Goodwill Was Good To Me: SDA-2B's

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stogie
stogie Posts: 230
in Vintage Speakers
Picked up a pair of SDA-2B's for $29 about a week ago (pics attached). These have the same cabinets as my 2B black studios but have a walnut vinyl instead of the black. I didn't know Polk made this combination, but after a little research I found that these were available in 1989. All the drivers are dated 4/89.

They do have some issues but nothing major:
1) Grill cloth needs replacing. I am using the black Ponte cloth from Joann's Fabric. It worked well when I did my SRS's ($6.00/yd).
2) The 1" risers at the bottom were falling apart so I removed them. If I keep the speakers I will build new risers or just use spikes.
3) The left speaker 6511 driver had a small tear. I repaired using cold vulcanizing cement. It seems to have worked, at least it passes a finger push test without failure. Time will tell if it will last.
4) The left tweeter has a small hole in the dome. Does anyone know if the dome is just for protection or is this small hole going to be audible issue? If I keep this pair the tweeters will be replaced with RDO's.
5) The walnut vinyl is acceptable but if I keep this pair the vinyl will be replaced with wood veneer.
6) No interconnect cable. Not a real issue since I have a couple originals and one I made with speakons and an AV800v dreadnaught.

I've already glued the magnets and Dynamatted the baskets and now working on the grill cloth. I've been lucky this year and found some deals at estate sales, garage sales and thrift stores. The projects have been fun and rewarding. Thanks to everyone for tips, advice and how to's.mx629529yjnh.jpg
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Speakers: Polk SDA-SRS xovers rebuilt by David, RDO194's, Dynamat, BH5, glued magnets, new cloth, custom aluminum terminal plates with Cardas posts and Speakon interconnect
Speaker Cables, Jumpers & Interconnect: DIY Douglas Connection
Power Amp: Sunfire Architect's Choice Series II
Preamp: Adcom GFP-750
SACD/CD: Oppo BDP-95
Tuner: Sansui TU-717
TT: Technics SL-MA1
Phono Pre: Emotiva XPS-1
Music Server: Mac Mini w/JRiver - iPad w/JRemote
DAC: Eastern Electric MiniMax Plus
Other Polks: SDA: 1A, 1C, 2B, CRS+ / Monitor: 10A, 5jr, 4 / RT5
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Comments

  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,650
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    Nice score!
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
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    Congrats! Did you round up at the counter? :p
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
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    Which tweeter is in those I don't remember. Might have a replacement.
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  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    edited August 2014
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    rednedtugent wrote: »
    Which tweeter is in those I don't remember. Might have a replacement.

    Looks to be an SL2000 and a screaming deal!
    VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
    VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
    Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000

    Polk SDA1c modded
    Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
    Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
    A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
    SACD Marantz DV8300
    Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
    Yamaha YP-D6
    Soundcraftsmen PCR800
    Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
    Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
    Pho-700 Phono Pre
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's






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  • xjghost
    xjghost Posts: 1,083
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    You sir SUCK! Congrats! Any pictures of the magnet fix or the dynamat? I hope to do that when I do rings in the not too distant future.
    HT/2Channel: Emotiva MMC-1, Adcom GFA-555II, Polk SDA 3.1's, Teac TN-300 TT, Polk Center and Sub.

    Bedroom system: Carver CT-24, Parasound HCA-800II, Monitor 10's

    Additional projects: RTA 12c's
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  • stogie
    stogie Posts: 230
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    rednedtugent- yes rounded up at the counter :) . it is the sl2000 tweeter. I appreciate the replacement offer but I have some laying around here from other speaker projects
    -
    xjghost- I didn't take any pictures of the magnets or dynamat on this project, but here are a couple pics from my CRS+ project; one shows the dynamat on two mids and a passive; also pic showing locktite powergrab on one mid (white line dries clear)w89bp7v9kxsz.jpg
    s42yemddq42s.jpg
    Speakers: Polk SDA-SRS xovers rebuilt by David, RDO194's, Dynamat, BH5, glued magnets, new cloth, custom aluminum terminal plates with Cardas posts and Speakon interconnect
    Speaker Cables, Jumpers & Interconnect: DIY Douglas Connection
    Power Amp: Sunfire Architect's Choice Series II
    Preamp: Adcom GFP-750
    SACD/CD: Oppo BDP-95
    Tuner: Sansui TU-717
    TT: Technics SL-MA1
    Phono Pre: Emotiva XPS-1
    Music Server: Mac Mini w/JRiver - iPad w/JRemote
    DAC: Eastern Electric MiniMax Plus
    Other Polks: SDA: 1A, 1C, 2B, CRS+ / Monitor: 10A, 5jr, 4 / RT5
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
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    Nice score!
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,472
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    You stole them :smile: very nice & well worth repairs
    ..
    ..
    ..
    Randy/Maine
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  • xjghost
    xjghost Posts: 1,083
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    stogie wrote: »
    rednedtugent- yes rounded up at the counter :) . it is the sl2000 tweeter. I appreciate the replacement offer but I have some laying around here from other speaker projects
    -
    xjghost- I didn't take any pictures of the magnets or dynamat on this project, but here are a couple pics from my CRS+ project; one shows the dynamat on two mids and a passive; also pic showing locktite powergrab on one mid (white line dries clear)w89bp7v9kxsz.jpg
    s42yemddq42s.jpg

