I've tracked down a local set of SDS SRS... cover me, I'm going in!

13

Comments

  • krazypolk
    krazypolk Posts: 745
    audioluvr wrote: »
    The 1.0 isn't a bad amp. If you aren't a rebuilder, though, I'd spend your money elsewhere. As many others here will tell you, watts aren't everything. There are several next level brands of amps that would mesh really well those SRS's.

    Can you suggest a few?
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    krazypolk wrote: »
    audioluvr wrote: »
    The 1.0 isn't a bad amp. If you aren't a rebuilder, though, I'd spend your money elsewhere. As many others here will tell you, watts aren't everything. There are several next level brands of amps that would mesh really well those SRS's.

    Can you suggest a few?

    Amps are a hugely personal decision. I think preamps have at least as much influence on sound but probably more, and yet people will fight over amps. I don't want to steer anyone down the wrong river, but I'll offer a few suggestions. Keep in mind these are my perceptions and really don't mean anything, especially here.

    First, I have to say that I think its entirely necessary to match the gear to the era these speakers belong. That means find some Class A or AB hifi that was designed and/or sold at the same time these speakers were popular. These speakers were designed with amplifier topologies in mind created by famous engineers- think Hafler, Pass, Strickland, Bongiorno, etc. Conversely, there were amps that came out after these speakers were released that were designed to take full advantage of the speakers. And then in the mid 90s the whole thing collapsed as people moved towards smaller speakers and home theater. Two channel is back now as people are discovering vinyl again, but unfortunately Class D has come along. I'm not a fan, and I wouldn't not spend money on Class D amps for the SDA speakers, especially the SRS.

    At our store in 1985-86, we demo'd the SDA speakers with a group of amplifiers from Perreaux (2150B), NAD (2300 I think), Hafler (DH500), Nakamichi (PA-7, I think).
    Forget about the Perreaux - they're expensive and rare in this country. I don't recall us ever selling one. Fine by me, because I was very happy having that in the store. IF you find one, it'll most likely look beat and need a rebuild.
    I've never been happy with my Hafler amps, but the 500 was a beast and can be modded to become much more solid.
    The NAD has a very smooth and refined sound, and its Soft-Clipping was the basis for Proton's famous DPD circuits later on. They're extremely clean and musical.
    The Nakamichi was a very beautiful, striking looking monster. It had the Pass-developed Stasis topology license from Threshold. There's very few amps of that era that can stand up to it. I might put a Sumo Andromeda or Nine Plus, or maybe one of the Ampzillas (Son of, etc).

    Finally I am a huge fan of Adcom amps, but others will be sure to step up and tell you they're outdated, unsophisticated, failure prone, won't call you back after the first date, etc. I have had great experience with them. I like the GFA-555 and -585. The original (non-SE) products are 30 years old now, on average, and could all do with a re-cap. There are some upgrades available, some simple, some costly, that can bring them up to a nice level now. Hoppesbrain is a good place to go for that info.


    I hope this helps.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    Polar wrote: »

    Amps are a hugely personal decision. I think preamps have at least as much influence on sound but probably more, and yet people will fight over amps. I don't want to steer anyone down the wrong river, but I'll offer a few suggestions. Keep in mind these are my perceptions and really don't mean anything, especially here.

    First, I have to say that I think its entirely necessary to match the gear to the era these speakers belong. That means find some Class A or AB hifi that was designed and/or sold at the same time these speakers were popular. These speakers were designed with amplifier topologies in mind created by famous engineers- think Hafler, Pass, Strickland, Bongiorno, etc. Conversely, there were amps that came out after these speakers were released that were designed to take full advantage of the speakers. And then in the mid 90s the whole thing collapsed as people moved towards smaller speakers and home theater. Two channel is back now as people are discovering vinyl again, but unfortunately Class D has come along. I'm not a fan, and I wouldn't not spend money on Class D amps for the SDA speakers, especially the SRS.

