SDA2A Tweeter replacement

Javaman1685
Javaman1685 Posts: 14
in Vintage Speakers
I just received my RDO-194 tweeters and need to ask what the polarity is on the black and white cables in the SDA? From what I’ve read I need to connect the BLACK cable to the red lead on the new tweeters and white cable to the silver lead. So black is positive and white is negative.Correct?

Thanks
LJ
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Best Answers

  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,494
    Answer ✓
    Black or blue = positive
    White or green = negative
    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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  • Javaman1685
    Javaman1685 Posts: 14
    Answer ✓
    Thank you! All set now😀
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,412
    Answer ✓
    Javaman1685 wrote: »
    So you are 100% certain that my current connection (black to pos) and (white to neg) is correct? On the SDA 2A speakers. Thanks,

    YES ! I had them, I completely rewired them and rebuilt the crossovers. If you REALLY want to get A. retentive trace your wires all the way back to the binding post.....
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,494
    Answer ✓
    Javaman1685 wrote: »
    Ok I am new to the Forum and to Polk speakers
    so just being cautious. Incredible that I would get this response from support! I am going to send them the schematic so they can get their act together.👍

    The chassis wire colors I posted are for vintage Polk speakers such as the SDA and Monitor series. For the more modern Polk speakers the color schemes are different and that is likely where the confusion lies.

    For the most part these days Polk customer service is outsourced and I'd bet most weren't even born when the vintage Polk speakers were in production.
    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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Answers

  • Javaman1685
    Javaman1685 Posts: 14
    Waiting on my Interconnect cable as these didn’t come with one. Is there a simply way to test if the SDA portion of the crossover is working properly? These are old and I don’t think the guy who sold them to me ever had the cable. Simple test to verify the cable is working and the interaural crosstalk is being eliminated?
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,494
    When you get the cable you will know if the SDA works or not.
    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: 25,412
    Two spade lugs the correct size or close it to make contact with the interconnect socket. The spades crimped to wire. It is very important the you do NOT cross. Both bigger sides connect on one lead to each speaker and both small sides to both speakers. Do not go big side to small side. At best that will disable the circuit, at worst it could blow something you're powering the speakers with (let the magic smoke out) per say....

    Ideally if you have a white wire and a black wire then use black on the big blade side and white on the smaller side.


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  • Javaman1685
    Javaman1685 Posts: 14
    I am now totally confused! I sent an email to Polk Support on the question of polarity for these new RDO-194 tweeters and the answer I got back is not what I got from other Forum members? I wired the black cable from the SDA crossover to Pos (red terminal on tweeter) and white cable to Neg on other terminal.

    Here’s the answer from Polk!

    Response By Email (Customer Care Team) (06/07/2023 07:22 AM)
    Hello Larry,

    Thank you for contacting Polk Audio, we value you as a Polk customer and appreciate the opportunity to be of assistance!

    My apologies for the delayed response. Thank you for reaching out to us on this matter.

    Here's the color coded polarity information:

    Black wire- Negative (-) goes to Black terminal port
    White wire-Positive (+) goes to Red terminal port

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  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,457
    They should've apologized for a delayed AND incorrect response. :D
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
    Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
    Onkyo A-8017 integrated
    Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
    iFi nano iDSD DAC
    iPurifier3
    iDefender w/ iPower PS
    Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
    iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
    Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
    Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
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  • Javaman1685
    Javaman1685 Posts: 14
    So you are 100% certain that my current connection (black to pos) and (white to neg) is correct? On the SDA 2A speakers. Thanks,
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  • Javaman1685
    Javaman1685 Posts: 14
    Well,,,,I called Polk back and questioned their response and they double checked and after further investigation they are ADAMANT Black is Neg and White is positive. Go figure. Guess I’ll be taking them apart to see the crossovers.
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  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,457
    Adamant? Did you get their name lol? Here's the wiring diagram for the SDA 2B showing Polk's wire color conventions:

    https://us.v-cdn.net/5021930/uploads/attachments/1/8/5/1/1/26694.pdf

    aykl5r2flc3x.jpg
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
    Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
    Onkyo A-8017 integrated
    Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
    iFi nano iDSD DAC
    iPurifier3
    iDefender w/ iPower PS
    Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
    iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
    Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
    Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,412
    Told Ya!
    :D:D:D
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,494
    Javaman1685 wrote: »
    Well,,,,I called Polk back and questioned their response and they double checked and after further investigation they are ADAMANT Black is Neg and White is positive. Go figure. Guess I’ll be taking them apart to see the crossovers.

