SL3000 Tweeter for SDA 1.2TL

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Comments

  • puunda
    puunda Posts: 116
    F1nut wrote: »
    If you heard the RD0198 you'd order 7 more immediately.

    Does it really make that much difference? If so, would something in the middle work? Would buying 2 RD0198 then using them as the main tweeter in each work?
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    Yes.

    After you buy and hear the two you will order the rest just like I did.
    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

  • Gerres26
    Gerres26 Posts: 859
    F1nut wrote: »
    Yes.

    After you buy and hear the two you will order the rest just like I did.

    His main issue with that is the shipping prices to Australia. He would be paying atleast 100 just for shipping each order.
  • puunda
    puunda Posts: 116
    For now I'll just use the SL3000 tweeters. Am happy with those. But getting back to the original problem that there's not much of an SDA effect.
    So I'm guessing the next part is to check the woofers and XO.
    Let's start with the XO.
    I have the schematics.
    What is the best way to check the XO? Or should I just upgrade the whole thing?
    Can I check each component on the board without removing it from the board? Are components like capacitors so old they need to be replaced?
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    Looking at the back of the speaker. Which side is the red binding post on? Left or right?
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,708
    Gerres26 wrote: »
    F1nut wrote: »
    Yes.

    After you buy and hear the two you will order the rest just like I did.

    His main issue with that is the shipping prices to Australia. He would be paying atleast 100 just for shipping each order.

    So what, shipping costs money everywhere these days.
    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

  • puunda
    puunda Posts: 116
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Looking at the back of the speaker. Which side is the red binding post on? Left or right?

    This was asked earlier in this thread.
    The RED binding posts are on the LEFT if you're facing the back of the speakers.
  • Gerres26
    Gerres26 Posts: 859
    F1nut wrote: »
    Gerres26 wrote: »
    F1nut wrote: »
    Yes.

    After you buy and hear the two you will order the rest just like I did.

    His main issue with that is the shipping prices to Australia. He would be paying atleast 100 just for shipping each order.

    So what, shipping costs money everywhere these days.

    Not for CP members in the states though ;)
  • Schurkey
    Schurkey Posts: 2,100
    edited May 2018
    puunda wrote: »
    there's not much of an SDA effect.
    So I'm guessing the next part is to check the woofers and XO.
    Let's start with the XO.
    I have the schematics.
    What is the best way to check the XO? Or should I just upgrade the whole thing?
    BEFORE scrrewing with the crossover, I'd want to know that
    1. The drivers are connected in proper polarity
    2. The drivers actually work
    3. The SDA interconnect has low resistance from end-to-end, and that it connects properly into the sockets in both cabinets. We've had other folks with SDA problems that had loose sockets.
    4. The SDA sockets in both cabinets are connected properly to the crossover
    5. The wire harness connectors plug in to the crossover firmly, (making good electrical contact) the wires aren't damaged, and the wires are connected to the proper drivers. Older SDAs had the wires soldered directly to the circuit boards.
    6. Wouldn't hurt to verify that the preamp is set to "stereo" and not "mono" when dealing with SDA problems. SDA effect is signal-dependent. The more the left and right channels differ, the stronger the SDA effect.
    7. While I was in there, I'd do the usual checks for loose cabinet bracing, air leaks, pull the fiberfill up where it belongs so it doesn't interfere with the bassive radiator--none of which directly affects the SDA effect, but all of which is needed for proper speaker operation.

    You don't need to "upgrade the whole thing" (crossover), although there are folks who do.
    puunda wrote: »
    Can I check each component on the board without removing it from the board?
    No. At least, not with any accuracy and assurance.
    puunda wrote: »
    Are components like capacitors so old they need to be replaced?
    Electrolytic caps have a service life of "about" 20 years. They're all way overdue for replacement. The Mylar caps probably are OK, but you can do way better with modern film caps.

    Similarly, the resistors can be bettered fairly easily. Inductors can be bettered, but not so easily; and the circuit board and the molded-plug connections, the wire harness, etc, are also candidates for upgrade...but it's the caps that are the starting point.
  • RobbyKY
    RobbyKY Posts: 117
    Do the "battery test" before you go much further. "D" cell, 1.5 volt battery, connect battery negative to speaker negative with a 1 meter wire, connect a second wire of equal length to the speaker positive post and then briefly touch that wire to the battery positive terminal while watching the drivers. Wires just need to be long enough so you can see all of the drivers at once. All should move or bump OUTWARD at the same time. If they pull inward, one fails to move or some move in opposite directions, the internal wiring troubleshooting begins.

    One set of used 1.2's I bought had been the subject of someone tinkering inside that maybe shouldn't have been. Had drilled out the IC terminal in the plastic cup and direct soldered the IC cable on the right speaker (so the cabinet was NOT airtight) and then I went on to find several wires reversed and two speaker terminals had fallen off two of the drivers. The wire harness connectors were heavily oxidized on the harness to crossover board as well. I totally rebuilt the XO and replaced the terminals but this could have an impact if the speakers were in a moist environment for 20 years.

