Why were SDA's discontinued? by Matthew Polk

[Midnite Mick]

I just a found a pair of SDA-SRS for sale at a reasonable price.Since I have never heard them,how do they compare to my LSi 15 pair?If you know both well,I am appreciative of your response.p.s. I run the LSi with 300wpc,which I would use if I got the SDA.Many thanks!

You should start a new thread with that question.

[spaceman]

Just got a very nice pair of SDA SRS-2. Wow. Intense, true stereo. Perfect for me. Now to find a bigger amp lol.

much bigger.

[maxz28]

Those SDA's are sweet...wish I had room for a pair.

[phxrider]

I have SDA 1C's... they are awesome, unfortunately broken right now (that's another thread). Currently seeking 1.2TL's.

I wonder if Polk could sell them under another name through high end stores, kind of like Lexus is to Toyota... Or a high end series like a "signature series" that would not be sold online or in the regular outlets like Circuit City.

[phxrider]

So I guess the next question is "does anyone have an ML6511 they would be willing to part with?".

If not, what do they go for new and are they even available?

[Face]

So I guess the next question is "does anyone have an ML6511 they would be willing to part with?".

If not, what do they go for new and are they even available?

This thread was not intended for posts like this, please start your own thread or call Polk. Thanks!

[mantis]

Not many people want big huge speakers. Most want not to see there speakers if possible. Most don't even like bookshelf on stands or skinny floor standers.
This move then was necessary. It still holds water today.

Dan

[Lasareath]

If they took the SDA concept and married to new smoother driver components these speakers would just about be untouchable.

And here they are: http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/s...60-dvd-theater


This speaker is untouchable. I heard it firsthand at the Polk Audio Headquarters in Baltimore MD


Lasareath

[ben62670]

Again they don't have to be huge.

[Cardinals-1]

I have actually been thinking the same thing but never posted. I have never heard them and would like to hear what all the fuss is about. I don't know there would be enough interest though.

Mike

I have a set of SDA SRS 2.3's and the difference is sound stage. From my first set of 2B's to my big Polks they all sound very similar the sound stage just keeps getting bigger. There are newer speakers with smoother highs but the music raps around you.

[Cardinals-1]

And here they are: http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/s...60-dvd-theater


This speaker is untouchable. I heard it firsthand at the Polk Audio Headquarters in Baltimore MD


Lasareath

I have also heard this speaker and it does not even come close to my 2.3's. The big SRS's sound can be described in 2 words. Broad and Rich. These speakers are neither.

[NJPOLKER]

2 words. Broad and Rich. These speakers are neither.

Cardinals-1 thats "rich broads" !! not Broad and Rich

[Vette C6.r]

Another case of the death of a great product with the "Walmart" society

[Shocked One]

I first heard a pair of SDA-SRS speakers while I was stationed in Baumholder West Germany in 1986-1987. Even though I couldn't really afford them at the time, I was blown away and just had to put them on the Deferred Payment Plan. (Layaway) Unfortunately by the time I paid for them, I had to re-sell them soon thereafter due to financial reasons.

In the years since then, I 've become very passionate about Dunlavy speakers. To this day, I believe they're some of the best speakers I have ever heard. It wasn't until just last week that I was again thrust into the world of Polk when I took in a pair of SDA-SRS speakers on a trade. WOW! I forgot what those sounded like!

It sure would be interesting if Polk resurrected the line, with some improvements to boot.

As for the comments of several other posts relating to large speakers being hard to sell, I somewhat disagree. The primary reason for making money-no-object items isn't so much to actually sell them. It's to show the world what you're capable of. Chevrolet doesn't sell alot of it's Corvette ZR-1's relative to their cheaper cars, just like Ferrari didn't sell many of their Enzo's. The same thing goes for Infinity with their IRS speakers. They were made partly for marketing publicity and partly to reward some of their most valued customers.

I think it would be a good thing.

[Shocked One]

I think it would be a good thing.

... for Polk to resurrect a "Statement" or "Signature" speaker. It would help solidify their standings among the snobier "audiophiles" (as well as magazines) of the world.

[dorokusai]

Stay on topic please, keep it civil...EVERYONE and take arguments to private message.

NO you cannot sell things in the WTB section or thread crash to sell your gear. It's a no-brainer for most folks but someone new may not understand the differences between the rooms.

The rules will be amended to reflect that fact.

[ArizonaManiac]

I still have my Polk SDA-1b's and have enjoyed listening to them since I got them new in 1987. I now have them as my front speakers in a surround 5.1 array with RT2000p's for my rears and a CS400 center speaker. I top this off with a Velodyne CT150 Subwoofer. This is driven by a Yamaha RX V2400 Receiver. I have a Sony Bravia KDL-46XBR2 LCD TV attached to all this and the surround sound that develops from my speakers is truly amazing. Two channel Stereo is also superb. I am a little deaf from too many bangs and booms from my service in Southeast Asia and the system makes up for my hearing loss. I just wish I coulod hear the high Frequency sound that my system puts out, I just can't hear it. I don't hear the new frogs in my woods in springtime, either.

I am very happy with my set up. I didn't spend a fortune on it, not because I didn't want to. But for what I have, I love it and I hope it outlasts me. My Polks show no sign of becoming tired, so as long as they keep delivering, I will be happy.

[cfrizz]

Nice system AM, and so long as you are happy with it that is all that counts. Welcome to Club Polk!

