Surrounds for SDA-2A based HT?

MrPlum

Hello. I'm in the middle of assembling an HT system based around my old SDA-2A's which I still love and have no intention of replacing in the near future. Whether my choices were the best or not, I've pretty much blown my $1500 budget on picking up everything else except the surrounds.

I picked up a Polk CSi5 center channel. For the price it seems like a nice match. On the way is a HSU VTF-2 MK3 sub. From the same budget I had to compromise on an AV receiver that I thought would do the job, and bought an Onkyo TX-SR707. I know some folks here have said that you need to feed the SDAs at least 200W but I've never felt that I needed more than the 80-100W I've had with the amps I've used since way back when the 2A's were new.

I've got a pair of Polk S4 bookshelves packed away that I used to use in the kitchen. I always thought they were good little speakers for what they are. So the question I have is, is it worth pulling them out to serve duty as surrounds? If not, which Polks would be a cost-effective but substantially better choice? If I'm going to overspend my budget, the result must be much more than marginally better, compared to deploying the S4's for $0.

Thanks in advance for any opinions and advice.

comfortablycurt

I'm running a pair of 2A's as my fronts in my HT/2 channel rig, and I use a pair of RTi6's for the surrounds. They could blend better, but they do a pretty damn good job for my tastes.

Do your 2A's have the SL-2000's, or RD0-194's? Mine have RD0's, and they blend pretty satisfactorily with the RTi tweets. I can't say how well they'd blend with SL-2000's though.

As far as wattage to the 2A's...more is better, but you don't need a ton to make them happy. I'm driving mine with an Adcom GFA-545, which is 100 wpc. They'll get plenty loud enough for me. I'd like to have a more powerful amp, and will eventually, but for now it's doing just fine.

I also have an Onkyo TX-SR606 that I hook them up to for HT use...it kinda lacks the nuts in comparison to the Adcom. It still sounds decent, but nowhere near as good as my 2 channel rig.

philr168

I'm running my 2b's in the front, powered by a carver m1.5. The surrounds are monitora's while the rears are monitor 5's. I had a pair of s4's there and they worked well.

MrPlum

comfortablycurt,
My 2A's have the original SL2000's. You have the Onkyo TX-SR606 for HT and it meets your needs. That was my first choice, and I probably should have gone with it, to spare some $ for the surrounds. I chose the TX-SR707, a notch up, mostly because Onkyo "officially" rated it as a high current model, for power into 4 Ohms, whereas the 606 and below was not. The default volume config is called "relative" and increments from –81.5 dB through +18.0 dB. I couldn't get it past 0 dB without hurting my ears. The SDA's didn't seem to bat an eye, but I think they're adequately powered for my needs.

philr168,
Good to know you once had S4's there with 2B's in front and they worked well. Unless someone offers me a compelling argument why not to bother, I think I'll unpack those S4's and give it a shot. S4's aren't mentioned much, so I just wasn't sure. Yours is the first I've seen where they're matched up with SDA's. Hence my thread asking...

Other S4 surround duty comments I've found:

"...using the S4's as surrounds and the S10's up front. They are a good little speaker as you know... they sound great in the upper mids and work well for surround duties... if you went with the RT series you would get very close to the sound."

"Polk S10’s up front, S4's as my surrounds and a CS100 as my center-channel speaker."

"...still use my S4's for surround duties. I have a pair of s10's up front. These are very nice sounding speakers..."

"Polk RT800i's with a Polk Cs400i center channel and use my old but trusty Polk S4's for surround."

Paden501

Phil,

How do you like the m1.5 paired with the SDAs?

MrPlum,

I use Monitor 4s as surrounds. They're pretty small also and they still do quite well powered by my TX-DS777. I don't power my 1Cs off of my HT reciever though. I'd give your S4s a shot as surrounds.

thsmith

MrPlum wrote: »

Hello. I'm in the middle of assembling an HT system based around my old SDA-2A's which I still love and have no intention of replacing in the near future. Whether my choices were the best or not, I've pretty much blown my $1500 budget on picking up everything else except the surrounds.

I picked up a Polk CSi5 center channel. For the price it seems like a nice match. On the way is a HSU VTF-2 MK3 sub. From the same budget I had to compromise on an AV receiver that I thought would do the job, and bought an Onkyo TX-SR707. I know some folks here have said that you need to feed the SDAs at least 200W but I've never felt that I needed more than the 80-100W I've had with the amps I've used since way back when the 2A's were new.

I've got a pair of Polk S4 bookshelves packed away that I used to use in the kitchen. I always thought they were good little speakers for what they are. So the question I have is, is it worth pulling them out to serve duty as surrounds? If not, which Polks would be a cost-effective but substantially better choice? If I'm going to overspend my budget, the result must be much more than marginally better, compared to deploying the S4's for $0.

Thanks in advance for any opinions and advice.

Not familier with S4s but I would drag them out and try them otherwise how will you know. I just looked up the specs here http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/recent/s4/ and I would say they should work just fine.

Ooff topic but That HSU is a nice sub for the money. They are picky about placement. If you could learn REW it will help you figure out the sweet spot. They are pretty room sensitive wrt to room size. If you room is bigger than what HSU recommends for that sub try putting it behind or on the end of your couch, if the couch is your main LP.

Good luck

philr168

Like I said the s4's worked well, I only replaced them because I picked up the 5's for a steal $20. The 5's are fuller through the midrange. I still use the s4's on the kids basement ht rig.

Paden, I love my 1.5. Have had it since new. It used to power a pair of rta12c's that my son has now. It makes the 2's light up.

chandler9a

I too use 2A's as my front for my HT and Two channel and love them for my room size. I have to say, more power really changes what they will offer. I have a Sony ES receiver but power the 2A's with an Adcom GFA 555 and they sing! As for rears I have some 5's that match really well and give me the mids that I like. If you can find them for a good price, I highly recommend. The center channel is an older SDA-CRS with one the dimensional tweeter disconnected. I think the s4's will be fine though for rears if thats all you have.

Best of luck with the finished product and let us know what you come up with!