Rare Polks

Vette C6.r
Vette C6.r Posts: 1,560
edited September 2011 in Vintage Speakers
I hope this has not been posted before.

I saw these on E-Bay. Don't recall ever seeing the tweeter arrangement like this. I am guessing some prototype SDA 2's.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polk-SDA-Rare-Early-Prototype-Local-Pickup-Only-/320752912255?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item4aae5d077f
Post edited by Vette C6.r on
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  • Vette C6.r
    Vette C6.r Posts: 1,560
    edited September 2011
    P.S. they are for sale in Baltimore.
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  • kcoc321
    kcoc321 Posts: 1,788
    edited September 2011
    Interesting...thanks :tongue:
    wonder who "Colin" is?
    (Says "For Colin" on the driver label)
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,420
    edited September 2011
    Very odd indeed. Were it not for the pristine baffle, I would have said franken-Polk. 12ohm on that mid as well, and a 1982 date.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • Vette C6.r
    Vette C6.r Posts: 1,560
    edited September 2011
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    Very odd indeed. Were it not for the pristine baffle, I would have said franken-Polk.

    First thing I said when I saw them.
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,420
    edited September 2011
    They appear to be ported to boot.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited September 2011
    There's a thread that pictured a set just like these.

    Think Mark chimed in about the small port in front between the drivers, it was an experimental thing IIRC.
    Truck setup
    Alpine 9856
    Phoenix Gold RSD65CS

    For Sale
    Polk SR6500
    Polk SR5250
    Polk SR104


    heiney9 wrote: »
    Any clue how to use the internet? Found it in about 10 sec.
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  • Vette C6.r
    Vette C6.r Posts: 1,560
    edited September 2011
    I've seen the port before. Just not that tweeter arangment.
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  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,603
    edited September 2011
    I originally posted about these. The owner is a member as AK. He bought those for stupid cheap. Hasn't had them very long, guess he is already tired of them. Gotta wonder if that driver alignment is really that bad ehh?

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120319
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,225
    edited September 2011
    kcoc321 wrote: »
    Interesting...thanks :tongue:
    wonder who "Colin" is?
    (Says "For Colin" on the driver label)

    Colin C. was one of the leading design engineers that worked at Polk until 2001 or thereabouts. An experimental array would have been something up his alley. Cheers. :cool:
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,225
    edited September 2011
    After looking at these a little more closely these were definitely prototypes. What used to happen was that at slow times limited runs of drivers could be made using different voice coils, spiders, surrounds etc. They probably made about 12 to 24 of the drivers for lab use. The experimental array was cut in the baffle in the woodshop most likely by Bill R. Lab prototypes like these were sold off periodically. Looks like someone took good care of them. Cheers. :cool:
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited September 2011
    The array and port also varied their location on the fascia by small adjustments in design. The port was later covered with a plaque for a special run of Matt Polk signature models but NAP is spot-on with the rest. This was one model that was played with more than others since it was when they started to realize that the SDA tweeter array wasn't needed. It also doesn't SDA very well. This is certainly rare but the more rare models would be ones you may not even notice from aesthetics.

    Polk started to dumpster the prototypes a couple years after these hit the ground, so in that respect, they are rare I guess. I'd grab them for sure but they're unfortunately a bit overpriced.

    They would be super cool for the Polk Museum so if anyone is willing to chip in, I'll buy them to donate to Polk. They're also local to boot which means we wouldn't have to ship them.
    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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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited September 2011
    dorokusai wrote: »

    They would be super cool for the Polk Museum so if anyone is willing to chip in, I'll buy them to donate to Polk. They're also local to boot which means we wouldn't have to ship them.

    I just stepped aboard.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited September 2011
    As always George, you're my mentor and brother.

    OK, so it's me and George so far. Jesse?
    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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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited September 2011
    When we max out, divide the purchase price by the number of freaks involved and send me a number.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited September 2011
    Roger that. I'm not going overboard for them but we'll see how it rolls.
    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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  • Big Dawg
    Big Dawg Posts: 2,005
    edited September 2011
    I'll throw a few bucks in as well. I'd rather not go over $50, but will go up to $100 if that's what it takes.
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  • kcoc321
    kcoc321 Posts: 1,788
    edited September 2011
    nap wrote: »
    Colin C. was one of the leading design engineers that worked at Polk until 2001 or thereabouts. An experimental array would have been something up his alley. Cheers. :cool:

    Cool to know...thanks
    Something for the history books :)
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  • CNWDI
    CNWDI Posts: 91
    edited September 2011
    I'm in for (up to) $50 to donate these to a good home in the Polk Museum. Wish I could promise a "full share" but my budget doesn't allow.
    Current polk speakers:
    Family room 5.1: TC265i R/L, VM10 Center, RC65i surrounds (couldn't match the TCs)
    Basement non-dedicated 7.1 HT: SDA-CRS+ R/L, 255c-LS Center, LSiFX surrounds, RC80i in-ceiling rear surround, plus Wharfedale 12" sub (some day I'll get around to building 15" F-20 sub).
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,243
    edited September 2011
    Are we sure no one here has that first bid on them??

    BTW its no me.. I will help as well as long as I'm not stepping on someones toes here..
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 1,225
    edited September 2011
    Did we bid / win ? :cool:
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited September 2011
    If we did, I'm in.
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited September 2011
    I didn't bid since I only had George with me at the time. I couldn't foot the bill on a 50/50 split. If something like these come up again, whatever they are, I need to know who's in for the Polk Museum, so let me know offline via PM. That way, I'll just get them and contact the new owners.
    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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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited September 2011
    Eternally in.

    Eternally yours,

    "Chuck" Manson
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited September 2011
    Me too. sending a PM is too complicated.
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited September 2011
    Ok, good enough, thanks u2.
    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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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,566
    edited September 2011
    Sorry guys, I was out of town with no Internet connection. Next time just count me in.
    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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  • skrol
    skrol Posts: 3,378
    edited September 2011
    So what / where is the Polk Museum?
    Stan

    Main 2ch:
    Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.

    HT:
    Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60

    Other stuff:
    Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,566
    edited September 2011
    At Polk HQ. Show up at PF next year and you'll get to see it.
    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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  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited September 2011
    im in to help out if you buy them.....
    mole'
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited September 2011
    F1nut wrote: »
    Sorry guys, I was out of town with no Internet connection.

    Somebody got bit in the neck someplace.
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