Basic setup for SDA 2s / Amp recommendation

joelbyrd
joelbyrd Posts: 6
I have a pair of SDA 2s (2B I *think*), but haven't used them for about a decade - I have young kids and have been using cheap bluetooth speakers, and I'm so excited to hear a good pair of speakers again.

I don't have an amp or anything, so I need advice on a basic setup for these for music listening - I know very little about this kind of stuff. If possible, I'd like to spend not too much (maybe $200 or $300). Here are a couple specific questions:
  1. Amp recommendation. I guess this is the main thing. The only requirement I'm aware of is it needs to be "common ground" - how do I know if an amp is common ground? Here's a Sony amp that seems pretty decent - would this work? https://www.amzn.com/B078WFDR8D -- Ideally I'd like to be able to play through bluetooth.
  2. Is there anything else I need to consider, or any other equipment I need besides speaker wires? I do have the connector cable for these.

Answers

  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,481
    Receivers will be common ground. That is a receiver. Might link a picture of the speakers as SDA2a are very low impedence speakers and it will take a BRUTE of a receiver to handle the 4 ohm and lower impedence the SDA2a will throw at it.
  • pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Receivers will be common ground. That is a receiver. Might link a picture of the speakers as SDA2a are very low impedence speakers and it will take a BRUTE of a receiver to handle the 4 ohm and lower impedence the SDA2a will throw at it.

    Ok here's a photo: fbpdxy0cvvkd.jpg
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,481
    Is the interconnect pin/blade or blade/blade or show a picture of the interconnect and binding post cup.
  • pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Is the interconnect pin/blade or blade/blade or show a picture of the interconnect and binding post cup.

    I have to grab it out of my storage unit (we just moved), but I'm 98% sure it is pin/blade.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,481
    joelbyrd wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Is the interconnect pin/blade or blade/blade or show a picture of the interconnect and binding post cup.

    I have to grab it out of my storage unit (we just moved), but I'm 98% sure it is pin/blade.

    That would be to your benefit.
  • pitdogg2 wrote: »
    joelbyrd wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Is the interconnect pin/blade or blade/blade or show a picture of the interconnect and binding post cup.

    I have to grab it out of my storage unit (we just moved), but I'm 98% sure it is pin/blade.

    That would be to your benefit.

    Ok so you're saying that would indicate SDA 2Bs and therefore should work with the Sony receiver (which can handle speaker impedance of 6 - 16 ohms)? Also is 100 watts x 2 enough?
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,481
    joelbyrd wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    joelbyrd wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Is the interconnect pin/blade or blade/blade or show a picture of the interconnect and binding post cup.

    I have to grab it out of my storage unit (we just moved), but I'm 98% sure it is pin/blade.

    That would be to your benefit.

    Ok so you're saying that would indicate SDA 2Bs and therefore should work with the Sony receiver (which can handle speaker impedance of 6 - 16 ohms)? Also is 100 watts x 2 enough?

    Yes that should indicate a set of SDA2b. that receiver should get you going. Is it enough well ? It's a start. I'm firmly in the overkill camp LOL . If you're firmly in the receiver camp go up the chain to better 5 way binding posts and pre-outs for stand alone amps to be included in your receiver choice. That will allow you to add an amp down the road for more power.
  • pitdogg2 wrote: »
    joelbyrd wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    joelbyrd wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Is the interconnect pin/blade or blade/blade or show a picture of the interconnect and binding post cup.

    I have to grab it out of my storage unit (we just moved), but I'm 98% sure it is pin/blade.

    That would be to your benefit.

    Ok so you're saying that would indicate SDA 2Bs and therefore should work with the Sony receiver (which can handle speaker impedance of 6 - 16 ohms)? Also is 100 watts x 2 enough?

    Yes that should indicate a set of SDA2b. that receiver should get you going. Is it enough well ? It's a start. I'm firmly in the overkill camp LOL . If you're firmly in the receiver camp go up the chain to better 5 way binding posts and pre-outs for stand alone amps to be included in your receiver choice. That will allow you to add an amp down the road for more power.

    I'm pretty much a noob to audiophile stuff, so I'm not in a reciever camp or amp camp (amp camp, ha). What are the upsides to having more power? Is it mainly that you can play louder without distortion?
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    An amp with good current rating will make your speakers sound full even at lower volume
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,481
    edited September 2022
    joelbyrd wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    joelbyrd wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    joelbyrd wrote: »
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Is the interconnect pin/blade or blade/blade or show a picture of the interconnect and binding post cup.

    I have to grab it out of my storage unit (we just moved), but I'm 98% sure it is pin/blade.

    That would be to your benefit.

    Ok so you're saying that would indicate SDA 2Bs and therefore should work with the Sony receiver (which can handle speaker impedance of 6 - 16 ohms)? Also is 100 watts x 2 enough?

    Yes that should indicate a set of SDA2b. that receiver should get you going. Is it enough well ? It's a start. I'm firmly in the overkill camp LOL . If you're firmly in the receiver camp go up the chain to better 5 way binding posts and pre-outs for stand alone amps to be included in your receiver choice. That will allow you to add an amp down the road for more power.

    I'm pretty much a noob to audiophile stuff, so I'm not in a reciever camp or amp camp (amp camp, ha). What are the upsides to having more power? Is it mainly that you can play louder without distortion?

    you can never have TOO much power BUT you can certainly have too little. Yes it will play louder but that is a side benefit. Having too little power may cause you to push the receiver into clipping which will destroy drivers and tweeters (usually tweeters are the first to go). More powerful amps will have better current which is actually more important that watts.
  • txcoastal1 wrote: »
    An amp with good current rating will make your speakers sound full even at lower volume

    Ah ok....Any amp/receiver recommendations for say under $300 or $400?
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    Use what you have. Don't overdrive them and save up some coin. Easier to find a good amp in the 1K range.
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • boston1450
    boston1450 Posts: 7,438
    Here is what I did just, for fun one day.. I put a Marantz 2252b 52wpc receiver on my sda2b speakers. At 10:30 on the dial it started clipping.. I then hooked speakers to Yamaha cr1000 & it 70+?? wpc & it did ok, no clipping at med/high volume. Then on a Yamaha cr2040 & much better... I then placed them back on Adcom gfa555 where they were normally & never a issue.. I also tried the sda2b on Adcom gfa545 @80wpc iirc with no issues. I think I was using the 565 pre iirc... Amplifiers have the current over receivers.. I would recommend a decent receiver with at least 100wpc receiver or 80+wpc or more amplifier... I have used a 50wpc tube integrated amplifier with sda 2b 1c & crs speakers with excellent results
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    Randy/Maine