I picked up a set up SDA SRS 2's yesterday

scootchu
scootchu Posts: 100
edited March 2008 in Vintage Speakers
I answered a craigslist ad for a set of SDA SRS 2's and was actually the first to reply out of 6 in 30 mins. I need to get a life. In any case the cabinets were in poor shape, missing both front grills and each cabinet is missing a cloth side piece, but I decided they were worth the trouble to look at since the seller said the speakers were in good functional condition.

Well the sad truth is all 4 tweeters are fubar. The VC's have all been spun and the hair-like wires all severed. The good news was all of the 8 drivers are fine and the crossovers are fine. The wood tops are in nice shape, but the bottoms have splits. I can fix the bottoms with some clamps and poly glue.

I borrowed the SL2500's from my monitor 10's and will most likely borrow the 2000's from my 7c's tonight to see how they sound close to factory.

Okay my question is; I have a bunch of round tweeters, SL6503'2, SL6000's, SL5006's, and SL5501's. I know it's a shot in the dark but can I use any of these with my SDA's? I don't know how they match up spec-wise with the old SL2500's or the RDO replacements.
I also know that I would have to make a custom wood bezel to fit the old rectangular tweeter recess and this too would make them stand proud of the drivers.

I paid $100 for the pair and the cabs, aside from the cosmetics and splits in the bottoms are sound.
Post edited by scootchu on
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  • candyliquor35m
    candyliquor35m Posts: 2,267
    edited March 2008
    Nice snag. It will be worth all the work.
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited March 2008
    nice snag... for SRS2's. oh yeah
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited March 2008
    Good Lord that was a good price for those! I gave $200 for the pair I have without the IC, etc. I saw where you posted about these in the AK forum, too. I will be more than happy to help with any questions on these as I personally have a pair that I love to death. I'm sure there are some people in here that may have some SL2000's that they would be glad to help you out with for a reasonable amount of money. The RD0's are a great replacement @ $48 each shipped to your door and most prefer them to the SL2000. But let that be a personal preference to you. You can always resell the SL2000's if you do get them. Just get the right tweeters in there and enjoy them for awhile as you go!

    Like I said on the AK forum, I will be glad to measure the grills when you get around to that part. The side panels won't be hard to fix up either. I think I have some pictures and posts in here about my SRS II's plus the 2.3's I rebuilt for my buddy last year.
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • scootchu
    scootchu Posts: 100
    edited March 2008
    avguytx wrote: »
    Good Lord that was a good price for those! I gave $200 for the pair I have without the IC, etc. I saw where you posted about these in the AK forum, too. I will be more than happy to help with any questions on these as I personally have a pair that I love to death. I'm sure there are some people in here that may have some SL2000's that they would be glad to help you out with for a reasonable amount of money. The RD0's are a great replacement @ $48 each shipped to your door and most prefer them to the SL2000. But let that be a personal preference to you. You can always resell the SL2000's if you do get them. Just get the right tweeters in there and enjoy them for awhile as you go!

    Like I said on the AK forum, I will be glad to measure the grills when you get around to that part. The side panels won't be hard to fix up either. I think I have some pictures and posts in here about my SRS II's plus the 2.3's I rebuilt for my buddy last year.

    Thanks, I do appreciate that. I was kinda bummed about the tweeters, but you know I was the guy with the glut of Polk Tweeters and Drivers, BUT I don't have any MW6509's in my inventory and I sold my 2500 and 3000's!

    I don't have the interconnect, but it's the Blade/Blade and if I am not mistaken I think I read that it's straight through Big to Big & Small to Small? Should be easy enough to make tonight. For a temp fix can I get by with 1 2500 and 1 2000 in each cabinet? I just want to get things close so that I can get a little listen time.

    I also have found thanks to you guys that I can just remove the bottom plate and rebuild it. It has left and right side panels, just not on the same cabinet :) That will give me an idea of how I can replace the missing.

    I can't wait to get home!
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited March 2008
    Sounds like a fun project, congrats.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • NJPOLKER
    NJPOLKER Posts: 3,474
    edited March 2008
    Welcome to the forum!
    In my opinion you should listen to the SL-2000's while tending to your speakers other problems/concerns. Do not alter the openings for the tweeters. Also be sure you are running a power supply that is common ground.
    If you haven't already make good use of the search function here on Club Polk.
    I have SRSII's with some updates and they are well worth the efforts you will put into them.
    Drew
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2008
    No. Trying to retrofit those tweeters for use with your SDA is a bad idea and not worth the time. Get the right replacement parts whether they are used or new. It should be a worthy project in the end.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • engtaz
    engtaz Posts: 7,664
    edited March 2008
    Congrats scootchu and welcome. SRS 2's are a favorite.

    engtaz
    engtaz

    I love how music can brighten up a bad day.
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited March 2008
    You have your work cut out for you. Looks like fun to me.

    Enjoy,
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  • Phasearray
    Phasearray Posts: 437
    edited March 2008
    I was 2nd in line. You beat me by mere minutes
    Receiver - Onkyo HT-R340
    Front - Pioneer S-HF21
    Center -Onkyo SKC-340C
    Surround Back - Polk R15 <--Ticket to club polk
    Subwoofer - Onkyo SKW-340
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,341
    edited March 2008
    Good find for the price! A little love and affection should get them into shape. Don't fool around with the tweeters, get the Polk replacements and live the audio life like a king. :)

    Congrats and good listening!
    Carl

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  • scootchu
    scootchu Posts: 100
    edited March 2008
    Installed a pair of SL2000's, cleaned them up, fashioned an interconnect, put Zeppelin's Mothership on and was quite amazed. Got me thinking that I don't need the Klipschorns anymore. Wow!
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  • scootchu
    scootchu Posts: 100
    edited March 2008
    Need to get my post count up. LOL And tell you that I am powering them with a B&K ST-202, which may be a tad bit too warm for them. I may try my Proton D1200 and see what that combo is like.
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  • scootchu
    scootchu Posts: 100
    edited March 2008
    I wanted to ask what the optimal placement is. Where is the sweet spot when they are placed about 5 ft apart?
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,341
    edited March 2008
    scootchu wrote: »
    I wanted to ask what the optimal placement is. Where is the sweet spot when they are placed about 5 ft apart?

