I Finally Did It!!!

[DR. SNOW]

I finally dought a pair of Polk SDA-CRS+. I had almost forgotten about these speakers until I found this forum. I first heard the SDA at Audio Genesis in Glens Falls NY when I was 13. At 30 I finally have pair!!!! They sound better than I remember! I am using a Denon DRA-325 that I bought when I was 13 and it has served me very well. I hope to upgrade this to a Denon 3805 in a few months. I wanted to ask you fine people what you think about using the SDA series as HT speakers. I want to be able to listen to music as well without hampering the SDA effect. Has anyone tried making a switch to disable and enable the SDA effect? Is it recomended to run with the SDA effect with a HT setup or not, hence my first question. I found the Polk recomended center, rear and sub, but most are obsolete, are there updated recomendations or should I be keeping my eyes open for the obsolete stuff?

By the way DO NOT use UPS to ship speakers. I bought these off eBay at a premium because I could not wait any longer, I thought 17 years was enough. However UPS dropped one box, damaging a corner and worse yet breaking in half the large winding that the crossover attached to in the cabinet. I carefully rewound the coil and glued the spoll back together. Before, during , and after the prcess I took resistance measurments with a meter to make sure I was at the same resitance as when I started. Ithink it was 2.2 or 2.3 ohms. They sound FANTASTIC! Does anyone know where I can get the grill clips?

thanks everyone for making me think of the SDA again!

[F1nut]

Doc, welcome to the forum and congrats on your SDA's.

Why not try the SDA's as they are for HT, they excell at that too. If you run them with the cable disconnected or switched off you're not using one driver per cabinet and that will affect the sound and output. In fact, many use their SDA's for 2 channel HT and are very happy without a center or surrounds. They will sound even better with upgraded power, so get that new Denon or the like asap.

The grill plugs can be found at Parts Express. The ball is about a red ---- hair smaller though, but will work.

[Tour2ma]

Ditto on the welcome and the urging to try the SDA in your HT.

I find it blends very nicely with the surrounds...

Sorry to read of the UPS issue... Unfortunately it's not news to many of us...

[DR. SNOW]

Thanks for the input. I will try to upgrade my reciever by June. Cannot wait. Just to clarify...You guys think run 2 channel only witht the SDA? No center or rears? If I where to add a center or rears what would you recomed that would match the SDA-CRS+?

[F1nut]

All I'm saying is to try it, but no matter what you do, do not disable the SDA feature. I can't help you with matching speakers suggestions, perhaps some others will.

[Tour2ma]

DR. S.... As he's indicating, F1 is a 2 ch guy... not a HT rig in the house... and proud of it.

IMO, you will definitely get a better HT experience with a full 5.1 or 7.1 set up. While SDA's will reach outside the speakers, they still stay in front of you.

Surrounds come from the sides, behind, etc. Timbre matching surrounds is a non-issue for HT. It becomes an issue for multi-channel music, i.e., SACD, etc.

A center channel is not essential, if the sweet spot is all that is occupied, but is needed if multiple listening positions are occupied. Timbre matching is a center channel concern be it for HT or music. It's the tweeters that determine how good the match is...

The SL2000 is not an easy match. I've used both the CS-400 and the CS-350LS as centers. They are a fair match for my SRS's 2000's, but when I played with my 3.1tl's, their SL3000's were definitely a better match with the 400's.

Many here have updated their SL2000's with the updated replacement, the RD0194-1. It's more "SL3000-ish" sounding and should be an even better match for the CS series centers...

[nspindel]

Hi Dr. Snow -

Wow, you waited a long time. Looks like you and I heard the SDA-CRS+'s right around the same time. The only difference is, I bought them and you didn't :) I've had mine for 17 years now, and still love them just as much as the day I opened the boxes.

Right now, I am using them with the receiver I bought at the same time - Harman Kardon HK990 Vxi. I've always loved the combination of Polk and Harman Kardon. 90 wpc, beautiful sound. The only difference is that now I have it fed from a pc, playing flac's that I ripped from my cd collection, instead of using the stupid plastic discs. So I have the s/pdif from my pc running into a Boehringer SRC2496 dac, since 17 year old amps don't have digital processors. The 24-bit dac makes a huge difference, the system sounds better than it ever did before. Listening to Brahms Hungarian Dance no. 12 on it as I type. The thing I've always loved the best about this HK/Polk combo is that it sounds perfect with absolutely nothing done to the sound - treble/bass at dead center, no eq., nor do I do anything to the sound on the digital side. And that goes for anything from Mozart to Led Zeppelin.

