First Love - SDA 1B

DarqueKnight
DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
edited January 2003 in Speakers
SDA_1B.jpg
I purchased a pair of SDA-1B's on 2-23-87. They were an upgrade from a pair of Monitor 10B's. I sold the 10B's in 2001.



SDA_1C.jpg
A few months later, Polk came out with the new, improved, and much better looking SDA-1C. Regrettably, there was no speaker trade-in policy at the dealer.:mad:

I called Polk and asked if I could buy the cabinets separately. The answer was yes, and that the charge would be $700. The nice customer service man suggested that I might consider removing the drivers and taking them to a cabinet shop to be refinished int the style of the SDA 1C's. He also transferred me to a Polk technician who suggested some crossover parts improvements I could make. Fortunately, I was handy with both woodworking tools and a soldering iron. This marked the beginning of my speaker modification practices.:cool:


sda1b-slantviewm.jpg
Gloss black "Mirrorflex" panels were ordered from a local cabinet shop and applied to both sides of each speaker. The crossover components were upgraded with Solen polypropylene capacitors and Mills MRA1-12 wire-wound resistors. I rewired one speaker with heavier gauge speaker wire, but I didn't hear a difference, therefore I went back to the stock wire.


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The grille cloths were replaced with a lighter, better quality fabric.


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Oak end caps for the tops and bottoms were made at a local cabinet shop to my specifications. The cost of the crossover parts was $213 and the cost of the cabinet refinishing materials was $124, making a total of $337.


MBR-systemm.jpg
Sixteen years later and still going strong. The modified 1B's are now used in my master bedroom system. I have often thought about selling them (especially now that I have two pairs of SDA 1C's in storage), but I can't seem to part with them. I must admit though, that a gorgeous pair of LSi15's would look real nice in my bedroom.;)
Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
Post edited by DarqueKnight on
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Comments

  • hotwheelman
    hotwheelman Posts: 1,300
    edited January 2003
    They look great, if I could score some 1b's down the road I may try and do the same thing.................just all depends on money and time.
    "Its worked so far but we're not out yet."
    "Hey big man let me hold a dollar"
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  • abmarsh
    abmarsh Posts: 109
    edited January 2003
    I've had a set of SDA-2As since I bought them new in May 87. The dealer also had a set of the soon to be discontinued SDA-1As, but didn't have any 1Bs. I've enjoyed my 2As, but have always wanted a set of 1Bs or Cs.

    Good work on your cabinets - they look great!
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