Had a good Polk SDA demo weekend

mmadden28

Apparently there is a standing joke amongst my family that I abduct people that come over to my house to demo my stereo to them. Its kind of funny actually.

Anyway I'm excited about how my system sounds right now--I haven't heard such sweet sounds in my previous history with audio and I want to share my discovery, particularly with Polk SDA's.

I hosted a combination Thanksgiving/Christmas party for my family on Saturday, and I also hosted a 30th Bday party on Sunday. I had lost of fresh meat to abduct. :cool: Many of them I had never met before.

So I was able to demonstrate what the Polk SDA's are and show some folks what a half decent system can sound like for not too much money.
I demoed a variety of songs, and a few that really showed some of the SDA effect.
While the brunt of the standing joke about me is that every chance I get I make people sit in "the chair" in 'the sweetspot', explain SDA technology and make people lean left and what not ( to demo how the effect is sweet spot dependent), not one of the half dozen people that experienced the demo this weekend walked away bored. Each and every one was wowed and in disbelief in some cases.

I got a few comments that some people were giving up on music because they weren't enjoying it anymore and that I renewed their faith that good sounds are still possible. Even from one of my teenage nephews. Hopefully they will always remember their experience and strive for good audio.

I can't help it I just want to share my enjoyment of this fine hobby. I also want people to know that I'm not completely insane (even as they stare into a wall of vintage Polk speakers in disbelief :D:cool: ) I continue to look forward to trying new gear and listening to new music, to perhaps reach even higher levels of enjoyment.

schwarcw

Sounds like you had a wonderful time! It's fun to see the reaction you'll get from people who hear a nice audio system compared to their HT in a box or worse.:eek:

KASR

Sounds like you had a hoot! Way to go on educating the heathens!

pearsall001

How come I wasn't invited...I'm right around the corner!! All kidding aside, isn't it great to see the faces on people when you WOW!!! them like that.

madmax

mmadden28 wrote: »

I abduct people that come over to my house to demo my stereo to them.

The question is, do they ever get away? :eek:

Zitro

LOL a man like yourself is exactly what got me into the hi-fi scene (even if I can't afford true hifi yet, still being in college). I was used to shelf systems and cheap HT equipment, but he let me listen to hid Edge Amps and Audio Physic speakers, and I was blown away. I wish there were more people like you guys out there that can help show people of my generation (I'm only 20) that there is much more to sound than mp3 files. I'd hate to see the hifi industry collapse due to a new generation that prefers convenience over quality, simply because they have no access to the real good stuff. For that, cheers to you sir!

MrGlobe

I don't know about you guys,

But sometimes I catch myself spending money on audio to impress other people. Then I realize the stupidity in this, as none of my friends will notice if I get new interconnects, etc.

hearingimpared

Awesome!

raidersrule76

Yea when I show my 2.3 tl to people they just look at me like i've lost it they can't understand why someone would pay that kind of money for something that old, not that they are all that old but they can't seem to understand. I guess its their problem and I will just be able to enjoy them all by myself.

Mark

Zitro

raidersrule76 wrote: »

Yea when I show my 2.3 tl to people they just look at me like i've lost it they can't understand why someone would pay that kind of money for something that old, not that they are all that old but they can't seem to understand. I guess its their problem and I will just be able to enjoy them all by myself.

Mark

It is frustrating for me too, even with my simply rig, to not be able to demo someone some music and be able to have them discern the sound quality between mine and their shelf systems. Especially being a college student, most people don't have the budgets or just don't have interest in quality sound, so I'm forced to listen on my own..and sometimes I just want someone to have a good talk about sound with!

danz1906

Enjoy the Music:)

mmadden28

pearsall001 wrote: »

How come I wasn't invited...I'm right around the corner!! All kidding aside, isn't it great to see the faces on people when you WOW!!! them like that.

hehe , I haven't forgotten you--just been swamped (as you an see), but hey my house is basically cleaned up now so you can come over anytime, what's your availabilty? I've been itching for somebody else really into audio and not just somebody humoring me, to come over and give my system a good listen--what better than a fellow polkie right?
Seriously though let me know when you can come over---

It is pretty awesome though - some of their reactions of disbelief of how wide a sound stage they were hearing or the dead center vocals coming out of seemingly nowhere---I can't tell you how many times they questioned--"...it's all coming from just those two speakers???" (referring to the the SDA 2B's I was demoing). Any my rig is not even setup as good as it could be....

