Review: Monsoon iM-700 ice Flat Panel Speakers
Developer: Monsoon
Web: http://www.monsoonaudio.com/index_models_mmedia.htm
Price: $169.00 (see best deals below)
Requirements: Analog sound output (which all Macs to date have).
Trial: None
I have a soft spot for flat panel speakers; I fell in love with them when I reviewed the Benwin BW2000 speakers over a year ago. It’s not too hard to see why. Their generally sleek design and efficient use of space complement the new lineup of Macs nicely. Besides Benwin and a few smaller players, Monsoon Multimedia has been a central force in this market. With the iM-700, they’ve released a set of speakers marketed especially to the Macintosh crowd. What this means is that they have translucent highlights (i.e., ice color) but are otherwise identical to the MM-700, except that the ice costs you an extra $20. Ice or not, the 700 series flat panel speakers make a wonderful addition to your computer.
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Why Flat?
The key appeal of flat panel speakers is, well, their flatness. Monsoon achieves this by using “planar magnetic technology,” a fancy way of saying that a series of powerful neodymium magnets moves a conductive polymer diaphragm inside the core of the speaker, producing sound with a high fidelity. For those without a physics degree, this means that there’s a very thin plastic “sheet” that moves inside the speaker, roughly similar to the membrane of a traditional speaker but without the cone.
Now, to clarify an important point, I mean high fidelity by my definition. There certainly are audiophiles out there (those guys who pay $10,000 for their sound system) that would laugh at me using the expression “high fidelity” in connection with these speakers. But my point of comparison is not the most expensive speakers out there, but rather the sound of built-in Mac speakers, the Benwin BW-2000, and regular computer speakers in general. The MM-700 sounds much better than all of those, especially the built-in Mac speakers. I don’t count the speakers of the G4 Cube because they are external (and not separately available for purchase), but the Monsoons also win this comparison. The Benwin flat panels are a step up from the built-in speakers, both price-wise and quality-wise. But they sound crappy compared to the Monsoon 700s. Some of the nicer regular speakers rival the Monsoon in sound quality, but it’s a close race. The Monsoon satellites’ planar technology creates more focused dispersion patterns of sound, reducing reflections from your desktop or display that can make the sound “muddy,” something that really helps sound clarity and spatial richness in a desktop environment.
The big subwoofer really lets you shake up the place. It may not be powerful enough to cause a minor earthquake, but it does pack enough of a punch for most uses (but don’t expect it to fill a dance hall with sound). The overall system is well designed with a supplied remote volume “puck” that you can place on your desktop to adjust volume or mute the speakers. All other controls—power on/off, bass volume, and the standard sound in and speaker out ports—are on the back of the subwoofer.
| Satellites | 4" X 8" dipole radiating planar magnetic transducer |
| 44 W total system power | 22 W subwoofer; 2 x 11 W satellites |
| Crossover | Active, 3rd order at 250Hz |
| Woofer drive unit | 5.25-inch cone, Xmax = +4mm (per DUMAX measurement) |
| Woofer cabinet | 6.9 liters, tuned to 65 Hz; 10"H x 9"W x 9"D |
| System frequency response | 50 Hz to 20 kHz in workstation environment |
| System time response | Less than .25 ms dispersion to -20 dB |
| Maximum SPL at .5 meters | 99dB RMS using EIA 426B noise |
Flat Versus Regular
There isn’t a convincing reason to choose flat panel speakers over the more regular cubic/cone design or vice versa. It mostly boils down to a matter of taste. I personally think flat panels are much prettier. They use less space, fit better on the desktop, and can be hung from the wall (although the iM/MM-700s are not directly wall-mountable). There’s also the coolness and high-tech factor. I don’t see any reason not to recommend flat panel speakers. Their sound quality is on par with comparable regular speakers in the same price class, if not better. If you don’t like the way they look with your system, don’t get them.
If you decide you want a sleek flat-panel speaker system, the next question is which one. The Benwin speakers I reviewed before are a good value for the money. There are more expensive Benwin speakers for more demanding users. But if you want a really nice system and are prepared to pay for it, the Monsoon speakers are one of the best alternatives. If the 700 series is too powerful or too weak for you, Monsoon also offers the MM-500 and MM-1000, respectively, to address your concerns. I found the iM/MM-700 to be the best value for the money and to look best overall (OK, so looks do matter a lot to me). Personally, I don’t think the little icing on the iM version is worth the extra $20, although it looks very nice next to a snow iMac.
The Verdict
Choosing speakers is a bit like choosing a car: there’s no clear best choice. It depends on what kind of car you want, what color you like, and how much you want to pay. But of all the flat panels I have seen and tried, the Monsoon iM-700 is simply the coolest pair at an attractive price.
