How do the new L800 SDA compare to the Original Legend SDA-SRS 1.2TL?
Comments
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Ha! Possibly, or travel down the path vicariously!
Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
Or one could just buy a speaker and enjoy it for a few years before trying to make it better.
Seems logical!!!
Basis 2200 Signature, Vector 4, Transfiguration Proteus, Allnic H3000, Meridian 200/563, CJ ET5, McIntosh 501's, Thiel CS6, 3.6, Polk SDA SRS 2.3tl, MIT EVO, KS/Wywires PC's -
Or one could just buy a speaker and enjoy it for a few years before trying to make it better.
If you ask the guys that design/engineer speakers, most do not believe in the botique crossover parts route.
Yes some speakers use truly mediocre crossover parts, and can be improved, but not all.. -
Or one could just buy a speaker and enjoy it for a few years before trying to make it better.
If you ask the guys that design/engineer speakers, most do not believe in the botique crossover parts route.
Yes some speakers use truly mediocre crossover parts, and can be improved, but not all..
If you ask the guys around here what they think of your opinion, most would say “KM who?”The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Arcam AVR21, 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. Yamaha CD-S2100 SACD Player.
In retirement...TriangleArt Reference SE with Walker Precision Motor Drive,
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered…History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right” — George Orwell
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” -
Or one could just buy a speaker and enjoy it for a few years before trying to make it better.
If you ask the guys that design/engineer speakers, most do not believe in the botique crossover parts route.
Yes some speakers use truly mediocre crossover parts, and can be improved, but not all..
Depends on who you ask. If you ask people who design speakers to make a profit from, then of course your not going to use top flight crossover parts.
Ask the designers to make a speaker based on performance with no worries about profit margins, you'll find top flight crossover parts.
It's not that crossover parts don't matter, because they do, it's most are beholden to a bottom line and price point to achieve first and foremost.
You can find the same things in cars. A benz has some cheap parts in it too. You'll never see those however visually, and it's the same with crossovers.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 -
Benzes and Beemers are chockablock with cheap parts -- which is pretty obvious five or six years on
Both of 'em have had a predilection, at least in the not-too-distant past, for puttin' plastic parts in the darndest places.
That's why some folks say:The most expensive car you'll ever own is a cheap used Mercedes
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mhardy6647 wrote: »Benzes and Beemers are chockablock with cheap parts -- which is pretty obvious five or six years on
Both of 'em have had a predilection, at least in the not-too-distant past, for puttin' plastic parts in the darndest places.
That's why some folks say:The most expensive car you'll ever own is a cheap used Mercedes
Lol. I used to hear the most expensive car you'll ever own is a cheap used Saab -
nooshinjohn wrote: »Or one could just buy a speaker and enjoy it for a few years before trying to make it better.
If you ask the guys that design/engineer speakers, most do not believe in the botique crossover parts route.
Yes some speakers use truly mediocre crossover parts, and can be improved, but not all..
If you ask the guys around here what they think of your opinion, most would say “KM who?”
Well yeah, but many guys here, get off on having no one dare to question things, they believe, and have no ability to to see other views.
Not including you, obviously..... -
Broken recordPolitical 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 -
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exactly.
exactly.
exactly.
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afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk -
Or one could just buy a speaker and enjoy it for a few years before trying to make it better.
If you ask the guys that design/engineer speakers, most do not believe in the botique crossover parts route.
Yes some speakers use truly mediocre crossover parts, and can be improved, but not all..
I thought it was clearly understood by most people that most manufacturers, of anything, do not officially support boutique, aftermarket modifications of their products. To do so could potentially open a gigantic can of worms with regard to product liability and warranty issues.
Polk Audio never officially stated any recommendations for performance improvements of their speakers. However, unofficially, co-founder Matthew Polk, former engineering VP Stu Lumsden, and an engineer I spoke to many years ago, Chris, all made recommendations on where improvements could be made with regard to improved crossover components.
For most people, what the manufacturer, of anything, provides is more than adequate. For the performance enthusiast, of anything, aftermarket/boutique parts can provide a more enjoyable ownership experience.
