Polk SDA SRS 2.3TL

bigyank

I am entertaining the idea of purchasing a pair of these. I have never owned Polk before. What is a good price for a pair that includes the interconnect, manuals, wall mount brackets, etc.

I have added a pic I got from the seller. I have input into a thread in the flea market forum about issues with non-common ground amps (mine is the Adcom GFA-5800). Easier to mod the amp or mod the interconnect?

Also my room is 12x16 8 foor ceilings with wall to wall carpet. Will this room suffice? These speakers are huge!

Yank

TroyD

Probably easier to mod the interconnect. I'd probably make an entire new one as opposed to hacking up an original, but that's just me.

You room should be just fine.....

Not sure what the lastest prices on them are...I'm guessing ~1K.

BDT

Emlyn

If those are the speakers for sale in the photo, they're not 2.3TL's. They are the earlier 2.3's. Note the tweeters are the SL2000's and two of the mid-woofers on each speaker are there to produce bass only. The driver layout looks similar at first, but they are quite different speakers. Still great speakers of course.

Figure $700-$800 for pricing if they're in excellent condition.

bigyank

Thanks! I am trying to educate myself here! Great forum too!

Now, since these are the earlier model, anything else I should for when listening to them? I am a classic hard rocker and was going to audition them with some Pink Floyd, specifically the first track One Of These Days. Then some Deep Purple Machine Head Lazy.

These are tracks I have listened to like a million times :cool: and know from systems I have had in the past (and present) what to expect sound wise.

Thanks again to all!

Yank

danger boy

listen to the soundstage that these speakers produces. when listening to them at the sellers house.. move around the room, then stand or sit at the SDA sweetspot.. which is usually between the speakers.. about 8ft or more back.

Also since you're taking music you're familiar with.. that's a great idea. You hopefully will hear instruments, passages you may not have heard before from listening to music on other speakers.

good luck with the demo

heiney9

Those will certainly be nice if they have no issues. Excellent that you get hear them first.....but bring your money because once you hear them you won't be leaving without them .

You mentioned you were going to run an Adcom GFA-5800 with them if you bought them? That is a common ground amp as far as I know (99%) sure. You should not need to mod anything.

Good luck

H9

bigyank

Adcom GFA-5800 Thread

With the SDA-2's it is mentioned that since the Adcom gfa-5800 is a non-common ground amp that this amp cannot be used at all.

In another thread I see reference, per Adcom, of modifying the amp but creating a common ground. So I am a little confused which is one of the reasons for opening this thread within this forum to begin with.

So let us beat the proverbial horse to death once and for all. Should I create a A-I1 and if so, I was referred to Allied Electronics website for THIS .

Also an isolation transformer was mentioned HERE .

Has anyone built this cable using this PDF? If so, which transformer of the 3 mentioned was used? ANyone have pics of the final product? I will know by Sunday if I am going to get these and then get started next week on this "project".

My concern with the PDF, though very well written is that this document mentions using the original interconnect and I would rather not hack that up.

Yank

heiney9

I believe you....I can't for the life of me understand how the 5800 is NOT common ground. I would also call Adcom to make sure. It will save many hassles down the road. It maybe a dual mono design but since it's in the same chassis it should be common ground. I don't believe the 5800 can be bridged so that shouldn't cause it to be non-common ground. I'd do the research with the manufacturer. We all try to give out the most correct info, but sometimes the forum is incorrect, this includes myself as well .

H9

bigyank

Thanks! I searched through the forum's and found the references to Adcom 5500-5802's as all being non-common ground amps and that one can create a jumper (correct term??) between the grounds using common speaker wire. I would rather not modify this amp since I have had it for many years using many speakers and I am a rather superstitious sort anyway (if it ain't broke don't fix it!) .

I also found this thread which I am reading through right now. I do not have a problem with manufacturing cables and such but the steps are just unclear to me at this point and this thread looks to be promising.

Yank

heiney9

bigyank wrote:

Thanks! I searched through the forum's and found the references to Adcom 5500-5802's as all being non-common ground amps and that one can create a jumper (correct term??) between the grounds using common speaker wire. I would rather not modify this amp since I have had it for many years using many speakers and I am a rather superstitious sort anyway (if it ain't broke don't fix it!) .

I also found this thread which I am reading through right now. I do not have a problem with manufacturing cables and such but the steps are just unclear to me at this point and this thread looks to be promising.

Yank

I know for a fact the 5500 IS a common ground amp. Somethings not correct, either you are mis-understanding the info or....getting incorrect/partial info. Typically mono-block amps are NON-Common ground and have issues with SDA's if not using the A1 cable. I don't know all the issues with all different models of SDA's but I know that the Adcom stereo amps should all be common ground amps unless you run them in mono (GFA-555). I strongly urge you to check with Adcom....because something is getting lost in translation (so to speak) here. Just trying to help you out

H9

bigyank

Thanks! I based my statement on this link Adcom Thread .