Pluses: Good sound, powerful bass, cool design, handy remote control.
Minuses: Maybe a bit pricey, but can be found at discounts (see below). Should be wall-mountable.
Best Deal: The lowest price I have seen is $99.99 for the MM-700 at Computers4sure.
Copyright © 2000 Daniel Chvatik,
dchvatik@atpm.com. Reviewing in ATPM is open to anyone. If you’re interested, write to us at reviews@atpm.com.
Reader Comments (214)
Thank you.
Monsoon's New Site up soon
I have friends with this set. In fact one turned me on to Monsoons, I knew nothing of them. I bought an MH-505 set, 5.1 surround. AWESOME sound coming from my Mac, I had no concept that such great audio could come out of a computer. These things ROCK, I highly recommend any of the Monsoon line. I do prefer speakers you can control right at hand, so I would opt for ones with a control box. Never had any trouble with mine.
Those guys who said they sound horrible...well, in my opinion your output was probly terrible, your settings probly weren't correct or you were using a sound card that was circa 1989 or something. These speakers do NOT sound bad in the least, and I'm quite amazed to see these guys dissing them, I've not seen a poor review any place on Monsoons.
www.jameco.com
Thay have tons of items for electronics hobbyists, with excellent selectrions in just about all areas.
I have given them a number of orders, and I can say that their customer support and overall service is first rate.
Now does this company actually exist? They might sound great when they work -but I do not have music here.
Is there another solution to this problem where I could use different lines or hook it up different.
All the help especially where to get the replacement line would be really appreciated.
Thanks everyone 0:)
They sound great they rock hard and loud. But when i took it out of the box the connecting volume cable wire was defective. I took it back and got a replacement of the exaxt same set. Well after awhile the same defect with the volue wire apeared in my new set. OF course the company is out of business and now i can see why. The speakers themselvs are solid but they are useing some defective parts. DO NOT BUY THEASE SPEAKERS
cani have another connector or the assembly need help please
not the site it's not open
the phone please need remote volume whire brooke
THANKS
Level 9™ Sound Designs Inc.
11782 Hammersmith Way, Suite 201
Richmond, BC Canada V7A 5E3
Tel: 604-504-5286
Toll Free: 877-722-8346
URL: www.monsoonaudio.com
Email: cservice@level9sound.com
don't quote me on this since i just came across the info on the internet... hahaha...
You will need to purchase two things that will total in the $20 range most likely.
1) a double male 1/8" phono cord.
2) An external volume control for a walkman. Like the kind you clip on your coat.
Yes you will need the volume controler. If you connect the computer port directly to the input jack on the MM700 and think that you can control the volume with the computer volume control on the keyboard/screen (as I have done) it will be too loud.
What turned out to be the problem with my Monsoon was some kind of motherboard grounding problem I think. I had them plugged in and wet to unscrew the panel from the Sub box and I lifted the panel out and it started playing loud and clear. I tried to fix it but couldn't nail down the problem. So I have the panel screwed in but left a skew and it is working fine.
lrpgrant
Of course, the truth is that they just don't want you cracking it open to see how it works! ;-)
Either way, I agree with all - MM-700 speakers are great; this puck-thing sucks.
they are the best value for the price anyday
lindsay
- Rob
Please help me.
Well, I have the speakers, the subwoofer and the puck, they sound great, they work fine except....I lost the manual. When I moved 3000 miles. And I don't remember how to HOOK THEM UP.
Can anyone help? Anyone email me the manual, or tell me where to plug in the two connectors attched to the puck?
THANKS
davie
PLEASE EMAIL ME AT pureambient17@yahoo.com
Bob
thanx
I disassembled the speaker an found the problem was caused by a deterioration of the metal plating on the bar magnets. The thick plating, which looks like chrome or nickel, cracks up, expands and causes an interference with the diaphram membrane which produces the buzz.
The front magnet array comes off easily after pulling the plastic bits apart and drilling all the brass rivets out. And if the offending magnets are on the front array, you don't even have to disturb the diaphram. But I wasn't so lucky and had to expose the rear magnets to repair the bad plating, so I had to peel the membrane off. I just picked the loose bits of plating off with a micro screwdriver and bingo.
The riskiest part of the whole job is peeling the membrane film off of the rear magnet array and reapplying it with the perfect tension for proper timber and response when you're done. A rip or wrinkle here can wreck everything.
Repairing a planar speaker is no easy task but I have perfect sound now to show for my efforts, and I love these speakers all over again. If you have the same problem and you're good with your hands and tools, you might be able to fix yours too.
I can elaborate about the procedure if you need help.
