3.1TL Facelift

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Mike Reeter
Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
in Vintage Speakers
I've had the pleasure of owning these for a few years now. When I came across them, they were in very poor condition cosmetically. Animal Urine had ruined the grills to the point I had to make new Grill Frames, and of course recover with new Cloth.

The Top and Bottom Caps were shot also, so I made replacements and finished the cabinets to where they were "Acceptable". Went ahead and performed about all of the usual SDA Mods.

Anyone who has owned the 3.1's have noticed the 1/8" overhang of the Top/Bottom Caps compared to the Cabinet Sides. This has always kinda bugged me, as I'm Anal ;) and didn't care for the look and the bottom "Ledge" was a dust collector.

So years later I took the 3.1's apart and reworked things a little. I removed the Oak Trim and the Cloth Covered side Panels, along with the Oak Top/Bottom Caps that I had made earlier, and started over.

I ran the Oak Side Trim through a Plainer to get them the same thickness as the Cloth side panels (this was what caused the 1/8" deviation) Refinish the Trim and recovered the side panels with new cloth.

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I made new Top/Bottom Caps with some 5/4" Material (I never liked the looks of the thinner Caps on the 3.1's compared to the earlier models)

hnopptms5xzh.jpg

No more "Overlap" of the Caps, the cleaner look I was going for.

4m1rgm9szgfo.jpg







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Comments

  • Legender
    Legender Posts: 478
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    Very nice work Mike. Seems you’ve found some winter projects to keep you busy. Hmmm maybe I should bring my 3.1s to get similar treatment. :smile:
    Music: Oppo103 - Parasound JC2 - Parasound A21- SDA 3.1
    Theater: Denon 3808 - B&K 7500/Emotiva XPA-3- RTi12, CSi5, RTiA7x4, PSW505
    Sleeping: Marantz 70005 - Harman Kardon 2400 - SDA 2
    2 Channel: Cary 306 SACD - Canary Audio 906 - Pass Labs x250 - PS Audio Perfectwave DAC, Polk LSiM705, SVS SB13 Ultra
    Office: Dell Optiplex, Emotiva XDA-2, Adcom 5500, LSiM 703
    Spares: Yamaha CA-810; LSi 15; Kenwood Basic M2a, Yamaha M60/M80, Polk Monitor 7, SVS SB13 Ultra
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
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    Very sweet! And an inspiration to keep going with my 1C’s!
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
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    Legender wrote: »
    Very nice work Mike. Seems you’ve found some winter projects to keep you busy. Hmmm maybe I should bring my 3.1s to get similar treatment. :smile:

    You better hurry Carlton, Motorcycle weather is quickly approaching and the projects will soon come to an end!

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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,170
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    Nice work!
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
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    looks great!
    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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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,038
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    Great job!!!
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,015
    edited February 2018
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    I agree. You did a fine job! ;)B)
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • TNTsTunes
    TNTsTunes Posts: 751
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    How hard was it to remove the 3.1 tops and bottoms?
    "Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
    a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
    edited February 2018
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    TNTsTunes wrote: »
    How hard was it to remove the 3.1 tops and bottoms?

    Difficult, the Top/Bottom caps are actually the top and bottom of the Cabinets, I tried to find a picture of the cabinets when I originally removed them, but they were lost to Photo Bucket.

    In the 2nd picture you can see the "replacement" top/bottom of the cabinets that I installed. I used Lag Fasteners (same as the Larger SDA's) to attach the new Caps to the cabinets this time, MO Better
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  • westmassguy
    westmassguy Posts: 6,850
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    Beautiful work Mike.
    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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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
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    verb wrote: »
    Very sweet! And an inspiration to keep going with my 1C’s!
    michaeljhsda2 wrote: »
    Nice work!
    MrBuhl wrote: »
    looks great!
    Conradicles wrote: »
    Great job!!!
    Tony M wrote: »
    I agree. You did a fine job! ;)B)
    westmassguy wrote: »
    Beautiful work Mike.

    Thanks for the Positive remarks! I think they finally look as good as they sound now.

    scm4om1hbbvt.jpg


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  • RandyCroissant
    RandyCroissant Posts: 475
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    They look awesome, a nice read here.
    Yamaha RXA1030, Yamaha CD-S2100, Yamaha AS-2200, Bluesound node 2i
    Polk SDA2btl highly modded
    Polk SDA 1C modded
    Polk CS350 LS x2
    Kimber 8TC
    Sony 55" Bravia
    Wish list SVS sub

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  • Thorton
    Thorton Posts: 1,324
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    Those look very nice. Nice Job.
    _____________________________________________________________________________________________
    Ethernet Filter: GigaFOILv4 with Keces P3 LPS
    Source: Roon via ethernet to DAC interface
    DAC: Bricasti M1SE
    Pre/Pro: Marantz AV8805
    Tube Preamp Buffer: Tortuga TPB.V1
    Amp1: Nord One NC1200DM Signature, Amp2: W4S MC-5, AMP3: W4S MMC-7
    Front: Salk SoundScape 8's, Center: Salk SoundScape C7
    Surround: Polk FXIA6, Surround Back: Polk RTIA9, Atmos: Polk 70-RT
    Subs: 2 - Rythmik F25's
    IC & Speaker Cables: Acoustic Zen, Wireworld, Signal Cable
    Power Cables: Acoustic Zen, Wireworld, PS Audio
    Room Treatments: GIK Acoustics
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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,338
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    Oooooh....sweet!
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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  • NotaSuv
    NotaSuv Posts: 3,815
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    Very nice great job
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  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,149
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    Very very nice!
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,432
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    Wow! It's all about making them better than stock.
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,484
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    Fantastic job Mike! They look spectacular!
    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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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
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    Rogue amps????
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
    edited February 2018
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    RandyCroissant wrote: »
    They look awesome, a nice read here.
    Thorton wrote: »
    Those look very nice. Nice Job.
    skrol wrote: »
    Oooooh....sweet!
    NotaSuv wrote: »
    Very nice great job
    Faustin wrote: »
    Very very nice!
    audioluvr wrote: »
    Wow! It's all about making them better than stock.
    headrott wrote: »
    Fantastic job Mike! They look spectacular!

    Thanks again for the kind remarks!
    lightman1 wrote: »
    Rogue amps????

    You have a good eye! Yes, M-180's. Seems to me you might have a pair of 120's?

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