Seriously, I need a comparisson

everpress

RTA-11TL's vs. SDA-1's...

I have a friend that is talking about a possible trade. I have heard nothing but good things about the entire SDA line, but I admit that I love my RTA-11TL's.

I know that the sound quality is what I determine it is (ak, you guys can't make up my mind for me), but I'd love some introspect on you guys with pro's and cons to switching them out. And size isn't an issue for me or my wife. We deal well with large speakers in my house...

Thanks guys!

concealer404

Original SDA-1s? Do you know what revision?

This would be a tough decision for me....

gdb

That little SDA interconnect cable equals MAGIC !:)

everpress

concealer404 wrote: »

Original SDA-1s? Do you know what revision?

This would be a tough decision for me....

As far as I know, original SDA-1's, yes.

Interconnect cable isn't included, but I can make one or order one...

concealer404

I would probably do it.... solely based on trying something new.

heiney9

If they are "original" SDA 1's there is a special plug that you need to check into finding. That "plug" on the end of the cable was only used for the very 1st gen SDA's and is different than the pin/pin or pin/blade plugs on later SDA's.

If these are 1st gen SDA's with the sl1000 tweeter and 3 drivers and side by side tweets I'd probably pass unless you could demo them. 1st gen SDA's were impressive for the time but the later versions are a hundred times better.

heiney9

concealer404 wrote: »

I would probably do it.... solely based on trying something new.

Yeah, but you're losing a great speaker in the RTA 11's. I think you'll tire of the original SDA's; that dimensional tweeter really starts to annoy about 2-3 weeks into listening to them. At first it sounds good (as in different) but the more you listen the more unnatural and "processed" it starts to sound, IMO.

H9

everpress

heiney9 wrote: »

Yeah, but you're losing a great speaker in the RTA 11's. I think you'll tire of the original SDA's; that dimensional tweeter really starts to annoy about 2-3 weeks into listening to them. At first it sounds good (as in different) but the more you listen the more unnatural and "processed" it starts to sound, IMO.

H9

Hm... The pics I've seen show two tweeters stacked and four mids below... and one, what 15" sub?

I guess the thing is, I want the most realistic sound I can get. My RTA11's are by far the clearest speaker I've personally heard. They do lack the rumbling bass, but I have a PSW350 to make that up.

Hardware-wise, the SDA's are just.... more. But how do they sound?

xj4094dg

everpress wrote: »

Hm... The pics I've seen show two tweeters stacked and four mids below... and one, what 15" sub?

Passive radiator.

Bobsama

everpress wrote: »

Hm... The pics I've seen show two tweeters stacked and four mids below... and one, what 15" sub?

1B's?

Original 1's had a pair of SL1000's (stereo + dimensional)
1A's had a pair of SL2000's (stereo + dimensional)
1B's had a pair of SL2000's in a similar cabinet (stereo only)
1C's had a pair of SL2000's in a different cabinet (stereo only)

The very original SDA-1's ("transitional") have a 3-pin RTA plug SDA cable. I actually have a pair of these. The regular SDA-1's have the standard blade-blade SDA cable. Eventually, Polk replaced the blade-blade cables with pin-blade cables, though not until the 1C's if I remember correctly.

The more interesting question is whether or not the cabinet's top woofers are ported or not. In quite a few SDA-1's, the cabinet had 3 separate chambers, with the top midwoofers and tweeters (Stereo & Dimensional) in a ported chamber while the bottom two woofers were for bass and "drove" the passive radiator. Later versions had the ports plugged and the chambers combined, and eventually the cabinet itself was made as one large single-chamber cabinet, without porting.

heiney9

everpress wrote: »

Hm... The pics I've seen show two tweeters stacked and four mids below... and one, what 15" sub?

I guess the thing is, I want the most realistic sound I can get. My RTA11's are by far the clearest speaker I've personally heard. They do lack the rumbling bass, but I have a PSW350 to make that up.

Hardware-wise, the SDA's are just.... more. But how do they sound?

Those are either 1B's or 1C's depending on the cabinet. Those would be a very good choice.

heiney9

Bobsama wrote: »

The more interesting question is whether or not the cabinet's top woofers are ported or not. In quite a few SDA-1's, the cabinet had 3 separate chambers, with the top midwoofers and tweeters (Stereo & Dimensional) in a ported chamber while the bottom two woofers were for bass and "drove" the passive radiator. Later versions had the ports plugged and the chambers combined, and eventually the cabinet itself was made as one large single-chamber cabinet, without porting.

And some of those ported cabinets had a gold plaque covering the ports sometimes referred to at the first Signature Series

gdb

Try to keep a straight face when making the trade. SDA is really something to experience, although not everyone likes the SDA effect.:)

concealer404

heiney9 wrote: »

If they are "original" SDA 1's there is a special plug that you need to check into finding. That "plug" on the end of the cable was only used for the very 1st gen SDA's and is different than the pin/pin or pin/blade plugs on later SDA's.

