polk sda 2b - Blu-ray Forum

brett_day · 08-23-2009, 01:52 AM

ok, so i have found and will be purchasing (maybe) some polk sda 2b speakers, awesome condition, work flawlessly, however my question is this.....

is my receiver powerful enough to power them with out damaging them? i have an onkyo 605 which i understand is designed to power 8ohm speakers, i think the sda 2bs are either 6 or 4 ohm. could clipping be a problem? how likely am i to blow the things running them from the 605?

aramis109 · 08-23-2009, 02:15 AM

Looks like they're 4ohm. You're really pushing your luck pushing them with the 605. It's not rated for anything other than 8ohm speakers and it's going to be 90w x 2 at BEST. I'm not familiar with those speakers but I'm betting they're pretty power hungry.

How much are you going to be getting them for? Potentially they're more trouble than they're worth as it may require a total revamp since the 605 has no pre-outs for an external amp.

brett_day · 08-23-2009, 03:24 AM

If I were to get them it would be for $250 which is a pretty sweet deal! I had been toying with the idea of upgrading my receiver in a little while anyway so if I did use the 605 it would not be for very long, but still I wonder if using the 605 for any amount of time would be bad news for the speakers

SRTCraig · 08-23-2009, 03:36 AM

Hi Brett, i have never heard any of the SDA line of speakers, though i do have a bit of experience with the SDA technology.
The speakers i have incorporate the sda technology but are slightly different (the sda is taken care of in an ext x-over). I'd be pretty sure they are 4ohm speakers, and yeah they do take a lot of current to get them singing. I would say the Onks will not be able to deliver enough power to them, especially at higher volumes.

The polk forum is pretty helpful, and i'm sure driverking will drop in with some helpful advice.

Btw SDA

** Looks as though they are 6ohm. Had a quick look on the polk forum...

solarrdadd · 08-23-2009, 03:40 AM

i would imagine it would be bad for both. clipping from the receiver will hurt and possibly damage the speakers at a high enough volume and maybe at almost any volume. the receiver if not rated for the 4 ohm speakers for continuous duty will begin to go into auto shut down due to high temperature; you'll eventually wear it down doing that too much. if the receiver is not rated/certified to run 4 ohm loads (it will state rated, not maybe or we think so) then you shouldn't buy them to run on that receiver. if you really want them then fine, buy them and then get your self an amp that will handle them with some headroom to spare and use the receiver as a pre-out to the amp. (ok, here I go) you might want to try the Emotiva XPA-2 for $800 with 500wpc @ 4 ohms both channels driven if money is tight then the UPA-2 for $300 with 185wpc @ 4 ohms both channels driven. both of these receivers are rated/certified for 4 ohms continous duty.

best of luck to you.

CasualKiller · 08-23-2009, 05:16 AM

I have a pair of Polk SDA 2.3 TL's, you need tons of power to run them properly. Not sure about your model but Polks site recommends a 750w amp for the 2.3's....

JasonR · 08-23-2009, 05:21 AM

Are you running a separate 2 channel rig now CK?

Driver_King · 08-23-2009, 05:30 AM

You would certainly be able to listen to music on your receiver, however, pushing it to high volumes could cause your amplifier to clip. I have the 805 and, according to an HT website, am getting around 240 watts at 4ohms in stereo mode. I think you would be best off either selling your amp in order to upgrade to an Onkyo 805 or a receiver with pre-outs for external amplification. In any case, if you have the ability to pick up a set of SDA's locally for a good price in good condition, you should absolutely jump on it. The SDA line of speakers still compare to speakers costing thousands of dollars today. You will absolutely not regret picking them up.

You will want to purchase matching surround and back surround speakers as well. Center channel speakers are really unnecessary with SDA speakers. Some classic Polk Monitor speakers use the same tweeters and mid-ranges as SDA speakers.

Disclaimer: Purchasing any product of the Polk Audio SDA speaker line will cause you to have irresistible urges that trigger severe cases of Upgraditis and its side effects...

CasualKiller · 08-23-2009, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonR

Are you running a separate 2 channel rig now CK?

It's in progress, but it's going to take awhile. Purchased that Rega TT awhile ago, going to upgrade the cart next then start looking at HT bypass integrated amps. The Naim Nait 5i is at the top of the list. Was going to add power amps and bi-amp my fronts but decided my HT performance was above average and to focus on improving 2 ch performance.

