SDA Playlist

jimclass

I just got my first pair of SDA 2As (only took me 20 years). Tried various CDs, mostly rock music. Not as impressed at first as I had hoped. When I put on Peter Gabriel's UP album, it was like someone turned on the lights. The entire cd sounds like it was mixed for the SDA sound. really amazing. not his best record, but a really cool aural experience. Also, Beatles Yellow Submarine soundtrack re-release from late 90s (This is the only remixed Beatles music available besides LOVE.) Yellow Submarine cut has all this goofy ocean and submarine sound that swirls around you while the music holds on another sound space. Try it and see.

Disc Jockey

Statler Brothers - Flowers on the wall

dudeinaroom

jimclass wrote: »

I just got my first pair of SDA 2As (only took me 20 years). Tried various CDs, mostly rock music. Not as impressed at first as I had hoped. When I put on Peter Gabriel's UP album, it was like someone turned on the lights. The entire cd sounds like it was mixed for the SDA sound. really amazing. not his best record, but a really cool aural experience. Also, Beatles Yellow Submarine soundtrack re-release from late 90s (This is the only remixed Beatles music available besides LOVE.) Yellow Submarine cut has all this goofy ocean and submarine sound that swirls around you while the music holds on another sound space. Try it and see.

Throw in some Yes, Dire Staights, Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, or other stuff from around that time span most of it sounds pretty good.

jimclass

I just listened to the Beatles LOVE cd on my SDA 2As for the first time. This is by far the best audio soundstage I've sampled yet. Sounds as big as an imax screen. And if you are a Beatles fan like me, it is a thrill to hear the Beatles with such clarity and sound stage quality. Some object to the "mashup" nature of the CD, but trust me it is well worth the listen. None of the Beatles cds sound like this on the SDAs.

Question: can anyone out there tell me the differences between the SDA 2 and the SDA 2A? I have seen pics of SDA2 and SDA2A with different driver configurations, some with 2 drivers and one tweeter, some 3 drivers and one tweeter. Is there some literature about the product line?

Thanks

hearingimpared

You should here the LP! It blows the CD away.

jimclass

Thanks. I need to get the vinyl version. I did break out some LPs on my Rega 2, but a lot of that old vinyl just was not well pressed and lack bass. There are exeptions, of course. I don't have any new vinyl...gotta try some.

HeadphoneAddict

Handel's Messiah Conducted Hogwood by Academy of Ancient Music - This is what I took into the store in the mid 1980's when I demo'd my SDA CRS at the store and bought them on the spot.

Very hard to find this recording. I sold it in 1991 during my divorce, and only found one on ebay last year!

hearingimpared

HeadphoneAddict wrote: »

Handel's Messiah Conducted Hogwood by Academy of Ancient Music - This is what I took into the store in the mid 1980's when I demo'd my SDA CRS at the store and bought them on the spot.

Very hard to find this recording. I sold it in 1991 during my divorce, and only found one on ebay last year!

Awesome, could you please post the pressing numbers and label info?

HeadphoneAddict

hearingimpared wrote: »

Awesome, could you please post the pressing numbers and label info?

I will get the info when I am back home, and post it.

This was actually a very good CD in it's day, like it was mastered for evaluating soundstage, you can pinpoint the soloists' positions and yet it captures the size and ambience of the cathedral without smearing the vocals all over the place.

It is mostly lacking in bass because of the venue and lots of harpsichord and violins. Back then i was a rabid vinyl lover and the store didn't have a working demo turntable, having had some kid snap the arm off an expensive Harmon Kardon. So, I'd bought the CD based on a magazine review and returned to the store with it, and the huge soundstage with proper placement of vocals bowled me over.

These days kids buy 5.1 for that....

hearingimpared

HeadphoneAddict wrote: »

I will get the info when I am back home, and post it.

This was actually a very good CD in it's day, like it was mastered for evaluating soundstage, you can pinpoint the soloists' positions and yet it captures the size and ambience of the cathedral without smearing the vocals all over the place.

It is mostly lacking in bass because of the venue and lots of harpsichord and violins. Back then i was a rabid vinyl lover and the store didn't have a working demo turntable, having had some kid snap the arm off an expensive Harmon Kardon. So, I'd bought the CD based on a magazine review and returned to the store with it, and the huge soundstage with proper placement of vocals bowled me over.

These days kids buy 5.1 for that....

Thank you sir,
Joe

HeadphoneAddict

HeadphoneAddict wrote: »

Handel's Messiah Conducted Hogwood by Academy of Ancient Music - This is what I took into the store in the mid 1980's when I demo'd my SDA CRS at the store and bought them on the spot.

Very hard to find this recording. I sold it in 1991 during my divorce, and only found one on ebay last year!

Trying to figure out the correct info to help others find this.

First, bar code top right corner back of box that holds the 1:36.52 hour:min 2 CD set: (little 0) 28943 04882 (little 8)

Second, a set of numbers above the bar code, and on the edge of jewel box disc 2: 430 488-2 [OH2]

Publisher is either "Editions DE L'Oiseau - Lyre" or "The Decca Record Company Limited, London 1980, 1991" - the former is noted in the lt upper, lt lower and rt lower corner on the back & on the edge of the jewel box disc 2, the later is noted in the lt lower and rt lower corner.

