Does anyone actually dislike SDA?

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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
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    IMO, they don't match up. RTis are better for HT applications an offer precise imaging, but don't throw the soundstage of SDA nor the sweetness.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,472
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    SDA's got my attention in a showroom in Atlanta in the 80's. I have always liked their soundstage.

    My SDA-1A's don't get much respect when compared to later SDA models. However by following the upgrade recommendations on this forum their transformation is nothing short of spectacular. Besides the normal upgrades I think the SDA tweeter delete really works. Also upgrading the bass inductor ( a non sanctioned upgrade) really made a difference. They have never sounded better.

    I believe anybody that listens to them would have to agree that they sound great.
    Mojo Audio Illuminati v3>>Quantum Byte w/LMS>>Rpi/PiCoreplayer>> Starlight 7 USB >> Mojo Audio Mystique v2 SE>>ModWright SWL 9.0 SE Signature>>Hafler DH-500 Amp+ (Musical Concepts Fully Modded)>>
    SRS 2.3TL (Fully Modded)...Velodyne Optimum 8 subwoofer
    1KVA Dreadnought

    Marantz SA 8005
    Pioneer PLX-1000 Turntable - Shure SC35C/N35X - V15III/VN35HE
    Yamaha TX-540 Tuner...Sony BDP-S570
    Sony PS4

    Separate subpanel with four dedicated 20 amp circuits.
    1. Amplification 2. Analog 3. Digital 4. Video

    "All THAT IS LOST FROM THE SOURCE IS LOST FOREVER"
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  • transchris
    transchris Posts: 28
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    I know my sda4a's sound awesome and I haven't had anything done to them....I have a new found respect for polk audio. ...
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  • transchris
    transchris Posts: 28
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    Sda 4a...I believe thats correct
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  • transchris
    transchris Posts: 28
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    While sitting in my man cave listening to genesis,,,I decided to verify the new polk speakers I recently purchased. ..these are sda2's,,,not sda4a's as I first thought. ..what an idiot!!!...however,,,whatever, these sound awesome with my emotiva amps.....sorry but that!!!
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  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
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    transchris wrote: »
    I recently purchased a pair of sda2a's and I am very impressed I paid 200 and they are in very good condition. ..I am running them as mains in a 7.1 system consisting of mainly emotiva amps....could anyone tell me how the rta12'scompare to the sds2a's...????

    Liked the 12s for for HT for sure. Music was pretty good, but not as good as 2Bs. Depends on what hou are going for and what sounds best to you. Have not heard the 2As, but im assuming they are close.

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  • transchris
    transchris Posts: 28
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    Oh yeah,,,great album...do you know much about the rta 12's??I have a chance to get a pair for less than 300...
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  • transchris
    transchris Posts: 28
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    I use the 2a for mains in my man cave ht,and they sound awesome. ..I replaced mirage om6 with the sda's...
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  • transchris
    transchris Posts: 28
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    That's good to know! Thanks dskip...
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,067
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    DSkip wrote: »
    Skip the RTA12's, especially if they aren't the C version. The SDA's are better speakers.
    What was the name of the RTA12 aficionado here? geppy? I remember him saying it was real close call between his RTA12B's and SDA 2B's for him personally.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,067
    edited July 2015
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    DSkip wrote: »
    Nightfall wrote: »
    DSkip wrote: »
    Skip the RTA12's, especially if they aren't the C version. The SDA's are better speakers.
    What was the name of the RTA12 aficionado here? geppy? I remember him saying it was real close call between his RTA12B's and SDA 2B's for him personally.

    ...and I imagine he had the C version IIRC. The earlier versions are nothing to write home about. I'd rather have the Monitor 10 over the earlier versions honestly.