Big Daddy · 08-23-2009, 07:33 AM

The SDA 2B speakers are 6 ohm speakers.

Polk Audio SDA 2B, $1,300 a pair (list):
(Real Wood), 1989
http://www.polksda.com/list.shtml

Manual:
http://www.polksda.com/pdfs/SDA1C.pdf

aramis109 · 08-23-2009, 02:14 PM

That was what was confusing when I looked into it. On the Polk forum some had them listed at 4 and some at 6. Even 6 ohm isn't a good idea with the 605.

Driver_King · 08-23-2009, 04:02 PM

Like I said, 6 ohms and the power used by the SDA's won't matter very much, save for very high volume levels where you will simply have less headroom and possible clipping. I have vintage Technics speakers still today connected to my old Onkyo amp, which is even less power than the 605. I've gone to max volume on them and got lots of distortion and some clipping but maximum level was achieved a lot earlier than max volume. They are 6 ohm speakers as well. The SDA speakers are designed to be very efficient so little wattage would be sufficient to still have great dynamics and sound quality. He will be fine with his 605 for now.

Rob J in WNY · 08-23-2009, 04:05 PM

Hey, Brett!

'Upgrade-itis' sneaks up on everyone from every angle, doesn't it? LOL!

CasualKiller · 08-23-2009, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Driver_King

Like I said, 6 ohms and the power used by the SDA's won't matter very much, save for very high volume levels where you will simply have less headroom and possible clipping. I have vintage Technics speakers still today connected to my old Onkyo amp, which is even less power than the 605. I've gone to max volume on them and got lots of distortion and some clipping but maximum level was achieved a lot earlier than max volume. They are 6 ohm speakers as well. The SDA speakers are designed to be very efficient so little wattage would be sufficient to still have great dynamics and sound quality. He will be fine with his 605 for now.

Actually the exact opposite is true, you need power for SDA's and lots of it, something like an Onkyo will not cut it with these speakers. My Marantz SR8002 couldn't even run them properly. You could of course disconnect the SDA cable and run them like normal speakers but then what's the point right?

solarrdadd · 08-23-2009, 07:38 PM

i see in the manual for the speakers that there is an interconnecting cable between FL & FR, anybody know the purpose of this cable? Also, does anyone know what kind of cable it is? Just curious since I've never seen such a thing.

CasualKiller · 08-23-2009, 07:57 PM

It's the SDA cable. It enables the SDA (Stereo Dimensional Array) between the 2 speakers creating a "hologram" type effect of audio.

Driver_King · 08-25-2009, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CasualKiller

Actually the exact opposite is true, you need power for SDA's and lots of it, something like an Onkyo will not cut it with these speakers. My Marantz SR8002 couldn't even run them properly. You could of course disconnect the SDA cable and run them like normal speakers but then what's the point right?

I've never heard of that. I know many people have ran even cheap AVR's with SDA speakers and still have had good luck. My 805 has powered my SDA II's since November of last year. I have pushed limits of where it is uncomfortable to listen to because it is so loud. I have never had any issues.

All SDA speakers are designed to be very efficient, which is how Matthew Polk himself designed them. They should be able to run well with lower powered amplifiers, although the more power, the better.

prerich · 08-25-2009, 03:35 PM

I'm an old hand at SDA's (I've owned SDA 2b's, SDA 2.3's original, and others)! The cable is used for crosstalk cancelation (what the Carver Sonic Hologram did electronically - the Polk SDA system did passively through the speaker system and crossover itself). It gives a very pinpoint holographic image especially for the person seated in the sweet spot.

Power: All of the speakers in the SDA line are efficient (as Driver King has stated - generally 90+db), however, at the same time they do like power as CK has stated (the may be efficient but they have low impedence loads that most amps do not like). I would recommend a nice seperate power amp (one of the Emotiva models and a receiver with Preouts (maybe a used Yamaha 663 or a Onkyo 705). There are also great amps to be had on the used market - just this weekend I went to a pawn shop and they had an Adcom GFA-555 original version!!! They wanted 150 cash for it - I almost bought it but I thought the Oppo 83 was a greater priority for me. I have DBX BX-3 that's doing nothing right now (Identical to the original one that I powered my SDA 2.3's with I had it bridged in 2 BTL mode 400w/ch with over 800w of dynamic power). If you want the SDA's to really sing - get more power than the 605. Your speakers will thank you for it

08-23-2009, 01:52 AM	#1
brett_day Blu-ray Guru Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Moore, Oklahoma Home Theater Gallery:18 Blu-ray collection:45 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:1	polk sda 2b ok, so i have found and will be purchasing (maybe) some polk sda 2b speakers, awesome condition, work flawlessly, however my question is this..... is my receiver powerful enough to power them with out damaging them? i have an onkyo 605 which i understand is designed to power 8ohm speakers, i think the sda 2bs are either 6 or 4 ohm. could clipping be a problem? how likely am i to blow the things running them from the 605?

