Wide sound stage, very good bass response

None that I know

Hi guys, I'm writing from Italy so, I'm sure, you'll close an eye (or both) about some mistakes! Anyway my friends, I perfectly agree with all the good things I red about these wonderfull speakers. I actually drive them with an Onkyo M504, a warm solid state power amp, delivering 250W per channel at 4 ohms. The preamp is a Musical Fidelity X-Pre upgraded with the X-Psu, I must say that is a perfect couple! About the speakers, I can say that they saved me from getting out of head! Simply, I was thinking to get a barbeque from that orrible pair of Mission I probably bought after a joint! After I heard few minutes the SDA-1C I actually own, a new world of sensations opened its wide doors to me. My god, I said, to what kind of speakers have I listen since now? I immediatelly purchase them, and still today I love them. I still haven't found something that sounds similar, I listen most to classic and jazz, and I found that this speakers are perfect with great percussions, as Strawinky's Rite of Spring, or little jazz quartet. The sound is warm and powerfull, miles away from being cold or ears killer.
Well, I think I've said enough. In my opinion, still the best speakers money can buy!

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Mission 765i, Tannoy DC 6000

Sound, Sound, Sound, and Sound. Did I mention Sound.

Heavy if you live anywhere but the 1st floor.

I never thought I would hear a more fulfilling sound than my Martin Logan's but these SDA1's have made me re-think about sound. Pushed with my Yamaha 2095, the Logan's seemed to ache for more power, however, I haven't won the lottery so a Krell is out of the question. The same Yamaha amp pushes the Polk's effortlessly with sounds appearing to emanate from all over the room. My sub sits silently on the floor taking up space, as the bass is deep and rich with the SDA's. For music or home theater, the Polk's have the best sound while matched up with my system and room dynamics. And here is the kicker. These were barely used 9 year old speakers that sat in a box for 3 years and I paid $150 for the pair. Only drawback is the cable is missing, but I'm borrowing one from a friend and the guy at Polk (Ken Swagger) said that speaker wire joining the 2 has the same effect. Anyone need some Martin Logans?

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Klipsch(KG5.5&KLF30), Martin Logan(Arius), SDA-2's

Extremely accurate low end. Very detailed midrange, especially piano. Very efficient.

Can't put my finger(ear) on any

I bought these back in 1987, when I was unmarried and still had some money! I had listened to Dahlquist, VMPS, Bose 901s, Infinity and others at the time. While I predominantly listened to Rock, I was on the verge of appreciating classical and jazz. What impressed me from day one(I listened to them at several dealers in various environments) was the soundstage. You could point to every instrument in the room and even those that were several feet beyond a wall. At home I paired them to my Denon 1025R receiver which puts out 125 watts (400 watts dynamic into 2 ohms)and it was a beautiful match. I heard Jimi Hendrix talk from a point outside of the room, but about where you figure he'd be standing if there was no wall. Never mind the novel sound everywhere mumbo jumbo. This is NOT an unnatural sound. The science blends perfectly to create a real world soundstage. The quailty of sound is wonderful also. There is no false rumbling when no bass is present in the music... But listen to some real bass material...like the kettle drum in The Firebird(I think it's a Telarc)and it sends a clean vibration right through you! The Polks and the Denon have existed for most of the last 13 years as a "stereo only" pair because their size was a bit much for our Home theater in the family room. My "music room" is now becoming my daughters bedroom and I recently guilted my wife into allowing the homeless Polks into the family room. I purchased a Denon AVR-1800 DTS/Dolby Digital receiver who's pre-amp out feeds the 1025R to drive the SDAs. The 75wpc of the AVR1800 feed an old BSR subwoofer(not really neccesary, but adds a little oomph for movies), 2 Design acousic PS6s for the center and a pair of Polk LS70s for the rear. I had dreamed for years about using the big Polks for the home theater. They are unbelievable! They truly were ahead of their time. That great imaging on music is reflected as fantastic effects localization even on VHS movies using Dolby Pro Logic.
I don't think these speakers have lost anything over time. I love to go to the high end audio stores and see whats new out there, but I rarely hear anything that makes me want to "upgrade", if you could call it that.I have never regretted the purchase ($1600 for the pair), even after recently replacing one of the tweeters for $60. I am rediscovering my interest in music and falling in love with these coffins all over again. I have no idea if one can find these for sale out there used, but I would give a listen to them if they are available for anything between $500 to $900.