Were you able to get your speakers to work? I also have an audio hub but still won't work.
Xine,
Can you give more specific instructions on which plugs you plugged into what? I'm pretty sure I set them up correctly through the audio hub but they're still not working.
ted.
I tested for pin outs on the 8 pin mini din cable when I get home I'll post what order they are, I had to buy a $25 circuit tester though first.
Now I'm looking for sources to get the 8 pin mini din. if anyone else wants to collaborate with getting some ordered so its maybe cheaper with a freakin longer cable or something, or if people want to help make some, let me know by posting some replies so we can all get our speakers back in working condition!!!!!!!
Hope to hear back,
Ryan
View the plug like it's entering your head here are the pinouts:
7 5 8
3 4 6
1 2
the 9th is the outer metal rim
Colours of the wires are as follows (on mine at least)
1)Black
2)White
3)Blue
4)Green
5)Yellow
6)Orange
7)Red
8)Brown
9)Dark Grey
Places to get the 8 pin mini din male plug/mount are:
RP electronics 604-738-6722 (Rosser ave. Burnaby)
part #358-380-1
Main electronics 604-872-0267 (Main st. Vancouver)
part #26-280-0
MRO electronics 604298-4941 (Boundary Rd. Burn/Van)
Part is same #26-280-0
They are all around $2.10-2.41
Anyone like soldering willing to help me with mine?
I'd appreciate it.
But happy to report I've rewired it and it better than ever. So here are monsoon remote pinouts, as view again entering you head or eyeball:
6 7 8
3 4 5
1 2
I ended up splicing my wires with a Mac printer cable that has the same 8 pin mini din connection, which gave me some more length too, athough the order of colours of wires aren't in the same location.
I have a similar issue with my 5 yr-old MM1000s; the left satellite has developed a crackling resonance in the mids with any sort of serious volume. How did you dissassemble the planar magnetic housing? Simply pry the two halves apart?
Now if anybody has any literature on the amp circut board it would be greatly appreciated. one of my input connectors seems to have blown and I need to replace it.
Is anybody interested in doing a serious upgrade to the amp? Better caps, resistors, pots, solder etc. This baby could be a genuine high end unit with some tweaking. Even putting good feet under the sub and sats makes a huge difference.
Contact me by e-mail with any follow up.
You can use any of the other Monsoons/Level 9's as rear speakers in a 4-2 setup. It is outstanding if you match the volume on the planars.
I must say, I'm so glad to read all these comments that are posted here because I will now be treating my Monsoons with kid=gloves. I am getting a new computer desk and am going to have to (GASP!!) move them.
I have used these speakers in my hi-fi system with a good turntable and cartridge,and they sound amazing for what they are.Also,try one as a center channel speaker if your mains are really efficient.No more dead space in between!
Profile for daystar_pw
They have a plastic diaphragm with wires glued onto it. Similar to your rear window defroster on your car.
If you have AC current hook up to the rear window and some powerful magnet close to them, they will vibrate too.
Should the source is bad it will bring the worse out of her. Same as garbage in garbage out.
I have played with Stereo since late 60's, and tube era too. These are not very far from Electrostatic speakers.
The power plug centre is +, and outside is "-" or negative.
Calling these speakers garbage makes the person in question an idiot savant without the savant part.
Cheers,
Wilddogsam
I'll always wonder what would've happened had Eastech/Level 9 never purchased Sonogistix and ultimately somehow messed it all up. At least Eminent Technologies is still in the game, if considerably more expensive.
p.s. i spent 17 years in professional audio before transitioning to aviation in 1998. it is my opinion that my monsoon speakers are revolutionary in design and superior in sound quality for their intended use. this opinion takes into account that their intended use is as computer speakers, not to be stuck out on the porch and cranked up for a block party,
I must say that I fixed my puck so I have volume.....the Monsoon are working great....lol...that is if I do not touch the puck.
My recommendation to everyone when they get their puck working or if it is all ready working is .....set your puck at a level so you can adjust the volume through your computer only and secure it out of the way....I do believe if you keep on adjusting the puck it is only a matter of time before it fails....
Finally, I would just like to comment -my Monsoon speakers coupled with its sub rules....or as my daughter says it is 'sick' (meaning great) .... lol..
Enjoy....0:)
Wonder if you hear any differences between the 2 models. They couldn't be using the best controls in something this inexpensive, the extra 3 sliders might be audible with a good sound system.
Did you try the Audio Hub that Xine says works? Nobody but him says it works.
I am glad to hear about the puch issue resolutions as I had to use the puck from my 505's when my 700's went out. It is truely a shame that this technolgy is not being used and enhanced any more.
