LSI 15 VS SDA 1C's.....

naturallight

I keep going over the cost to upgrade the 1C's, no matter how i cut it, it still costs me about 1K just to do the tweeters and the crossovers. Which i go to the Polk ebay site and i can get a pair of LSi 15's for less then that cost. Do i really want to pull the 1C's completely apart..spend all the money and time to do this...not really (at least money wise)



Now everybody on the site seems to say the LSi15's are the best for strait 2 channel stereo. They are just more "accurate" for music reproduction..at least on the mids and high end.

The down fall of the speaker seems to be in the bottom end. Even with the woofer upgrade to the different driver. Is this the "correct view on these speakers"...as i have never heard them.



I "assume" again that unmodified 1C's will not be as "accurate as the LSi 15's..but a modded set of 1C's..i'm not so sure. The bottom end is another story..The 1 C's have no problem, they can pretty much beat you silly...LOL



The 15's on the other hand...I'm not sure can even come close. If thats true, and to match the bottom end of the 1C's

you would need a sub with the LSi15's. for 2 channel stereo...Then not something i would want.



I don't know what the sound stage is like with the LSi15's. I have to "assume" there good, as there well respected speakers on here. I would have to give up the SDA "effect" so i would hope these speakers really sound great...LOL



Pretty much if the 15's, even with the upgraded driver..can't match the bottom end of the 1C's..the over all volume or room filling sound....then I pretty much have to give in, Just throw the 1c's on the bench, and start the upgrades.

EndersShadow

Give up and start the upgrade.

The LSi's with the woofer upgrade still wont dig as deep as the 1C's and honestly even unmodded 1C's are MUCH better at filling a room with sound than the LSi's.

The LSi's are good speakers (as I own a 5 channel setup of them) but I think your MUCH better off doing the 1C mod.

naturallight

well that didn't take long...LOL The basic answer is you really can't beat a set of SDA 1C's....



Well i have problem with one of my MW6511's....I will go to Polk and get a replacement..as long as it works fine...then i will start pulling the speakers apart.



The down side to all this wonderful upgrade money ...and NOT to put a damper on all this....what happens if Polk decides....it's NOT worth the money to make these drivers anymore??? No more MW's or RDO stuff???



Just to let you know, i called up every big rehab speaker place on the net to fix a MW6511.

NOBODY..and i mean Nobody would touch them...pretty much the answer was they can't reproduce the way the drivers were made..they didn't have the equipment. Don't know why, or what equipment they were talking about..but bottom line..they would not fix an MW6511.



Now..if i buy an MW6511 from Polk..and it works fine...I'm tempted to buy a bunch of them..just to leave in the box untouched in case of future failures in the speakers. From what i get..if you don't get them from Polk...nobody will fix them.



I'm not here to say anything bad..I'm just stating what i found out. Now Polk may keep making these drivers for years on end...I just don't know. But we are dealing with 1987 or around that time speakers.

To throw an easy 1K at 1987 speakers..when the drivers are not easily fixed by outside sorces....well...maybe not the greatest thing you can do.



I'm NOT saying this is bad or anything else...i don't understand, why nobody else will rehab these drivers.

Just makes me cringe at spending 1K on upgrades..for speakers i may not be able to fix in the future..thats all.

Toolfan66

This is why I have stock of the old driver's and RDO-198's. I have had my speakers for three years now and I have yet to need to use any of my stock parts..

I have also JB Welded the magnets so I really don't see these failing me anytime soon. Think about it they are already 20+ years old and still going strong..

I know some people hate this but I just waited for the right SDA's 15tl's 11tl's to come up cheap on craigslist with the right drivers and gutted them for extra parts:eek:. So be it it is done and I have no means of letting go of my SDA's any time soon. But if I ever need a part I will not have to hunt them down.. LOL!!!

leroyjr1

Polk Audio isn't the only company that makes good speakers. (Hint Hint)
Venture off and have fun.

Toolfan66

leroyjr1 wrote: »

Polk Audio isn't the only company that makes good speakers. (Hint Hint)
Venture off and have fun.

Agreed!! Totem is very high on my list I just love them. I do know one thing and that is my next set of speakers will be horns!!

But right now I am having too much fun modding the Camaro:twisted:. My audio has taken a back seat for a few..:razz:

naturallight

LMAO Toolfan i try and do the same thing..look for old speakers that have the same drivers i need, then i try and pick them up so i can take out the drivers...LOL

So far has not worked out to well...LOL


I'll give the Polk China made driver a shot...IF it works...great..if not..back to the rehab pile of used drivers...LOL


To be honest..if the Polk replacement dosen't work...then may be time to just say the SDA's have had there run(i've had them since new in 1987) May be time to just call it quits..and look for a better speaker.

