Need advice on receiver purchase for SDA 2 speakers
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WHAT does this "switch" do? What does it change inside the receiver?Question: the manual for my SDA-2B speakers states they're 6 ohm nominal impedance. With that being said, I have my AVR set to 6 ohm. I'm assuming this is correct?
Yamaha has an impedance-matching switch that strangles the power supply in the "low-impedance" position. It's cheaper to install a switch than to provide adequate copper in the transformer, enough output devices and appropriate heat-sinking. The ONLY reason the switch exists is so that Yammie can claim 4-ohm impedance compatibility when they cut costs and under-engineered the thing.
Discussing Yamaha's cost-cutting in the comments section of that article had the effect of getting me removed from Audioholics.com. I reminded the owner/operator of his years-earlier article where he called-out manufacturers that "cheated" the FTC specs like Yammie does. By the time he was "reviewing" the Yammie, he'd drunk the kool-aid and objected to being reminded of his previous position. His review suggested ignoring the operating instructions and just running the Yammie in "high-impedance--8-ohm" mode regardless of speaker impedance, so the power supply didn't get choked. I noticed that my page-loading speed on that site turned to shiit instantly afterwards. Other members insinuated that was payback for disagreeing with The Boss. I haven't signed-in there since. -
Schurkey, I'm not exactly an expert in the audio field. Just diving into it. This is the setting I changed to 6.My current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
Keep it at 8 ohm unless you can't control yourself with the volume dial.afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
Polk is sending me a replacement pair of tweeters. I'm waiting on them to arrive. Should be here any day. I'll keep you posted.
I received my replacement tweeters today and installed them. They seem to be working well. First pair must have been a bad pair.My current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
Question: the manual for my SDA-2B speakers states they're 6 ohm nominal impedance. With that being said, I have my AVR set to 6 ohm. I'm assuming this is correct?
Nope, leave it at 8ohm. Receivers with that 6 ohm, or 4 ohm switch cut the power so the receiver doesn't overheat. Their power supplies are not that robust to handle the lower loads. Your in essence starving your speakers of power by using that switch. The advice in the manual is to protect the manufacturer, not you.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
With my current set up, where is the danger zone with the volume? Any ideas?My current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
When the stage and images collapse it's clipping. Also starts sounding shrill and fatiguing.afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
Switched it back to 8 ohm. Not sure I notice a difference though.
Leaning towards buying an external amplifier in the near future... till then, sticking with the AVRMy current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
Probably could use some more spacing but I have a small living room. Thanks again for everyone's input.My current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
Spacing may be a tad on the wide side?? How far apart are they??Pio Elete Pro 520
Panamax 5400-EX
Sunfire TGP 5
Micro Seiki DD-40 - Lyra-Dorian and Denon DL-160
PS Audio GCPH phono pre
Sunfire CG 200 X 5
Sunfire CG Sig 405 X 5
OPPO BDP-83 SE
SDA SRS 1.2TL Sonicaps and Mills
Ctr CS1000p
Sur - FX1000 x 4
SUB - SVS PB2-Plus
Workkout room:
Sony Bravia XBR- 32-Inch 1080p
Onkyo TX-DS898
GFA 555
Yamaha DVD-S1800BL/SACD
Ft - SDA 1C
Not being used:
RTi 38's -4
RT55i's - 2
RT25i's -2, using other 2 in shop
LSI 15's
CSi40
PSW 404 -
Yeah, quite the opposite. They look too far apart. How far away from them are you sitting?
Where did you hide the speaker wire and SDA interconnect?afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
About 8' 8" apart
Sitting 9' awayMy current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
Speaker wire and interconnect cable I hid behind the floor trimMy current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
I'll probably experiment with moving them closer together this weekendMy current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
Since I have a small living room and am sitting approximately 10 feet away, I took the lesser recommendation from the manual of optimum distance between the speakers and moved them exactly 6 feet apart from one another. Previously they were 8 feet 9 inches apart from one another. I kind of like the way they looked spread farther apart but if I get better sound moved closer together, I will leave them. Time will tell I guess.My current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
Any thoughts on adding Polk TL3 satellite rears and center to my current set up? Found a good deal on craigslist and thinking about it...My current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
Also, any input on a Phase Linear 400 amplifier? Good or bad choice for my SDA's?My current setup:
- Yamaha Aventage 9.2 channel 1260 Watt receiver; model RX-A2050BL
- Pair of Polk SDA 2B speakers -
6 feet apart looks better and should sound better.