08-23-2009, 03:36 AM	#4
SRTCraig Active Member Member since:Sep 2008 Location:Near middle earth Home Theater Gallery:10	Hi Brett, i have never heard any of the SDA line of speakers, though i do have a bit of experience with the SDA technology. The speakers i have incorporate the sda technology but are slightly different (the sda is taken care of in an ext x-over). I'd be pretty sure they are 4ohm speakers, and yeah they do take a lot of current to get them singing. I would say the Onks will not be able to deliver enough power to them, especially at higher volumes. The polk forum is pretty helpful, and i'm sure driverking will drop in with some helpful advice. Btw SDA ** Looks as though they are 6ohm. Had a quick look on the polk forum... Last edited by SRTCraig; 08-23-2009 at 04:03 AM.

08-23-2009, 05:30 AM	#8
Driver_King Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Tampa Bay, Florida Home Theater Gallery:96 Blu-ray collection:28 Trading Score:10	You would certainly be able to listen to music on your receiver, however, pushing it to high volumes could cause your amplifier to clip. I have the 805 and, according to an HT website, am getting around 240 watts at 4ohms in stereo mode. I think you would be best off either selling your amp in order to upgrade to an Onkyo 805 or a receiver with pre-outs for external amplification. In any case, if you have the ability to pick up a set of SDA's locally for a good price in good condition, you should absolutely jump on it. The SDA line of speakers still compare to speakers costing thousands of dollars today. You will absolutely not regret picking them up. You will want to purchase matching surround and back surround speakers as well. Center channel speakers are really unnecessary with SDA speakers. Some classic Polk Monitor speakers use the same tweeters and mid-ranges as SDA speakers. Disclaimer: Purchasing any product of the Polk Audio SDA speaker line will cause you to have irresistible urges that trigger severe cases of Upgraditis and its side effects... Last edited by Driver_King; 08-23-2009 at 05:36 AM.

08-23-2009, 07:33 AM	#10
Big Daddy Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Southern California Home Theater Gallery:79 Blu-ray collection:122 Trading Score:1	The SDA 2B speakers are 6 ohm speakers. Polk Audio SDA 2B, $1,300 a pair (list): (Real Wood), 1989 http://www.polksda.com/list.shtml Manual: http://www.polksda.com/pdfs/SDA1C.pdf Last edited by Big Daddy; 08-23-2009 at 10:30 PM.

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08-23-2009, 02:15 AM	#2
aramis109 Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Milwaukee, WI Home Theater Gallery:10 4K collection:4 Blu-ray collection:360 Trading Score:18	Looks like they're 4ohm. You're really pushing your luck pushing them with the 605. It's not rated for anything other than 8ohm speakers and it's going to be 90w x 2 at BEST. I'm not familiar with those speakers but I'm betting they're pretty power hungry. How much are you going to be getting them for? Potentially they're more trouble than they're worth as it may require a total revamp since the 605 has no pre-outs for an external amp.

08-23-2009, 03:24 AM	#3
brett_day Blu-ray Guru Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Moore, Oklahoma Home Theater Gallery:18 Blu-ray collection:45 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:1	If I were to get them it would be for $250 which is a pretty sweet deal! I had been toying with the idea of upgrading my receiver in a little while anyway so if I did use the 605 it would not be for very long, but still I wonder if using the 605 for any amount of time would be bad news for the speakers

08-23-2009, 03:40 AM	#5
solarrdadd Blu-ray Prince Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Jul 2008 Location:Virginia Home Theater Gallery:255 4K collection:209 Blu-ray collection:1344 DVD collection:4 Blu-ray reviews: 42 Trading Score:316	i would imagine it would be bad for both. clipping from the receiver will hurt and possibly damage the speakers at a high enough volume and maybe at almost any volume. the receiver if not rated for the 4 ohm speakers for continuous duty will begin to go into auto shut down due to high temperature; you'll eventually wear it down doing that too much. if the receiver is not rated/certified to run 4 ohm loads (it will state rated, not maybe or we think so) then you shouldn't buy them to run on that receiver. if you really want them then fine, buy them and then get your self an amp that will handle them with some headroom to spare and use the receiver as a pre-out to the amp. (ok, here I go) you might want to try the Emotiva XPA-2 for $800 with 500wpc @ 4 ohms both channels driven if money is tight then the UPA-2 for $300 with 185wpc @ 4 ohms both channels driven. both of these receivers are rated/certified for 4 ohms continous duty. best of luck to you.