"So hot it burns Mice!"~DK
"Polk SDA-SRSs are hopelessly out of date both sonically and technologically... I see no value whatsoever in older SDA speakers."~Audio Asylum Member
"Knowledge, without understanding, is a path to failure."~DK
"Those who irrationally rail against something or someone that is no threat to them, actually desire (or desire to be like) the thing or person they are railing against."~DK -
HOWEVER,
Allen Shaw is not a fan of the upgraded crossover route and didn't
think it did anything to the voicing of his speakers. (paraphrasing)
His comment was about his anniversary editions.
I'm not saying that modifications aren't useful if you know what
you are doing. I'm just saying that there are exceptions to the
Mod is better rule.Speakers: Polk Lsim, ATC SCM19 v2, NHT Superzero
Speaker Cables: Transparent, Wireworld, Canare, Monster -
IMO, it obviously makes sense to wait until after the warranty period is over before modding a speaker. By then one might be bored and looking for something more.
For those that don't wait and jump in right away, and like to do things with their hands...maybe go a different route and build a set of speakers.
If one wants to go all out, there are some crazy kits out there. Can start right out of the gate with some premium drivers and crossovers that one might see in speakers costing much much more from a major manufacture or boutique brand. Also, can use MDF, Medite, Rusian/Baltic Birch, hardwood, etc. for the enclosure, then cover in the veneer, paint, leather, suede, etc. finish of choice.
One of many.... SB Acoustics, PBN Audio, and Madisound have a new kit out that seems like a crazy good project for the brave builders out there. $3609 for drivers and crossover!
It uses the top Satori drivers, Beryllium domes, ClarityCap CSA, Mundorf Mresist MOX resistors, and custom wound inductors.
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/3-way-speaker-kits/satori-sba-951-speaker-kit-by-peter-noerbaek-pair/
https://pbnaudio.com/sba-951/
Post edited by WLDock onOffice | LG 29UB55 21:9 UltraWide | MacBook Pro | Dell Latitude | Cabasse Stream Amp 100 | Boston Acoustics VS 240 | AUDIORAX Desk Stands | Mirage Omni S8 sub1 | Mirage Omni S8 Sub2 -
Man, those crossovers are huge.....me likey.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 -
Dropping a 4 cylinder engine in a Camaro is "adequate" too, gets you around town, back and forth no problem. Who the heck wants that though. No doubt some will, but most won't.
People have to remember that a speaker company is a business, guided by profits. It's not there to swap dollars so you can afford them. The challenge is always going to be, how to put out a product, year after year, that offers improvements, in a market where your customer base has disposable income that keeps shrinking.....and the cost of doing business keeps rising.
Not as easy as one may think, to build mass produced speakers in such an environment, let alone ones that sound good to boot, and keep them reasonably affordable.
I personally think Polk has excelled in that endeavor. It's easy to see why higher end crossovers are not offered, not because they don't matter, but to keep costs and profits in line so they stay in business.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 -
The problem with diy is the resale value is virtually zero- Not Tom
"No, that's silly talk. Dude, you can't possibly be this audio dumb so quit the act." - Doro -
The problem with diy is the resale value is virtually zero
Yes and no Trey. Your customer base is more shallow for sure.
For instance, if you or someone like Jay or other DIY guys around here were to build a speaker, I'd buy them. Only because I know the quality of these peoples work. Others would not.
Plus DIY doesn't come with a warranty like mass produced speakers. That adds value no matter what the product is. That could explain also, why speakers take a nose dive in value after the warranty period is over.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 -
There are exceptions for sure but in general if the average Joe builds a speaker in his basement, the resale is nill.
Even some of the small companies making speakers, not to name any, their resale value is abysmal- Not Tom
"No, that's silly talk. Dude, you can't possibly be this audio dumb so quit the act." - Doro -
True that...
btw, I didn't realize PBN had so many speaker kits.
https://pbnaudio.com/self-assemble-speaker-kits/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 -
...if you or someone like Jay or other DIY guys around here were to build a speaker, I'd buy them.
Hmmm, Trey, looks to me like Tony's contracted for your first @VR3 speakers. I'd call this post legally binding under CP rules.