I can scan the box if this doesn't help.

mhw58

jimclass wrote: »

I just listened to the Beatles LOVE cd on my SDA 2As for the first time. This is by far the best audio soundstage I've sampled yet. Sounds as big as an imax screen. And if you are a Beatles fan like me, it is a thrill to hear the Beatles with such clarity and sound stage quality. Some object to the "mashup" nature of the CD, but trust me it is well worth the listen. None of the Beatles cds sound like this on the SDAs.

I've been playkng the Love dvd audio in 5.1 for months now, it's amazing
in surround. I got the cd and played it yesterday and you're right, it's also incredible in stereo. VERY wide soundstage, fantastic job by the Martins on this project. I hope they remaster the entire Beatles catalog this way.
Mike

dagame27

I recently received an original stereo of Simon & Garfunkels "Sounds of Silence". A few of these songs have as wide a soundstage as I have ever heard.

hearingimpared

I have several S & G LPs and CDs and they are all gread SDA showcases.

sda2mike

any of the remastered by jimmy page, led zeppelin albums. was listening to IV, last night. very wide stage! you can really appreciate the different instruments. bonham's drums on black dog and when the levee breaks are standouts.


and anything from pink floyd:cool: i'm biased of course;)

mark knopfler...sailing to philadelphia is great on sda's....it would sound good on laptop spkrs, too i think

zingo

The latest Christina Aguilera "Back to Basics" is claimed to be recorded with attention paid to detail. Does this mean audiophile? I don't know. But her voice sounds amazing on a pair of SDAs, and that is all I care about. Try the track called "Hurt".

HeadphoneAddict

I want, NEED, someone to try that Handel's Messiah I recommended (try ebay) and tell me you agree with me about the mastering being done like it was made for SDA's.

zingo

I'll look for it HeadphoneAddict. I love that movement and would enjoy a good version of it.

Marty913

I was going through some older CD’s last night looking for a few new nuggets from the past to show off the Polk’s (SDA2) to some friends that are into the more laid back side of rock (70’s & 80’s born again hippies if you will). If you’re into that, you may want to try some of these. They are all incredible and generally appeal to a fairly wide audience.

Poco – Magnolia (from the Crazy Eyes album)

Robin Trower – Bridge of Sighs (a good one for SL2000 versus SL1000’s)

Van Morrison – Into the Mystic

Jackson Browne – Bright Baby Blues

Cowboy Junkies (Angel Mine or anything from the Trinity Sessions)

Brian Ferry & Roxy Music – Avalon, Slave to Love

For 12 string electric fans (ie: the Byrds) – Roger McGuinn (Back From Rio album), Tom Petty’s Face In The Crowd, and anything from the Gin Blossoms.

analog97

For SDA's, try:

1. Chilliwack- Dreams, Dreams, Dreams
2. Barclay James Harvest- Octoberon
3. Dennis Wilson- Pacific Ocean Blue
4. Mott The Hoople- Mad Shadows

These never made my Top 10 list, but they are all Top 10 listening.

HeadphoneAddict

http://cgi.ebay.com/HANDEL-MESSIAH-HOGWOOD-ACADEMY-OF-CD-BOXSET-NEW_W0QQitemZ190167220070QQihZ009QQcategoryZ307QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

Lots of CD and LP copies on ebay now - wierd - for a while supply was dried up...

Systems

Wow, how does one begin, what a list.....

Systems

Larry Carlton, "what's your name"

jimclass

I have heard some great wide soundstages on my SDA 2As, but have yet to get the sense of "depth", where you can place instruments in 3D space with width and depth. The Compendium refers to binaural recording exposing that live, deep sound. Does anyone know of recordings they can recommend that show off that sense of depth as well as width?

Systems

mralpha wrote: »

Larry Carlton, "what's your name"

posted this yesterday, but had the wrong song. the song is "sleepwalk" done by larry carlton!

StevieB

jimclass wrote: »

I have heard some great wide soundstages on my SDA 2As, but have yet to get the sense of "depth", where you can place instruments in 3D space with width and depth. The Compendium refers to binaural recording exposing that live, deep sound. Does anyone know of recordings they can recommend that show off that sense of depth as well as width?

I don't know how many people are into Ten Years After, but if you can get a hold of A Space in Time, it is an excellent example of what SDA is all about!

HeadphoneAddict

http://download.mso.org/app?page=Category&service=external&category=Binaural%20Recordings

nms

Wynton Marsalis: Carnaval. Some solo trumpet accompanied with symphony. Well recorded, great soundstage (orchestra arrangement is a little different than usual, which makes it interesting to listen to).

Produced in 1987, it's one of my dad's CDs.

jimclass

Try Peter Gabriel's Security album, specifically Lay Your Hands on Me. The soundscape is huge and encompassing. Plus it is a cool tune.

Partslinger

Hello all, Just joined Club Polk. I have a Pair of SDA-CRS+. Two of the best newer recordings I have heard, are Jack Johnson - On and On, and Silverchair - Young modern. The song "Those Thieving Birds" off of Young Modern, on the CRS+s' is simply amazing! I have never heard vocals so completely fill a room! The speakers completely dissapear! Anyone else heard this song on sda's? This is the song I play to get that "SDA smile" from friends. I love that look!!!