Life after SDA

billbillw

I like, no, LOVE SDAs. I've enjoyed them for a couple years. Had a lot of fund listening to them but lately, they've seemed to loose their luster to me. Been getting restless for the past few months. Searching, reading, talking to seek opinions, you know the routine.

Finally made the change. I know that these have been mentioned around here a bit over the years. Some talk at AK too. Altogether, they are pretty rare and I found a pair during my recent travels (I actually lined it up ahead of the trip).

Introducing my new (to me) SS-M9. Designed by former Polk engineer, Dan Anagnos. Sony's (yes, Sony) attempt to make a true audiophile speaker. Sounds nothing like most Japanese speakers, probably because it was built in the USA and uses European (probably Seas, Vifa, possibly Peerless) drivers.
Very well designed and constructed. Weighing in at 150lbs each, these serious contenders.


Twin 8" woofers in a double vented (flared at both ends) cabinet, midrange is in a sealed tube stuffed with a lambswool type fiber. Tweeter is sealed as well. Cabinet is heavily braced and feels as solid as anything that I've encountered.









So far, I just love these things. The sound is like nothing I've heard. Solid deep bass, natural midrange, smooth highs, excellent imaging, no resonances, just very smooth throughout.

If you ever come across a pair, give them a chance. Don't dismiss them when you see the Sony badge.

cnh

Those look mint! The higher model of the ones Pycroft (James) runs and he loves his...I've also seen a number of other speakers with that, for lack of a better term, triangular-trapazoidal design by other manufacturors--NONE of them are cheap!

Enjoy

cnh

nooshinjohn

I found this review of them... at a quick glance they appear to be a sweet speaker. Congrats!

http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/996esss/

Just so you know, there is no life beyond SDA. We see to that... Personally!:D:p;)

Conradicles

Wow those look nice! Congrats on the new Sony speakers.

LessisNevermore

Gorgeous veneer work on those. Congrats!

headrott

Wow! Over 150lbs. a piece! They certainly don' tlook it by the size. I am glad you are enjoying them, but shame on you for getting rid of the SDA's. As John said, there is no life beyond SDA's. You are now one of the undead.;):p:D


Greg

bluecomet

Every now and then Sony puts out a sleeper speaker that is outstanding. This is one of them. The other line is the SSK90ED speakers. Those speakers were as the story goes developed by B and W. I am lucky to have a pair. I have always admired the SS-M series. Hopefully I can hear them some day.

TNRabbit

billbillw wrote: »

I like, no, LOVE SDAs. I've enjoyed them for a couple years. Had a lot of fund listening to them but lately.....

Freudian slip?

hearingimpared

Those are beautiful Bill. Good luck with them.

Toolfan66

Nice looking speakers Bill hope they work for you.

billbillw

headrott wrote: »

Wow! Over 150lbs. a piece! They certainly don' tlook it by the size. I am glad you are enjoying them, but shame on you for getting rid of the SDA's. As John said, there is no life beyond SDA's. You are now one of the undead.;):p:D


Greg

First, the speakers are larger than they look. They are 41" tall, 24" deep and about 14" wide at the base. Look at a cutout/cross section and you'll see where much of the weight is.
Note: these are the SS-M9ED, but the original M9 was basically the same cabinet, the crossovers are better built on the ED version as well as the addition of the 'super tweeter' on top.



1" MDF with sandwiched front baffels, thick cross braces throughout. Also, the bass drivers are built like sub-woofers.

hearingimpared

The basket on that driver doesn't look like stamped metal, thus no Dynamat required, no?

Hey, I just noticed in your sig that you have your good TT in the bedroom . . .

billbillw

hearingimpared wrote: »

The basket on that driver doesn't look like stamped metal, thus no Dynamat required, no?

Hey, I just noticed in your sig that you have your good TT in the bedroom . . .

They are cast baskets, like on most high end subs.

Yes, I don't have a dedicated room for my 2-ch anymore. There isn't a place for it in the living room, so the VPI is mostly collecting dust right now. I have a Technics hooked to my computer/desktop rig and it is getting some use, although, not much really.

Next house will have a man pit or dedicated room...

hearingimpared

billbillw wrote: »

They are cast baskets, like on most high end subs.

Yes, I don't have a dedicated room for my 2-ch anymore. There isn't a place for it in the living room, so the VPI is mostly collecting dust right now. I have a Technics hooked to my computer/desktop rig and it is getting some use, although, not much really.

Next house will have a man pit or dedicated room...

