the "collectors attitude" concerning the seemingly pointless details of driver basket stamp patterns and so on could only increase.

I for one love the internet for just this reason: mind numbingly esoteric information available at a keystroke for the masses.

This is the best place to come for Polk information, period.

And this is why!

[Rev. Hayes]

If I have to, I'll look around for a 6.5" driver with the cardboard from anything and remove it and glue it onto the one I have. UGH

HA!!!

I did just that before I got the latest. It drove me NUTS looking at that single driver not matching.

But it's still not perfect.....:tongue:

[dorokusai]

Kind of drives you crazy huh... I'm trying to get a matched one for mine also as one of my 6500's has no cardboard and it's 1982 while all 3 of the others are 1990 and I think are the thicker ones but I'd have to pull one to be sure. If I have to, I'll look around for a 6.5" driver with the cardboard from anything and remove it and glue it onto the one I have. UGH

Unfortunately, you'll most likely ruin the driver trying to do that. It's a part of the actual surround to the driver.

[lmuller1]

K, pulled all drivers and re-gasketed and all 3 are 1980 and have the basket nubs.

[lmuller1]

Unfortunately, you'll most likely ruin the driver trying to do that. It's a part of the actual surround to the driver.

Part of basket that doesn't have the surround glued to it. Would have to be careful but it can be done. Won't do it unless I can't find an exact replacement. Everytime I look at the speaker I know it doesn't match. Wouldn't bug most but I'm not most. I've redone surrounds an aweful lot and have yet to screw one up. I have however slipped with a screwdriver and punctured a surround (gotta love it)

[skrol]

I think I have some of the cardboard gaskets around. They came with my Polk car speakers that I bought in the '90's and were based on the MW65xx. They are Mobile Monitor MM65xx (not to be confused with the recent Mobile Monitor).

[geppy1]

I have been down this road a number of times. I know that thete are two 6500s with the grey cardboard but it is of different thickness. I asumed they had the same motion and such as i have seen them both on early 10s 1978-1980
Here is a new one I did not know. The early (1978) RTA 12s I had that had the magnets destroyed in shipping had HUGE magnets on them and decals on back say MW 6500 8/78. The magnets were much wider and heavier then any of the other 6500s I have seen. Go figure. keith

[lmuller1]

I'm just glad I'm not the only one anal about it. I'm looking for the same one that the Rev is. Now I've got to look into crossover rebuilds. I had allready rebuilt the ones in my Mon 5's.

[Vette C6.r]

EDIT: I believe if anything that a compatibility list would be useful and it's being worked on.

Looking forward to that.

[dorokusai]

Part of basket that doesn't have the surround glued to it. Would have to be careful but it can be done. Won't do it unless I can't find an exact replacement. Everytime I look at the speaker I know it doesn't match. Wouldn't bug most but I'm not most. I've redone surrounds an aweful lot and have yet to screw one up. I have however slipped with a screwdriver and punctured a surround (gotta love it)

I never said it couldn't be done but the mantra from a CS side is to err on the side of caution since most callers are not capable folks.

[lmuller1]

I never said it couldn't be done but the mantra from a CS side is to err on the side of caution since most callers are not capable folks.

100% agreed. I've seen enough trashy work to last a lifetime
So, who's got some 1980 or so mw 6500's (ones with gaskets and tabs) laying around for the Rev and I ? It looks like we both need one to "make things right". How can any of you sleep knowing the suffering we are enduring.... Oh the humanity of it all :)

[skrol]

That is why they make speaker grills,... to cover up the sins.

[Rev. Hayes]

Yeah!

I'm developing a terrible rash......

[Rev. Hayes]

Hey geppy,

Can we see pictures of the oversized magnet MW6500?