My SDA 1B's
halo71
Posts: 4,603
Although they may be early early 1C's. I have not bothered to crack 'em open to get a look at the MW's or the XO's. I finally built an inter connect cable this afternoon. With the wife and daughter out of the house, finally, I've spent about 5 hours so far with the SDA's.
I listened to a few, what I call, reference CD's. Including Donald Fagen's Kamakiriad, Pink Floyd DSOTM on SACD, Sarah Mclachlan and a few others. I spent some time before listening to these selections without the IC cable. And tonight with the cable....the soundstage at least for me is much wider. I hear some say it gets taller. But I have not really experienced that. Placement may be an issue because due to my older DLP TV. I must sit the SDA's about 16 inches from the back wall. So bass was not all that impressive without my subs playing. But I am good with that aspect.
Another thing I noticed. While with my Monitor 10's I never really thought the SL2000 was shrill as some say they are. But with the SDA's some tracks....they are SHRILL! Other tracks such as Sarah McLachlan's Angel was smooth as silk. So when funds allow. The RDO's will be my first upgrade to these.
I've also been A/B'ing the SDA's with my Infinity RSIIIa's. I must say without any subs playing, I think the Infinity's dig deeper. But the midrange and upper bass on the SDA's is much better. Now if the SDA's had EMIT's in them, that would be the ticket I think! lol
I am running the SDA's right now with a Denon SACD, Onkyo Integra M504 and a Bottlehead Foreplay II, cheap **** IC's and MIT Terminator 6 cables. On a shoestring budget but I like what I'm hearing tonight!
I listened to a few, what I call, reference CD's. Including Donald Fagen's Kamakiriad, Pink Floyd DSOTM on SACD, Sarah Mclachlan and a few others. I spent some time before listening to these selections without the IC cable. And tonight with the cable....the soundstage at least for me is much wider. I hear some say it gets taller. But I have not really experienced that. Placement may be an issue because due to my older DLP TV. I must sit the SDA's about 16 inches from the back wall. So bass was not all that impressive without my subs playing. But I am good with that aspect.
Another thing I noticed. While with my Monitor 10's I never really thought the SL2000 was shrill as some say they are. But with the SDA's some tracks....they are SHRILL! Other tracks such as Sarah McLachlan's Angel was smooth as silk. So when funds allow. The RDO's will be my first upgrade to these.
I've also been A/B'ing the SDA's with my Infinity RSIIIa's. I must say without any subs playing, I think the Infinity's dig deeper. But the midrange and upper bass on the SDA's is much better. Now if the SDA's had EMIT's in them, that would be the ticket I think! lol
I am running the SDA's right now with a Denon SACD, Onkyo Integra M504 and a Bottlehead Foreplay II, cheap **** IC's and MIT Terminator 6 cables. On a shoestring budget but I like what I'm hearing tonight!
--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
Comments
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That Emit is a nice tweeter, there is no doubt about that. Have you spiked the 1C's yet? I was literally astounded at the difference it made.
I've seen Jesse post that you may even skip the sub bass inductor upgrade if you spike them first (I did both at different times) but I never believed it honestly. After I did though, it was the most obvious upgrade/change in sound of any of the mods I have completed yet! Literally astounded by the difference it made.
I say that, because you may find the bass as compared to your Infinitys a lot more pleasing if you do the spikes, and they are super easy.VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000
Polk SDA1c modded
Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
SACD Marantz DV8300
Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
Yamaha YP-D6
Soundcraftsmen PCR800
Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
Pho-700 Phono Pre
Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's -
I have not done any mods to them yet. I do have a complete set of spikes out in the shop now that I think about it. lol--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out. -
You won't be sorry, especially if you have them already sitting around! VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000
Polk SDA1c modded
Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
SACD Marantz DV8300
Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
Yamaha YP-D6
Soundcraftsmen PCR800
Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
Pho-700 Phono Pre
Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's -
The 1B and the 1C use entirely different SDA circuits. We hope you got the proper cable construction. Since you're impressed by the SDA effect, there's a good chance you did do it properly for your speakers.Although they may be early early 1C's. I have not bothered to crack 'em open to get a look at the MW's or the XO's. I finally built an inter connect cable this afternoon. With the wife and daughter out of the house, finally, I've spent about 5 hours so far with the SDA's.
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The 1B's are great. I miss my old pair a little. If not for the time spent with the 1B's I doubt I would have wanted to go further into the hobby. I'm good for now, but plans for a cool upgrade in streaming are in the works. I think you will love the 1B's once you do the upgrades......or just take a plunge into the high end gear??"if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
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I gotta say....after repositioning my SDA's today closer to the wall. The bass is much better. Not even using a sub now. Just a Bottlehead Foreplay, Onkyo Integra M504 and a Denon SACD.
As cheap as the (bone stock) Bottlehead is, it sounds very very good. I can only imagine what some of you guys with the higher end tube pre's are hearing!
Donald Fagen's Kamakiriad cd has been my reference so to speak. And I am hearing things now I have never heard before. And I have probably listened to this cd over 100 times I think.
After funds allow for SDA upgrades I may do some of the suggested mod's on the Bottlehead. Need to figure out what other tubes I can use in it as well.
--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out. -
Got some 12au7's on the way! Can't wait to try them out. Other than the SDA effect I am having a hard time deciding if I like them better or the RSIIIa's.--Gary--
Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
