CRS+ Review

[zingo]

I finally got to correctly set-up my pair of unmodified SL2000 CRS+ yesterday with a good amp (6' apart and on stands 3" from the back wall), and they are great speakers. The detail is unmatched, as is the sound quality and the imaging. I put on Bach's Toccata and Fugue in Dmin, and I have never so clearly been able to see all the different pipe and the expanse of the church in front of me. It was quiet and experience and I will be enjoying it again after work today. The bass was also quiet impressive for such a small speaker. Not the SPL of floor stand speakers obviously, but better than I would have expected; I guess thats why I have a pair of subs to go with them. My only issue with them was the vocals. They were very clear and sounded good, but were recessed to parallel with, or behind the speakers; even sometimes behind the instruments. I didn't expect this at all as my SDA 2As project vocals forward very well, as do even my Mon. 5 Jr+. This is the only pair of Polk speakers I have seen this in. Like I said, it didn't necessarily sound bad, it was just more recessed then I would have liked, and it was only the vocals. This week I'm going to start the 4.1TL mod with all new caps and resistors, but I wanted to hear these before I modded them so I'll know what the change sounds like. I hope the 4.1TL might address this a little, but it was just a surprising find in the CRS+, and a little disappointing.

[engtaz]

Congrats on the CRS's Nice write up. Setup of speaker placement is very very key on CRS's.

engtaz

[zingo]

Could the placement change the vocals like this?

[Bullet21]

You should just sell them to me:D

[zingo]

You should just sell them to me:D

[BSUfbfan]

3" from the back wall is too close. Move them out to about 10" from the wall and prepare to be impressed with the change in bass.

[Lasareath]

I've had mine around 10 to 12" from the back wall. They were also around 8' on center.

[madmax]

Recessed vocals means you have them set up in such a way as to accentuate the SDA effect which overshadows the vocals or other somewhat mono sounds. (mono as in coming equally from both speakers).
madmax

[shadowofnight]

11" from wall...7' center to center....works extremely well for me.

[zingo]

Interesting madmax; I'll have to play around with the placement and see if I can adjust that. I'll move them further from the wall and maybe further apart. I'll play with it and thanks friends. ;)

[Refefer]

What's the verdict? Figure it all out?

[zingo]

Haven't had time...

[zingo]

I just got my new Sonicaps in the mail, and I know they looked big in the pictures, but they are comically big. :p I laughed as soon and I opened the box.

[nspindel]

Hi Zingo. Wondering if you saw my thread here:

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62106

I did this mod on my 2B's (same crossover as the CRS+). I did the inductors, binding posts, and custom sda cable as well.

[nspindel]

Oh, I also had bolder cable mod my squeezebox, built my own power supply for it, had a shop do some mods to my amp, bought a tube pre-amp, and bought/made all new ic/power/speaker cables. Nothing in my entire chain is as it was 3 months ago!

[F1nut]

I finally got to correctly set-up my pair of unmodified SL2000 CRS+ yesterday with a good amp (6' apart and on stands 3" from the back wall), and they are great speakers. The detail is unmatched, as is the sound quality and the imaging. I put on Bach's Toccata and Fugue in Dmin, and I have never so clearly been able to see all the different pipe and the expanse of the church in front of me. It was quiet and experience and I will be enjoying it again after work today. The bass was also quiet impressive for such a small speaker. Not the SPL of floor stand speakers obviously, but better than I would have expected; I guess thats why I have a pair of subs to go with them. My only issue with them was the vocals. They were very clear and sounded good, but were recessed to parallel with, or behind the speakers; even sometimes behind the instruments. I didn't expect this at all as my SDA 2As project vocals forward very well, as do even my Mon. 5 Jr+. This is the only pair of Polk speakers I have seen this in. Like I said, it didn't necessarily sound bad, it was just more recessed then I would have liked, and it was only the vocals. This week I'm going to start the 4.1TL mod with all new caps and resistors, but I wanted to hear these before I modded them so I'll know what the change sounds like. I hope the 4.1TL might address this a little, but it was just a surprising find in the CRS+, and a little disappointing.

The 4.1TL mod will fix that problem. I would also move them out a bit. Each room is different, but I found 6" worked the best. Any further out and they started to lose bass.

[candyliquor35m]

Please be the first one to do one x-over at a time and then listen to it side by side with the old one for about 3-6 months or however long it takes the new caps to settle in. I have nothing against upgrades but I would love to hear this kind of review once in a while. The ideal test of course would be to compare a stock pair right next to a upgraded pair using a speaker selector but not many have 2 pair of the same model laying around.