    B's and C's have the same crossover. You're thinking of the RTA-12's (no letter) that have a vertically mounted tweeter and no risers on the bottom of the cabinets maybe?
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • drumminman
    drumminman Posts: 3,396
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    Really the original is so different from the B/C that the comparison is moot, other than they look alike. I have a pair of fully modded C's and they're pretty incredible, not too far down from my 2.3TL's.
    "Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
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  • chefkungfu
    chefkungfu Posts: 638
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    F1nut wrote: »
    chefkungfu wrote: »
    I used a digital SPL meter in the listening position. Not so sure if it was done accurately or what... but that was the number displayed. It was pretty loud & what scared me, they were begging for more juice!
    Just curious, have you guys out there measured your rigs in that manner, or have gone to higher levels??
    I apologize for the hijack.
    Frank

    Peaking at 115dB with some bumps to 117dB. It didn't really sound that loud because the amp has gobs of current. Still, I'm not likely to do it again.

    Peaking at 115db with some bumps to 117db, I can almost hear that from S.FL.!!
    Almost as loud as an F1 v-10/v-12 screaming at 19,000 rpm's!
    That's sweet F1nut!!! I'm wondering if I can take mine to that sky high db club!
    Frank.
    SRT Seismic System with dual PSW1200's
    RT5000 x 2
    RT2000p
    CS400i
    CS350-LS
    LS F/X
    PSW650
    PSW1000 w/Dayton SPA1000
    DSW MicroPro 4000
    Adcom amps
    Pioneer Elite SC-89
    Pioneer PLX-1000 Turntable
    PS4
    XBOX One
    MIT Interconnects
    BJC
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,314
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    I had 1.2's and still have a set of 2.3's sitting idol. Why I am not using them? they wont work in a 11X12 room. One day when I have more room I might go back to them but, I agree with they need to be updated.
    One of the small issues I had when running them is some music just didn't sound right with the SDA effect so I would just unplug the cable for that lp or cd.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,079
    edited July 2015
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    I know people use the term "effect" for lack of a better word. But I hate that term used in conjunction with SDA's. "Effect" makes it sound like something that is generated, when in fact it's solving a natural aural phenomenon.

    In my own experience the recordings that sound unnatural (ie; not right) are usually already heavily processed by the recording engineer or the original signal is manipulated at the mixing process. All these sound weird even on regular speakers, although might be more exaggerated on SDA's.

    Some of the best sounding recordings are well recorded 2 channel bootlegs from a single source, or minimal multiple mic mixdowns. Naturally recorded, professional live recordings that use minimal manipulation sound eargasmic and puts you right there.

    ie; Jazz at The Pawnshop; Trinity Sessions; One Night in San Francisco; any live Ani DiFranco recordings (just to name a few) sound absolutely stunning on properly set-up SDA's.

    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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  • vcwatkins
    vcwatkins Posts: 1,993
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    Agree. Try any Mapleshade recording. Fantastic.
    b]Beach Audio[/b]: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Topping D90iii * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
    Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
    Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
    Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
    Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
    Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
    Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,906
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    vcwatkins wrote: »
    Agree. Try any Mapleshade recording. Fantastic.

    Their recordings are great in general. Makes you re-think what a cd at 16/44 is capable off.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • transchris
    transchris Posts: 28
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    I have sda2's as my mains in a 7.1 system, ,,what would be a good PA match for Mr surrounds??? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. ...
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  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,453
    edited July 2015
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    PA Monitor 5's or 7's depends on your room size. Put them on stands/shelf. I used a pair of 4's for rears & they worked well
    ..
    ..
    ..
    Randy/Maine
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,015
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    I love most anything Polk has made. No exceptions really. After getting a set of LS90's, I can honestly say, I see why a lot of other manufacturers have copied or say used the same line up of speakers in a tower formation. 4 woofers/midrange on the top position and a tweeter on the very top or under the top mid. ( PSB) . My SDA-SRS2's sound utterly fantastic with the sl2000's in this , my second pair, but the LS90's are right there with the SRS2's. Less bass and no SDA affect but for stereo, BEAUTIFUL !!. The volume and clarity seems perfect with the LS90's. I see why after hearing the midrange and upper bass of the LS90's, I now hear that softer area in the SRS2's. Turning up a tone control in those areas will fix the SDA-SRS2's to match the LS90's so no problem for me.

    I just love to hear all the different ways speakers and gear output their own signature of sound. Great hobby this is to mix and match and hear better and better reproductions of our favorite music. I've hear a lot of mid-cost to lower upper-cost gear and speakers and the SDA's definitely put out some very top of the line BASS and sound fields.

