SDA 2B's "TL" modded - Sonicaps, Mills, Cardas in Connecticut

nspindel · May 2009

Early last year I performed some major surgery on my SDA-2B's. I did the TL modification which allowed me to replace the stock SL2000's with RD-0198's instead of using RD-0194's. I also replaced all the stock caps and resistors on the XO's with Sonicaps and Mills. I replaced the binding posts with Cardas CCGR posts, and also used the same Cardas posts to replace the pin-blade SDA connector. This means you no longer need a pin-blade cable for the SDA connection, instead you can use any old speaker cable. For a detailed description along with lots of pics have a look here:

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62106

I didn't use these speakers for all that long. Believe me, it's not because they don't sound absolutely amazing! A pair of SDA 1C's fell into my lap, and I did a similar upgrade to those

I've been using the 1C's ever since, so the 2B's have been sitting around not doing anything. Here's my writeup on the 1C's:

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70931

So I'm selling the modded 2B's, they're way too amazing to be sitting around not doing anything. Someone definitely needs to be enjoying these babies!

I'm not going to include the Erse inductors, I'm going to return the 2B's to using the stock inductors. I didn't mount the Erse's in any way that would be condusive to travel, I think it's much safer to use the stock inductors if I'm going to move the speakers. Besides, it's still up for debate as to whether or not replacing the inductors is worthwhile, and there are many good reasons to continue using the stock air-core inductors rather than using iron-cores like the Erse.

I'm asking $500 for these. Between the RD-0198 tweeters, the Sonicaps, Mills resistors, and the Cardas posts, there are $430 worth of upgrade parts in there! So the 2B's themselves are only costing you $70, and that's not even counting the value of all the mod work is already done for you, and broken in! So if you've been jealously reading all the threads about people upgrading the SDA's to better than new, but you're not a solder-geek, then these are for you!!! From a financial point of view, I'd probably come out with a lot more money if I pulled them apart and sold the parts, but I do not want to do that. I'd rather see someone from the forum enjoying them as they are.

I live in southwest Connecticut. I would be willing to travel up to 3 hours to meet you, so that would cover anwhere from southern NJ all the way up to Boston, and a good chunk of New York state and Pennsylvania. Otherwise, I'd welcome you to come by my house and audition them prior to purchase.

PM me if you're interested.

Face · May 2009

I actually prefer "TL" modded 2B's to SRS-2's(ducks and runs).

If someone in the northeast wants to hear an excellent example of SDA's, this is it. Good luck with your sale.

nspindel · May 2009

Thanks bud!

Gaara came by my place last year when I got the 1C's and I demo'd these 2B's for him. Haven't seen him posting very often but maybe he can chime in with his thoughts.

nspindel · May 2009

Already pm'd by one person who may be interested.

strider · May 2009

I've heard Millerlitescott's 2B TL's and was blown away. Compared to my stock 2B's and even a set of stock 1C's he had at the time there was no question that the TL mod was worth all the time and expense. Much tighter bass, imaging was improved greatly, just much more enjoyable to listen to in general.

Good luck with the sale, someone's in for a treat!

nspindel · May 2009

The 2B TL's won hands down over my 1C's before I modded the 1C's. Once I did all the mods to the 1C's I never really went back and did much back-and-forth testing between the two. I'm worried that if I start doing the testing, I'll end up liking both and won't want to sell either! And that's when the wife's foot ends up in a very painful position...

Gaara · May 2009

nspindel wrote: »

Thanks bud!

Gaara came by my place last year when I got the 1C's and I demo'd these 2B's for him. Haven't seen him posting very often but maybe he can chime in with his thoughts.

More of a lurker these days but when I see my name mentioned I gotta chime in. I will keep it short and sweet, if you have $1k to spend on speakers buy these and spend the other $500 on new music.

You know those moments when you hear a system that just sounds so good you want nothing more then to listen longer? I paid nspindel a visit a while back and even though it was late and I had a ~2hr drive home I wanted nothing more then to sit there and listen to more music.

A few things that stuck out in my mind when listening to these, the first was that they sound huge yet disappear leaving you with a wall of sound. The soundstage seemed to expand much past the boundaries of the speakers, leaving you with sound as big as your room. I honestly expected big sound going to hear them the first time, but never imagined they would image so well. So now you have not just a expansive soundstage, but you can hear where each instrument is playing from. Then there was the prodigious bass which also wasn't really expected. I opened my eyes and scanned the room at least 3 times looking for the subwoofer. I have never experienced bass this deep or tight coming from any speaker. I have never gotten my SVS PB2+ to perfectly integrate my Gallos, and I imagine if I did it would sound like Neil's SDAs.

