SDA 1C's - Finally!
smglbrth
Posts: 1,481
I now am the proud owner of the SDA 1C's!!
This is my first pair of SDA's and I can honestly say the sound is nothing short of amazing. Talk about depth and spaciousness! The difference in the same music I've had for up to 20 some years is really neat. The details are awesome. After listening to these I can't believe anyone, anywhere would want to listen to any other speaker. I don't have the exact set-up Polk recommends for listening and it still does great.
I tried them with and without the interconnect cable. Observances without the cable - dull, lifeless, VERY closed in. With the cable - open, spacious, detailed, room-filling (with little volume which I very much like). That got me thinking. I suppose it's not a right comparison to just switch the cable on/off since the stereo/dimensional drivers are wired differently within the crossover. It might be neat to have a pair where all the drivers are wired for stereo like a regular speaker, then do the comparison with the cable on a correct set. If I remember correctly the dimensional drivers aren't in stereo when the cable is not plugged in, hence, I would think, the extremely dull sound. Even my 8t's sound better without that cable plugged in.
I almost forgot what the SL2000's sounded like. Definitely brighter than the RDO replacements but they still do shine with the brass instruments as long as the volume is not high. Will I do the upgrade for the tweets? Maybe but not right now. My wife was ok with them BEFORE I had them set-up in the living room. After she saw them she said she didn't like them there. Told her that SOMEDAY I WILL HAVE MY VERY OWN SOUND ROOM!!! Until then she just had to put up with them. She couldn't deny the sound they put out, however.
The gentleman I purchased them from was the original owner and stated they stayed in the same room in the house since he bought them, in 1988. He gave me all the literature he had which included two advertisements for Polk in booklets which talk about all their different speakers, at the time. Wow, $800 per speaker back in 1988 was alot of dough. No wonder it took me 20 years to get SDA's!
This is my first pair of SDA's and I can honestly say the sound is nothing short of amazing. Talk about depth and spaciousness! The difference in the same music I've had for up to 20 some years is really neat. The details are awesome. After listening to these I can't believe anyone, anywhere would want to listen to any other speaker. I don't have the exact set-up Polk recommends for listening and it still does great.
I tried them with and without the interconnect cable. Observances without the cable - dull, lifeless, VERY closed in. With the cable - open, spacious, detailed, room-filling (with little volume which I very much like). That got me thinking. I suppose it's not a right comparison to just switch the cable on/off since the stereo/dimensional drivers are wired differently within the crossover. It might be neat to have a pair where all the drivers are wired for stereo like a regular speaker, then do the comparison with the cable on a correct set. If I remember correctly the dimensional drivers aren't in stereo when the cable is not plugged in, hence, I would think, the extremely dull sound. Even my 8t's sound better without that cable plugged in.
I almost forgot what the SL2000's sounded like. Definitely brighter than the RDO replacements but they still do shine with the brass instruments as long as the volume is not high. Will I do the upgrade for the tweets? Maybe but not right now. My wife was ok with them BEFORE I had them set-up in the living room. After she saw them she said she didn't like them there. Told her that SOMEDAY I WILL HAVE MY VERY OWN SOUND ROOM!!! Until then she just had to put up with them. She couldn't deny the sound they put out, however.
The gentleman I purchased them from was the original owner and stated they stayed in the same room in the house since he bought them, in 1988. He gave me all the literature he had which included two advertisements for Polk in booklets which talk about all their different speakers, at the time. Wow, $800 per speaker back in 1988 was alot of dough. No wonder it took me 20 years to get SDA's!
