SDA-2B Upgrade story
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JimMc
Posts: 5
Short Version: With no audio equipment or electronic experience, I managed a pretty ambitious system/speaker restore/upgrade around SDA-2B speakers. I accomplished this exclusively through what I learned from this forum, in particular, by direct help from Westmassguy and indirectly from F1Nut’s through extensive guidance to others in this forum.
Long Version: I bought my SDA-2Bs right out of college in ’89. Other than a boom box , they were the first speakers I owned and have ultimately become the only speakers I’ve ever owned. I imagined becoming a great audiophile and bought the best speakers I could afford along with a cheap receiver to hold me over until I could afford the rest of the system. Immediately thereafter, 30 years of life got in the way.
Having recently retired I sought to correct my neglect and injustice I’ve levied on my trusty speakers as well as attempt to realize an ambition of my youth. In the process I found this forum. After several hours of time here, relying heavily on Westmassguy/David/DHS Speaker Service and F1Nut/Jesse’s generous input to this forum, I gathered some courage, bought Gimpod boards, and a bunch of Sonicaps, many other supplies and jumped.
Yesterday I fired up my system (spoiler alert: it worked): Amazon Music HD source through Blusound Node 2i DAC, GFP-555 Pre, GFA-555 Amp to my SDA-2Bs, connected with Cardas terminations. The speakers have new fabric, mahogany caps, TL’d with Gimpod boards Sonicaps all around, RDO-198 tweeters, Dynamat baskets, and Hurricane nuts. (any feedback appreciated, of course)
My wife and I are blown away (The dog will need some adjusting). My home is filled with phenomenal sound. It’s as if I’m listening to all of the music I love for the first time and discovering so much more to love. (I know, It’s only been a day …might be getting carrier away)
I really want to thank David and Jesse as well as all of the others on this forum that have gone to the trouble to ask questions and share in detail, with pictures, their own upgrade journeys.
Long Version: I bought my SDA-2Bs right out of college in ’89. Other than a boom box , they were the first speakers I owned and have ultimately become the only speakers I’ve ever owned. I imagined becoming a great audiophile and bought the best speakers I could afford along with a cheap receiver to hold me over until I could afford the rest of the system. Immediately thereafter, 30 years of life got in the way.
Having recently retired I sought to correct my neglect and injustice I’ve levied on my trusty speakers as well as attempt to realize an ambition of my youth. In the process I found this forum. After several hours of time here, relying heavily on Westmassguy/David/DHS Speaker Service and F1Nut/Jesse’s generous input to this forum, I gathered some courage, bought Gimpod boards, and a bunch of Sonicaps, many other supplies and jumped.
Yesterday I fired up my system (spoiler alert: it worked): Amazon Music HD source through Blusound Node 2i DAC, GFP-555 Pre, GFA-555 Amp to my SDA-2Bs, connected with Cardas terminations. The speakers have new fabric, mahogany caps, TL’d with Gimpod boards Sonicaps all around, RDO-198 tweeters, Dynamat baskets, and Hurricane nuts. (any feedback appreciated, of course)
My wife and I are blown away (The dog will need some adjusting). My home is filled with phenomenal sound. It’s as if I’m listening to all of the music I love for the first time and discovering so much more to love. (I know, It’s only been a day …might be getting carrier away)
I really want to thank David and Jesse as well as all of the others on this forum that have gone to the trouble to ask questions and share in detail, with pictures, their own upgrade journeys.
Comments
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Two of the best on this forum.
Congratulations on the achievement.
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My Pleasure. Enjoy them.Home Theater/2 Channel:
Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer
dhsspeakerservice.com/ -
Congrats. 2B's were among the few sets of polks I have enjoyed. You did great by hooking up with David. He is amazing."if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
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Pictures please? And yes, there are some really good people here that are always willing to help.
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Jim, get them off the dollies.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 -
Jesse, Unfortunately, I normally and necessarily have terrible speaker placement with them about 15’ apart and one close to an adjacent wall, the other not. I have 6 decade old ears but it definitely affects the sound stage as well as does some lop-sided stuff. When I want the most out of them I roll them to a much more ideal listening locations (one in front of our TV). This is a big improvement in sound. Although I really don’t have a good feel for consequences of having them on the dollies, they make moving them convenient and I was just kind of accepting that it is a reasonable compromise. It might also be a bit that I like the way they look and I might be guilty of “fashion before function”. Too honest?
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Grest job!
The guys here took care of me the same way.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"