    Midrange and upper bass output from SDA's , to me imho,comes from the gear we use with them. I've tested my SRS2's volume limit in my man-cave and I stopped at 96 or 98 DB's continuously for a few minutes and was smiling from ear to ear in disbelief in the clarity of the loudness. I can't really afford to spend a lot on replacement speakers so I didn't go any higher than that. Still, lower volume demonstrations have put smiles on a hundred faces here in my man-cave and made Polk speaker owners out of them a day or two later after they hunted the East Coast for their own SDA's.

    Lower or louder, They do a lot right !
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • leftwinger57
    leftwinger57 Posts: 2,917
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    This is a very interesting question for me. Love the sound and all it offers but hate the fact that it's almost as placement critical dare I say as Bose 901s. My spread of 7' and listening area at 9' is almost a perfect equilateral triangle so I'm lucky there. My giant black lacquer rack does stifle my right 2B to a certain degree but until I find a better rack it's what I got. All my other sets including the mirror imaged DCM TiME fRAME 350s can be placed any where sound is unobstructed.As you seein the 1st pix my former rack was open but a huge dust collector so I went w/ the black behemoth.5sutvrp5fghn.jpg
    wugnjr5j1roq.jpg
    2chl- Adcom GFA- 555-Onkyo P-3150v pre/amp- JVC-QL-A200 tt- Denon 1940 ci cdp- Adcom GFS-6 -Modded '87 SDA 2Bs - Dynamat Ext.- BH-5- X-Overs VR-3, RDO-194 tweeters, Larry's Rings, Speakon/Neutrik I/C- Cherry stain tops Advent Maestros,Ohm model E

    H/T- Toshiba au40" flat- Yamaha RX- V665 avr- YSD-11 Dock- I-Pod- Klipsch #400HD Speaker set-

    Bdrm- Nikko 6065 receiver- JBL -G-200s--Pioneer 305 headphones--Sony CE375-5 disc
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  • leftwinger57
    leftwinger57 Posts: 2,917
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    I went back and already kinda answered this already so I do apologize for the double type post. At least I was consistent w/ my view and just this morning I moved both my 2Bs further out from the wall and even w/my rack instead of about 8" behind. Today I'll air them out to see if there is any difference.
    2chl- Adcom GFA- 555-Onkyo P-3150v pre/amp- JVC-QL-A200 tt- Denon 1940 ci cdp- Adcom GFS-6 -Modded '87 SDA 2Bs - Dynamat Ext.- BH-5- X-Overs VR-3, RDO-194 tweeters, Larry's Rings, Speakon/Neutrik I/C- Cherry stain tops Advent Maestros,Ohm model E

    H/T- Toshiba au40" flat- Yamaha RX- V665 avr- YSD-11 Dock- I-Pod- Klipsch #400HD Speaker set-

    Bdrm- Nikko 6065 receiver- JBL -G-200s--Pioneer 305 headphones--Sony CE375-5 disc
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,056
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    I owned SDA2B's back in the day. At that time I thought they where amazing. I listened to them for a long time until I picked up my first pair of Rt series speakers. I wanted at the time the RT16's but they went Disco and the new RT1000p's replaced them.
    I picked up the RT1000p's and took them home and compared the 2 many many times. The RT1000p's to me sounded much better , more detailed and had an overall better performance. Yes I still longed for the RT16's as when I heard them for the first time I was in love.
    I did score a very nice pair of RT12's but they where not the same. They where very nice but it is like settling for 2nd place.
    There is nothing wrong with SDA but at times I felt it was Gimmicky and it annoyed me to have a cable between the 2 speakers. OCD stuff I guess.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,027
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    Gimmicky it (the "SDA effect") is, relative to my ears and tastes.

    That said, I wouldn't mind owning a pair, though, if for no other reason than historical completeness. I've never sought a pair out, actively, though -- mostly because of the bewildering array of different models. Three woofers, four woofers - two tweeters, three tweeters, four tweeters...more?!

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