SDA 1.2tl and Adcom monoblocks?

Hello- new to the forum. I’m a complete idiot when it comes to these speakers. I have researched them quite a bit, but still have questions.

1. I’m wanting to run the SDA 1.2tl, all stock, with a pair of Adcom GFA 565 monoblocks. I’m guessing since I don’t have a common ground amp, that I would need the interconnect cable, correct? Would the factory interconnect cable suffice? Or do I need this “Dreadnaught” cable? Does anyone sell the Dreadnaught- diy is not my thing.

Anything to look for when inspecting a pair to purchase?

Thanks!

Comments

  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    I read on a separate thread here that you can strap the negative terminals together to make them common ground BUT before you do this please wait for others to chime in.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    According to the schematic the negative terminals are connected to ground. (Its not a bridged/ balanced output design) .Strapping the negative terminals together will make the monos common ground.
  • honestaquarian
    honestaquarian Posts: 3,186
    edited October 2019
    If you want to run some stock SDA-SRS 1.2TL's then you would need to get your hands on an AI-1 non common ground interface cable. Which is essentially the crossfeed cable with an isolation transformer. Polk used to sell them years ago and I had one, but sold it.
    Welcome to the rabbit hole.............I mean FORUM btw.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,711
    mike99 wrote: »
    Hello- new to the forum. I’m a complete idiot when it comes to these speakers. I have researched them quite a bit, but still have questions.

    1. I’m wanting to run the SDA 1.2tl, all stock, with a pair of Adcom GFA 565 monoblocks. I’m guessing since I don’t have a common ground amp, that I would need the interconnect cable, correct? Would the factory interconnect cable suffice? Or do I need this “Dreadnaught” cable? Does anyone sell the Dreadnaught- diy is not my thing.

    Anything to look for when inspecting a pair to purchase?

    Thanks!

    Do you have the factory SDA cable?
    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

  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,484
    @FTGV, I had an Aragon 8008bb amp that was a dual mono amp that was supposedly common ground, but my 3.1TL's had a problem with it giving a thumping sound as the output. Using the Dreadnought that Raife designed solved the problem. Also, tying the negative terminals together also solved the issue (IN THE 8008bb and cannot say it will in the OP's amps) but it also degraded the audio quality of the amp.

    My thought is that the OP will need to build (or have built) a Dreadnought or buy an AI-1 cable, but I do not know that as fact.
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....


    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
  • mike99
    mike99 Posts: 1
    F1nut wrote: »
    mike99 wrote: »
    Hello- new to the forum. I’m a complete idiot when it comes to these speakers. I have researched them quite a bit, but still have questions.

    1. I’m wanting to run the SDA 1.2tl, all stock, with a pair of Adcom GFA 565 monoblocks. I’m guessing since I don’t have a common ground amp, that I would need the interconnect cable, correct? Would the factory interconnect cable suffice? Or do I need this “Dreadnaught” cable? Does anyone sell the Dreadnaught- diy is not my thing.

    Anything to look for when inspecting a pair to purchase?

    Thanks!

    Do you have the factory SDA cable?

    I do not. Would the factory SDA cable suffice?
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    headrott wrote: »
    @FTGV, I had an Aragon 8008bb amp that was a dual mono amp that was supposedly common ground, but my 3.1TL's had a problem with it giving a thumping sound as the output. Using the Dreadnought that Raife designed solved the problem. Also, tying the negative terminals together also solved the issue (IN THE 8008bb and cannot say it will in the OP's amps) but it also degraded the audio quality of the amp.

    My thought is that the OP will need to build (or have built) a Dreadnought or buy an AI-1 cable, but I do not know that as fact.
    The Aragon has resistors isolating the ground of each channel from each other and chassis ground. So it is not truly common ground. Tying the negative terminals together will make it common ground.
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,711
    mike99 wrote: »
    F1nut wrote: »
    mike99 wrote: »
    Hello- new to the forum. I’m a complete idiot when it comes to these speakers. I have researched them quite a bit, but still have questions.

    1. I’m wanting to run the SDA 1.2tl, all stock, with a pair of Adcom GFA 565 monoblocks. I’m guessing since I don’t have a common ground amp, that I would need the interconnect cable, correct? Would the factory interconnect cable suffice? Or do I need this “Dreadnaught” cable? Does anyone sell the Dreadnaught- diy is not my thing.

    Anything to look for when inspecting a pair to purchase?

    Thanks!

    Do you have the factory SDA cable?

    I do not. Would the factory SDA cable suffice?

    Without the SDA cable you basically have regular stereo speakers, no SDA, no magic. However, as such you could use any damn amp you want, but will be missing what the speakers are capable of and that would be a waste.
    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

  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,484
    FTGV wrote: »
    headrott wrote: »
    @FTGV, I had an Aragon 8008bb amp that was a dual mono amp that was supposedly common ground, but my 3.1TL's had a problem with it giving a thumping sound as the output. Using the Dreadnought that Raife designed solved the problem. Also, tying the negative terminals together also solved the issue (IN THE 8008bb and cannot say it will in the OP's amps) but it also degraded the audio quality of the amp.

    My thought is that the OP will need to build (or have built) a Dreadnought or buy an AI-1 cable, but I do not know that as fact.
    The Aragon has resistors isolating the ground of each channel from each other and chassis ground. So it is not truly common ground. Tying the negative terminals together will make it common ground.

    You are correct Fred. I forgot that it had resistors isolating each terminal and chassis ground.

    Tying the negative terminals together definitely solved the problem, but as said, degraded the audio quality greatly.
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....


    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    headrott wrote: »
    but as said, degraded the audio quality greatly.

    Interesting. Degraded in what way?
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,711
    Higher noise floor, I've heard it.
    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

  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,484
    Jesse is correct. The audio produced became muddy in the high, mid, and low end I believe because of the higher noise floor. The imaging also was degraded, and stereo separation was reduced from the 3.1 TL’s.

    I will stipulate that I am going by a 7 or 8 year old memory, but the audio was absolutely degraded when tying the negative terminals together.
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....


    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee