Best tweeks for the SDA's

Toolfan66

Well most of you know I have tried about every tweek a person can think of, with the help from most of you guys as well. Well I thought I would post what I feel are the best tweeks and not so great tweeks.

First:is the obvious, upgrading your crossovers, by far the most important IMO.

Second:another obvious one, upgrade your tweeters with the RDO's after doing these two upgrades/tweeks after a couple hundred hours if your not happy with them then maybe SDA's are not for you/or you need to look at how you have them placed or how you are powering them ect.

Third:to me this is where we really get into the tweeks,and the third one by a land slide goes to "SPIKES" this tweek changes everything. Get them off the floor. Better clarity,better lows.

Forth:Replacing the stock Interconnect cable with cardas binding posts, audioquest bananas, and Bens silver wire. all I will say is the depth of the SDA effect is off the hook. I will have to add here as well upgrading the other binding posts with Vampire Posts, and using Cardas Jumpers. So I have a tie here.

Fifth:Mortite really helps with the clarity of the Drivers, decoupling them from the cabinet is big and the cheapest tweek to do.

Sixth: goes to the Rings I made to mount the drivers and passives. This tweek was really just a idea I had to mount the drivers and PR better due to seeing how the wood had small splits in it due to mounting the drivers and PR with mortite. I really had no idea it would help in the clarity and depth of the sound. So it was a shock when I was done.

Seventh: My last favorite goes to Dynamat. Another cheap tweek worth doing that just adds to what I have mentioned above.

Now my not so favorite tweek I tried and expensive as well, this is the only tweek that I have done that I was very unhappy with. And it goes to the use of Sonic Barrier and BlackHole. I really had my hopes high with this tweek and felt that this was big time. Well as I have said with what it does for the Highs is out of this world you talk about clean and crisp. It was to die for. But for the lows it just crushed it for me. It took the life out of the SDA's.

What i don't understand is it works great in my 1C's even the lows sound good. But I will more then likely take it out of them as well.

In my 1.2tl's I just got too much vibration and rumble when it came to the lows. I say save your money here.

I just wish there was a way to keep the highs that you get with the use of these products. Cause when I do A B test the 1C's to the 1.2tl's, in the highs the 1C's win hands down..

Well this is my list, What are you favorites and not so fav's

Larry.

kawizx9r

Something like this should be stickied since often or not others are asking what tweaks they should do to their SDA's.

I'd have to agree with just about everything you've listed, but maybe take the Mortite up a notch. It's cheap as hell, easy for anyone to do and for me provided tighter/more accurate bass as well as some clarity in the mids.

-Freddy

vmaxer

Thanks Larry!!

george daniel

Larry,,if your 1C's sound that good,,then why remove the blackhole?If you do remove it,,it would be interesting to hear your thoughts after the removal.
Thanks.

Toolfan66

kawizx9r wrote: »

Something like this should be stickied since often or not others are asking what tweaks they should do to their SDA's.

I'd have to agree with just about everything you've listed, but maybe take the Mortite up a notch. It's cheap as hell, easy for anyone to do and for me provided tighter/more accurate bass as well as some clarity in the mids.

-Freddy

I do agree about the mortite that everyone can do it but you can add Dynamat as well it is not that expensive and everyone can do that as well. And I say everyone should do both. Changing binding posts and a custom SDA cable will not be for everyone.

With that said I did say this was my list not a list that would be for all.;)

ESavinon

Did you try using Sonic Barrier and BlackHole only for top part of the cabinets?

kawizx9r

TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »

I do agree about the mortite that everyone can do it but you can add Dynamat as well it is not that expensive and everyone can do that as well. And I say everyone should do both. Changing binding posts and a custom SDA cable will not be for everyone.

With that said I did say this was my list not a list that would be for all.;)

Yeah, the Dynamat+Mortite should be a no-brainer

Good list nonetheless, glad to hear you like the way almost everything came out.

helipilotdoug

Thanks Larry. I have searched the forums, and come up with the same mods and tweeks you mentioned. I have all the necessary stuff in house to get One through seven done to my speakers. (Still need to send off the crossovers to Ben when he is ready.) The only thing I have not really researched is the interconnect cable mod. I do have the binders for it, and will more than likely go ahead with that too. +1 on making this a sticky! It would really be helpful for new people. One addition that would be great would be links to the various threads about these tweeks. Thanks again!

Toolfan66

ESavinon wrote: »

Did you try using Sonic Barrier and BlackHole only for top part of the cabinets?

No, I wish I had done that, I was so upset at the time it took to put it in let alone the money I had spent that I just wanted it gone. I couldn't wait for that Tuesday to come just so the trash man would take it away so I didn't have to look at it again:)

I will try it with the 1C's if I take it out. I will do the lower half first.

helipilotdoug

Forgot to ask,,,Is there a thread on changing out the binding posts? I saw somewhere that F1Nut had done one, but could no longer find it.

ESavinon

Find out which frequency range Sonic Barrier and BlackHole attenuates. This info should tell you where to place the Sonic Barrier and BlackHole.

