LSiM 707 VS SDA speakers

rromeo923 · March 2013

I have fully modded (or damn close) SDA 1C's. They are amazing speakers. I have about $1000 into them.
I have heard LSIM 707's and they are amazing speakers. I think the 707's are better. However the 1C's are much cheaper. Both great speakers.
That being said I have had moments with the 1C's where I can't imagine any other speaker sounding better.

heiney9 · March 2013

F1nut wrote: »

I strongly suggest that you do all the mods available to your 1C's as the results will amaze you.

This couldn't be MORE TRUE. Even if in the end you prefer the newer 707's, you will atleast know what an older speaker like the 1C's are actually capable of.

H9

chandler9a · March 2013

If you can find a pair of 1.2TL's and have the room, I would go for them over the 707's... Any day of the week. I was just listening to them last night, a new blue grass album I picked up, It literally felt like I was in the front row of the concert.

BUT, as mentioned above, you should first mod those 1Cs. You will not regret the improvements in sound.

naturallight · March 2013

Thanks guys for the info. Altho i'm a big Polk fan..I think the 707's are not my cup of tea sorta speak. They are just too much money for me, even on the Ebay site...Plus there not SDA stuff.

I will just buy parts and pieces as i can afford them for the SDA upgrades. If i ever find a set of 1.2 TL's...close by...then i will make all attempts to buy them....LOL But again thats pretty much like winning the lottery..at least around here....LOL

heiney9 · March 2013

What about the sound of the 707's didn't you like?

H9

naturallight · March 2013

H9..the 707's are really far too much cost wise for me..even on the ebay site, Since most of the guys say, modded SDA's "crush" them..not something i want to spend money on.

Since there NOT SDA type speakers,,thats not a great thing for me...I have not heard them and can't say if there great or not, but since there is no way i could afford them..whats the point??

naturallight · March 2013

H9...I also know what the SDA1C's sound like...LOL I've had them since new in 1980 whatever.

I have moved them to a number of different houses, and played them in totally different rooms..i know exactly what they sound like in different size rooms. I have, but never care to play these at low volume.

Now granted..in a small room say 12x12 and you play them at low volume...they will work fine..as your sitting probably less then 7 feet from them at most...and thats great..it will work. Now granted most people don't play these speakers really loud...I do. and always have. But i will tell you if you put them in a large room....where that can open up...thats another ballgame.

If i could find a set of 1.2 TL's..and put them in my basement...LMAO Plus if i cranked them to say 11 o'clock....I would probably be beeten to death....LOL Thats about as far as you want to go on just the 1C's with most new cd's...LOL The 1.2TL's im not sure you could even push that far.

thsmith · March 2013

F1nut wrote: »

I strongly suggest that you do all the mods available to your 1C's as the results will amaze you.

worth repeating.

naturallight · March 2013

No i agree 100%,,just a question of when i get the money to do it...LOL

Toolfan66 · March 2013

naturallight wrote: »

H9...I also know what the SDA1C's sound like...LOL I've had them since new in 1980 whatever.

I have moved them to a number of different houses, and played them in totally different rooms..i know exactly what they sound like in different size rooms. I have, but never care to play these at low volume.

Now granted..in a small room say 12x12 and you play them at low volume...they will work fine..as your sitting probably less then 7 feet from them at most...and thats great..it will work. Now granted most people don't play these speakers really loud...I do. and always have. But i will tell you if you put them in a large room....where that can open up...thats another ballgame.

If i could find a set of 1.2 TL's..and put them in my basement...LMAO Plus if i cranked them to say 11 o'clock....I would probably be beeten to death....LOL Thats about as far as you want to go on just the 1C's with most new cd's...LOL The 1.2TL's im not sure you could even push that far.

1990??

naturallight · March 2013

No this set was made in 1987 if you want the true date..i was just putting a about date on it.

leroyjr1 · March 2013

Here's some 1.2tl's for you.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/ele/3675305688.html

nooshinjohn · March 2013

I think this guy lives in the fantasy Island neighborhood. Way overpriced by at least 3500.00...

ZLTFUL · March 2013

And I was just thinking to myself...self...well...cause that's what I call myself...self, I wonder where we can find ourselves a set of SDAs for WAY more than original retail.

And then BAM!!!! Here they are.

