MONITOR12

The Original, Second Generation Monitor Loudspeakers

"Our advice is not to buy speakers until you've heard the Polks." -- Musician Magazine

It's 1972. The first hand-held calculator costs $395. Mariner 9 sends back pictures from Mars. Nixon goes to China. The Beetle outsells the Model T. THE GODFATHER is released in theaters. "The Price is Right" premieres on TV. "School's Out" wins a Grammy. And Matthew Polk and George Klopfer, fresh out of Johns Hopkins with too much physics and mechanical engineering knowledge for their own good, develop the Monitor 7 Loudspeaker and change the way people think about home audio.

The original Monitor Series raised the bar for home audio sound quality, with 3-dimensional sound that went beyond the speaker box itself. They were highly efficient, and sounded great even on the modest electronics of the time (yet they were able to handle a tremendous amount of power if you had it). They used Bass Radiator Technology, tuned to produce deep, musical bass, giving them a totally realistic, fully dynamic soundstage. And best of all, they were surprisingly reasonably priced. Audiogram Magazine gushed, "we were so impressed we could not believe the prices...they're simply a steal." 

So it was with great fanfare that two decades later Polk Audio reintroduced the "Monitor" moniker with the Monitor Series 2. Seven new models, from the compact Monitor 4 to the awesome Monitor 12, all updated the original with a variety of sizes, power outputs and performance levels to match any environment or budget.

"Vastly superior to the competition in their price range." - Musician Magazine

"May well be the best high performance speaker value on the market today." - Off The Record

"This speaker is a real find!" - Audio Alternatives

MONITOR Series 2, circa 1990

Featuring the fluid-cooled SL2500 Tweeter

• Surprisingly open, "boxless," "three-dimensional" sound from a traditional loudspeaker.
• Tuned for flat frequency response, for extended listening pleasure with no fatigue.
• The ability to reproduce difficult transients, for crisp, lifelike clarity.
• Exceptionally deep, tight bass, the kind you can feel as well as hear.
• Wide, realistic dispersion of high- and mid-frequencies, for perfect sound in any listening position.
• SL2500 Tweeter design (Monitor 4.6, 5jr+, 5, 7, 10 and 12): A highly refined, technically advanced high frequency driver. Fluid-cooled with an exotic ULV (ultra-low viscocity) magnetic fluid, this tweeter effortlessly exceeds "normal" listening levels with no loss of performance or reliability. The use of the SL2500 Tweeter gives these Monitor Speakers a dramatic dynamic range, totally unique for speakers in this price range.
• SL1500 Hemispherical Tweeter (Monitor 4): A 1" soft dome driver that delivers superb definition and smooth extended response.
• Larger, internally-braced enclosures, bigger than the previous generation of Monitors, tuned for the deepest possible bookshelf speaker bass response, making them the biggest sounding bookshelf speakers ever. Larger models are capable of filling even the largest spaces with deep, musical bass energy.
• High efficiency, so they sound great even with modest electronics, as well as the ability to handle significant amounts of power, if you got it.
• Reasonably priced high performance audio; they only sound expensive.
• Built to last a lifetime. (And, indeed, Monitor Series 2 Loudspeakers regularly turn up at yard sales and in attics, sounding just as spectacular as they did right out of the box.)

Specifications, dimensions and features subject to change without notice. For more information call us at 1-800-377-7655 (USA and Canada). Outside of North America call +1 (410) 358-3600.

Vintage Product

This product is considered a "Recent" or "Vintage" Polk Audio model. It is not a part of our current product lineup. It may still be available in some stores as a "close out" or "used" product. Information provided here about this product may not reflect current realities and does not imply availability. If you happen to have a question or concern about this product, contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-377-7655 M-F 9am - 5:30pm EST. Chances are we remember it.

MONITOR12 Media

MONITOR12 Literature

Want to know more? Want to dig just a little deeper to learn about this product? Here's a list of source material that will give more detail, other perspectives, and answer questions you may have.

MONITOR12 Accessories