08-23-2009, 05:16 AM	#6
CasualKiller Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Feb 2008 Location:Brooks Alberta Blu-ray collection:54 Trading Score:15	I have a pair of Polk SDA 2.3 TL's, you need tons of power to run them properly. Not sure about your model but Polks site recommends a 750w amp for the 2.3's....

08-23-2009, 05:21 AM	#7
JasonR Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Trading Score:12	Are you running a separate 2 channel rig now CK?

08-23-2009, 02:14 PM	#11
aramis109 Blu-ray Ninja Member since:Mar 2008 Location:Milwaukee, WI Home Theater Gallery:10 4K collection:4 Blu-ray collection:360 Trading Score:18	That was what was confusing when I looked into it. On the Polk forum some had them listed at 4 and some at 6. Even 6 ohm isn't a good idea with the 605.

08-23-2009, 04:02 PM	#12
Driver_King Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Tampa Bay, Florida Home Theater Gallery:96 Blu-ray collection:28 Trading Score:10	Like I said, 6 ohms and the power used by the SDA's won't matter very much, save for very high volume levels where you will simply have less headroom and possible clipping. I have vintage Technics speakers still today connected to my old Onkyo amp, which is even less power than the 605. I've gone to max volume on them and got lots of distortion and some clipping but maximum level was achieved a lot earlier than max volume. They are 6 ohm speakers as well. The SDA speakers are designed to be very efficient so little wattage would be sufficient to still have great dynamics and sound quality. He will be fine with his 605 for now.

08-23-2009, 04:05 PM	#13
Rob J in WNY Blu-ray Guru Member since:Dec 2008 Location:'Western' N.Y. State (MEMBER OF THE "ECPP")™ Home Theater Gallery:24 4K collection:30 Blu-ray collection:486 iTunes collection:1 Blu-ray reviews: 15	Hey, Brett! 'Upgrade-itis' sneaks up on everyone from every angle, doesn't it? LOL!

08-23-2009, 07:38 PM	#15
solarrdadd Blu-ray Prince Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Jul 2008 Location:Virginia Home Theater Gallery:255 4K collection:209 Blu-ray collection:1344 DVD collection:4 Blu-ray reviews: 42 Trading Score:316	i see in the manual for the speakers that there is an interconnecting cable between FL & FR, anybody know the purpose of this cable? Also, does anyone know what kind of cable it is? Just curious since I've never seen such a thing.

08-23-2009, 07:57 PM	#16
CasualKiller Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Feb 2008 Location:Brooks Alberta Blu-ray collection:54 Trading Score:15	It's the SDA cable. It enables the SDA (Stereo Dimensional Array) between the 2 speakers creating a "hologram" type effect of audio.

08-25-2009, 03:35 PM	#18
prerich Moderator Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Dec 2007 Home Theater Gallery:50 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:2	I'm an old hand at SDA's (I've owned SDA 2b's, SDA 2.3's original, and others)! The cable is used for crosstalk cancelation (what the Carver Sonic Hologram did electronically - the Polk SDA system did passively through the speaker system and crossover itself). It gives a very pinpoint holographic image especially for the person seated in the sweet spot. Power: All of the speakers in the SDA line are efficient (as Driver King has stated - generally 90+db), however, at the same time they do like power as CK has stated (the may be efficient but they have low impedence loads that most amps do not like). I would recommend a nice seperate power amp (one of the Emotiva models and a receiver with Preouts (maybe a used Yamaha 663 or a Onkyo 705). There are also great amps to be had on the used market - just this weekend I went to a pawn shop and they had an Adcom GFA-555 original version!!! They wanted 150 cash for it - I almost bought it but I thought the Oppo 83 was a greater priority for me. I have DBX BX-3 that's doing nothing right now (Identical to the original one that I powered my SDA 2.3's with I had it bridged in 2 BTL mode 400w/ch with over 800w of dynamic power). If you want the SDA's to really sing - get more power than the 605. Your speakers will thank you for it

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