Just ordered the RDO 194's SDA1B's look out!!

tophatjohnny

Ordered them around 5PM tonight, so might take a few days to get here?? What is the true break in time, and what should I expect to be different?? Meaning, if I really like the sound of the SL2000's, will I love the 94's?? Hope so, as 4 of the 94's are a few$$!! I look forward to the change and as little as these 1B's were used in their history, I hope the change WoW's me....at least a little??

Another question......has anyone had experience changing out just one tweeter per side and kept the SL2000's as the mate to the RDO 194?? My thinking is that might give the best of the both?? I know.."try it, you might like it" so asking before I do something stupid again, like trying to use my old SDA 2B's along with my CRS+'s at the same time. Man I wanted that to work, and as I was told from f1nut..it wont work,, and of course..he was right (always is as far as I'm concerned) so probably a bad idea to combine the tweets and may not even waste my time trying, if someone has done it and can say..NOT!! This will be the first upgrade I've done to these minty babies, besides getting the Parasound HCA1200II amp, and that alone made a night and day difference in the sound. Remember.. I like it somewhat loud!! With that in mind, I think I have to keep it somewhat softer with the new tweets for a spell... am I right?? And if so, how long will it be before I can crank it up a little??. I have adjusted my listening pleasure to be not so painful (who likes that?) to just a nice ooMPh kick, so I am flexible, as not to damage my gear! Thanks in advance for any wisdom here!

THJ

Toolfan66

Don't over think it. Hook them up and enjoy, let the change come as it comes. One day you will sit there and go damn these sound extra sweet tonight..

F1nut

has anyone had experience changing out just one tweeter per side and kept the SL2000's as the mate to the RDO 194?? My thinking is that might give the best of the both??

I did one RD0198-1 per 2.3TL at first. The next day I ordered the rest. So my suggestion, don't even bother there's nothing good about the SL2000 and it's much worse than the SL3000.

PolkieMan

2.3tls, I had two SL3000 burned out so I got two (198s) to replace those and then I thought go ahead and do the other four so next month 2 more then next month the last 2 so it took me 3 months.
1C, on the SL2000 they were fine but after listening to everybody ranting on about the 194's I ordered all four at one time and put them all in when they were delivered, sounds much better. I think you will be happy with them all the same.

tophatjohnny

F1nut wrote: »

I did one RD0198-1 per 2.3TL at first. The next day I ordered the rest. So my suggestion, don't even bother there's nothing good about the SL2000 and it's much worse than the SL3000.

Thanks Jesse. I was hoping you would have tried something like this. Out with the SL2000's and in with the RDO194's!

PolkieMan wrote: »

2.3tls, I had two SL3000 burned out so I got two (198s) to replace those and then I thought go ahead and do the other four so next month 2 more then next month the last 2 so it took me 3 months.
1C, on the SL2000 they were fine but after listening to everybody ranting on about the 194's I ordered all four at one time and put them all in when they were delivered, sounds much better. I think you will be happy with them all the same.

Looking forward to it. Thanks and will update once I have them in. Still, no one commenting on break in time, and what levels to play them once they are installed?? I'm sure I'll use common sense, but if someone has suggestions as to volume levels on new tweets, I'd love to hear them! Thanks PolkieMan!

littlewoodboats

When I did the swap in my 2A's it was suggested that break in was around 200 hours with some estimates as high as 300.

They get worse before they get better so do not freak out if you notice something funny. Mine sounded great right out of the box. Next morning they sounded like they were playing through wet sponge. I used my tuner for the source during break in played at what would be considered a low level.

Malbec

Don't think of burn in time as something you have to ride out x number of hours till you get good sound. The improvement with the 194's is immediate. The moment I swapped out the tweeters in my 1c's I was really surprised how much better and more enjoyable they were to listen to. Especially with female vocals.

gudnoyez

Are you upgrading your crossovers first prior to installation or without? How you liking that Parasound?

TennMan

Malbec wrote: »

Don't think of burn in time as something you have to ride out x number of hours till you get good sound. The improvement with the 194's is immediate. The moment I swapped out the tweeters in my 1c's I was really surprised how much better and more enjoyable they were to listen to. Especially with female vocals.

I agree with that. I installed mine and they sounded good right out of the box. I never heard them get worse before they got better. They are a better sounding tweeter than the sl2000 period. Now I could be wrong about this because I was burning in the tweeters at the same time I was burning in the spikes I installed on my listening chair. I was using Budweiser and Kentucky Fried Chicken as a catalyst to speed up the burn in process. The Budweiser seems to be working wonders to make the speakers sound better. The jury is still out on the chair spikes. To confirm my findings I'm going to get more Budweiser and KFC today, put some spikes on that beer cooler, and run another test

Malbec

TennMan, I like your methodology!

teekay0007

tophatjohnny wrote: »

I'm sure I'll use common sense

Yeah, sure you will! :rolleyes:

tophatjohnny

gudnoyez wrote: »

Are you upgrading your crossovers first prior to installation or without? How you liking that Parasound?

The 1B's I have were not used very much in their history, (after talking to the original owner) this leaves me to think that I will just enjoy them as they sit (with the exception of the tweeters) for a few years and live with that! I got the Parasound HCA1200II hooked up and that made a big difference. I'll report my take on the tweeters once I change them out. I also ordered some common sense from TK but I hear he's a slow shipper

PolkieMan

Yea just remember they are not PA speakers, besides you said you did not want to spend anymore money on them :cheesygrin:
I figure around March or April (tax refund) you will be ready to do the crossovers. The new caps and resistors are just better technology and quality and more accurate even if yours could be new.

tophatjohnny wrote: »

The 1B's I have were not used very much in their history, (after talking to the original owner) this leaves me to think that I will just enjoy them as they sit (with the exception of the tweeters) for a few years and live with that! I got the Parasound HCA1200II hooked up and that made a big difference. I'll report my take on the tweeters once I change them out. I also ordered some common sense from TK but I hear he's a slow shipper

tophatjohnny

PolkieMan wrote: »

Yea just remember they are not PA speakers, besides you said you did not want to spend anymore money on them :cheesygrin:
I figure around March or April (tax refund) you will be ready to do the crossovers. The new caps and resistors are just better technology and quality and more accurate even if yours could be new.

I hope March or April of 2015-maybe 16!! the Gov doesn't hold my money, they take it!! Keeping my fingers crossed I like it just like this!!

OldmanSRS

TennMan,
You crack me up.

TennMan

OldmanSRS wrote: »

TennMan,
You crack me up.

Gotta have a little fun every now and then. :biggrin:

jim 249

PolkieMan wrote: »

2.3tls, I had two SL3000 burned out so I got two (198s) to replace those and then I thought go ahead and do the other four so next month 2 more then next month the last 2 so it took me 3 months.
1C, on the SL2000 they were fine but after listening to everybody ranting on about the 194's I ordered all four at one time and put them all in when they were delivered, sounds much better. I think you will be happy with them all the same.

I am going to do the same. I will start with two 198's and put them in the top spot. Then every month or so order two more until all six are changed out. Did you install your first two in the top spot? If so, how much change could you hear?

tophatjohnny

jim 249 wrote: »

I am going to do the same. I will start with two 198's and put them in the top spot. Then every month or so order two more until all six are changed out. Did you install your first two in the top spot? If so, how much change could you hear?

That's all fine as wine, but keeping my bad boys with tweets from the same batch was important to me, so if i was in that$$situation, I'd save my dough and get the matching set all at once. I was only talking about one at a time for experimental purposes, and Jesse cleared that up already. Thanks goodness for his bad self!!