Power Amp

robert p

I am thinking of buying a set of Polk SDA SDS Signature speakers.I currently have a Levinson Model NO 23 Power Amp does anybody know if this would be a good match for these speakers. The amp throws out 200 Watts per Channel into 8 ohms

ravaneli

no, i think you need to find an amp with better imaging and more liquid highs.

onebadchad

I disagree I think its a great amp. the 200 wpc is conservative and it is stable to 1 ohm. I think it would run those speakers just fine, but its only my 2 cents worth..

onebadchad

Are you referring to the SDS like in title, or SRS?

nwohlford

I believe all Levinson amps are non-common ground. I don't believe you can strap the negatives, but I would check with Harman on that.

F1nut

robert p wrote:

I currently have a Levinson Model NO 23 Power Amp does anybody know if this would be a good match for these speakers.

Do you have a DVOM?

troll wrote:

no, i think you need to find an amp with better imaging and more liquid highs.

Like you ever heard a Levinson amp. :rolleyes:

ravaneli

F1, do you realize that i reply to you in the same manner you treat my posts we will get every thread closed for quarrel? Also type in cmd
set sarcasm_detection to on.

nooshinjohn

trollineli wrote: »

no, i think you need to find an amp with better imaging and more liquid highs.

So, a new guy comes here to ask a question about compatibility and you greet him like this? Why the mods let you linger here is way above my pay grade.

Robert, my only concern has been raised already. Most Levinson amps I know of are dual mono designs and therefore not compatible with the SDA cable. If you have the 1.2's or 1.2TL's, you can get a A1 cable and you should be fine, but the earlier SRS will likely not work well with the Levinson.

ravaneli

well i was a little tipped by his 'it throws out 200w in 8 ohm'. Like 'my amp is the ****', like he is not interested in finding out about any possible compatibility issues but more interested in getting tapped on the shoulder with something like 'that's one heuvan amp!' . Funny how i can't afford that, but everyone else can afford to insult my intelligence in cheap and cynical way after every post.

anyway, i am sure that amp will have absolutely no issues with those speaker, and almost any other speakers as a matter of fact. I just have a feeling he was already aware of that.

heiney9

ravaneli wrote: »

anyway, i am sure that amp will have absolutely no issues with those speaker

Wrong, if it's not a common ground amp it will have an issue with those speakers. I can almost guarantee it's not common ground.

I see how you are, you can go around having very strong opinions on everything, insult other people, but when the same is done to you; you complain like a wounded duck.

H9

nooshinjohn

trollineli wrote: »

well i was a little tipped by his 'it throws out 200w in 8 ohm'. Like 'my amp is the ****', like he is not interested in finding out about any possible compatibility issues but more interested in getting tapped on the shoulder with something like 'that's one heuvan amp!' . Funny how i can't afford that, but everyone else can afford to insult my intelligence in cheap and cynical way after every post.

anyway, i am sure that amp will have absolutely no issues with those speaker, and almost any other speakers as a matter of fact. I just have a feeling he was already aware of that.

Once again you prove just how invaluable you are.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

If the amp is not common ground, it will not drive the speakers... get it? If it cannot safely drive the speakers, you have a dead amp, speakers, or both... get that?

You insult a new guy for asking an honest question and then defend it by insulting him yet again. What a class act.:rolleyes: :evil:

Robert... if you need help learning how to use the ignore feature, let me know.

Welcome to CP, and don't let this guy chase you off.

tonyb

Looks like the thread crapper showed up again. Isn't there a cape and a mask that go along with that title ?

More time reading up, learning.......less time thread crapping.

ravaneli

Here is a solution to the common ground problem: looks like Heiney asked this already : )

Hi Heiney9,
The GFA-5800 is not bridged. Each channel is referenced to ground with a 100R resistor. Measure between the two negative speaker terminals and make sure you read about 200 ohms. If not, fix this.

To use these speakers you will need to short the two negative terminals together. Then enjoy the music. You may have some additional back ground noise by defeating the resistive connection between channels but it shouldn't be serious.

-Chris

F1nut

Here is a solution to the common ground problem:

NO, NO, NO!!!

You can't use that Adcom amp as an example and apply it to the Levinson.

evhudsons

23 thousand posts tends to lead me to think it may be good advice from F1. My personal experience tells me that too. I don't know about the Levinson amp, but these guys do. It may be that your decision would be to get rid or amend the amp to fit the speakers, or to choose different speakers to match the amp.

