Pairing SDA SRS 2 with (an affordable) AMP . . new/used/vintage of your choice . . .

GlennDog

Gents, . . . Newbie here,

I know, affordable is subjective, let's go with < 1.5K . . .(btw, I've got the previous kinks worked-out, most trackssound sweeeet!. . . also, I spoke to an old time audiophile speaker salesman, and he highly discouraged me from buying a Tubed Amp to drive the SRSs. I dont understand the logic. Any insight?)

I've got a line on a pair of Denon POA-4400 monaual power amps . . $550? . . . good price? Will the Denons drive the SRS 2s like we'd all like them to? Or should I find another lightly used Adcom 555 II (could there be? such a a thing?, Not!) to bi-amp and/or bi-wire the Bast-ages?? (presently, there's a single 555 II is driving the SRSs)

Bottom line, I'm trying to maximize the potential of these bad boys

FYI, the SDA SRS 2s are completely "done-up, the right way" per Rich aka sCompRacer . . .modernized w/ new x-overs/caps/tweets and real nice aesthetics. . . I'm very happy, Thanks, Rich!

What other power source do you all recommend?? TY you guys in advance

F1nut

There's a bunch of better choices on Audiogon in your price range, take a look.

A tube amp would work just fine with your speakers.

xoaphexox

This forum recently helped steer me towards upgrading from a Pioneer SPEC-4 to an Adcom GFA-5802 and I couldn't be happier. I highly recommend it.

Other suggestions were Sunfire 300x2, Parasound HCA-3500, Carver TFM series (although these seem to have capacitor issues if not recently serviced).

Schurkey

WHICH SRS 2? Blade/Blade, or Pin/Blade?

The blade/blade speakers aren't going to like a non-common-ground amplification system; and the pin/blades will need an AI-1 if not common-ground.

You could easily find an Aragon 4004 or 8008 in your price range, and have plenty left over. The 8008 will need a jumper wire between the negative posts to be fully common-ground. No more volume that what you have now, certainly better build quality.

george daniel

Belles 350A

SCompRacer

Schurkey wrote: »

WHICH SRS 2? Blade/Blade, or Pin/Blade?

They are pin / blade.

Thanks for the kind words Glenn. Glad you are enjoying them. If you did happen across another 555 II, I'd do a vertical bi amp opposed to horizontal. Vertical is one amp per speaker.

Lots of good suggestions thus far. In the end you will have to decide if you like the direction of the suggestion.

GlennDog

F1nut wrote: »

There's a bunch of better choices on Audiogon in your price range, take a look.

A tube amp would work just fine with your speakers.

Thanks, but I am not familiar with all the possible choices (Newbie) . . . can you drop a couple of names/model #'s that would work with my set-up??? Thanks!!

GlennDog

UPDATE! . . . Happy, Happy describes the days events . . . I've scored an Adcom 5802 in great physical condition for $600 AND after negotiating, I also scored a working Adcom GCD-700 also in great phys condition PLUS 2 set of Kimber Kables PBJ and a pair of 1 meter Straight Wire cables, too . . . $600 TOTAL, . . . BOING!!
I don't know anything about the cables, but free! I know! Guys, are they decent cables?

fyi, I auditioned the 5802 and the 700 on a pair of Legacy Empires . . . in a word "Sweet" They are for sale at 3K And includes a Legacy center channel (no affiliation, just say'n)

SOooo, my questions are:

1) Is an XLR/balanced or unbalanced connection preferred? Why?

2) Please recommend an appropriate preamp, if needed . . (and I think I need one for 2-channel, I'm set with HT, me thinks!!). I'm presently using a 2010 model Integra AV Controller Model DHC-40.1. I don't believe it ha XLR/balanced inputs. Hence maybe the need for balanced outputs . . .

3) I want to bi-wire . . . any thoughts on how to maximize benefits, before diminishing returns set in?

4) Has anyone ever bi-amped the SDA SRSs with 2 Adcom 5802s? Perhaps, for another thread?. . . inquiring minds would like to know!

5) Most importantly, I'm told this is a non-common ground amp (as would be my 5503 Three channel amp. Right?) I will be driving SDA SRS 2s completely moded w/ new caps/resistors and tweets. For clarity, the speaks are connected like any other SDA, but in addition there is a ANOTHER cable running from the left to right speaker, both terminating at the Neg side of each speaker. Kind of like an IC, but from Neg-to-Neg ? Is there an easier way to do this?

Thanks guys!

Now, if I can only scrape-up 3K, then i can have the Legacy's in my stable!!!!

Glenn

p.s. happy listening . . . .

Schurkey

GlennDog wrote: »

1) Is an XLR/balanced or unbalanced connection preferred? Why?

If the cable lengths are exceptionally long, balanced is preferred. For typically short cable runs, balanced is more expensive and not audibly superior.

GlennDog wrote: »

2) Please recommend an appropriate preamp, if needed . . (and I think I need one for 2-channel, I'm set with HT, me thinks!!). I'm presently using a 2010 model Integra AV Controller Model DHC-40.1. I don't believe it ha XLR/balanced inputs. Hence maybe the need for balanced outputs . . .

