Sonic Barrier BlackHole in my SDA 1C's

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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited June 2010
    Larry, did you cover the entire interior surface with the blackhole and sonic barrier, or did you leave some of the interior walls exposed? Did you cover the top and bottom with it as well?

    I'm getting ready to start doing some mods to my 2A's, and this is one of the mods that's on my list.

    I'm probably just going to go with the cheaper Sonic Barrier stuff for now, and possibly switch the back walls to the Blackhole stuff eventually. I'm just trying to figure out how much of it I'd need.

    The interior dimensions of the cabinets are roughly 37" high, 15" wide and 10" deep. The Sonic Barrier comes in 18x24 sheets...so I guess two sheets per cabinet would be about right for the back walls, with a little bit extra left over.

    How much do you think I'd need for the sidewalls? Another three sheets per cabinet maybe? How much of the Sonic Barrier did you have to use for the sidewalls of your 1C's?

    Should I just reuse all of the stock poly fill, and put it back in the same, original location? Should I add more polyfill? If so, where and how much?
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited June 2010
    How about an update now that you've had them for awhile.I know that there was some talk about the larger SDA's,, but,I'm interested in your impression now that you've had some time with them.I'm planning on popping the stuff in when I pull the drivers for the ring upgrade,which I might add,it probabally the biggest tweak-quality of life improvement for SDA owners in the past decade.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Janne
    Janne Posts: 139
    edited June 2010
    george daniel wrote: »
    How about an update now that you've had them for awhile.I know that there was some talk about the larger SDA's,, but,I'm interested in your impression now that you've had some time with them.I'm planning on popping the stuff in when I pull the drivers for the ring upgrade,which I might add,it probabally the biggest tweak-quality of life improvement for SDA owners in the past decade.

    I was also considering this but cancelled after his reply.

    This is what I got from him by mail.

    "DONT DO IT!!!!!!

    I hated it after some real listening, and took it all back out.."
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,300
    edited June 2010
    Yep!!!! Save your money....
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited June 2010
    TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »
    Yep!!!! Save your money....

    So it's good on the smaller SDA's but kills the life of the music in the larger ones. Is that it Larry?
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited June 2010
    hmmm lemme' re phrase--still got the blackhole in the 1C's?
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,300
    edited June 2010
    hearingimpared wrote: »
    So it's good on the smaller SDA's but kills the life of the music in the larger ones. Is that it Larry?

    Yep!!!! The highs are fantastic you can't beat it, It's to die for. But the Lows is what kills it for me, it gets deep but too deep to the point of a rumble...
    Polk Audio SDA 2.3tl Fully Hot Rodded. 😎

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    VPI MW-1 Cyclone RCM

    MIT Shotgun 3 cables throughout / Except TT, and PC’s
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  • vmaxer
    vmaxer Posts: 5,117
    edited June 2010
    OK Larry, make it clear for us....

    You like it in the 1C's, but not the 1.2's?? Is this correct?? Too much bass in the big boys??
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited June 2010
    vmaxer wrote: »
    OK Larry, make it clear for us....

    You like it in the 1C's, but not the 1.2's?? Is this correct?? Too much bass in the big boys??

    IMHO there can never be too much bass but when it goes to becoming rumble that's a different story and that, I believe, is what Larry is talking about.
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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited June 2010
    TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »
    Yep!!!! The highs are fantastic you can't beat it, It's to die for. But the Lows is what kills it for me, it gets deep but too deep to the point of a rumble...

    Have you tried experimenting with a smaller amount? When you have the time of course.
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited June 2010
    vmaxer wrote: »
    OK Larry, make it clear for us....

    You like it in the 1C's, but not the 1.2's?? Is this correct?? Too much bass in the big boys??

    thats my impression.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited July 2010
    just as an update;; I have been hesistant about the blackhole project,,so while I was installing my rings,,I cut several pieces and popped em' in one speaker,buttoned it back up,,and I gotta tell you,,the sound seems "fuller",,imagine the SDA effect with more "meat",,and a much improved "focus" with vocals and instruments as well.Initial impressions are positive,,overall I was say that the sound is less"hollow",,with an improved "body". Today I'll compare speakers with rings vs rings/blackhole(blackhole on the top-bottom-back--the other stuff on the sides.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited July 2010
    Thanks for the info George.
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited July 2010
    Well, after 2 songs,the SDA effect is improved,,vocals and imaging are spot on,my wife (who has better ears than me) summed it up"it kinda' sucks you in",,.I had listened to my reference recording(for me) Joan Baez,"Diamonds and Rust" and I just became lost in the music,,it's difficult for me to put into words,,it's like the speakers are "larger" than they really are,if that makes sense.There seems to be more of a "presence".I'll do some more listening and follow up,,one thing for sure,it ain't subtle.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • nduitch
    nduitch Posts: 316
    edited July 2010
    What parts of the Cabinet are you putting the Blackhole?
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,446
    edited July 2010
    Has anyone tried these mods on the 2.3TL's...
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  • Des Moines
    Des Moines Posts: 115
    edited July 2010
    George, did you decide to just put in a few pieces of the 3/4" black hole on the sides only?

