Thoughts on SDA's...

shanedrew

Which speaker provided the best overall SDA effect?

pitdogg2

Depends on the size of the room and the rig pushing it.

shanedrew

Hi pitdogg2, totally understand the importance of the room and gear pushing the speakers. Asking on their own merits if there is a standout on SDA effect only. I once heard a member tell me back to back model listening event with some polkies that the SDA 2b was his favorite little performer as size, price and performance.

To use the typical car analogy, while the bugatti Veyron is a killer car, the Volkswagon Golf GTI is a very spirited performer price vs. performance.

Love to hear any comments.

Toolfan66

I have heard most of them, and can't say I dislike any of them..

The only thing that has bothered/irritates me is that the non TL SDA's get over looked because of the FanWagon of the TL's on this forum, don't get me wrong I love the TL's as much as the next guy, but to pass on a set of 1C's, 2.3's, SDA SRS2's when you want a set of SDA's and maybe wait years to get a set of SDA's that can be TL'ed or are TL's is insane....

The 2.3's are crazy badass speakers IMO!! H3LL the 2B's, and CRS+'s in stock forum are sweet..

TL=Totally Ludicrous to over look a set of 2.3's for a TL version that may take years to get..

Just my .02

And you can always move the other set when you find what you want, but you might just find yourself completely happy with a non TL version...

pitdogg2

Cannot argue with any of that^^^^^

shanedrew

Excellent .02!!!

motorhead43026

I love my SDA2B's. I just don't have long wall in my whole house, very frustrating.

RandyCroissant

Depends on the room you have more than anything. A large open room with a long wall go for the bigger SDAs like toolfan said the 3rd generation should be considered, however depending on which version you choose do not overlook the amplifier requirements of the older versions. The majority require lots of good clean power! enjoy I am sure others will chime in.

RC

delkal

DSkip wrote: »

The 3.1tl is the best stock I've heard. They paled in comparison to a fully modded pair of 2.3tl. I think for most those are the go to models. I don't know how a fully modded 3.1tl compares.

The 2b is a nice little speaker I wouldn't mind spending more time with.

It seems the only common ground is that dual tweeter versions are the least desirable.

I have never heard the 3.1tl's and I am sure they sounds great. But I always wondered how one tweeter can keep up with 5 drivers. From the reviews it seems like the Polk guys had it right but as an armchair audio engineer I would have put 2 tweeters on it.

RandyCroissant

Hope some 3.1 owners can chime in!! I am interested as well

shanedrew

He too Randy. Would love to hear more impressions and comparisons from other members.

Mike Reeter

The 3.1 tweeters are voiced a little hot in order to stay insink with the four stereo drivers.

The imaging and clarity of the 3.1's is spooky good. They don't carry the weight of the bigger SDA's in the lower end, but that's the only place they might be a little light.

aprazer402

SDA is not an effect, it is a physical acoustic design to basically cancel interaural crosstalk and enhance stereo recordings to reproduce stereo more accurately than standard speakers.

Let's not start down the wrong path.

sbb2112

I have a set of SRS's and a set of SRS 2's. I have moved them between rigs and rooms and have the conclusion that a lot depends on the room acoustics and the rig behind. Both my sets are heavily modded and sound great but in my situation the 2's sounded better in the large room. I am working on getting a larger room as it seems the SRS's need room to breathe. My 2c

shanedrew

Hi apraze402, in the spirit of the conversation, do you have an opinion on the SDA Physical Acoustic Design in the models that Polk Audio made?

Emlyn

Agree. The correct way of looking at the subject, with the right terminology, is which set of speakers produce the best true stereo image. I have owned many different pairs of the speakers and found they all work on the same design principle. End results vary with each of the models but the stereo imaging is fairly consistent because they operate on the same principles.

Room interaction, proper setup, and adequate amplification to match the speakers is far more important to producing an accurate stereo image from SDAs than which model is used. It is certainly possible that a set of well set up SDA 2Bs will produce a more accurate and enveloping stereo sound than a set of SDA SRS 1.2TLs if the smaller speakers are better matched to the listening room. The larger speakers can overload a room if they are not matched to the environment they are operated in. That can definitely mess up how the ears perceive them.

The set of SDAs I got the most enjoyment out of was a pair of SDA 2As with a light oak veneer finish.

shanedrew

Thanks sbb2112 for your honesty! This is exactly the kind of conversasion I was hoping to have. Real life experiences... Just like Toolfan66.

Please guys, keep the comments coming!!!

shanedrew

Hi Emlyn, Thank you for your comments. This has been agreed upon earlier in the conversation regarding coupling to room acoustics and associated gear, which is SUPER important.

My hopes of this post is more to do with A/B comparisons in room and general impression's from those who have performed the "Pepsi challenge". Some of these comparisons have been done by Polk members years before all the "Approved" mods we preformed.

While I am new to this ERA of clubpolk and the fabulous upgrades that have been shown here, and owned SDA 1.2Tl's in 1991. I also have several SDA's today that I am looking to upgrade.

aprazer402

shanedrew wrote: »

Hi apraze402, in the spirit of the conversation, do you have an opinion on the SDA Physical Acoustic Design in the models that Polk Audio made?

I just saw that you have been on the forum for 14 years. I was just clarifying was has been misstated many times, here and elsewhere, that SDA is an "effect", when is it not.

