What's wrong with SDA-2?

audiomagnate

I'm picking up a pair this weekend (I hope, I haven't heard from seller in a few days) and have been reading some negative comments about this model. I love the way they look; very similar to Vandy 2Cs and they seem to use well respected drivers. What gives?

EDIT: I still don't even have a photo of what I'm buying. Which model uses the the sock type grilles with end caps like the Vandys, the 2 or the 2a? If they're conventional style with vinyl I will be bummed.They're supposedly in great shape and function perfectly. I'm going to have to make a 250 mile round trip pilgrimage to close this deal. I hope they're worth it.

bluecomet

Which model of the SDA 2 are you referring to. There are various models. SDA 2's are very well respected here especially the 2A and 2B models.

Mystery

audiomagnate wrote: »

...have been reading some negative comments about this model. I love the way they look; very similar to Vandy 2Cs and they seem to use well respected drivers. What gives?

EDIT: I still don't even have a photo of what I'm buying. Which model uses the the sock type grilles with end caps like the Vandys, the 2 or the 2a?

Okay... 1st it's not negative but a comparison against other versions like 2, 2A, 2B.
None of them are bad speakers but 2B's are liked by most and are upgradable to TL version with new RDO198 tweeters.
There are few who attempted TLing 2A versions also.

Here is a picture of my 2B's without grills on the right: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=77947&d=1354634377
None of the Polks use sock like Vandy's.
2B's have front grills and side panels wrapped in cloth but back is open, no cloth there.
Here is a pic with grills on: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=78034&d=1354818821
And here are pics of sides and all around:

I have Vandy 1's and Polk 2B's are much bigger/heavier than them. May be Vandy 2C's are bigger than 1's.

BlueFox

I have the 2B with the cloth grills on the side. The manufacturing process used a bead of glue down each side to hold the grills on, and over time, they all warped, and came off. Due to the warping, it was impossible to get them to stay on. The process used to hold the cloth on the grills was also subpar, and the cloth has come off a few of the grills. This is from the strenuous job of standing in one place in my living room. Sound wise they worked pretty good, with a decent SDA effect.

audiomagnate

I'm pretty sure they're the original SDA-2. That's what he told me over the phone when I had him go check the model number. I have been asking for photos for two days now and he keeps putting me off. I don't want to bug him to the point where he cancels the deal, but I'm very curious as to what I have committed to buy.

TennMan

audiomagnate wrote: »

I'm pretty sure they're the original SDA-2. That's what he told me over the phone when I had him go check the model number. I have been asking for photos for two days now and he keeps putting me off. I don't want to bug him to the point where he cancels the deal, but I'm very curious as to what I have committed to buy.

You have every right to bug him if he isn't providing information on what you're buying. It's your money that is being spent and you who will have to drive to get them. If it were me and he wouldn't send a photo of what he has for sale I would look elsewhere.

Mystery

audiomagnate wrote: »

I'm pretty sure they're the original SDA-2.

Original SDA-2's have two tweeters in each cabinet so at least confirm that.
Later version like 2B's only have one tweeter.

Regardless, a hundy for SDA's is great price if all drivers are working.

audiomagnate

I just got an email from him. He will send photos this evening and he's good to go for a pickup in a town in between us, Silverton Colorado. He claims they work, but testing them in a parking lot will be tough. I will have to go by visuals, pushing the drivers in and out to make sure they're not frozen, and my trusty VOM. Gas will be around $40, but it's a beautiful drive on Highway 550. I'll spend the night outside of Ridgway at my buddies place, who happens to be an audiophile. I will compare them to his Sonus Faber Cremonas if they work.

Mystery

You can't test tweeter like that pushing in/out.

Take a small DC to AC converter like this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tripp-Lite-PV-150-Tripp-Lite-DC-To-AC-Power-Inverter-150-Watts-Continuous-Single-Outlet/3910265
And a small receiver and some speaker wires to test.
That'll be enough to confirm all drivers and tweeters produce sound.
Just be careful not to play with volume knob and keep your car running while receiver is hooked up.

