SRT surrounds..the big ones! hookup question?

[brickie]

What's up fellas..New member here although cruising thru here I see many of my fellow AVSFORUM members here as well..

I'm a loyal Polk fan and just picked up a set of these to use..I talked with Ken earlier today and he left me with some questions..I didn't get the control module for them so he says some of the drivers(sda) may not work..true? Would really blow BIG time if so !!!!!!!!

Now he did say though, that I may be able to just parallel them(short jumpers) and run them that way..Only problem he saw would be impedance..It would be appraoching 2 ohms..No problem there with amps I use though(Crown pro XLS 402'S)..Any opinions? Will this work? Just need to know best way to hook these up so that ALL drivers work! Not concerned with SDA technology at this point..

My other questions are general,how do they sound?how much power will they take? Haven't been delivered yet,but want to be ready for when they come!They have more drivers than my Rt3000p's!!!Which with these Crown Amps,they are jaw dropping!!!:D

So any light you guys can shed to get me ready would be appreciated.

fronts polk rt3000p's
center cls350
side rears fx500's
side backs rt/fx

I'm hoping these will take over the duty of the fx500's..System is strictly for home theater,and music a distant 2nd! May even use as "extensions" off the front channels.I run a front projection system in my theater(livingroom), but due to room I can't get my rt3000p's from behind the screen..Doesn't sound bad,but these would be able to help solve that problem if I use them for that.

Sorry for long post, but thanks in advance!!

brickie

[scottvamp]

Nice first post - always like front projection guys. Nice setup - what size screen and FP unit are you using?

[brickie]

Hi, Thanks for compliment! I use a 92" diagnol(sp?)..Hope that's right..It's 80" x 45". My projector is a Sony CRt 1031Q. It's an oldie but man does it rock!!!!!I use a HTPC, to feed it dvd and hdtv!

brickie

[PolkWannabie]

Brickie ...

Welcome to the club ...

The SRT SDA Surrounds have stereo & SDA arrays in them like the SRT's themselves but with fewer ( 6 ) drivers. To PROPERLY utilize them they need the SRT control center.

I'm actually somewhat surprised that they'd sell the speakers without the control center, but in any case it is possible to make your own jumpers to power both arrays w/o the control center but you will not get the SDA effect.

Personally I think they sound great and they'll take more than 500 wpc ... However they are not a bi/dipole like the fx500's and imho bi/dipoles are better for the sides than point source speakers, but to each his own. Assuming that your rears are more than 2-3 feet behind your listening area I personally would use these in the back and keep the 500's on the sides.

PS ... If you think the 500's are large you'll be surprised how large these are as they are signifigantly taller than the fx 1000's...

[PolkWannabie]

PS ... If you get any kind of documentation or manual with the surrounds when they arrive, I would GREATLY APPRECIATE a copy of it by fax or scan or what have you.

[brickie]

Thanks for replies !!I will most definitely send you any documentation if I get any.Also thanks for the info on the surrounds..Is the SDA technology really a big deal? I have not heard the SRT system before, so have no experience with it..I do love my rt3000p's though!!!!And with the number of drivers in these surrounds, sounds like they may sound as good or better.:D

brickie

[PolkWannabie]

Is SDA technology a big deal ? ... Yes I think it is and virtually all here who have heard it I believe would agree ... but by the same token I wouldn't call it all that important for use on the sides and maybe not at all in the rears ...

As far as whether or not these surrounds are better than the 3000p's go ... it's apples and oranges ... these were designed specifically as surrounds and have different dispersion characterstics than a speaker designed to be mains. However for what it's worth I've had them hooked up as mains temporarilly as a test to see what they sounded like independent of other speakers and I was very impressed although they do not go very low

[brickie]

Sounds cool..Perhaps one day i can pick-up the controller..So they would be better served in the rear..I was thinking about using them in a front "effect" type way..

