What are the "best" Polk speakers for two-channel
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I have a few questions, what size room? what is your listening preference? What kind of music? Velo SPL 1200 is a great sub so bass out of whatever speaker is not an issue since you have the sub.
Do you like a darker sound or more in your face type sound?Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's. -
and those sleeper Polks the LS 90's are quite a pleasure to listen too
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I have a few questions, what size room?
For the big SDAs you have to have a minimum of 15 1/2' X 6. Oh yeah make sure the room isn't square. -
I have a few questions, what size room? what is your listening preference? What kind of music? Velo SPL 1200 is a great sub so bass out of whatever speaker is not an issue since you have the sub.
Do you like a darker sound or more in your face type sound?
The room is about 12x25 with 9ft ceilings. One half is a dining room, the other half is living/tv room. My sofa is backed up against the side of one of the long walls and the TV is across from the sofa on the other long wall. To the right is a wall of windows and to the left is the dining room.
As for sound, I believe my Rti's are a little bright for my tastes. I listen to both soft/hard rock, R&B and hip hop.
Should have mentioned budget. The LSI 15s ($1000 or so) from Polk's ebay site would be feasible, but the Lsi 25 would be a stretch. I was thinking that my sub could keep me from needing the Lsi25's.MAIN: Polk Lsi9s; Polk PSW505; Lsic (in box); Onkyo SR-875; Parasound 2250; Cambridge Audio 740C; LG BD370
OFFICE: Polk Lsi7; REL T3; HK 3490; CA 840W; Onkyo C-S5VL
BENCHED: CS20; OWM3s -
You'll be more than fine with that sub and LSi15's."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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If you are looking at a used one check this link in Elel Expo they are authorised dealers, careful to pick up right and left, The price at $299 seems really tempting:D http://www.electronics-expo.com/make-a-store/category/clearance/Clearance/3.htmlThe room is about 12x25 with 9ft ceilings. One half is a dining room, the other half is living/tv room. My sofa is backed up against the side of one of the long walls and the TV is across from the sofa on the other long wall. To the right is a wall of windows and to the left is the dining room.
As for sound, I believe my Rti's are a little bright for my tastes. I listen to both soft/hard rock, R&B and hip hop.
Should have mentioned budget. The LSI 15s ($1000 or so) from Polk's ebay site would be feasible, but the Lsi 25 would be a stretch. I was thinking that my sub could keep me from needing the Lsi25's. -
They're all listed as "currently unavailable".jacob.simpson wrote: »If you are looking at a used one check this link in Elel Expo they are authorised dealers, careful to pick up right and left, The price at $299 seems really tempting:D http://www.electronics-expo.com/make-a-store/category/clearance/Clearance/3.html"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 -
They're all listed as "currently unavailable".
Oh my goodness, such oversight from my side,
Thanks Face for pointing it out. The next best option is P ebay store.:) -
I am with Face on this one.
The SDA is a great speaker but it is a "in your face" type speaker that some find on the bright side.Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's. -
If you are going to go the SDA route try to get a TL version that has the RD0 upgrades. You won't find it bright then.
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The best 2 channel Polk speakers? Thats easy Mine
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I am not a speaker expert, but I own both the Lsi9's and the Lsi25's. My 2 chanel room is 16x20 with a kitchen to one side.
I have tried each in a 2 chanel set up and liked the 25's better untill I biamped the 9's with two sepperate 200wpc stereo amps. These with a subwoofer are now much better in my opinion for 2 channel LP, sacd, dvd-a for rock, in addition to general CD or Ipod listening. I find that the range of sound is more complete and fuller.
The Lsi25's are currently set up in a 5.2 arrangement and I still think they produce better detail and are better for clasical and some jaz.pop
media room: Lsi25 mains driven by an audiosource amp300, LSi9's driven by another amp300, LsiC drivin by an audiosourcAmp200, Lsi7 rear channels driven by receiver - Yamaha 863, Panamax 5300, epson 6100 w/ 106" elite cinatension2 screen, HPz555 media center, oppo 980, techniques SLbd3 turntable,xbox and ps3,
living room: VM30 mains driven by a niles 2125, VM20 center and VM10 surrounds, velodyne dsp10, yamaha rxv661, cambridge audio dvd89, panamax5300, philips 42" plasma -
A pair of the big boys, 1.2s 2.3s, SRA-SDA, etc are within your price range if you look around and are patient. Your room is big enough to handle them and your amp is big enough to drive them well.
