Is this a good choice to power SDA 2b's.....and if not what would you suggest?

BigMac

Hi all. I do not know where to begin really so here it is. I am going to be putting a used system together and this is where I am starting. I will be getting some Polk SDA 2b's in a few weeks from a friend and everyone I have talked to says I need to upgrade to a good amp (currently only have an old NAD 7045 receiver). I just got back into 2 channel and want to start off right. I am not rich by any means so I need the best bang for the buck....with sound quality in mind though. Well, this guy I know has a Sansui CA3000 and BA 5000 in very good condition that he will let me have for 8-$900.00(will pay him every two weeks till it is paid off, I can afford it this way,lol). Is that a good deal or would I do better with another preamp and amp for these speakers? My other two choices locally are an Adcom 555II preamp and amp for around $500.00 or an NAD 2600 amp for $275.00, I would still need to get a preamp though. Any suggestions or advice is very welcomed. This is for the Polk SDA 2b's. Thanks.:)

Ricardo

That is a great deal on those Sansui if they are in good condition; you can turn around and sell each one for that amount.

BigMac

Ricardo wrote: »

That is a great deal on those Sansui if they are in good condition; you can turn around and sell each one for that amount.

Holy bejeeezusss, really. If I did get the Sansui's would they be a good choice though? He said he is giving me a deal and wants to hear them hooked up to the Polks. I know they would be mine but would not want the guy to think I was just using him since I know him. He goes to the gym where I train clients and see him almost everyday. So if I did go that route I would keep them. Are they good enough for what I am trying to do? I know from what you said that they are worth 2x what I would pay BUT just because something costs alot does not make it good. Will they give me what I am looking for? Thanks.

Joe08867

I say it is a hell of a deal. I think Sansui did it right back in the 70's. I had a BA5000 back in the day and wish I never sold it. Awesome sounding amp in my opinion.

BigMac

Now, I got to thinking about the low price and the deal I would be getting and I really hope he meant for both pieces. If his price was for just one then it is waayyy outside my price range. I will find out in the next few days when I see him at the gym. If he did mean for one though, then I will keep looking around to see what else is available. I still have half of Richmond and its flea markets,pawn shops to visit and call. The Adcom and NAD are still choices for right now. Now that I have the bug again I am itchin' real bad.:eek:

Joe08867

If it is the price for each it isn't bad. I have seen the BA5000 go for over 1000.00 on ebay. But if the price is to much I prefer Adcom to NAD. Both are very good though.

Have fun with your search.

Ricardo

That gear is solid and more than enough power for your SDA 2B's. The BA 5000 has 300 Watts That is a monster for its time.

I might have gone a bit over board saying you could sell each for that price

Looking at the blue book price is just ok...but there are some hardcore fans that will pay tons if they are in good shape. Here's one example (It does not mean it will sell at that price):

http://cgi.ebay.com/SANSUI-CA-3000-STEREO-VINTAGE-PRE-AMPLIFIER-CLEAN-NICE_W0QQitemZ260285811314QQihZ016QQcategoryZ12050QQtcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

BigMac

Been calling around and also found these others so far. I have not looked up anything on them yet so I have no idea if they are even worth a crud. As I find more I will post what I find. Oh, just to let you know $800.00 is over what I want to spend but I could sell a few things to cover the cost of something spectacular. All this gear I am listing is local for me, that way I can go check it out before buying it.

1.Sony TA-N55ES for $125.00
2.Electrocompaniet Ampliwire II power amplifier for $795.00
3.Rotel RB-980BX Power Amplifer for $260.00

candyliquor35m

Have you thought about a used tube pre- for about $500.

I like my cj pv-10al with 2 12au7 telefunkens ($60).

Joe08867

Ricardo wrote: »

That gear is solid and more than enough power for your SDA 2B's. The BA 5000 has 300 Watts That is a monster for its time.

