sda's as upgrade to RTA's

soundfreak1

I've heard a lot about SDA,s wuold they be an upgrade from RTA 12B's if so which modle. Would be an aprporate "upgrade" and what could one expect in the way of improvment. Running tube pre and. Parasound hca 1200 amp ( crap load of clean power)

ben62670

How big of an area? What are the room dimensions?

Ricardo

I wouldn't see that as move up or down. It's a move in a different direction. Most people like the SDA direction, but without listening to them you won't know if you are in that group.

falconcry72

Ricardo wrote: »

I wouldn't see that as move up or down. It's a move in a different direction. Most people like the SDA direction, but without listening to them you won't know if you are in that group.

^^^I agree.

The RTA-12's are great speakers, not worse, not better; different. Properly setup they are more detailed and have much better imaging than SDA's. I like them better than SDA's for home theater, if that's a concern.

SDA's, though, have this luxurious envelopement and deep bass that recreates the experience of live music better than any speaker I've heard. Right now I have a pair of RTA12C's flanking a pair of SDA1C's. I use the 12's for HT and the 1C's for 2channel music.

Enjoy the hunt!:biggrin:

edit: and as far as models to look at, if the 12's you have are about as big as your room can take, you should look at the 2B's or 1C's. If you can go much larger, and more expensive, then look at the SRS2's, 2.3tl's or 1.2tl's.

geppy1

I have spent the last 2 years trying to decide this issue. 12Bs v 1cs and 2Bs They are right. SDAs are not better just different. I do find the 2Bs to be a little better for rock then the 1C as they have more punch and are tighter in the bass but I also do not think SDAs are at their best with rock. Here is what I have found as + or - having them switched in and out for the last 2 years. Bear in mind the Mortite and Dynamat really sharpened the image on the SDAs to the point I thought I had hooked something up wrong.

SDA + Very wide stage with nice powerful bass weight. The sounds extends way out to the sides. The image is very meaty and alittle more there. Can sound very real.

SDA - The sound is not intimate and does not come forward of the grills leading to a sense of a distant sound . A flat billboard feeling. Any depth is behind the speakers. Not out front. The image is not as sharply defined as other speakers.

RTA 12Bs+ 3D sound with a lot of depth and an upfront stage. Very very clear. punchy quick bass goes as deep or deeper then the SDA. ( -3DB is 35HZ for the 2B and 25HZ for the RTA 12B ) Sharply defined images A very live in the room sound.

RTA12B - The stage is not as wide as the SDA. The images do not have as much meat on them. While bass goes very deep it does not have weight behind it like the SDA This point drives me nuts because sometimes it surprises me.

Your mileage may vary keith

soundfreak1

Geppy: that is the best discpt. I've heard on the 12Bs. (Or the best BS--LOL) no truly insightfull. the 12b's are in my "man cave 14x13 room. Cosy but a hard room. Livingroom choices. R a pair of ESS eclipse M102's or a pair of EPI 150/2/3. Its been driving me nuts, all incredible sound but all so different, hense the speaker switcher and depending on what I want to listen to determines where I go to listen to it. Simple RIGHT........

soundfreak1

BTW geppy1 I like your taste in amps, I'm a parasound fan also.

quadzilla

geppy1 wrote: »

SDA - The sound is not intimate and does not come forward of the grills leading to a sense of a distant sound . A flat billboard feeling. Any depth is behind the speakers. Not out front. The image is not as sharply defined as other speakers.

Interesting that you say this. In my room, my SDAs make it sound the band is almost in my lap. I sit about 7-8 ft from the speakers.

geppy1

We are talking about compared to the 12s Also certain gear will bring ths stage forward a little. The point about the sound not coming forward of the grills was even mentioned by Stereo Review in the review of the 1Cs. The 2Bs are a little more forward

soundfreak1

I'm very pleased with the 12's hell there one of my 3 favorite main speakers(LOL) the tubes make a huge diff. In them!

dcoil

soundfreak1 wrote: »

Geppy: that is the best discpt. I've heard on the 12Bs. (Or the best BS--LOL) no truly insightfull. the 12b's are in my "man cave 14x13 room. Cosy but a hard room. Livingroom choices. R a pair of ESS eclipse M102':redface:s or a pair of EPI 150/2/3. Its been driving me nuts, all incredible sound but all so different, hense the speaker switcher and depending on what I want to listen to determines where I go to listen to it. Simple RIGHT........

Speaker switch?? 3 pair of speakers?? Wow, I'm still trying to get just one pair of speakers and electronics working like I want... :rolleyes:

soundfreak1

I've been looking for a centian sound! Its taken 6 diff. Amps,5 pre's, 12 pair of speakers and hundreds of hours of trying this with that to get to the speaker choice(I love this hobby). Its a sickness cured only by death! I building a mono-sys. For my coffin right now just can't work out the "erturnial power source thing " LOL Whenever I get. Speakers that are really nice I think " wow that's nice--- imagine what the next step will sound like? That's how u end up with 3 sets of main speakers!!! LOL. Couldn't. Choose between them so I "roll" speakers and tubes! But the right combiation is fantastic!