SDA cord for 1c not making a noticeable difference

[evhudsons]

Sorry about not researching more but time and circumstance is preventing me, but the interconnect SDA cord isn't making an audible difference upon connection for my friends 1c's. .

I tried it first on my crs+ which when I even touch the first bit of metal there is a very noticeable change. So the cord seems to be fine.

What else should I be looking for?

It's a pin blade by the way, but using a modded cord using just the pin connection

Thsnks!

[inspiredsports]

I might be all wet on this, but thought the CRS line needs both blade/blade on older iterations and pin/blade on newer models to be connected to complete the circuit.

At any rate, you don't have continuity somewhere in the circuit if there is no SDA effect, so probing around with a VOM meter is your next step.

[evhudsons]

The 1c's are pin blade like my crs+.

But I could try hooking both up.

I dont have a vom meter but I will get one if need be. I can try and make sure the internal wires are connected too. Are there any soecial places to check on the 1c's, and how many crossovers are there?

[Toolfan66]

I would pull the x-overs maybe just maybe these were powered with a non common ground amp and something went poof!!

[evhudsons]

Ouch, I hope not. It's worth fixing though. They still sound fantastic even without the SDA.

Will I see visible charring?

[polkabox]

Hello, all!

New here, but with a similar problem, and wanted to be sure I understand what SHOULD be before worrying about what isn't as it should be. I've had a pair of SDA-1s (black, 2-tweeter, 4-midrange, 1-passive radiator) which have served me well, but have been unused for a while, and have now found a pair of CRS+ (woodgrain, 1-tweeter, 2-midrange, 1-passive radiator). The CRS+ came without the interconnect cable, so I'm looking to use the one from the SDA-1s.

When checking continuity of a pin-blade interconnect cable, I have a circuit pin-to-pin, but not blade-to-blade. Should there be continuity frome blade-to-blade (logic seems to say "yes" to me, but I'd rather be safe and ask before fixing something that doesn't need fixing)?

Thanks for a great forum. I've lurked and learned for a while, and figured it's finally time to be seen and heard.

[evhudsons]

From what I read and understand on DarqueKnight's thread, the pin only carries the sda signal. The blade is support, but also is used in troubleshooting or testing the speaker. So using just the pin portion is fine.

I'm goin in a week or two to look at my friends 1c's to look at what the problem may be. I'm hoping it's just a loose wire

[F1nut]

Pin, yes. Blade, no. You're good to go.

[polkabox]

Pin, yes. Blade, no. You're good to go.

SUPER, and thanks! That's the good news.

A little more background: my son found the CRS pair at a sale in Rochester, NY. They were ticketed at $75 each, so he asked the seller if he'd take $40 - and was shocked when the guy said yes and took the $40 for the PAIR!.

The bad news is that when I looked at the CRS's now with my glasses on and in better light, I see that they're the blade-blade interconnect cable type, so no joy at using the one I have from the SDA-1 pair.

Oh well, nuthin's ever easy, and I guess that's why we can appreciate it so much more when things work!

Now I'm off to find a cable... either Polk or eBay, depending upon how anxious I get to hear the CRS's (and the more I read about them, the more anxious I'm getting).

Thanks again for the quick reply and a great source of info about everything Polk!

[SCompRacer]

The bad news is that when I looked at the CRS's now with my glasses on and in better light, I see that they're the blade-blade interconnect cable type.....

He got a great deal! Like it was mentioned, both blade terminals connect to the other speakers blade terminals. IIRC, there is a narrow blade at the top and wide blade at the bottom for polarity?

With the pin/blade, the blade is only connected with the Polk A1 non-common ground interface. That is a 1-1 transformer that prevents a hard wired circuit interconnect connection between the speakers when a non-common ground amp is used.

EDIT: I am fairly sure you can still purchase that blade/blade interconnect cable from Polk. Or you can make one.

[F1nut]

The bad news is that when I looked at the CRS's now with my glasses on and in better light, I see that they're the blade-blade interconnect cable type, so no joy at using the one I have from the SDA-1 pair.

As Rich states above, the blade/blade cable uses both wires. FYI, your SDA-1's are actually SDA 1C's, which are very different than the SDA 1's.

[Tour2ma]

Here is a helpful, SDA troubleshooting guide....

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/show...=1#post1297248

Making the Blade/ Blade SDA IC is simple. For troubleshooting lampcord and crimp-on quick connectors will suffice. Although male quickies would be called for, I seem to remember that the extra thickness of the female quick con's make them work a little better.

Good luck...

... and welcome to the Forum pokabox...

[evhudsons]

either do one at a time, or mark each end clearly so you know which one you are inserting in case it gets reversed. I just take a majic marker if using speaker wire and mark each end, the other I leave alone. One is positive the other negative.

[polkabox]

As Rich states above, the blade/blade cable uses both wires. FYI, your SDA-1's are actually SDA 1C's, which are very different than the SDA 1's.

My bad for being lazy and trying to use a generic SDA-1 instead of the proper SDA-1C designation - is 10 lashes with a limp interconnect cable enough punishment for the offense?

Thanks again to all who have responded and welcomed me, and especially for the pinout and polarity info. I'll be fiddling with a makeshift IC for the CRS pair (actually CRS+?) this afternoon and am looking forward to what I'll be hearing. Nothing too exotic as far as the source goes, just an 80's vintage Pioneer VSX-9700S from eBay that replaced a lightning-fried -5300 (yeah, there's surge protection in line now). I was pleasantly surprised at the difference in power and sound between the two, and couldn't beat the price (and yes, I admit to being a *frugal* son of a gun for those of you noticing the garage-sale price trend - hey, the -1C's were $100 about four years ago, and that was including a Sony 100Wpc receiver).

After about 20 years of proposal and presentation editing and production work followed by 5.5 years of freelancing after being laid off, I've gotten back to a more traditional (read that as "regularly providing income") job as of February this year. That said, it's been lean and mean as far as loose change for toys for a while, so it's good to be able to get back in the game somewhat.

As far as the blade-blade IC goes for the CRS pair, I've got some old wiring salvaged from I remember-not where that has some inverted "V" shaped connectors (think of a long flat blade/spade bent back over itself halfway down its length like > with the wire connected to one leg) that should be just about the right size and even springy enough to stay in place once inserted. Splice those onto polarity-marked cable, and I should be good to go. I'll post a followup if I can tear myself away from what I hear when I fire 'em up!

[SCompRacer]

As far as the blade-blade IC goes for the CRS pair, I've got some old wiring salvaged ....

Keep in mind Egon Spengler's advice about the proton pack...Don't cross the streams!

[polkabox]

I'll post a followup if I can tear myself away from what I hear when I fire 'em up!

Well, an initial disappointment - no highs at all from either CRS+. First thought for a temporary fix was to hop upstairs and grab tweeters from the SDA-1C's (currently not being used), and voila! everything came together and there was that beautiful room-full of sound that so impressed me the first time I heard SDA's!

Oh, and also confirmed that mine are no earlier than 1986 vintage (if I can believe the markings on the tweeters and that nothing's been swapped out before I got 'em).

Hard to believe the small CRS+ package can put out the sound that they do, and definitely a no-compromise substitute for the -1C's where space is limited.

Now I just have to work on getting some replacement tweeters so both the CRS+ and -1C pairs are happy!