Moose68Bash · March 2013

ZLTFUL wrote: »

And I was just thinking to myself...self...well...cause that's what I call myself...self, I wonder where we can find ourselves a set of SDAs for WAY more than original retail.

And then BAM!!!! Here they are.

So, you call yourself "self," too.

I hope we don't get each other confused!

cnh · March 2013

Agreed. some upgrades are in order. And listening to "both" as well. I've heard the LSI-Ms and they are a great set of towers but physics is "against" them when it comes to the SLAM of a set of 1.2TLs (I mean seriously, a speaker bigger than an average person and a 185 lbs. with all those drivers and the SDA effect--that's just monster class). Of course, they need some ROOM to breathe!

But hearing is believing!

cnh

heiney9 · March 2013

naturallight wrote: »

H9..the 707's are really far too much cost wise for me..even on the ebay site, Since most of the guys say, modded SDA's "crush" them..not something i want to spend money on.

Since there NOT SDA type speakers,,thats not a great thing for me...I have not heard them and can't say if there great or not, but since there is no way i could afford them..whats the point??

Ok it's one thing to say you not interested because of cost, but entirely another to say they aren't for you when you've never heard them. As far as modded SDA's "crushing" them that's personal opinion and I doubt they get spanked. They are apples and oranges. SDA's have their weaknesses and strengths just like I'm sure the 707's do.

I guess I got irritated because you started a thread about which one would be better for you only to find you can never afford them, so yeah, what's the point of this thread to begin with?

H9

michael1947 · March 2013

I guess I got irritated because you started a thread about which one would be better for you only to find you can never afford them, so yeah, what's the point of this thread to begin with?

H9[/QUOTE]

I feel the same way, and I feel you covered the same ground way too often. If you have some interest in some "Original" SDA-SRS 1.2's I have an extra set I just acquired last fall and could transport to the Chicago area. I don't think I can put a price here without violation of the rules. If you have interest, PM me.

zingo · March 2013

The biggest positive to me for newer speakers verses vintage Polks is the speed and detail. Listening to modded SDAs and LSi15s back to back, the LSis could resolve difficult and busy music better without sounding muddy. That's why I gave them up despite the huge sound stage and very musical presentation.

Loud & Clear · March 2013

Yeah, I wouldn't just assume you'll prefer one over the other. Depends on what you're after. With the SDAs you'll get the massive 3D soundstage and huge, visceral deep bass. With the LSiMs you'll get greater transparency, presence, accuracy and subtle textures.

Conradicles · March 2013

Loud & Clear wrote: »

Yeah, I wouldn't just assume you'll prefer one over the other. Depends on what you're after. With the SDAs you'll get the massive 3D soundstage and huge, visceral deep bass. With the LSiMs you'll get greater transparency, presence, accuracy and subtle textures.

I just got done with the LSiM 703 demo and also got a new set of SDA 2.3TL. Your comments are spot on. Exactly my thoughts.

F1nut · March 2013

Conradicles wrote: »

I just got done with the LSiM 703 demo and also got a new set of SDA 2.3TL. Your comments are spot on. Exactly my thoughts.

I preferred my modded 2.3TL's, by a large margin, over the 703's in all areas of performance.

naturallight · March 2013

H9....I may have been a tad over the top when i said i could not afford the 707. Right now the house is sucking me dry, which is driving me nuts. If i can afford a few mods for the 1C's i'm lucky. But next year is a different story. The prices have gone down on them on the ebay site and may be even less next year, so it's probably well within the realm.

The deal is, i have already tried a number of the new "tower" offerings form other companies including Polk. The problem is i just don't like them that much. The stuff from Klipsch, JBL, Axiom, and a set of RTi12's. Now they may be a tad more "accurate" in some area's, i'm not sure transparent is a good word, maybe more focused. The klipsch and JBL's tend to be more "fatiguing"

And would probably be better served with a tube power amp. The Axiom is not a bad speaker, but not a great speaker. The RTi12's were in fact the least "fatiguing" speaker of the bunch. Which may be do to just the massive size of the speaker and the fact the tweeter sits so high.

