Ranking Polk Speakers - From Best to Worst

2

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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited January 2005
    Here you go, Steve...

    http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=225873#post225873
    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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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited January 2005
    Thanks Bruce,

    I find it funny that RTA12 makes the list, but they are hard to find in showcases. I checked back at PolkFest "04" pictures and again didn't see anyone bring a set. For a speaker that as a passive woofer maybe sounding ok, but I take the Monitor line over that RTA line.

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
    Pioneer 84TXSi AVR
    Pioneer 79Avi DVD
    Sony CX400 CD changer
    Panasonic 42-PX60U Plasma
    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • setzer808
    setzer808 Posts: 173
    edited February 2005
    While not really vintage I'll also throw my votes in for the RT25i's and RT55i's (which I also own). Gotta love em :-)
    Polk CS245i Center
    Polk RT55i Mains
    Polk RT25i Rears
    Polk PSW-350 Sub -in storage.
    Yamaha RX-V681 A/V Reciever
    Sony SCD-CE595 SACD Player
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  • dcarlson
    dcarlson Posts: 1,740
    edited February 2005
    Is the RTA series an SDA without the effect?
    SDA-2a, Anthem Pre-2L, Anthem Amp 1, MF A324 DAC, Rotel RCD1070

    Senn HD650 Cardas, Mapletree Audio Ear+ HD2, Kimber KS1030, Bel Canto DAC2, M-Audio Transit, Laptop.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited February 2005
    RTA has nothing to do with SDA. Two totally different animals.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • dcarlson
    dcarlson Posts: 1,740
    edited February 2005
    What I mean is the RTA11 looks awfully similar to the SDA2.
    SDA-2a, Anthem Pre-2L, Anthem Amp 1, MF A324 DAC, Rotel RCD1070

    Senn HD650 Cardas, Mapletree Audio Ear+ HD2, Kimber KS1030, Bel Canto DAC2, M-Audio Transit, Laptop.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited February 2005
    The RTA11(TL) don't look anything like an SDA....you are thinking of the Monitor 11. It says RTA on the manual, but it's no RTA.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • jfb4548
    jfb4548 Posts: 168
    edited February 2005
    Hi ya'all! I just found this forum, and I must say I'm surprised! I bought my SDA SRS when they first hit the showroom floor and have enjoyed them since. They were the final audio purchase I made and I've made an effort not to look at audio stuff since! For a while I spent every dime I made on my stereo. There should be an AA group for people like me. Funny how marrage cure us!!

    I have to say that since I been married and then kids came, I just don't get to enjoy it all much anymore.:(

    The SRS are/were unique to say the least, but the sound is great. I've run them bi-amp for many years with a pair of Macs. (A 2205 and a 2275), but as of late I've run just the 2275. It's a bit quieter and a lot more headroom!

    As for sound stage, I've run a Yamaha DSP1 almost as long as I've owned the speakers. Ok so I like toys!

    I'm kinda sorry I found this forum, all I want to do now is go upstairs and crank up the Polks!
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited February 2005
    And that's a bad thing???

    Welcome to a fellow Buckeye and SRS owner...
    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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  • jfb4548
    jfb4548 Posts: 168
    edited February 2005
    Originally posted by Tour2ma
    And that's a bad thing???

    Welcome to a fellow Buckeye and SRS owner...

    Somehow I ended up with a wife and kids who don't like loud music...Go figure! Butt thanks for a warm welcome - jsut don't as me to turn down the music!:D
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,765
    edited March 2005
    I'm kinda joining this late.
    How do the SDA-2 fit in to this ranking? I've been considering a pair that is for sale locally. I'm don't know much about the SDA lineup. The SDA-SRS is the only one that has info on the Polk website.

    Edit: I've figured out that these are probably SDA-2a, not the original SDA-2. Thanks to mikespolkpage2 over at Yahoo groups for helpful photos of the SDA lineup.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,552
    edited March 2005
    I think you'll like the 2A much better than the 2, so get them.
    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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  • gshisme
    gshisme Posts: 1,038
    edited March 2005
    So while he was here I gave him a demo of my HT setup. As I demoed the SVS sub, he just smiled as the sound rumbled around him.

    The word orgasmic comes to mind. You have done very well Mlong putting together that system!
    suds, suds and more suds!
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  • Joey Ward
    Joey Ward Posts: 120
    In order
    7c (early)
    5b
    5jr+

    I have a life, this is good enough. Happiness is having the speaker you have, not what you. But maybe, just maybe if someone gave me a sda, well!
    Joey Ward
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  • leftwinger57
    leftwinger57 Posts: 2,917
    Not trying to put words in Trey's mouth but I agree w/ his statement of SDAs being great when produced sucked when discontinued and better when they came back.You have to admit there has been a resurgence of buying up SDAs from my 2Bs in 2013 to the larger monoliths that seem to be popular for those who can afford both the room and going prices. 10s in Rosewood would be my next Polk speaker due to room size constraints.
    2chl- Adcom GFA- 555-Onkyo P-3150v pre/amp- JVC-QL-A200 tt- Denon 1940 ci cdp- Adcom GFS-6 -Modded '87 SDA 2Bs - Dynamat Ext.- BH-5- X-Overs VR-3, RDO-194 tweeters, Larry's Rings, Speakon/Neutrik I/C- Cherry stain tops Advent Maestros,Ohm model E

    H/T- Toshiba au40" flat- Yamaha RX- V665 avr- YSD-11 Dock- I-Pod- Klipsch #400HD Speaker set-

    Bdrm- Nikko 6065 receiver- JBL -G-200s--Pioneer 305 headphones--Sony CE375-5 disc
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  • polrbehr
    polrbehr Posts: 2,830
    Wow, reading this thread top to bottom kinda gives me the chills... a little for the Polkies no longer here, and a little for the Polkies no longer with us.