Does anyone have any more info or links on enthusiast sites and such - there really should be some way to get the schematics for the parts.
Thanks all, and happy listening.
I know this seems like a silly question but I am having a dispute with an ebay seller.
I bought only the Planar Media 9 woofer, no controller. I can get the sattelites separately.
The woofer looks brand new, nary a scratch. But it makes no sound whatever.
I also connected some sattelites from another system to the sattelite outputs just to test.
No sound whatsoever from them either. I can tell the transformer is getting power.
I have the sound card directly connected to the amplifier input with a regular cable.
Have tried setting the output of the sound card to quite high volume.
No sound, not even any hiss from the tweeters.
The seller claims you have to have the controller (puck), says the controller
"acts like a preamp".
I don't believe him one little bit, not with all the comments here.
He has sold a LOT of these woofers, guess he got them when the company died.
Supposedly he tested all of them with a controller some time back.
Do you think he could possibly be right in saying that a controller is required ?
Thanks for comments !
Robert
Monsoon made two different "puck" controllers for it's PC stereo products.
The first type was used on all the two speaker+subwoofer setups. It uses a standard headphone style (0.125") jack to connect to the subwoofer with, and includes volume, bass controls and a headphone output.
The second type was only included with the MH-505 5.1 surround speakers. It's connector is an 8-pin round mini-DIN style connector (similar to a PS2 Mouse connector, but with more pins.). The puck on this one is much larger, and includes volume, fader, bass, a mute button. It also has a 0.125 headphone output.
The Koss and Audiohub controllers mentioned here will only work on Monsoon systems that used the first type of controller, with the 0.125" connector.
Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a replacement for the MH-505 controller puck available as of today (03/22/2006). If someone here knows of a replacement source, please post it.
By the way, daystar_pw from e-bay no longer has any replacement MH-505 controller pucks, I e-mailed him and asked. He's out, and has been for some time.
For those of us with MH-505's, I think some type of connector replacement would be the best idea, an online source for replacement 8 pin Mini-DIN male connectors would probably be ideal.
Thanks
Please help!!!
I have the buzz in my 1000's. Just happened a couple of weeks ago. (Today is April 6, 2006)
I never realised that so many folks were enamored of these speakers, until I found this site.
I wonder about drilling out the rivets to get to the magnets. I see 9. (Is that what you had?) As you drill through them, do you go through just enough to tear the head off the rivet, or do you actually go all the way through? In in doing so does that leave the membrane intact? (Must have since you had good results.) How do you get the back plastic grill off, with the stand sticking through it, so you can run the drill through the rivet. What size drill did you use?
What do you use to replace the rivets?
From your description, I surmise that you found little pieces of metal next to the membrane, and just had to remove them to eliminate the buzz.
What is the texture of the membrane? Is it like mylar? Where does the membrane hook-up to the wiring?
Has anyone found a good 2.1 (or other) replacemnt speaker that makes you happy, in comparison to your Monsoons, asthetics aside?
How about the Harmon Kardon Soundsticks?
It was so bad that I was commited to either repair them or throw them away. It was just as I described in my previous post: a raspy, crunchy buzz that follows the midrange material. It was worse at higher volumes and with certain voices and instruments, but was basically present all time to some degree. It only appeared in the right speaker and stayed with that speaker no matter which channel it was hooked up to - eliminating any fault with the electronics or volume control puck.
I tore straight into the heart of the speaker without fear. I used a large drill (1/4") to mill the rivets down on the swedged side, not all the way through, just enough to release the head. I removed the stand by drilling those rivets too so that I was just holdng the flat panel with the cord dangling. I remember that those rivets were larger than the others and tougher to drill. This releases the stand and rear cover from the sandwitch and gives you access to the rear of the panel, and you can begin drilling all the small brass rivets that hold it all together.
Be careful after you've milled all the brass rivets and begin to push them out because when you get down to the last ones the sandwitch is going to try to fly apart with great force and reorient itself quickly to relieve magnetic tension. It could damage the membrane if you don't control this. If you have a second set of helping hands you'll be more prepared than I was.
The membrane is one with the rear panel and the front panel can be competely removed and inspected for the plating damage that causes the buzz. But the rear panel is the more likely culprit since the front magnets are covered with a thin black felt material and don't have direct contact with the membrane like the rear magnets do.
So you've decided to peel the membrane off? Okay. Start at the bottom and peel it off carefully taking great care to keep from streching or tearing the thin plastic. Heat may help but I didn't use any. If you screw up here just throw it in the trash and check eBay for a replacement.
Yes it is like mylar, just not as strong. This membrane is very fragile and is embossed with a wavy ribbon pattern that looks like it plays some role in the sound of the speaker.