Good luck, Phil
SRA-SDA Front
2 cs400i Center
SRS-SDA Rear
Shure 12in sub
B&K ref 10 pre-pro upgr to ref 50
Techniques 1200 TT
Mac MR71 Tuna
Lexicon rt-20 uni player
HK citation pre for TT
2 PSE Studio Mono Blocks
4 PSE Studio Stereo Amps
1 Mac 2100 Amp for sub -
SDA's and gotta have some tubes in the mix. Good luck on your journey.:)JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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SolidSqual wrote: »
Here's your answer, period.
+1! Those were my 1st set of Polks. They came with the HP Pavillion, back in 2000.:rolleyes:I refuse to argue with idiots, because people can't tell the DIFFERENCE! -
I recently moved by SDA 2B's (w/RDO tweets)out of my small (12 X 16) living room to my game room (18 x 26) powering them from a zone 2 amp in my avr (for economic reasons...one day they will have their own dedicated amp). What a difference!!! I had forgotten how well they sound in a big room! Even at relatively low volume levels I really enjoy their sound. In the near future I will probably go down the crossover upgrade path and other "tweaks" I've read about, but for now I'm a happy camper.:)
Funny thing...the other day the guy I bought a pair of Vandersteens from stopped by and he commented on how well the Polks sounded too. Then he stated he had never seen/heard the SDA's before and was totally unaware of these type of speakers. I was somewhat surprised as he sort of passes himself off as a peson of the world when it comes to audio equipment.:pYep, my name really is Bob.
Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub. -
Guess I need to investigate the SDA more than I was first inclined. However, I'd prefer to buy something that does not need to be modified to sound good. Never done that before, though I'm sure it would be fun to learn.MAIN: Polk Lsi9s; Polk PSW505; Lsic (in box); Onkyo SR-875; Parasound 2250; Cambridge Audio 740C; LG BD370
OFFICE: Polk Lsi7; REL T3; HK 3490; CA 840W; Onkyo C-S5VL
BENCHED: CS20; OWM3s -
My SRS2s were bone stock and sounded fantastic. They don't have to be modified. I prefer to go with what MP designed. I rate a speaker on how it was designed, not on how much I can improve it. I'm sure one could take a mostly "mediocre" speaker and modify it to make it sound better, no matter who the manufacturer was. If I wanted to be a speaker designer, I'd start from scratch."SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE" -
My SRS2s were bone stock and sounded fantastic. They don't have to be modified. I prefer to go with what MP designed. I rate a speaker on how it was designed, not on how much I can improve it. I'm sure one could take a mostly "mediocre" speaker and modify it to make it sound better, no matter who the manufacturer was. If I wanted to be a speaker designer, I'd start from scratch.
Noel did you ever use the RD0's........ that's not how MP originally designed the speakers. Speaking in my case my x-overs weren't "modified from original". Old/worn parts were replaced with a little newer technology exact same value parts used in the exact same stock places. Sure a delete of a bypass cap here and a poly switch there............all improvements suggested and endorsed by Polk engineers and the man himself.
I do not endorse completely changing a speaker by adding drivers, ports, or modifying a x-over beyond refreshing old parts. That would be altering the speaker from it's intial design. The 4.1TL mod being the exception as that was an original Polk design that didn't quite make it to production since SDA production ceased before it was implemented.
That all being said........there are still bone stock original Polks that sound great, so "refreshing" is not mandatory by any means but in some cases it makes sense. Would your drive you're 50 year old Chevy on the original factory tires or brakes, if you could buy stock "new" replacements?
As always YMMV
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! -
No speaker *has* to be modified, but sometimes there is a good reason to do it.
As for the SDA's, they were designed and manufactured 20 years ago. Capacitor technology has changed vastly since then.
Capacitors, especially electrolytic start to break down after 20 years and their values start to drift. A few of the capacitors I've pulled out of vintage Polks have drifted more than 20%. IMO, anything over 5% is unacceptable.
Most manufactures use mediocre parts in the crossover, usually it's not till you spend $5K+ until you start seeing big dollar crossover parts used. Some people, such as Tony Gee believe the quality of crossover components is more important than the drivers themselves. Click "English" on top."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 -
I've always liked the sound of my 2B's... the "drop in" tweeter upgrades helped smooth out some harshness between the stock tweets and the Yammy avr which is apparently a little on the "bright" side. Regarding crossover upgrades, it's to my understanding this is something to consider in any "old" speakers and if/when my speakers go down this road I'll likely be enlisiting the help of somebody in this community to perform the work for me. Good luck in your decision making process! Much more fun than car shopping!Yep, my name really is Bob.
Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, Polk L600, Rythmik L12 sub. -
Don't let these wimperwills disuade you.
