SDA 2b needs new amp

amboyjohn
amboyjohn Posts: 2
edited March 2008 in Vintage Speakers
I recently purchased a set of SDA 2b's off ebay. Had my first pair about 15 years ago. My recently obtained amp is a adcom GFA 6000. The amp is old and has the right front speaker binding post broken off. I am using the 2 rear speaker posts to listen to my speakers. The soundstage just doesn't sound as good as I remember from my old speakers. I am looking on ebay for another amp, possibly another adcom, but any one have a set of SDA2's with a well matched amp that can offer suggestions? Don't have a fortune, or I would have a pair of SRS's, I suppose. Thanks for any suggestions.
Post edited by amboyjohn on
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,341
    edited February 2008
    Welcome amboyjohn!

    There are a lot of good amps to choose from. The Adcom is a good choice if you don't have a lot of scratch. Just remember the amp needs to be a "common ground" type amp. Try and stay away from a receiver. If you can afford it, use a separate preamp and power amp. Those speakers like power. 200 wpc is a good rule of thumb, even for the small SDA's. Save up some dough and get a big amp.

    Good luck with the hunt.
    Carl

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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited February 2008
    This was talked about before on the board. I have SDA2's and can tell you they are not as efficient as the other SDA models. SDA1's are way more efficient.

    My SDA2's are the original version with Dimensional tweeter. I think that is were the problem lies in all the SDA2's. Even though polk stopped using the dimensional tweeter I think they still used a similar crossover. I know the schematics don't support this but I have heard 2A's and 2B's and they don't seem as efficient to me.

    Adcoms are nice amps. I agree with Carl, 200watts of good clean power is my rule of thumb for the SDA line. You can go lower with Tube amps but I think that would be cost prohibitive for you.

    Welcome to the club,
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  • candyliquor35m
    candyliquor35m Posts: 2,267
    edited February 2008
    A few of us are using the Carver m1.0t amp on our 2b's.
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  • strider
    strider Posts: 2,568
    edited February 2008
    I recently unhooked my Carver M-500 from my 2b's and replaced it with a Rotel 980. The Carver wasn't common ground; in order to use the amp I constructed an AI-1 interface using a Stancor transformer. I wasn't happy with the soundstage using the Stancor AI-1 and the Carver. Even though the Rotel is about half the power of the Carver, the improvements with the soundstage overcome any concern of lack of power. I'm happy for now, but I can see myself looking for something more powerful, like a Rotel 1090 (380X2) or 1080 (200X2) in the future.
    Wristwatch--->Crisco
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited February 2008
    Common-ground Carvers are a popular choice because there are many high-power models. However, getting a high current Adcom on the cheap is also great as suggested above.
    Jake
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  • bikerboy
    bikerboy Posts: 1,211
    edited February 2008
    Hi,
    I have been using a B&K ST-202 and have been happy with the sound. It is 140 watts/ch but as always wish for more. Its for sale for $275 + sh if you are interested. I am using a 60 watt/ch joLida sj-502 now am am very happy with the power and sound. I like to play music loud but find that isnt as important any more. I find as the system gets better it sounds very good at lower volumes . I dont need to make my ears bleed any more. YMMV.
    Main system: Lyngdorf TDAI 2170 w/ Pioneer 42" plazma-> Polk LSiM 703 w/Tivo, Marantz tuner, BRPTT: Nothingham Spacedeck-> Pioneer PL L1000 linear arm-> Soundsmith DL 103R-> SUT->Bottlehead ErosDigital: I3 PC w/ Jriver playing flac -> Sonore Ultrarendu -> Twisted Pair Audio ESS 9028 w/ Mercury IVY Vinyl rips: ESI Juli@24/192-> i3 PC server
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,204
    edited February 2008
    Just remember in regards to Adcom that the newer models 5500, 5800, 5802 are NOT common ground and you will need to use 10g cable and nice connectors to hook the negative speaker terminals together to make it common ground for use w/SDA's

    Also any stereo amp that is bridged and run in mono is no longer common ground and you CANNOT hook the negative terminals together.

    Any other brand and model amp you consider contact the manufacturer to make sure 1) it's common ground 2) if it's not common ground can you tie the negative terminals together (you can't do that on ALL non-common ground amps).

    Good luck

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited February 2008
    I've been using an NAD 2200 with the 2B's with great success, I think it sounds awesome. You can pick one up on ebay for about $200. The one downside to this amp is some common issues people have with the speaker relays cutting out due to poor solder joints during manufacture. There's a shop I brought mine to for relay upgrades along with some cap replacements. They have a mod package for $155 including the relay repairs:

    http://www.angelfire.com/art2/stereorepair117/NAD.htm
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • Stew
    Stew Posts: 645
    edited February 2008
    I'm using an NAD C370 with a Yaqin tube buffer (JJ/Tesla 6922 tube) in the pre-amp out/main-in loop for my 2B-TL's. I picked up the NAD for $400 from Audiogon. The tube buffer with the upgraded tube goes for about $190. It sounds amazing for less than $600 and it's plenty of power for the volume levels I listen to.
    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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  • lakesailor
    lakesailor Posts: 319
    edited March 2008
    The Adcom GFA 555 and 555 Mark 2 have long been considered amongst the very best amps around for under $ 1000. Even when new they were compared to amps in the $2K-$3k range. At 200/ch they have plenty of power to drive anything. The Mark 2 version is a tad more stable driving lower impedance speakers, although that is generally not an issue with Polk's.

    The 555's tend to be easy to find as well.
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited March 2008
    shop around for a used Belles 150,,reference or hotrod. Good luck and enjoy.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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