    At our store in 1985-86, we demo'd the SDA speakers with a group of amplifiers from Perreaux (2150B), NAD (2300 I think), Hafler (DH500), Nakamichi (PA-7, I think).
    Forget about the Perreaux - they're expensive and rare in this country. I don't recall us ever selling one. Fine by me, because I was very happy having that in the store. IF you find one, it'll most likely look beat and need a rebuild.
    I've never been happy with my Hafler amps, but the 500 was a beast and can be modded to become much more solid.
    The NAD has a very smooth and refined sound, and its Soft-Clipping was the basis for Proton's famous DPD circuits later on. They're extremely clean and musical.
    The Nakamichi was a very beautiful, striking looking monster. It had the Pass-developed Stasis topology license from Threshold. There's very few amps of that era that can stand up to it. I might put a Sumo Andromeda or Nine Plus, or maybe one of the Ampzillas (Son of, etc).

    Finally I am a huge fan of Adcom amps, but others will be sure to step up and tell you they're outdated, unsophisticated, failure prone, won't call you back after the first date, etc. I have had great experience with them. I like the GFA-555 and -585. The original (non-SE) products are 30 years old now, on average, and could all do with a re-cap. There are some upgrades available, some simple, some costly, that can bring them up to a nice level now. Hoppesbrain is a good place to go for that info.


    I hope this helps.

    Where to start with this... Your belief that the improvements in amplification made since these speakers were built will not be of benefit to the SRS, you are just flat out wrong in your beliefs. These speakers seem to rise up to even greater levels of performance when they are fed with better gear.

    The same is true with source components. The SRS have a field day when they are mated up with the very best you can give them. Don't sell them short. Challenge them to be better than what you think they are and they will rise to the task.

    Look at the gear in my sig.. over the past few weeks, I have had people who though they knew what SDA sounded like and they left here saying they had never heard them sound as good as they did here, and one even said it was the best sound he had ever heard from a stereo.


    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, 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. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    Where to start with this... Your belief that the improvements in amplification made since these speakers were built will not be of benefit to the SRS, you are just flat out wrong in your beliefs.

    Wow did you ever misunderstand my post.
    These speakers seem to rise up to even greater levels of performance when they are fed with better gear.

    Of course they do. Where did I say, "don't use better gear"? I advised the poster to look for stuff designed for the era these speakers came from. Class D isn't going to cut it with these towers. Its Class A or AB. I also mentioned that proper 2 channel is coming back now that vinyl is on the rise. You must have missed that part.
    The same is true with source components. The SRS have a field day when they are mated up with the very best you can give them. Don't sell them short. Challenge them to be better than what you think they are and they will rise to the task.

    I never said don't give them the best. You're doing straw man attacks now.
    Look at the gear in my sig.. over the past few weeks, I have had people who though they knew what SDA sounded like and they left here saying they had never heard them sound as good as they did here, and one even said it was the best sound he had ever heard from a stereo.

    I respect your list. You have a great setup. Man, that's awesome. And look at the names in there: Carver, Pass, Polk, PS Audio (Stan Warren, and yes I know he's not there anymore). You have a big investment in people who are continually refining work they did in the 1970s. True geniuses, all of them. And as far as I know, none of them are building Class D or even G hybrid. So how is anything I said at odds with anything in your list?

    Lets take a look at Nelson Pass, one of the last remaining great brains in hifi: If you read up on Papa and see what he's been up to for the past few years you'll see where I was going with my last post. To hear him tell the story, the 80s began as the big power years, towards the 90s they started chasing ever lower noise floors, IMD, THD. Then he got into efficiency (First Watt), and finally its come full circle as people are looking at tubes now, which they left behind when transistor amp got big in the 1970s.

    (Note: let me get ahead of your next misunderstanding of my posts: I know tubes never died, they've always been out there. But the buying public is now moving back towards them in ever greater numbers, reversing a trend that began in the 1970s. I also didn't say there weren't big amps in the 1970s, nor in the 1990s, nor now. I also know Pass hasn't given up on transistors nor efficient solid state as he works towards doing a theoretical single-transistor circuit.)
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    edited March 2020
    Perhaps I will go back to school and brush up on ancient hieroglyphics, because your posts are among the most confusing gibberish I have read in a long time.

