Best Amplifier for SDA SRS 2 speakers

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drgalexo
drgalexo Posts: 159
edited October 2012 in 2 Channel Audio
I'm in the process of repairing my SDA SRS 2 speakers that were damaged using the wrong non common ground monoblock amplifiers. The Denon POA 6600 amp are 250wpc and I really liked the power until I plugged in the interconnect cable. I would now like to repower the speakers with an integrated amplifier. Any suggestions would be helpful. I know GlennDog uses Adcom 5802 (also non common ground I think), and evhudsons uses Parasound 1500. I have the 1986 blade-blade interconnect with the speakers and I know they are different.
Gary
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited September 2012
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    Belles 350A
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    edited September 2012
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    George would definitely know. I have never heard the Belles but I hear nothing but great things about them.

    If you are interested in going the tube route, I'm currently running my SRS 2s with an Anthem Amp 1 and it sounds incredible. Don't let the 40 wpc that the Amp 1 is rated at scare you, they have plenty of muscle to run the SRS 2s to extremely loud levels.

    B&Ks also sound excellent with SDAs. I used to run my SDA-1Cs with a B&K ST202+ and it sounded great.
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  • drgalexo
    drgalexo Posts: 159
    edited September 2012
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    I would definitely consider tubes, but haven't heard any in many years. I must admit I am a bit confused about the watts ratings. These speakers seem to love the 250 wpc with the Denon monoblocks vs the 120wpc with the Kenwood. Why is the 40wpc Anthem able to offer adequate power? I've also seen some really expensive amps in these posting that are not tubes with much less than the Denons.
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  • drgalexo
    drgalexo Posts: 159
    edited September 2012
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    The Belles 350A has awesome reviews!!
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  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    edited October 2012
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    You have to be careful with watt ratings in amps. Not all watts are created equal. It's all about headroom, reserve power, and being stable while pushing low ohms. A tube amp will generally be able to push harder to drive speakers with much lower watt ratings than their solid state counter parts. Trust me, the Amp 1 has no trouble pushing the SRS 2s.
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  • hewlew1
    hewlew1 Posts: 154
    edited October 2012
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    Not a single Sunfire mention?
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  • drgalexo
    drgalexo Posts: 159
    edited October 2012
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    Any thoughts on McIntosh power for the SDA SRS 2's. Which preamp/amp combos will compliment these speakers best?
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  • bryan j
    bryan j Posts: 2
    edited October 2012
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    Though not Sunfire, I've used the Carver A760x and the 1.5t with these speakers with good results.
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  • hewlew1
    hewlew1 Posts: 154
    edited October 2012
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    I have my SDA-SRS speaks running on a 300x2 sunfire amp. I am very pleased with the results. Into a 6 ohm load the sunfire is good for around 450 watts per channel.
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  • drgalexo
    drgalexo Posts: 159
    edited October 2012
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    Sunfire only makes multichannel amps curently, and 300x2 ishard to come by.
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  • Big Dawg
    Big Dawg Posts: 2,005
    edited October 2012
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    I've used a few different amps on my srs2s. Currently also using anthem amp-1 (40 watts per channel into 4 or 8 Ohms). This is a nice tube amp and can drive the speakers to very high volumes with clarity and impact while also sounding great at lower listening levels. It replaced a carver m4.0t (375 watts per channel into 8 Ohms, 500 into 4). The carver had a little more low end bang, and I enjoyed it as well. Overall I prefer the musicality of the Anthem, but neither is giving me exactly the sound I am seeking. Will be "TL-ing" the srs2s at some point soon, maybe that will get me closer to my ideal.
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  • rlmacklin
    rlmacklin Posts: 46
    edited October 2012
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    I have successfully used a pair of Odyssey Mono Extremes (probably just below "glass ceiling" upgrades) with my SDA-SRS-2 speakers since I purchased them from George Daniel. However, I specifically informed Klaus concerning these speakers' requirement for "common ground amplifier" and had Klaus "triple check" the pair of Odyssey Mono Extremes to make sure they could be used with these speakers without any problems. There is a short cable connecting the negative/ground posts of the amplifiers.
    These amps match well with the SRS-2s and have them "singing."
    (Of course if I ever go to Odyssey Kismets I expect they would "sing" even better...)
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  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    edited October 2012
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    Big Dawg wrote: »
    I've used a few different amps on my srs2s. Currently also using anthem amp-1 (40 watts per channel into 4 or 8 Ohms). This is a nice tube amp and can drive the speakers to very high volumes with clarity and impact while also sounding great at lower listening levels. It replaced a carver m4.0t (375 watts per channel into 8 Ohms, 500 into 4). The carver had a little more low end bang, and I enjoyed it as well. Overall I prefer the musicality of the Anthem, but neither is giving me exactly the sound I am seeking. Will be "TL-ing" the srs2s at some point soon, maybe that will get me closer to my ideal.

    Dawg,

    Try some RCA Triple Mica Blackplate 5814 tubes in the left and right driver tube positions. These combined with a RCA TM BP 5751 in the input tube position and some Wing C EL34s has really brought the bass impact and extenstion levels of the the Amp 1 to levels comparable to solid state amps I have tried with the SRS 2s. It also has great mids, highs, imaging, dynamics,and soundstage. This is by far the best tube setup I have found with my Amp-1 in my set-up. What kind of pre are running?

    BTW to the original poster, this is another advantage of tubes, being able to try different tubes to taylor the sound to your tastes and set-up.
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  • drgalexo
    drgalexo Posts: 159
    edited October 2012
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    I did not realize that changing the tubes could alter the sound that much, a nice benefit indeed. Rim., you are lucky you could strap those Odyssey monos together, Denon told me not to do that with mine, that would have been way to easy.
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  • gigbyt
    gigbyt Posts: 145
    edited October 2012
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    Yamaha a2000? nice meters too.
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  • gigbyt
    gigbyt Posts: 145
    edited October 2012
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    or a mcintosh mc2500 all the power you ever need,LOL.
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  • cwelk87gn
    cwelk87gn Posts: 11
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    I know this is an old post but I just bought an old Yamaha a2000 from the late 80's. Does anyone here know much about these? Not too much info on that old amp.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,579
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    https://www.crutchfield.com/S-rSgsYLOrpKx/p_022RXA2000/Yamaha-RX-A2000.html

    https://www.ebay.com/c/6028173883

    Which one or provide a picture
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  • cwelk87gn
    cwelk87gn Posts: 11
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    It is the one on ebay, looks like a 1983 Betamax. Are these good with those old SDA's?
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,579
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    Well it's a receiver so it will be common ground which is important.
    So now which SDA's do you have, and are they blade/blade or pin/blade model.
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  • cwelk87gn
    cwelk87gn Posts: 11
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    Well it appears to be Blade/Blade. One is smaller than the other.
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  • cwelk87gn
    cwelk87gn Posts: 11
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    Oh and sorry they are SDA2's.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,579
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    3 woofers or 2, 4 ?

    SDA 2 encompasses many models.
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  • cwelk87gn
    cwelk87gn Posts: 11
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    We have 2 tweeters, 3 midwoofers and of course the passive radiator.
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,579
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    Ok go easy on the volume. IIRC both those and the sda2a start out at 4ohms and drop low into the 3ohm area. That is very hard on receivers.
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  • cwelk87gn
    cwelk87gn Posts: 11
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    Yeah, I think I might have killed the left channel of my Onkyo Integra trying to jam the Polks a little too loud. I've got an old Hafler 280xl and it gets super hot driving them, so Ii get your point. Thanks so much for the help Pit! Now if you know anything about that Yamaha......the owners manual is in Japanese...
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