I might have gone a bit over board saying you could sell each for that price

Looking at the blue book price is just ok...but there are some hardcore fans that will pay tons if they are in good shape. Here's one example (It does not mean it will sell at that price):

http://cgi.ebay.com/SANSUI-CA-3000-STEREO-VINTAGE-PRE-AMPLIFIER-CLEAN-NICE_W0QQitemZ260285811314QQihZ016QQcategoryZ12050QQtcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That's the same ebay I saw when I posted my answer. I wish I still had that sucker. It was a nice warm amp. It would have been great my SDA2's.

BigMac

candyliquor35m wrote: »

Have you thought about a used tube pre- for about $500.

I have never had any tube gear so no, it didn't even cross my mind. I don't know where to even start with tube stuff. I have alot of catching up and reading to do on audio gear. More than half of the gear people have listed on their posts I have never even heard of, let alone seen it,lol. In Richmond there really is only like 2 places that have anything higher end. I have been to both but that was before I got the bug so all I was doing was listening to some really good sounding music.

BigMac

I did not get any of the items I listed earlier in this thread. My friend that had the Polks got a good trade so he went for it. Thinking about some Polk 7,10,12....not sure which is best overall though or Vandersteen 1C's that seem to pop up everywhere I look for good speakers from the past that I can afford. That Sansui was a beast and sounded incredible BUT the price was for each piece (bummer). I have been looking more into gear and decided not to impulse shop just because my system now blows ****. I have been looking at this little preamp and was wondering what you experienced electronics guys think. Please be as informative as you can so that way I understand what you mean and make sense of all the technical mumbo jumbo. I was thinking of getting a Cambridge audio,Arcam, or NAD cd player (they seem to be the biggest bang for the buck in the under 3-400 used category) and as far as an amp goes there are so many friggin choices I am about to explode trying to decide. Thanks.

http://www.luminousaudio.com/axiomrca.php

BigMac

anonymouse wrote: »

That is a passive preamp - otherwise known as a glorified volume control. It does nothing else besides attenuate the volume.

What is your overall budget?

Looks like you need a source, pre and amp - a full rig besides the speakers.

What does you media collection look like? How many CD's? Any digital music? How much space do you have?

Overall budget: mmmm, about $1200.00 I guess (used gear for sure)

Media collection: about 5-600 normal cds, about 75 special cds like MFSL and FIM (no SACD or HD stuff though, a few 5.1 music dvds)

Space: My living room is not very big 20x15

Currently have: speaker wire,interconnects,NAD 7045 receiver,a cd/dvd player not even worth mentioning (lol) and a borrowed pair of speakers from my son which are the Infinity SM105.

Face

If you shop around, you can get a Cambridge 540C for $400.

As for the passive pre, I've recently been turned onto them myself. I'm currently using a Roederstein Stepped Attenuator in my SDA rig and it sounds fantastic. I plan on getting another passive, possibly the one in the link you provided, for my bedroom setup. If you don't need the extra gain, passive seems to be the way to go.

BigMac

Face wrote: »

If you shop around, you can get a Cambridge 540C for $400.

As for the passive pre, I've recently been turned onto them myself. I'm currently using a Roederstein Stepped Attenuator in my SDA rig and it sounds fantastic. I plan on getting another passive, possibly the one in the link you provided, for my bedroom setup. If you don't need the extra gain, passive seems to be the way to go.

When you mention extra gain what does that mean exactly.....in terms a noob would understand? I will look into the Cambridge you mentioned. Only way I know about any of this stuff is to read,read, and then read some more. Wish there were more audiophiles that I knew here in the Richmond area. Kinda a shame to go it alone, but since 99.9% of the people I know buy the "box systems" or stuff form Best Buy or Circuit City I am kinda stuck.