I emailed Adcom and we shall see. I might even pull the amp out of the rack and open her up. I haven't cleaned the insides in 2 years anyway

Yank

heiney9

bigyank wrote:

Thanks! I based my statement on this link Adcom Thread .

I emailed Adcom and we shall see. I might even pull the amp out of the rack and open her up. I haven't cleaned the insides in 2 years anyway

Yank

Cleaning is always good.....

bigyank wrote:

Thanks! I searched through the forum's and found the references to Adcom 5500-5802's as all being non-common ground amps and that one can create a jumper (correct term??) between the grounds using common speaker wire. I would rather not modify this amp since I have had it for many years using many speakers and I am a rather superstitious sort anyway (if it ain't broke don't fix it!)

There is no place to put/create a jumper on the 5500, 5800, 5802. You certainly WOULD NOT want to do anything inside the amp, nor should you need to. Typically mono-block amps are considered non-common ground amps. You would run a jumper between the grounds to create a common ground. On the 5500-5802 there is no place to run a jumper
That's why I'm so certain they ARE COMMON GROUND. Hopefully someone who has an Adcom running their SDA's will see this thread.

Good luck and I hope this helps....a little anyways

H9

reeltrouble1

Glad to see the AI-1 post is useful, why not just build the cable and be done with it, H9 seems certain the Adcom is common ground but if you ever change amps/mono blocks you will have it.

RT1

Emlyn

The 5800 series of amps by Adcom are different from others they have built.

THEY ARE NOT COMMON GROUND AMPS

At least two users of SDA's on this forum have blown their speakers or amps using them. I'd suggest trusting practical experience over guess work with this type of issue.

Another thread:

Blow your speakers up here

If someone does have a 5800 or 5802 amp, check the binding posts for continuity before hooking it up to SDA's, or build the common ground cable and use it.

heiney9

Emlyn wrote:

At least two users of SDA's on this forum have blown their speakers or amps using them. I'd suggest trusting practical experience over guess work with this type of issue.

This is exactly why I strongly suggested he check with Adcom, which he did. So hopefully the info from Adcom and the other threads will set the record 100% correct. If he does get an answer I'd personally like to know how they are different, because now I'm a little bit intrigued as to how much different the 5800 series is to the rest of the line (as far as design). I've read many articles over the years about the 5800 & 5802 and this never came up. Probably because it's not big issue unless you have SDA's. I don't think the 5800 is a dual mono design as it only has 1 transformer. I know the GFA-585 is a dual mono design, but I thought that was the only Adcom designed like that. Sure would like to know

H9

bigyank

The 5800 as 1 primary but dual secondary transformers. Yes the amp is non-common ground as well. As someone who does not currently own Polk SDA's (yet) and the amount of these speakers in the field so to speak, I find it amazing that Polk does not manufacture the cables or that an aftermarket industry has not risen up.

Yank

Emlyn

Maybe it's time to start a "BRING BACK THE SDA...CABLE" thread.

Seriously, if Polk contracted with a company to make upgraded interconnect cables (blade/blade and pin/blade) and a common ground interface box, I'd buy one or three myself simply because it's easier than making my own.

heiney9

bigyank wrote:

The 5800 as 1 primary but dual secondary transformers. Yes the amp is non-common ground as well. As someone who does not currently own Polk SDA's (yet) and the amount of these speakers in the field so to speak, I find it amazing that Polk does not manufacture the cables or that an aftermarket industry has not risen up.

Yank

This is interesting and I did know this it did have dual secondaries. But don't most top of the line amps that aren't true dual mono have this config. Last I remember there are only a handful of stereo amps that are non-common ground. Must just be the way in which Adcom configures them. I would think top of the line Parasound, Rotel, Aragon, Carver, Sunfire, Outlaw etc. would either be dual mono or at the very least have secondary windings. I'm not doubting you one bit...I'm just trying to get it straight in my head why 1 is common ground and 1 is not.

And yes someone should build the A-1 cable and make it available for a reasonable cost or at the very least we should have a simple easy to use diagram as a sticky somewhere. See you can learn something new everyday .

H9

fredv

Emlyn wrote:

Maybe it's time to start a "BRING BACK THE SDA...CABLE" thread.

Seriously, if Polk contracted with a company to make upgraded interconnect cables (blade/blade and pin/blade) and a common ground interface box, I'd buy one or three myself simply because it's easier than making my own.

I will buy 2 for sure because my soldering skills hasn't been developed yet

unc2701

heiney9 wrote:

I know the GFA-585 is a dual mono design...

The 585 isn't truly dual mono- it's got one (FREAKING HUGE) transformer... a true dual mono is seperate for just about everything after the power cord.