    I guess you did not say this...

    First, I have to say that I think its entirely necessary to match the gear to the era these speakers belong. That means find some Class A or AB hifi that was designed and/or sold at the same time these speakers were popular.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, 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. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Polar wrote: »

    Of course they do. Where did I say, "don't use better gear"? I advised the poster to look for stuff designed for the era these speakers came from. Class D isn't going to cut it with these towers. Its Class A or AB. I also mentioned that proper 2 channel is coming back now that vinyl is on the rise. You must have missed that part.

    Nonsense. Where did you get the idea two channel went away, and is now coming back. Total nonsense.

    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    BlueFox wrote: »

    Nonsense. Where did you get the idea two channel went away, and is now coming back. Total nonsense.

    Nothing "goes away" totally, and I didn't use those words. You extrapolated that from when I said two channel was "coming back". Admit that, and we're on the way to helping you.

    Now as to where I "get" that idea, its from industry talk, forums, and personal experience. I look outside our hobby to see where things are going. For instance, I wanted a CRT 10-15 years ago, and since all of the hifi AV chains in my state were out of business, I decided to walk through the big box stores. At Best Buy, I found exactly one CRT out of dozens of displays. I bought it for a steep discount because no one wanted it. The market had changed.

    Similarly, when those flat screens took off, it became difficult to find stereo component systems. Multi-channel took off as 5.1 in a box systems became popular. After a few years the sound bars started getting reasonably sophisticated, which has even hurt the typical multi-channel business. I can't blame people, because the same mindset which used to brag about difficulty setting the VCR clock is now bragging about how they don't understand multi-channel (even though they make a point of buying it). Sound bars are usually two wire hookup and then letting a wizard set it up, if that. Simplicity usually wins. Thats how companies like Apple made a name for themselves.

    So thats my personal experience. Online, I browse forums, where I have seen quite a bit of talk that denigrated two channel vs praising multi-channel. The people online want to justify their increasing expenditure watching repetitive movies in whatever the latest sound format is. I saw at least one thread from a few years back where a guy said he was tired of multi and wanted to go back to stereo, and he was laid into by CEDIA people who said there was nothing a stereo system could do that multi couldn't do better.

    Finally, go take a look at Raife's guide, and on pgs 2 and 3 he brushes up against the topic in his discussion about why SDA went away. In his summary he talks about the industry changing towards multi and small speakers, technology becoming more complex yet lower quality and not being able to drive these towers. While he never comes out in lockstep with what I'm saying, it still fits.

    Vinyl came back. First as USB-enabled tables so that people could digitize LPs easily, but then as actual new tables for vinyl listening. People have been waking up to the fact that digital has become the way to listen to playlists, not albums, whereas vinyl is the way to get back into the artists brains.

    But back to that original assertion, that I said two channel "went away". I never said that. It most likely can't, because even though it lost inertia, it was too widely available and too cheap on the secondary market. But it did die off and now its coming back, like an orchard after a freeze.

    You may not have even seen it, because you're firmly committed to the hobby, but it happened.
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    Perhaps I will go back to school and brush up on ancient hieroglyphics, because your posts are among the most confusing gibberish I have read in a long time.

    I guess you did not say this...

    First, I have to say that I think its entirely necessary to match the gear to the era these speakers belong. That means find some Class A or AB hifi that was designed and/or sold at the same time these speakers were popular.

    Sure I did. And then I said this:
    Conversely, there were amps that came out after these speakers were released that were designed to take full advantage of the speakers.

    But I'm sorry you got confused by that. I should have been asleep hours before I wrote that. Its very hard to make a discussion work online and even more so when I'm tired out after a couple of days trying to orchestrate the deal that this thread was about.

  • Astropet
    Astropet Posts: 25
    Polar wrote: »
    verb wrote: »
    Sounds like a plan! I for one,

    I'm currently driving them with an old Carver I had laying around. At volume these are good towers, but at lower levels the definition isn't as good as I expected. I don't think that's the Carver, I think its the lame Marantz preamp I'm using, temporarily.