When we were house hunting, the first thing I would look for was a room for a dedicated 2 ch rig. I would measure around to make sure the 1.2TLs would be able to be set up properly. Of course my priorities weren't the greatest. When we bought this house I got my room but. . . . the grass is always greener. . . it's 19' 8" X 11' 2" and I've found that although everything sounds great, when all is said and done, I wish I had a bigger room.:eek::rolleyes:

Vette C6.r

"Same tweeter as in the Joseph Audio RM7si "

Quality stuff there.

Looks like a good catch.

Pycroft

Bill -

I went from my SDA 1C's to the Sony SSm7a's - one step down from the m9's. I LOVE them. The most natural, easy to listen to speaker I've heard (Although I haven't listened to as many as many others have). They look identical, except fewer divers (One Tweeter, one Mid, one Woofer). I wrote up a review of them a while back - make sure you give us your feedback compared to the SDA's. Even with the smaller version, the soundstage is so big, the transition from the highs to mids to lows so smooth, I couldn't pass them up.

James

Joe08867

I have heard those before. Nice sounding speaker. A lot more bass than I expected. Very tight and clean. And the tweeter is the bomb on those. Crystal clear.

Those look like they just came out of the box. Nice!

Have fun with them.

Flash21

Those sure are pretty...

billbillw

Joe08867 wrote: »

Those look like they just came out of the box. Nice!

Have fun with them.

I wish that were the case. The photos don't catch the flaws and there are a fair amount of them. Luckily, most were easily covered up with a set of high quality wood furniture touch up markers that we bought several years ago. There are 3 shades of marker (they supposedly use the same dye that is in wood finish). The directions tell you to start with the lightest and work your way darker. The lightest one seems to be a perfect match for these. After that, I had to put a few coats of furniture polish on them because the original owner hadn't done that in years (by my estimation). They look a world better than they did when I first got them. The grills have a few holes in them too, so I'll be doing a re-fabric on them as well.

billbillw

hearingimpared wrote: »

When we were house hunting, the first thing I would look for was a room for a dedicated 2 ch rig. I would measure around to make sure the 1.2TLs would be able to be set up properly. Of course my priorities weren't the greatest. When we bought this house I got my room but. . . . the grass is always greener. . . it's 19' 8" X 11' 2" and I've found that although everything sounds great, when all is said and done, I wish I had a bigger room.:eek::rolleyes:

Joe,
I will certainly be doing something similar when we go house hunting again. Unfortunately, we bought our current house before I got crazy into 2-ch.

Face

They use nice drivers and don't appear to have any cheap electrolytic caps, very nice.

Joe08867

billbillw wrote: »

I wish that were the case. The photos don't catch the flaws and there are a fair amount of them. Luckily, most were easily covered up with a set of high quality wood furniture touch up markers that we bought several years ago. There are 3 shades of marker (they supposedly use the same dye that is in wood finish). The directions tell you to start with the lightest and work your way darker. The lightest one seems to be a perfect match for these. After that, I had to put a few coats of furniture polish on them because the original owner hadn't done that in years (by my estimation). They look a world better than they did when I first got them. The grills have a few holes in them too, so I'll be doing a re-fabric on them as well.

I have a set of markers by Minwax, they work awesome.:D

I tell you what, you did a great job cause in those pics they look perfect.:eek:

billbillw

Face wrote: »

They use nice drivers and don't appear to have any cheap electrolytic caps, very nice.

Well, that cutout photo is from the ED version, which sold for about $16,000 a pair. The spared no expense in them and used all poly caps and large expensive air coil inductors. The less expensive SS-M9 (sold for ~$3500)does have electro caps in the bass and mid-range x-overs, but at least they are all bypassed by poly caps. The inductors are not as nice either. I will have a look at them later to see if its worth my time to upgrade the x-overs, but that's down the road.

devani

they sure look great...would love to hear them if given chance...

halo71

Congrats Bill! Those look sweet, would love to hear them.


"Life after SDA's"? I'm still waiting to be born I suppose.

billbillw

halo71 wrote: »

Congrats Bill! Those look sweet, would love to hear them.


"Life after SDA's"? I'm still waiting to be born I suppose.

Come on over (and buy those Pinnacles while your at it!)

halo71

I'd love to have those Pinnacles! Hell, I just had to sell one of my tube guitar preamps just to have some extra cash for vacation in Charleston next week.:( Being broke sucks! lol

toucanet

Here's a pair of SS-M9s for sale in San Diego if anyone is interested (no affil):

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/ele/2337690118.html

leftwinger57

Very nicelooking speakers. the wood is beautiful and there angel shape isok. About the
grills you already answered and said they need replacing nice find.