I play these speakers for a while, then i put the SDA's back in play. You are pretty much immediately hit with the fact the SDA's are more open and airy speakers. Then if you put on a CD' which really shows off the SDA "effect" then you just pack up the other speakers and send them back. Not that the 707's could not be far better then the "towers" i have tried so far..they may well be. But as you said, your comparing apples to oranges..so far i'm just liking the oranges way more.

Dawgfish · March 2013

As a former owner of RTi12s and current owner of LSiMs I can honestly say the two speakers don't belong in the same sentence (other than both being Polks). The LSiMs do everything for music better period except for maybe bass extension. The amount of bass extension my 703s do put out is pretty astounding for a bookshelf speaker. I've had towers that the 703 puts to shame in this regard. I'm sure the 705s and 707s would be even better.

Like I said earlier I used to own a pair of SDA-1Cs and I currently own a modded set of SRS 2s and a set of CRSs. The SRS 2s to me are better than the 1Cs in stock form. I'm not knocking the 1Cs but praising the SRS 2s. To me they represent the perfect size/performance ratio since I don't have a room big enough for the SRSs, 1.2s, or 2.3s.

Having said that I like the combo of my 703s plus REL sub just as much as my SRS 2s. I don't need the sub with the 703s, I just like that little last bit of oomph since I was used to SDA level bass. I have my REL sub crossed over at 40 hz. and have the volume level set at 1/3 and it integrates perfectly. It does not sound like I have a sub in the mix at all. The 703s have at least as much bass as the CRSs to my ears, maybe a little more.

One of these days when I finally have a chance to make it back to GA for more than a couple of days I'm going to have to meet up with you and bring over my 703s so you can hear them for yourself. I wouldn't be so quick to discount the LSiMs till you have a chance to hear them for yourself. You may still prefer the SDAs after hearing them, but at least you will know. The LSiMs do some things better than the SDAs and vice versa, but don't automatically think you will like the SDAs better bassed on past speakers you have had. The LSiMs are in a different league alltogether from the speakers you mentioned and they really do deserve a listen before you automatically write them off. I'm just saying..................

heiney9 · March 2013

Naturalight I'm a home owner myself so believe me I know what you mean. If you can swing it spend the $$$$ to mod ur 1C's. You will be blown away

naturallight · March 2013

Dawg..i'm not saying the 12's are in a class of the 707's..I just said there the least offensive as far as being "fatiguing".....The other speakers were not the cheap stuff..they were the "reference" class type but ..i hate to say bright.. but too much for me. With tube amps..maybe not. They were in alot of cases better then the 12's..but too much for me.

The deal is there now sitting in a large 17x 30 foot room. Once you bring the SDA's back into play..again the sound is open and airy..and just hard to beat. The sound from the towers is too..maybe focused for my liking..to direct..i guess bottom line..they just don't give you that open and airy feel the SDA's do. I've gone thru 4 sets of speakers, altho there nice....bottom line i guess there just not SDA's or can give me the sound of SDA's.

naturallight · March 2013

To be blut..my useless opinon on the "new" tower speakers is not very good at all. Be it Polk or anybody else.

My opinion on tower speakers...and let me state here and now..this is only MY opinon, before everybody goes nuts. These are compromise speakers to me.

They are nice looking and made to be "wife" friendly and maybe look better then the massive speakers of yeastier year. Since HT is the "in" thing..thats fine..they work sitting next to the tv.

Do they sound like the speakers of yeastier year..well they may be some what more "accurate" in some respects, and if you sit closer to them..they sound fine in a smaller room. Do they come close to the massive size speakers in a large room...not even close. Lets face it...these speakers are at max less then 12" wide and most are a lot less..and use maybe 8" drivers. This is all nice and well and with the new technology used to try and make them sound good..thats great.

BUT..back when Stereo was Stereo and your TV was 19 " that sat in another room. You had nothing but tube amps, tube preamp and Turntables...THAT was STEREO.......LOL

My father had a MASSIVE set of Bozak speakers. They were at least 3 feet wide by 3 feet high and at least 2 and a half feet deep if not more. (custom made for him)They were powered with 100watt tube mono blocks, a tube pre amp and an AR turntable. Each speaker had 2 -12's 4 tweeters and a mid range..I'm not sure of the sizes on the mid but think it was a 5" They sat in a 25X30 room.

You could sit in the back of the room, put on Live Cream and think you were in the Fillmore.