    Yep, definitely the Carver. That is how my SDA 1As sounded when I powered them with a M1.0T back in the day.
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    Astropet wrote: »
    Yep, definitely the Carver. That is how my SDA 1As sounded when I powered them with a M1.0T back in the day.

    Well that's good to know. I don't know if I'm going to MkII that box or sell it. I know the TFM-25 sounded worlds better. Did you keep your 1.0t?




  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    I had very little time today because I was dealing with a contractor, car service, and a friend from out of town, but I spent a little time auditioning.

    Music today:

    Herbie Hancock - Dis Is Da Drum
    Billy Cobham - Warning

    I found the soundstage to be a bit jumbled and not as clearly defined as I liked out of this material. Clear as a bell though, especially in the vocal region.

    Here's something fun though - I tried a variety of movies on Blu-ray, running on my Marantz player and through the Marantz Atmos receiver. They sounded spectacular! T2 and Dark Knight. The beginning of T2, where Linda Hamilton does her short vocal prologue, was a real eye-opener. I had the volume set precisely, so it sounded like she was standing in front of us complaining about cyborg killers. Unbelievable quality. I'd like to get into some of the Fast movies next, just for the audio.

    So far, these are playing out pretty close to how I remember - absolutely perfect, natural vocals. The bass needs work, as does the soundstage. I will change to a different amp and report back.
  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    Lots of current will snap that bass into shape! 😀
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    deronb1 wrote: »
    Lots of current will snap that bass into shape! 😀

    Yep and you just made me realize the next amp to put in the circuit will be one of my Adcoms.
    Tomorrow is going to be a grueling day as I have an enormous amount of work to get done, but I will hopefully have time to get into that in the early evening.

    Its good to have a plan.
  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    Looking forward to reading what happens
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    deronb1 wrote: »
    Looking forward to reading what happens

    I'm looking forward to making it happen, lol! I just have to get some sleep. Holy cow I used to be able to do this 25 years ago and still function but I'm practically staggering right now.

    I'm out, catch you guys in a Martian day or less.
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Hey brother, where's those pics? :smile:
    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.
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    verb wrote: »
    Hey brother, where's those pics? :smile:

    Verb my brother, I promised and here you go :smile:

    rrkgrcrtg6wc.jpg
    9qukte6vmgtg.jpg

    My entertainment center hasn't arrived, so I really don't want to take a full wall picture and reveal that disaster. In a couple of weeks that should all be delivered and we'll be settled in for pics.

    The cabinet faces look like they're smeared, but they don't look that way in person. Its the Seventh Generation wood cleaner I used yesterday. I didn't have anything else handy. I think the face material is similar to formica. I can't think of the name but I'll figure it out when I'm not tired.


    Anyway, thats that for now. I'm falling over, must check out now. You guys have fun and while I'm gone maybe see if you can help MooShooJohn learn some hieroglyphics.
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Looking good! :smile: Looks like the tweeters already have been updated?
    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.
  • vmaxer
    vmaxer Posts: 5,116
    Looking good, enjoy them.
    Pio Elete Pro 520
    Panamax 5400-EX
    Sunfire TGP 5
    Micro Seiki DD-40 - Lyra-Dorian and Denon DL-160
    PS Audio GCPH phono pre
    Sunfire CG 200 X 5
    Sunfire CG Sig 405 X 5
    OPPO BDP-83 SE
    SDA SRS 1.2TL Sonicaps and Mills
    Ctr CS1000p
    Sur - FX1000 x 4
    SUB - SVS PB2-Plus

    Workkout room:
    Sony Bravia XBR- 32-Inch 1080p
    Onkyo TX-DS898
    GFA 555
    Yamaha DVD-S1800BL/SACD
    Ft - SDA 1C

    Not being used:
    RTi 38's -4
    RT55i's - 2
    RT25i's -2, using other 2 in shop
    LSI 15's
    CSi40
    PSW 404
  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,471
    The bass needs work, as does the soundstage. [/quote]

    In my room I find that speaker position has a huge influence on soundstage. It may be better to find the best location with the current amp before swapping. This way you will get a better comparison between amps.
    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"
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    Why am I not asleep? Why?
    verb wrote: »
    Looking good! :smile: Looks like the tweeters already have been updated?

