SDA 1C Mugshots!

audio_alan
audio_alan Posts: 770
edited March 2011 in Vintage Speakers
Can you believe it, I caught a set of 1C's stealing $350 out of my pocket a couple days ago! Here are the mugshots I captured of them....

(Man, these are awesome!) :biggrin:

P.S. I forgot to mention, no manual or boxes, but the cable was included...
Post edited by audio_alan on

Comments

  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited February 2011
    sweet
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
  • halo71
    halo71 Posts: 4,567
    edited February 2011
    I think my heart just skipped a beat. :biggrin:

    attachment.php?attachmentid=55577&d=1297995356
    --Gary--
    Onkyo Integra M504, Bottlehead Foreplay III, Denon SACD, Thiel CS2.3, NHT VT-2, VT-3 and Evolution T6, Infinity RSIIIa, SDA1C and a few dozen other speakers around the house I change in and out.
  • PolkMaster1
    PolkMaster1 Posts: 847
    edited February 2011
    I will take a pair of those SRS-SDA (1.2TLs?). How much were they again? Nice setup!!!
    Statistics show that 98% of us will die at some point in our lifetime.

    The other 2% will work for WalMart.
  • On3s&Z3r0s
    On3s&Z3r0s Posts: 1,013
    edited February 2011
    If I was them, I'd feel outnumbered! :eek:
  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited February 2011
    alan- I think you are my hero... that last pic is great. Glad you were able to get the photos uploaded. Nice score on the 1C's, I think that will be my next step up from my Monitor 10's and 7's.
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,640
    edited February 2011
    Nice. Love the "family" shot.
  • audio_alan
    audio_alan Posts: 770
    edited February 2011
    Thanks for the compliments, guys!

    PolkMaster1 - Those are the original SRS's, not the 1.2's or TL's. As far as parting with a set, not yet. I still need both sets for my upcoming A/B modification comparisions.

    The 1C's are just in their "holding cell" right now while I figure out what to do with them. The SDA-SRS's sure do loom large over them.

    First impressions, the 1C's put out an extremely nice image and wide soundstage for their size. I think they sound better than my set of 2.3's, but I'd need to put them in the same room to be sure. However, when going back and forth between the SRS's and 1C's, the 1C's don't sound as open and lack some of the deep bass extension of that the SRS's possess. Having said that, you could do worse than own a set of 1C's. Very nice sounding speakers indeed! :smile:
  • TrashyTrucker
    TrashyTrucker Posts: 225
    edited February 2011
    Congrads alan on the new arrival of those babies. LOL
    Babies compared to the srs's that is.
    Integra DTR 50.2 used as a preamp
    Rotel RCD 1520 cdp
    AudioQuest Jaguar 72v dbs ic's
    AudioQuest type 8 wire
    biamped to:
    2-Hafler 9500 trans nova's
    AudioQuest NRG-3 power cable's
    dedicated AC line for
    Tesla Plex 20a duplex receptacle
    Panamax Max 7500 pro surge/line conditioner
    SDA SRS 3.1 TL's modded...
    spikes, rdo's, rings, dynamat, sonicaps, mills & aeon
    Panasonic Viera G20 50" plasma


    ...SDA's are just like candy for your ears...
  • quadzilla
    quadzilla Posts: 1,543
    edited February 2011
    Congrats on the steal.
    Turntable: Empire 208
    Arm: Rega 300
    Cart: Shelter 501 III
    Phono Pre: Aural Thrills
    Digital: Pioneer DV-79ai
    Pre: Conrad Johnson ET3 SE
    Amp: Conrad Johnson Evolution 2000
    Cables: Cardas Neutral Reference
    Speakers: SDA 2.3TL, heavily modified
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    edited February 2011
    Congrads alan on the new arrival of those babies. LOL
    Babies compared to the srs's that is.