EndersShadow

naturallight wrote: »

LMAO Toolfan i try and do the same thing..look for old speakers that have the same drivers i need, then i try and pick them up so i can take out the drivers...LOL

So far has not worked out to well...LOL


I'll give the Polk China made driver a shot...IF it works...great..if not..back to the rehab pile of used drivers...LOL


To be honest..if the Polk replacement dosen't work...then may be time to just say the SDA's have had there run(i've had them since new in 1987) May be time to just call it quits..and look for a better speaker.

Always fun to demo new speakers anyway.

I would see if there are any big meets near you like Rocky Mountain Audio fest in CO, the big Texas show, etc.

For me there is nothing close being in Indiana so its either fly to Texas, CO, or wherever the eastern big audio show is...

Systems

I do know one thing and that is my next set of speakers will be horns!!

They are hard to get away from once you get started.
I love horns.

leroyjr1

Toolfan66 wrote: »

Agreed!! Totem is very high on my list I just love them. I do know one thing and that is my next set of speakers will be horns!!

But right now I am having too much fun modding the Camaro:twisted:. My audio has taken a back seat for a few..:razz:

Also check out Sonus Fabers.

naturallight

I just had some major jaw surgery for wisdom teeth..my whole head and jaw is a mess..even my ears are messed. So i may not be able to go down and listen to music at any volume for at least 4 weeks.

I'm 60, so healing on this mess dose not come quickly.



At some point..I will spend the 40 bucks to get the Polk MW6511...IF it works the way i hope..then yes i will start throwing money at the upgrades. If it dose NOT work....at that point. I think i will just sell off all the speakers i have, plus some recording equipment. Then look for a used set of Legacy Focus speakers..which would probably be close to $2500.

Toolfan66

leroyjr1 wrote: »

Also check out Sonus Fabers.

I have and I love them as well:cool:

Systems

Horns (I have Klipsch) seem to respond more to speaker cables than most speakers I have.
If you get horns, do yourself a favor and check out the River Cable speaker cables.

Tried a many myself and always come back to the Flexygy's for horns.

I had the 8's and sold them (much remorse, wish I had never sold those).

Running the 6's now with horns, and love em.

8's:
http://www.rivercable.com/flexygy8.asp

6's:
http://www.rivercable.com/flexygy.asp

Smooth as silk on horn tweeters.
The 6's (smaller than the 8's) are effective 8.5 ga IIRC.

Listening to a pair as I type this.:cheesygrin:
Cheap used.

F1nut

it still costs me about 1K just to do the tweeters and the crossovers.

4 tweeters - $160.00
2 modded crossovers - about $300.00
Total - $460.00

Where did you come up with $1000.00?

Systems

F1nut wrote: »

4 tweeters - $160.00
2 modded crossovers - about $300.00
Total - $460.00

Where did you come up with $1000.00?

Add some for labor?
You know those "mod" guys aren't cheap!

naturallight

Yeah F1 the tweeters are 160..no problem...the crossovers..i've been told are $300 each..easy NOT for the pair. Now maybe this is wrong..I don't know..and my be depentent on what caps and resistors your dealing with.
To be blut i could not buy this stuff from Vr3 for 300 bucks for both speakers on a good day...so i'm not sure where your getting the dollor figure from?

naturallight

Not that i have anything against Sonus Farbers..But were dealing with about a $2500 buck used price. In a room that is 17x30. Now i like some decent bass. not over blown but just good bottom end. I just don't see in the used $2500 range that the Sonus can compete with the Legacy Focus...in that price range. I may be wrong..but how can you compete with 2 12' bass drivers..in some case 3 12" drivers...??



I play mostly classic rock, blues and symphony's which for the most part..require alot of bottom end

and very good bottom end. Not that the Sonus could not do it..but at the used price point..I don't see it.

F1nut

I'm basing the cost using tried and true Sonicaps and Mills without labor. Even for what I charge for that work, it's still not a grand.

Systems

naturallight wrote: »

Yeah F1 the tweeters are 160..no problem...the crossovers..i've been told are $300 each..easy NOT for the pair. Now maybe this is wrong..I don't know..and my be depentent on what caps and resistors your dealing with.
To be blut i could not buy this stuff from Vr3 for 300 bucks for both speakers on a good day...so i'm not sure where your getting the dollor figure from?

Rumor has it, pure hear-say mind you, that F1 is an ARTIST at modding said crossovers.
So he prolly knows what he is talking about.

That said I think there may be just a tad of costs for modding the crossovers, unless you do DIY them yourself which is a PITA (trust me).
On top of the costs for the components.

F1nut

I just don't see in the used $2500 range that the Sonus can compete with the Legacy Focus...in that price range.

Because sonically, anything from Sonus Faber is simply better than Legacy.

Systems

Oops, 2 minutes apart there Jesse on posts.
I have it from VERY reliable sources, you are being modest with your modding talent.:biggrin:

VERY, VERY NICE work from what I have heard, just saying.:cheesygrin:

Mike Reeter

I picked up a 6511 on ebay recently, perfect condition for $35. They do come up for sale once in a while. You just have to be patient, put one on a wish list on ebay, one will come up.

