Down the SDA1c Rabbit Hole...

MrBuhl

I've been around here for a while on and off, mostly lurking, but an active Polk listener on SDA2b's that I acquired right here in the Fleamarket from former member CRiverajr back in 2006... Never felt the need to upgrade until recently, when I found a screaming deal on some SDA1c's.

In the interim, I've always got a good chuckle when visiting other audio sites and a Polk question comes up, most times, people get referred here for the incredible advice and expertise available from experienced members. I get a good chuckle because the referral almost always comes with the warning "great bunch there, but watch out - they'll have you spending all your money on upgrades..."

And now to my SDA1c rabbit hole...

I picked up these babies for $230 of CL locally, missing the interconnect, and one PolkAudio badge. Side panels loose, but still, pretty happy with my find. Bought a single badge off eBay for about $5 - easy fix! And so it begins...



One good listen to them gave me the bug - and down the rabbit hole I went (after all - I did kinda get them "on sale" - I almost "owe" it to them don't I?!)

Dynamat on the drivers was next - and Loctire Power Grab on the magnets that were thankfully all solid when removed...







I ordered new RDO-194's from Polk - fast free shipping and great service as expected!



While I had the drivers out - I used the Loctite Power Grab to seal the cabinets



And installed some 4" strips of NoRez behind the woofers



I have one cabinet complete and drying at this point - and I'm waiting for my mailman at the box every day - because DHS Speaker Service (Westmassguy) has shipped my upgraded crossovers, installed an SDA SpeakOn connector, new binding posts, built a custom SDA Cable, and is supplying new Erse SuperQ inductors. In addition to that, David has answered 10,000 dumb questions from a guy who was very unsure about the whole process - many thanks to him and all of you for the years of data, guidance, and testing so I could take these to the next level.

Still need to finish the other cabinet, put everything back in the box, and fire these puppies up on the new B&K 1400II amp (damn that rabbit hole goes deep!) and get some burn-in going!

I'll post a some more updates as things get complete, but hoping that what I've done so far looks complete, and is correct!

Thanks for now for years of threads and ideas Polkies!

xsmi

Congrats to you on the score and all the upgrades. I'm sure we'll definitely help you dig that hole a little deeper.

Moose68Bash

Congratulations on the bargain acquisition, and your slipping down the "rabbit hole" is perfectly understandable -- and commendable, I would say!

1Cs are a great speaker, especially after mod's, all of which you have underway.

oldrocker

Very nice purchase you made. Additional thanks for the pictures you shared as I myself am starting the "planning" phase on some modifications also.

MrBuhl

Thanks guys! Oldrocker - IMHO - the worst part about the new site! I have spent a lot of time looking at old pics and reading old threads before the change over - it's a crime to have them lost.

oldrocker

Spot on with that comment!! Lord knows I need pictures as a guide just to figure out what it I think I need to do...

MrBuhl

oldrocker wrote: »

Spot on with that comment!! Lord knows I need pictures as a guide just to figure out what it I think I need to do...

And even after that - I asked a million dumb questions just to be sure I was seeing what I thought I was! (And I WAS wrong a couple times!) Ha!

voltz

Congrats! The upgrades will be worth every penny! Dave is definitely Super Dave to me he did my crossovers for my 10's and walk me thru everything else I needed to do and with his help I was able to upgrade the crossovers on my monitor 4's myself.
Your SDA's are sure looking really nice! I hope to find a pair myself someday.
ENJOY

Faustin

Have my 1c's completely modded and I do enjoy them. Dave does great work and once they burn in I am sure you will be quite pleased. Latest adventure has been running them with a tube pre-amp and ss amp. The darn rabbit hole!!

MrBuhl

Faustin wrote: »

Latest adventure has been running them with a tube pre-amp and ss amp. The darn rabbit hole!!

Now THAT is part of the rabbit hole that I truly fear to tread in - Tubes are like a whole new hobby!!

MrBuhl

Update for those who are interested. I received the updated crossovers, Sonicaps up high, Solens low (already had some in the right size so elected to use them), Mills Resistors and polyswitch deleted.




binding post cups, inductors and SDA (SpeakON terminated) cable which came out great - thanks again David!




Installed them into the cabinets


Reassembled and started a preliminary burn in - though I have Hnuts waiting and armacell gasket to install on the RDO's, and Larry's Rings (thanks Larry!) shortly for the passive and woofs to really complete the work for now.

Immediate first impression is a dramatic increase in the tightness, "accuracy?", and "umph" of the bass even without burn in. Like the bass drum is right in the living room in front of me. Not boomy or overwhelming at all though.

Both the RDO's and the Sonicaps have quite a bit of burn in remaining (I'm at about 50 hours now), as do the new wires I'm using frankly, but even with that, the 1c's are already much more "musical" than when I purchased them.

I am really looking forward to the finished, ring-ed, sealed up, and burned in final product with great anticipation! So glad I invested in these! Many thanks again to David for tons of advice, answering dumb questions, and top notch work, and Larry for offering up the magic rings again, as well as everyone here for ideas and years of perfecting!!

michaeljhsda2

Awesome!

Moose68Bash

Fine project!

Congratulations and happy listening!

westmassguy

Looking good Ed. Was a may pleasure helping with them. Now go enjoy those puppies.

voltz

Looking Awesome!

can you use a dreadnaught with those? did you get in the group buy?

vmaxer

Looking good, enjoy them. I have 3 sets, 1 is the studio version.

MrBuhl

voltz wrote: »

Looking Awesome! can you use a dreadnaught with those? did you get in the group buy?

Thanks! I did not get in on the group buy, I missed the end buying these by just a bit. David wired the cups with SpeakON's so future Dreadnaught compatibility should be easy. Had to draw the budget line at some point (hence the Solen's down low I already had) but the line got awful curvy and blurry! I think it moved three times!

drumminman

[/quote]
Had to draw the budget line at some point (hence the Solen's down low I already had) but the line got awful curvy and blurry! I think it moved three times!
[/quote]

And it may move yet again

Congrats on your upgrades!

markamerica

Awesome upgrades! As or the money, well yes, you can sink a ton into these speakers. Like you, I'm on a budget, but I always look for new ways to stretch it just a little bit. Your work looks like it will pay dividends for years to come though. One thing is true, near as I can tell: Parts and upgrades cost money, and the more you do, the deeper the rabbit hole, just as you've discovered, but another thing is true that I've had some recent experience with in my own project(another thread somewhere hereabouts): Erse capacitors for my center project? Around $100. Resistors and inductors?:Nearly $50 Custom PCBs? $136. MDF and assorted construction materials? More $ than I care to admit. Scavenging drivers, tweeters, and passives off Ebay? Even more. The satisfaction of listening to my own home-built, timbre-matched center channel speaker that actually works as intended?

Priceless.

A whole lot of people buy speakers. Some of them pay others to set them up for them. They don't know how they work, why they work, and they only know they're good because somebody else has told them so. Perhaps worse, they have no curiosity in the matter.

You took a pair of speakers that you knew sounded pretty good, set about figuring out the best ways to improve them, and you now know how they work. Yes, you spent some money. Yes, before all is said and done, you may spend some more. Who knows? You may get the bug big-time and upgrade to some SRSs or something, and then you'll spend even more on your upgrades, but allow me to suggest that if you're at all like me, you will have learned so much that the experience of what you've learned will be well worth the money spent. Taking what you've learned, and translating it into an improved reality that you can hear?

Priceless.

Congratulations, and many happy hours listening to your magnificent and thoroughly improved 1Cs!

Mark