    Thanks. Now that is a couple good pictures to go by. So Dynamat basically just goes on the metal parts. Which is what I was thinking. What does it do?
    HT/2Channel: Emotiva MMC-1, Adcom GFA-555II, Polk SDA 3.1's, Teac TN-300 TT, Polk Center and Sub.

    Bedroom system: Carver CT-24, Parasound HCA-800II, Monitor 10's

    Additional projects: RTA 12c's
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  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
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    Man you stole those! Congratulations, and enjoy the rebuild
    Home Theater/2 Channel:
    Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
    Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
    Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
    Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
    Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer

    dhsspeakerservice.com/
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  • PolkieMan
    PolkieMan Posts: 2,446
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    good deals like that are far between
    POLK SDA 2.3 TLS BOUGHT NEW IN 1990, Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-198
    POLK CSI-A6 POLK MONITOR 70'S ONKYO TX NR-808 SONY CDP-333ES
    PIONEER PL-510A SONY BDP S5100
    POLK SDA 1C BOUGHT USED 2011,Gimpod/Sonic Caps/Mills RDO-194
    ONKYO HT RC-360 SONY BDP S590 TECHNICS SL BD-1
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  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,572
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    Great deal there! I never find anything at GW's or SA's around here. I still visit them regularly, never score though. Kinda like playing a slot machine I suppose. "Just one more pull.....I might hit it big!" lol
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,066
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    Studio 2bs nice deal, I paid $200 for mint ones and I was happy with that deal but $29 wow enjoy them.
    Home Theater
    Parasound Halo A 31 OnkyoTX-NR838 Sony XBR55X850B 55" 4K RtiA9 Fronts CsiA6 Center RtiA3 Rears FxiA6 Side Surrounds Dual Psw 111's Oppo 105D Signal Ultra Speaker Cables & IC's Signal Magic Power Cable Technics SL Q300 Panamax MR4300 Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables Audioquest Forest USB Cable

    2 Channel
    Adcom 555II Vincent SA-T1 Marantz SA 15S2 Denon DR-M11 Clearaudio Bluemotion SDA 2.3tl's (Z) edition MIT Terminator II Speaker Cables & IC's Adcom 545II Adcom Gtp-450 Marantz CD5004 Technics M245X SDA 2B's, SDA CRS+

    Stuff for the Head
    JD LABS C5 Headphone Amplifier, Sennheiser HD 598, Polk Audio Buckle, Polk Audio Hinge, Velodyne vPulse, Bose IE2, Sennheiser CX 200 Street II, Sennheiser MX 365