    And what's really cool for me is that when this thread was born, I hadn't really heard ANY of the speakers on the lists. Now I've heard almost all of them, as well as meeting most of the guys who posted them. Not a bad way to spend a decade.
    So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?


    http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/
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  • RandyCroissant
    RandyCroissant Posts: 475
    Wow.. this was, or mabey still is a great thread. I have only owned SDA2bs and still have em. I am now thinking about Polk rears not sure what yet but on the prowl..
    Yamaha RXA1030, Yamaha CD-S2100, Yamaha AS-2200, Bluesound node 2i
    Polk SDA2btl highly modded
    Polk SDA 1C modded
    Polk CS350 LS x2
    Kimber 8TC
    Sony 55" Bravia
    Wish list SVS sub

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  • pongshi
    pongshi Posts: 376
    I can only rank the ones I own..
    1. Polk SDA 1C (stock)
    2. Polk SDA SRS (stock, recently acquired but being upgraded)
    3. Polk Monitor 10A (stock)
    4. Polk Monitor 4 (stock)
    I expect that the SDA SRS pair will overtake my 1Cs if I upgrade the stock tweeters and re-cap, but I really love my 1Cs. I have no intention of doing the tweeters on my 1Cs which I have had since 1987/88 (memory is going). Maybe my ears are used to them.
    Living Room
    Parasound Model 2250v2 amplifier
    Parasound P5 preamp
    Turntable 1 - Technics SL-1210Mk2 turntable with Shure V-15 Type III cartridge
    Turntable 2 - Dual 1229 turntable, Dual AS-12 45 RPM stacker, Shure V-15 Type III cartridge
    Schiit Mani Phono Preamp for Turntable 2
    Oppo UDP-205 CD/SACD USB and FLAC duties
    Technics RS-1500US reel to reel
    Polk SDA SRS (2nd Gen) fully modded
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,638
    edited February 2015
    I dont know where these rank on the list. But i do know i love them :smile:xz0fyjijs8yf.jpg
    7akpxcm2975m.jpg
    Pictures are from when i got them from Denver Colo & have since installed 198 tweeters & are hooked to Yamaha CR1000 & sound fantastic
    ..
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,638
    dcarlson wrote: »
    What I mean is the RTA11 looks awfully similar to the SDA2.
    Does he mean these6hsrak0ctaxf.jpg

    ..
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,638
    C R A P this is one of those 10y/o threads. Sorry all
    ..
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  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,759
    boston1450 wrote: »
    C R A P this is one of those 10y/o threads. Sorry all

    yup.

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  • Inspector 24
    Inspector 24 Posts: 1,308
    Imma let you finish, but everybody knows the RTiA has the most amazing music video, I mean best speakers evva and dem SDA-1.2becks has bettah give up that award back 'cause disrespect and imma big whiny baby.
    Up
    LSi15 LSiC - RX-V3000

    Down
    LSiM707 - 706c - 702f/x - Dual HSU VTF-15H Mk2
    Parasound HCA-3500 - HCA-2003A - Marantz SR7005
    Sim2 D60 - Dragonfly 106" Panny 500

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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    Interesting to resurrect the thread as more lines have come out
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  • teekay0007
    teekay0007 Posts: 2,289
    boston1450 wrote: »
    C R A P this is one of those 10y/o threads. Sorry all

    No worries, Randy. But, while you're here, why don't you put that impressive collection of vintage Polks you have in order of your favorites? You've posted some pics of them here and there on the Forum and they all look to be pretty minty...well done, sir! I know you've done a few tweeter upgrades, but have you done any of the crossovers yet?

    Some pics would again be nice too! B)


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  • polrbehr
    polrbehr Posts: 2,830
    Really, there are a lot worse threads that could've been resurrected than this one, that's for sure.
    I came here in 2003 because I had just treated myself to a new pair of R50s, a CSi30, and a PSW450 sub. I thought it couldn't get much better; whoever said money can't buy happiness never upgraded their audio system. My diminished bank account is living proof that it can!
    So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?


    http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,101
    boston1450 wrote: »
    I dont know where these rank on the list. But i do know i love them :smile:xz0fyjijs8yf.jpg
    7akpxcm2975m.jpg
    Anyone besides me thinking "SDA SRS 3.1 minus the SDA driver"?

    What model are those? What drivers are used?
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  • polrbehr
    polrbehr Posts: 2,830
    Schurkey wrote: »
    boston1450 wrote: »
    I dont know where these rank on the list. But i do know i love them :smile:xz0fyjijs8yf.jpg
    7akpxcm2975m.jpg
    Anyone besides me thinking "SDA SRS 3.1 minus the SDA driver"?

    What model are those? What drivers are used?

    Think they're RTA15s or something close to that?
    So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?


    http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/
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  • teekay0007
    teekay0007 Posts: 2,289
    RTA15TLs to be exact.
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  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,101
    teekay0007 wrote: »
    RTA15TLs to be exact.
    Hah! Same active drivers as the 3.1TL--four MW6503, one SL3000. Of course, the SDA driver MW6511 along with the SDA section of the crossover is omitted in the 15TL. They appear to have even kept the HF deflector in place from the 3.1TL to the 15TL.

    HF part of the crossover is remarkably similar--but not identical--to the HF section of the 3.1TL. The LF part of the crossover is also similar but not identical to the 3.1TL. They use slightly different part values for caps 'n' inductors, but they're not hugely different, and they're based on strikingly similar schematics.

    I can't confirm, but strongly suspect that the passive radiator is also shared between the two models.

    It would be SO much fun to compare 'n' contrast the sound quality of the 3.1TL and the 15TL given similar-level repairs and upgrades.
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