You can use the speaks stock and they sound awesome. The only thing Matt Polk did not like about the speakers was the SL2000 tweeter which he said was "not his favorite" now some people like the 2000 just fine, in any event changing the tweeter with the drop in replacement requires knowledge of a screwdriver, no problem, all that other stuff is just tinkering and tweaking.
RT1 -
My SRS2s were bone stock and sounded fantastic. They don't have to be modified. I prefer to go with what MP designed. I rate a speaker on how it was designed, not on how much I can improve it. I'm sure one could take a mostly "mediocre" speaker and modify it to make it sound better, no matter who the manufacturer was. If I wanted to be a speaker designer, I'd start from scratch.
I agree for the most part. However, I do prefer the revised replacement tweeter over the SL2000 or SL3000.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. -
Noel did you ever use the RD0's........ that's not how MP originally designed the speakers. Speaking in my case my x-overs weren't "modified from original". Old/worn parts were replaced with a little newer technology exact same value parts used in the exact same stock places. Sure a delete of a bypass cap here and a poly switch there............all improvements suggested and endorsed by Polk engineers and the man himself.
I do not endorse completely changing a speaker by adding drivers, ports, or modifying a x-over beyond refreshing old parts. That would be altering the speaker from it's intial design. The 4.1TL mod being the exception as that was an original Polk design that didn't quite make it to production since SDA production ceased before it was implemented.
That all being said........there are still bone stock original Polks that sound great, so "refreshing" is not mandatory by any means but in some cases it makes sense. Would your drive you're 50 year old Chevy on the original factory tires or brakes, if you could buy stock "new" replacements?
As always YMMV
H9
SL2000s, baby. I never had an issue with them, but I ran tubes with them, 95% of the time I owned them. They were a different speaker with tube pre and tube amp than with sand and I understand where people take issue with them with SS pres and amps. The right tubes and cables mellowed the 2000s and I never had any fatigue when driven/set up correctly. They sounded their best, in my situation, with Dodd ELP and Anthem Amp One(40 wpc EL-34). I tried several different high current SS amps(with as much as 305 wpc) and tube amps(with as much as 75wpc). Ask George D. about that Dodd/Anthem combo. Oh yeah, my room is almost 500 sq. ft. and the Anthem was all they ever needed to pressurize the room very adequately.
I have no issue with anyone modifying their speakers to suit them. I just never felt the need or desire to do so. Ricardo, HB27 and others were quite impressed with the set up, though Ricardo was even more impressed with my Mon 7A rig I had at the time. He never got to hear the Dodd/Anthem combo. He heard the Dodd/PSound combo with the SRS2s.
In my original post, I forgot to mention the Monitor 7A w/ Peerless tweeter. They are a very capable/musical 2-channel speaker that will, when I can, be coming back to the house. I haven't decided between the SRS2s and 2.3TLs when I can afford to get them back in the room."SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE" -
I put up with the sl2000 in my RTA11t's for over 20 years. As the sl2000 ages some sound ok others downright horrible. The RD0, IMHO, is the ticket. I have your Dodd ELP here at my place (courtesy of Doug) and it does sound fantastic!! even with my 1C's with Sonicaps/Mills and RD0's. Sadly the Dodd is going to friend of mine who just bought an Odyssey amp and he needs a real pre; plus he's a toob-head :cool:
Now that I've added the Pass Aleph 30, the synergy with my current gear is downright sublime.........a whole new world of enjoyment.
To those novice's and new Polkies reading.......mods are not manditory....keep an open mind and always remember one word SYNERGY
There is no single correct answer.
Rock on
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! -
I put up with the sl2000 in my RTA11t's for over 20 years. As the sl2000 ages some sound ok others downright horrible. The RD0, IMHO, is the ticket. I have your Dodd ELP here at my place (courtesy of Doug) and it does sound fantastic!! even with my 1C's with Sonicaps/Mills and RD0's. Sadly the Dodd is going to friend of mine who just bought an Odyssey amp and he needs a real pre; plus he's a toob-head :cool:
Now that I've added the Pass Aleph 30, the synergy with my current gear is downright sublime.........a whole new world of enjoyment.
To those novice's and new Polkies reading.......mods are not manditory....keep an open mind and always remember one word SYNERGY
There is no single correct answer.
Rock on
H9
Just one of four I've owned. I also owned the MLP for about a year and found the 6DJ8 variables much more musical than the 12AX7s in the MLP. Plus the MLP was what....4-5 times the cost and just couldn't justify it being bested, in my situation, by the $450 ELP. I did like the remote, though."SOME PEOPLE CALL ME MAURICE,
CAUSE I SPEAK OF THE POMPITIOUS OF LOVE"