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Design acoustics PS6, Polk LS50, Paradigm Titans

High power capacity; effortless; non fatiguing; wide sound stage; detail; accuracy.

Size and weight make selling/purchasing a problem due to shipping.

In terms of what these speakers offer, one must first consider what is offered to them. I am referring to those of you who have condemned the SDA speakers on the basis that they couldn't deliver a high quality level of sound. I find this a bit curious, and also have an explanation. Power. I began with a set of SDA-2B's in 1989 powered by a Denon 60w/ch integrated amp and a Denon CD player. At the same time, my brother too had the same speakers, but power was delivered via a 260w/ch Yamaha amp. Now, one would figure, all else being equal that the sound should have been similar. Nothing could be further from the truth. As listening to his 2B's would impress me, listening to mine only depressed me. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I had no loud level bass output nor why my thermal tweeter protectors would always cut out my tweeters at moderate levels. It was power. A soon as I stepped up to a pair of Hafler 9180 amps (300w/mono 8 ohm load) my 2B's finally decided to wake up.
Well....enough intro. I now have a perfectly functioning pair of 1C's (after learning that some of the connections in the left cabinet were undone) and are powered by two Hafler P3000 amps (400w/mono 8 ohm load). I can't say enough about how pleasant these speakers are. First of all, they require only the simplest of set ups...face them forward along a common plane...give them about 3 feet from side walls, and at least 4-5 feet center to center and sit equally as far away from them. No fancy toeing in or out to focus the sound stage and imaging. My speakers tell me that Celine, Gloria and whoever else is performing, is right dead in front of me, slightly ahead of the face plane of the speakers. I can follow an accoustic drum solo on a test CD and point out which can the drummer is hitting as he strikes different ones around his set. Stringed instruments sound sharp and focused in place, and not always within the confines of the walls of my room either. The intro to track 6 on "DEEP FOREST" does in fact make a complete circle around your head, while conventional speakers make it appear to only volley back and forth somewhat widely.
Vocals aren't harsh, but natural and warm. The bass response is tonally correct, strong and tight. Drum skins are clearly taught when stuck by a stick. You can hear the wood "ring" on some drum notes. Snare drums snap and the concussion from bass drum stikes move a lot of air at you.
"Crappy oversized/ overpriced speakers"? I think not, try cheap underpowered electronics, poor room accoustics and tin ears. The 1C's are bested only by the next sizes up in the family of SDA's, the 2.3 and 1.2...I leave out the little known 3.1 just due to that fact. The folks I have known to have had them, claim that the 1C's more than rival them, and they weren't nearly as abundant or popular as the rest of them.
I'll leave it up to my brother to review his SDA-SRS-2.3's, as I alone could go on about those too!

Similar Products Used:

SDA-2B; SDA-SRS-2.3

After listening to other speakers, I now realize just how much I have missed in terms of realism, clarity, and overall quality. Crappy, overpriced, oversized speakers.

Very Accurate sound reproduction

Needs High Current Amp

I have owned my set of Polk SDA-1 speakers now for 9 months and thought I would express what I have found listening to them. I had always wanted a set of the SDAs and was at first a little disappointed with them till I understood what I was listening to. Note: Polk SDA speakers are not designed for Heavy Metal, really hard Rock, or Rap. They play very well with Classical, Jazz, Country, or Classic Rock.

The SDA series speaker is a very interesting and different speaker. It is rumored that they are power hungry, but that is not true. What they require is a High-Current amplifier. Trying to run them with a modern cheap amp that you get at a major appliance store will not cut the mustard and yield nothing but bad results. I have used a 20 year old 45Watt Sansui amp with good results and it actually has better bass than a 200W Phase Linear. For an amp I recommend something like an Adcom or Krell which has doubled power ratings going from 8 to 4 ohm. Best yet is an amp with a 2 ohm rating that doubles the 4 ohm rating.