Also, didn't see if they have IC cable or not. If not, the SDA driver will not have much sound.

Man, I always am amazed how big Colorado is.
You can drive for hours and still be around the mountains all the time.

Edit: You may also need a 3.5mm stereo to rca adapter if the receiver doesn't have FM or can't tune.

audiomagnate

I guess I could invest in a converter. If you haven't visited Ouray/Silverton/Durango, you really haven't seen Colorado.

Tbone289

audiomagnate wrote: »

If you haven't visited Ouray/Silverton/Durango, you really haven't seen Colorado.

I couldn't agree more.

Mystery

Nice scene.
Where is that?
I've been mostly around the front range and Rocky Mountain park, not much west from the tunnel.

audiomagnate

It looks like Iron Mountain between Ouray and Silverton, but that's just a guess. I've made that trip at least 100 times, I should know for sure.

Tbone289

That is at the top of Corkscrew Pass. In that picture, I am between Red Mountain #1 and Red Mountain #2. I am overlooking the valley that highway 550 runs through, which can almost be seen down at the entrance of the gulch. The entrance to the pass is south of Ouray on 550.

The photo is about 150 degrees of a 360 degree panoramic I took up there. The other side overlooks Hurricane Pass.

Mystery, I spend a good amount of time in & around Rocky Mountain National Park and, IMO, it isn't nearly as beautiful as the San Juans of the Ouray/Silverton/Telluride area.

Good luck with the new SDAs audiomagnate!

Mr. Bubbles

The simplest way to test speakers on the side of the road that I know of (this is not normally recommended but it has worked great for me many times) is to take your handy MP3 player and get an extra audio output wire for it. cut thee ends off and strip the wires so you can hook them into speaker terminals. The volume will be low but will give you enough to see if all drivers produce sound. Again this is NOT the correct way to use your MP3 player audio/ headphone output. Try this at your own risk. I just know it has worked great for me many, many times and never damaged any of my players. Good luck and enjoy.

Tbone289

Here is a picture from the far range seen in the first photo, looking back toward the Red Mountains where I was standing. I am overlooking the same valley here, and you can just make out Corkscrew pass winding up over the ridge between Red Mountains #1 and #2. I had made the trip over Black Bear Pass from Ouray to Telluride that morning, and this photo is taken from Imogene Pass on the return trip back to Ouray.

Sorry for the off-topic--I have a passion for that area.

Mystery

Tbone289 wrote: »

That is at the top of Corkscrew Pass.

Thanks!

Mr. Bubbles wrote: »

The simplest way to test speakers on the side of the road that I know of (this is not normally recommended but it has worked great for me many times) is to take your handy MP3 player and get an extra audio output wire for it. cut thee ends off and strip the wires so you can hook them into speaker terminals.

Yes, that's another way if there is nothing to give more power.
Should work fine for smaller speakers but not sure how much sound comes out with big speakers like SDA's.

audiomagnate

I have a pretty powerful portable headphone amp I can bring along with my Droid. I lived in Telluride in the 80s and Ouray in the 90s. I haven't been back since last fall, so I'm looking forwards to this trip. My friends house is 6 miles out of Ridgway at close to 10,000 ft. It's Tom Cruise's former stuntman's place and a real beauty with incredible views of Elk Meadows. I'll snap some pics of the trip and the speaker purchase. Are these going to fit in a Ford Focus hatchback?

Mystery

audiomagnate wrote: »

I have a pretty powerful portable headphone amp I can bring along with my Droid. I lived in Telluride in the 80s and Ouray in the 90s. I haven't been back since last fall, so I'm looking forwards to this trip. My friends house is 6 miles out of Ridgway at close to 10,000 ft. It's Tom Cruise's former stuntman's place and a real beauty with incredible views of Elk Meadows. I'll snap some pics of the trip and the speaker purchase. Are these going to fit in a Ford Focus hatchback?

Headphone amp with L/R wires will work.

Also, you didn't mention interconnect cable.
If they don't have it, outside drivers will not get enough signal but push/pull should at least verify they are not frozen.

