Polk Audio SDA 3.1TL Modification Thread

This one is almost wrapped up :)

Tweeter Network -
Clarity Cap ESA
Mundorf Mox
Jantzen Inductors

Midbass/SDA Network -
Clarity Cap ESA
Jantzen Inductors
Jantzen C Coil

Stock wiring
Lexan substrate
Point to point network
Custom 3D printed connector plate
Round aluminum terminal plate
Gold Plated insulated binding post
13 Awg Supra Rondo SDA Cable, Neutrik NL4

kiv4lbjl2kyn.jpg
- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Comments

  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,149
    Beautiful work and great attention to detail.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    Thank you sir :D
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    These are headed to Singapore :)0dt7scxxhcmw.jpg
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • indyhawg
    indyhawg Posts: 1,633
    Really nice work, Trey.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    Thank you :-D
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • Hey did you use one of @gimpod's boards?
    What does that kind of upgrade cost?
    (*am I being tacky by asking here?*)
  • Right
    I was asking because in the first pic there is a black circuit board in the background and it looks like one of @gimpod's boards
  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,471
    I will be rebuilding the crossovers in my 2.3tl's sometime in the near future. I plan to use gimpod's boards. If at sometime in the future I wish to upgrade the internal wiring I assume that the male half of the Mate-N-Lock connectors would need to be ordered so that a new wiring harness could constructed?
    If so how are the wires attached to the pins inside the male connector?
    Crimped? Soldered?
    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
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    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"
  • gimpod
    gimpod Posts: 1,793
    Crimped, Be aware there are 2 sizes of pins to chose from depending on the wire gauge your going to use, 24-18 and 20-14.
    “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” ~ Mark Twain
  • Hey howcome the 3.1's don't get as much love on this forum as all of the other SDA's???
    This is the model that I see mentioned the least even compared to the CRS's even.
  • gimpod
    gimpod Posts: 1,793
    Because they were only made in the last 1 or 2 years of the SDA production and were only about $500 less than the SDA SRS 2.3TL so most went with the SDA 1C ($200 cheaper) or the more impressive looking 2.3TL IMO even the wood 1C is better looking. I'm not knocking the 3.1 there a good sounding speaker they were just an oddball speaker in the SDA line between the SDA 1C and the SDA SRS 2.3TL. Also I don't think Polk made that many of them
    “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” ~ Mark Twain
  • I had the SDA-1B and the SDA-1C. 21 years ago I had a choice between the 1C's and a pair of 3.1TL's. I WANTED the 3.1's,but was in unstable living conditions at the time.So I wound up choosing the 1C's because I had already owned their predecessors the 1B's. 20 years later I had the opportunity to find out just what I had missed and BOY AM I GLAD I DID!!!! (*see my posts on the Laserdisc thread*)

    Your point is well taken though @gimpod
    One of these days when I get my finances straightened back up I plan on purchasing a pair of your crossover boards as they and you are both legend sir!
    Hopefully they won't be sold out by then :D
  • Gunther16
    Gunther16 Posts: 243
    IMO the 3.1TL was a result of advancement. Same soundstage as its bigger brothers, improved sonics (IMO), smaller footprint but big, big sound. Back in 1992 I read a review somewhere where the reviewer commented that the 3.1TL was the most audiophile speaker out of the 3 models and I tend to agree. Having had all 3 models in the series at one time or another over the years the only survivor of the family are the 3.1TL which by the way were the first I owned and will be buried with me when the time comes. LOL. Although the bigger brothers were superb their footprint in my environment was just too big. Therefore IMO the 3.1TL's are the better fit of the 3 and thanks Gimpod I love owning rareties with your outstanding boards.
    Love my 3.1TL's
  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 16,834
    I guess it's just subjective, because I wasn't fond of the 3.1tl's..
  • gwg_97
    gwg_97 Posts: 332
    Trey -

    Did you use two 2.7 ohm resistors to make a 1.3 ohm value for each crossover?
    
    System 1:Nakamichi PA-7Kenwood Basic C2Polk SDA 1C moddedSystem 2:Dynaco ST-70Polk Monitor 5B modded
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    This has been a while ago I'm unsure but I will parallel resistors to hit certain values so possibly
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • I want one of theeeeezzzze
  • You got any pics of your progress so far on mine?
    Or are you still waiting for the parts to arrive?
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    It will be a few more weeks before any pics, the inductors come from across the ocean :)
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • Let me know if they finally get them fancy,schmancy new ones for the tweeters ;)
  • honestaquarian
    honestaquarian Posts: 3,186
    aedf9pzu2gsm.jpg

    Hey Trey
    Just curious
    When did they stop making the 3.1's?
    I could have sworn it was 1991. I just opened mine up to install the Blackhole 5 and do the glue thing and look at what I found.
    So far the drivers I have pulled also say made in 1992.
  • honestaquarian
    honestaquarian Posts: 3,186
    Oh wait wasn't 1991 the FIRST year they built them??
    BACKWARDS!
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,704
    edited March 2017
    Nope, started production in 1989.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    edited May 2017
    Almost there :) (still have to change out those silver bolts for the black ones Carlton wants)

    bdakt4yxhuru.jpg
    iawr4od9qh6w.jpg

    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • honestaquarian
    honestaquarian Posts: 3,186
    Trey
    NICE!!!! (*understatement*)
    Did you mark the internal,upgraded speaker cables? Because I don't remember what goes where.
    Also just curious about the difference between mine and the one you did at the beginning of the thread, besides the change to the singe large connector.
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    edited May 2017
    Thank you! Pretty similar, I just have been refining my Fortress V2 line to a "standard work" practice over the past few years.

    From a part standpoint, the stereo circuit uses a single cap versus parallel and the tweeter caps are the new CSA series... plus the single connector.

    Otherwise, not much difference :)
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
  • honestaquarian
    honestaquarian Posts: 3,186
    What is the change that using that great big single cap versus the two going to make?
  • Legender
    Legender Posts: 478
    This work looks awesome. Great job. As a relatively new owner of stock 3.1 TLs I'll be headed deep down this rabbit hole I'm sure.
    Music: Oppo103 - Parasound JC2 - Parasound A21- SDA 3.1
    Theater: Denon 3808 - B&K 7500/Emotiva XPA-3- RTi12, CSi5, RTiA7x4, PSW505
    Sleeping: Marantz 70005 - Harman Kardon 2400 - SDA 2
    2 Channel: Cary 306 SACD - Canary Audio 906 - Pass Labs x250 - PS Audio Perfectwave DAC, Polk LSiM705, SVS SB13 Ultra
    Office: Dell Optiplex, Emotiva XDA-2, Adcom 5500, LSiM 703
    Spares: Yamaha CA-810; LSi 15; Kenwood Basic M2a, Yamaha M60/M80, Polk Monitor 7, SVS SB13 Ultra
  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 27,965
    Thank you :)
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.