    Thanks!

    Yes the tweeters have already been taken care of, and I'm pretty sure the mid-woofers have been done as well. There isn't even a hint of surface oxidation on them. The crossovers have been completely redone with mostly Sonicaps but I saw at least one Aeon in there. I need to take one of the modules out and get some pics but I have so much to do over the next few days it has to wait.
    vmaxer wrote: »
    Looking good, enjoy them.

    Thank you, and I'm on it.
    machone wrote: »
    In my room I find that speaker position has a huge influence on soundstage. It may be better to find the best location with the current amp before swapping. This way you will get a better comparison between amps.

    You're absolutely right. Unfortunately these are where they need to be for the time being. What you're not seeing because I didn't do a full wall picture is the furniture thats in the way. The old console, the media storage cabinet, etc. When the new furniture arrives I'll be moving some stuff around and playing with equipment selection again.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    edited March 2020
    Wiping down the woofer with original windex will clean them up real well. The previous owner knew about the tweeters and Sonicaps I'm pretty sure they were well aware of the the cleaning abilities or original windex and cleaned them more than a few times.
    Be sure to use a lint free rag or fibers will stick the the doped drivers.
  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,420
    krazypolk wrote: »
    audioluvr wrote: »
    The 1.0 isn't a bad amp. If you aren't a rebuilder, though, I'd spend your money elsewhere. As many others here will tell you, watts aren't everything. There are several next level brands of amps that would mesh really well those SRS's.

    Can you suggest a few?

    I can't in all honesty because I sold my 2.3s , which is as close as I've been to them, to help fund some other stuff and I never really used them on anything other than the Carver 1.0 and 1.5 which weren't bad but kinda flabby in the lower octives, and my B&k monos which produced too much bass (for me. Maybe their stereo amps with a little less RC and damping would work). If you're looking budget maybe I'd think something like a rebuilt Hafler, older Belles or Conrad Johnson solid state. I'd think a 50 wpc or larger tube amp would sound really nice too but again their are far better people here to advise than me.
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)


    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
  • Astropet
    Astropet Posts: 25
    Polar wrote: »

    Well that's good to know. I don't know if I'm going to MkII that box or sell it. I know the TFM-25 sounded worlds better. Did you keep your 1.0t?

    I ended up abandoning it. It kept developing a major hum that would literally cause the amp to shake. I replaced the power supply, but the hum came back after a few months, and that was after I moved to another house...

    The guy I bought my 1As from had a Carver amp, but I don't know which one. It was in 1988 and the speakers sounded amazing with his rig.I bought my 1.0T at the same time as the speakers and I was so disappointed when I set it up and it sounded nothing like it did at his place. I was a student at the time and it was all I could afford. It did serve me well for the time it lasted. I still used it with the hum, but I had to play it loud to compensate. :tongue:


  • motorstereo
    motorstereo Posts: 2,042
    Congrats to you on landing a fine pair of speakers.
    In my case I used a tfm 45 on my 2.3s and 1.2tls for a while and it was an upgrade over both a qsc pro amp and an Adcom 555. The Carver eventually lost it's spot to a Mcintosh mc2500 which was a huge upgrade over the 45. The 2500 paired up very well with the Polks imo and had a good long run here of almost 7 years.
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Wiping down the woofer with original windex will clean them up real well. The previous owner knew about the tweeters and Sonicaps I'm pretty sure they were well aware of the the cleaning abilities or original windex and cleaned them more than a few times.
    Be sure to use a lint free rag or fibers will stick the the doped drivers.

    I have some original Polk Mobile Monitor speakers sitting in a box in my attic for about 25 years. They're a Peerless driver manufactured for Polk, and they have a very similar coated paper cone like I see on the MWs in these SRS. I'm going to try your suggestion and compare the two drivers to see how they look. I still think the PO replaced the mids but either way I'm still happy with these.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    edited March 2020
    More than likely they (SRS) have a date on the drivers. Newer drivers in most cases the dust cap covered the voice coil leads that were visible on the original drivers. If you can see all the voice coil leads on the drivers more than likely they are original drivers.

