First set of SDA's.... How'd I do?

Superduty250
Superduty250 Posts: 6
in Vintage Speakers
Just picked these up for $300 at an estate sale... So far they seem to be in working order and barely a scratch on them. No frozen drivers and seem to be air tight. My Rotel 1095 and some Tchaikovsky had me wanting to jump behind my chair lol. I believe they are first gen SRS.

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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,411
    Great score! Plenty of information here about them and how to restore them. Let me be the first to say welcome aboard.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Wow! That’s the mother of all smoking deals! I got a set for $1000 a while back. Lots of great upgrades to be had! Well done sir! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,000
    Essssss....core!
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • Superduty250
    Superduty250 Posts: 6
    Ok.... Dark side of the Moon at reference level is as close to pure Bliss that I've ever heard.....
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Superduty250 wrote: »
    Ok.... Dark side of the Moon at reference level is as close to pure Bliss that I've ever heard.....

    Nice! Did you get the interconnect cable as well?
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,151
    WOW...300... :DB)

    I hope you have the interconnecting cable hooked up. If not, you haven't heard nothin yet.

    You lucky dog you.

    Welcome to the machine!
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • Superduty250
    Superduty250 Posts: 6
    It was an estate sale and the cable was nowhere to be found but I fabricated a temporary one. Did my research to make sure I connected the correct blades to the correct blades first though.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,151
    edited March 2019
    Good going. ;)

    So they are blade / blade?
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • Superduty250
    Superduty250 Posts: 6
    Tony M wrote: »
    Good going. ;)

    So they are blade / blade?

    Yes there are two blades on each speaker. One a little smaller than the other.
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  • ddog
    ddog Posts: 230
    Man...you totally scored...
    All hail the king :o
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  • monepolk
    monepolk Posts: 1,142
    Great deal.
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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,182
    Great deal! congrats
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,591
    Sweetness! Welcome!
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,000
    What I was originally thinking....

    https://youtu.be/8AMIrxx3gx8
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • JPete
    JPete Posts: 295
    Great score. Awesome speakers
    Lexicon RT-10, Parasound P5, McCormack DNA 0.5, Polk SDA CRS+, SVS Sub
    Schiit Modi, Luminous Audio Axiom II, McCormack DNA-1, Digital Phase AP 2
    Marantz AV7701, Emotiva XPA-5, Paradigm 11se Mkii, DCM Time Windows, NHT 2C, SVS Sub

    Spares - Kenwood C1 Pre, NAD 2200PE, Polk Monitor 10B, Polk Model 11, other odds and ends
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,582
    Welcome you lucky bastage! Probably one of the greatest speakers ever made right there!
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • Superduty250
    Superduty250 Posts: 6
    Alright after listening last night I've decided I need to upgrade a few things. I'm getting a lot of hum from them when no audio is playing and need to either source an original interconnect cable or build a permanent replacement. I may replace the tweeters with the RD-0194's but not sure yet. As for the hum... Where should I start my repair adventure? Resolder wire connections in the crossovers or go ahead and start replacing components?
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  • JPete
    JPete Posts: 295
    edited March 2019
    What kind of hum? Not a ground loop? Does it go away when you disconnect the interconnect cable?

    If you're going to pull the crossovers you might as well upgrade the caps and resistors.
    All the other treatments people will recommend here will go a long way too. Dynamat on the driver baskets, sealing the boxes, etc..

    The upgraded tweeters from Polk are definitely worth the money. Although, you've got quite a few you'll need to buy for that set.
    Lexicon RT-10, Parasound P5, McCormack DNA 0.5, Polk SDA CRS+, SVS Sub
    Schiit Modi, Luminous Audio Axiom II, McCormack DNA-1, Digital Phase AP 2
    Marantz AV7701, Emotiva XPA-5, Paradigm 11se Mkii, DCM Time Windows, NHT 2C, SVS Sub

    Spares - Kenwood C1 Pre, NAD 2200PE, Polk Monitor 10B, Polk Model 11, other odds and ends
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  • Superduty250
    Superduty250 Posts: 6
    Not a ground loop I believe. Swap same leads to a set of Klipsch towers and it goes away. Stays with and without the interconnect cable. Just sounds like a power hum.

    Yeah needing 8 of them at $50 a piece is more than I paid for the speakers lol. I've been researching the various mods and I believe the dynamat and additional sealing of the boxes is where I'll start then check the crossover components and replace and that don't check out.
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,411
    edited March 2019
    Try and get the RDO194’s before you do anything else.... no telling how much longer Polk will be providing them.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,182
    And sell the SL2000's to help defray the cost, there's plenty of people that want them.
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • tophatjohnny
    tophatjohnny Posts: 4,182
    Sweet deal. Congrats
    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,636
    Wonder if its something in your chain (system) that is causing this. Try unhooking everything & hook things back up 1by1 trying it each time -till- u narrow it to the culprit. Just a thought. Maybe a cable into pre not jiving with SDA speakers ?
    ..
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,636
    edited March 2019
    i had the same issue years back. Cant remember if it was something to do with the cable tv line or the wall outlet ground plug. Just a thought :)
    ..
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  • ddog
    ddog Posts: 230
    I think the problem is bad speakers...
    I'll give you your money back plus a hundy for you troubles.
    If you can send me your address I'll be right over to pick them up...

    Thanks...lol
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  • honestaquarian
    honestaquarian Posts: 3,186
    Hum is caused by grounding issues with electronic components. Loudspeakers do not “produce” sounds. They only “reproduce” what is sent to them when they are hooked up properly and do not have faulty components. There is some sort of grounding potential difference somewhere that is the cause of the hum. Unfortunately these speakers have become a part of that issue (they are after all rather unique in their design) Problem is you practically have to be an electronics expert to track down the cause.
    IF AT ALL POSSIBLE try swapping out some upstream components in the same way that you did the speakers to see if the issue goes away.
    Doing upgrades to them is definitely going to cost more than what you paid for them, but it is definitely worth the effort and cost!
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  • honestaquarian
    honestaquarian Posts: 3,186
    Btw if you call Polk Audio to order some new drivers and inform them you are a Polk Forum member you will get a discount.
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  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    Is your Rotel a common ground amplifier? if not there can be issues... I played my CRSs with an old Pioneer receiver that was common ground but did have about 10 ohms of resistance between the ground terminals, and it hummed.
    Nice find! Those are great speakers.
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  • BMF35
    BMF35 Posts: 86
    Superduty250 wrote: »
    Not a ground loop I believe. Swap same leads to a set of Klipsch towers and it goes away. Stays with and without the interconnect cable. Just sounds like a power hum.

    Yeah needing 8 of them at $50 a piece is more than I paid for the speakers lol. I've been researching the various mods and I believe the dynamat and additional sealing of the boxes is where I'll start then check the crossover components and replace and that don't check out.

    Epoxy or PowerGrap all of the mid-woofer magnets too when you have them out for the Dynamat treatment.
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