Remember, when you're running from something, you're running to something...-me
Post edited by smglbrth on
Comments
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Congrats ! pics we need pics:D What you powering them with ?Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs -
Congratulations, I know just how you feel. I only got mine 3 weeks or so ago and they still have the "new cool toy" factor going strong. I played Norah Jones "Come Away With Me" on vinyl yesterday and it was like she was there with me in the room. The best speaker I've heard yet at reproducing a female voice. I'm sure there are others that are better but not in this price range. Enjoy!!!SDA-1C (full mods)
Carver TFM-55
NAD 1130 Pre-amp
Rega Planar 3 TT/Shelter 501 MkII
The Clamp
Revox A77 Mk IV Dolby reel to reel
Thorens TD160/Mission 774 arm/Stanton 881S Shibata
Nakamichi CR7 Cassette Deck
Rotel RCD-855 with modified tube output stage
Cambridge Audio DACmagic Plus
ADC Soundshaper 3 EQ
Ben's IC's
Nitty Gritty 1.5FI RCM -
Another proud SDA owner, congrats! I just got my pair over a month ago and I continue to fall in love with everything they dish out. Like Fongolio says, when it comes to reproducing female voices it sounds so natural. Very revealing set, even playing Metallica I heard the pick on the guitar being strum and the bass strings plucked. It all sounded so real and imaging was beautiful. I think you need to get some tubes on those things
Truck setup
Alpine 9856
Phoenix Gold RSD65CS
For Sale
Polk SR6500
Polk SR5250
Polk SR104Any clue how to use the internet? Found it in about 10 sec. -
I've had mine for going on 3 years and I still walk around with a virtual hardon whenever I fire them up. I stopped having speaker envy and just concentrate on the sound.
Combo rig:
Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
PB13Ultra RO
BW Silvers
Oppo BDP-83SE -
Congrats, there is no other better series a speaker imo for music. Even tho I own the much-maligned SDA1A's I have yet to find any other in the price range that can topple them.
Congrats again and enjoy! -
One day I will score a pair... One day...
? Harmon Kardon AVR 55 (dead; replacing with Onkyo TX NR-616)
? Polk RTA 11TL's (FR and FL)
? Polk TSi200's (RR and RL)
? Polk CS10 (Center)
? Polk PSW-350
? Grado SR-60i Headphones
? Fii0 E5 headphone amp
? iPod touch (8 gig)
? iPod Classic (80 gig)
? Mac Mini (as media server)
? xbox 360 -
smglbrth, Congratulations on your purchase. Something tells me that you are going to enjoy and cherish every moment with them.
Take Care and Happy Listening, B.B.3Sony 52in.XBR6
Sony 32in.XBR6
Anthem AVM50V
Anthem PRE-2L
Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1
Carver C-9
Carver C-19 PreAmp
Carver C-16 PreAmp
2-Carver Silver 7-T's
4-Carver TFM55's
2-Carver TFM35's
1-Carver TFM25
Carver 490T
Denon DCD1560
Sony BDP-S350
Sony PS3
Nintendo Wii
Panasonic DMK23DVR
Speakers :
PolkAudio SDA-SRS
PolkAudio SDA-SRS 1.2TL
PolkAudio SDA-CRS+(Compliments Of Mr. Jim Thomas"jtgranby")
PolkAudio RTA-15TL
PolkAudio M3
3-Velodyne F-1500's -
Another satisfied customer. The real fun thing about it, it will only get better and you won't get tired of them. Fongolio, if you had Norah Jones with you, you wouldn't just be listening to her, but hell, keep on fantasizing.
JoeJoe -
thsmith - As soon as I am able I'll get the pics. I am running them with a B&K Reference 200.2.
Thanks for the kind words! I have a funny feeling this might be the LAST speaker set I purchase. Now I know why so many continue to question why Polk quit making them (although it has been answered). After having a set of SDA's myself now, I am mulling over the same question.
Female voices do sound great on these. I was just listening to a little today before work and, well, the wow factor continues to amaze me. The only kind of music I really don't care for is Rap. The verdict on harder rock is still out as I haven't experimented with this style much, yet. The way my brain works, probably out of habit with years of "looking" at the speakers while they play, I have to close my eyes and just listen. Everything opens up and LIFE IS GOOD. I'm not happy unless I hear pages of music turning and breath sounds from the musicians playing instruments. With these I hear more of it than I've ever heard before (depending on the recording of course).
The Polks I've had in the past all were good speakers but seemed to always lack something, somewhere, with each pair I had. These 1C's, for me anyway, seem to have it all in one place.