    Shower & Off the beaten path Rigs
    Polk Audio Boom Swimmer, Polk Audio Urchin B)
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  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
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    Very nice find.
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  • zane77
    zane77 Posts: 1,696
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    Great score, ghost the Dynamat keeps the metal from ringing.
    Home Theater
    Onkyo PR-SC5508 Sharp LC-70LE847U
    Emotiva XPA-5 Emotiva XPA-2 Emotiva UPA-2
    Front RTi-A9 Wide RTi-A7 Center CSi-A6 Surround FXi-A6 Rear RTi-A3 Sub 2x PSW505
    Sony BDP-S790 Dishnetwork Hopper/Joey Logitech Harmony One Apple TV
    Two Channel
    Oppo 105D BAT VK-500 w/BatPack SDA SRS 2.3 Dreadnought Squeezebox Touch Apple TV
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  • stogie
    stogie Posts: 230
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    xjghost- If you pick up the driver or the passive and thump the metal basket you will hear a ring. After the dynamat the ringing is eliminated. I don't know all the lingo and technical stuff, but the speaker will sound better when all this vibration/ringing is eliminated. As far as how much dynamat to apply is up for debate. You can hear a difference with just a strip placed on the each of the four supports. I am relatively new at all this so if I am off base, you guys please let me know.
    Speakers: Polk SDA-SRS xovers rebuilt by David, RDO194's, Dynamat, BH5, glued magnets, new cloth, custom aluminum terminal plates with Cardas posts and Speakon interconnect
    Speaker Cables, Jumpers & Interconnect: DIY Douglas Connection
    Power Amp: Sunfire Architect's Choice Series II
    Preamp: Adcom GFP-750
    SACD/CD: Oppo BDP-95
    Tuner: Sansui TU-717
    TT: Technics SL-MA1
    Phono Pre: Emotiva XPS-1
    Music Server: Mac Mini w/JRiver - iPad w/JRemote
    DAC: Eastern Electric MiniMax Plus
    Other Polks: SDA: 1A, 1C, 2B, CRS+ / Monitor: 10A, 5jr, 4 / RT5
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,484
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    Congratulations on a phenominal deal! Sorry there was tear in one of the 6511's, hopefully your fix will solve the problem. Looks good from the photo(s). I highly suggest you replace the SL2000's with RD0-198's. No, very very very highly recommend that you do. Enjoy!
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • agfrost
    agfrost Posts: 2,421
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    headrott wrote: »
    I highly suggest you replace the SL2000's with RD0-198's.

    A good suggestion, but will require crossover modification to use the 198s.
    Jay
    SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
    Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
    Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,484
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    agfrost wrote: »
    headrott wrote: »
    I highly suggest you replace the SL2000's with RD0-198's.

    A good suggestion, but will require crossover modification to use the 198s.

    Good point! Thanks agfrost, I left that part out didn't I! Yes, the 2B's will need to be "TL'd" to install the RD0-198's. If you can solder, the modification is fairly simple and well worth the upgrade. The caps/resistors in the 2B's will need replacing anyway so do the TL mod. when you replace them. Thanks again agfrost!
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • agfrost
    agfrost Posts: 2,421
    edited August 2014
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    headrott wrote: »

    Yes, the 2B's will need to be "TL'd" to install the RD0-198's. If you can solder, the modification is fairly simple and well worth the upgrade. The caps/resistors in the 2B's will need replacing anyway so do the TL mod. when you replace them.

    I totally agree with the worthwhile nature of this upgrade (I'm listening to my 2BTLs right now WAY past any semblance of a respectable bedtime). TL'ing the 2B is not any harder than a standard crossover job, just a couple extra parts. There's advice all over this forum, but the details are summarized very nicely on Gimpod's site in the parts ordering page, the schematics (of both 2B and 2BTL, and the parts placement should you order the Gimpod boards (now carried by VR3).

    Nice pickup, stogie, and enjoy those speakers! They're very good as is and can really be brought up in performance with some modification.

    Jay
    Jay
    SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
    Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
    Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0
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  • leftwinger67
    leftwinger67 Posts: 10
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    Probably the deal of 2014. I thought I did good at $50 in 2013. My GW store would have marked those up in the hundreds. No more real deals at the 2 GW stores near me. One doesn't carry electronics or lps at all and the other one only now has cable boxes,cords of every description and a bunch of VHS recorders and very lame lps in both taste and condition. Great find even w/ those minor blemishes.......
    2chl--Adcom555~NAD1020a pre~JVC-QL200 tt~ Grado FT+1 cart~Denon 1940ci-cdp~Niles 6 selector~Samson 9 outlet surge~ DCM TF 350s~ADC 303ax~ KLH 331s-'87 Polk Audio 2Bs( dynamat, rings, 194s, VR3-xovers-gaskets,BH-5)~Signal i/c~ BJ Belden i/c~10gu BJ Belden to Polks

    H/T-Toshiba AU40''~Yamaha RX-V665-Sony ce375 5disc-YDS-Dock-I-pod-Klipsch #500 spkr set w/ 8''pwrd sub-Shure Pro 240 h/p

    BDRM--Nikko 6065 receiver~Sony NS300 cd/dvd~ JBL -G200 bookenders


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