2 channel speakers(RT3000P or SDA)?

dagame27

Hey guys because I am in grad school for a couple of years and my apt is just impossible for my surround system, I am looking to go 2 channel. Right now I am using Rti 70's in this fashion, but I am looking at options to upgrade. Am I better off picking up some Rt3000p's or looking for some sda's (not the towers! no room:mad: ). How much of an improvement will I see over the Rti70's? They will be used mainly for music but some movies as well. Thanks for the help

Chris

F1nut

If you don't have room for towers, then why are you considering the RT3000p's?

dagame27

well actually its not just the size, but those 1.2's are little pricey for my budget. Someday perhaps!

heiney9

dagame27 wrote:

well actually its not just the size, but those 1.2's are little pricey for my budget. Someday perhaps!

There are other model SDA's to consider that may not be too hard on the budget. Generally SDA's have been demanding higher $$$, but keeping a good eye out and some patience you could score a nice smaller pair.

SDA 1B, 2B
SDA 1C
SDA CRS (bookshelf type)
SDA SRS 2

H9

heiney9

I'll also add I'm just outside the Chicago area and not too many SDA's come up forsale in our area. So keep in mind you may have to travel to pick up a pair. Good luck

H9

dagame27

yea, i've noticed most of them seem to come up for sale on the east coast. Oh well gettin a new pair of SDA's would be worth a weekend drive! Has anyone ever done an AB comparison of SDA"s witht the 3000p's?

heiney9

dagame27 wrote:

yea, i've noticed most of them seem to come up for sale on the east coast. Oh well gettin a new pair of SDA's would be worth a weekend drive! Has anyone ever done an AB comparison of SDA"s witht the 3000p's?

No, but I can say with reasonable confidence they are two completely different animals. The SDA's are old school 2-channel designs and the RT3000p's were designed with HT in mind. I'm sure each has it's strength and weakness. But the original SDA is very hard to top especially with the upgraded replacement tweets. For 2-ch music listening I'd go for a pair of SDA's, IMO.

Only thing to consider is your space, and the SDA's need more of proper set-up than the RT3000p's to get the most out of them. It's a tough call if you are limited on space and set-up capabilities.

H9

BobMcG

dagame27 wrote:

yea, i've noticed most of them seem to come up for sale on the east coast. Oh well gettin a new pair of SDA's would be worth a weekend drive! Has anyone ever done an AB comparison of SDA"s witht the 3000p's?

I own both and have had both hooked up to my main 2ch rig. IMO 2.3s win hands down. 2.3s have much much tighter, cleaner bass which also gives a much better defined mid-range and of course SDA soundstaging.

The 3000s went to and will stay as fronts on the HT rig.

dagame27

thanks guys, looks like I'll be patient and try and find some SDA's, guess i'll need an amp too, I'm glad I got a HK with preouts

Polk65

SDA's are great for music and worth a listen. I am very satisifed with their phantom center in 90% of movies I have seen. You will find yourself looking between them for the center speaker.

Something to consider is if your room has the 6' to 8' of wall space that SDA's need to breathe. They are placed parallel with the wall and slightly forward of your TV and stereo rig. You won't have the option of toeing these in like regular speakers so this may cut down on your useable space. I have listened to SDA's at 4' distance and they sound good but not as good to me as at the recommended distance.

Since you mention the RT3000p's, bass is a concern for you which is something you can supplement later with a sub.

BlueCLS

I cannot speak for the SDA's but I listened to a lot of music last night on my RT3000p's and while decent with good bass response, I still prefer the sound of my RTA15TL's in the other room off an old crappy amp than the RT3000's running off the Denon. For HT use though they blow the RTA's away. This is why they ended up with the HT setup and I moved the RTA's to another room (couldn't find it in me to sell them!). They are great sounding speakers... this reminds me, I need to replace the tweeters...

audiobliss

So, SDA's aren't supposed to be toed in at all? They're supposed to be placed parallel to the back wall? I didn't know that...

heiney9

audiobliss wrote:

So, SDA's aren't supposed to be toed in at all? They're supposed to be placed parallel to the back wall? I didn't know that...

Come on Bliss......how long you been hanging out here at CP? That's cardinal rule #1

H9

audiobliss

Hehe...*hangs head* I've never really read any threads about SDAs because 1) I haven't been interested in them, 2) they're so awful expensive, and 3) they take up waaaay more room than I have. However, number 1 isn't so applicable as of the last week or so, as I've started thinking it'd be neat to have a pair. But, if I do ever end up with any, it'll be a long (long, long) way down the road.

To be honest, Polk's vintage stuff really piques my interest. I can't say as I'm much interested in the Monitor, Rti, or even LSi series of today, but I could get excited about some vintage Polk speakers. Maybe I could snag a smaller pair of vintage bookshelves to sit on top of my Klipsch so I wouldn't be taking up any more room...hmm...

heiney9

audiobliss wrote:

Hehe...*hangs head* I've never really read any threads about SDAs because 1) I haven't been interested in them, 2) they're so awful expensive, and 3) they take up waaaay more room than I have. However, number 1 isn't so applicable as of the last week or so, as I've started thinking it'd be neat to have a pair. But, if I do ever end up with any, it'll be a long (long, long) way down the road.

To be honest, Polk's vintage stuff really piques my interest. I can't say as I'm much interested in the Monitor, Rti, or even LSi series of today, but I could get excited about some vintage Polk speakers. Maybe I could snag a smaller pair of vintage bookshelves to sit on top of my Klipsch so I wouldn't be taking up any more room...hmm...

There are a nice pair of Vintage 5b series II in the FM that would do you just fine .

pietsch288

Any of you guys afraid of xovers dying or speakers rotting away. I'm a little afraid of the 15-30yr old stuff taking a big ol crapper on me and being stuck with un-useable expensive old speakers that nobody wants. rich

pietsch288

Why doesn't polk re-make some of this stuff with current technology? Other companies have array style speakers what gives? I myself love the idea of array speakers just scared of the old stuff not holding up, especially when the price for used stuff is so high and it sounds like guys are modding them anyway. rich

tonyb

pietsch288 wrote: »

Why doesn't polk re-make some of this stuff with current technology? Other companies have array style speakers what gives? I myself love the idea of array speakers just scared of the old stuff not holding up, especially when the price for used stuff is so high and it sounds like guys are modding them anyway. rich

Have you seen Polks line-up ? Old speakers are not high priced. You can easily snag some SDA2's for 400, throw 200 in them and nothing will touch them under 2 g's....maybe more. The LSIM's will take those 3000p's out to the back alley musically.