    I was thinking the same thing. The sad thing is that they grow up so fast.:tongue:
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • dcoil
    dcoil Posts: 153
    edited February 2011
    I think you should get another pair of 1C's. That way you could set the 1C's on top of each of your SRS, which should easily outdo the SRT's :cool:

    By the way, really nice setup! I have a pair of SRS (NOT 2 :frown:) that I have just modded. I first did the left speaker, then the right to attempt to A/B. Before I post anything, I still have a new inductor to wire in, burn-in, and A/B. But to have a complete second set to A/B is great! I can't wait to read your write-up :cool:
    SDA SRS modded: X’ovrd, de-polyed, inductorized, interconnectorized, re-posted, dynamited, RDO’d, spiked, gasketed, ringed (Larry's), and grill cloth blinged! Done this on my own? Not a chance. Thanks to Raife and all who forged easy to follow upgrades. At least a 100% improvement in sound and my personal listening pleasure! :cheesygrin:Pass XP-10 preamp, Parasound A21 amp, Pioneer Elite DV-58AV (Ric Shultz modded), Audioquest Sky IC's, No longer need my Sunfire sub after mods...
  • grimmace19
    grimmace19 Posts: 1,429
    edited February 2011
    Alan, you are insane... the ultimate bachelor pad for sure. My wife just raised her eyebrows to the picture.
  • fishbones
    fishbones Posts: 947
    edited February 2011
    Holy Crap! It's SDA ARMAGEDDON!!!

    I think I'll show my wife this picture tomorrow - she'll probably throw-up! :biggrin:
    ..... ><////(*>
  • newrival
    newrival Posts: 2,017
    edited February 2011
    Pictures like that are great for the wives. I like to show here and say, "see? it could be worse!" keeps one foot out of the doghouse when a new component magically shows up :biggrin:
    design is where science and art break even.
  • audio_alan
    audio_alan Posts: 770
    edited February 2011
    grimmace19 wrote: »
    Alan, you are insane... the ultimate bachelor pad for sure. My wife just raised her eyebrows to the picture.

    Yeah, I think this setup probably makes me a permanent bachelor. I might need to hide them behind curtains or something, so women don't instantly run from my house shaking their head...
    newrival wrote: »
    Pictures like that are great for the wives. I like to show here and say, "see? it could be worse!" keeps one foot out of the doghouse when a new component magically shows up :biggrin:

    Just taking one for the team... :biggrin:
  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 16,834
    edited February 2011
    Nice Alan!!!! when are you going to upgrade a set of those???
  • audio_alan
    audio_alan Posts: 770
    edited February 2011
    dcoil wrote: »
    I think you should get another pair of 1C's. That way you could set the 1C's on top of each of your SRS, which should easily outdo the SRT's :cool:

    By the way, really nice setup! I have a pair of SRS (NOT 2 :frown:) that I have just modded. I first did the left speaker, then the right to attempt to A/B. Before I post anything, I still have a new inductor to wire in, burn-in, and A/B. But to have a complete second set to A/B is great! I can't wait to read your write-up :cool:

    dcoil - I'll be interested to hear your impressions of the upgrades as well.
    Nice Alan!!!! when are you going to upgrade a set of those???

    Thanks, Larry! My SDA's have been multiplying faster than rabbits lately, so it's about time for me to quit buying sets and start upgrading! It sounds like the tweeter, dynamat, mortite, etc mods should be easy to do on any model, but I'm wondering which model would be best for me to attempt a x-over upgrade on first? I thought about having someone else do the x-overs, but figure with as many sets as I have, it would be better if I learn how to do it myself...

    So, which x-over would you guys suggest I start with: 2.3, 2B, 1C, or SRS? I also have a set of Monitor 5b's that I picked up recently, that I've read are easy to mod.

    Suggestions?

    (BTW, I just picked up a used set of RDO-194's that I can try out on the Monitor 5b's. Assuming that goes well (and by all testimonials, it should), I'll be calling Polk to order 8 more, which will be a sufficient number to install in any of the forementioned models...).
  • phocion
    phocion Posts: 157
    edited February 2011
    If you plan on keeping them all, I would make my way up the food chain, i.e. 5B's to 2B's, 1C's, 2.3's, SRS.

    That way, each upgrade feels evolutionary, rather than revolutionary followed by ordinary.

    Besides, the smaller models have easier xovers, which gives you time to hone your skills :)
    The secret for harvesting from existence the greatest fruitfulness and greatest enjoyment is to live dangerously. - Nietzche
  • audio_alan
    audio_alan Posts: 770
    edited February 2011
    phocion wrote: »
    If you plan on keeping them all, I would make my way up the food chain, i.e. 5B's to 2B's, 1C's, 2.3's, SRS.