As for HT, there was a while where I had the CRS+'s as my fronts in a 5.1 system. I've since replaced that whole setup with other stuff, and went with Polk in-walls and and HK 7.1 receiver. So I put the old system back together in the basement for 2 channel, hence the reunion of the CRS's with the HK990.

When I used these for HT, I had them matched with a Polk CS350-LS center channel, Polk LS-FX's in back, and a Polk PSW-200 sub. I was using an HK 5.1 amp that I've since sold. It was a terrific combo, and I've always used the SDA cable - it's great for HT as well, I definitely recommend using it.

Enjoy them, they'll be worth the wait for you!!!

[George Grand]

Jesse is a 2 channel guy and for good reason. I have the same reason. 5 operating rigs in the house and none HT.

Get a REAL full-range pair of speakers that image well, and require no sub.

I started monkeying around with a powered sub this weekend. It's the first powered sub I've had in-house. I used it with a bunch of different satellite speakers, and with a bunch of different room placements. My research yielded at least one thing to my ears....sub/sat systems are a compromise.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

[nspindel]

2 channel vs. 5.1 or 7.1 better/worse is kind of a silly argument.

Listening to Mozart, a high quality 2 channel is much better.

Watching the pod race scene in Star Wars Episode I, 7.1 is the only way to go.

Different things for different purposes.

This is kind of like asking which is better to drive - a Corvette or a pickup truck. If I'm out for a Sunday drive, the Corvette is what I want to be in. But if I have a lot of stuff to haul, I need the pickup. It's apples and oranges, really.

[Loud & Clear]

Originally posted by nspindel
2 channel vs. 5.1 or 7.1 better/worse is kind of a silly argument.

Listening to Mozart, a high quality 2 channel is much better.

Watching the pod race scene in Star Wars Episode I, 7.1 is the only way to go.

Different things for different purposes.

This is kind of like asking which is better to drive - a Corvette or a pickup truck. If I'm out for a Sunday drive, the Corvette is what I want to be in. But if I have a lot of stuff to haul, I need the pickup. It's apples and oranges, really.

Totally agree.

[HBombToo]

Originally posted by nspindel
2 channel vs. 5.1 or 7.1 better/worse is kind of a silly argument.

Listening to Mozart, a high quality 2 channel is much better.

Watching the pod race scene in Star Wars Episode I, 7.1 is the only way to go.

Different things for different purposes.

Granted but if I had to compimise between 2 channel and HT it would be with the CRS+ on the fronts with no center and a sub for watching films. The sub would only be on for HT use in other words.

I believe that was the intent of the original quesion by the good DR. and welcome to our humble abode.

HBomb

[George Grand]

I said sub/sat systems are a compromise. I didn't say surround was a compromise. If I wanted surround, which I don't, I'd go with 5 or 6 AR-9's in one room. Then if you stopped by, you'd feel the same way I do.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

[HBombToo]

Originally posted by George Grand
If I wanted surround, which I don't, I'd go with 5 or 6 AR-9's in one room. Then if you stopped by, you'd feel the same way I do.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

That adventure would have to wait on my end... after the Marantz 8 the wife has put a freeze on purchases for a while ;) I have no experience with AR's but with my new taste in vintage I could see myself in some deep kimchee(CHSP):(

HBomb

[nspindel]

I'm talking about quotes like these:

<<In fact, many use their SDA's for 2 channel HT and are very happy without a center or surrounds.>>

<<DR. S.... As he's indicating, F1 is a 2 ch guy... not a HT rig in the house... and proud of it.>>

I totally agree sub-sat is a compromise, as are my in-walls for the home theater. Sometimes one has to make asthetic compromises (especially when there's a wife involved!!!!!), and the high-quality stuff gets banished to the basement.....

If you can't have multiple rigs in the house, and your main use is music, then by all means stick with 2 channel. I pretty much only listen to music in the basement on my SDA's, the 7.1 setup is for tv/movies.

