Surround with vintage Polks

I realize this topic has probably been beaten to death, but my topic may be a little unique. My system uses a pair of older Polk SDA monitors up front and I have been attempting to timbre match my surrounds. I was able after a long period of searching to locate a pair of AB700's from Polk. These have the same drivers as the older SDA's. I think I would like to replace my rear surrounds with similar AB models but I am less than optimistic about my prospects. Is there an equivalent model that isn't as difficult to find?
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Comments

  • Hmmmm. Must be in the wrong forum!
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Not seeing how SDAs and ABs are the same drivers... But if you want to match the SDA sound for the rears, look for monitor 4s or 5s or 5JRs. Obviously none of those mount into the wall like the ABs.
  • The ab700 s have the same midranges as my SRS 1.2's but the tweeters are SL1000's. Difficult to find. Ideally I'd like to get another set of these or AB800's. Barring that, something that sounds similar and mounts in the wall would be cool.
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Are you talking about the SDA SRTs? Because standard SDAs run 65xx series drivers, ABs do not. IIRC they are a 7000 series driver.
    Maybe a picture of what you currently have would dispel the confusion.
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Really Skip? All the pics I've found of the ABs have different baskets than the monitor series...
    Please educate me.
  • "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."


  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    FestYboy wrote: »
    Really Skip? All the pics I've found of the ABs have different baskets than the monitor series...
    Please educate me.
    I run ab700 and ab800 in my surround locations. Yes, the do use the same doped paper cones as the SDA line. The tweets can be updated to The RDO-194. I believe there may be a TL mod for them as well, but could be wrong on that...
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    TNTsTunes wrote: »

    Ok that's different then the pics I swap from a Google search. That explains quite a bit.
  • You can also use a Monitor 5jr or Monitor 4.6.
    I use 3 pairs of 4.6s, and 1 pair 5jrs in as bi-poles.
    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/
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    ^ that's what I suggested too (3rd post)
    Great minds think alike? @westmassguy
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Well today I got an education on AB series speakers... Turns out the owner of a fastsigns that I contract with was one of the designers of the AB series speakers... And he had a pair installed in the shop that I was able to get a close look at.
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    FestYboy wrote: »
    Well today I got an education on AB series speakers... Turns out the owner of a fastsigns that I contract with was one of the designers of the AB series speakers... And he had a pair installed in the shop that I was able to get a close look at.

    so??? whadja learn???
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • So sorry, folks. I was out of touch a few days. THAT IS A PICTURE OF MY SPEAKERS! Well done. I need a couple more like that.
  • what I'm hoping to do is either find AB700's, 800's or 900's. Barring that, I'm looking for recommendations for similar sounding rear surrounds.
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    rooftop59 wrote: »
    FestYboy wrote: »
    Well today I got an education on AB series speakers... Turns out the owner of a fastsigns that I contract with was one of the designers of the AB series speakers... And he had a pair installed in the shop that I was able to get a close look at.

    so??? whadja learn???

    Well, if I understand correctly, there are 2 generations of AB series speakers... The early ones having the 65xx MWs with SL2k tweets, and the later having the poly-mica cones and tweets from the S series, and there being 2 different bezel plates to accommodate.

    Also I learned that there was an SDA varient that never made production at the behest of Mr Polk himself.

    I find it odd that Polk hasn't kept up with the very thing that put it on the map so to speak (SDA technology).
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    Take a look at the RTA line, specifically the 8t or 11t. They also use the same drivers, but they are floor standers. I found that this type of speaker sounds amazing in the surround role.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • the end goal is to have timbre matched speakers that fit in the wall. I have an old set of SDA-1's which I also purchased in the mid 80's. They would be great as surround speakers but are too friggin huge. Spousal disapproval, bigly. I really need to go in wall with the rear surrounds.

    Maybe for the rear surrounds I get a third set of MC60's to match my four Atmos speakers? Thoughts?
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    I just came across some ABs (single MW) in my area for what I would consider cheap $10 x 4, if you're still looking for some. I'd be happy to grab them for you and ship them out. I'm waiting for verification that they are still available, and if they are, I'll pull the trigger and wait for your reply.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    I have an extra pair of AB 700..
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • Gentlemen! You are awesome! If you can tell me what the AB models are I may be interested. Otherwise I would love to make a deal for Nooshins AB700's.
  • FestYboy wrote: »
    I just came across some ABs (single MW) in my area for what I would consider cheap $10 x 4, if you're still looking for some. I'd be happy to grab them for you and ship them out. I'm waiting for verification that they are still available, and if they are, I'll pull the trigger and wait for your reply.

    I'm game for some if he's not.

    "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."


  • vcwatkins
    vcwatkins Posts: 1,993
    I have a pair of AB700's in the den ceiling. Originally ('95ish) used as surrounds with DefTech BP-2000 fronts. Sounded very good. Currently used as rears with SRS1's as fronts and the BP2000's as surrounds/subs. Sounds great to me, but you can tell I'm of the opinion the timbre matching outside of the front three is not critical.
    Beach Audio: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Schiit Yggy * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
    Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
    Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
    Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
    Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
    Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
    Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    They should be 700s as well, I'll find out today for sure.
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Picked them up, they have MW6512 drivers.
  • FestYboy wrote: »
    Picked them up, they have MW6512 drivers.

    I'm in. How can I get these from you?
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    I'm in Lititz PA, so I can ship, or if you're close...
  • I am in Minnesota. Shipping would be best
  • Any good way I can pay you and the shipping?
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Yessir, I'll pm you my PayPal. How many unit do you want? I'll likely ship USPS in the prepay boxes after I clean them up a bit.
  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Gonna pull one of the MWs apart: possible shifted magnet. Will test first and update. Should have results Monday evening at the earliest but no later than Friday. Working nights for this week.