I don't read into these posts like some of you do, the op in my opinion is asking a simple question which is majorly important and obviously came to the right place to get the right answer. To damage either amp or speaker in this case would just be terrible and is quite possible if misguided. I didn't get the sense he is bragging at all. Really.

OP, you came to the right place for that question. Welcome to Club Polk, and don't forget that you can't offer to sell anything until you get at least 100 posts in case you were thinking of getting rid of the amp to get the speakers.



-Everett

cstmar01

F1nut wrote: »

NO, NO, NO!!!

You can't use that Adcom amp as an example and apply it to the Levinson.

I just LOVE how he thinks that just because you can do it on an Adcom the ML can function the same. yet we are to trust his opinion when it comes to stuff because he "read something on the web".


Also Jesse asked the OP already in #6 if he had the tools needed in order to check if the amp is common ground. But no please, go ahead and advise to strap the negatives together. Please do so and then also be ready to pony up the cash when your advice kills an amp or speakers doing so.

I had SRS's. You NEED for SURE a common ground amp. END OF STORY. (or one that can have the negatives strapped without an adverse affect).

pitdogg2

Not all amps can be strapped at the negetive binding post. You'll need to contact the manufacture(Harmon) and ask for sure.

OP there're many highly skilled and knowledgable folks here and they have your best interest's at hand..... Some not so much.

Some need to understand before they offer advice as the advice given could do large dollar damage....:evil:

welcome to the club Polk and hang onto your wallet we''ll spend it better than you could.....

FTGV

Well the ML23 is contructed with a dual mono config. the schematic shows that both channels negative speaker outputs are connected directly to ground (non bridged) so strapping would be permissable.Disclaimer :While I 'm confident in my assessment I wave all responsibility and suggest it would be prudent to contact Harmon's tech staff to be absolutely certain.

headrott

cstmar01 wrote: »

I just LOVE how he thinks that just because you can do it on an Adcom the ML can function the same. yet we are to trust his opinion when it comes to stuff because he "read something on the web".


Also Jesse asked the OP already in #6 if he had the tools needed in order to check if the amp is common ground. But no please, go ahead and advise to strap the negatives together. Please do so and then also be ready to pony up the cash when your advice kills an amp or speakers doing so.

I had SRS's. You NEED for SURE a common ground amp. END OF STORY. (or one that can have the negatives strapped without an adverse affect).

This includes adverse effects on audio quality, which I'm sure you included but I wanted to make clear for posterity's sake.

unc2701

It is bridgeable, via the "strap the grounds and invert one input" method:
http://www.marklev.com/No23/om/_13.html


Therefore, it's common ground and will work with SDA speakers.

So: Connect the two negative terminals together with a small piece of speaker wire, then hook up your speakers as usual. (Note: do NOT follow the diagram linked above- that was just to demonstrate that the amp was, in fact, common ground).

nooshinjohn

unc2701 wrote: »

It is bridgeable, via the "strap the grounds and invert one input" method:
http://www.marklev.com/No23/om/_13.html


Therefore, it's common ground and will work with SDA speakers.

So: Connect the two negative terminals together with a small piece of speaker wire, then hook up your speakers as usual. (Note: do NOT follow the diagram linked above- that was just to demonstrate that the amp was, in fact, common ground).

This is wrong information, as this only shows the amp can be run in bridged MONO. What the op needs to do is bridge the negative terminals and run the amp in stereo, driving a four ohm load(assuming original SRS) Your diagram does not work for this case. It also does not prove the amp is common ground, only that the amp is bridgeable. I would NOT attempt this until asking the good folks from Levinson, as has been pointed out several times above.

unc2701

Please read my post.

Amps that can be run in bridge mono via this method have their negative terminals at ground potential. I CLEARLY noted that I was not suggesting that he should wire it as pictured.

Again:
If you can strap the negative terminals and feed an inverted signal to one channel to achieve a bridged-mono configuration that ALWAYS means that the amp will work with SDAs. In some situations, you may need to strap the negative terminals since while they might both be at ground potential, they might not be physically connected in the amp.

FTGV

nooshinjohn wrote: »

It also does not prove the amp is common ground...

To the contrary it proves that by strapping the negative outputs will make it common ground.