These things reminded me alot of my Gallo Ref3.1s, except I paid $2600 for my Gallos and these are $500. If anyone wants to get into real hi-fi for not much coin, here is your chance. Oh yeah, and Neil is a great guy

nspindel · May 2009

Thanks James! Check's in the mail

Seriously, appreciate the feedback. Next time you're in the neighborhood, you should stop in and check out the 1C's now that they're modded, especially now that I have all the GIK's installed just right! Sound is D-VINE!

inspiredsports · May 2009

Gaara wrote: »

. . . short and sweet, if you have $1k to spend on speakers buy these and spend the other $500 on new music.

+ 10. True dat !!!

TL modded 2B's will treat you to some of the sweetest, most sonically pure sound available at any price.

$500 is a steal.

average_guy · May 2009

(sigh).........bump

Best wishes on the sale!

maandjojo · May 2009

Dag gone it, I knew as soon as I purchased an SDA one would come up that I'd prefer.
I just purchased a pair of sda crs' at 250 plus shipping. Would have snatched these up instantly, and I live in eastern pa. so I could have picked them up.
Let me mull it over, I guess I could sell the crs', but the wife factor really sucks. We are building a new home so timing bites also.
Decisions, decisions, ****.

Joe

NJPOLKER · May 2009

maandjojo wrote: »

Dag gone it, I knew as soon as I purchased an SDA one would come up that I'd prefer.
I just purchased a pair of sda crs' at 250 plus shipping. Would have snatched these up instantly, and I live in eastern pa. so I could have picked them up.
Let me mull it over, I guess I could sell the crs', but the wife factor really sucks. We are building a new home so timing bites also.
Decisions, decisions, ****.

Joe

GET RID OF HER!!! Get another pair now!!!

maandjojo · May 2009

I could do that, after 38 years one of us could use a break, but when I do an a b comparison test whos' going to toggle the switch?
Hey NJ how about this, you let me hold $250 for the crs' so I can put it towards the 2Bs', then after a few months I'll buy back the crs' and buy that time I can get a buyer for the crs' and then we will all by happy.

Joe

nspindel · May 2009

And these are........ SOLD!!!! Big Dawg will be the proud new owner of these. Conveniently, I'm practically driving right past his home in late June, so he even gets free delivery.

average_guy · May 2009

Congrats on the sale and the purchase, respectively.

cnh · May 2009

I know this question has been asked before. The RDO-194s are the standard replacement for those speakers above....so by using the 198s did you have to modify the crossovers? Or is that mentioned above and I'm being too dense to see it! What advantage would it be to use the non-replacement 198s in 2Bs?

Finally, all of you are a bunch of solder-heads. I can't conceive of the mess that I would make if I tried to replace an SL2000 with an RDO-194--probably be the END of my speakers, period!!

cnh

nspindel · May 2009

The "TL" mod is the change to the crossover that allows you to use the RD-0198 instead of the RD-0194. It's just the addition of a 5.8uf cap in a certain part of the circuit.

Replacing the SL2000 with the RD-0194 doesn't require any soldering. You just unscrew 4 screws, pull the quick-connects, connect the new tweeter, and put the screws back in. You don't need to touch the crossovers at all to use the RD-0194.

But the real magic comes in when you yank the crossovers and rebuild them with better caps and resistors. And if you're doing that, might as well just add the extra cap and use the RD-0198.

cnh · May 2009

Thanks nspindel,

Maybe I can take this one as a project. You 'have' to start somewhere, sometime!

cnh

Big Dawg · May 2009

Neil,

Thanks for making this easy - I can't wait to get my ears on them!!!!!

nspindel · May 2009

What will you be driving them with?

Big Dawg · May 2009

nspindel wrote: »

What will you be driving them with?

Either a B&K ST-202+ (the older version), here but untested, or a "newer" B&K Sonata ST-202 (on its way here). A B&K Sonata Pro10 Preamp is also on the way.

I'll probably be selling a pair of Monitor 10Bs here soon......

SDA 2B's "TL" modded - Sonicaps, Mills, Cardas in Connecticut

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