SRS blade/blade

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chandler9a
chandler9a Posts: 877
edited February 2014 in Vintage Speakers
So I am not very familiar with this particular model but I got a phone call today from my local audio shop. They got a pair of SDA SRS 2's with the blade/blade interconnect in and called me immediately to see if I would take them off their hands, they are just to big to keep around and I am the only one they know buys SDA's.

The speakers look/sound fine and are all original with one owner. I would have to do all of the upgrades to bring them to where I would want them so I'm not sure it would be worth it. They said they would even trade them for something smaller that they could sell easier so I may do that. I want to help them out and get them out of there but I already own a completely modded pair of 1C's that look new, a pair of nice 2A'S and a pair of 2.3's in storage that need some upgrading.

SO, I don't know that I can take them (just don't need them) even though they offered them for cheap. What is making me think about it is if they are "TL" able or not? I tried to find out online but it wasn't clear, I know I cannot biamp them.

Is the TL mod something to even consider?

Thanks for the input
Post edited by chandler9a on
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,806
    edited January 2014
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    As a point of reference, the high frequency circuit of the blade/blade SRS 2 is basically the same as the 1B with slightly different poly and resistor values. IIRC, someone here has upgraded their SRS 2's to use a RD0198-1 tweeter in the top position, but didn't change any crossover values for the bottom tweeter. Logic dictates that something would need to be changed there as well. In addition, there is no Polk approved TL upgrade for either the SRS 2 or 1B. Based on that I would say that you can't TL either speaker.

    That said, the SRS 2's have a bigger cabinet and PR, so the bass response will be deeper than the 1C's.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 877
    edited January 2014
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    thank you, that makes sense and now I remember reading it somewhere. Well, if I do get them, maybe I'll just pass them along here to someone who wants them. Right now I am happy with what I have but I have always wanted to hear a pair of those, deeper bass sounds nice too.

    We will see.
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,100
    edited January 2014
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    The "TL" mod for the SRS 2 blade/blade (which is the same process for the SDA 1B) was pioneered by member inspiredsports based on a recommendation from Matthew Himself; and with assistance from several other members.

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?74946-SDA-SRS-2-Crossover-Parts-list&highlight=parts+list

    The first half of the thread is almost a waste of time. The second half is invaluable.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,806
    edited January 2014
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    I wish someone would take and post the frequency results for the SRS 2 and 1B "TL" mod. Until then, I remain skeptical.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 877
    edited February 2014
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    It looks like it may be able to be done. I am not an engineer of any kind but would like to see proper tests done, just out of curiosity.

    At this point if I do end up getting them, I would just keep them non TL'd and do the usual upgrades. I have an extra set of rings, armacell, RDO-194's...etc, it may not be too much work.
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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 877
    edited February 2014
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    Made a trade for the SRS 2s and picking them up tomorrow. Looking forward to hearing them compared to my modded 1Cs.

    I don't know if I will keep them because then I have to mod them but this sure is fun.
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  • TennMan
    TennMan Posts: 1,264
    edited February 2014
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    chandler9a wrote: »
    Made a trade for the SRS 2s and picking them up tomorrow. Looking forward to hearing them compared to my modded 1Cs.

    I don't know if I will keep them because then I have to mod them but this sure is fun.
    I hope you will post a writeup when you compare them. What will you do if the SRS 2s sound the best?
    • SDA 2BTL · Sonicaps · Mills resistors · RDO-198s · New gaskets · H-nuts · Erse inductors · BH5 · Dynamat
    • Crossover upgrades by westmassguy
    • Marantz 1504 AVR (front speaker pre-outs to Adcom 555)
    • Adcom GFA-555 amp · Upgrades & speaker protection added by OldmanSRS
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
    edited February 2014
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    chandler9a wrote: »
    Made a trade for the SRS 2s and picking them up tomorrow. Looking forward to hearing them compared to my modded 1Cs.

    I don't know if I will keep them because then I have to mod them but this sure is fun.
    .

    The SRS 2's will have a lot more thunder in them and will throw a wider stage. The midrange is not as congested as with the 1C's also.

    The 2's have been referred to as 1C's on steroids, a good comparison.
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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 877
    edited February 2014
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    I basically traded my 2A's for the SRS's. If they sound better than the 1C's, I may be forced to sell the 1C's because I just don't need them both. I hate to do that because the 1C's are like new with all the mods but thats the journey I guess.