If these are 1st gen SDA's with the sl1000 tweeter and 3 drivers and side by side tweets I'd probably pass unless you could demo them. 1st gen SDA's were impressive for the time but the later versions are a hundred times better.

Yeah, this. If they have the side by side tweets, i wouldn't bother, and would hold out for something better later. The 11TLs are a very capable speaker.

everpress

So I'm looking at a possible good trade, with similar quality between the SDA-1's if they are 1B or 1C (which I think they are 1c's judging from what I've seen).
So if (still a big "if") I do make that trade, if the SDA effect isn't terribly desirable, if i pull the interconnect and run these stereo, is the quality of stereo still as good as the RTA11's, or am I looking at a gimp speaker set if I don't appreciate the SDA effect?

Sorry for the questions guys... and thanks for the answers.

concealer404

If you find you don't like the SDA effect, then i wouldn't bother trading...

You'd be making the speakers do something less than what they were designed to do. In that case, i'd stick with the 11TLS, as they were designed to work in that way.

Schurkey

everpress wrote: »

So I'm looking at a possible good trade, with similar quality between the SDA-1's if they are 1B or 1C (which I think they are 1c's judging from what I've seen).

I have 1Bs and like them (but see below) 1C would be even better.

everpress wrote: »

So if (still a big "if") I do make that trade, if the SDA effect isn't terribly desirable, if i pull the interconnect and run these stereo, is the quality of stereo still as good as the RTA11's, or am I looking at a gimp speaker set if I don't appreciate the SDA effect?

Sorry for the questions guys... and thanks for the answers.

I pulled the interconnect cable on my 1Bs and haven't gone back. They're more intelligible and less...ummmm..."phasey". I don't know how else to describe it. I'm well aware of how the SDA effect spreads the apparent width of the soundstage. In pulling the plug, I can hear the soundstage shrink in addition to the phasey quality going away. (two separate things, in other words. If I could keep the soundstage and lose the phasey sound quality, I'd do it.)

I've had my 1Bs since new in '87 or thereabouts; they've ALWAYS had some of this phasey sound; either it got worse--or--I finally got sick of it. I've been SDA-interconnect free for perhaps a year now--and loving it!

(Yes, I've done the SDA tests for sound quality and measured resistance among the various terminals; my speakers are about one ohm away from the nominal values presented in the test paper. Yup, there COULD be something wrong with my speakers.)

I say GO FOR IT. Even without the interconnect cable, the 1Bs (and no doubt the 1Cs as well) will be wonderful speakers.

everpress

So... they are 6ohms. My receiver is rated at 8ohms... I've 'lucked out' in that every speaker I've grabbed has been 8ohms...
So what is going to happen if I run these with my current receiver?

concealer404

everpress wrote: »

So... they are 6ohms. My receiver is rated at 8ohms... I've 'lucked out' in that every speaker I've grabbed has been 8ohms...
So what is going to happen if I run these with my current receiver?

What's your reciever again?

everpress

I'm using a HK AVR55

It pushes 65watt per channel at 2-channel and 55watt per channel at 5-channel settings.
I've never experienced clipping at any volume and have never been able to push the volume up past 62 and the knob goes to 80...

THEJERMON

heiney9 wrote: »

I think you'll tire of the original SDA's; that dimensional tweeter really starts to annoy about 2-3 weeks into listening to them. At first it sounds good (as in different) but the more you listen the more unnatural and "processed" it starts to sound, IMO.

H9

I have only heard a few Polk speakers in my time, but I really enjoy the SDA effect. I hopefully will never get annoyed or tired of the SDA's. I've been listening to the SDA's for 3 plus years now at a minimum of 20 hours per week. I have two sets and enjoy them both. Just a thought, is there anyone in your area who has a set of SDA's you can listen to? Where are you located?

heiney9

THEJERMON wrote: »

I have only heard a few Polk speakers in my time, but I really enjoy the SDA effect. I hopefully will never get annoyed or tired of the SDA's. I've been listening to the SDA's for 3 plus years now at a minimum of 20 hours per week. I have two sets and enjoy them both. Just a thought, is there anyone in your area who has a set of SDA's you can listen to? Where are you located?

You totally mis-read my post. I was talking about the very 1st gen SDA's that incorporate one of the (2) tweeters as dimensional tweeters. Later gens. Polk realized having the tweeter as part of the dimensional array was unneccessary and actually detrimental to a more natural sound. I'm not talking about all SDA models.

I have a pair of modded 1C's and I sold SDA's at a high end hi-fi shop back in the late 80's early 90's. So I am well aware of all models of SDA's, their history and lineage.