Conradicles

Good job Larry.

I will add another great tweak is placement of the speakers and it is free!

schwarcw

I've tried all the good ones except the new rings, but I just received these and I will install these probably in the Fall or winter. The Mortite and Dynamat are really good, and cheap tweaks. I think the Cardas posts may be over the top. IMO Vampire connectors cost about 60% less than Cardas. And I cannot hear a sonic difference. The build quality of the Cardas is far superior, no doubt about it. I just don't think it will gain you any sonic benefit over the Vampires.

schwarcw

I also think this should be a sticky. Larry is beoming a real hands on, experienced Polkie in these areas. I am always listening to Larry's ideas!:)

cnh

Here's a question for you Larry. If you have your SDAs on a thin carpet on top of a concrete floor--are spikes still necessary? I mean....solid concrete tends to absorb and dampen any normal floor interactions...so I've never bothered. But I'm no expert here?

Thanks!

cnh

nduitch

I feel no vibrations while walking barefoot around my speakers on a carpeted concrete floor in the basement. I'm sure it would be different on a 1st story floor.

jrgoswick

+1 on the sticky. I've done MOST of these to a non SDA speaker and it made a MASSIVE improvement. YAMMIT-I want SDA'S! Larry, what's up on rings for other speakers-what do you need to make them?

hearingimpared

All I can say is, I AGREE! Although I've not tried the rings or the blackholes.

headrott

Great list Larry. I just wanted to add a tweak (but does not affect sound quality) and that would be JB Welding the drivers. Longevity, Longevity, Longevity.

Greg

helipilotdoug

headrott wrote: »

Great list Larry. I just wanted to add a tweak (but does not affect sound quality) and that would be JB Welding the drivers. Longevity, Longevity, Longevity.

Greg

+1 on the JB Weld! That's another mod I'm doing while I have the speakers down. Just found a driver on my 2a's with the magnet relocated.

Toolfan66

JB weld is another must do!! And a cheap mod at that. Not sure if this would be considered a tweek but a must do non the less.

Toolfan66

hearingimpared wrote: »

All I can say is, I AGREE! Although I've not tried the rings or the blackholes.

You will try the rings, and soon..

Conradicles

cnh wrote: »

Here's a question for you Larry. If you have your SDAs on a thin carpet on top of a concrete floor--are spikes still necessary?

You may try one like the spike on the right:

george daniel

hearingimpared wrote: »

All I can say is, I AGREE! Although I've not tried the rings or the blackholes.

I plan to intall the rings this w/e,,I have the blackhole stuff,, guess I might as well try it,,the only way I'll know is to pop it in and see,,I can "undo" it if I don't like it.

hearingimpared

One more tweak! Make sure your SDAs are level, side to side, rear to front. Unlevel SDA's especially rear to front, throws the soundstage off. In some cases where the one speaker it facing up and the other is facing down, the sound stage sounds twisted.

hearingimpared

cnh wrote: »

Here's a question for you Larry. If you have your SDAs on a thin carpet on top of a concrete floor--are spikes still necessary? I mean....solid concrete tends to absorb and dampen any normal floor interactions...so I've never bothered. But I'm no expert here?

Thanks!

cnh

Absolutely and a must. I have berber carpet over a concrete slab in my two channel room and I use them. The large Mye-Sound points are the best.

https://myesound.com/Points_n_pads.html

Oopppps look like Conrad beat me to it . . . well it bears repeating.

heiney9

So how do you guys add spikes? I assume I would need to drill holes in the bottom plate of my 1C's to put it the threaded insert. I guess it's measure thrice and drill once. Where should they be positioned on the bottom plate? Does some one have a template they made?

H9

hearingimpared

heiney9 wrote: »

So how do you guys add spikes? I assume I would need to drill holes in the bottom plate of my 1C's to put it the threaded insert. I guess it's measure thrice and drill once. Where should they be positioned on the bottom plate? Does some one have a template they made?

H9

I think it is cut and dry Brock. You drill a hole recessed from the corners to fit T-nuts with 1/4-20 threads.

Actually you should go directly to the man Grant VanderMye - 250-765-9859. He'll give you all the skinny you need and may even have a better method.

headrott

TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »

JB weld is another must do!! And a cheap mod at that. Not sure if this would be considered a tweek but a must do non the less.

Yes, my wording was probably incorrect. Sorry. Nomenclature, Nomenclature, Nomenclature.;):D

Greg

hearingimpared

helipilotdoug wrote: »

+1 on the JB Weld! That's another mod I'm doing while I have the speakers down. Just found a driver on my 2a's with the magnet relocated.

TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »

JB weld is another must do!! And a cheap mod at that. Not sure if this would be considered a tweek but a must do non the less.

headrott wrote: »

Yes, my wording was probably incorrect. Sorry. Nomenclature, Nomenclature, Nomenclature.;):D

Greg

Okay for the mechanically challenged; How does one JB Weld the magnets? What tools are needed?

thsmith

Hearing, jb weld is an epoxy that you mix. Use a pop sickle stick to mix and apply to magnet and mounting plate.