Ealyb11
Well-Known Member
Ever see something and decide it's nice enough looking that why not pick it up, it's cheap right? Not knowing what you're really buying.
Well that's how this story started.
A local pawn shop had these big boys sitting in the end of an aisle. 60$. "Well can we hook them up?" I asked one of the generally bumbling employees. "Yeah...sure can you carry them?" She replied.
Confirming that all 8 drivers were firing I soon departed the store, 60$ poorer and in need of an SUV to carry them home. 4' tall, just over a foot wide and deep, and my guess puts them about 65 pounds, maybe closer to 75, each.
For about 3-4 months they served faithfully as the fronts in a budget home theatre set up, I even snagged a center channel from the same company that had more or less the same look at tweeter off eBay.
Then, I decided I wanted to know what they sounded like off of my 300$ Yamaha receiver. So I carried them into my room and hooked them up in place of my Magnepan MMG's. Powered by a Hafler XL280, guided by a Parasound P3 Halo, these Sound Dynamics really came to life. Are they Maggie's? No of course not. Keep in mind I paid 60$ for these and have over $450 in my Maggie's and their stands. There's really nothing I dislike about these SD65s speakers. Part of the Signature series for what that's worth. Based on what little I can find, these are probably re named versions of some long forgotten Energy speakers. They are in near mint condition with no rips or tears or dings or dents. The only thing they needed was two dust caps replaced as the old ones had been lost somewhere along the way.
Easy fix! I replaced all four so they match and I have used the others left over for another project speaker. Win-win.
The sound from these is very balanced, why I probably don't have any complaints about them. Compared to some Cerwin Vega AT15's they have a MUCH Better top end. The CV mid range was better, or maybe just more apparent, but the 15 is a dual mid range driver design. The CV obviously shakes the neighbors house with bass. Probably my biggest surprise is the lack bottom end thrust from the SD's. It's there, it's plenty, but with 2 12's I was expecting it to be absurd, like CV's or the larger DCM KX Series. Balanced just keep coming to mind with these. The top end to me is right in the balance of all day listening, with just a hint of brightness, and mix in a genuine airy feeling and I think these sound great no matter where you sit in the room. The same could not be said for the 1 foot by 1 foot sweet spot of the MMG's. Mainly why I've taken them out of the system. There's wayyyyy to much pickiness in how they are set up and where you sit to make them a good casual listening speaker. I rarely sit and just listen anymore, I'm usually up doing something. Also, I can't find specs so I'm just guessing but the sensitivity of the MMG is 86ish, well these Sound Dynamics I'd venture to say are mid 90's. I get similar volume out of them at 35 that I do from the Maggie's at 55 on the Parasound.
I run a sub with these, but it isn't really needed. They don't have the down low command of my old Infinity CS-3007, but they have just the right amount, and toss in the sub, crossed at about 50hz, and it works great for my room and needs.
If you're still reading I hope this has given you some insight on a rare pair of speakers with about zip about them online. I don't know what they are worth, I don't know what they are rated for wattage wise, but what I have here works great. I don't even know their impedance.
Rock, jazz, soul, electronic, all sounds good to me. As a critical listening speaker I'm sure they fall short to a hardcore audiophile, but for a large floor stander they have one of the most balanced sounds I've come across. And there's something to be said for a speaker that you can just turn on and jam to day in and day out.
Well that's how this story started.
A local pawn shop had these big boys sitting in the end of an aisle. 60$. "Well can we hook them up?" I asked one of the generally bumbling employees. "Yeah...sure can you carry them?" She replied.
Confirming that all 8 drivers were firing I soon departed the store, 60$ poorer and in need of an SUV to carry them home. 4' tall, just over a foot wide and deep, and my guess puts them about 65 pounds, maybe closer to 75, each.
For about 3-4 months they served faithfully as the fronts in a budget home theatre set up, I even snagged a center channel from the same company that had more or less the same look at tweeter off eBay.
Then, I decided I wanted to know what they sounded like off of my 300$ Yamaha receiver. So I carried them into my room and hooked them up in place of my Magnepan MMG's. Powered by a Hafler XL280, guided by a Parasound P3 Halo, these Sound Dynamics really came to life. Are they Maggie's? No of course not. Keep in mind I paid 60$ for these and have over $450 in my Maggie's and their stands. There's really nothing I dislike about these SD65s speakers. Part of the Signature series for what that's worth. Based on what little I can find, these are probably re named versions of some long forgotten Energy speakers. They are in near mint condition with no rips or tears or dings or dents. The only thing they needed was two dust caps replaced as the old ones had been lost somewhere along the way.
Easy fix! I replaced all four so they match and I have used the others left over for another project speaker. Win-win.
The sound from these is very balanced, why I probably don't have any complaints about them. Compared to some Cerwin Vega AT15's they have a MUCH Better top end. The CV mid range was better, or maybe just more apparent, but the 15 is a dual mid range driver design. The CV obviously shakes the neighbors house with bass. Probably my biggest surprise is the lack bottom end thrust from the SD's. It's there, it's plenty, but with 2 12's I was expecting it to be absurd, like CV's or the larger DCM KX Series. Balanced just keep coming to mind with these. The top end to me is right in the balance of all day listening, with just a hint of brightness, and mix in a genuine airy feeling and I think these sound great no matter where you sit in the room. The same could not be said for the 1 foot by 1 foot sweet spot of the MMG's. Mainly why I've taken them out of the system. There's wayyyyy to much pickiness in how they are set up and where you sit to make them a good casual listening speaker. I rarely sit and just listen anymore, I'm usually up doing something. Also, I can't find specs so I'm just guessing but the sensitivity of the MMG is 86ish, well these Sound Dynamics I'd venture to say are mid 90's. I get similar volume out of them at 35 that I do from the Maggie's at 55 on the Parasound.
I run a sub with these, but it isn't really needed. They don't have the down low command of my old Infinity CS-3007, but they have just the right amount, and toss in the sub, crossed at about 50hz, and it works great for my room and needs.
If you're still reading I hope this has given you some insight on a rare pair of speakers with about zip about them online. I don't know what they are worth, I don't know what they are rated for wattage wise, but what I have here works great. I don't even know their impedance.
Rock, jazz, soul, electronic, all sounds good to me. As a critical listening speaker I'm sure they fall short to a hardcore audiophile, but for a large floor stander they have one of the most balanced sounds I've come across. And there's something to be said for a speaker that you can just turn on and jam to day in and day out.
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