    My wife and I have a kid on the way so priorities have changed, but I want to make sure my child has the same exposure to great SDA sound as my father gave me in the mid 80's. If they both can stay they will, if one has to go, I will let you all know.
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
    edited February 2014
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    chandler9a wrote: »
    If they sound better than the 1C's, I may be forced to sell the 1C's because I just don't need them both. I hate to do that because the 1C's are like new with all the mods but thats the journey I guess.

    My wife and I have a kid on the way so priorities have changed, but I want to make sure my child has the same exposure to great SDA sound as my father gave me in the mid 80's. If they both can stay they will, if one has to go, I will let you all know.

    I hear ya, I bought my 1C's from the original owner, they are in mint condition, including original shipping cartons. Have done about all of the popular mods to them, while they sound good, they don't hold up to their larger brothers or the TL models.

    The 1C's don't get much play time these days, but I just hate to part with them, mainly because they just never come up for sale in my part of the country.

    Have fun with your trials, hopefully you can keep both.
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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 877
    edited February 2014
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    Thanks Reeter, Just go them set up, they sound good but the SL-2000 tweets are bothering me. They really do sound bigger, I like that for sure. I can't really compare them to the 1C's because the 1C's are completely modded but I like what I hear so far.

    We will see where this goes. I'm sure I can keep them both for now, it just bothers me to have things I'm not really using.
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,100
    edited February 2014
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    If you ever plan on using non-common-ground amplifiers, the 1Cs will be preferred to the blade/blade SRS 2.
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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 877
    edited February 2014
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    Schurkey wrote: »
    If you ever plan on using non-common-ground amplifiers, the 1Cs will be preferred to the blade/blade SRS 2.

    Very true. I'm not sure that will be an issue for me but its something to consider. I still can't imagine getting rid of the 1C's. even my father said not to ever sell them, and he's the cheapest man I know. Bottom line is, I have plenty of other SDA's in the family and I can't/shouldn't keep them all. If anything, funds should go to better gear.
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  • helipilotdoug
    helipilotdoug Posts: 1,229
    edited February 2014
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    F1nut wrote: »
    I wish someone would take and post the frequency results for the SRS 2 and 1B "TL" mod. Until then, I remain skeptical.
    A friend of mine is in the pro business here in Austin, and he came over with his frequency response program on an ipad. Not the most pure way to do this, but it shows a good indication. Here is what we saw from the SRS 2 speakers. This photo was shot of the screen of his ipad while we measured the frequency response using a pink noise track from my computer. The bottom goes from 20Hz on the left to 20KHz at the purple line on the right. My SRS 2's were rebuilt with new RDO198 tweeters and what was done during rebuild can be found in this thread. http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?74946-SDA-SRS-2-Crossover-Parts-list Lots of reading there, and the last page has the info on my crossover upgrade.
    This thread goes into everything I did to these speakers. http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?111224-And-so-it-begins-SRS2-TL-upgrade-rebuild
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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 877
    edited February 2014
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    I've had a chance to spend some time with these stock SRS's. I really cannot compare them fairly to the 1C's because the 1C's are modded but I really like the bass I'm getting from the SRS's. They sound so full and warm, aside from the sl2000's. I am going to put some RDO 194's in them to help.

    This may be a hard choice in the end, if I keep the SRS's, I'm going to want to mod them, I know that for sure. I will say that the 1C's sound better over all but I always thought they lacked bass in the room they were in. I have moved and I feel the new 2 channel room will be better for them but I have not gotten them in there yet.

    Either way, both speakers sound too good to give up on so I think I will keep them both if I can.
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,314
    edited February 2014
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    chandler9a wrote: »
    I've had a chance to spend some time with these stock SRS's. I really cannot compare them fairly to the 1C's because the 1C's are modded but I really like the bass I'm getting from the SRS's. They sound so full and warm, aside from the sl2000's. I am going to put some RDO 194's in them to help.

    This may be a hard choice in the end, if I keep the SRS's, I'm going to want to mod them, I know that for sure. I will say that the 1C's sound better over all but I always thought they lacked bass in the room they were in. I have moved and I feel the new 2 channel room will be better for them but I have not gotten them in there yet.

    Either way, both speakers sound too good to give up on so I think I will keep them both if I can.

    Keep both if you can, upgrade the SRS 2's as time and funds allow, enjoy two pair of Polk Classics for a long time to come.
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