H9

everpress

THEJERMON wrote: »

I have only heard a few Polk speakers in my time, but I really enjoy the SDA effect. I hopefully will never get annoyed or tired of the SDA's. I've been listening to the SDA's for 3 plus years now at a minimum of 20 hours per week. I have two sets and enjoy them both. Just a thought, is there anyone in your area who has a set of SDA's you can listen to? Where are you located?

I'm in Cincinnati, OH.
I know there are a few Polkies within a couple hours, but i've not met with any and I'm not sure too many have SDA's.
I doubt that I would tire of anything that can be seen as an improvement on the dimensional aspect of sound, but I do appreciate accuracy over novelty.

concealer404

everpress wrote: »

I'm in Cincinnati, OH.
I know there are a few Polkies within a couple hours, but i've not met with any and I'm not sure too many have SDA's.
I doubt that I would tire of anything that can be seen as an improvement on the dimensional aspect of sound, but I do appreciate accuracy over novelty.

Offer still stands, man....

I honestly think that if you got some proper amplification on your 11TLs, you'd be less worried about trying to upgrade them. Bring them out here this weekend if you'd like and we can make a day of hanging out and listening to what your current speakers are capable of. I think you'll be highly surprised. They're being choked like crazy being powered off your AVR right now. I can even show you a back to back difference as to how they sound on an AVR vs. separates.

THEJERMON

Sorry about that Heiney9. Let that one slip right by me.

everpress

concealer404 wrote: »

Offer still stands, man....

I honestly think that if you got some proper amplification on your 11TLs, you'd be less worried about trying to upgrade them. Bring them out here this weekend if you'd like and we can make a day of hanging out and listening to what your current speakers are capable of. I think you'll be highly surprised. They're being choked like crazy being powered off your AVR right now. I can even show you a back to back difference as to how they sound on an AVR vs. separates.

Oh, I'm definitely going to take you up on the offer sometime. Being a dad of a toddler and the husband of a stay-at-home/part-time childcare wife means I have some heavy roles to fill during the time I'm not actually in the office.

I'm going to work on amplification eventually. I rarely need the volume though; I have a small-ish room. When the volume is needed, I want to already have the speakers.

I, honestly, think I already have those speakers. But i don't want to pass on a better set, if the SDA-1(c?) are a better set.

That's why I'm hearing out opinions. My ears thoroughly enjoy the RTA11TL's...

concealer404

everpress wrote: »

Oh, I'm definitely going to take you up on the offer sometime. Being a dad of a toddler and the husband of a stay-at-home/part-time childcare wife means I have some heavy roles to fill during the time I'm not actually in the office.

I'm going to work on amplification eventually. I rarely need the volume though; I have a small-ish room. When the volume is needed, I want to already have the speakers.

I, honestly, think I already have those speakers. But i don't want to pass on a better set, if the SDA-1(c?) are a better set.

That's why I'm hearing out opinions. My ears thoroughly enjoy the RTA11TL's...

It's not just a volume thing.... you'd have to hear it to understand i guess. Hard to describe. You're at the point that i was a little over a year ago. Sounded good... but i had no clue what i was missing. I rarely "pound" on my system, but i shudder to think if i had to go back to powering with an AVR, and i don't even have a very high end system.

everpress

concealer404 wrote: »

It's not just a volume thing.... you'd have to hear it to understand i guess. Hard to describe. You're at the point that i was a little over a year ago. Sounded good... but i had no clue what i was missing. I rarely "pound" on my system, but i shudder to think if i had to go back to powering with an AVR, and i don't even have a very high end system.

Hm; my budget is laughable. I got this AVR for a steal and I like the solid ability of it so far. I'm really happy with the sound and I most likely won't upgrade it for sometime. Amplification and a DAC is probably the next pay upgrade that I'll worry about, and from a previous conversation on here, someone mentioned that Adcom makes a DAC 5-channel amp on the low-price side that works rather well. I think that might pull more out of my current setup. I love music, but because I can't make it out of the house with my wife to watch movies, I need to recreate that feeling as much as possible within my home (and within my budget).
So far, I think my setup is working quite nicely.

I've a very inexpensive headphone amplifier and it's amazing how forward the music is when using it, but these are luxury items at the moment.

concealer404

Does your AVR have pre-outs man?

When do you think you'd be able to make it out here? PM me or something.

gdb

I may be wrong (frequently am) but, my impression is that SDA1Cs "usually" sell for roughly twice as much as 11Ts, if that's any indicator. Does your friend have the 1Cs hooked up so that you can hear them? Maybe an audition would decide it for you. My SRS2s are very similar to 1Cs and the only way I'll ever get rid of them is if I find an affordable pair of 2.3TLs!:)

everpress

This is how we are going to do it. My friend said that if he decides to trade (he has questions about it too), he is bringing the speakers to my place. We'll set them up, compare them with my RTA's and we'll decide then.
Chances are, he'll end up keeping the SDA-1C's, but I'll get the audition and the chance of some SDA's.
It seems fair enough to me.