I enjoyed an Adcom GFP-565 some years ago.
http://www.stereophile.com/content/adcom-gfp-565-preamplifier

GlennDog wrote: »

3) I want to bi-wire . . . any thoughts on how to maximize benefits, before diminishing returns set in?

Bi-wire doubles your cable cost, halves the cable resistance. Adds capacitance and reactance. Provides dubious returns. Diminishing returns are built-in.

Others will disagree.

GlennDog wrote: »

5) Most importantly, I'm told this is a non-common ground amp (as would be my 5503 Three channel amp. Right?) I will be driving SDA SRS 2s completely moded w/ new caps/resistors and tweets. For clarity, the speaks are connected like any other SDA, but in addition there is a ANOTHER cable running from the left to right speaker, both terminating at the Neg side of each speaker. Kind of like an IC, but from Neg-to-Neg ? Is there an easier way to do this?

AI-1/Dreadnought. Required for non-common-ground amps.

GlennDog

[/QUOTE]AI-1/Dreadnought. Required for non-common-ground amps.[/QUOTE]

Thank you Schurkey, I'd like to go in the Dreadnought direction, but unless I can buy one, I'm outta luck. Does Polk still sell the AI-1 ?

So, if my run is less than 20 feet, there's no reason to go balanced/XLR, right?

Also, after reading all these threads, any Adcom model 5xxx is non-common ground, right? So that makes my Adcom 5503 a non-common ground amp . . there's NO info stating that in the Adcom owners manual or on the back of the unit, but I certainly trust you/guys vs. 20 year old literature . . .

Any insight is greatly appreciated and btw, I'll be bi-wiring (for now) . . .

Be well,

Glenn

Schurkey

GlennDog wrote: »

Schurkey wrote: »

AI-1/Dreadnought. Required for non-common-ground amps.

Thank you Schurkey, I'd like to go in the Dreadnought direction, but unless I can buy one, I'm outta luck. Does Polk still sell the AI-1 ?

You don't want an OEM Polk AI-1. They were a very compromised device. A genius member on this forum (with basic advice from Matthew Himself) have build a better unit.

Start reading here:
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?74472-The-AI-1-Dreadnought-Project-Pt.1

There are additional threads, including the follow-up where an even more enormous transformer is shown to work even better. You just missed out on the "group buy".

These are a do-it-yourself project; although I've seen ONE complete device on eBay--and without doubt you can find a member here to buy one from--either used or as a build-to-suit. I just bought an original-size transformer from a member who upgraded to the 1000VA unit.

GlennDog wrote: »

So, if my run is less than 20 feet, there's no reason to go balanced/XLR, right?

Twenty feet from source to preamp? Twenty feet from preamp to amp?

I don't know...twenty feet might be long enough to make a case for a balanced interconnect. MY interconnect cables are two meters or less. Most are MUCH less.

GlennDog wrote: »

Also, after reading all these threads, any Adcom model 5xxx is non-common ground, right? So that makes my Adcom 5503 a non-common ground amp . . there's NO info stating that in the Adcom owners manual or on the back of the unit, but I certainly trust you/guys vs. 20 year old literature . . .

Use an ohmmeter to test the resistance between the negative posts of the two channels. Under one ohm--you're probably OK without an AI-1/Dreadnought. Over 1 ohm, you either jumper the negative terminals to create a common ground, or you're locked into using an AI-1. If the amp is bridged, you CANNOT jumper the negative terminals, you MUST use the AI-1.

SCompRacer

GlennDog wrote: »

So, if my run is less than 20 feet, there's no reason to go balanced/XLR, right?

[/QUOTE]

My current pre amp is not balanced and I have been using 16-17 feet long single ended (RCA) IC's with no problem. That is no high noise floor or loss of dynamics. I can crank the volume full tilt with no music playing and don't get any hiss or hum out of my speakers. I do use shielded coax IC's. YMMV. If your gear is balanced, perhaps use the XLR for that 20 foot run rather than gamble with long RCA IC's.

michael1947

On using XLR rather than RCA. Blue Jeans cables has a nice reading section on the science of wire and all to do with stereo. Although several on this forum are not fans of BJ cables as they seem to be too reasonably priced I found the information to have value. I kind of go with this logic: more is better and balanced cables offer another wire ( where it goes and what it does I don't know) and if the man ufacture feels the need to ad the connections to their device then who am I to claim to know better. So here is MY bottom line: if the device has balanced connections I use them and currently use the low end MIT XLR balanced cables on my 2 channel and it is the only rig that has the balanced hook ups.

On bi amping: I don't know...I have bi-amped vertically and horizontally with RTI-A9's and currently bi amp my up-graded SDA-SRS (original version). The SDA's are used in my main HT rig and do play just music about 25% of the time and things sound great...however I'm not an expert. My 5 channel amp uses 2 separate 200 wpc amps for each speaker and the 5th channel for my center. If I had the coin for separate 1,000 wpc amps I would use them as Mr. Polk specifies 1,000 watts is the maximum and I tend to believe what is written by Mr. Polk. So, I feed mine 400 watts each and they sound pretty darned nice. Could they be better, sure, could I hear the difference, maybe, could I afford all the extra gear...no. Good luck, keep posting, you're a good read.