If he put on the 1812..the cannon fire..sounded like REAL cannons..and if you had a weak heart could give you a heart attack. It would shake the hole house..you could feel it every were.

That my Friends is what real old school STEREO sounds like..the SDA SRS 1.2TL may be close to that...so probably what i'm going for. You pretty much can't put the new "supposedly" better towers up against a speaker that is massive in size, in a large room..i don't see how they can win at all, unless you sit near field and don't play them too loud.

Let me state again..this is ONLY MY opinion on this and MY feelings on stereo speakers...nothing more.

nooshinjohn · March 2013

Just wait until I get the SRS/M's hooked up.

DarqueKnight · March 2013

F1nut wrote: »

I preferred my modded 2.3TL's, by a large margin, over the 703's in all areas of performance.

I preferred my modded and hotrodded 1.2TL's by a huge margin over the 703's and 707's I auditioned at the last Polkfest. I took three burned CD's of reference tracks to the auditions. The 703's had more defined and tighter bass...and a little more clarity, and I can definitely say that the 703's and 707's are fine speakers for the money, but neither came close to my 1.2TL's in any aspect of performance.

After the first day's Polkfest activities were over, a Polk employee was kind enough to allow me an extended listening session. Throughout the session I pointed out differences (sound quality losses) in detail, imaging, tactile sensation, etc. that I was accustomed to hearing, and feeling, on familiar recordings.

naturallight wrote: »

The SDA's were never made for HT stuff....they were a strait up 2 channel stereo speaker.

But my SDA SRS's do an excellent job of contributing to a seamless tall and wide wall of sound across the my HT's front stage.

leroyjr1 wrote: »

IMO the only advantage the SDA's have over the lsim's is the soundstage everything else I think the M's do better.

Stock SDA's vs. LSiM's, the LSiM's would win in every area except bass extension, imaging and tactile sensation.

Properly modded SDA's with appropriate high current amplification vs. LSiM's, The LSiM's would be crushed.

F1nut wrote: »

I strongly suggest that you do all the mods available to your 1C's as the results will amaze you.

nooshinjohn wrote: »

My 1.2TL's also see double duty as fronts for my ht and for stereo use. They are amazing speakers, and well worth the search and waiting for. Having heard the 707's go head to head with a pair of modded 2.3TL's and the legendary SRT's, I can honestly say that in every way except pinpoint image accuracy, the 2.3TL's crushed the other two. The TL's seemed to do everything right.

I have found pinpoint accuracy to be greatly affected by amplifier quality and power and by AC power quality.

nooshinjohn wrote: »

I think this guy lives in the fantasy Island neighborhood. Way overpriced by at least 3500.00...

Sometimes, when SDA's have a ridiculous price like this, the seller really doesn't want to sell, he is just offering them to appease his wife...yet pricing them so they won't sell.

zingo wrote: »

The biggest positive to me for newer speakers verses vintage Polks is the speed and detail. Listening to modded SDAs and LSi15s back to back, the LSis could resolve difficult and busy music better without sounding muddy. That's why I gave them up despite the huge sound stage and very musical presentation.

Have you had an opportunity to compare modded SDA's to LSi's?

Loud & Clear wrote: »

Yeah, I wouldn't just assume you'll prefer one over the other. Depends on what you're after. With the SDAs you'll get the massive 3D soundstage and huge, visceral deep bass. With the LSiMs you'll get greater transparency, presence, accuracy and subtle textures.

I get all of the above with my modded SDA's.

Dawgfish · March 2013

I've been questioning to myself why this post was even posted in the first place. The OP asks about comparing LSiMs and SDAs for a possible future purchase, but already has their mind made up that they would like the SDAs better. Nothing wrong with getting peoples opinion on things, but why even ask about those opinions if your opinion is already set in stone. I love SDAs too and always will but I like to hear things from a different speaker everynow and then for a different perspective. Again the hard part Im having with this post is wandering just why in the world you would be interested in getting other peoples opinions on the two speakers if you already have your mind made up which one you would prefer and argue against any pros for the other speaker. In just doesn't make any cense unless you are just trying to validate your opinion on the matter with other members of the board. It's always best to let your own ears be the ultimate judge. Anyways, anyway you slice it it sounds like the best option for you is modding your SDAs (and a damn good one at that).

LSiM 707 VS SDA speakers

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