To answer the question in your first post. The best "results" from a SDA speaker, as others have said, is very dependent on factors other than the speakers themselves.
Room size (L x W x H), speaker positioning, associated power, pre and source equipment, room treatments and yes, cabling.

I can only speak for the SDA's I currently have in use. I enjoy immensely my SDA 1C's in a large rect. living room along a long wall. I have SDA 2.3's (non TL) in a 16' x 15' family room that sound adequate but not optimal. I currently have my 1.2TL's in their original boxes awaiting modification. I enjoyed my SDA CRS+ in a large den.

Each SDA has pluses and minuses when coupled with differing gear and rooms. That's why all these experts (not me) are available to us here. That's why I'm here, to learn how to improve on my situation, the little time each week I have available for this hobby. Best of luck.

shanedrew

Thanks aprazer402, certainly appreciate your comments.

Once your have your models redone it might be fun to gather some folks together in a room and get some general impressions of each model, side by side. While I understand each model many not be ideal or optimized for each space, it would still give an general impression and provide a fun learning environment.

I am in North Carolina currently and plan to do the same thing once am done with my home remodel. I hope to plan a gathering here later in the year if not not year.

pitdogg2

Emlyn wrote: »

The set of SDAs I got the most enjoyment out of was a pair of SDA 2As with a light oak veneer finish.

Yes because it's all in the finish

Just busting your tail a little.
I have a pair of both SDA1a and SDA2a both with sonicaps and mills. Best money i ever spent was recapping them oh man the difference is not subtle

shanedrew

LOL pitdoggs2!

I can not wait to get into my models I have...

leftwinger57

I'm also on the 2b bandwagon only because I've never heard any of the bigger models and wa wa nobody ever invited me for a listening session. Also I live in a 1 bdrm apt w/ a18'x15' living room so logistics is hard and there are those rules to follow. I said when people questioned my set up saying I had this and that I said come over and bring any device you want and then tell me what's wrong. Logistically I do not have the true 3' clearance clarence but I still get sound stage and imaging better than any of my other sets. Modding was well worth both the time, therapy and cash ...Lew

shanedrew

Hi Lew, The 2B seems to be a little sweetheart from what I gather. Like Toolfan66 said "I have heard most of them, and can't say I dislike any of them.." I agree with that of the unmodified model's I have heard through years. While I have owned a few models, I certainly have not gone back to do back impressions of all of them.

I do travel from time to time and if I am every in your area, I would be honored to do some listening with you! If you ever are in NC, I will happily host you.

lightman1

shanedrew wrote: »

LOL pitdoggs2!

I can not wait to get into my models I have...

Ya gotta watch out for old pitdog.....he's a mean drunk......and he won't give me his address.

pitdogg2

lightman1 wrote: »

shanedrew wrote: »

LOL pitdoggs2!

I can not wait to get into my models I have...

Ya gotta watch out for old pitdog.....he's a mean drunk......and he won't give me his address.

Yep the meanest and i have never been accused of stupidity... well there was that one time but a jury of my peers tossed it out on a technicality

But pole leapers are a whole nother story right Russ

lightman1

pitdogg2 wrote: »

lightman1 wrote: »

shanedrew wrote: »

LOL pitdoggs2!

I can not wait to get into my models I have...

Ya gotta watch out for old pitdog.....he's a mean drunk......and he won't give me his address.

Yep the meanest and i have never been accused of stupidity... well there was that one time but a jury of my peers tossed it out on a technicality

But pole leapers are a whole nother story right Russ

That's why you rock, Ivan.

@shanedrew....1C and SDA 3.1 myself......both work good in smaller rooms and can take a fair amount of juice.

And a boat load of others....too many to list...or remember........or actually picked up yet.......

heiney9

I think the 1C is the sweet spot for most typical listening rooms. But it's hard to say because they need to be set-up properly. The proper set-up requires the proper room. A pair of CRS's in a very large room will not sound as intended. Conversely a pair of SRS's won't sound very good in a very small room.

They all use the passive inneraural crosstalk cancellation, but later generations do it better since they were always a work in progress. So the later SDA's are typically the most coherent and the most easy listening vs. early models. I'd avoid any model that uses one of the tweeters in the cross talk circuit.

H9

K_M

I really enjoy the SDA Effect on some music.

Between the 2 pairs we own, the SDA Effect sounds "different" for sure, but not sure I could say one or the other makes the effect better than the other.

On some music I do not prefer the SDA effect. It depends on how it was recorded or just created in general.


On some stuff I like the standard Rta11 sound or the Lsi15 sound.

ZLTFUL

DSkip wrote: »

The 3.1tl is the best stock I've heard. They paled in comparison to a fully modded pair of 2.3tl. I think for most those are the go to models. I don't know how a fully modded 3.1tl compares.

The 2b is a nice little speaker I wouldn't mind spending more time with.

It seems the only common ground is that dual tweeter versions are the least desirable.

If we could convince @lightman1 to deliver his to my place, we could find out.

K_M

RandyCroissant wrote: »

Hope some 3.1 owners can chime in!! I am interested as well

I love ours!
In some ways like them better than the really big ones.
I suppose maybe having a slimmer cabinet or just one tweeter or something makes it have what seems to be better imaging.

We have our 2 sets in different houses though to have never heard them side by side or compared them in the same room, so its hard to really get an accurate idea of which is "better".