[TroyD]

Why would anyone do that? If you have already done ONE, in for a penny in for a pound...what are you going to UN-do it? That makes about as much as sense as pulling all of your fillings out.

DING FRIES ARE DONE!

BDT

[candyliquor35m]

Not necessarily undo it although that is certainly a possibility. The emphasis is to quantify and document what changed and you can't do that very well when you have to wait eons for the caps to settle in.

[TroyD]

What does the caps settling in have to do with it, unless you did one, waited a month and did the other. That's stupid.

Enough other people have reported signifigant improvement in sound so that if you want to do it, do it.

BDT

[candyliquor35m]

Assuming everything that is newer is better is stupid. I'm not saying it's not but I'd like to read about some side by side comparisons before making any conclusions.

Like right now in my new 2.3's, I've got stock sl2000's in the left speaker and sl2000wc's in the right and plan on leaving them like that until I decide which one I like better.

The sl2000 is more alive and robust and the vocals are much fuller sounding. With the sl2000wc, everything is a tad veiled which is a good compromise to anyone that finds the sl2000 too bright but I'm not just losing some of the highs, I'm also losing some of the richness and fullness of the vocals.

I don't think I could have ever heard these somewhat minute differences if I had listened to all sl2000's in both speakers for one hour and then changed over to all sl2000wc's in both speakers for one hour.

[TroyD]

I never SAID that everything that is newer is better, did I?

My point being is that if you decide to doctor one speaker, there is no valid reason to stop there. Do both or do neither. I say this because most logical people if they can't hear the updated ones themselves are probably basing thier decision on the opinions of people whose judgement that they trust.


Huh, the way you were talking before your frankentweeter was the greatest thing since sliced bread. That said, you are talking apples and oranges. In the case of most SDA updates, you are just replacing old parts with new parts rather than butchering them half-assed. The 4.1tl upgrade to the CRS is a little different but you are still using an idea that was originally Polk's...again, something that was vetted by the designers, not just a half ass guessing game.

BDT

[candyliquor35m]

Based on my personal experience, I'm sold on the idea of side by side comparisons as opposed to "all in" and no going back comparisons.

I'm not saying it's for everyone but it works for me and I think it makes alot of sense even on x-over upgrades.

If you don't like the idea, don't do it.

[F1nut]

Another bad idea in a long line of bad ideas.

[candyliquor35m]

Report back when you've tried it.

[TroyD]

Don't need to try it. For it to be valid, you'd HAVE to do it in mono (which is no good for SDA anyway) but doing it simultaneously in mono STILL has it's issues. I don't know of anyone who reviews in such a manner but, hey, whatever floats your boat.



BDT

[F1nut]

As BDT points out above and from what I have told you previously, your idea will NOT work, period. For the umpteenth time, what part of that aren't you getting?

[zingo]

I'm just going to chime in here. I'll be starting the rebuild/mod tomorrow and will be doing both speakers. I'm going off the faith that a lot of friends on here recommend the build. Plus, I'm never meet anyone who said a rebuild on a 20 year old xover was a bad idea. Even if there is no sonic improvement, (which there s-eating will be :D) this will ensure longevity and life on a classic pair of speakers. I totally understand where you are coming from with the A/B comparison, but I think it would be better with two pairs as mentioned above. How about this compromise; I'll record the sound before and after, up load it to youtube, and we can compare the differences :D...

[agfrost]

Why would anyone do that? If you have already done ONE, in for a penny in for a pound...what are you going to UN-do it? That makes about as much as sense as pulling all of your fillings out.

DING FRIES ARE DONE!

BDT

Waaaaaaaa!

Maybe just pull half your fillings out. You know, to see which way you like better.

[candyliquor35m]

I'm just going to chime in here. I'll be starting the rebuild/mod tomorrow and will be doing both speakers. I'm going off the faith that a lot of friends on here recommend the build. Plus, I'm never meet anyone who said a rebuild on a 20 year old xover was a bad idea. Even if there is no sonic improvement, (which there s-eating will be :D) this will ensure longevity and life on a classic pair of speakers. I totally understand where you are coming from with the A/B comparison, but I think it would be better with two pairs as mentioned above. How about this compromise; I'll record the sound before and after, up load it to youtube, and we can compare the differences :D...

I'm glad you see my point. I'm not doubting that there will be a difference but I've found from experience that the a/b test is the best way for me to compare something. I know you'll do the best comparison you can but to me it won't mean as much as a a/b test.