But I don't think anyone can argue that if you're watching a dvd, you're better off with a surround setup than with a 2 channel.....

[nspindel]

FYI, Here's my setup:

2-channel:
-------------
Power - Harman Kardon HK990 Vxi
Speakers - 2 x Polk SDA-CRS+
DAC - Behringer SRC2496
Source - PC via optical S/PDIF, ~1000 cd's ripped to flac via EAC secure mode

Home Theater:
-------------------
Power/Processing - Harman Kardon DPR1001
Fronts/Center - 3 x Polk RC85i
Side Surrounds - 2 x Polk RC60i
Rear Surrounds - 2 x Polk LS/FX
Sub - Polk PSW200
Display - Hitachi 60V500
Source - PC via Coax S/PDIF, ~200 dvd's ripped uncompressed via DVD Shrink 3.1, ~1000 cd's ripped as above.

Multi-Room:
---------------
Power - Harman Kardon PA 2000
Speakers - 4 x Polk Atrium 45, 2 x Polk AB705, 2 x Polk AB41A, 2 x Polk M5
Speaker Switch - Xantech 686-10



Hmmm, I count 20 Polk speakers in my house, I think Matthew Polk owes me a beer!!!!

[HBombToo]

Originally posted by nspindel
FYI, Here's my setup:

2-channel:
-------------
Power - Harman Kardon HK990 Vxi
Speakers - 2 x Polk SDA-CRS+
DAC - Behringer SRC2496
Source - PC via optical S/PDIF, ~1000 cd's ripped to flac via EAC secure mode

"DAC - Behringer SRC2496"

Tell me more??? have you researched the receiving chip...

High quality dacs imply low jitter if they are built correctly. Is Behringer dj gear?

HBomb

[nspindel]

I can't say that I was overly picky on the dac. I was feeding the rig through the analog out from the pc, which sounded like complete garbage because of all the interference inherent with analog on the pc - I just wanted a separate dac to get rid of all that. I did a little research, found this thing which seemed to blow away anything else you could get without spending much, much more. This retails for about $350, but street price is around $130. The analog outs are XLR, no RCA, so you'd need XLR->RCA cables to go to consumer type amps.

For this price point, I don't know how you could do better with jitter - it allows you to sync the clock with the digital input. Personally, I think the unit sounds absolutely fantastic.

Have a look:

http://www.behringer.com/SRC2496/index.cfm?lang=ENG

I bought it here:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHSRC2496

Several very positive reviews there. Good luck.

[nspindel]

Actually, my bad - one of the reviews I read had said that the retail price was ~$350, but it's been out for a few years. Looks like retail has dropped to ~$160.

[George Grand]

I can argue with you all day about if you're watching a dvd it's better in surround.

Depends on if you're watching a movie that was meant to engross you as an adult, maybe one in black and white with a mono soundtrack, or the latest edition of whatever kids are watching today. The ones with no plot whatsoever, but plenty of action to hold the childs attention.

I can put surround in any of the rooms and rigs in this house. Been down the surround road in many different incarnations since the 60's, and I have grown weary of it. Are you going to buy into 12.1 or 13.1 when THAT'S the rage? The speaker manufacturers are hoping you will.

FYI, I don't care what kind of equipment you have. I care about what equipment "I" have.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

[nspindel]

Wow, you're a real cheer to be around.

I hadn't realized that anything beyond black and white with a mono soundtrack was only meant for kids. I have a great idea for you - the next time you're looking for a sound system for your old black and whites, try going to Radio Shack - I hear they're running a special on transistor radios with mono aux. inputs. Enjoy.

Why bother posting on a forum if all you care about is yourself? You could have a much better time if you just stared at a mirror all day long.

Wow, a mirror and a transistor radio, and you're all set! Who's better than you???

[F1nut]

Mr. Grand's point, which I believe you missed, is that when it comes to films, if the story and acting aren't worth two squats all the surround sound in the world isn't going to make it worth watching.

I think of it like this, music is meant to be heard, film is meant to be watched. I don't want to watch a band play on a TV screen while I'm trying to listen to music nor do I care for things whizzing around the room while I'm trying to watch a flick. I digress, to each their own.

