Wonderful SDA's

heiney9

There is really not much I can say that hasn't already been said about the SDA's somewhere in the archives of CP. I used to sell SDA's back in the late 80's and early 90's and really hadn't heard a pair in quite awhile. I've spent a small time with the SDA 1C's that I bought from Normanality at the Chicago PF. They were modded by Anonymouse a few years back. Mods include RD0's, Solens on the mids, Sonic Caps Gen I bypassed by Sonic Cap Gen II on the tweeters, Mills resistors in the x-over, Vampire binding posts and a very user friendly bananna plug connection for the I/C.

They are simply an amazing sounding speaker, definetly a bit uncoventional in the way they present the sound stage (not a bad thing), but simply amazing the amount of detail one can hear in all recordings. I am hearing things that used to be buried in the mix that I never knew were there, very subtle little things. The bass is amazingly clear, deep and tight and very very clean. Low level resolution is excellent and there is cohesiveness to the presentation that is downright euphoric. Recordings with extreme R/L info can be a bit over the top, but I'm sure I'll get used to those extreme mixes.

I don't yet have a compendium and I can't seem to find a user manual anywhere online. PolkSda.com has been a good resource but I need to get some pointers for getting these tweaked perfectly. Right now they are approx. 6 ft apart measuring from the tweeter centers, and approx. 11 inches from the back wall. My couch is flush against the opposite wall about 6 ft. away. I'm sure having the wall right behind me while listening isn't ideal as I get reflections immediately and I notice even sitting forward on the edge of the couch changes the sound a bit.

The thing I've noticed in the short time I've listened is a lack of front to back depth of the center (non SDA) soundstage information. I have a rock solid center image which is just at the front edge of the speaker plane. Different instruments float around R/L between the speakers and of course I get the SDA effect outside of the cabinets, etc., just no depth. I was very used to getting a farily deep soundstage with my RTA 11T's and the LSi 9's. I hear of people getting decent fore and aft soundstaging but so far in my short time I haven't been experiencing that. Other than that they are really beginning to become addictive.

I hooked my 9's back up for comparison, which isn't really fair, they are two completely different animals and the 9's sounded so flat and 2 dimensional and closed in and compact. I really enjoyed the 9's and for a small bookshelf they are an amazing speaker but the SDA's are more to my likeing. There just is no replacement for displacement. I will say if anyone can come up with a way to incorporate the Vifa tweeter into the SDA's I'm there. I still prefer the Vifa even over the RD0's. SDA's with a Vifa tweeter(s) would certainly take it to the next level.

I'm open to any and all suggestions, links, ideas, etc.

H9

danger boy

if you can heiney move them farther apart from each other.. I suggest around 10 feet apart.. that will open up the soundstage some more.

ohskigod

I had a blast with the SDA1B's I used to own with the silk tweets.

I sold them just to try differnet speakers, but thats not to say I still dont miss them.

Sami

I haven't had much of a chance to listen to the 1C's I got a few weeks ago but I definately can understand why they are so highly thought of. They do sound great and even the non-audiophiles in the house think so.

SDA's in 2.1 setup, DQ-10's in bedroom 2.1 setup, and LSi's in the HT; I think I'm done searching for a while and just enjoy for now.

madmax

Man, I thought I was sitting close at 9 feet away. I'd say you are at a good starting point. I've had a whole bunch of different ones in my setup. Some of them (some the same model!) want to be +/- a foot left or right from the previous ones. You can tell, just keep playing.
madmax

halo

nothing quite like the feel of something new...;)

tonyb

Halo wrote: »

nothing quite like the feel of something new...;)

So says Paris Hilton...:D

MillerLiteScott

That's Hot.:cool:

halo

tonyb wrote: »

So says Paris Hilton...:D

Bzzzz! Wrong answer

So says Trent Reznor -> Nine Inch Nails -> Pretty Hate Machine -> Ringfinger

Polk65

I'm glad you are enjoying a blast from your past. Be sure to play some of the recommended selections in the SDA playlist for more far out grooving.

Do you have any gear or a TV between them? If so, move your SDA's a few inches forward. I enjoyed listening to SDA2B's 6' apart nearfield sitting at around 5'. You may prefer them closer or farther apart and perhaps your listening position can be changed.

The 1C manual is hiding out in the CRS+ page. Polksda has it under publications -> user manuals.

There has been some interest in a vifa tweeter mod. I wonder who will be the first?

Sami

Polk65 wrote: »

There has been some interest in a vifa tweeter mod. I wonder who will be the first?

SDA type vifa-speaker from Polk straight would be something, but propably would cost more than their target audience would shell out. While the SDA's are great, they still fall short on quite a few albums compared to LSi's. The Doors on LSi's is absolutely fantastic, 7's (and 15's of course) with a good SVS sub sound much better with that album compared to SDA's (with a sub as well).

Funny thing is that the Rotel that I didn't like over the Aragon on all my other speakers sounds actually better on the SDA's. It's bright and mates quite well with them but was quite thin on DQ10's and LSi's.

halo

Polk65 wrote:

There has been some interest in a vifa tweeter mod. I wonder who will be the first?

It'd be between DarqueKnight & F1nut IMO.

engtaz

H9 also

halo

engtaz wrote: »

H9 also

Of what you speak you know not.

engtaz

Originally Posted by Polk65
There has been some interest in a vifa tweeter mod. I wonder who will be the first?

It'd be between DarqueKnight & F1nut IMO.

MikeC78

Halo wrote: »

Of what you speak you know not.

Seems to be the norm around here.

halo

MikeC78 wrote: »

Seems to be the norm around here.

heiney9

... ....

Did I miss something?!?

heiney9

Thanks for the tips. Hearingimpared is sending me some info he has collected and I will continue to tweak them. I'm not so sure about the comment about the LSi's being so much better, they are just "different" . I'll do some more side by side with my LSi 9's but so far they are such different types of speakers they really can't be compared to one another straight up.

Come on guys let's get that Vifa tweeter upgrade in the works!

H9

madmax

I used to think SDA's were a lot "different" than the LSi's too. Then I changed to the replacement tweeters. I found that they were so much the same that the LSi's became a very good match as surround and center speakers for the SDA's.
madmax

heiney9

madmax wrote: »

I used to think SDA's were a lot "different" than the LSi's too. Then I changed to the replacement tweeters. I found that they were so much the same that the LSi's became a very good match as surround and center speakers for the SDA's.
madmax

I could see that they would be similar in timbre (although the 9's are "darker") I'm talking strictly the presentation of the soundstage. I do like the RD0's but there does seem to be quite a bit more energy on top then with the Vifa. Not harsh or grainy or gritty, but just more energy up on top.

H9

Sami

heiney9 wrote: »

I'm not so sure about the comment about the LSi's being so much better, they are just "different"

My comment was based on different materials, LSi's being better only applied to certain recordings. I run 3 different rigs right now and they all have their place. If it is Dire Straits, I'd propably listen to it on the SDA's. If it is Doors, it's the LSi's.

SDA's bring more soundstage, LSi's on the other hand are thinner but evoke emotions much better (IMO of course). That's inline with your different comment which I very much agree with.