Speaker suggestions

pelhamplace

I have a pair of SDA 2s that are hooked up to a Pioneer SX-1250 receiver and a Bluesound streamer. I have been very happy with the system. I have just noticed a buzzing noise on the right speaker. I plan on doing the SDA upgrades and so they will be out of the rotation for awhile. I would like to try another pair of speakers with the SX-1250. Any suggestions on possible choices? I would like to try some vintage speakers that are out of the Polk family (am I allowed to say that?).
Thanks

mhardy6647

Can you say "out of the Polk family"?
Have you ever read any posts on this forum?

Important question: New or vintage?
If the latter, see if you can find a pair of Allison Ones.

jdjohn

Maybe some vintage Infinity speakers with EMIT tweeters???

Nightfall

You'll be back.

pelhamplace

Nightfall, you are absolutely right. I really like the SDAs. The SDAs are just going to be offline for a little while I undertake the upgrade experience. I would like to stay with vintage speakers.

windstriker

I know you said vintage but.... If you like projects..... May I suggest the C-Note diy speaker pack from parts express? Excellent little bookshelfs and the construction is pretty straight forward.

pelhamplace

They look interesting. My idea was to pickup another vintage pair of speakers while I'm doing the upgrade project.

daddyjt

Have you swapped the speakers L to R to ensure that the “buzzing” is actually the right speaker, and not the right channel of your receiver?

mhardy6647

A few other thoughts:

KEF 105 (or 104).
IMF TLS-50
Tannoy Cheviot

Like the aforementioned Allisons, the models above were (are) all loudspeakers of superlative "tone" (which was always, within their limitations, my opinion of the classic Polk loudspeakers).

Unlike the Allisons, I don't have any of the above although I did have a pair of IMF SuperCompact IIs for a while, and I thought they were outstanding little three-way loudspeakers.

I can't offer troubleshooting help on the SDAs I am pretty ignorant of the SDA Polks.

pelhamplace

Daddyjt: appreciate the suggestion. That’s the first thing I did. I’m glad it’s the speaker rather than the receiver. It’s tough to find someone in Dallas to work on vintage gear; also it almost takes two people to lift the receiver.

pelhamplace

Mhardy6647: thanks for your ideas. I just listened to some KEF 103.2 speakers and really liked them. The seller wanted $270 so I think they might be my interim solution.

dromunds

Too bad you're in Dallas (I'm in Wisconsin). My old college roommate has a pair of Allison 1's he bought new that he is considering selling and I have a pair of Infinity Kappa 8's with EMIT tweeters front and rear-firing for sale. Both suggestions from your first two commenters are excellent speakers indeed.

pelhamplace

That’s always the way it works. There is a pair of Infinity Qa speakers with EMIT tweeters on the local CL for only $75. I know they are only two way but at that price not much to lose.

dromunds

Not familiar with those Infinity's but can could get a bit of mid-range issue since they are two-ways but may sound pretty good overall. I think they also had a three-way in that line, maybe the Qb. If you can find some vintage Polks in your local CL they can be super deals sometimes. How about a pair of Monitor 7's with Peerless tweeters? Those are really nice overall. Make sure they have stands. I even like the Monitor 4's with Peerless tweeters. Very small bookie but surprisingly good and often a steal on CL if you can find a minty pair.

mhardy6647

pelhamplace wrote: »

Mhardy6647: thanks for your ideas. I just listened to some KEF 103.2 speakers and really liked them. The seller wanted $270 so I think they might be my interim solution.

That whole era of KEFs were mighty fine (well... truth be told, most any KEFs
Polk, based on ad copy from their early days, tried hard to get the voice of the classic British monitors (KEF, Chartwell, Spendor, Rogers, etc.) in their early consumer products. Dollar for dollar, they did a darned good job of it, too.

mhardy6647

pelhamplace wrote: »

That’s always the way it works. There is a pair of Infinity Qa speakers with EMIT tweeters on the local CL for only $75. I know they are only two way but at that price not much to lose.

Well -- I find any of the even halfway affordable Infinity "monkey coffins" too bright for my taste; YMMV, though, of course. Some of the top-end Infinity products were pretty good, but they tended to be exceptionally power-hungry and/or amplifier killers.

Had a pair of Infinity RSb three-ways for a while but they weren't at all my cup of tea.

(just FWIW, of course!)

pelhamplace

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I’m going to get my hands (and ears) on the KEFs. Probably going to pass on the Infinity speakers. I’m going to have to read all of the threads on SDA upgrades and get that party started.

Tony M

Dallas Craig's list has to have some awesome classics for sale. But I know meeting people there is ….