    Looking at the drivers in the picture, all those look original drivers as the voice coil leads are plainly visible. Which means that they were made before 1991 the date on my replacement driver and others in which the dust cap covered the voice coil leads.
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    deronb1 wrote: »
    Looking forward to reading what happens


    I decided to switch back to the TFM-25 today instead of the Adcom. This Carver is so much a better fit than the 1.0t was! (Disclaimer: both are vintage amps, and the older 1.0t might need service.)
    I started over again with Terminator 2. Not only was Linda Hamilton's introduction clear and defined, far more of her very characteristic voice came through. The slight rasp was barely evident on the 1.0t but it was perfectly evident on the TFM-25.

    The future battle sequences were much more engaging as the impact from explosions was very solid, taut and well-projected. From my experience in home AV, the gold standard moment was watching T2 and hearing how each system handled the "cyborg skull stomp" at the beginning of the future battle. These speakers combined with the TFM-25 was easily the greatest performance I've heard of this scene, yet.

    The sound of the Harley at various points was startling. Footsteps walked across my room. Doors clanged open and shut. Trucks started up and drove. All of it was perfect, and it had just the right amount of oomph. And the balance between all of it was amazing, especially the voices.

    For me now, close to 30 years since I've seen the movie on opening day, the biggest thing in my movie watching isn't any of the action, its the voices. My brain can fill in the blanks if there is a deficiency in the explosion information, but I gotta hear what people are talking about. Speech seems to take a backseat in any movie mix. I figured it was just age, or possibly the mix down accommodated people who would be watching their action movies on their phones while riding a subway or something.

    At home, I end up turning on the voice assist in my current Sonos "home theater system" more often than I leave it out. I have more equipment elsewhere in my house but I end up using the Sonos because its convenient. (Its in the rec room closest to my kitchen :smiley: ) After hearing how well this system - set flat and playing through this 25 year-old amp - handles cinema, I'm about ready to throw the Sonos to the wolves. If I wasn't building out a casual room for my wife to go watch her shows where I can't be annoyed by them (honestly, who here can take hearing the theme from 'Friends' one more time?) I'd just sell the stuff and move on.

    I haven't even gotten to music yet. I'm just enjoying watching movies in two channel sound that rivals some of my 5.1 systems for imaging. (I can't wait to hear the backlash I'm going to get for that statement.) If I added nothing more to this system other than a nice cabinet to hold the gear, I'd be perfectly happy. If I had to say "is there anything I'd like to add?" I would say surround/height effects. I don't miss them, but they are nice.

    That means what I'd need to do is source a few more speakers (six to be exact) for rear surround and front height, and then figure out an amplification scheme. I'd need to stay with my Atmos receiver, figure out how to do the front L/R as two channel out to the Carver, and then let the internal amps handle all the effects.

    Best of both worlds? Is it possible?
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    Congrats to you on landing a fine pair of speakers.
    In my case I used a tfm 45 on my 2.3s and 1.2tls for a while and it was an upgrade over both a qsc pro amp and an Adcom 555. The Carver eventually lost it's spot to a Mcintosh mc2500 which was a huge upgrade over the 45. The 2500 paired up very well with the Polks imo and had a good long run here of almost 7 years.

    Thank you.

    McIntosh makes beautiful gear. I would really like to try the mc2500 on these SRS. If its ends up better than my 25 then its a great amp and one for the active shelf. I'll BOLO for one of those.
  • Polar
    Polar Posts: 70
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    More than likely they (SRS) have a date on the drivers. Newer drivers in most cases the dust cap covered the voice coil leads that were visible on the original drivers. If you can see all the voice coil leads on the drivers more than likely they are original drivers.

    I don't want to pull the drivers until I decide to do some Dynamat work, but if your info is correct then these are original. I am really surprised at how good they look.

    After spending all the money to do these upgrades, why do you think the PO skipped the MW upgrade? Is the result not as dramatic as the crossovers and tweeters?