Next the SDA speakers may not provide the kind sound you are accustomed to listening to. They are a Passive Radiator speaker instead of the more common Ported speaker. What Polk has managed to do is to eliminate the 100-120Hz resonance of many speaker systems. Thus they provide a much smoother bass than almost any other speaker without that pronounced rumble. They also will provide lower bass than most subwoofers with a low 3db response to 15Hz. And brother let me tell you that this is amazing when you play a 20Hz tone, which you will be lucky to hear, and have the ceiling fixtures start to vibrate. You have not heard most music till you have heard speakers with a sub 20Hz frequency response, yet they are not "Boomy". And not only is the bass smooth, but so is the entire listening range. Treble is not harsh even when the treble control is cranked up which I prefer and the midrange is warm and open. The speakers are actually so accurate that much of the music you listen to will no longer sound the same. Before the Polk SDAs all of my CDs had about the same tonal qualities. Now Every CD I listen to needs to have the Tone controls changed. It also gives you a real appreciation for how well recorded some Music is and how poor other music is recorded. The Stereo dimensional array is a truly novel invention. I like using it better than I do the Dolby Surround for watching movies. The sound is more three dimensional as opposed to the "Forced" 3D sound of Home theater.

The only real disadvantage to the Polk SDA speakers is their power handling. They are rated at 500Watts and will really handle it but this is power into a 2 ohm load. Meaning that a 150Watt 8 ohm amp if having enough current drive can over power them. The result is a nasty Pop that comes from bottoming out of the drivers. The other power handling problem is that the auto tweeter protectors trip a little early.

I am sure many of you are saying, "Yea, Polks suck, So-and-So brand is much better". This is probably true, there are many better speakers. However, for a retail price new of $1500, I challenge you to find better. I wager to say it would take Twice the price of a Polk SDA to get a better speaker. I just wish Polk would make them again with improved power handling. They truely were a marvel.

Beautiful clear, warm sound; quality bass; highs and mids not bright at all

Power handling could be better; bass as well but that's really what these speakers are for; one heckuva sweet spot

I purchased a set of SDA-2Bs back in 1989; after using them for only a few days, and finding them a little underwhelming, I decided to upgrade to the 1Cs. Sheffield Audio had no problem at all with a switch. At the time, they were even doubling warranties, giving me (I think) 8 years of worry-free listening. Of course, just a couple of years after I purchased my system, Sheffield was bought out and shut down, and the new company refused to honor their warranty extention (I got nothing in writing - my bad).

I got the 'studio' version of the speaker: black veneer over particle board, probably the more common one. Unless I'm mistaken, Polk also made a 'home' version, which were solid oak, 110+ lbs a piece, and had wrap-around front grilles (my guess is to 'fool' listeners into thinking the soundfield was even wider than it was). I wish now I had spent the ~$2000 on the 'home' version, because I'm having a problem with the veneer peeling in some areas (mentioned below by Jim Mueller). I also had a pet years ago that chewed the corners of the speakers and ruined the front grilles. Thank you, Jim Kramer, for letting people know Polk will refurbish the cloth - I plan to follow up on that one.

For about a year after I bought the 1Cs, I had a love/hate relationship with them - I understand how Dan feels. The super-wide soundfield (brought about primarily by the crossover) is absolutely astounding - as many reviewers have mentioned, instruments often sound as though they are coming from outside the room. The crossover is an interesting concept - each channel cancels out the sound 'bleeding over' from the other, which really does spread out the soundfield. It's never occurred to me to try rewiring the cabinet to cancel that effect, as some owners apparently have done. Perhaps Polk should have built a switch into the speakers, to allow the crossover to be bypassed. That would have been a wonderful added feature, particularly in light of my next point...

The SDA-1Cs are VERY particular about how they are arranged in a room - their positioning can make or break them. I have a feeling that their 'Stereo Dimentional Array' design (the crossover) is the culprit. For some room arrangements, I figure the crossover muddies the sound rather than improving it. Unlike, say, the Bose 901s, which try to show good channel separation no matter where the listener is sitting in relation to them, the 1Cs go the other way entirely - there's really only one place to be when listening to them: dead center, about twice as far from the speakers as they are apart. I at one time had the speakers in a very large, empty room, and they really shined in that location. I currently have them in a smallish room, and though the hardwood floors they stand on give them a 'presence' they lacked elsewhere, the soundfield is a bit weak. So there's one of the rules you need to know when using these speakers: location is everything.

I've been running the 1Cs off of a single Adcom GFA-555 amp, rated at 200/325 watts into 8/6 ohms. I would have figured that would be more than adequate, but I have had some problems with the tweeters cutting out too easily, and definitely have heard the 'crack' when they bottom out under very high-volume listening conditions - it scared the heck out of me! I just yesterday purchased a second GFA-555, which means I will be bridging the two amps into mono, and feeding each speaker 600 watts into 8 ohms. (That's actually the main reason I've read these reviews - I was looking for the speakers' power rating. Thanks, Dave, for that info!) I also have an Adcom preamp, and a Sony CD for the source.