➀Speakers: Polk1.2tl's (Uber Mods) ➁Pre/Amp/DAC: PS Audio BHK Signature & 250, DirectStream ➂Cables/IC's: MIT S1Bi-Wire/S1 Balanced +Avel Lindberg 1000VA "Dreadnought" ➃Power Conditioner: PS Audio P15 Power Plant ➄Power Cords: Core Power Technologies Gold, DH Labs Power Plus DIY w/Neotech NC-P301 & P311ends ➅Streamer: Roon ROCK on wifi'd NUC & Uptone EtherREGEN, AfterDark, Emperor Double Crown Clock, Black Modernize LPS⟿Ω☯☥☮⟿🔊♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬♩♪♫♬ -
If the DIY project looks like a DIY project typically does, resale value can be very low. I suspect a project like my tube amps would not have that problem.The problem with diy is the resale value is virtually zero
The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Arcam AVR21, 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. Yamaha CD-S2100 SACD Player.
In retirement...TriangleArt Reference SE with Walker Precision Motor Drive,
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered…History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right” — George Orwell
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” -
Yeah but Bob Carver has endorsed your build, there's a difference and exceptions- Not Tom
"No, that's silly talk. Dude, you can't possibly be this audio dumb so quit the act." - Doro -
I seriously doubt few get their money back if they buy a new set of speakers at or close to MSRP. Then, dump a ton of money and time into modding the crossovers. I'm sure very few break even on that deal. I think it would come down to how well a person is connected to a particular community that might be interested in a modified speaker and willing to pay for it.The problem with diy is the resale value is virtually zero
The same would apply to a DIY set. When you look at some of the builds over at www.htguide.com like the Wavecor Ardent builds. There are some guys doing incredible work that probably won't get the their money back given the time and money spent on some of these project. OTOH, there are some that will pay the asking price for some of these DIY builds. I see guys selling their builds all the time. I doubt there is a profit or break even in the deal once labor is added in.
I think one that goes down a DIY path does it for a different reason and realize there might be a loss on the resale.
Office | LG 29UB55 21:9 UltraWide | MacBook Pro | Dell Latitude | Cabasse Stream Amp 100 | Boston Acoustics VS 240 | AUDIORAX Desk Stands | Mirage Omni S8 sub1 | Mirage Omni S8 Sub2 -
Gorgeous man...wow.
Agreed, a DIY type is usually in it for personal enjoyment, not to resell and make a buck.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 -
Yes, they are!Gorgeous man...wow.
Agreed, a DIY type is usually in it for personal enjoyment, not to resell and make a buck.
I keep telling myself that I can build something that sounds and looks good (maybe not as good as the above?) for the HT in the family room. I've been looking at the massive Statements II or Anthology and center channel over on Jim Holtz site:
http://speakerdesignworks.com/Statement_II_1.html
http://speakerdesignworks.com/Anthology_6.html
Plus this BIG center channel: http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?41930-New-center-channels-for-the-Statements-II-and-The-Finalists
Maybe I give up on this for now and consider some Polks again down the line?
The reality is... maybe I should focus on building a set of small high performing monitors that I want for music listening in the living room.
Right now the Jeff Bagby SB Revolution Mini Be (Beryllium tweets!) would be a dream build. https://meniscusaudio.com/product/sb-revolution-mini-be-loudspeaker-kit/
I'm seriously thinking about these: They have the Oval woofer on the back like the Buchardt S400 and are supposed to sound much fuller and play much lower then their size would suggest. Great feedback from the DIY community.
Office | LG 29UB55 21:9 UltraWide | MacBook Pro | Dell Latitude | Cabasse Stream Amp 100 | Boston Acoustics VS 240 | AUDIORAX Desk Stands | Mirage Omni S8 sub1 | Mirage Omni S8 Sub2 -
Speaking of these Bagby designs/kits, I just happened to see a new post to a build thread on one of them at:
https://hifihaven.org/index.php?threads/stevenzs-diy-jeff-bagby-helix-dome-speaker-build.4818/
Seemed worth mentioning in the context of this thread.
(photos nicked from the above-mentioned thread)
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If you ask the guys that design/engineer speakers, most do not believe in the botique crossover parts route.
Yes some speakers use truly mediocre crossover parts, and can be improved, but not all..
Safe bet the engineers aren't going to use caps in the neighborhood of $200 to $1K per cap or more, especially when trying to get a series of speakers back on its feet.....throws the profit margin out the window as well as potential sales.
It's up to the consumer to take the product to that last possible 10% if they so desire....that's what makes this hobby even more fun. -
If you ask the guys that design/engineer cars, most will not tell you to put a big fat turbo, higher flowing fuel injectors and fuel pump on any of their cars either.afterburnt wrote: »They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.
Village Idiot of Club Polk