    Check the simple stuff first.......
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  • sansuibutch
    sansuibutch Posts: 198
    Someone recommended using a 9v battery for mine . I simply reached back touched the terminals and clearly seen 1 or 2 driver move inward while the others pushed outward. I then wired those 2 correctly and the sound was night and day. Very easy way to trouble shoot reversed polarity drivers
  • puunda
    puunda Posts: 116
    Gerres26 wrote: »
    F1nut wrote: »
    Gerres26 wrote: »
    F1nut wrote: »
    Yes.

    After you buy and hear the two you will order the rest just like I did.

    His main issue with that is the shipping prices to Australia. He would be paying atleast 100 just for shipping each order.

    So what, shipping costs money everywhere these days.

    Not for CP members in the states though ;)

    Are you guys saying that not only does the new tweeters cost $48 from Polk, but they also send it to you for free!?
    You guys are so lucky.
    The Polk importer here replied to me saying 'That part is only available in the US'.
  • Gerres26
    Gerres26 Posts: 859
    puunda wrote: »
    Gerres26 wrote: »
    F1nut wrote: »
    Gerres26 wrote: »
    F1nut wrote: »
    Yes.

    After you buy and hear the two you will order the rest just like I did.

    His main issue with that is the shipping prices to Australia. He would be paying atleast 100 just for shipping each order.

    So what, shipping costs money everywhere these days.

    Not for CP members in the states though ;)

    Are you guys saying that not only does the new tweeters cost $48 from Polk, but they also send it to you for free!?
    You guys are so lucky.
    The Polk importer here replied to me saying 'That part is only available in the US'.

    Yup, free shipping for us here
  • puunda
    puunda Posts: 116
    I posted a reply ... but it's not here ... Guess I never pressed the button.
    I've done the battery test ...
    All 8 drivers on both speakers moved OUT, stayed out, and moved back to the middle when I removed the battery.
    So I think they are all in phase.
    I measured the resistance of the interconnect cable (purchased recently from eBay), and the PIN shows 1.3 Ohms. The BLADE showed nothing - wasn't connected to each other ... I understand this is normal.
    At first I thought 1.3 ohms was high for such a cable, so I measured my meter and with nothing connected it shows 1.3 ohms. So this is just my meter being uncalibrated. It looks like the cable is very low resistance ... at least the PIN is.
    So the drivers are in phase and the IC cable works.
    I'll open up the XO over the weekend and will have a look. Never done this before.
  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,165
    Only remove the 8 bolts around the x-over plate, do not remove the center bolt! If you remove the center bolt, the crossover will fall off inside and bad juju will happen.
    SDA SRS 1.2TL's
    SDA 1C's w/Clarity Cap ESA; PA, Mills, RD0194-1's
    SDA 2B TL's w/RD0198-1's
    Yaqin MC-30L integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,477
    Only remove the 8 bolts around the x-over plate, do not remove the center bolt! If you remove the center bolt, the crossover will fall off inside and bad juju will happen.


    THIS ^^^^^^^

  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
    Only remove the 8 bolts around the x-over plate, do not remove the center bolt! If you remove the center bolt, the crossover will fall off inside and bad juju will happen.

    Learned from personal experience perhaps?
  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,165
    edited June 2018
    No, it didn't happen to me but after I removed the crossover plate for the first time and noted how the crossover was attached I thought to myself "It's a good thing I didn't remove that center bolt!" :#
    SDA SRS 1.2TL's
    SDA 1C's w/Clarity Cap ESA; PA, Mills, RD0194-1's
    SDA 2B TL's w/RD0198-1's
    Yaqin MC-30L integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
  • puunda
    puunda Posts: 116
    OK. Have removed the XO and everything looks fine. Measured some resistances etc of the IC to the XO board, and everything looks fine.
    I'm beginning to think I may be expecting too much from these speakers, and my memory of them from 15 years ago is much better sounding than they actually are
  • puunda
    puunda Posts: 116
    OK. Might have figured it ... at least part of it.
    I took the woofers out of the RIGHT speaker and one side was 6511, the other was 6503 as expected.
    The LEFT speaker BOTH sides were the 6503 woofers.
    I had only take one woofers from each side (ie 2) not all 8, but certainly something is already wrong.
    I don't know what the difference are, but would this be causing the lack of the SDA affect?
    I'll have to check and worst case I'll have to buy 4 x 6511 drivers. Are they available from Polk US? I doubt very much they would be available here.
  • tonyp063
    tonyp063 Posts: 1,044
    Check them all. Someone may have been in there before & swapped the mids around willy-nilly.

    Schematic here says you want all 6503s in the stereo array & 6511s in the dimensional array.

    There is a substantial difference in the specifications between the two.
    See here
  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,471
    Only remove the 8 bolts around the x-over plate, do not remove the center bolt! If you remove the center bolt, the crossover will fall off inside and bad juju will happen.

    I removed the center bolt and can confirm the bad juju. :s
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