If you would like to support the channel then please consider purchasing your speakers from the below affiliate links. This channel wouldn't exist without supporters like you! Your support is much appreciated! Polk Monitor XT20: amzn.to/3SYbyp5 Polk Monitor XT15 amzn.to/3T1wwnj Polk Monitor XT12 Subwoofer: amzn.to/3uCzc1d My Review on the Polk Monitor XT12 can be found below: XT12 Look Inside: ua-cam.com/video/eYoGlNAEfWc/v-deo.htmlsi=dN4iy89F73SdqRmQ XT12 Review: ua-cam.com/video/6F0wfLlSseE/v-deo.htmlsi=Oo1fs05Su7F8atRX Polyfill Stuffing (must have for the XT20): amzn.to/3SG5WyH Replace the ferromagnetic nuts on the binding posts with brass below: Brass nuts for the XT20 can be found here: Brass nuts: amzn.to/3IFLOIS Brass nuts vendor 2: amzn.to/3BYrwq9 Brass lock washers: amzn.to/43iaRcK Products for damping the inside of the cabinet: Sonic Barrier 3 layer dampening material (I'm using this on my Q350s): amzn.to/46wSRwT Amazon Basics butyl rubber sound dampening material: amzn.to/3RJWzPr My videos about upgrading speakers can be found here: ua-cam.com/play/PLg0Xq1LbiZBV3JdrXQtMPgv3Lc6YB6fdr.html My look inside videos on speakers can be found here: ua-cam.com/play/PLg0Xq1LbiZBXWNQtsEOqq_LynPGsLNpxy.html My videos about subwoofers can be found here: ua-cam.com/play/PLg0Xq1LbiZBW6xl4N0qoMVjsAFOOyq1Me.html
@@generationbehindhifihey I did the mod this morning and put some more around the tweeters too because one had less than the other , really does make a difference ! I swear it helps the mids and treble too😊
FYI, the shape of the woofer frame is called "pincushion" I think? Also, it makes me nervous when drivers are placed face down - pushing on the suspension may be fine, but it also could do damage? Having the vented spider and the vented voice coil is mainly a benefit to more "linear" cone motion, I think? A vented pole piece "overlaps" with the function of the vented voice coil. If there is a phase plug (and no dust cover) then venting the voice coil is less critical. One of the less obvious advantages of a cast frame (with slim/shaped struts) - is less sound reflection back out through the cone. The tweeter plate would be be improved with several layers of cloth and glue (I use denim and Titebond III) to strengthen/damp the ABS plastic. It has to "resist" the flexing caused by the air pressure inside the cabinet. The tweeter appears to be a woven material, which is often a good thing. A 0.1uF bypass cap on the tweeter *at least* would be an easy upgrade. The 3-layer 3/4" thick foam that Parts Express sells would be a great upgrade for the cabinet. A fabric store is a great source for less expensive polyfil.
Thanks, Neil! That is very interesting that they refer to these woofer frames as "pincushion". This is the first I'm hearing about that terminology. Thanks for sharing!
Got these for $120/pair "Good" condition open box at Best Buy last year. They were literally brand new, must have been mislabeled but I'm not complaining! Perfect in my small, hodge-podge home theater.
Thank you for the tips and tricks. I'll purchase the brass nuts/lock washers + baffling material from your links. These are my first box speakers. Ive been w/o stereo on this sailboat for 18 yrs. These already sound nice w the Aiyima T9 + A07 Max. Krell + MartinLogan before that.
Great teardown, I learned a lot! I'm always looking for speakers that are safe to use next to my tube tvs, and polk often pass the test. Looks like this is another pair that would be safe to use next to a crt tv.. Is it safe to assume the smaller xt15 also have bucking magnets? I'm curious if the tower speakers (like the xt60 and xt70) have bucking magnets too.
This was a FANTASTIC review! Too bad I saw it after buying and mounting these speakers to the wall on brackets. I really like they way they sound but I don't have anything to compare them too in quality other then my Klipsch towers. I will buy the baffling material using your link. QUESTION: If I wanted to replace the cross over completely, would you have any recommendations? You might say "Can't be done." or "Try this...." One last thing; what is the issue with have ferromagnetic nuts? What will replacing them with brass accomplish? Thank you again!!!
Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words. Thanks again for the support! IEEE did a white paper on ferromagnetic parts in audio connectors and its a good read. Basically the study proved that ferromagnetic parts introduce passive intermodulation, aka 3rd-order harmonics distortion to the signal! Simply put, there's a reason why high end speakers use non ferromagnetic parts in the signal path. Paper can be read here: ieeexplore.ieee.org/ielaam/22/8681220/8632973-aam.pdf
For a budget speaker, I'm very happy with the 4 I own for my home theater front and surrounds (I have space limitations). They have a decently punchy base response. I got mine on sale late last year for about $220 a pair. Question on the polyfill link you gave... how far does a one pound bag go? Enough for 2 to 4 XT20s?
You should have enough polyfill to stuff four XT20s if you use the same amount in each cabinet that I did (92 grams). The damping material that I bought includes 1 pound of polyfill which is about 452 grams worth. IMO stuffing the cabinets on the XT20 is a must!!!
@@generationbehindhifi Perfect! I agree 100%. Any decent speaker is usually filled completely and it is odd they did not do so, especially since it costs little extra. BTW... worth mentioning... if you have to place these speakers close to a wall/corner, then I suggest stuffing the ports to calm down the boomy response they tend to have. A sock works very well. Love to see you teardown and test the RSL CG3M / CG23M speakers. Great value for the cost.
I'm considering these for a project. Delete the tweeters. Replaced by the large Heil AMT tweeter. Do you know the Ohms of the tweeter? What values are the NP capacitors? Thanks! I'm subbing.
Sounds like a cool project. IMO the tweeter is the weak link in the XT20. The tweeter has a DC resistance of 4 ohms. I don't know the values of the capacitors but you might be able to find them if you look closely at the close up shots I took of the crossover.
Thanks, James! I have not used any NoRez. I have used a similar product called Sonic Barrier with good results. You can buy it at parts express or Amazon.
You should have look at the look inside video of the LA165. IMO the LA165s are better built and to me sound a little better. I especially like the tweeter on the LA165s over the XT20s. Keep in mind that sound quality is a very subjective topic so I would recommend you order both pairs and return the pair you don't like.
Recently i blew my monitor xt20's because of an underpowered receiver which clipped signal in high volume... the sh*t happened so fast, maybe 2-3seconds and they were dead. Interestengly, both 6.5' drivers are dead, but tweeters still work. So i wonder, can someone point out similarly specced mid drivers or where can i find original one in Europe?
Hi GenerationBehindHifi guy, I like your style of reviews, but the echo sound of your voice is atrocious. Please for your own good get some proper close mic (RODE etc). Thank you.
Sorry! I'm still new to this. I'll probably quit doing live intros on my videos because a lot of you seem to dislike them. If you know of a mic that will work well. let me know and I'll buy it.
@@kenanguliyev1947 I would order both and decide for yourself. You could easily return the one you don't like for a full refund since Polk, Elac and Crutchfield all have great return policies. As for differences, the drivers, crossover, and cabinet are much better on the JBL. The JBL is on a super sale right now and IMO offers phenomenal value for money.
@@kenanguliyev1947 At the price point you're working with then yes, I think the JBL's are a much better buy than the other two options you presented. The JBL 630 is a $700 speaker that is currently on sale for $349.99 from Crutchfield.
If you would like to support the channel then please consider purchasing your speakers from the below affiliate links. This channel wouldn't exist without supporters like you! Your support is much appreciated!
Polk Monitor XT20: amzn.to/3SYbyp5
Polk Monitor XT15 amzn.to/3T1wwnj
Polk Monitor XT12 Subwoofer: amzn.to/3uCzc1d
My Review on the Polk Monitor XT12 can be found below:
XT12 Look Inside: ua-cam.com/video/eYoGlNAEfWc/v-deo.htmlsi=dN4iy89F73SdqRmQ
XT12 Review: ua-cam.com/video/6F0wfLlSseE/v-deo.htmlsi=Oo1fs05Su7F8atRX
Polyfill Stuffing (must have for the XT20): amzn.to/3SG5WyH
Replace the ferromagnetic nuts on the binding posts with brass below:
Brass nuts for the XT20 can be found here:
Brass nuts: amzn.to/3IFLOIS
Brass nuts vendor 2: amzn.to/3BYrwq9
Brass lock washers: amzn.to/43iaRcK
Products for damping the inside of the cabinet:
Sonic Barrier 3 layer dampening material (I'm using this on my Q350s): amzn.to/46wSRwT
Amazon Basics butyl rubber sound dampening material: amzn.to/3RJWzPr
My videos about upgrading speakers can be found here: ua-cam.com/play/PLg0Xq1LbiZBV3JdrXQtMPgv3Lc6YB6fdr.html
My look inside videos on speakers can be found here: ua-cam.com/play/PLg0Xq1LbiZBXWNQtsEOqq_LynPGsLNpxy.html
My videos about subwoofers can be found here: ua-cam.com/play/PLg0Xq1LbiZBW6xl4N0qoMVjsAFOOyq1Me.html
I’d be curious to see a tear down of a Polk es15 or es20. Pretty good sounding speakers.
