Looking forward to L800 but have concerns, what are your thoughts?

Clipdat wrote: »

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Looking at the specs for the Cambridge, I have my doubts that it was up to the task. Not saying it is a bad piece of gear, but if the Polks are that demanding, it may simply [have not] been a good pairing is all.

So a connecting a $6k pair of speakers to a 54lb $6k integrated that does 100wpc into 8ohm and 200wpc into 4ohm isn't "a good pairing"?

At RMAF, Polk had them connected to a Marantz HT processor and a MM7055 multichannel HT amplifier. (https://www.audioadvice.com/marantz-mm7055-5-channel-power-amplifier.html) - They could've used anything and they used this pedestrian amp.

You seem to be hung up on the equipment or setup at Skip's Polkfest event being a culprit for what people heard and ignoring the fact that keeps getting mentioned about how the Polk representative was present and confirmed several times that the L800s were performing as intended.

Please try to accept and respect what people heard at the event and their opinions on the sound, instead of looking for any excuse as to why something wasn't "right" with the setup.

Too much to pick apart here, but that is not my intention. All I said was there may... MAY have been some sort of synergy issue with that setup. The review also pointed out issues with the room... the exact issue that was at Skip’s house. All I am saying is a professional reviewer caught the same stuff you guys reported, then set about citing the SAME concerns I had and cited Polk’s own manual for these speakers to show the requirements for the speakers were not met in his listening space. He also said he went through hell looking for synergy before he found it.

The Polk rep was out of his mind if he said they were set up properly when the manual itself says they were not.

I am going to state here that I fully accept what was heard at Skip’s as fact, and the review in the video confirms all that you guys said. I see that, but you should also see what I was saying as well.

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Looking at the specs for the Cambridge, I have my doubts that it was up to the task. Not saying it is a bad piece of gear, but if the Polks are that demanding, it may simply [have not] been a good pairing is all.

Clipdat wrote: »

So a connecting a $6k pair of speakers to a 54lb $6k integrated that does 100wpc into 8ohm and 200wpc into 4ohm isn't "a good pairing"?

In this case, apparently not. Synergy is a biotch.

Clipdat wrote: »

At RMAF, Polk had them connected to a Marantz HT processor and a MM7055 multichannel HT amplifier. (https://www.audioadvice.com/marantz-mm7055-5-channel-power-amplifier.html) - They could've used anything and they used this pedestrian amp.

Because the synergy was right, perhaps?

Clipdat wrote: »

You seem to be hung up on the equipment or setup at Skip's Polkfest event being a culprit for what people heard and ignoring the fact that keeps getting mentioned about how the Polk representative was present and confirmed several times that the L800s were performing as intended.

I could care less about the gear, as it sounds like synergy was not achieved, and therefore any listening was a challenge to start with. Did he also say they sounded as intended? Seems to me you guys said some sort of partition was half-hazardly cobbled together to try and create a reflection point.

Clipdat wrote: »

Please try to accept and respect what people heard at the event and their opinions on the sound, instead of looking for any excuse as to why something wasn't "right" with the setup.

Based upon the review video, it seems to me that the creator of said review encountered many of the same issues you guys did and said the same things I did with regards to set up.

Not disputing at all what you heard, but I accept the reviewer's position that these are one of the most demanding loudspeakers to set up correctly and pair with the proper gear, and they are the most difficult loads for an amplifier to control that Polk has ever created.

I do not understand why Polk chose to create such a demanding speaker. To me, all this does is add value to the original SDA-SRS line.

erniejade wrote: »

He also said on the same album even after his matching, some sounds sounded great and some did not. We experienced that as well.

Understood, and I accept all of that. IMHO, no speaker should be that particular. Synergy is a biotch, but it would appear that these may be on an entirely different level of difficulty. Another possibility is that they are the same demo pair and they have a problem.

I have yet to hear a poor recording sound good on anything... SDA or not.

C'mon gents, like you guys never came across a speaker before that was power hungry and picky about placement. This is by far not unique to the l800's. Like Doc said, many highly regarded speakers suffered the same criticism.

erniejade wrote: »

dromunds wrote: »

I’m still at a loss to understand how this guy can think the L800 is the most difficult load to control that Polk has ever created yet they sounded great with an $1,199 Marantz MM7055 multichannel HT amp? Too many statements floating around that lack foundation.

And he said a pro-ject intigrated was his choice for synergy. That kind of suprised me.

It's hard to believe something like the MaiA S2 at 38wpc @ 4 ohms had the best synergy. In fact, it puts into question his entire review.

he did say it's not about the number of watts but current.

….

Never said high watts and high current would equal synergy either, but it does sound like a good place to start... As far as commenting goes, I will say what I like. I don’t agree with every review or magazine I read either, nor do I trust anybody else’s ears but my own.

I especially don’t trust ears that heard a pair of speakers not set up properly, according to the suggestions and guidelines of the manufacturer and have at best, a couple hours (and less time in the sweet spot) of experience with them in an unfamiliar space.

Tony M wrote: »

halen wrote: »

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Never said high watts and high current would equal synergy either, but it does sound like a good place to start... As far as commenting goes, I will say what I like. I don’t agree with every review or magazine I read either, nor do I trust anybody else’s ears but my own.

I especially don’t trust ears that heard a pair of speakers not set up properly, according to the suggestions and guidelines of the manufacturer and have at best, a couple hours (and less time in the sweet spot) of experience with them in an unfamiliar space.

You mentioned synergy in your previous posts. So I thought I would mention to get clarity.

Yes. Say what you like but it is still baseless assumptions. You have a voice but don’t talk when you have not experienced it. It gives zero credibility. You could talk all day about your high end DIY amp among other things. It contributes absolutely nothing.

Buy a pair man.

John's been experiencing "SDA" Polk speakers for decades!

I think he could be called highly educated in the Polk SDA set-ups and definitely has thousands of hours with listening to them with his own ears in many locations.

John has tried to offer "advice from experiences" and he is getting attacked for some weird reasons.

And his DIY amps are something to admire and inspire others just what is possible with the right intelligence and desire.

I'd take John's advice on Polk SDA speakers and tube amps any day of the year!

You do realize these are new SDA’s right? Your comment is like someone saying some car built some decades ago was great. So it must be great now too.

Tell me. What experience does he have with the new SDA’s? I got money, any amount you want to put down and could afford. He doesnt.

As for you being John‘s personal public relations person is funny. CNN much?

Why are there teachers and professors then?

Alright. Bottom line. Don’t turn this Polk forum into one of those sites that claim amps, dacs, cables, make no difference.

They never experienced it. Same as the new SDA here. But the ones that have. Said what they did.

Even the Polk rep.

Damn. If I talk anymore I will start talking about build the wall. You effing socialist.