Polk Audio Monitor 30 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers (Pair, Black)

Other products by Polk Audio

Product Details

• Item Weight: 16 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 21 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002ZSFTG
• Item model number: AM3025-A
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,603 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)

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  Electronics > Home Audio & Theater > Speakers > Bookshelf

• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 1, 2005

Product Description

From the Manufacturer
The Polk Audio Monitor 30 2-way Bookshelf Speaker is a quality-built yet affordable, high-performance loudspeaker for music and home theater. The Polk Monitor 30 provides open, spacious and clear audio even when driven by modestly-powered amplifiers and receivers, and is voice matched for lifelike surround-sound environments. This monitor boasts a stylish look that complements today's flat screen technology, with a discreet black finish, and built-in keyhole wall mounting brackets for strong, secure on-wall mounting with no added brackets to buy.

The Polk Monitor 30 utilizes a one-inch silk and polymer-composite dynamic-balance dome tweeter with a powerful neodymium magnet structure that delivers a clear and detailed high frequency response for realistic reproduction of vocals and instruments, as well as a 5.25-inch bi-laminate composite dynamic-balance driver that is lightweight and stiff with good dampening for high efficiency, excellent bass and lower distortion. This unit's non-resonant all-MDF enclosure construction with 0.75-inch-thick baffles ensures cleaner and more lifelike sound quality. The Monitor 30 features crossovers that use Mylar bypass capacitors for more detailed high frequencies, five-way binding-post connectors for more secure hook-up options and bi-wiring and bi-amping flexibility, and magnetic shielding for safe placement on or near TVs and video monitors without causing video distortion. This unit includes a critically-tuned flared port that minimizes port noise for good low-frequency extension with minimal distortion, resulting in natural, full-bodied and rich-bass sound. Built for speed, sound and value, the Polk Monitor 30 is a great introduction to high-performance sound.

Product Description
Back in the 1970's, Polk's Monitor speaker series put Polk Audio on the map. Universally acclaimed by audio critics, the Monitor series became known as an acoustically transparent speaker - a concept that audiophiles search for - with beautifully accurate sound reproduction. Here we are, nearly 2 generations later, and the Monitor is being re-introduced so you can experience this great sound fresh and new. Dual Five-Way Binding Post Connectors, allowing for more secure hook-up options, as well as bi-wiring and bi-amping flexibility Monitor Series speakers are modern living accessories that make a stylish statement in Black wood grain finish, with Titanium faces Magnetically shielded for safe placement on or near TVs and video monitors with no risk of video distortion Built-in keyhole wall mounting brackets for strong, secure on-wall mounting with no added brackets to buy. Critically Tuned Flared Port minimizes port noise ( chuffing ) for good low frequency extension with low distortion, resulting in natural, full-bodied sound with rich bass Cabinet Size 11 H x 7 W x 8-3/8 D (27.94cm H x 17.78cm W x 21.27cm D) Mounting Options on-wall with built-iin key hole slot Enclosure Type Vented via rear panel flared port Each speaker weighs 9 pounds 2 Speakers in package for left and right channel stereo or for front or rear channel in home-theater mode Black Finish

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent little boxes!, July 2, 2006

By	R. Merrill "auslander" (DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Just bought a pair of these, coupled with a 10" Subwoofer also from Polk and the combination is great - fills a 14 x 28 room with full sound that's true and beautiful. Couldn't be happier for the price.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great bookshelves, November 14, 2007

By	LoveMyToys (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

I have had the Monitor 30's for almost a year now and am incredibly impressed. Great bang for the buck (paid $140 on sale at CC). I am using these as fronts in my 7.1 surround set up, with Polk M10's as the surrounds and a Pioneer VSX-1018 avr and Sony 40S2010 LCD. I am still using a crappy jvc htib 60watt powered sub, but am planning on treating myself to a Avs123 X-sub for Christmas. :) Anyway, I am here to talk about the Polk M30. My set up is for a 15'x17'den. That's a fairly small room and I have a wife that agitated with overpowering sound (yeah, my love for audio equipment does not always over well). Although I would have loved to go for a floorstanding speaker, I agreed to stick to bookshelf size to keep my wife happy. The M30 certainly fit the bill. They have a clean, accurate sound with excellent highs and mids. The sound is linear and smooth, with a warm tone. If you like a brighter sounding speaker, these probably aren't for you and you might be better off with the Infinity Beta series. As far as bass goes, on my radio shack SLP, they drop as low as 50hz, which is pretty decent compared to most of the bookshelves I have heard and better than the specs indicate. Still, these speakers, by themselves don't produce enough bass depth for stand alone duty. You will need a decent sub that can make up for what the M30's lack and, given the m30 range, setting the crossover on the amp at 80 is the way to go with these babies.

These speakers are designed for a tonal match with all other speakers in the monitor line and the M10's are perfect for satellite duty. I would recommend spending a little extra for the Polk CS1 center over the CSM (returned it). As for a sub to match, CNET likes the match between the Polk PWS10 with the Monitor 30s (used in their test). I auditioned the PSW10 and felt it was lacking umph. I preferred the sound of the Velodyne VX-10 or Dayton 120 (although I am going to take the advice my audiofile friends and go for the Avs123 sub-x for $200).

The bottomline, the Monitor 30 is a high quality bookshelf speaker for a fair price. If you're a hardcore audiofile looking for paradigm and definitive bookshelves, the M30 isn't going to work for you. However, if you're looking for a nice sounding speaker but don't want to spend $800, these are ideal. Certainly, they blow away anything from sony, pioneer, yamaha and Bose etc.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad for the price, but only recommended if space is an issue., January 8, 2008

By	A Customer - See all my reviews

I bought these speakers to compliment a new flat-panel TV in our living room, I chose the Monitor 30's because of their compact size along with Polk's good reputation for sound quality. They are fine little speakers, but are noticeably lacking in mid-range sound, even when accompanied by a sub (they are currently hooked up with a Polk PSW-10 sub). They offer great highs and the sub combination obviously supplies plenty of bass, but the lack of mids is distracting. My Athena AS-B2's sound WORLDS better and can be had for the same price elsewhere online. The Athenas are larger than the Polks but the sound is much, much richer and more versatile overall. Bottom line, the Monitor 30's are decent if you can find a good deal and if you need to save space.