I've never had the pleasure of hearing the LSi15's just the LSi9's. I just don't see how the LSi line could hold up next to a pair of well modded pair of 1C's that are properly driven with some good gear.

naturallight

Sometimes F1..i just give up on your statements. When Vr3 tells me...it's going to cost more them $300 bucks for both speakers..i tend to believe him.



your blunt statement that Sonus Farber speakers are better then Legacy speakers...what is your basic fact for this??? You don't have either of these speakers, so why do you think one is better then the other.

I just don't get some of your statements................

halo71

naturallight wrote: »

...the crossovers..i've been told are $300 each..easy NOT for the pair.

naturallight wrote: »

...it's going to cost more them $300 bucks for both speakers..i tend to believe him.

So how much is it really? And how do you know he has not ab'd those speakers or owned them at one time or another? And please forgive me for the following observation. But I have noticed with your posts you tend to ask questions. Then when people give you advice you argue with them to a point. I don't understand your statements either sometimes.

nooshinjohn

Having had both speakers in my rig at the same time, there was a reason the lsi15's got moved to rear channel duty. They are a nice speaker but the 1c's beat them severely in every way possible.

PolkieMan

Sda1c $250
MW6510 Ebay $30
Polk Badge Ebay $5
Rdo-198 Tweeters $200
Gimpod crossover boards Sonic Caps Mills Mouser $415.00
$900.00

wayne3burk

I have to admit I was a bit put off to find out after having my 1Cs for 20 yrs that they were manufactured with substandard parts (sl200 silver dome tweets). For me a $460 upgrade to a $1500 pair of speakers seemed a little ..... steep.

So I sold my 1C studios and moved on to another pair of speakers, and another pair of speakers, and an another pair of speakers, an d finally to the pair of speakers I've settled on for the time being.

Speaker rolling as it were.

Wayne

Systems

And how do you know he has not ab'd those speakers or owned them at one time or another?

I think he probably has.
I can just see him sitting around counting his money (which takes all day BTW) A/B'ing both speakers!

naturallight

The fact the some one gave me a price of doing the X overs for a set of 1C's..is over $500...thats fine. It may be well worth it....$300 bucks for both speakers dose not seem to be in the picture.



The fact F1 likes Sonus, far more then Legacy speakers..well thats fine. He did not say WHY he likes them, If your dealing with a used price of $2500...i'm not sure a set of used Sonus can compete with a set of Legacy Focus type speakers ..to fill a room that is 17 X30.



I may be way wrong on this,,,but he did not say WHY he like the speakers better or that he has heard both....

I'm not here to throw MY opinion on any body..nore "assume" i'm right on anything.

But if F1 feels that, on these speakers..I would like to know why...thats all.

michael1947

I'm sorry to hear about your wisdom teeth and related dental paid. You are likely still under some negative influence from the procedure...I can feel it in your writing. I'm 66 and I know how hard it is to bounce back.
I just saw your woofer on ebay for either 30 or 35 bucks. buy it. put your speakers back together and listen to them.
We all get a little hyped up reading on the forum about all of the latest new gear and the endless modifications you can do to them but in the end if what you have sounds good, stick with it. I have 3 sets of SDA's one modded and 2 original and the all sound absolutely astonishing. I'll admit the re-tweetered and capped ones sound best but they all sound astonishing.

Now, if what you really want is something new and shiny then go for it. It's a wide open market but I find polk to offer the best value. I like new and pretty and as great as the 'ole SDA's sound I think all of them are just butt ugly. You will need to spend 1.5k to 3k for the pretty new polk lsim series but I hear they are very nice so let's keep going forward here. Buy the 35 buck woofer, fix the SDA's, if you still like them keep them if not sell and keep going. Lots of luck

Conradicles

michael1947 wrote: »

I'm sorry to hear about your wisdom teeth and related dental paid. You are likely still under some negative influence from the procedure...I can feel it in your writing. I'm 66 and I know how hard it is to bounce back.
I just saw your woofer on ebay for either 30 or 35 bucks. buy it. put your speakers back together and listen to them.
We all get a little hyped up reading on the forum about all of the latest new gear and the endless modifications you can do to them but in the end if what you have sounds good, stick with it. I have 3 sets of SDA's one modded and 2 original and the all sound absolutely astonishing. I'll admit the re-tweetered and capped ones sound best but they all sound astonishing.

Now, if what you really want is something new and shiny then go for it. It's a wide open market but I find polk to offer the best value. I like new and pretty and as great as the 'ole SDA's sound I think all of them are just butt ugly. You will need to spend 1.5k to 3k for the pretty new polk lsim series but I hear they are very nice so let's keep going forward here. Buy the 35 buck woofer, fix the SDA's, if you still like them keep them if not sell and keep going. Lots of luck

Well said.