Polk SDA's

[EPI-Center]

gents,

having recently discovered some Polk Monitor 10s and hearing some RTA 12's I've decided to pursue some SDA's....

I'm curious how many SDA owners have them first in the rotation and what kind of speakers they've displaced.

 

[mfhale]

Until recently, I had SDA-2B's as my primaries. They displaced a pair of Advent 25th Anniversary (5012).

The sounded fantastic. Unfortunately, the soundstage was MUCH bigger than my small room. In a big room, the SDA's are excellent.

 

[EPI-Center]

Until recently, I had SDA-2B's as my primaries. They displaced a pair of Advent 25th Anniversary (5012).

The sounded fantastic. Unfortunately, the soundstage was MUCH bigger than my small room. In a big room, the SDA's are excellent.

see this is what I need to hear. I have a fairly small room. Does the soundstage envelope you entirely?

 

[geoff727]

My listening room is a little over 12 feet across. I owned the SDA-1C, SDA-2B, and SDA SRS 2.3tl. To be totally honest, I never got the soundstage performance that I would have liked in this room. I actually got superior imaging from far smaller forward-radiating speakers, like the Polk Monitor 5's. And, the dipoles (i.e. Magnepan's) have, so far, provided the best imaging and soundstaging of all of them. That is, of course, speaking for this room, and after having gone through much careful set-up. SDA's work best when you can keep them several feet away from sidewalls, and I never could give them that kind of space in here. It's definitely something to consider if your room is smaller (but I had to hear it to believe it).

 

[HypnoToad]

Until recently, I had SDA-2B's as my primaries. They displaced a pair of Advent 25th Anniversary (5012).

The sounded fantastic. Unfortunately, the soundstage was MUCH bigger than my small room. In a big room, the SDA's are excellent.

After hearing yours I just had to have a pair, so it's all your fault, again.

But seriously they sound absolutely fantastic, but I found they don't like to be near side walls.

They need at least three feet from each side wall and about six feet between them. With the listener sitting at least six feet away.

The smaller models are supposed to be good in smaller rooms.

I initially looked at getting some Martin Logans but decided on the SDA's after hearing them and they turned out way cheaper.

 

[EPI-Center]

After hearing yours I just had to have a pair, so it's all your fault, again.

But seriously they sound absolutely fantastic, but I found they don't like to be near side walls.

They need at least three feet from each side wall and about six feet between them. With the listener sitting at least six feet away.

The smaller models are supposed to be good in smaller rooms.

I initially looked at getting some Martin Logans but decided on the SDA's after hearing them and they turned out way cheaper.

congrats hypnotoad...thanks for the measurements, I'm down to measure now

 

[HypnoToad]

congrats hypnotoad...thanks for the measurements, I'm down to measure now

If you go to http://www.polksda.com/ you will find all sorts of information on them, including owners manuals.

 

[EPI-Center]

yikes...I don't think I have enough room for these unless I populate another room in the basement, which may or may not create some interesting reaction at home. Now you've got me thinking!

 

[apachef1]

I'm listening to my SDA SRS's now in a room that is not perfect but a little tweaking and wall treatments these babies sound sweet. 350watts of pure tube power helps also Polks are efficient but you need power the more the better.

 

[superdog]

I passed on a nice pair at a thrift for $175 because after doing some research as you are now I found i just didn't have the room for them to sound their best.

 

[HypnoToad]

I'm listening to my SDA SRS's now in a room that is not perfect but a little tweaking and wall treatments these babies sound sweet. 350watts of pure tube power helps also Polks are efficient but you need power the more the better.

Yes I forgot to say that the measurements is for optimum listening.

They can be a little closer together four feet or more, so a room with a ten foot wall will mean 3 feet from side walls and nearly four feet in between will give good results and sitting six feet from them.

Or you can always buy a bigger house.

I like the way they don't sound harsh or strained, even the highs.

 

[apachef1]

Yes I forgot to say that the measurements is for optimum listening.

They can be a little closer together four feet or more, so a room with a ten foot wall will mean 3 feet from side walls and nearly four feet in between will give good results and sitting six feet from them.

Or you can always buy a bigger house.

I like the way they don't sound harsh or strained, even the highs.

