SDA SRS-1.2 - my official take

Paul Connor

SDA,

How is the reproduction going from analog to digital? I have considered buying the software to burn cd's from vinyl, but have never talked to anyone who has done it. I hate to invest the money if the sound isn't there.

PSC

SDA SRS 1.2

Paul,

Of course you're only as good as your source and there's a difference between an album transfer and a CD mastered from the original tapes, but some good results are obtained from a good clean album. Obviously, I've only transfered those rare albums that aren't likely to be released on CD.

Aaron

The SDA's are designed to be used with "common ground" amplifiers.

Hmm, yeah, I have no idea. The seller wouldn't know either....

Perhaps the mid-range "suck-out" might have been due to the speakers being out of phase.

I don't think that was the problem. What I was hearing was very similar to what I heard with the RTA-11T's. I think it's just the Polk "sound" of that era.

Aaron

mantis

Or old school?

TroyD

Actually, I've heard the common ground thing from a few different sources. I don't know the what's and why's but I've heard that SDA and non-common ground amps don't mix.

Maybe Ken Swauger could chime in??

BDT

DarqueKnight

Yeah Ken, chime in.

Polk prints in big bold letters both in the owner's manual and on the backs of the speakers that only common ground amps are to be used with SDA's.....but they never tell us why.

I suspect its because the SDA circuit configuration can cause a short circuit at certain frequencies with non-common ground amps and probably some phase anomalies too.

jrausch

If you don't use a common ground amp while using the cable you will quite literally blow them up. You don't even need to have the volume control on at all. Without a common ground amp the effect generates a tone that rapidly increases and pops your drivers. I have heard that sound on my buddy's pair of 2.3's and it is an extremely evil sound. I would say it would take between 5-10 seconds to destroy your drivers. I posted a Build it yourself document (written By Ken) under the "Speakers" forum that will isolate the amps ground using a $15-$20 transformer. Shoot me an e-mail and I'll send it to you. Trust me; you don't even want to find out what happens to these things when they are subjected to a non-common ground amp.

stubby

I personally have run Carver M1.0t amps with my TL's and have experienced no ill effects. I have used them in stereo with a standard interconnect and bridged with the AI-1 interface. Zero problemo. I do have both amps plugged into an Adcom ACE 515 line conditioner. So in theory they do share a common ground. Just my 2 cents.

Stubby

madmax

Keep in mind that some differences crop up in different types of non-common ground amps. Sometimes the two grounds are not common but can be safely pulled to the same potential (voltage) because they are not necessarily with respect to chassis ground. It is always safe if you build the interface though. You could measure the voltage between the two grounds with a volt meter while the SDA cable is disconnected. If it measures zero within a few milivolts while at idle and at volume it is PROBABLY safe to use with the SDA cable in place but that is only a guess by me. Try at your own risk. This is what I have done BUT I don't happen to have any amps which cannot have the grounds tied.
madmax

jdavy

When I got my SDA-SRS I was sold basic monster cable speaker wires. The speakers sounded terrible. Nothing like in the store. I almost sent them back but got some Monster Powerline II first. That did the trick. Bad or weak cables will hinder any system.

Toolfan66

Old thread I know but interesting nonetheless. Amazing how far things have come with SDA's in this place, and seeing Ray running a 5802 is almost funny when looking at his rig today..

Wish I could have been here back then..

audio_alan

Nice bump, Larry. Hilarious thread!

I'll admit that I have nowhere near the expertise as other menbers on the board, but varying interconnects, 3' off the back wall, different distances from the side walls, etc -- Gee, you think they might sound a little off?!

His perceptions were wildly different than just about everyone on this board. I didn't see it mentioned, but I'm wondering if they had the interconnect cable connected? LOL

I liked his statement: "The room had a sloped ceiling and lots of "stuff" which should be good for acoustics." Ahhhhhhhhhh, right, the ever important "stuff". :rolleyes:

DarqueKnight

F1nut wrote: »

I hope you have another chance to demo them properly set up.

Lasareath wrote: »

Yeah like the pair at my house!

Yeah, like the pair at my house, too.

I don't recall if Aaron ever got a proper SDA demo.:question:

Toolfan66 wrote: »

Old thread I know but interesting nonetheless. Amazing how far things have come with SDA's in this place, and seeing Ray running a 5802 is almost funny when looking at his rig today..

Nothing funny at all about the GFA-5802. It is one the sweetest amps I've ever heard. I had two of them: one in my 2 channel rig and one running a pair of SVS CS Ultra subs in my home theater.

My, how time flies...

headrott

DarqueKnight wrote: »

Nothing funny at all about the GFA-5802. It is one the sweetest amps I've ever heard. I had two of them: one in my 2 channel rig and one running a pair of SVS CS Ultra subs in my home theater.

My, how time flies...

Perhaps Larry means the monitary difference and "prestige" of your Parasound amps vurses the cost of the GFA-5802 and their reputation as a "mid-fi" amp. Just goes to show that cost and "prestige" ain't the all-in all though.

rvito

A friend of mine has a set and they are hooked up to adcom 565 amps and sound wonderful.

fossy

great "old " thread ..... good readin....