My system - basic questions

LaLaLand
LaLaLand Posts: 31
edited May 2011 in Vintage Speakers
Hello Polk-Folks,
I'm a fairly new user, and bought my first pair of Polk's EVER (SDA-II's from 1986) from Rod in upstate NY (thanks Rod!!!!!!) just about 4 weeks ago.
I would like to know if any of the bigger SDA's (like the SDA-1C or the 2.3) sound so much better that you would consider it a 'step-change'? Because, I gotta tell you: these speakers sound incredible. And they look even better, being in 'natural oak' veneer.
It seems like they have been sanded but not treated. Any issue using oil stain or waterbased poly (about (3) coats)?
My speakers have little rubber pads on all bottom corners of the stands. Is that adequate insulation, or would you use more?
I made my 14-year old sit in the beany-bag after I took the picture; she experienced her first real stereo sound on Jack Johnson, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. She was so blown away, that she forgot to text for about 30 minutes, and her jaw litteraly dropped; then she did her homework in the kitchen instead of her room...so she could listen. WOW. That says a lot.
ANYWAYS: you guys are full of so much information that it's a pleasure just cruising through this site. Thanks for being Polk fanatics! lol....I'm starting to become one...
Post edited by LaLaLand on
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Comments

  • renowilliams
    renowilliams Posts: 920
    edited April 2011
    Congrats on you new speakers. I just got my SDA 2A's about a month ago as well. It's really funny that you sat your kid down and put some tunes on. Most kids today have no clue about real two channel listening, and why would they unless they grew up in a house with someone who was into it. I personally havn't had the pleasure of auditioning a pair of 1.2, 2.3's or SDA 2 SRS'S but I am actively seaching for a pair close enough to buy. As far as refinishing them, I don't see any reason why you couldn't use what your suggesting. Nice looking speakers buy the way. I'm sure you will enjoy them. Do you have a two channel power amp and a reciever/pre??

    Anyway, welcome to the forum.

    Here is a pic of my SDAS;

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/renowilliams/5643612116/in/photostream


    Tim
    "They're always talking about my drinking, but never mention my thirst" Oscar Wilde


    Pre-Amp: Anthem AVM 20
    Amp: Carver TFM-35
    Amp: Rotel RB-870BX
    Fronts : SDA 1B w/ RDO-194s
    T.V.:Plasma TC-P54G25
    Bluray: Oppo BDP-93
    Speaker Cables: MIT Terminater
    Interconnect Cables:DH Labs Silver Sonic BL-1isonic
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  • intangible
    intangible Posts: 262
    edited April 2011
    Nice speakers. I like the design of that room in general, but not so much for SDAs. Do you get enough bass with the speakers floating out away from the wall like that?


    P.S. You've positioned your daughter way to close to the speakers, unless that is just for the picture.
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  • LaLaLand
    LaLaLand Posts: 31
    edited April 2011
    Hello 'intangible',
    No, I didn't position my daughter. She was playing music off her iPod and chatting on facebook and whatever else she does :). The Beany-bag is positioned just far enough back to get the perfect stereo effect.
    And the bass, that's a surprise to me too, is coming through very well. But not until I set the bass and midrange to +/- 0dB and the treble at -2dB.
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  • Hawkeye
    Hawkeye Posts: 1,313
    edited April 2011
    I'm also newb to the SDA but I would think you need to give them a chance to grow on you and try some alternate positioning. I've the SDA-SRS which are much larger than yours.

    It is nice to see a person introducing their kids to real audio vice ear buds! My kids have always been aware of good audio. Not the gear but the reproduction of the music.

    Good luck LaLa and just let them ride for awhile!

    Gordon
    2 Channel -
    Martin Logan Spire, 2 JL Audio F112 subs
    McIntosh C1000 Controller with Tube pre amp, 2 MC501 amplifiers, MD1K Transport & DAC, MR-88 Tuner
    WireWorld Eclipse 6.0 speaker wire and jumpers, Eclipse 5^2 Squared Balanced IC's. Silver Eclipse PCs (5)
    Symposium Rollerblocks 2+ (16)Black Diamond Racing Mk 3 pits (8)
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  • LaLaLand
    LaLaLand Posts: 31
    edited April 2011
    Hmmm, what I meant to say is that the Beany Bad usually is much further back, but it puts the ears at the right elevation.
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  • Escher
    Escher Posts: 41
    edited April 2011
    Glad to see another new guy here! I'm loving my RTA 12b's - amazing sound from these old speakers.

    Now do yourself a favor and tackle the crossover upgrades - its like another leap forward in quality... Check out my recent thread on jb weld...

    How these things never caught on is beyond me... Best $130 I EVER spent...
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  • civilian
    civilian Posts: 357
    edited April 2011
    I have some 2.3tl's and when I heard doug's(dpowell) sda 2c's (I think) they sounded smaller. They sounded good but just smaller. There are a lot of factors in play, but the speaker size has to be a major one IMO. Nothing small about his SRT's!
    ________________
    2 Channel-Denon AVR-4520/SDA 2.3TL's
    5.1-Denon AVR-4500h/RT3000P's/CS1000P/RT2000P's/
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,566
    edited April 2011
    It seems like they have been sanded but not treated. Any issue using oil stain or waterbased poly (about (3) coats)?