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/ele/d/mc-kinney-vintage-infinity-sl50-series/6940584351.html

...225.00


https://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/ele/d/mc-kinney-vintage-kenwood-speakers-kl/6933017268.html

...250.00 of FUN!


THESE! ;) I'd be calling them. Ask if the surrounds are fine.
https://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/ele/d/euless-speakers-ohm-model/6940439541.html

...60.00....Ohms are excellent sounding speakers!

pelhamplace

Tony M, thanks for pulling the listings! You are so right about CL. I’ve met some really great people when buying vintage gear on CL and some .... well not so great.

Tony M

You're welcome.

Here in the South East, I've met 99% great people. But there was this one... or two...

Seems like the prices are fair on there from what I saw.

I saw some klipsch horns but they are $4K+ and I don't think you want to go there, do you?

pelhamplace

I did a little research on the Ohm L speakers and got really interested. Great suggestion. I called the seller and they were sold already. I saw the K Horns; only thing stopping me is I don’t have available corners in the room (and $4,500 LOL).

mhardy6647

The Ohm monkey coffins were all decent loudspeakers.
The "Walsh" type omnis (including the 'pseudo-Walsh-driver' speakers like the Ohm 2s) are mostly rather nice. Pair of Walsh 2s down in the basement, come to think of it.

Tony M

I enjoyed a set of OHM Walsh 2's for a while also.

Nice holographic imaging! Like my new to me RTA 12b's have.

deronb1

Find some ML Motion 12s. Great speakers

Irrenhaus

How about some klipsch heresy I had a set and they were great. I sold them and I still trying to figure why the hell I did.

Cheers

kharp1

Tony M wrote: »

I enjoyed a set of OHM Walsh 2's for a while also.

Nice holographic imaging! Like my new to me RTA 12b's have.

I use to like the Walsh's and I got curious and looked them recently. They've expanded that line and seem very reasonable. They will even special build to your room dimensions.

pelhamplace

Irrenhaus: I’ve been monitoring CL for Heresy or Cornwalls for a flea amp I have. Since the III series are pretty pricey some sellers have tried to hike prices for the I series. Appreciate feedback on the Heresy.

BMF35

Can you send me an email so we can talk?

ktmminipro @ yahoo.com

mhardy6647

pelhamplace wrote: »

Irrenhaus: I’ve been monitoring CL for Heresy or Cornwalls for a flea amp I have. Since the III series are pretty pricey some sellers have tried to hike prices for the I series. Appreciate feedback on the Heresy.

Not everyone is a big fan of the Heritage Klipsch sound...


That said, they hold their value well and there are certainly myriad modifications & upgrades to make them sound... well... less like they do.



IOW, you'll be able to sell them if you don't like them.

pelhamplace

I have a flea tube amp that I’m looking to pair with efficient speakers (probably another thread) and it appears (I’d appreciate your insights on this) all roads lead to horns, either Altec or Klipsch. There does seem to be a strong vintage market for Klipsch so they are easy to move if I don’t like them. I was looking at a pair of Cornscalas but I am concerned with the resale market.

mhardy6647

I don't know about Cornscala resale (I reckon the market is strong but limited to those in the know). I do know about the regular production Heritage Klipsch models. The K-horns are good, and great with fleapower. The best sounding pair I ever heard, though, had been highly modified.

Paul Klipsch believed that the enclosure was the most important part of a
loudspeaker system, and focused on that. Very early "Heritage" Klipsch cabinets were loaded with decent to good drivers (Electrovoice and University, typically), but by the 1970s, Klipsch had moved to very cheap drivers: Decent Eminence-made woofers and horrible Atlas compression midranges. The Klipsch midrange horns were nasty, ringy things, too. They did use the EV T35 tweeters for pretty much the duration (switching to ceramic "mud" magnet versions when AlNiCo prices went through the roof). I am not a fan of the T35 family (except the expensive T350); I find them, at least on the Klipsch crossovers, to be quite screechy.

I owned a pair of Cornwalls (1974 vintage) for years. The Cornwalls, on some music, with empathetic amplification, can be quite good, with the caveat that they get harsh pretty readily. Best I ever heard them sound was driven by a Marantz 8B (which, sadly, was not mine). The Fisher 500C receiver (push-pull 7591A) was pretty good with them, too. The Cornwalls are pretty good on single-ended 2A3. They were horrific with an early ss autoformer-coupled McIntosh amp (MC2100). Dreadfully ear-gouging.

The LaScalas and their gussied-up cousins the Belle Klipsch (named for Paul's wife) are best avoided unless you have a paint removal project pending (IMO, of course).

The Heresies are like the Cornies but with no bass. Unless space or price is really a consideration, go with Cornies if you can't do a K-horn.

There are all gonna sound very different than any Polk product.

Again, IME, IMO, YMMV, etc.