Polk Audio SDA Internal Cabinet Wiring

VSAT88
VSAT88 Posts: 1,257
in Vintage Speakers
What wire are you guys using to re wire/upgrade the wire in the cabinets themselves. I have done some searching before posting and there are wildly different opinions about this. Of course, because its about wire! I read that some have used 14 AWG marine tin coated copper and that sounds like a affordable option to me at $10.00 per 25 ft in any color. Eventually I want to 1. Buy Gimpod boards to re build my crossovers or 2. build my own point to point on wood boards that I would mount inside the cabs. At that time I would need re wire the cabinets. So what do you guys use ? Thanks.
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Comments

  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,639
    I use Supra Rondo, super easy to use, tin plated so it wont oxidize ever... good stuff
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,257
    VR3 wrote: »
    I use Supra Rondo, super easy to use, tin plated so it wont oxidize ever... good stuff

    Looks really good to me. Madisound ?
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,639
    yep, depending on what model you are doing, I recommend trying to keep them in the jacket as much as you can.

    If you go point to point, you can combine certain wires to consolidate everything to the jacket. IE: 1.2TL you can do 5 wires (+jumpers) versus 8
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,437
    I'm using DH Labs 14ga. Silver coated occ copper in my 2.3tl's
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,542
    Gmcman used Cardas. I like Furutech. Ray used Audioquest Go 4.
    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

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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,437
    I used Furutech per your recommendation on my SDA1 signatures and SDA2a. Then when i went to use it again on another project it had tripled in price to 12-15 dollars a meter from a little over 4.00 a meter.
    No complaints here but the price put me off when they raised it. I haven't looked in a long time i do not know if parts connexion carries it any more.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,542
    Ouch!
    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

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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,257
    Looks like you cats like stranded wire. I guess that is what came in there and most speakers for that matter. I will be doing up a set of SDA 2B's when I do it. I have also thought of doing the Snells and the AR 3's but right now I gotta work on the Polks and get them running right. They are the main speakers I listen to.
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,101
    I bought a spool of 12-gauge, silver-plated copper w/ Teflon jacket. Haven't installed it, yet.

    Price "can" be reasonable on eBay as it's military/aviation surplus.
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  • JayCee
    JayCee Posts: 1,500
    Multitude of posts saying many folks have done this but, not many comments for/against sound difference. Anyone believe it does make a difference?
    ➀Speakers: Polk1.2tl's (Uber Mods) ➁Pre/Amp/DAC: PS Audio BHK Signature & 250, DirectStream ➂Cables/IC's: MIT S1Bi-Wire/S1 Balanced +Avel Lindberg 1000VA "Dreadnought" ➃Power Conditioner: PS Audio P15 Power Plant ➄Power Cords: Core Power Technologies Gold, DH Labs Power Plus DIY w/Neotech NC-P301 & P311ends ➅Streaming: Roon ROCK on wifi'd NUC, TP-Link WAP, & Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark, Emperor Double Crown Clock, Black Modernize LPS, PS Audio AirLens⟿Ω☯☥☮⟿🔊♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,101
    JayCee wrote: »
    Multitude of posts saying many folks have done this but, not many comments for/against sound difference. Anyone believe it does make a difference?
    Of course it makes a difference. The important questions are: 1) Does it make a significant (audible) difference, 2) is it an "improvement" or just a "difference", and 3) Is the cost-to-benefit ratio acceptable?

    All differences in the "sound" of wiring are due to L, C, R, plus noise of the conductor(s). There is NO magic.
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  • JayCee
    JayCee Posts: 1,500
    edited June 2019
    Schurkey wrote: »
    JayCee wrote: »
    Multitude of posts saying many folks have done this but, not many comments for/against sound difference. Anyone believe it does make a difference?
    Of course it makes a difference. The important questions are: 1) Does it make a significant (audible) difference, 2) is it an "improvement" or just a "difference", and 3) Is the cost-to-benefit ratio acceptable?

    All differences in the "sound" of wiring are due to L, C, R, plus noise of the conductor(s). There is NO magic.

    I get that. ;) Kind of hoping to see some quantifying of said differences. Some actual experiences and what people think. B)
    ➀Speakers: Polk1.2tl's (Uber Mods) ➁Pre/Amp/DAC: PS Audio BHK Signature & 250, DirectStream ➂Cables/IC's: MIT S1Bi-Wire/S1 Balanced +Avel Lindberg 1000VA "Dreadnought" ➃Power Conditioner: PS Audio P15 Power Plant ➄Power Cords: Core Power Technologies Gold, DH Labs Power Plus DIY w/Neotech NC-P301 & P311ends ➅Streaming: Roon ROCK on wifi'd NUC, TP-Link WAP, & Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark, Emperor Double Crown Clock, Black Modernize LPS, PS Audio AirLens⟿Ω☯☥☮⟿🔊♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬
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  • gmcman
    gmcman Posts: 1,806
    JayCee wrote: »
    Multitude of posts saying many folks have done this but, not many comments for/against sound difference. Anyone believe it does make a difference?

    I went from 30 YO stock wiring to Cardas Litz 15.5 Ga and the difference was dramatic. I tried to A/B the left to the right, one being stock and one upgraded to the Litz, and the tonal difference was enough that you couldn't really listen to both at the same time...was all over the place.