    The "sweet spot" would be at the point of an equilateral triangle. Or, approximately 5 ft. diagonally from each speaker.

    Carl
    Carl

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  • scootchu
    scootchu Posts: 100
    edited March 2008
    Some pics of them cleaned up a bit.
    DSCN1693.jpg
    DSCN1690.jpg

    They sound wonderful. They put my 10's to shame.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2008
    They've seen better days from your description and the pictures....thankfully you are the new owner.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited March 2008
    You can try using a vacuum cleaner on the mids to pull the center caps back out. They typically aren't too tough to pull out. I would imagine since you have the blade/blade connector (like I do) that it uses all eight MW6509 drivers where the newer pin/blade versions had something different. At least Polk has the replacements for those now if they are ever needed. I actually have 8 brand new MW6509's that I haven't put in yet. I wonder how different they'd sound? Hmmmm....

    It's nice that your tops and bottoms look to be in good shape, too. I had to strip black paint off of mine as someone had painted them for the built in cabinets they were in. But they do look nice redone since they are solid oak (IIRC).

    Can you space them any farther apart or is that what your space will allow? Mine are right at 9 feet apart measured from each inside edge of the speakers and I sit right at about 10feet back from them. They image like a big dog that's for sure. When they were 6 feet apart (and me at 10'), the imaging was ok but a little odd. Sometimes on certain music, the sound stage is almost too much as they recorded in some "extra" effects it seems. It all depends, though.

    I'll take pictures of them one day in the living room as soon as I get my new stand for my HT and 2-channel gear built. Right now, I have everything sitting on 2 empty old Pioneer CS-99 speaker cabinets. :D I gotta get rolling on that this weekend.... (I keep saying that)
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • scootchu
    scootchu Posts: 100
    edited March 2008
    I can move them farther apart, but I will have to switch things around in my rectangular basement area. I forgot to get the vacuum after I got sidetracked going a few rounds with my 6 y/o son and Ghost Recon.

    I have about 100 polk drivers and not one 6509. Now that's funny.

    One thing, I am amazed at the bass at low volume and it's a Polk bass no doubt about it.

    You can definitely tell what's a Polk speaker in a dark room that's for sure.

    Time to get the vacuum.
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited March 2008
    SRS 2's...my first SDA's and still one of my favorites...If you feel the need to remove the top and bottom caps for a refinish...it's an easy task.

    Pull out one of your top mid-drivers and reach up into the cabinet toward the top...on all four corners you will find taps that are threaded onto studs that come down through the cabinet from the top cap.

    Remove the p.r. to reach the taps that secure the bottom caps...even if they don't need refinishing,it's a good idea to at least tighten the taps snug,as air can escape through the cabs. if not tight.

    Congrats on your budget SDA's
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited March 2008
    who would push in all those dust caps? and two different tweeters too.. someone was mean to those SRS2's in the past. Grrrrr!!
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • John in MA
    John in MA Posts: 1,010
    edited March 2008
    The unmatched tweeters are Scootchu's field-expedient repair until he can buy new ones. But those SDAs really were put through the ringer.

    How're the particle board cabs? Any swelling?
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  • Phasearray
    Phasearray Posts: 437
    edited March 2008
    You know, I'm reallly glad you beat me to this. I just realize that I have way to much ****. WTF is wrong with me!
    Receiver - Onkyo HT-R340
    Front - Pioneer S-HF21
    Center -Onkyo SKC-340C
    Surround Back - Polk R15 <--Ticket to club polk
    Subwoofer - Onkyo SKW-340
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  • scootchu
    scootchu Posts: 100
    edited March 2008
    With the help of AVGUYTX and his measurements and pictures I cut 2 grill frames out of 3/4" MDF. I am not happy with the first grill and the way it fits around the corners of the frame so I may re-do it.
    Uncovered Frame after black paint
    IMG_3058.jpg
    Finished frame on one cabinet
    IMG_3056.jpg
    Most likely will have to re-do the side panels as there is a mismatch of color, but this isn't as noticable in natural light. The camera flash makes it look more distinct.
    IMG_3057.jpg
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited March 2008
    Looks great, good job!
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited March 2008
    Those look great! Yeah, typically you will have a different "grain" look from one type of grill cloth to another. I'll run into that when I recover mine, too. Keep an eye on eBay, the forum or call Polk for some of those emblems or even just the Polk Audio emblems to finish them off.

    Glad I could help and they look great!
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited March 2008
    I can ship you two SL2000's for $10; PM me if you're interested.
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • scootchu
    scootchu Posts: 100
    edited March 2008
    They need to be glued, but prelim install looks good.I have new speakers!!!
    IMG_3062.jpg
    IMG_3068.jpg

    Easier than I thought. Now I can take the bottoms off and redo them!
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited March 2008
    They look great. What's that white stuff you have your TT on?
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • scootchu
    scootchu Posts: 100
    edited March 2008
    Ricardo wrote: »
    They look great. What's that white stuff you have your TT on?

    That's some granite that I get from the place next to my office. They said take whatever you want out of the dumpster. They are sink cut-outs.
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