[Kelly 49]

YES!!!!!!!!!! Wish they would bring back the SDA SRS angels! Sigh!!!!!!! I used to own a pair back when and had to sell them cause of financial depression at the times. I have an old pair of RTA12b which are great sounding in themselves but................. sigh Wish I could find another SDA SRS again! To my ear they were the best sounding speakers and should be the sound system at Heavens gate! lmao! I still have my carver amps pushing now but they miss the origninal children! Anyone know of a loose pair floating around? POLK please consider this line again! TY!;):D

[Kelly 49]

I think a certain few of us really want these beautiful sounding SDA SRS back in our lives! PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Polk let bring them back to US! :D

[nspindel]

I think a certain few of us really want these beautiful sounding SDA SRS back in our lives! PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Polk let bring them back to US! :D

It's just not going to happen. While there is a niche of people who are huge enthusiasts of the SDA line (myself very much included), mainstream consumers want small and cheap. It's just not a profitable business for them to be in, that's why the line was discontinued.

For those of you who want SDA's, buy them! CraigsList is your friend. Keep at it, find a good deal, and then have some fun with them - tweeter upgrades, crossover mods, etc. They'll sound better than they did new.

I've owned three sets of SDA's through the years, and have upgraded two of them. It's a very fun and rewarding project, and you get a lot of personal satisfaction listening to them after you've added your own improvements.

Follow the threads on this forum. Personally, I am green with envy at the number of recent posters who are snagging 1.2's in the $750-$1000 range. It's not cheap to do the upgrades on these (the tweeters alone will run you $400), but if you snag a pair at those kind of prices, the final product is outrageously good at a very low net price.

Right now I'm working from home waiting to sign for the delivery of my new dac and tube pre-amp, and next week will be picking up a Krell amp, all to make my restored SDA-1C's sing and dance for me. SDA's rock on....

[ben62670]

Bottom line is 95% of people won't set them up right. How many times have you seen dumb asses setup 5 speakers in a row that are suposed to be HT? We are a choosen few here.

[mkcarnut]

The Polk SDA's certainly were fine speakers. A friend still has a pair and they still sound fantastic.

[xj4094dg]

I'm fascinated by the dual LSi9 setup Matt Polk has in Darqueknight's Polkfest post. I wonder why more people aren't doing this. Is the SDA setup something we can duplicate or is it reserved for those with loads of cash, or just for Matt or?

Anyone?

[heiney9]

I'm fascinated by the dual LSi9 setup Matt Polk has in Darqueknight's Polkfest post. I wonder why more people aren't doing this. Is the SDA setup something we can duplicate or is it reserved for those with loads of cash, or just for Matt or?

Anyone?

It's a home brew made by Matt for his personal use, the x-overs were huge for each channel. At Polk HQ during the PF he had the ultimate surround bar using drivers from LSi's with a huge hand wired x-over on a board about 2 1/2 feet by 5 feet. That along with dual subs were set up in a conference room and it sounded FANTASTIC!!!

This was a "passive" SDA type of speaker in a surround bar configuration. The commercial surround bar achieves it's properties using DSP algorithms rather than with purely passive components.

H9

[scottyjacks]

a number of folks are upgrading their SDA drivers and reworking the crossovers - I just upgraded the crossovers on my 10B's and they are amazing - the SDA's would be similarly incredible - if you have the room - go for it!

[Bobsama]

Overall it's really too bad that such great speakers have been discontinued for so long. I still love the CRS+'s I have and I've heard Monitor 5's as well as SDA-1's. To me, bringing back just the CRS+'s even would be a Godsend. Yeah, Best Buy and Circuit City will be clueless, but there's still a pretty penny to be made selling these. There's no audio stores within 50 miles of me but word-of-mouth by SDA enthusiasts may well get these off the ground again. Frankly, if these were listed on NewEgg or Musicdirect or half a dozen other electronics & music retailers, I'm sure there'd be a lot of new people clamoring to buy a quality set like these. Of course the speakers are tough to ship, but they had to be shipped in the first place. Stuff like this doesn't need to be redone entirely. Not everyone has want or need for a 5.1 stereo system. I for sure don't; 2-channel sounds good, SDA 2-channel sounds immaculate. DIY would be an interesting route to go I'd think, tough it'd still be tough shipping the cabinets even disassembled. Think of it like this; McIntosh sells their top-of-the-line 144-speaker K2K's for $120,000 and they do it order by order. Short of their low-end gear, you're in a line for 6-8 weeks to get anything directly ordered. For the type of market this is, a 4-8 week waiting period is good enough so long as there's customer service backing it up.

[dorokusai]

Polkfest 2005 attendees had some spy photos of LSi based SRT modules...check out the showcase.

They have been playing with a formal SDA prototype for years. SDA is still available and currently utilized in the Surround Bar series.

[Toolfan66]

SPAM in post #88


REPORTED..

[dawaldo]

Bought SDA-SRA2's new about '85, when the new model came out. Got some demo's for 50% off. Powered with Adcom GFA-555, & GTP-500 for 25 years. Many wonderful moments, and endless hours of enjoyment. Probably longest lasting, highest pleasure consumer product I ever bought.
Now I'm upgrading from budget audiophile to near audiophile, used Sony xa-777es SACD player, Parasound A-21 amp and P-3 pre-amp.
Interesting that after 25 years the speakers are still the strongest component of the system. Looks like to upgrade now will be 5-10k, and I'd have to hear the difference first.