SDA SRS help

camelhead714
camelhead714 Posts: 4
edited May 2004 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
Im new to your group because I want to find help from the people who know.. I have recently bought a pair of SDA SRS Signature, they are beautiful.. Now I have to complete the system.. I need suggestions on what to do, ie. a subwoofer ?? how much amp, or just a good receiver ?? I dont wanna waste such a grate pair of speakers. Right now they are just hooked to my old Denon Pro Logic Receiver with maybe 80w to the front with a 100 powered Sub, and they sound grate, so if I can get them hooked like they should be... I just cant imagine.. Help
Post edited by camelhead714 on
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  • kingkip
    kingkip Posts: 401
    edited May 2004
    Don't know much about the SDAs, but plenty here do. Try posting this in the speaker forum, it will probably be more visible there. Lots of people to help here. Good luck, and congrats on the acquistion of a great speaker.

    BTW welcome to the forum:D
    There are two ways to argue with women. Both of them are wrong.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2004
    ch714,
    Welcome to the Club from a fellow SRS owner...

    The SRS's will take pretty much as much power as you can throw at them. At their nominal 5 ohm rating they are only moderately difficult to drive, but they definitely benefit from using a high current amp. You have not begun to tickle their fancy with 80 wpc.

    Opinions will vary as to the minimum power to feed them. I'd say 200 wpc (8 ohm rating) with a current capacity of 40 amperes per ch is getting there, but 300 to 400 wpc is better. I drove mine for years with a Carver M-1.5t (375 wpc), then my Sunfire (405 wpc) and now bi-amped with Sunfire (810 wpc). Just kept getting better and better...

    For music no sub is needed, as they easily dig to 30 Hz and just about all music, except full pedal organs and some synth, is above 30 Hz. But for true HT giggles a strong sub is a plus. The SRS will not reproduce the legendary LOTR - FOTR "ring drop" in the opening batttle scene. No sub here (yet), but an SVS is definitely on the proverbial list...

    Looks like you've a way to go bringing the rest of your gear up to the SRS's level. What's your budget? Do you mind buying used electronics?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • camelhead714
    camelhead714 Posts: 4
    edited May 2004
    OK, I was looking at a new Denon AVR 983, but looks as if that isn't the way to go.. used electronics are fine by me, and budget wise i'm not too sure, but i'm know when you talk about 400 wpc it wont be cheap by any means ... Thanx for responding.. any more help is grately appreciated, for I am sure that I will need it.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2004
    You're welcome...

    Again "cheap" is a relative term, but used amps in the 400 wpc neighborhood can be found under $500 on ebay and audiogon, not to mention the ocassional seller here in the Flea Market. Also worth considering a pair of 200 wpc amps for bi-amping.

    And if you can do your own leg work, you should be able to find them locally for even less. FLA is an estate sale hot bed...

    Good names to look for used include Carver, Adcom, Soundcraftsmen, SAE, and more...

    Happy hunting...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • BobMcG
    BobMcG Posts: 1,585
    edited May 2004
    T2m is right about the power you're using now. It can't make the SRS's show their stuff. The big speakers like power and will handle a lot of if.

    Just remember: "Clean quality power" is the key. Not stressed/distorting power. Good amps with plenty of power in reserve so they don't have to be pushed hard to produce very satisfying results.
    Also remember: You'll distroy a driver with an underpowered amp much easier than with an amp with an abundance of power.

    But, it's when you go after lots of "clean power" that things can get expensive. However, if you are like most though, you'll find yourself upgrading from one level to another untill you get to where you want to be. (True about all components.) It doesn't have to happen overnight. The only trouble is... where is the end???

    T2m is also right about the SRS's not "needing" a sub for music sources. You'll find this aspect revealed when they are being fed by an excellent amp or amps. After all, deep bass notes take a great deal of power to reproduce "accurately". Much more than the higher ranges.

    A note on using amps:
    If you decide to horizontally biamp any of the SDA speakers that can be biamped (not all can be, check model# and serial# from Polk) an SDA Non-Common Ground Interface (AI-1) "MUST" be used to prevent damage to the speakers or the amps or both! Damage may come sooner or later but it will $$$. Check your owner's manual for more information.

    F.Y.I. Polk AI-1 Interface Compatability for SDA Loudspeakers:

    SDA-SRS - Both Channels - Serial #5001 or greater.
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  • camelhead714
    camelhead714 Posts: 4
    edited May 2004
    I have already begun my search.. I talked to my buddy that sold me the Polks and he powered them with a Crown amp... What are your thoughts of Crown, or maybe Pyramid ??? And I will check my serial #'s.. Thanx again.
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  • BobMcG
    BobMcG Posts: 1,585
    edited May 2004
    Sorry ch714, not much help to you on these.

    I do know of the Crown commercial series of amps for professional applications but I don't know how they compare sound quality wise (for criticle listening at least) to home audio amps. Could be just fine, I couldn't say as I've no experience. Maybe someone else could help with this?

    I know of the Pyramid car amps out there but home audio amps just doesn't ring a bell at the moment...
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2004
    OK, my turn to agree with Bob... :)

    Don't know Pyramid either. Crown made some fine amps that were some of the early, high-power models back in the 70's. While they are still around today ( http://www.crownaudio.com/ ), I haven't heard much about them in a long time.

    Parasound is another amp manufacturer to consider.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • camelhead714
    camelhead714 Posts: 4
    edited May 2004
    Ok, I believe I will be going with The Crown XS500 .. Now, I have no idea where to begin.. looks as if I will need more equipment. Can I use a Receiver, or do I need a Tuner, or what? My receiver is an older Denon, it is very nice, but old ( in electronics age ) it has no sub-out, or no way to hook to my new amp, that I can see.. the amp has 3 pin XLR inputs.. and I have not seen a Receiver that has anything like that What do I do now ???
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  • BobMcG
    BobMcG Posts: 1,585
    edited May 2004
    For two channel stereo use:
    If your receiver (which is a pre-amp & tuner combined) has no pre-outs on it (as it sounds) you will need to buy a pre-amp to control the amp with. You plug the amp into the back of the pre-amp via interconnects. You have the option of finding one with XLR connections on it so you can just run XLR interconnects or you may have to use interconnects with adaptors on one end. To buy a tuner would actually be buying a radio, so that wouldn't cut it. You will also be connecting your signal source, say a CD player, to your pre-amp. Your speakers of course are wired to your amp and off you go.
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