POLK SDA series

I had a pair of the SDA-1's years ago...I believe they were the very first model. I never could get them sounding right in my room. I had a pair of highly modified McCormack mono's (modded by the ModSquad) driving them, with a McCormack Phoenix preamp. They could play loud, but I could not seem to find a placement that worked. They actually sounded better with the cross connect cord detached. The SDA-1's sound was *heavily* colored. I replaced them with Alon IV's and realized at that point how much the Polks placed their own sound into the music. I have not heard the later models, they probably are a lot better.

I had the SDA CRS model for about 10 years now my friend has been enjoying them for the last 6. The sound was always pleasing and nicely balanced, and loud is one wanted. They were an easy load to drive, and a very easy to live with speaker.

There was some trickyness in the crossover to try to make each speaker produce stereo effects using two drivers a head width apart and feeding some signal from the other channel with appropriate timing processing. The effect for me was a very nice prescence, much like live particularly with small groups in intimate recording settings. Set up corectly and properly driven they could deliver an emotional impact with the the very best.

If you can stand the size, and are looking for the biggest stereo soundstage you've ever heard, providing your room allows you to space them properly.

I still have the 2.3tl's on a second HT rig. They were always a little on the aggressive side - but could play loud. I used tubes in the preamp - that calmed them a little.

I've had a pair of SDA CRS+'s since about 1985-86. They are some very well made, damn nice sounding bookshelf speakers. I have the stands that came with them as well and while they sound great on shelves, when on the stands they sound best. I also later matched them with an older M&K V2B sub which made them sound even better.