Documenting: My SDA-1c upgrades from start to finish

F1nut

You made your bed.

Gardenstater

JMO here but I think the ears are more sensitive to distortions in the time domain vs harmonic distortions, when it comes to bass frequencies. For that Julian could have done impulse response and a Cumulative Spectral Decay (CSD) plot.

I thought it was interesting in that review though that he said the low harmonic distortion he measured in the ultra low bass frequencies (only 3.2% at 20Hz) were said by Polk to be due to some improvements that they made in the Passive Radiator design.

Rob can attest to the fact that the suspensions of certain MWs can become very sloppy with usage over time too. It would be interesting to measure the compliances of these drivers in the 1C and compare to their design target when they came off the line. The PRs no doubt get more compliant with usage as well and we don't know what the values were supposed to be when new.

xschop

Someone found J. Hirsch's original test subjects.... Maybe they can repro his measurements....

plastic_avatar

Are there any openings to tv shows, with a really good theme song, where there's a shot of someone eating a hotdog? I think I remember one, but can't put my finger on it...

Oh! Side note:

Since bumping the bass 1 click past bypass on the pre largely fixed my air pressure gripe with the 1C's new placement, I tried 2 of my EQs to see how they sounded with the current setup. Oof. Did not like. Killed the feeling of air vibrating around instruments. Off to ebay with them! But I'm keeping the Teac with the colored lights for the old Realistic system in the living room

Astrl55

Your obsession with hot dogs is disturbing.

Toolfan66

Toolfan66

Viking64

Gronk can fit 9 hot dogs in his mouth. That's the equivalent of 27 Tom Brady cocktail wieners.

Toolfan66

.... . / . -. .--- --- -.-- ... / -... ..- -.- -.- .- -.- .

pitdogg2

OH MY GOD.... I'm dying here

VR3

When I joined in 2003... The collective here would roast newbies into submission. The group is waaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more welcoming than ever before.

mhardy6647

VR3 wrote: »

When I joined in 2003... The collective here would roast newbies into submission. The group is waaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more welcoming than ever before.

I guess we only roast weenies now...


https://youtu.be/QOLTwt-bqoU?si=dC5Xq901FGvVWwCd

Gardenstater

Yeah I guess if being a member since 2009 makes him a ........newbie?

plastic_avatar

Wow. I just realized I took a break from all this drama and never posted the reply that's sat here in the queue since January.

Huh.

Go figure.

It's nice that there seems to be a slight change in the admin activity here lately. I should get back into things...

I do enjoy a good hot dog, but I'm more a Hebrew National kind of guy. ... --- / .. / .- -- / .--. .. -.-. -.- -.-- / .-- .... . -. / .. - / -.-. --- -- . ... / - --- / .-- .... .- - / .. / .--. ..- - / .. -. / -- -.-- / -- --- ..- - ....

[erases unsent response]

Ah! That's better.

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Brief 1C updates

• The Daytons continue to do a good job. Before I decide to sell the spare Polk drivers sitting around, I'm going to swap the 194 back in for comparison.
• For a new test, I'm going to swap the drivers from the M12 into the stereo slots on the 1C. Some people like that swap, and Polk said it was o.k., so why not give it a listen?
• I started using the parametric EQ on the WiiM Mini last week. Wow. I'm not interested in another EQ debate, so take that somewhere else. What I noticed was, after hours of tweaking, the WiiM Mini's EQ does a better job than my standalone EQs (even when using a mic and pink noise to calibrate). Everything is clear. No muddying. Everything is as it should be, but better. Sharper. Better tone. In lieu of room treatments that are years away, I'll take this surprisingly nice 4 channel parametric as a stopgap until I can go another route.
• xschop's recent Dreadnaught work has me inspired. I can't afford it right now, but making a Dread and 3D-printing the case is definitely on my list.
• The remastered version of Holy Diver is fantastic. That CD was one of many that helped get me through 12th grade. It sounds great on the 1C. There's not a lot of SDA goodness, but goodness! It sounds soooo good!
• To go back to the EQ entry... it really did make a huge difference. The room is unfinished. There's concrete, open ceilings, etc. It eats different frequencies in different places. How much it helped, compensating a little at the source, was a surprise. Pleasant. Very nice.

skipshot12

I’m obsessed with hot dogs meself.
Wish someone in Laramie made a good footling chili cheese dog….. along the lines of a Rut’s Hut in jersey.
No other choice than to make em at home.

Apologies on the hot dog hi-jack of your thread…..

plastic_avatar

@skipshot12 No apologies. Best hotdog info here I've ever gotten. Having some Sunday (German dogs from Aldi). Might make some kind of something from this thread to go with.

I have never had a bona-fide chili cheese dog.

Unrelated/related to the thread:

I get to puck up a pair of Peerless Monitor 7 tomorrow.

Based on my experience with the 5B, I'm excited. I'll start another thread. Goal is to follow all the basic mods that are in a new thread here: https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/197155/1982-monitor-7b-s-birthday-mods#latest

^That guy has an awesome write-up.

And Gardenstater gave me a comprehensive list of his mods. I have a great roadmap.

But I still need to keep my Strangemod rep up, so I might make my Monitor 12 a dual-use set that moonlights as an homage to the Polk LF, but using an outboard electric EQ and my Yamaha as a low frequency amp. Could be a great companion to the 1C. I'll have to wire in a bypass and (maybe) a second set of terminals... I don't care about HT low bass. I care about augmenting the 1C by moving a lot of air

Totally unrelated, though I gave these friends a Denon/Paradigm setup.


Such delicious, much new.

1C specific: I still prefer the Daytons. I haven't tested the M12 mids in the 1C. Thats super backburner material..

skipshot12

Got my grill going again, outta commission since 2008.

First thing to cook was hot tots & brats. Cut up peppers, onions and potatoes. Mix wishbone Italian with grey pooped-on mustard to make a sauce. Poor over potato’s and make a sealed bag with aluminum foil.
Use rest of the sauce to keep coating the brats and some large cut peppers & onions and grill away.

Yummy goodness…

skipshot12

That made me raff, never had a bonafide chile cheese dog.

Chili cheese dog from Rutt’s Hut in jersey.
It’s worth a trip. They call their dogs rippers.
Was my mom & pops hangout when they were dating.

You’re not a vegetarian, you eat hot dogs.
Define bona-fide regarding chili cheese dogs….

skipshot12

Any chile sauce as in Coney Island on a dog?

plastic_avatar

2025 Weiner Update

@skipshot12

WV puts slaw on hotdogs, like they do on BBQ in NC.

Most people who have a WV-style hotdog use chili (no beans) and slaw, with chopped onions and mustard as options.

https://wvtourism.com/your-guide-to-the-perfect-west-virginia-hot-dog/

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2 months ago we had work started on our basement. There was a muck-up by one of the crew. My office/3D printer workshop/stereo room got blasted by concrete and paint dust.

I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to clean it out of the stereo, my books, my printers, etc... It's such a tremendous undertaking, I don't even know where to begin.

So, the last thing I got to test was the LF12 mod I did to my Monitor 12. As I left that project, they matched BEAUTIFULLY to the 1C to bolster the low end. Since my amp, pre, etc., have this powder inside of them now, I haven't bothered to even move them to attempt to clean them. I don't have another space large enough to put my 3D nor stereo equipment.

I hope I can salvage most of it, but it's going to be a slog.

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For now, I'm stuck listening to my Minimus 7, a NeoHipo dac, and a teeny Fosi digital amp. It is surprisingly good for nearfield stereo, but it just doesn't scratch the itch of the system I worked so hard to put together.

Anyhow, there's the update. I'll chime in again when I figure something out and get to test the LF12 with the 1C again.

https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/200797/new-mod-project-lf12-yes-12#latest

msg

Wow. Suckage.

My first thought for cleanup would be to take the pieces outside and use compressed air. And since it's concrete dust, I'd probably be sure to use an in-line moisture filter. In line moisture filter is a good idea for extended air dusting with electronics anyway. Maybe try it out on one or two pieces, and see how it goes.

Are you talking interiors, surface, or both?

For surface, I'd say air to remove as much as possible, and then maybe lay damp shop towels, or microfiber on surfaces to try to lift as much concrete dust as possible. Rinse and repeat. Thinking here that dragging a dry cloth over concrete dust could easily scratch. Finish with damp, quality, plush microfiber to wipe, then dry microfiber to, uh, dry.

Is it paint dust from sanding or demo or something, and not overspray?

plastic_avatar

Thank you for the ideas, @msg

I wondered about putting an air mover in the room, vented outside, and using a leaf blower to stir up as much loose dust as I can to be vented into the world.

Air compressor outside, for the stereo, printers, and all the exposed electronics on shelves is a good idea. I'm guessing I have to wait until May to do it =(

Is it paint dust from sanding or demo or something, and not overspray?

It's a combo of concrete dust from sawing and jackhammering our foundation, plus paint/mold ground off of the block walls.