    That person is dead WRONG!!!
    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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  • Javaman1685
    Javaman1685 Posts: 14
    Yes you did but mine are 2A’s. I have them wired with black as positive and they sound great so I’ll leave them like that. The only thing that bothers me is that your diagram is for 2B and SL-2000 tweeters. Mine are 2A with RDO-194.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,494
    Javaman1685 wrote: »
    Yes you did but mine are 2A’s. I have them wired with black as positive and they sound great so I’ll leave them like that. The only thing that bothers me is that your diagram is for 2B and SL-2000 tweeters. Mine are 2A with RDO-194.

    Dude, it makes no effing difference. We know WTF we're talking about.
    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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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,363
    Black has always been positive on mine for the last 35 years, I bought them new in 1987.
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  • Javaman1685
    Javaman1685 Posts: 14
    Ok I am new to the Forum and to Polk speakers
    so just being cautious. Incredible that I would get this response from support! I am going to send them the schematic so they can get their act together.👍
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  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,457
    No problem! Rest assured that Polk has remained historically consistent with their wire color conventions, at least afaik and have seen no evidence otherwise. It is concerning that companies are hiring less than stellar employees for customer service all over. My local Home Depot is a total joke in this regard. Sign of the times and a bad economy?
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
    Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
    Onkyo A-8017 integrated
    Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
    iFi nano iDSD DAC
    iPurifier3
    iDefender w/ iPower PS
    Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
    iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
    Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
    Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
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  • xschop
    xschop Posts: 5,000
    Polk CS's knowledge only extends up to their latest soundbar offering.
    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • Javaman1685
    Javaman1685 Posts: 14
    well,,well,,they finally admit they were wrong!


    Polk support finally acknowledge they had the wiring wrong!! Although Angelo referred to it as a “misunderstanding” NOT,,they told me twice black was negative. Anyway,,thanks all for helping me out.

    Javaman



    Response By Email (Angelo) (06/09/2023 12:45 PM)
    Hi Larry,

    Good day!

    Thank you for sending that information with us specially the attached picture showing the diagram of the SDA 2B, I actually confirmed it from our subject matter expert that with the same series of speaker the same wirings it has inside of the speaker so technically speaking the connection that you are in right now is correct. I apologize for the confusion and inconvenience.

    Once again, the Black is for positive and the White is for negative.


    Kind regards,
    Angelo

    Customer By Email (Larry Morin) (06/09/2023 07:02 AM)
    Hello,

    I attach a schematic of the wiring that I found on the web of the Polk
    SDA 2B and it has the tweeter being wired opposite to what your support group has told me.
    Also, all of the Polk Forum users have been telling me BLACK goes to Positive! And White goes to Negative. Surely
    the wiring must be the same for the 2A’s?

    Once again, could you please check this as you have me wiring Black to Negative and White to positive for RDO-194 tweeters.

    Thanks,

    Larry Morin

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  • Gardenstater
    Gardenstater Posts: 4,457
    Hmm. Lots of coverups going on these days! 👌
    George / NJ

    Polk 7B main speakers, std. mods+ (1979, orig owner)
    Martin Logan Dynamo sub w/6ft 14awg Power Cord
    Onkyo A-8017 integrated
    Logitech Squeezebox Touch Streamer w/EDO applet
    iFi nano iDSD DAC
    iPurifier3
    iDefender w/ iPower PS
    Custom Steve Wilson 1m UPOCC Interconnect
    iFi Mercury 0.5m OFHC continuous cast copper USB cable
    Custom Ribbon Speaker Cables, 5ft long, 4N Copper, 14awg, ultra low inductance
    Custom Vibration Isolation Speaker Stands and Sub Platform
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,494
    Javaman, it is generally frowned upon to post emails on a public forum.
    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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  • Javaman1685
    Javaman1685 Posts: 14
    Ok didn’t know! Rookie mistake.
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