    I also soldered my speaker terminals, not sure how much difference that made, but safe bet the wire was responsible for most of it.

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  • gilberca
    gilberca Posts: 34
    This thread was very timely for me as I am about to embark on upgrading my SDA 1B binding posts and didn't want to re-use the original internal wiring. Have ordered and received the Cardas posts from Soniccraft and was contemplating the best way to connect them to the upgraded crossovers. I just ordered some 14 AWG silver coated wiring from Ebay. Thanks Schurkey.
    Schurkey wrote: »
    I bought a spool of 12-gauge, silver-plated copper w/ Teflon jacket. Haven't installed it, yet.

    Price "can" be reasonable on eBay as it's military/aviation surplus.

    Will be using that wire to secure binding posts to the crossover network.



    Main System: SDA 1B, Marantz PM8006, Parasound HCA1500, Marantz CD6006, B&O Tx2, Sonos Connect
    Office setup: Marantz M-CR611, CNote Speakers
    TV Room: Marantz SR5014, Polk TSI200s, TSI100s, Signature S10s, PSW125, TSI CS20, Sonos Connect
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    I will be finishing up a rewire for my 2.3TL's today. I opted to use the Supra Rondo for the project. My preamp is in the shop atm, so I can't give them a listen until it's back in place.

    Looking forward to any improvements the fresh wire will bring.
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  • cincycat13
    cincycat13 Posts: 882
    Mike Reeter wrote: »
    I will be finishing up a rewire for my 2.3TL's today. I opted to use the Supra Rondo for the project. My preamp is in the shop atm, so I can't give them a listen until it's back in place.

    Looking forward to any improvements the fresh wire will bring.

    How many feet did this project take?
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    cincycat13 wrote: »
    Mike Reeter wrote: »
    I will be finishing up a rewire for my 2.3TL's today. I opted to use the Supra Rondo for the project. My preamp is in the shop atm, so I can't give them a listen until it's back in place.

    Looking forward to any improvements the fresh wire will bring.

    How many feet did this project take?

    I purchased 104 ft. for both speakers, including binding post to x-overs. Looks like I'm going to have about 6 ft. left over.

    A 100 ft. should catch it, but I wanted to make sure. I will utilize the excess on other speakers...providing this upgrade does make a difference.

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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,639
    I usually do 40 ft of the 4 conductor rondo for a Pair of speakers, noting you can do the 2.3tl with 4 wires for the tweeters versus 6, taking a single 4 conductor run, which looks great
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,257
    gmcman wrote: »
    JayCee wrote: »
    Multitude of posts saying many folks have done this but, not many comments for/against sound difference. Anyone believe it does make a difference?

    I went from 30 YO stock wiring to Cardas Litz 15.5 Ga and the difference was dramatic. I tried to A/B the left to the right, one being stock and one upgraded to the Litz, and the tonal difference was enough that you couldn't really listen to both at the same time...was all over the place.

    I also soldered my speaker terminals, not sure how much difference that made, but safe bet the wire was responsible for most of it.

    When I do mine I am thinking of soldering all my wire directly to the x over and the binding posts as well. At the speakers would be a different story. There I will use crimp connectors soldered to the internal wiring.
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  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    VSAT88 wrote: »
    Looks like you cats like stranded wire.

    The AudioQuest GO-4 wire I installed in my SDA 1.2TLs is solid core wire in a "hyper Litz" configuration: each 15 AWG conductor is a twisted pair of a 17 AWG and a 20 AWG conductor.

    The Cardas wire I installed in my SDA SRSs and SDA CRS+s is stranded, individually insulated Litz wire, for an effective wire gauge of 15.5 AWG.
    JayCee wrote: »
    Multitude of posts saying many folks have done this but, not many comments for/against sound difference. Anyone believe it does make a difference?

    Yes, rewiring my SDAs provided audible improvements in sound quality. I have rewired my 1.2TLs twice. First with Cardas wire, then with AudioQuest GO-4. Details are in these threads:

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/139282/cardas-internal-wire-replacement-for-the-sda-srs-1-2tl/p1

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/141258/audioquest-go-4-internal-wire-replacement-for-the-sda-srs-1-2tl/p1

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143888/tweaking-home-theater-pt-8-cardas-wire-for-front-stage-speakers

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/157041/cardas-internal-wire-upgrade-for-the-sda-crs-1989-version

    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,257
    Ordered the 15 g Supra from Madisound. Now I am thinking that may have been a mistake. The stock stuff is 14 best I recall. Should I use it or re order something larger gauge ?
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,437
    Most stock wire is 16ga unless the big SDA 1.2 size all used larger. I thought some older pictures showed a rope lay 12 ga. Type

    My 2.3tls had 16 ga. I went larger to 14ga when I rewired mine.
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,257
    edited September 2020
    So I guess with a pair of SDA 2B's 15 ga. should be OK. Thanks @pitdogg2 .
    This is what I ordered and that came in yesterday .

    "Supra Classic 1.6 Speaker Cable by the running foot
    15AWG, Tin plated OFC copper, Ion stable PVC Ice Blue Jacket."
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,437
    Yep supra's better wire all day.
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,257
    I will say this it looks and feels like really nice quality.
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  • VSAT88
    VSAT88 Posts: 1,257
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,582
    I don't know. Tinned makes it easier to solder but defeats the capability of OFC (or better) copper runs.
    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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