PolkClyde

I would still need to get a preamp though. Any suggestions or advice is very welcomed. This is for the Polk SDA 2b's. Thanks.:)[/QUOTE]

You don't really need a Pre-Amp if you are not listening to LP's. Some CD Players have a variable out where you can run it directly to your Power Amp. Use the up and down botton on your CD Player remote to control volume.Although you still my want/need to get a Pre-Amp. Sometimes I run my cd player directly to Power Amps. That is pure sound baby very Pure. Sometimes puting a Pre-amp in the chain can add distortion. but I know there are good pre-amps out there like the Krells.

Face

There are plenty of good preamps out there without having to shell out Krell $$$$.

BigMac

Face wrote: »

If you shop around, you can get a Cambridge 540C for $400.

As for the passive pre, I've recently been turned onto them myself. I'm currently using a Roederstein Stepped Attenuator in my SDA rig and it sounds fantastic. I plan on getting another passive, possibly the one in the link you provided, for my bedroom setup. If you don't need the extra gain, passive seems to be the way to go.

I have had the opportunity to demo a Cambridge 540c since Saturday. I listened to just about every kind of music on it and it was "lacking" imo. Needless to say I took it back to the store with no second thoughts. I called the guy I know who has an older NAD 5100 that is in mint condition just sitting in a box in his closet. It came with the remote (which he never used),box, and manual for $50.00. I bought it because I like NAD and there is not even 1 scratch on it. Imo the NAD sounds very warm and has a awesome clean sound. Plus for being a 20 year old player it plays all my burned cds as well. I got lucky on that though since I burn my CD-R on the slowest write speed possible.

I have the option to demo a Sherwood Newcastle SD-871 and if I like it I could get it for $200.00. Anyone here know anything about the higher end Sherwood equipment, especially this model or the one right below it? Thanks.

Face

If you want more warmth, check out Marantz.

BigMac

Ok, I will look into Marantz as well. Only bad thing about that here in Richmond is that nobody carries them. Not looking for something really warm per say, I just hate the God aweful high pitch that is associated with lower end brands like Sony and Pioneer (not the ES or Elite). I am getting an NAD 2400 or the Adcom 555II amp soon and with the addition of the NAD 5100 cd player I am all set. The cd player has variable outs on the back so I can control the volume that way. Still considering my options for a preamp. I want to try my hand at tubes for this but am such a noob I need to do alot more research. Not really sure which models I should narrow it down to but looking to stay around $200.00-$300.00 or cheaper; used of course. This is my first seperates system since I was a kid. I really like the sound I have now just looking for more of the same.

Right now I would say my system is on the warm side of neutral with good detail,bass,clarity, and so on. I know as I upgrade my sound will improve but I want to crawl before I walk on this one. I will need to keep my current setup with the additions I mentioned until after Christmas. Can't have a kick **** system (to me anyway,lol) and nothing to put under the tree,lol. Plus my transmission is on the fritz so I am going to buy another car (for the first time since 92) next week. Thank goodness I have 2 cars. Anyway, thanks for the Marantz suggestion, appreciate the thought.:)

inspiredsports

Hi BigMac,

I know this response is way late, but I have driven 1987 SDA-2B's with an NAD 7600 receiver for 21 years. It's a perfect combination and here's specifically why. The NAD 7600 provides selectable frequency adjustments that perfectly match the 2B's weaknesses. You can easily boost the bass that some find lacking, and roll off the treble that some find tiring from the stock SL2000 Silver Coil tweeters.

The NAD 7600 still rates as one of the most durable, powerful, cleanest sounding amps ever built even after 2 decades of competitors offering new products. I think $400 - $450 USD is the current market.

I hope this helps.

Greg

Stew

inspiredsports wrote: »

... selectable frequency adjustments that perfectly match the 2B's weaknesses. You can easily boost the bass that some find lacking, and roll off the treble that some find tiring from the stock SL2000 Silver Coil tweeters.

I thought my SDA 2B's had some pretty serious weaknesses for the first 15 years that I owned them. I made a few simple upgrades about five years ago and I am still blown away by the sound they are producing. Tone controls are no longer needed to say the least.