Need advice

[rdupre]

Hello fellow Vintagers. This is the first post for me - just joined today. I need some advice please. I have a pair of SDA 1's. Bought them in 1989. They are wonderful. I am ready to move into the surround sound arena. I need to buy surround speakers and center channel speaker. I also am in the market for a A/V surround receiver to drive the setup. Any advice on speakers and A/V receiver?

Thanks.

[ohskigod]

might want to do a search in the forum, lots has been posted about using SDA's in a home theater. some are for and against. i would go with a pair of vintage polks for your "center". i use a pair of monitor 5's with match very well with my RTA-12B's. i have a pair of SDA 2b's, but i use them in a seperate 2 channel rig. also, unless you go with close to flagship models on recievers, i hear they will have a hard time driving the SDA's, at the least, is not the best way to run them. you mst seriously consider seperate amplification for the SDA's. get a reciever with Pre Outs and a seperate 2 channel amp for the SDA's


my .02, but search the forum for previous posts (SDA/HOme theater) and get other opinions. hopefully others will chime in here as well.

[Tour2ma]

Welcome to the Club... Which model SDA 1's do you own? If you bought new in '89, they are likely the 1C's... very attractive model with cabinets like the SRS series.

I think SDA's make great mains for HT. With their added "reach" they blend very well with the side surrounds.

osg makes a nice point about using other old Polks for center channel service. It's about the only way you can fully blend the front stage, what with different tweeters in the newer Centers Polk made. Your 1's have the SL2000 tweet. The Mon 5B or any of the Mon 5 Jr's also use the SL2000.

If you are viewing a standard picture tube TV, you would need to buy some bucking magnets to minimize the old Polk's magnetic field, or you will gauss your tube. This is also a potential issue with your SDA's. You can buy bucking magnets through Polk Customer Service and as a Club member you get a discount and free shipping. No such gaussing issue exists with projection TV's.

If you want to go with a "modern" center channel, a CS 350 or 400 is about as close as you can get. There's a 350 on ebay right now.... maybe. Anything between $200 and $250 would be a good price...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT
Do note that this ad does have some issues, e.g., a stock picture (and the wrong one at that, he shows a CSi3). This is the reason I said "maybe" above. And don't be surprised if you see the listing pulled before it ends, as the Seller lifted the picture from Polk's web-site. And Polk's kinda particular about that type of thing.

It is less critical that your surrounds exactly match your front stage, which is a good thing since older Polk surrounds seem to have all but dried up.

For side surrounds, if you are going 7.1, if you can find f/x 1000's, grab them. f/x 500's are a good alternative, but again both are pretty scarce these days.

For rears you can expand your choices from the f/x line to include direct speakers, if you will be sitting a few feet in front of them. So again, all the vintage Monitors may be back in play...

As for electronics... most folks will agree that you need something with some guts to drive your 1's. And for the most part that either means separates or an AVR that can support external amps.

Outlaw audio has a strong following here and makes separates, and power, affordable. Among AVR's the Denon 3805 is a strong performer, but an add-on amp for drining or bi-amping your mains is a step you will need to consider.

Others will be along with other opinions to be sure...

[rdupre]

Thanks for the welcome Tour2ma and ohskigod. Great info. My SDAs are 1B's, I have been driving them in stereo with a Sony ES that I bought at the same time as the speakers. That is when Sony was really happening.

Sound like you guys are serious audiophiles. I am not in your league but I appreicate the advice. I have been looking at the Rotel 1056 A/V receiver. Sounds like you guys prefer seperates to get the full benefit of the SDAs.

Do either of you know a reputable high end store in Houston that you would recommend?

[Tour2ma]

Well, how high-end? :D

Many of us, including me, do prefer separates for any number of reasons, but in the case of being able to realize the potential of larger Polks (and your 1B's qualify) we are all fans of big power with current to spare. Some VR's do meet this criteria and Rotel is among them. Others in Rotel's class are: Sunfire, B&K, Outlaw... probably a couple more...

For Rotel, HomeTheaterStore (a couple around Houston), carries them. Have visited one of their locations a few times. Staff I've met has been above average, but I have no buying experience with them.

Got your return PM... Should you want to rendesvous downtown sometime for some audio trolling, give a shout.. That's downtown Houston, not Conroe... ;) I love helping others spend their money... and will work for beer...

Don't apologise for your ES. Until relatively recently some of the mainstays around here were proud Sony ES owners. A couple still are. Those that moved on took big steps up to McCormick, Musical Fidelity and such.

... and I'm not a serious anything... just ask around... :p

[BlueMDPicker]

Welcome to the forum, rdupre!

I'm also beginning the process of building a (modest) HT system, so I'll be watching this thread with interest.

I'm using SDA 2-B's for my front mains, with Magneplaner MG1's for rears in a 5.1 configuration (and still debating whether to add a center channel driver.) A used Denon AVR-87 (90 watts nominal x 5), purchased from another forum member, seems to drive the setup nicely for the small room it's in (14x18). After watching a few of our favorite flicks (Pirates of the Carribean and Return of the King) to audition the new setup, we feel all we're "missing" is a small sub woofer.

You and Tour2ma will have a blast brainstorming and gear trolling. Enjoy!

Mike

[Tour2ma]

Originally posted by BlueMDPicker
we feel all we're "missing" is a small sub woofer.
Mike

psst.... think SVS PB10...

[rdupre]

I'm going to love this forum! Thanks everyone.