    Unless someone stripped yours they have a finish on them. I've seen SDA's that look like they have an oil finish and others that appear to have lacquer. If yours are dried out looking you most likely have an oil finish. I would suggest either a fresh coat of oil, not an oil based stain, but something like Watco or a wiping poly clear coat in satin. Do not use brush on poly (either oil based or water) as that will look like crap.
    My speakers have little rubber pads on all bottom corners of the stands. Is that adequate insulation, or would you use more?

    Spikes
    I would like to know if any of the bigger SDA's (like the SDA-1C or the 2.3) sound so much better that you would consider it a 'step-change'?

    The larger SDA's have more present.

    Enjoy your new speakers and welcome to the wonderful world of SDA.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • LaLaLand
    LaLaLand Posts: 31
    edited April 2011
    As usual: thanks for all the feed-back!
    Any more opinions or comments? Feel free to chime-in, would love to hear more from you guys!
    Thanks
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited April 2011
    I actually placed my 2b's on stands like the RTA12's and it lifted the listening position and opened them up a lot.
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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 878
    edited April 2011
    Congrats on the SDA's! I believe I've seen those, I think they are the ones I found in Rochester while picking up some Monitor 10's. I told Rod about them and it sounds like he sold them to you if they are the same ones. I've never seen SDA's still in their boxes like that, very cool.

    Enjoy!
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  • dpowell
    dpowell Posts: 3,068
    edited April 2011
    civilian wrote: »
    I have some 2.3tl's and when I heard doug's(dpowell) sda 2c's (I think) they sounded smaller. They sounded good but just smaller. There are a lot of factors in play, but the speaker size has to be a major one IMO. Nothing small about his SRT's!

    Close. :smile: They're 1C's. I haven't heard the taller big boys (except the SRT's) but I'd say based on comparing the two I have that the soundstage on the 1C's is shorter (and I mean height-wise; not width) and the bass does not have as much impact (though what I get out of them is quite breathtaking on the right music). Rock is where they seem to lack some punch. I hope to be able to hear a pair of the big boys someday so that I can find out what I'm missing.

    If you like what you've got, go for the upgrades and enjoy the significant improvements that come with them.:biggrin:
    ____________________________________________________________

    polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
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  • LaLaLand
    LaLaLand Posts: 31
    edited April 2011
    chandler9a wrote: »
    Congrats on the SDA's! I believe I've seen those, I think they are the ones I found in Rochester while picking up some Monitor 10's. I told Rod about them and it sounds like he sold them to you if they are the same ones. I've never seen SDA's still in their boxes like that, very cool.

    Enjoy!

    Chandler9a: Next time you talk to Rod (great guy), show him the picture and tell him that I'm happy as a clam. I was wearing my poker-face when I bought them from him, but the drool must have been a little to obvious - he wouldn't budge on the price. When I checked them out at his house, they sounded great and I didn't notice the color that much. In my LR, they sound even better and they now they seem to 'glow'. As far as I can tell, they have never been touched/opened up.

    In regards to the soundstage, yes, i've noticed quite a bit of directionality of the speakers. But when I sit down to listen to the music, I sit in the Bean-Bag, which puts me in perfect position. I would like the 1C's or 2.3's and will be buying the next pair that's local enough for me to pick them up.

    F-1nut: I read the specs of the speakers on 'polksda.com' and found - in fine print - all the options of finishes on these speakers. I'm sure now that they are 'hand-oiled oak'. So that is how I will continue taking care of them. Thanks for the note!

    On the picture you notice that the speakers are located right next to a step. The plan now is to extend this step for the SDA's. That'll elevate them about 7". Should help some, I'm sure.

    To help with the bass: the bass seems fine, but when the speakers are driven in low volume listening mode (at below 20-30W/c; like when the kids are in bed), I turn the bass and treble up about 6dB on the pre-amp, and that seems to solve the problem.

    Thanks again for all the comments!!!!
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  • PolkClyde
    PolkClyde Posts: 662
    edited April 2011
    LaLaLand wrote: »
    Hello Polk-Folks
    you guys are full of so much information that it's a pleasure just cruising through this site. Thanks for being Polk fanatics! lol....I'm starting to become one...

    I agree with that statement above.beautiful people like RT1,F1nut,TroyD,Playback,and so many others have been truly a blessing to me.... I'm having so much fun everyday, when I listen to my system... Like God,I am very well Pleased at what I hear..
    PolkAudioClyde
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  • danz1906
    danz1906 Posts: 5,144
    edited April 2011
    Congrats on the Speakers!
    Linn AV5140 fronts
    Linn AV5120 Center
    Linn AV5140 Rears
    M&K MX-70 Sub for Music
    Odyssey Mono-Blocs
    SVS Ultra-13 Gloss Black:D
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  • LaLaLand
    LaLaLand Posts: 31
    edited April 2011
    This may sound profound but 'music balances my soul'. And the SDA's have been putting a smile on my face every day since I have gotten them... :)
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited May 2011
    Do these speakers have updated crossovers?

    I had the same issue with low volume listening until I updated the crossovers with new caps and resistors. It opened them up a ton.
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