These speakers certainly aren't for everyone; I feel they are good speakers for a more 'mature' listener. I'm only echoing what others have said really - the 1Cs aren't really designed for extremely high-volume, guitar-heavy rock or rap. As I grow older, I am learning to appreciate these speakers more. None of my friends were that impressed with my speaker choice back when I first got them, but then again we were basically headbangers back then. Where today, for example, I find the speakers shining with Sting's 'Nothing Like the Sun' in the player, back in college I was torturing the poor things with Jane's Addiction turned all the way up.

To summarize: in this price range of product, you really aren't just buying a speaker: you're buying into a particular manufacturer's design philosophy. Spend less money, and you get what you pay for; and you'd have to spend a lot more if you want to 'get it all.' Matthew Polk put together some real jems in the SDA-1Cs, but they certainly aren't for everybody. I personally think they're fantastic, and really wouldn't change a thing. I'll probably keep them until they fall apart - the only reason I'd ever get rid of them is because they really are huge.

And thank you to every contributor on this page, I've learned some valuable info here.

Similar Products Used:

Polk Audio SDA-2Bs

Wide sound stage

Heavy (~90lbs each)

Originally bought these 1C's new on 2/2/90, never having owned any other speakers besides Fisher. Didn't have resources to get a good amp with it at the same time, so I bought a Parasound C/HD350 to power it. I concur with some of the other reviews, in that the tweeters would abnormally cut out quickly at high listening volumes, especially on the industrial music I was listening to at the time. I could never figure out the problem.

I upgraded to a Carver TFM42 on 8/22/91, which is rated at 375W into 8ohms. Never had a problem with the speakers since. I don't listen at peak volume much anymore, but I don't believe I've ever heard the tweeters cut out with this amp. I did break off one of the poles on the back panel since I forgot to screw them in all the way when sliding them up a set of stairs without the box. The adhesive which keeps the side panels on seems to have given up ever so slightly over the years, the corners stick out maybe an 1/8-1/4" from where they should be.

I've always gotten compliments on the sound, and always have left the interconnect cable connected. I had a friend over with his future wife in '96, and I was watching something on video. Someone started playing piano in the movie, and it was far to the left of the left speaker. I actually saw her head swivel to the left of the left speaker, and ask, "I didn't know they let you have piano's in apartments?" That was classic. She thought my neighbor on the other side of the wall was playing their piano.

If you don't like speakers with an imposing stature, or that are inconvenient to relocate, or can't allocate the necessary space betwen the rear and side-walls for imaging, you may wish to look at another set. I have mine 26" from the side walls, 18" from the rear wall, and 75" between their interior sides. I have the TV centered exactly between them, and the sweet spot seat is 12' from the TV. I arrange my furniture around my HTS. I've turned down apartments in the past because they didn't have the correct wall layout in the living room to accommodate my HTS.

System:
Polk SDA-1C's
Polk CS100 center channel
Polk RM3000 rear system
Velodyne F-1200-B
Mitsubishi HS-U80
Nakamichi Dragon
Pioneer DVL-90
Carver TFM-42
Carver AV-634
Sony X555ES CD
Sony TA-E1000ESD Control amp
Sony SU-32XBR100 monitor

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n/a

The Polk SDA series is one of the most accurate and real sounding loudspeaker lines in history, period!!!!

Great highs, awsome mids and good base.

base was a tad weak. A few years later I installed a powered 12" sub and the SDA1's came alive not needing to produce any low freq below 70hz!

I have owned these new since 88/89 and have loved listening to them everyday, even more so the day I added a 12" powered sub to my array of equipment. Having the sub produce low the 50-70hz's made the speakers much brighter and more responsive, even the mid bass was stronger. But now that I have added a 56" big screen to my arrangement I don't have the room for these speakers in my living room and sadly have to sell them. So anyone out there looking for a pair of SDA1's in cherry condition and never abused....meaning my amp was never pushed over 50% volume and never had a warranty issue or any kind with these babies. I am open to offers, I paid $1500 for the pair, at the time the retail was $850 each. Contact me at ehellgren@yahoo.com
PS> they will be going on ebay soon and local paper adds.
Thanks, Eric

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