Bad choice.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
I've heard good things about the company that designed a set of mods for the Flame Linear amps.
http://www.whiteoakaudio.com/
Note that I've never seen or heard a White Oak Phase Linear in person. -
WHAT does this "switch" do? What does it change inside the receiver?Question: the manual for my SDA-2B speakers states they're 6 ohm nominal impedance. With that being said, I have my AVR set to 6 ohm. I'm assuming this is correct?
Yamaha has an impedance-matching switch that strangles the power supply in the "low-impedance" position. It's cheaper to install a switch than to provide adequate copper in the transformer, enough output devices and appropriate heat-sinking. The ONLY reason the switch exists is so that Yammie can claim 4-ohm impedance compatibility when they cut costs and under-engineered the thing.
Discussing Yamaha's cost-cutting in the comments section of that article had the effect of getting me removed from Audioholics.com. I reminded the owner/operator of his years-earlier article where he called-out manufacturers that "cheated" the FTC specs like Yammie does. By the time he was "reviewing" the Yammie, he'd drunk the kool-aid and objected to being reminded of his previous position. His review suggested ignoring the operating instructions and just running the Yammie in "high-impedance--8-ohm" mode regardless of speaker impedance, so the power supply didn't get choked. I noticed that my page-loading speed on that site turned to shiit instantly afterwards. Other members insinuated that was payback for disagreeing with The Boss. I haven't signed-in there since.
Many home users, do not allow adequate ventilation and/or sit other items or components on top of an AVR, creating an overheating condition that U.L. considers as part of it's current home AVR testing.
The 6 ohm setting factors in those conditions and acts as a safeguard in settings where the user is unaware or disregards proper ventilation.
Most users never use 4 ohm speakers, and a large percentage never run most AVR's with full range speakers, and instead cross over to a subwoofer for bass.
They are designed with all of that in mind, but not designed for the 10% that may run full range 4 ohm speakers regularly.
So, not sure it is cost "Cutting", but merely making what the majority of users will need or want. -
Never in the entire history of Hi-Fi have more speaker models had ~4-ohm (or lower) rated impedance, and never have higher numbers of 4-ohm speakers been sold. Low-impedance speakers have NEVER been more popular.Many home users, do not allow adequate ventilation and/or sit other items or components on top of an AVR, creating an overheating condition that U.L. considers as part of it's current home AVR testing.
The 6 ohm setting factors in those conditions and acts as a safeguard in settings where the user is unaware or disregards proper ventilation.
Most users never use 4 ohm speakers, and a large percentage never run most AVR's with full range speakers, and instead cross over to a subwoofer for bass.
They are designed with all of that in mind, but not designed for the 10% that may run full range 4 ohm speakers regularly.
So, not sure it is cost "Cutting", but merely making what the majority of users will need or want.
Producing a receiver that can't meet the FTC testing protocol for 4-ohm loads is flat-out irresponsible in an age of low-impedance speakers. I won't make excuses for companies that strangle the power supply in order to pass consumer-safety testing.
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10% is a stretch I think.afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
Try a used receiver from around the 70's or 80's. I run my SDA1a pair from a Harmon Kardon receiver from the late 80's (HK495i). They built them with a high current capability in those days and it handles the Polks just fine. Mine is nominally 45 watts into 8 ohms but has an instantaneous current capability of 18 amps. With the high efficiency of the Polks, it will probably do you okay. Just stay away from overdriving the amplifier.
With regard to the Phase Linear 400, I had a PL700 that I used on some Advents back in the late 70's, used the preamp output from my Harmon Kardon HK930 for input. While the Phase Linear was a pretty powerful amp, it wasn't as clean sounding as the amp on my HK930, so I eventually sold it and just used the receiver's amp. The Phase Linear can handle a low impedance load, however - the PL factory had a 400 driving about 16 speakers. It produced a comfortable sound level for work while still being able to hear someone talk.