I got 2B's in Toyota camry trunk so hatchback focus with back seat folded should work.
(I forgot if I put both in trunk or one in trunk and another in back seat).

Or you can put one in trunk and one in back seat.
I don't think focus has as big trunk as camry's to fit both in there.

Tbone289

audiomagnate wrote: »

I lived in Telluride in the 80s and Ouray in the 90s. I haven't been back since last fall, so I'm looking forwards to this trip. My friends house is 6 miles out of Ridgway at close to 10,000 ft. It's Tom Cruise's former stuntman's place and a real beauty with incredible views of Elk Meadows. I'll snap some pics of the trip and the speaker purchase. Are these going to fit in a Ford Focus hatchback?

You're a lucky man. Looking forward to the pics! I have a Focus hatch (two actually, a 2001 and a 2012), and I would say these will fit either of them with the back seat folded. Best to check dimensions before the trip though.

boston1450

I got a pair of SDA2b's in a 2011 TOYOTA YARIS 2 dr---LOL---good luck with getting your speakers. I hope they look/sound nice. Keep us posted-pics too

Toolfan66

Colorado members come out of the woods? I had no clue there we're more members on the forum..

I was born and raised here, I love the drive to Durango, I haven't been there in years, I really need to take the trip this year..


Congrats and enjoy!!

audiomagnate

Almost 11 PM and the promised pics aren't here. He did tell me earlier the interconnect cable is missing, but that's no biggie, I can make one easily enough.

audiomagnate

Now I'm totally confused. These http://www.ebay.com/itm/230968866370?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

have only one tweeter and two mid bass and are clearly labled SDA-2. Were the A and B versions not labled as such? I'm really hoping this is the version i'm getting.

F1nut

Without pictures and a way to really test them I would pass on the deal. If you do get pictures and they are what you want, why not meet him at your friend's house?

Were the A and B versions not labled as such?

Polk wasn't always good at using the proper labels, so you can't go by them.

teekay0007

Polk was pretty inconsistent in their labeling. Those in the ebay listing are definitely 2Bs.

Mine are also 2Bs and were labeled on the back with SDA-2 with one of them also having a "B" sticker on it. :rolleyes:

F1nut

Smallies wrote: »

they all just say 2.

That's not true, my 2B's are labeled as such with a large B on the top right corner of the label.

I had 3 pairs and never saw any real wood end caps.

3 pairs of what and if they didn't have end caps, what did they have?

headrott

Tbone289 wrote: »

That is at the top of Corkscrew Pass. In that picture, I am between Red Mountain #1 and Red Mountain #2. I am overlooking the valley that highway 550 runs through, which can almost be seen down at the entrance of the gulch. The entrance to the pass is south of Ouray on 550.

The photo is about 150 degrees of a 360 degree panoramic I took up there. The other side overlooks Hurricane Pass.

Mystery, I spend a good amount of time in & around Rocky Mountain National Park and, IMO, it isn't nearly as beautiful as the San Juans of the Ouray/Silverton/Telluride area.

Good luck with the new SDAs audiomagnate!

My great great grandfarther, Franklin Rhoda (who was a half brother of A.D. Wilson, whom Wilson Peak was named after and was originally going to be Mt. Rhoda, but that's another story) surveryed that entire area. We go and climb Mt. Rhoda located near Silverton every 5 years. It is a fantastic area to hike.

audiomagnate

Finally got some pics. Vinyl cabs (bummer) no end caps. The woofers are unmounted (so much for, "they're in great shape and sound great") and there seems to be something wrong with one of the dust caps. These appear to be 2Bs, correct? Not the cabinet style I was hoping for, and far from pristine. Are replacement woofers available and if so how much? I'm snagging the KLH Sixes as well BTW.

Upon further inspection it looks like the dustcap on the left is just suffering from flash bounce. I wonder why they are unmounted.

canadianicon25

a little clean up and they should be shiny. TIP: for cleaning speakers use a microfiber cloth and water. microfiber cloths can be found at most hardware stores and walmart.

boston1450

What was his asking price ?