Polk makes a new replacement soft dome tweeter and you can listen to your Polks for hours without listener fatigue. Polk's are a tough customer to beat. They seem to do everything well. I've only listened to a few speakers out a many in all price ranges that I could say were much better sounding but of course that comes with a very high price.

 

[EPI-Center]

I have a 10 foot room....maybe I should be looking at RTA's instead.

Yes I forgot to say that the measurements is for optimum listening.

They can be a little closer together four feet or more, so a room with a ten foot wall will mean 3 feet from side walls and nearly four feet in between will give good results and sitting six feet from them.

Or you can always buy a bigger house.

I like the way they don't sound harsh or strained, even the highs.

 

[motorstereo]

My 2.3s are in my main set up and have been since they arrived several years ago. They are not in rotation. Mine replaced a pair of ba400's. The ba's are nice but not sda nice. Do you have a line on some sda's? The bigger the room the better, they love lots of clean power, and a recap makes a huge difference. Those are a few things to keep in mind while on the hunt for your sda's.
Not to go off topic but I'm loving the T85 I got from you on Saturday. It is in fact an upgrade over my T80.
Good luck in your quest.

 

[EPI-Center]

I have a line on some sda's...I recently got some monitor 10's and really like them a lot and am hearing that the sda's are nicer..and I've heard w1jim's rta12's and they were just super nice sounding so I'm starting to dig the polk scene.

it was really hard for me to move that t-85.....I'm glad you're enjoying it. I think a tuner that good deserves to be in circulation. I've had it make stations absolutely silent that all my sansui's could pull in but had background noise with.

My 2.3s are in my main set up and have been since they arrived several years ago. They are not in rotation. Mine replaced a pair of ba400's. The ba's are nice but not sda nice. Do you have a line on some sda's? The bigger the room the better, they love lots of clean power, and a recap makes a huge difference. Those are a few things to keep in mind while on the hunt for your sda's.
Not to go off topic but I'm loving the T85 I got from you on Saturday. It is in fact an upgrade over my T80.
Good luck in your quest.

 

[cornhulio]

I may be the exception when it comes to placement but I can put mine anywhere I want and they sound awesome even within inches of sidewalls and rear walls.

Polk makes a new replacement soft dome tweeter and you can listen to your Polks for hours without listener fatigue

I tried the replacement tweeters for months and they were dull and lifeless and a complete waste of money. If you are into clarity and detail the stock tweeters are unbeatable. I fine tuned the slight brightness for $2 per tweeter.

 

[morphcat]

If you have a chance, I recommend giving the Polk Lsi 9's a listen also. I have a set of re-capped 10's and some sweet little SDA CRS'. They are all great. However, the winner in my house (for now) is the Lsi9 (with sub). Extremely focused imaging and very natural sounding highs.....

 

[mfhale]

After hearing yours I just had to have a pair, so it's all your fault, again.

But seriously they sound absolutely fantastic, but I found they don't like to be near side walls.

They need at least three feet from each side wall and about six feet between them. With the listener sitting at least six feet away.

The smaller models are supposed to be good in smaller rooms.

I initially looked at getting some Martin Logans but decided on the SDA's after hearing them and they turned out way cheaper.

Your wife isn't gonna let you visit anymore if you keep buying stuff.

I'd love to get my hands on a pair of the CRSs, but they're not very common. Those 2Bs were just too much in my small room.

 

[mfhale]

see this is what I need to hear. I have a fairly small room. Does the soundstage envelope you entirely?

Like everyone else has said, it's tough to get far enough from the back and side walls in a small room.

I've been a sucker for the Polks since the mid-80s when I heard them at Home Entertainment (now Tweeter). I had to have a pair, but I didn't consider placement. Now I'm wishing I had my 10Bs back.

 

[tx_polkhead]

I have a pair of RTA12C's in the livingroom doing double duty as 2 channel stereo and R & L channels of a HT system. They are about 9 feet apart (center to center) and really fill the large room. The bedroom is about 13 x 18 +/- and the compact bookshelf 'baby' SDA's the CRS+ SDA really sing in that space. I think you might really like the CRS+, every now and them I'll shlep the sub to the bedroom and you would think the band has set up a stage in the room with you!