    That way, each upgrade feels evolutionary, rather than revolutionary followed by ordinary.

    Besides, the smaller models have easier xovers, which gives you time to hone your skills :)

    phocion - Good suggestion, but that sounds like a long journey to go from the 5B's to the SRS's, which would also put the true A (original) / B (modded) speaker comparison at the very end of my modding. I was hoping to get my feet wet with just one set to get comfortable, and then move on to the real comparison (the SRS's).

    So, if I were to do just one of my sets before moving on to the SRS's, which would you suggest? Being that the Monitor 5's are a different animal (so to speak), should I exclude them from being the practice pair? However, they are definitely the cheapest pair and I would shed less tears if I jacked them up! :cool:

    Having said that, if the mods to the crossover on the first set are that revolutionary and obvious, I might take your "small to big" suggestion.... just to build the suspense of getting to the big ones... :biggrin:
  • audio_alan
    audio_alan Posts: 770
    edited March 2011
  • tojohndillonesq
    tojohndillonesq Posts: 14
    edited March 2011
    I was visiting my parents in Portland, Oregon, saw a pair of 1C on Craigslist, and hadda buy them. They now sit in the same room with a pair of 1976 Belle Klipsch. The Belle's sound so much better that any point-by-point comparison is embarrassing. Rolled off highs, too subtle lows, lack of openness and musicality in the mids... The only place they could compete was in staging.

    Which surprised me. Probably the best system I have ever heard was a pair of SDA-SRS, and I thought these would at least come close to replicating that sound stage, range, etc. I was using a venerable Yamaha CR-2020 receiver to drive them - 125WPC I believe - so plenty of power. Had the interconnect set up correctly. What am I missing? Do they need tube amplification? Or just a better solid state? What are you guys using to get them to sing? Recommendations? Or do I need to get the SRS or a pair of 1.2TL?

    I will be moving these 1Cs to my house if I can get them to sound good, otherwise back for sale in Portland. My 80 year old father is deaf but STILL won't give me the stinkin' Belle Klipsch which he bought for me when I was 19 then decided he liked them too much to give them up. They have been sitting in the exact same spot in his basement for the last 34-35 years and get used about once a month. I think he is now conspiring with my wife to keep them out of my house. CRIMINY!

    Thanks for any advice!

    Scott
    Scott
    Again, the kingdom of stereo is like a rocker looking for fine speakers. When he found some of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought them.
  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited March 2011
    A couple of questions.

    How do you have them setup?
    Do you have them toed in at all? They need to be straight no toe.
    How far from the side and back walls?

    Klipsch Belle's are real nice speakers and very different from Polk's. I had a pair of Klipschorn's that I wish I never sold. There biggest issue was size and placement.

    Klipsch Belle:
    klipsch-belle-vintage-hi-fi-horn-center-speaker-single_110638872510.jpg

    Klipschorn:
    3011386230_595cf87775.jpg

    Hope we can help you out.
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    edited March 2011
    I was visiting my parents in Portland, Oregon, saw a pair of 1C on Craigslist, and hadda buy them. They now sit in the same room with a pair of 1976 Belle Klipsch. The Belle's sound so much better that any point-by-point comparison is embarrassing. Rolled off highs, too subtle lows, lack of openness and musicality in the mids... The only place they could compete was in staging.

    Which surprised me. Probably the best system I have ever heard was a pair of SDA-SRS, and I thought these would at least come close to replicating that sound stage, range, etc. I was using a venerable Yamaha CR-2020 receiver to drive them - 125WPC I believe - so plenty of power. Had the interconnect set up correctly. What am I missing? Do they need tube amplification? Or just a better solid state? What are you guys using to get them to sing? Recommendations? Or do I need to get the SRS or a pair of 1.2TL?

    I will be moving these 1Cs to my house if I can get them to sound good, otherwise back for sale in Portland. My 80 year old father is deaf but STILL won't give me the stinkin' Belle Klipsch which he bought for me when I was 19 then decided he liked them too much to give them up. They have been sitting in the exact same spot in his basement for the last 34-35 years and get used about once a month. I think he is now conspiring with my wife to keep them out of my house. CRIMINY!

    Thanks for any advice!

    Scott


    Are you still folowing this thread for advice or possible reasons? I'll give some if you are.
    Tony
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.