[nspindel]

<<FYI, I don't care what kind of equipment you have. I care about what equipment "I" have.>>

No, actually Mr. Grand's point is that he is a self-obsessed prick.....

[hotwheelman]

Originally posted by nspindel
<<FYI, I don't care what kind of equipment you have. I care about what equipment "I" have.>>

No, actually Mr. Grand's point is that he is a self-obsessed prick.....

Oh boy,Katy bar the door....the ****s about to hit the fan.

[F1nut]

Originally posted by nspindel

No, actually Mr. Grand's point is that he is a self-obsessed prick.....

You're totally out of line.

[hotwheelman]

Originally posted by F1nut
You're totally out of line.

Absofregginlutly........nspindude, you need to hang around a bit longer before you can justify the name calling. George has an opinion I will grant you that, but it is a damn good one that I respect and have NEVER found issue with, I guess some folks just can't swallow constructive criticism when it has been tossed to them.
The point is that HT is not everyones forte, and for some 2 channel listening in any environment is just fine with them. Georges point is that he is just fine with what he has and anything beyond that is considered overkill.

Quote:
"FYI, I don't care what kind of equipment you have. I care about what equipment "I" have."

That door can swing both directions......dig?

[George Grand]

I'll answer the only thing worth answering that the child brought up.

Who's better than me? The list is short Spunky, and I don't see your name on it.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

[RuSsMaN]

Yawn.

[nspindel]

Yeah George. Tell you what - go take a mortgage on your house, buy yourself a $50,000 Mark Levinson tube amplifier, maybe some nice vintage B&W monitors for $30,000 more. Then you could have 6 rigs in your house. Let me know if it makes a difference when you watch Citizen Cane for the 500th time.

You think you're better than me because you've posted on this forum 2000 times? Yeah, I'm impressed. All that tells me is that you have no life. No friends, just lots of audio equipment to keep you busy because that's all you have in your life.

<<Who's better than me? The list is short Spunky, and I don't see your name on it.>>

Like I said, self-obsessed prick. You prove my point.

<<nspindude, you need to hang around a bit longer before you can justify the name calling.>>

Says who? You? Who cares? The guy's making inflamatory arguments towards me, you think I need to "earn" the right to reply just because I just joined the forum. I've owned Polk speakers for 17 years - I'll say whatever I want in their forum, I could care less how long he's been providing his highly constructive opinions.

<<I guess some folks just can't swallow constructive criticism when it has been tossed to them.>>

I don't find his criticism constructive. I find it moronic. Nobody's telling the guy he has to have a home theater. Just don't criticize people who do as being children: <<Depends on if you're watching a movie that was meant to engross you as an adult, maybe one in black and white with a mono soundtrack, or the latest edition of whatever kids are watching today.>> I interpret that as meaning that the only reason you'd want surround sound is if you watch content meant for children. I take offense at that.

HBombToo - Good luck with your dac research, it's a shame we couldn't carry on a reasonable conversation without the peanut gallery.......

George, unlike you, I have better things to do with my time than argue about this nonsense. Later, Douche (of the Jersey Douches). Don't bother replying, I won't be checking back in.

[George Grand]

How DARE you yawn in the presence of Emperor "I have 8 posts" and "FYI, look at my list of impressive audio credentials".

I am in AWE of his list of audio products, and feel honored to behold it.

8 posts. Boy is he gonna LOOOOVE me.

Adios young shmucko.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

[jdhdiggs]

Hey George, I get your point but my thinking is that filmmakers today are more into providing an "experience" rather than just telling a story.

That being said, when you compare all movies prior to 1995 to all those since, of course your going have better good movies, and most likely, you forgot all the dog turds churned up during the same time. The more recent movies, probably the same ratio of good stories to steaming piles, however, now joe blow will buy something for the experience and/or the story.

I see both your points, I'll stay with the full experience and keep the surround. Music? only need 2 speakers there... ;)

Spindel: Seriously, chill out. If you haven't figured it out, a lot of us have met face to face and are friends. You come in here and start throwing your crap around and not expect everyone to react? Come on...

And at 1.39 posts per day? Yeah, he needs a life, maybe 30 seconds of his life everyday for a hobby that he helps several others out with... Yeah, this is a guy whose balls you should bust. Let's turn the page on this one, shall we?