    The issue I have with using black hole or sonic barrier on the back cabinet wall is that it is mostly covered by the stock polyfill anyway. For this reason, I thought about doing only the cabinent sides with sonic barrier.
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited July 2010
    Guys,, I put the Blackhole on the back,bottom and top,, then I used the stuff I got from Partsxpress on the sides,, the result ain't subtle,,I also installed the "rings" that I got from Larry,,as far as the polyfill,,I placed it back in the cabinet.IIRC Larry tried it in his 2.3's and did not like it.I know that he had it in his 1C's as well,,but don't know if he left it in or removed it.I can say this,,vocals are much clearer,the SDA effect is more prominent(to my ears) and like I said before,,the music just kinda' grabs you and pulls you in,,lower volume resolution and detail are fantastic,,bass is very tight--lemme' do some crtitcal listening,before I pass judgement.If you don't have the "rings",,get em'' thet are that good.Thank you Larry. :)
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited July 2010
    Des Moines wrote: »
    George, did you decide to just put in a few pieces of the 3/4" black hole on the sides only?

    The issue I have with using black hole or sonic barrier on the back cabinet wall is that it is mostly covered by the stock polyfill anyway. For this reason, I thought about doing only the cabinent sides with sonic barrier.
    Behind the drivers would be more effective.
    "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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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,300
    edited July 2010
    I left it in my 1C's I love the detail, George is right it does grab you and pull you in. In my 1.2tl's with the lower end i would get vibration and a rumble. Now I kinda wish I would have left the back wall in place and tried that.
    Polk Audio SDA 2.3tl Fully Hot Rodded. 😎

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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited July 2010
    I've been looking for a word to describe the sound,,all I can come up with is Meat
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited July 2010
    TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »
    I left it in my 1C's I love the detail, George is right it does grab you and pull you in. In my 1.2tl's with the lower end i would get vibration and a rumble. Now I kinda wish I would have left the back wall in place and tried that.

    Oh no! . . . and I thought I was free and clear with the blackholes in my 1.2TLs!:eek::p
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  • Des Moines
    Des Moines Posts: 115
    edited July 2010
    george daniel wrote: »
    I've been looking for a word to describe the sound,,all I can come up with is Meat

    Thanks for the report. I will follow your lead and Face's reco and install on the back, top, and bottom. Already installed the rings and they are the perfect combo with mortite.
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited July 2010
    Just for the record,, I also used the sonic barrier stuff on the sides. After some listening this evening,, the soundstage with the 1C's is deep and wide and very easy on the ears,,detailed,,yet far from being bright,,if SDA's are your thing,, then,,prepare yourself,(yes Virginia,,it grew),BTW,I'm running mine with a little 40 watt tuber.

    Ethereal--thats it.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,092
    edited July 2010
    George, does it hurt the bass at all?
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited July 2010
    Conradicles wrote: »
    George, does it hurt the bass at all?

    a tad tighter-- certaily not overpowering.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,092
    edited July 2010
    Thanks George. I'll tell you what those rings made a nice improvement to my SDA-1's and my next purchase will be more room treatments. I'll follow this thread as well...keep us posted...
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  • frodaddy
    frodaddy Posts: 124
    edited July 2010
    What is the "SDA effect"?
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited July 2010
    frodaddy wrote: »
    What is the "SDA effect"?

    http://www.polksda.com/srsreview.shtml
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,053
    edited July 2010
    sheez!! Everytime I start reading new threads in here there us yet another mod I need to put on "the list" for my totally unmodified 2b's.......stop it already!! :)

    but seriously, I want to take apart my speakers only 1 time and I'm thinking that this will be a mod to do on the 2B?(along with the 5 other on my list!). I ask this since it's mentioned that this mod works well on the smaller SDA of which I think the 2B falls into that category?
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
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