Peel that off and lay it carefully aside. The wiring attaches to the membrane at the bottom. Now you're holding the rear array and the magnet damage (if you have any) should be clearly visible. In my case it was plating on the magnets that was chipping and peeling and rubbing the membrane. I cleaned off the bad plating with a micro-screwdriver and re-assembled.
I reapplied the membrane by placing wide, glossy scotch tape in long strips around the four sides of the membrane with a half-inch reveal. I placed the membrane on the rear array and evenly streched the tape over the sides of the steel panel until the membrane was as tight as a snare drum.
I made sure that the membrane felt and sounded approximately as it did before I removed it. I must have done it right because the rebuilt driver sounds almost better than the other one!
I reassembled the sandwitch with small socket cap bolts and nuts. I think I used 4-40 or 5-40 x 1/4" bolts and nuts to replace the small rivets and 10-32 x 3/8" bolts and nuts to re-attach the stand.
I couldn't be happier with the results. I've still got my monsoons and I'm back in business!
Before you dive in, you need to make darn sure that the buzz is coming from the driver and not from the electronics. If you swap the speakers between the left and right amplifier jacks, does the noise stay with the speaker in question?
The membrane is finer than mylar and is quite fragile. There is a convoluted texture embossed into the ribbon that looks like it contributes to the sound of the speaker. The wiring is soldered to pads on the membrane at the bottom of the driver near the stand.
The stand comes off first before the rear grill can be removed. You have to take the stand apart far enough to un-tread the wire from the base before you begin. Pry off the front grill and drill the rivets that attach the stand to the driver. With the stand, the plastic trim and the grills removed, you are holding the small, thin sandwitch and the surgery can begin.
Drill all of the small brass rivets from the back side (the swedged side) and push them out through the front to remove. I used a 1/4" drill bit and I just milled down the riviets just enough that they could be pushed through the holes.
Take extra care here. When the last few rivets are popped out, the sandwitch is going to try to fly apart in your hands and reorient themselves quickly to relieve magnetic tension between the front and rear arrays. If this event is not controlled, the membrane can be damaged and there will be no need to continue.
Inspect the front array. There is a black felt covering over the magnets on the front array so it's doubtful that the front magnets are the source of the buzzing. If there's nothing wrong with the front array, you're probably going to wind up peeling the membrane off to access the rear magnets.
Peel the membrane very slowly starting from the bottom, near the speaker wires, taking great care to keep from stretching or tearing the delicate plastic. Heat may help but I didn't use any. Set the membrane aside in a safe place.
Now you're looking at the rear magnet array and the damage should be very obvious. In my case, the plating on the magnets was cracked and peeling off. The plating was thick enough to interfere with the membrane and cause the buzzing at certain frequencies and volume levels. I picked the loose plating off with a micro screwdriver and cleaned up the array with compressed air.
Now for reassembly. Put four lengths of wide, glossy scotch tape around the perimeter of the membrane with a half-inch reveal and lay the membrane over the rear array, taking care to match the holes in the membrane with those in the rear array. Pull the tape over the edges, starting with the top and bottom. Then evenly strech and secure the membrane across the sides.
As you apply the membrane, do your best to match the original tension and feel to maintain the proper voice of the driver. If you have a wrinkle or a sag, it will surely impact the sound. I got mine right on the first try, and it sounds almost better than the other driver.
Reassemble the sandwitch with 4-40 or 5-40 x 1/4 or 5/16 inch length, socket cap bolts and nuts. Reattach the stand and rear grill with 10-32 x 3/8 or 1/2 inch length, socket cap bolts and nuts. Some trimming of the plastic frame will be necessary to clear the extra size of bolts instead of rivets.
If you've done it right (and I can tell, Paul, from the questions that you are asking that you'll do just fine) you'll be back in business!
To Joe Adams and others who need a control puck for MM1000 or MM700, and can solder-
Go to a department store (Walmart, Meyer, even Walgreens) and buy the cheapest set of stereo headphones that have a volume control that is mounted as a lump on the cable. I found some for under $10 at Walmart. Some even have a mute button. Cut off the cable where it goes into the headphones, throw the headphone part out, and then strip the three wires (two "hot" and one ground) from the cut cable end. Next, salvage the cable (with a stereo plug) from another set of headphones (broken one are easy to come by!) or from an equivalent patch cable with a 3.5mm mini-phone plug -- no volume control needed or wanted on this second cable. Solder each of the three wires from the cable with the volume control to the equivalent wire from the salvaged cable (one ground, two hots). Tape up the wires so they don't short into each other. You now have a fully functioning replacement for the Monsoon pod. The plug on the cable that came with the volume control is the plug that goes into the computer. The other plug goes into the Monsoon 700 or 1000 woofer.
http://www.edifier.ca/products/s2141/s21d.html
happy listening....