I use a front projector, and my Rt3000p's are unfortunately kinda behind the screen..Due to their size i just don't have the room to spread them out in this apt. The SRT surrounds though, I could parallel them off the Satellites of the Rt3000p's and get that sound from behind the screen..Just not sure what I want to do with them..But knew I had to have them when I saw them for sale.I do agree as well, that i like Bipole/dipoles for the sides.I just hate to delegate these to the back rears..Seems like they will be so underused!

Do you know what their TRUE impedance is?

brickie

[PolkWannabie]

Hmmm ... Maybe I missed something ... Did you not get these from Polk but instead are they the set that was on eBay that sold for unbelievably cheap ? ... I took a run at those myself but got my bid in seconds late as at that price if nothing else they'd be great spare parts for the SRT's as even at CP prices there's $800 worth of drivers there ...

In any case I think they would work well as front effect speakers if you can find something to mount them on ... BUT I also think that in that position they could very well make use of their SDA capability ...

From what you posted originally I thought you had the idea of using them on the sides to replace the fx500's which you now have on the sides ergo my comment about bi/dipoles being better on the sides than point sources ...

[brickie]

That is correct,my wife won the auction for me!!:p When I talked with Polk yesterday,they said they didn'thave them or the controllers anymore..Go figure.

My plan was to use them as replacements on side, but after talking with you,and a few others,got to thinking they would be great as front effect speakers as well!! Also the fact i agree with you about bipole/dipole on the sides make sthis seem more of the better solution..

I did get a set of grilles for them though, since I could never look at those drivers in the nude...Especially with kids around:( . I really hope they are as nice as they were rated for..The one little cracked corner I plan on fixing.

brickie

[PolkWannabie]

I thought Polk still had these speakers and the control center for sale, BUT only as a package ... and NOT for cheap ...

Where did you manage to get grills for them ?

[brickie]

The grills I got here at Polk. Not a bad price,seeing how I really wanted them.They were $60.I actually needed 4 grilles, 2 per speaker.

brickie

[Dennis Gardner]

Brickie,

You did really get a great deal on those speaks. The grills will finish them off nicely. I thought about getting them to use as dual centers under my front projection, but have too many irons in the fire at the moment.

Hope you get them to work for you,

Dennis

[brickie]

Thanks Dennis!! I will post my thoughts as soon as i get them hooked up and running.

brickie

[PolkWannabie]

Originally posted by Dennis Gardner
Brickie,

I thought about getting them to use as dual centers ...

Dennis

Yowee ... talk about overkill ... lol ...

[brickie]

Hey, no such thing!:p

brickie

[brickie]

Originally posted by brickie
That is correct,my wife won the auction for me!!:p When I talked with Polk yesterday,they said they didn'thave them or the controllers anymore..Go figure.

My plan was to use them as replacements on side, but after talking with you,and a few others,got to thinking they would be great as front effect speakers as well!! Also the fact i agree with you about bipole/dipole on the sides make sthis seem more of the better solution..

I did get a set of grilles for them though, since I could never look at those drivers in the nude...Especially with kids around:( . I really hope they are as nice as they were rated for..The one little cracked corner I plan on fixing.

brickie

Just found out that Polk still has these for sell for $1500 !!!!!!!!! This is with the contol center..WOW, Sounds like I got a hell of a deal!!!Just wish they would get here!!

brickie

[PolkWannabie]

Yes ... but the control centers aren't cheap either ...

As I said just the tweeters and drivers at Club Polk prices are $800 ...

[brickie]

Well got the speakers in today and must say pics didn't do them justice at all!!!!These speakers are really in nice shape..Can't wait for my grilles to get here to complete them! These really were a steal!

The one thing that amazes me is the weight and size.They are some HUGE surround speakers!!!!After hooking them up in the front,really leaning towards using them as surrounds in some fashion..I was able to use a little jumper to get the SDA array going..Don't know whati'm missing by not having controller,so no big deal..They sounded good in the front,but not as good as my Satellites from my Rt3000p's.Their midrange is just not as silky smooth in that regard..More drivers but smaller drivers..They really are amazing though. As far as bargains go, these rank with me getting my Rt3000p's new in the box for $1K. When I get them settled into their home i'll post pics!

brickie