1C v. 2B

Pycroft
Pycroft Posts: 1,960
edited January 2010 in Vintage Speakers
I have a beautiful sounding pair of Studio 1C's that look like total crap. 2B's came up recently that look beautiful. Can someone comment on the comparisons. I realize there is only 1 tweeter and 2 mid range drivers on the 2B's. Is it a big downgrade? To be honest, how they look isn't THAT important (To me at least) but to the wife...it is...and it would be nice ot have a speaker that looks presentable. I would love comments.

Thanks,

James
2 Channel/HT:
Sony SS-M9 P's (ES version)
Sony SS-M1CN Center Channel
Polk RT800 Surround Speakers
Odyssey Stratos Dual Mono Amplifiers
TAD 150 Signature Tube Preamp
Harman Kardon HK354
Sony SACD Player
Post edited by Pycroft on
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Comments

  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,413
    edited January 2010
    if looks are a big problem, fix them up
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
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    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
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    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2010
    How big is your room?
    "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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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited January 2010
    That would be a tough choice only because depending on how beat up the 1C's are, the 2B's will get you 75% of the 1C's in a smaller room.

    If they both looked good I'd say 1C's, but if the 1C's are really beat on, and your room isn't too big get the 2B's and TL mod them.

    I wouldn't call it a "downgrade" to go to 2B's, but if you can live with the 1C's keep them.

    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!
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2010
    If he doesn't have a large room, I would consider 2B TL's an upgrade if anything. ;)
    "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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  • Pycroft
    Pycroft Posts: 1,960
    edited January 2010
    I've had some pictures posted... (I"ll link it in a second). They are Studio 1C's and the cabinets look awful. Chunks are taken out of the back, scratches all over, the grills have a few holes....they sound great, but my wife is a bit embarassed to have them in the house I think :) I posted about fixing them up, someone suggested pitspit, or something like that (Haven't looked into it yet). The room is my finished basement - about 18x23...so a fair size room. I'm guessing 1C's would be a better fit there... Vlam is the only one to see them aside from me...and I'm sure he can attest to their shape.

    James
    2 Channel/HT:
    Sony SS-M9 P's (ES version)
    Sony SS-M1CN Center Channel
    Polk RT800 Surround Speakers
    Odyssey Stratos Dual Mono Amplifiers
    TAD 150 Signature Tube Preamp
    Harman Kardon HK354
    Sony SACD Player
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,134
    edited January 2010
    If you can afford it buy the 2B's and use them for now and make the 1C's a long term project to refinish. My 2B's amaze me in my living room which is small, but even in the Man Cave which is 24 x 23 they still rock the joint. Great speakers.
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  • chandler9a
    chandler9a Posts: 878
    edited January 2010
    Conradicles wrote: »
    If you can afford it buy the 2B's and use them for now and make the 1C's a long term project to refinish. My 2B's amaze me in my living room which is small, but even in the Man Cave which is 24 x 23 they still rock the joint. Great speakers.

    +1 on that!
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  • MillerLiteScott
    MillerLiteScott Posts: 2,561
    edited January 2010
    I had both and kept the 2B's with the TL mod. IIRC you can not do the TL mod on the 1C and that was the reason I keep the 2b's. I just like what the TL mod and the RD0 198 does over the RDO 194.

    This weekend a few members will be over to listen to my system with 2B's and you can PM them to get the thoughts. I think the majority of them also have heard the 1C's so it should be a good comparison.

    Scott
    I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D
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  • Pycroft
    Pycroft Posts: 1,960
    edited January 2010
    Scott...

    Thanks for the thoughts on the comparison...and I would love to hear what the others think...

    Can someone tell me exactly what the TL mod is? What is the cost? I will have to figure this into the cost, because I most likely cannot keep both. I'm a simple musician with a family, not like all you millionaires throwing your cash around like it's nothing (Tee hee).

    James
    2 Channel/HT:
    Sony SS-M9 P's (ES version)
    Sony SS-M1CN Center Channel
    Polk RT800 Surround Speakers
    Odyssey Stratos Dual Mono Amplifiers
    TAD 150 Signature Tube Preamp
    Harman Kardon HK354
    Sony SACD Player
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2010
    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=26710&d=1186358580
    "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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  • MillerLiteScott
    MillerLiteScott Posts: 2,561
    edited January 2010
    James,

    The TL mod allows you to use the RDO-198 tweeter or originally the SL 3000 which was used in the latest versions of the SDA line. The CRS+ and 2B's share the same crossover and TL mod is/was a Polk Audio engineered improvement that never made it to production because the SDA line was discontinued IIRC. It is not that much more than an additonal 5.8uF cap and the RDO-198 tweeter inplace of the direct replacement RDO-194 tweeter.

    Scott
    I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,090
    edited January 2010
    I'd go with the 2B's...

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • leroyjr1
    leroyjr1 Posts: 8,785
    edited January 2010
    I'm with your wife I hate beat up gear. I'd keep both but definitely redo the cabinets on the 1c's and go all out with the 2b's, crossovers and RDO 198's
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  • Pycroft
    Pycroft Posts: 1,960
    edited January 2010
    I have no clue how to 'Do' crossovers and RDO's. Face sent me some picture, but that's assuming I know jack **** about speakers. I know about sound...basically, what I like being a musician, and I like what Ihear with the 1C's. Is 'doing' the crossovers and modding them expensive? Will I like what I hear with the 2B's without the crossovers compared to the 1C's? Thanks so much for all the info so far :)

    James
    2 Channel/HT:
    Sony SS-M9 P's (ES version)
    Sony SS-M1CN Center Channel
    Polk RT800 Surround Speakers
    Odyssey Stratos Dual Mono Amplifiers
    TAD 150 Signature Tube Preamp
    Harman Kardon HK354
    Sony SACD Player
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited January 2010
    If you can afford the 2Bs without selling the 1Cs, then do it. If you have to sell the 1Cs to get the 2Bs, and you like the way the 1Cs sound, then fix the cabinets on the 1Cs and don't worry about the 2Bs.


    God that sounds confusing.
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

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