Feels like I'm in the family of SDA owners and what great family to be in! I love this hobby...Remember, when you're running from something, you're running to something...-me -
Thanks for the kind words! I have a funny feeling this might be the LAST speaker set I purchase. Now I know why so many continue to question why Polk quit making them (although it has been answered). After having a set of SDA's myself now, I am mulling over the same question.
Feels like I'm in the family of SDA owners and what great family to be in! I love this hobby...
Welcome to the family... but I must warn you that the family you joined is like the Mob. You may be happy where you are right now, but someday you will want to be the boss. The 1.2TL's is where you will end up:)... SDA's rule!The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
Congrats. Very nice speakers.engtaz
I love how music can brighten up a bad day. -
Congrats!!!!!!!
Did you pay the asking price? -
Jealous am I. Congratulations on the addition to the family. I have made the jump, not as big as you, into the SDA family. Just purchased a pair of SDA CRS on Ebay. Hope to get them in about a week and then I will get a little taste of the SDA experience.
I fear that I wil only want more.
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congrats on the purchase--enjoy,,although I own other speakers,,I keep going back to the SDA's,, just something special about them.JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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The SDA 1C's were my first set of SDA's I bought. You can see by my signature where that lead me, a room full of speakers and a mess of audio gear. These speakers are very addictive. You will put SDA's in one room and then walk into another room and start thinking "I think I could fit a set of SDA 2B's in my living room." Then walk into your bedroom and think. "Yes, a nice set of SDA CRS+ would work here." and so on and so on until you have a house full of these SDA speakers. In your quest for these speakers logic well go out the window. My family would like to go on a vacation to somewhere 4 hours away. I tell them I don't feel driving that far but if you said there was a set of SDA SRS 1.2tl 8hrs one way, I would be packing up the car for a road trip. These speakers are evil I tell you. Evil. They become an obsession. Enjoy your speakers but beware. You have been warned.Polk HT system 1: LSIC, LSI25 mains, LSI F/X rears, Lsi F/X rear centers,
Yamaha RX-V2500 System, Carver A753 3 channel amp.
Polk HT system 2: , SRT system with f/x 1,000's rear speakers on 7.1 system currently using Onkyo TX-RZ820 receiver, powered by Sunfire Grand Theater amp
Polk Speaker collection: SDA SRS 1.2tl x 2, SRT system, SDA SRS 2 P/B, SDA 2A, SDA 1C Studio, SDA CRS+, Monitor 7B & 4, SRS 3.1tl, RTA 15tl, LS90, LSI 9 -
After my wife's comment on these I showed her the 1.2TL's in the Polk brochure and told her those were the ones I REALLY wanted. 'Course, right now I definitely don't have the room, well, a room for them in this house. I listened to the 1.2's back in 1988 when I first started getting into audio and was blown away. I never forgot that experience! If I had that much cash and didn't care I'd drive to one of the coasts to get them! But..., I continue to drool at times and right now I'm as happy as a pig in, you get the idea.
I did pay his asking price after I saw the shape they were in. Like new was pretty much it and since they didn't move from the same house (or room) in all that time figured everything with the speakers were A-1, and they are. Being in the midwest decent SDA's don't seem to come up that often that are this nice. They seem to come up on the coasts much more often. Seller stated to me that he now has to hear his adult son complain that he didn't give them to him. Glad his son wasn't there when I was!
Tubes, ya, I've thought about it...Remember, when you're running from something, you're running to something...-me -
Sweet, glad it all worked out good and you got some minty 1C's!!!
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where in the midwest are you...The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
My amp is still here, Eric...;) If I could bi-amp these I'd keep it for the highs.
I am located about an hour north of Leroy.Remember, when you're running from something, you're running to something...-me -
all you local guys are welcome to drop in any time... eve Lightman is welcome so long as he is taking his meds.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
Party at Johns place to "play" with his 1.2 TL's!!!:DRemember, when you're running from something, you're running to something...-me