Bucking magnets also help reduce magnetic interference with the inductors in the crossover
I'm packing my XT20S , thanks for the tip , I've been playing hooked up to a Fosi BT 20 A , my first class d amp , and they sound great on it too 😊
That's the spirit! It will make for a nice improvement for sure.
@@generationbehindhifi cool
@@generationbehindhifihey I did the mod this morning and put some more around the tweeters too because one had less than the other , really does make a difference ! I swear it helps the mids and treble too😊
@@jimbo4203 Awesome! Glad to hear it worked out.
Love my Polk R200. Good review of another Polk product.
i really like the vibe of your videos. well done! also very detailed.
Thank you!
Bonjour de la France.......... magnifique travail, merci
FYI, the shape of the woofer frame is called "pincushion" I think? Also, it makes me nervous when drivers are placed face down - pushing on the suspension may be fine, but it also could do damage?
Having the vented spider and the vented voice coil is mainly a benefit to more "linear" cone motion, I think? A vented pole piece "overlaps" with the function of the vented voice coil. If there is a phase plug (and no dust cover) then venting the voice coil is less critical.
One of the less obvious advantages of a cast frame (with slim/shaped struts) - is less sound reflection back out through the cone.
The tweeter plate would be be improved with several layers of cloth and glue (I use denim and Titebond III) to strengthen/damp the ABS plastic. It has to "resist" the flexing caused by the air pressure inside the cabinet.
The tweeter appears to be a woven material, which is often a good thing.
A 0.1uF bypass cap on the tweeter *at least* would be an easy upgrade.
The 3-layer 3/4" thick foam that Parts Express sells would be a great upgrade for the cabinet. A fabric store is a great source for less expensive polyfil.
Thanks, Neil! That is very interesting that they refer to these woofer frames as "pincushion". This is the first I'm hearing about that terminology. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I love this style of review! I get to see Everything!
Got these for $120/pair "Good" condition open box at Best Buy last year. They were literally brand new, must have been mislabeled but I'm not complaining!
Perfect in my small, hodge-podge home theater.
For $120 you did very well! Enjoy them!
Thank you for the tips and tricks. I'll purchase the brass nuts/lock washers + baffling material from your links. These are my first box speakers. Ive been w/o stereo on this sailboat for 18 yrs. These already sound nice w the Aiyima T9 + A07 Max. Krell + MartinLogan before that.
Great teardown, I learned a lot! I'm always looking for speakers that are safe to use next to my tube tvs, and polk often pass the test. Looks like this is another pair that would be safe to use next to a crt tv.. Is it safe to assume the smaller xt15 also have bucking magnets? I'm curious if the tower speakers (like the xt60 and xt70) have bucking magnets too.
Thank you! I would email Polk to make sure. Unfortunately I haven't torn down an XT15 so don't know.
Very good review
Thank you! This is my look inside video. My review video can be found here: ua-cam.com/video/EepA40x2_9Y/v-deo.htmlsi=O1d2_HTDAdmYBFu4
Plz make video on edifier P17 teardown
This was a FANTASTIC review! Too bad I saw it after buying and mounting these speakers to the wall on brackets. I really like they way they sound but I don't have anything to compare them too in quality other then my Klipsch towers. I will buy the baffling material using your link.
QUESTION: If I wanted to replace the cross over completely, would you have any recommendations? You might say "Can't be done." or "Try this...."
One last thing; what is the issue with have ferromagnetic nuts? What will replacing them with brass accomplish?
Thank you again!!!
Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words. Thanks again for the support!
IEEE did a white paper on ferromagnetic parts in audio connectors and its a good read. Basically the study proved that ferromagnetic parts introduce passive intermodulation, aka 3rd-order harmonics distortion to the signal! Simply put, there's a reason why high end speakers use non ferromagnetic parts in the signal path.
Paper can be read here: ieeexplore.ieee.org/ielaam/22/8681220/8632973-aam.pdf
For a budget speaker, I'm very happy with the 4 I own for my home theater front and surrounds (I have space limitations). They have a decently punchy base response. I got mine on sale late last year for about $220 a pair.