Robert
Anyways, I was wondering if there are any alternative AC to DC converters that I could use with the Monsoon MM-1000. The specs are 15V @ 3A (I'm not sure about the female plug dimensions... anyone have these?). I've been looking around, and this kind of adapter seems pretty rare. Anyone know where I can get a new adapter/use an adapter from a different product/or sell me theirs? Thanks a lot! - Dimodae@gmail.com
Thanks
I'm really glad I found this page. I'm very fond of my Monsoon speakers!
I'm not liable for people messing up their stuff, good luck!
Am I missing something here?
Thanks.
@Andrew, I have a couple sub-amp boards for the MH505 sub, if you're talking about the part # at position U11, it's D43 K7812.
Sandy Mitchell - The puck has a volume knob as well as the mute button, but it only sticks out a little bit past the edge of the plastic housing. As for the volume control on the sub, if I remember correctly that one is only active if you unplug the puck. This is assuming it's one of the early models where the puck has 1 cable, not the later ones where it's in series with the audio from the computer.
shmoke - I'm glad (and impressed) that you were able to repair your buzzing transducer. Watch out for further corrosion of the magnets (particularly if you are in a hot + humid climate) now that the coating is damaged.
You would not have this problem if you wire the sub directly to the sound card. Just be careful that the volume isn't set too high on the computer.
My speakers have some sort of short in the electronics panel in the subwoofer I think, but I couldn't find it. Tried replacing the fuse in there, cause it looked a little funny, but that didn't help either. I miss my speakers. :(
Does anyone have any idea how to mend this or replace the controller? I have tried every possible solution - including examining all of the controllers I can find in electronic stores.
Thanks!
I too am in need of help...I just bought the Monsoon Planar Media 9 Audio System, at a garage sale...came home excited to listen to them and much to my dismay,no sound is coming through and I 'm not sure what to do? Looked on line for help from manufacturer and discovered this page!
I've checked all the connections, they seem good,only not sure if the connection on the remote is hooked up right...I've plugged into the subwoofer audio imput and from there to my lap top head phone out put... but no sound? Is there something missing for the remote, there's a plug in on the side of the remote, but I don't know what goes into it? Any suggestions on what I can do to get sound?
Thank you
Lea
I went to radio shack and bought 9 pin D-SUB connectors (Male/Female)and replace the connector on both sides. I cut about 1 foot of the wire off from the end of the wire harness and then cut off the bad mating connector. I used the piece of wire I cut off and on the side where it mounts to the PCB I desoldered the connector and solder each wire directly to the PCB (the pin out is actually screen printed on the PCB). You have to find an additional small wire and jump the three pads that house the plugs EMI shield as well because they are all gounds. Then I just soldered in the new D-SUB connector (male side) using the pin order and color sequence as written in the mail above. I drilled a few small holes in the wood part of the speakerbox to mount the connector in. You can drill them too small and trim it out with an exacto knife because the cabnet is really soft and that will give you a nice air tight fit. I then took the other connector (Female side) stripped the black outer insulation back a bit and soldered the internal wire in the same pin out to mate. Radio Shack also sells a D_SUB connector hood so I put that on over the female end now soldered to the controller wire. I also went to my local hardware store and bought a little rubber cork to put in the old connector hole in the metal plate just to seal it up again. Seems kinda complicated but the whole thing cost 5 bucks and the D-SUB connector type has way less tendancy to fail. Not to mention I just save a great sounding set of speakers.
If this includes the volume control, that is what I need. Please let me know.
Thanks, Joe
I stumbled across this site as I was trying to find out what happened to Monsoon Audio. I'm buying new Media/Game PCs for each room in my house, and something like the MH-500 would be perfect for my needs.
It seems that Monsoon Audio might be making a comeback, at least if you believe their website. I hope so, because it is almost impossible to settle for any other brand having lived with my Monsoons.
I have one of the original 2.1 Monsoons, a PlanarMedia 14 and a MH-505.
The multimedia part that Eastech/Level 9 used to do business in has pretty much disappeared; Eastech's own site shows that they're no longer in the computer multimedia speaker business (at least I haven't found the 'Monsoon' name or a multimedia product listing there in a LONG while). Cheap boomboxes, yes they list...great planar magnetic computer speakers...I wish.
BTW, one channel in one of the sub-woofer amps had a problem. Fortunately for me, the power amp IC was OK. Had to replace a couple of chip capacitors and get it going.
Before bypassing the PUCK, I tried building my own wired remote but the 8 pin DIN connector, to me, seems like a wrong kind of connector for this application as it cannot be locked in.
