SDA Mod Break-in
deronb1
Posts: 5,021
It seems like the new caps and tweets on my 2Bs are nearly broken in. Nice lows and highs, but the mids (vocals) are not quite there yet. Just a bit veiled and not like my RTA 8Ts were. Is it common for the vocals to be the last thing to round out? I know there are a lot of caps to break in, but hoping the vocals will get there in time.
Post edited by deronb1 on
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Normal burn in is approx 200 to 250 hrs... But they should open up- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Normal burn in is approx 200 to 250 hrs... But they should open up
Thanks Trey. I don't have near that many hours on them yet. My wife works 3rd, so my listening time is limited. Maybe after the first of the year :cheesygrin: -
Generally, during break in they will get worse for a stretch, but then they will get better. It's just part of the break in cycle, so don't get discouraged. Just keep playing them and one day you'll say "wow, that's what everyone is talking about"
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! -
Generally, during break in they will get worse for a stretch, but then they will get better. It's just part of the break in cycle, so don't get discouraged. Just keep playing them and one day you'll say "wow, that's what everyone is talking about"
H9
I'm not really discouraged. Just impatient I guess :redface: They do sound good, but I miss the imaging from the 8Ts. A fair trade off though for the enormous soundstage that the SDAs give. -
When I first started listening to my SDA SRS1.2s after installing modified crossovers from Vr3 Mods, I wrote the following to Trey:I finished reassembling the right channel speaker today, and I've been listening for an hour or so.
First reactions are that the sound stage is generally more expansive (higher, broader and deeper), location of vocalists and instruments is more precise. Bass is tremendous; high frequency vocals and instrumentals are clearer and cleaner, and timbre throughout the frequency range is more realistic. Transients are faster and cleaner.
The most surprising difference is in the amplitude. Volume adjustment on my preamp is 00-59 (-95dB to +18dB, with 47 being 0dB). Before the mods I listened to Yo-Yo Ma's "Yo-Yo Ma & Friends" at 18-22; this afternoon the music was clear and complete all the way down to 04, and it was enjoyable for me (not my wife) at 22-24.
I'm wondering what they will sound like as the system gets broken in after several weeks of inactivity!
That was on 29 October. Now, more than a month later, I can only say that I get more and more pleasure from the improvements in my speakers as they have more and more run time. I have not experienced any period in the process during which the sound seemed "to revert" to lesser performance. During the first couple of weeks of listening the improvements were such that during a listening session of four or more hours, say, I could hear the sound opening up as I listened.
I would say -- purely subjectively -- that the vocals opened up more slowly than any other component of the sound, but the clarity, presence and power of the bass were a close second. It is difficult to isolate the causes of any or all the improvements in the performance of my speakers. I made so many changes at one time and did not run any "control" activities. I just installed, connected and started to enjoy -- being the impatient sybarite that I am.
Trey replaced the crossover boards, their connectors, capacitors, inductors and resistors; the SDA inductor and wiring, the binding posts, and the SDA jack, plugs and cables to my Dreadnought. He did great work, kept me informed about progress and options, and returned the crossovers and binding post cups promptly in safely!
While he was doing his work, I replaced the SL2000s with RD0194s, removed a lot of excess polyfill and some egg-crate foam that had been installed in the speakers, replaced the polyfill with AccoustaStuf, applied Black Hole 5 to the sides and back of the inside walls of the cabinets in the tweeter/MW areas, applied Dynamat Xtreme to the MWs and PRs, applied JB Weld to the MWs, and repaired damage that was done to the right speaker's baffle when the PR had been removed to install the egg-crate foam before I purchased these speakers, cut new gaskets for the PRs from 1/4" neoprene, installed the new SDA inductor on the bracket below the crossover opening, and installed Larry's rings for the tweeters, MWs, and PRs.
So, I can't say which mods are causing which improvements in sonic performance -- of course, it is the sum of all -- but I can say unequivocally that the mods are very much worth doing! I probably have about 150-200 hours on the modified speakers at this point, and I'm very happy and getting happier! Now, I'm looking for more music to buy! :biggrin:Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One. -
Great post and kinda mirrors what I am experiencing. I plan on doing other diy mods in time, just waiting for break-in for now.
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Excellent write up!
The burn in on capacitors and such is CRAZY so I am glad you are enjoying the burn in process!
Keep me posted Phil!
- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Great post and kinda mirrors what I am experiencing. I plan on doing other diy mods in time, just waiting for break-in for now.
Vr3 Mods (Trey) will soon finish crossover, binding post cup, and SDA cable/connector mods for my SDA 1Cs. I've got all the mods I did on the SRSs already finished for the 1Cs (except I didn't have to repair any damage or remove excess damping materials).
I also have to complete assembly of a second Dreadnought to use with the 1Cs, even though I don't have to use one with the Perreaux PMF3150 with which I drive them. While the SRSs were down for modification, I used their Dreadnought with the 1Cs, and the improvement was palpable.
I'm anxiously waiting to get my ears on these mod'd speakers, too. I've owned them since I purchased them new in 1989 or 1990, and I've always loved their sound. Before I pulled the crossovers and sent them to Trey, I installed new RD0194s just to get a taste of their performance (I had not yet heard them in the SRSs). This single mod produced remarkable results. I have every hope that Trey's great work, Larry's rings, Dynamat Xtreme, Black Hole 5, etc., will kick up the performance of the 1Cs another couple of notches!
Happy mod'ing! :biggrin:Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One.
