New SDA 2B owner

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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited December 2005
    Excellent... may just need to play with the placement some now...
    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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  • Stew
    Stew Posts: 645
    edited December 2005
    nathanso - Have you tried moving the speakers closer together? The owner's manual says at least 4 feet but consensus seems to be that 6-8 feet is optimum in most rooms. If you want to lessen the SDA effect, try 4-6 feet. Make sure there's no toe in and at least 3 feet from side walls. Try 5-6" from back wall for best bass.

    Did you find an instruction manual? I have the original owners manual and could try to scan it. I also have schematics in .pdf that I could send.

    Congrats on a great pair of speakers!
    SDA 2B-TL (Sonicap/Solen/Mills, Erse Super Q, Rings, Spikes, No-Rez)
    1000VA Dreadnought
    Dared SL-2000a (Siemens & Halske TM 12AT7WA's, Brimar 5Z4G)
    Jolida JD-100a (Sylvania BP TM Gold Brand 5751's), NAD C275BEE, Blue Jeans

    RTiA3, Onkyo TX-SR605
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  • nathanso
    nathanso Posts: 61
    edited December 2005
    Stew, Unfortunately there are two picture windows between the 2Bs so they cannot be moved any closer. I'm guessing they're 10ft apart now, and truth be told, this is a temporary position (my DQ-20s are in the actual position) so final position is more likely 13-14ft apart. There is at least 3ft of space to the side walls. I'm beginning to realize that my living room is sonically very challenging.

    My wife thinks we should hire an audio consultant! Of course, she also thinks that all my gear is obsolete and we should immediately visit a high-end stereo store to have that opinion confirmed! ;)
    System: PS Audio HCA-2, PCA-2 + HCPS, Acoustat Model 2+2.
    Tweaks: Behringer DEQ2496, SRC2496, SU9920.
    Friends don't let friends drive cones
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  • BlueMDPicker
    BlueMDPicker Posts: 7,569
    edited December 2005
    nathanso wrote:
    My wife thinks we should hire an audio consultant! Of course, she also thinks that all my gear is obsolete and we should immediately visit a high-end stereo store to have that opinion confirmed! ;)

    She sounds like a keeper. You haven't left for the store yet? :confused:
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  • Stew
    Stew Posts: 645
    edited December 2005
    Polk specifies the listening area as >= to the distance between the speakers. Much closer than that and it sounds like there's a hole in the middle of the soundstage to me. Can you use a different wall? Or ... all that "obselete" gear would make a great second system in another room! :D
    SDA 2B-TL (Sonicap/Solen/Mills, Erse Super Q, Rings, Spikes, No-Rez)
    1000VA Dreadnought
    Dared SL-2000a (Siemens & Halske TM 12AT7WA's, Brimar 5Z4G)
    Jolida JD-100a (Sylvania BP TM Gold Brand 5751's), NAD C275BEE, Blue Jeans

    RTiA3, Onkyo TX-SR605
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  • Stew
    Stew Posts: 645
    edited December 2005
    The CRS+ manual at http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/products/sdacrs+/ is actually for the SDA 1C, 2B and CRS+. Also available at http://www.polksda.com/manuals.shtml.

    See http://www.polkaudio.com/search/older.php for other manuals.
    SDA 2B-TL (Sonicap/Solen/Mills, Erse Super Q, Rings, Spikes, No-Rez)
    1000VA Dreadnought
    Dared SL-2000a (Siemens & Halske TM 12AT7WA's, Brimar 5Z4G)
    Jolida JD-100a (Sylvania BP TM Gold Brand 5751's), NAD C275BEE, Blue Jeans

    RTiA3, Onkyo TX-SR605
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  • nathanso
    nathanso Posts: 61
    edited December 2005
    Stew, Thanks for the link to the instruction manual. I was making two basic mistakes with my set up (one rather embarassing): My 2B's were not equally spaced from the rear wall, and somehow night elves had moved the speaker marked Right to the left side of my room and vice versa. ;)

    They are now sounding quite nice! It will be a tough decision vs my Dahlquist DQ-20's (now I see why so many audiophiles have their office system as well as their home system).
    System: PS Audio HCA-2, PCA-2 + HCPS, Acoustat Model 2+2.
    Tweaks: Behringer DEQ2496, SRC2496, SU9920.
    Friends don't let friends drive cones
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited December 2005
    See we wouldn't lie to you...

    "... night elves..."... LOL.

    Glad you're enjoying the 2B's.
    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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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited December 2005
    nathanso wrote:
    Stew, Thanks for the link to the instruction manual. I was making two basic mistakes with my set up (one rather embarassing): My 2B's were not equally spaced from the rear wall, and somehow night elves had moved the speaker marked Right to the left side of my room and vice versa. ;)

    They are now sounding quite nice! It will be a tough decision vs my Dahlquist DQ-20's (now I see why so many audiophiles have their office system as well as their home system).