Is the set beyond any hope? They look so cool. Thanks.
I just followed those instructions to repair an old and somewhat abused pair of MM-700 transducers that I thought were goners. I wouldn't say that they were as good as new because this procedure does breach the original machine-stamped tightness of the membrane- you just can't get that by hand. But hey, I'll be using them a lot more now...
There are a few techniques I'd like to add to help out anyone else trying this solution:
• When you grind down the rivets, try to leave a little "flash", so that they can be reinserted- when done right, most can be snapped back into place with needlenose pliers and will hold fine enough (reinforce this with clear scotch tape around all edges) until you get the four black outside assembly screws into place (these also help hold the "sandwich" together). I used a Dremel drill with a titanium grinding bit. Also make sure you wear EYE PROTECTION!
• Once done lightly grinding all rivets (swedged side), instead of removing them entirely, gently tap them halfway through with a small hammer on a large nail (or anything that's a bit bigger than the hole) so that they remain on half of the sandwich assembly. Be aware that the loosened rivets can damage the membrane when opening the sandwich so extra care is needed in the next step.
• DO NOT tap out the two rivets at the bottom of the speaker, and save tapping out the single top rivet for last. This is key to opening the sandwich safely and with minimal force. Once you're ready to open it, hold the bottom and side edges very tightly, tap out the top rivet and carefully pry the top edges apart. The magnets are incredibly strong, so be ready for it to snap open sideways and reseat lopsided should the bottom two rivets lose their place. If done right, the top edges will swing apart and can be pulled further apart in that direction until complete separation. Also be careful as you open that any rivets are not caught on the membrane, causing any tearing.
• Don't mess with the black felt unless you see bulges affecting its flatness. Neither of the speakers I repaired had this problem, but if you have to remove the felt you'll need to go buy some more felt of exactly the same thickness because it shreds quite easily, and its flatness is key to the speaker's fidelity.
• When removing the membrane, I started from the TOP, not bottom end of the speaker- the bottom half is soldered to a circuitboard that looks like it should stay there.
• Peel the membrane down only as far as you need to make the repair- leave it attached to the bottom as much as possible, as it will save you a lot of trouble realigning when you're done cleaning the magnets!
• Once you are done cleaning the magnets, use Krylon or other rust retardant paint to seal the exposed magnets. I took the spray can outside, sprayed a shot into the cap, and used a small hobby brush to apply- whatever you do, don't spray paint directly on the assembly, or get wet paint on the membrane!
• When reseating the membrane, definitely use the shiny clear scotch tape- the "invisible" stuff tears easily, and is harder to move around during tightening.
•Reseating and tightening the membrane is the hardest part. With the bottom edge still intact, it's a bit easier to align. Attach a piece of tape that's cut to length along the top edge. Half will be on the membrane and half will fold around to stick to the back. Before folding, cut small notches about 1 inch apart in the half of the tape that will secure to the back side- DO NOT CUT THE MEMBRANE. Starting from the middle notches, carefully and gently pull the tape around, stretching the membrane into place. Note that the holes in the edge of the membrane should match EXACTLY where the rivet holes are.
• Follow the same procedure for the side edges, being careful not to pull too hard or leave any sags either. The nice thing about the notched method is that you can go back to tighten any section by peeling and resticking! Just be careful not to rip the edges or the tape attached directly to the membrane or you'll have to make a new piece.
Also, it's probably a good idea not to let any tape overlap from any of the edge pieces, so you get completely even contact when the sandwich is reassembled.
• When you are ready to reassemble the sandwich, carefully place the bottom edges together (with the top edges far apart), aligning the bottom two rivets into their corresponding holes.
Hold the bottom and side edges tightly as you close the sandwich in the opposite motion as you opened it, with the top edges coming together last. Use needlenose pliers to pop all rivets back into place, making sure to HOLD ALL EDGES TIGHTLY for the entire process. Secure the edges with strips of tape as an extra precaution.
• Whatever rivets don't hold tight, you'll have to use a nut and bolt assembly as described. Because I am very far from any place I can get those parts, I improvised with some aluminum screws found in most electronic toys, forcing a thread in the rivet hole and grinding off the screw point once secured.
Hope this helps somebody else out there-
good luck!
Just a warning that there's a cheap chinese no-name set labelled MM700 out there, maybe others. Pure junk!
I and several others have been suckered on eBay with an auction picturing the real MM-700s. Too bad I can't post a pic here, but the (non-planar) sats are hardwired together with a volume control knob on the bottom left sat. The sub is taller, rectangular and really ugly!
Anyone have a fix for a rattle on very low bass on one (extra) speaker I have? I'm not all that handy.
