Difference between SDA, SRS, RTA?
villian
Posts: 412
Can someone explain the difference between those three lines? SDA, SRS, RTA?
Too many good quotes to list..waiting for some fresh ammo. 
Post edited by villian on
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RTA series and SDA series both tackle acoustic anomalies that exist in speaker design that affect what you hear with your ears.
RTA (Real Time Alignment) mounts the dome tweeter so that its voice coil is in alignment with the woofer's voice coils. Polk did this by top-mounting the tweeter in a separate housing, thus making a RTA design.
SDA (Stereo Dimensional Array) attacks the "Inter-Aural Crosstalk" anomaly where your ears hear both left and right at the same time in a standard stereo signal. Matthew Polk's genius was finding a way to cancel that crosstalk by sending signals of each channel to the opposite side so that your ears are hearing only what the sound engineers intended for each side. In simple terms, think of it as "headphones for your listening space" without having to wear headphones. The true affect of SDA is a vastly enlarged soundstage in front of you that no other speaker can provide.
SRS (Signature Reference Series) was the top of the SDA lineup with Matt Polk putting his signature on his design as the best of the bunch after years of working with the patented designed crossover networks. SDA had been on the market for a few years when the SRS line was released.HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable
2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable -
What he said.^^^^^^^^
Only, The RTA 12 was the only model witht he physically time aligned twereter I believe (at least in the vintage models)( I have a set of HT speakers that are positioned this way but they are tiny 2 ways. i'm not sure what models they are.)
Iam not sure if the other RTA models are time aligned in the cross over or not.If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of Progress?!
Monitor 5Jr, Monitor 5, RTA12, RTA 15TL, SDA 2A, 1c, SRS 2, 1.2TL, CRS, Atrium. -
Awesome explanation. So between RTA and SDA which of the two is generally considered to give the better overall sound quality? Any idea? I didn't realize that SRS was part of the SDA line (Or an evolution of it), so that helps to know.Too many good quotes to list..waiting for some fresh ammo.
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SDA has to be experienced to be appreciated. No one can explain how it sounds, it is something that has to be heard. It is nirvana for some and others don't seem to care for it.
RTA is simply a more true acoustical design approach to deliver the best stereo imaging. Its affect compared to the Monitor 11 or 12s that were without the RTA design are incremental compared to how SDA affects the imaging.
I think anyone that likes Polk's vintage sound deserves to hear the SDA speakers at least once in a properly setup system.HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable
2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable -
Man, you can tell I didn't proof read my earlier post. I must have been still asleep.If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of Progress?!
Monitor 5Jr, Monitor 5, RTA12, RTA 15TL, SDA 2A, 1c, SRS 2, 1.2TL, CRS, Atrium. -
Awesome explanation. So between RTA and SDA which of the two is generally considered to give the better overall sound quality? Any idea? I didn't realize that SRS was part of the SDA line (Or an evolution of it), so that helps to know.
there is no answer to this....only your ears can answer...everyone's system and room is different and one set up can be completely different in my house vs yours...I'm one of the few who doesn't care for the SDA...So my choice would be RTA's...there is no right or wrong here...Marantz 1152 DC- Denon DP 1200, Soundsmith Carmen MKII- ADS L980 - Blue Jeans IC's -
What would you guys say was the absolute best SDA setup produced? I read that the SRT System does SDA Not sure if many people realized that! Too many good quotes to list..waiting for some fresh ammo.
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Yeah thanks, but we ALL knew that. Now I wonder, do you know how the SDA differs between the SDA speakers and the SRT system?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 -
Yeah thanks, but we ALL knew that. Now I wonder, do you know how the SDA differs between the SDA speakers and the SRT system?
Nope, but I am intrigued! Have anything to do with passive radiators vs subwoofers? Or a more modern SDA connection? The SRT control boxes?Too many good quotes to list..waiting for some fresh ammo. -
Home Theater/2 Channel:
Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer
dhsspeakerservice.com/
