Driving the SDA 1B

vintagenut
vintagenut Posts: 28
edited June 2012 in Vintage Speakers
I just got a Carver TFM 25 to drive my 1Bs. The amp is rated at 225 wpc, and does a wonderful job. I'm wondering if there is any problem using all of the power for the 1Bs? I know when i've tried to drive them with lesser amps the speakers would develop a crack sound and shut off momentairly when the amp was overdriven. Can I expect the same thing with the Carver at some point? I've already done a wall shaking audition peaking at well over 150watts clear as a bell. ALWSOME.. Any advice would be appreicated.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited June 2012
    At some point, yes. All amps have limits.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • bigaltx24
    bigaltx24 Posts: 141
    edited June 2012
    Don't remove the polyswitches
    Denon PMA-900V
    Linn Axis with Grado Red
    Cambridge Azur 650C
    Polk SDA-1BTL
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited June 2012
    There is a problem. You are overdriving them if they get a crackle sound and shut off momentarily.

    It isn't the amp it is the user. Turn it down a notch or get some PA speakers.
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  • vintagenut
    vintagenut Posts: 28
    edited June 2012
    Thanks Folks, I have no intentions of overdriving them with this amp, I'm listening to Ronnie James Dio, the last in line, peaking at about 110watts and its next to extreme,,,,, WOW I LOVE THIS RIG,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Thanks for all your help,,, Gotta go I think I just heard something fall of a shelf''''''''' LOL""'""""""...
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,102
    edited June 2012
    vintagenut wrote: »
    I just got a Carver TFM 25 to drive my 1Bs. The amp is rated at 225 wpc, and does a wonderful job. I'm wondering if there is any problem using all of the power for the 1Bs?
    I was thinking that the 1B is recommended for an amplifier of "500 watts" or less. I can't find verification of that, so maybe I imagined it.

    At any rate, recommending an amp of 500 watts doesn't mean that the speaker will accept 500 watts long-term.

    My 200 watt amp (8 ohm rating) just gets started, and it's too loud for me.
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  • vintagenut
    vintagenut Posts: 28
    edited June 2012
    OH one more question. Will the polyswitches heat up during long listening and start to cut out earlier? Thanks so much.
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  • vintagenut
    vintagenut Posts: 28
    edited June 2012
    I'm finding, after some adjustment to the C1 that about the middle of the watt meter is eniough, even when the wife isn't home. Especally after cleaning up the class candle holder,,,,, LOL>>>>>>LOL>>>>>
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,102
    edited June 2012
    vintagenut wrote: »
    OH one more question. Will the polyswitches heat up during long listening and start to cut out earlier? Thanks so much.
    I wouldn't expect that; I'd think they'd be thermally stable fairly early in the listening session.

    Downside is that they don't age well, and a single trip changes their characteristics. Multiple trips and they're "worn out".
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited June 2012
    vintagenut wrote: »
    OH one more question. Will the polyswitches heat up during long listening and start to cut out earlier? Thanks so much.

    Yes, they will if you are approaching the limit. In regular everyday listening, no they won't but as Schurkey mentioned they do age and at some point they start to fail even if they have never been tripped. If they have been tripped several times over the life span they tend to fail earlier. They are a finite piece of electronics.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • renowilliams
    renowilliams Posts: 920
    edited June 2012
    Keep yor eyes posted for a TFM-35, it does a great job on 1B's
    "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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  • vintagenut
    vintagenut Posts: 28
    edited June 2012
    I think the tfm 25 will be more than eniough, I never had the switches trip with it, just with the lower amps I've tried. I just wondered if that was how they worked. Can I replace the polyswitches if they go bad? When I got the SDAs they were part of a package deal that included a Denon reciever of about 40wpc, I think the previous owner overdrove them quite a bit with this because two of the tweeters were blown when I got them.
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  • BobMcG
    BobMcG Posts: 1,585
    edited June 2012
    vintagenut wrote: »
    Can I replace the polyswitches if they go bad?

    Sorry to be in and out so quick but the short answer is yes. Plenty of posts over the years telling how to do. Schematics sticky will show you where. A lot, if not all of the old original ones were yellow, so easy to identify. Polk replacements at one point were blue if I remember right.
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