It's thick, powdery, and inside everything. It ruined 10 rolls of filament because it's like it's magnetized and stubborn to remove by wiping and compressed air in a can, and it's legitimately in nooks and crannies like you wouldn't believe.

pitdogg2

And yet no one thought to remove or cover it up???

Incredible!

VR3

I dunno man, as a previous contractor, I would expect the client to request compensation for an incident like you describe. I certainly hope you approached the issue

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pdoggie: No need to be a dick. It's a separate addition that was sealed off and 2 doorways removed. They began work without sealing off the furnace intakes (nor directing the work area air outside), and the dust vented throughout the basement, up into our living room, and into my project room.

@VR3 I agree. The holidays and craziness put a dent in a face-to-face with the owner. And the guy doing the Radon part got hit by a car last week (almost killed him). I expect a face-to-face later this week. We'll be talking about what it will take to clean it all. He knows what happened and that I want it fixed.

skipshot12

I’m sorry to hear that, really sucks!

I was thinking the compressed air outside also.
Does concrete dust react to water same as concrete? If so, I’d be blowing off as much as possible before taking a wet cloth to it.

Any lawyers in the family that could help?

plastic_avatar

Lawyers = I think we'll be able to work it out. The owner is a really good guy, and he has a big following because of it. He's the kind of guy that his employees' kids call Uncle.

I just need to figure out how to clean it, so I can have a plan for the things I don't trust them to clean... and to guide them, because I don't think he's had a mistake like this before, so I want to make sure I have a part in the clean-up game plan.

That's my thinking this week, at least.

And it's finally winter like we used to have, so I can't take anything outside yet. I'm in plan mode for our meet-up.

Jstas

Air compressors will spray moisture and lubricating oil. Not recommended for electronics. At least not without a de-ionizing dryer installed in-line. ESD standards dictate those for a minimum. You'll also need a grounded air line as compressed air can build up a static charge. There's a reason that you don't see electronics repair techs using air compressors.

Those reasons are why "canned air" exists. It's dry, static free and non-conductive, made specifically for electronics.

https://www.officesupply.com/technology/computer-accessories/cleaning-maintenance/air-dusters/cleaning-duster/p788559.html?ref=pla&scid=scbplp788559&sc_intid=788559&msclkid=c3ab209179a1166b7280471ebb74f062

Using a leaf blower is a sure fire way to damage something. Unless you have a significant way to create enough displacement, kicking up a cloud of dust just to evacuate it with a simple air transfer is harder than you think and there will still be particles that are light enough to get kicked up by the massive amount of air a leaf blower will displace quickly but too heavy to remain suspended in air long enough for an evacuation system or air scrubber to be able to extract. In other words, it won't work.

Your best bet is to invest in an ESD Anti-Static Vacuum Cleaner meant for cleaning electronics.

https://www.northerntool.com/products/metrovac-datavac-esd-safe-anti-static-pro-series-vacuum-blower-120-volts-4-5-amps-70-cfm-model-117-117513-mdv-1esd-104687?srsltid=AfmBOoo6APxF1ZYPPgsSTiZXg3DMWhhidZtz30If8b7EwF_iZU1vW7byjG8&gQT=1

This is your best bet because not only will it prevent the vacuum itself from frying sensitive electronics with the static fields it generates but masonry dust can and will build up a static charge in the vacuum line and an ESD vacuum will have a grounded lead to dissipate that charge through the grounding system instead of your sensitive electronics. The vacuum will remove all of the dust without introducing static electricity or moisture.

If you're doing all these "mods" to electronics, you should have one of those anyway.

plastic_avatar

@Jstas THANK YOU! Insight appreciated!

ESD Vac = You're right. I should have one. I've cheated failure with my 30-yr-old wrist strap for too long. Not joking. You're right.

[frowns]

I've got so many things that need cleaned. I hope this garbage didn't make its way into the openings of my album sleeves, but it ruined the foam panels for my audio recording. I can't get it out of those.

The more I think about it, the worse it gets.

That room was last on the repair list: sewer, Radon, water mitigation in main part if tge basement> then put the bathroom, Sarah's office, and guest room back together> then we were going to move all my stuff to the furnace room, do Radon mitigation and the floor in there, then move my stuff back in to do the walks and ceiling next year.

plastic_avatar

nooshinjohn wrote: »

The best solution to the problem would have been to remove everything from the area being worked on. To not do so is simply stupid, and rather moronic.

The rooms affected were removed from the work area. They started work without sealing what they should have, and the venting they did vented in the wrong direction. It was a mistake while the boss was not on site.

I get that reading comprehension is affected by all the pent-up online rage some folks have, but ffs... you could be helpful instead of further cementing yourself as one of the forum's preeminent tools.