    In my hast to set-up our SDA's,I also had our speakers misplaced (right for left) did'nt I feel like a putz? glad you solved your problem...enjoy!!!
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited December 2005
    When I last bi-wired my SRS's I ended up with the HF channels swapped and out of phase... talk about a freaked out soundstage.
    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
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Stew
    Stew Posts: 645
    edited December 2005
    Glad you sorted out the problem. I've been enjoying my 2B's for about 16 years now. Much more so since I found this site and upgraded my tweeters and crossovers. They're finicky about where you put them but sound amazing to me when you get it right. The 13 - 14 ft spacing should work fine as long as you're sitting approximately that far back. Let us know how it turns out. Enjoy!
    SDA 2B-TL (Sonicap/Solen/Mills, Erse Super Q, Rings, Spikes, No-Rez)
    1000VA Dreadnought
    Dared SL-2000a (Siemens & Halske TM 12AT7WA's, Brimar 5Z4G)
    Jolida JD-100a (Sylvania BP TM Gold Brand 5751's), NAD C275BEE, Blue Jeans

    RTiA3, Onkyo TX-SR605
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    edited July 2009
    After reading through this,it looks like the Aragon amps are_ common ground??? I've got the SDASRS2B's with pin/blade interconnect.
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  • inspiredsports
    inspiredsports Posts: 5,501
    edited July 2009
    nathanso wrote: »
    Hum problem solved.. I simply removed the jumper across the Aragon 8002's negative binding posts as suggested here. No hum, no problems (so far). The Polk SDA effect is working almost too well in my 20x24x18 (tall peaked ceiling!) hardwood-floored room. Reverb anyone? I may stick with my DQ-20s.

    Welcome to Club Polk. You found a really old thread, but it contains good info.

    Referencing POST #2: Put a VOM across the negative binding posts of your amp. 0 ohms indicates a common ground amplifier.

    Do you have SDA 2B's or SDA SRS 2's ???
    VTL ST50 w/mods / RCA6L6GC / TlfnknECC801S
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 w/mods
    TT Conrad Johnson Sonographe SG3 Oak / Sumiko LMT / Grado Woodbody Platinum / Sumiko PIB2 / The Clamp
    Musical Fidelity A1 CDPro/ Bada DD-22 Tube CDP / Conrad Johnson SD-22 CDP
    Tuners w/mods Kenwood KT5020 / Fisher KM60
    MF x-DAC V8, HAInfo NG27
    Herbies Ti-9 / Vibrapods / MIT Shotgun AC1 IEC's / MIT Shotgun 2 IC's / MIT Shotgun 2 Speaker Cables
    PS Audio Cryo / PowerPort Premium Outlets / Exact Power EP15A Conditioner
    Walnut SDA 2B TL /Oak SDA SRS II TL (Sonicaps/Mills/Cardas/Custom SDA ICs / Dynamat Extreme / Larry's Rings/ FSB-2 Spikes
    NAD SS rigs w/mods
    GIK panels
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    edited July 2009
    Hi inspiredsports, thanks for the greeting. I have the SDA/SRS 2 B's, bought them around 1987 or 88. They have the pin/blade type of interconnect cable. Right now they are hooked up to my yamaha 663 receiver,but I've yet used the interconnect cable,need to make sure the receiver is common ground.Looking around for a used power amp that really is__ common ground.
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    edited July 2009
    So far I'm looking at used Adcom,Aragon,B&K,Carver, Emotiva,Sunfire, and possibly a 100 watt Krell if I can find one under a thousand.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,749
    edited July 2009
    Right now they are hooked up to my yamaha 663 receiver,but I've yet used the interconnect cable,need to make sure the receiver is common ground.

    There isn't a receiver made that isn't common ground.
    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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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    edited July 2009
    Thanks F1nut, that's great news, I'll try hooking up the interconnect cable tonight!
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,463
    edited July 2009
    F1nut wrote: »
    There isn't a receiver made that isn't common ground.
    Early Carver receivers included? I was told way back in the day that they were the exception to the rule.:confused:
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • inspiredsports
    inspiredsports Posts: 5,501
    edited July 2009
    Polkie2009 wrote: »
    Hi inspiredsports, thanks for the greeting. I have the SDA/SRS 2 B's, bought them around 1987 or 88. They have the pin/blade type of interconnect cable. Right now they are hooked up to my yamaha 663 receiver,but I've yet used the interconnect cable,need to make sure the receiver is common ground.Looking around for a used power amp that really is__ common ground.

    I'm still confused with the nomenclature you are using as I own both and they are 2 distinctly different model designations that you are mixing together.

    SDA-2B's have 1 Tweeter, 2 6-1/2" mids and a 12" Passive Radiator in each cabinet.

    SDA SRS 2's have 2 tweeters, 4 6-1/2" mids and a 15" Passive Radiator in each cabinet.

    Both are great speakers when tweaked and both were in produced pin/blade and blade/blade configurations.
    VTL ST50 w/mods / RCA6L6GC / TlfnknECC801S
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 w/mods
    TT Conrad Johnson Sonographe SG3 Oak / Sumiko LMT / Grado Woodbody Platinum / Sumiko PIB2 / The Clamp
    Musical Fidelity A1 CDPro/ Bada DD-22 Tube CDP / Conrad Johnson SD-22 CDP
    Tuners w/mods Kenwood KT5020 / Fisher KM60
    MF x-DAC V8, HAInfo NG27
    Herbies Ti-9 / Vibrapods / MIT Shotgun AC1 IEC's / MIT Shotgun 2 IC's / MIT Shotgun 2 Speaker Cables
    PS Audio Cryo / PowerPort Premium Outlets / Exact Power EP15A Conditioner
    Walnut SDA 2B TL /Oak SDA SRS II TL (Sonicaps/Mills/Cardas/Custom SDA ICs / Dynamat Extreme / Larry's Rings/ FSB-2 Spikes
    NAD SS rigs w/mods
    GIK panels
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  • Polkie2009
    Polkie2009 Posts: 3,834
    edited July 2009
    Thanks for pointing this out inspiredsports, it sounds like I do have the SDA SRS 2's with the pin/blade config. I hooked up the interconnect cable last night and listened to a music dvd, sounded clear,didn't notice anything strange. My room might not be the best for getting a good soundstage though. I have a living room about 22 feet wide and about 35 feet,ceiling is about 9feet. A kitchen is attached to the side so there's alot of open space.
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