Question on the polyfill link you gave... how far does a one pound bag go? Enough for 2 to 4 XT20s?
You should have enough polyfill to stuff four XT20s if you use the same amount in each cabinet that I did (92 grams). The damping material that I bought includes 1 pound of polyfill which is about 452 grams worth. IMO stuffing the cabinets on the XT20 is a must!!!
@@generationbehindhifi Perfect! I agree 100%. Any decent speaker is usually filled completely and it is odd they did not do so, especially since it costs little extra.
BTW... worth mentioning... if you have to place these speakers close to a wall/corner, then I suggest stuffing the ports to calm down the boomy response they tend to have. A sock works very well.
Love to see you teardown and test the RSL CG3M / CG23M speakers. Great value for the cost.
@@csimet Thanks for the suggestion. I will keep RSL in mind but I think I'm too small to matter to them (my channel).
I'm considering these for a project. Delete the tweeters. Replaced by the large Heil AMT tweeter. Do you know the Ohms of the tweeter?
What values are the NP capacitors? Thanks!
I'm subbing.
Sounds like a cool project. IMO the tweeter is the weak link in the XT20. The tweeter has a DC resistance of 4 ohms. I don't know the values of the capacitors but you might be able to find them if you look closely at the close up shots I took of the crossover.
I really enjoy your videos, keep up the good work. Have you ever used any NoRez from GR Research for cabinet damping?
Thanks, James! I have not used any NoRez. I have used a similar product called Sonic Barrier with good results. You can buy it at parts express or Amazon.
@@generationbehindhifi Thanks!
Fosho , you have to teardown the fabled Sony SSCS5 and JBL Studio 530
I already did the JBL Studio 530 and its very impressive! Especially at the under $300 sale price. :)
I’m indecisive between Polk tx120 or the crewin Vega LA 165 . Break down on pro and cons best bang for your buck . Thanks
You should have look at the look inside video of the LA165. IMO the LA165s are better built and to me sound a little better. I especially like the tweeter on the LA165s over the XT20s. Keep in mind that sound quality is a very subjective topic so I would recommend you order both pairs and return the pair you don't like.
@@generationbehindhifi thank you
Are Fozi and Aiyima mono amps on your radar
At this time I'm keeping it primarily to speakers. I barely have enough time to finish my videos on speakers. :)
@@generationbehindhifi keep up the good work. Your doing an amazing entertaining job
@@BoRerunn Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words!
@@generationbehindhifi fosho
Recently i blew my monitor xt20's because of an underpowered receiver which clipped signal in high volume... the sh*t happened so fast, maybe 2-3seconds and they were dead. Interestengly, both 6.5' drivers are dead, but tweeters still work. So i wonder, can someone point out similarly specced mid drivers or where can i find original one in Europe?
I would contact Polk Audio and see if they will warranty them for you. They are pretty good about these types of things. Best of luck!
Hi GenerationBehindHifi guy, I like your style of reviews, but the echo sound of your voice is atrocious. Please for your own good get some proper close mic (RODE etc). Thank you.
Sorry! I'm still new to this. I'll probably quit doing live intros on my videos because a lot of you seem to dislike them. If you know of a mic that will work well. let me know and I'll buy it.
its not true says 20Kh is the max , its more 28kh , google latest medical data
Polk to me is the walmart of speaker brands.
Ouch, the ES line on up isn’t bad
Hello. What do you recommend for my Aiwa amu-120BT amplifier Polk Monitor XT20 or Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf? Thank you. @generationbehindhifi
Neither. Get the JBL Studio 630 from Crutchfield. They are currently on sale for $349.99 a pair. That's a steal!
@@generationbehindhifi How are these JBL Studio 630 different from these? I'm just new to this.
@@kenanguliyev1947 I would order both and decide for yourself. You could easily return the one you don't like for a full refund since Polk, Elac and Crutchfield all have great return policies. As for differences, the drivers, crossover, and cabinet are much better on the JBL. The JBL is on a super sale right now and IMO offers phenomenal value for money.
@@generationbehindhifi thanks for the advice, I should definitely buy JBL, their sound is much better than Elac or Polk
@@kenanguliyev1947 At the price point you're working with then yes, I think the JBL's are a much better buy than the other two options you presented. The JBL 630 is a $700 speaker that is currently on sale for $349.99 from Crutchfield.