SDA 1C interconnect cable upgrade

rromeo923
rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
edited July 2011 in Vintage Speakers
I am interested in upgrading my interconnect cable and connections. Looking for any and all advice. Currently they are blade/blade.

TIA
I got static in my head
The reflected sound of everything
Post edited by rromeo923 on
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  • SDA1C
    SDA1C Posts: 2,072
    edited July 2011
    Build your own and use silver teflon wire/coax. At least that's my first thought until its shot out of the sky lol
    Too much **** to list....
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
    edited July 2011
    rromeo923 wrote: »
    I am interested in upgrading my interconnect cable and connections. Looking for any and all advice. Currently they are blade/blade.

    TIA

    It's not that hard, and while you're at it install a binding post for a better connection. Darqueknight has an excellent how to here:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30467

    I did it and was totally blown away. Probably any high quality wire, heavy gauge (15 or better) would be an improvement. If you can go with teflon insulated.
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • GTB
    GTB Posts: 87
    edited July 2011
    I think I might go that route also. Great idea!
    Home Theater
    Polk RTi8
    Polk Monitor 40
    Polk CSi5
    Polk MicroPro 2000
    Visio 42 LCD
    Denon AVR 790
    Samsung BD 1600

    Two Channel
    Polk SDA 2B
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,243
    edited July 2011
    Custom cable with binding posts is the only way to go IMO!! If you want to up the game a little build a Dreadnaught AI-1 SDA Cable as well.

    I will never go back!!!
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  • rromeo923
    rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
    edited July 2011
    I wish I had skills to do these things. I have never used a soldering iron. Anyone wanna help?? I will buy the beer etc!
    I got static in my head
    The reflected sound of everything
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2011
    Just buy a new one from Polk. Kim Jasper, Polk Customer Service guru, hand makes them in his office.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited July 2011
    rromeo923, I think we had this discussion once before a few months back, but it sounds as if your 1C's are same vintage as mine - a set where they used a bunch of spare parts! There's a very informative thread where people were filling me in on the nuances of SDA 1C's, have a read here: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70442

    Assuming yours are just like mine, you really should have had a pin/blade connector, but Polk was obviously short on parts. Only one of those blade connections is actually conducting. Point being if you wanted to do something custom, you only need a single binding post.

    You can see what I did here:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70931
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • rromeo923
    rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
    edited July 2011
    I have three already. Want to upgrade. Are the new ones from Polk an upgrade?

    Is there away to test all the connections on the IC cable and the blade/blade recepticle with a voltmeter to make sure everything is working as should be?
    I got static in my head
    The reflected sound of everything
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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited July 2011
    If you're getting sound out of all four drivers on each of the 1C's, then everything is working as it should. Why do you suspect something is wrong?

    Can you remind me what upgrades you've already done to these speakers?
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • rromeo923
    rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
    edited July 2011
    I am pretty sure that everything is working fine. However I did want to make sure that all three cables I have are working w/out just relying on my ears.

    I have the RDO-194's in. Really only thing I have done.
    That and getting a tube amp have done wonderful things. I want to do the caps, resistors and IC cable next. I was thinking the IC cable might be an easy, inexpensive upgrade.

    I also need to sell some items. If I upgrade the IC cable. I will sell all three of my original blade/blade cables. One of them is very long and someone might be able to put it to good use.

    All three came with the speakers.
    I got static in my head
    The reflected sound of everything
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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited July 2011
    The thing about the interconnect is that you gain a tremendous amount of flexibility when you use a binding post in place of the stock connector. Once it's a binding post, you can use any speaker wire to make an SDA connector.

    As I mentioned above, I only require (and suspect you only require) a single binding post for your sda connection, which fits pretty conveniently on the crossover mount right next to the two existing speaker posts.

    The problem here is that now you start getting into the "might as well" game.

    If you're going to take apart the crossover plate and install a custom post for the sda connection, you might as well replace the speaker posts as well.

    And if you're going that far, it's a very convenient time to be pulling the crossover apart, so you may as well do the cap and resistor upgrade.

    And if you're going to be doing the cap and resistor upgrade, you're going to need to pull the tweeters and the drivers in order to disconnect the crossover. If you're doing that, you might as well do the dynamat, the armacell, and rings.

    You........ see where this going?
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • rromeo923
    rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
    edited July 2011
    How can I be sure that I only need one connector for my blade/blade??
    I got static in my head
    The reflected sound of everything
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited July 2011
    Try it with a piece of wire. You should only need one.
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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited July 2011
    Well, you shouldn't need one, if they are in fact 1C's. This was the topic that was being thrown about in that thread I pointed you to. If you remove the passive radiator, and get a look at the inside, you should hopefully see one of those blades connected to ground. I have pics posted I believe.

    When it comes to removing the passive, I just did the rings upgrade the other night - well worth the time!
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • rromeo923
    rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
    edited July 2011
    ok I took off the passive and only one wire coming out of the blade/blade.
    I got static in my head
    The reflected sound of everything
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  • brgman
    brgman Posts: 2,859
    edited July 2011
    you told me it was pin/blade,which is it?
    Main Rig-Realistic AM/FM Record player 8 track boasting 4 WPC

    Backup Rig-2 CH-Rogue Audio Zeus w/Factory Special Dark Mods,Joule-Electra 300ME Platinum Preamp,OPPO-105 w/Modwright Tube Mod, Auralic Aries G2.1,Polk 2.3TL,3.1TL's,Dreadnought,RTA-15TL's,1C's All Fully Modded,2xRTA-12c's ,Benchmark DAC3 HGC,Synology NAS,VPI Scout w/Dynavector DV-20XH and Rogue Audio Ares Phono Preamp,Sony PCM-R500 DAT,HHB-850 Pro CDR,Tascam CC-222SLMKII Cassette/CDR,MIT S3.3 Shotgun Cables,Shunyata Hyra-8,Shunyata and Triode Labs Power Cords

    I’M OFFENDED!!!!
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,243
    edited July 2011
    Call it a day and order one from Polk if it's Blade/Blade..
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  • rromeo923
    rromeo923 Posts: 1,513
    edited July 2011
    brgman wrote: »
    you told me it was pin/blade,which is it?

    Pretty sure I didn't. But sorry if I did.
    I got static in my head
    The reflected sound of everything
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  • brgman
    brgman Posts: 2,859
    edited July 2011
    rromeo923 wrote: »
    Pretty sure I didn't. But sorry if I did.

    Kids today! Oye!
    Main Rig-Realistic AM/FM Record player 8 track boasting 4 WPC

    Backup Rig-2 CH-Rogue Audio Zeus w/Factory Special Dark Mods,Joule-Electra 300ME Platinum Preamp,OPPO-105 w/Modwright Tube Mod, Auralic Aries G2.1,Polk 2.3TL,3.1TL's,Dreadnought,RTA-15TL's,1C's All Fully Modded,2xRTA-12c's ,Benchmark DAC3 HGC,Synology NAS,VPI Scout w/Dynavector DV-20XH and Rogue Audio Ares Phono Preamp,Sony PCM-R500 DAT,HHB-850 Pro CDR,Tascam CC-222SLMKII Cassette/CDR,MIT S3.3 Shotgun Cables,Shunyata Hyra-8,Shunyata and Triode Labs Power Cords

    I’M OFFENDED!!!!
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