Are there any other companies that make top quality flat panel speakers? Flat panel speakers are the best. I never want to go back to traditional speakers again.
http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=474514
1 - Mute
2 - L in
3 - R in
4 - S out
5 - L out
6 - R out
7 - ground
8 - 9V DC
It seems likely that there needs to be a potentiometer between the IN and OUT pins for Right and Left channels for those two to work. However, I'm unclear what type of connections need to be in place for the MUTE and SubOut pins.
I've designed and built preamps, active crossovers and power amps, so I'm pretty proficient with this type of stuff. If anyone have a busted PM-9 controller that they can either a) take apart, photo and post, or b) send to me, I'm sure I can figure out how to make a controller from scratch.
If you look up the thread a ways, you will see that a poster named ryan posted a pinout map
see here: http://www.atpm.com/6.11/monsoon.shtml#21056
It really is amazing that such an old thread has such a lively following. I get comments e-mailed to me from this thread quite often. I'm thinking that some enterprising Monsoon speaker owner needs to set up a fan website for these speakers. Hmmm... Maybe I'll set up another blog...
The new blog is monsoonaudio.blogspot.com. I intend for this to be a fan-driven blog, with myself simply serving as the filter and general administrator of it. There isn't much to see there now, but feel free to stop by and post a comment!
Any thoughts?
Ok, everyone having problems with the puck controller on the Monsoon systems.... Stop cutting the wires!
Open the back of the sub woofer unit.
On the board the control plugs into, you will find at least 1 bad or cracked solder joint.
The fix: Get a hot glue gun and hold the din connector to the board and hot glue it... hold it till it cools enough. Then resolder the contacts on the bottom of the din plug.
I had the same problem, but my fix is still good after 3 years... just a bad design on the connector, should have been screwed down instead of free mounted
I mistrust running a pair of audio signals through a cord that is barely 1/8th of an inch in diameter, ESPECIALLY when it is as WAY long as that supplied with the Monsoons, so within a couple days I had decided to rig up a true shielded pair like you would normally use to connect a CD player to an amp or a receiver. Doing this requires adapters on both ends, which is not much of an obstacle. Example: Shack part #274-883 from their web site works fine. You can combine one of these with cable #42-2550 for a 3-ft solution, or you can buy two of #274-883 and use a stereo pair of your own choosing. Personally, I hear a BIG improvement from this simple upgrade. Don't underestimate what a difference it can make, assuming you have high-quality audio to listen to in the first place.
As some have noted, running a direct connection like this will result in the sound being loud, and yes you must then keep the Windows volume slider (or whatever is equivalent on a Mac) down in the lower quarter of its range, and that in itself makes fine level adjustments a little tricky. However, the improved clarity over the original (can I call it pucked-up?) sound makes this a net win.
Next problem: on virtually every made-in-China Monsoon, the cheap input jack fails. I wonder how many problems that are blamed on the cord are actually the fault of the jack. Ken O's hot-melt glue suggestion might be fine, but in some cases it is not the solder joints that crash, it is the cruddy jack itself. I happened to have some high-end panel-mount gold-plated phono jacks in my parts bin. I unsoldered the CSJ (cruddy stereo jack) from the board and tossed it. Next I drilled holes in the metal panel for the pair of phono jacks. Note: YOU MUST USE JACKS THAT INCLUDE NON-METALLIC WASHERS TO INSULATE THEM FROM THE MONSOON'S PANEL. Install the jacks, wire them to the proper holes in the circuit board, and go. You can now plug your stereo interconnect cord directly into the Monsoon without an adapter. Plus, you have now completely and permanently eliminated the Achilles heel of these otherwise excellent units.
Recently I obtained yet another set of MM1000s on Ebay. When they arrived, I was quite happy to discover that the units were from the 'made in Canada' period. Not surprisingly, the input jack on this one had held up just fine, and so for now there is no urgency to perform the phono jack conversion but I'll probably do it eventually because this too, in my experience, audibly improves the sound.
Don't overlook the fact that MM1000s (perhaps MM700s too but I've yet to hear a pair) are not limited to computer usage. Two of my three sets are hooked up to Walkman-type portable CD players, and do daily duty as a very satisfying CD playback system.
Im currently sitting for exams but in a few weeks ill look at the datasheet and see what caps and resistors are in the control pod for the headphone output.
Presumably to get the speakers to work without the control pod is a switch so the speakers turn on. (so one of the pins in the controller pulls to ground and the volume control.
Ill give some proper pinouts in a week or so, for the power, volume control, and bass control.
The remote doesn't have anysort of digital encoder so it should be pretty easy to rig something up to work.
-Manny