My brother, a musican in his own right, who I can barely ever get to keep his mouth shut for even a few minutes, was quiet--simply enjoying the music for hours. I even opened my Beatles White Album remastered CD for him---We listened until about 3AM before finally crashing---Good times indeed....It was surely good times I'll never forget.

I'm really hankerin' to host a mini Polk Fest here- perhaps in the early summer - when the pool is open.

mmadden28

Lasareath wrote: »

Good Going!!!

Sounds Like you had a Hell of a time.

When I showed off my SDA's to people who have never heard them I received questions like "Is this a new recording of dark side of the moon?" & "I Don't believe you, I'm sure that center speaker is on!", LOL!! on that guy I had to unplug the center speaker and then he was speachless.

Even when i had my last little gathering, there were people sitting not in the sweet spot and when they moved into the sweet spot mid-song they yelled out Oh my God, I can't believe the difference.

I have an Uncle that is 70 years old and for the past 20 years since I have SDA's, everytime he comes over he hangs out in my audio room listening to tunes. He gets the Sweet spot the whole time!

Sal

I'm telling you Sal, in more ways than one (and my wife can certainly attest) Polk SDA's have changed my life in more ways than one. This hobby is awesome I can only hope to pass that experience on to others (even if thier wives aren't too keen on the additional expenditure potential ;) )

Of course I learned a few things too----Some people 'hear' phrases differently....Some boyfriends and such weren't too keen on my providing 'aural stimulation' or 'aural pleasure' to their significant other's. :eek: :rolleyes:;) Yeah it didn;t always sound right when I said, Come on downstair's and I'll show you some Aural sensations like you never.....well let's just say it wasn't always interpreted the way I meant...:o

comfortablycurt

Lasareath wrote: »

When I showed off my SDA's to people who have never heard them I received questions like "Is this a new recording of dark side of the moon?" & "I Don't believe you, I'm sure that center speaker is on!", LOL!! on that guy I had to unplug the center speaker and then he was speachless.

I have the same thing happen all the time! There have been a bunch of times I've had friends over, and they'll tell me how good my surround setup sounds. When I inform them that only the front left and right channels are playing...they usually don't believe me. I have to make them get up and put their ears to the center and surrounds to convince them!

SDA's are awesome!!:D

mmadden28 wrote: »

Of course I learned a few things too----Some people 'hear' phrases differently....Some boyfriends and such weren't too keen on my providing 'aural stimulation' or 'aural pleasure' to their significant other's. :eek: :rolleyes:;) Yeah it didn;t always sound right when I said, Come on downstair's and I'll show you some Aural sensations like you never.....well let's just say it wasn't always interpreted the way I meant...:o

LMAO!

dorokusai

Sweet. There's nothing like turning ppl on with your rig. What I do dislike is when they attempt to school me on audio and what their "buddy" has setup...which is usually something awful.

danger boy

sounds like a fun time.

in recent years most people who like music and have "stereos" in their homes don't usually set them up and devote the time that we all do in here to get the most out of their system. there is rooms for lots of improvement in most people's stereo system. it's a lost are almost.... setting up a good system, not matter at what level.

hearingimpared

danger boy wrote: »

sounds like a fun time.

in recent years most people who like music and have "stereos" in their homes don't usually set them up and devote the time that we all do in here to get the most out of their system. there is rooms for lots of improvement in most people's stereo system. it's a lost are almost.... setting up a good system, not matter at what level.

Been drinking Al?;):D

leroyjr1

dorokusai wrote: »

Sweet. There's nothing like turning ppl on with your rig. What I do dislike is when they attempt to school me on audio and what their "buddy" has setup...which is usually something awful.

Like Bose.:eek:

Systems

dorokusai wrote: »

What I do dislike is when they attempt to school me on audio and what their "buddy" has setup...which is usually something awful.

Like Bose?

I have a Bud who I have been hanging with for over 7 years and I just learned he is 100% tone deaf. He hears nothing really when it comes to music. He hears the sound but can't pick up on the sweetness of the music. What a shame. I always wondered why his car radio was always tuned to NPR. I also listen to NPR and never questioned it.

Systems

leroyjr1 wrote: »

Like Bose.:eek:

Jinx!