Polks new Flagship Line, The Legend Series: Reintroduces SDA Technology

[TitaniumTroy]

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/polk-audio-introduces-new-flagship-speaker-line/
Leading the flagship loudspeaker line is the company’s L800 “True Stereo” floor-standing speaker featuring next generation Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA-PRO) technology, the first SDA speaker introduced in over 20 years and the only speakers in the world to maintain full stereo separation from the source to the listener’s ears. The result is the most lifelike imaging, smooth spectral response and deep, tight bass normally found in speakers several times the cost.

I never really got the full effect of the SDA back in the day for some reason, guess I will have to try a Magnolia Design Center at a Best Buy in Chicago. To see if this new version works any for better for me.

 

[Haywood]

At first, I was like, "That's odd. I didn't know Seventh-Day Adventists made speakers."

 

[Flint]

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/polk-audio-introduces-new-flagship-speaker-line/
Leading the flagship loudspeaker line is the company’s L800 “True Stereo” floor-standing speaker featuring next generation Stereo Dimensional Array (SDA-PRO) technology, the first SDA speaker introduced in over 20 years and the only speakers in the world to maintain full stereo separation from the source to the listener’s ears. The result is the most lifelike imaging, smooth spectral response and deep, tight bass normally found in speakers several times the cost.

I never really got the full effect of the SDA back in the day for some reason, guess I will have to try a Magnolia Design Center at a Best Buy in Chicago. To see if this new version works any for better for me.

I read the patent on this, and they really did their research. They mimic the cross fade transform of the human face and ears facing opposite directions with the reverse phase onto, something they failed to do in the original SDA implementation.

 

[TitaniumTroy]

I read the patent on this, and they really did their research. They mimic the cross fade transform of the human face and ears facing opposite directions with the reverse phase onto, something they failed to do in the original SDS implementation.

Cool, since I am all about imaging/soundstage. I'll really be looking forward to giving this a listening session. Flint what about comb filtering, from the dual midrange's or do they have a way compensating for that problem.

 

[Flint]

Cool, since I am all about imaging/soundstage. I'll really be looking forward to giving this a listening session. Flint what about comb filtering, from the dual midrange's or do they have a way compensating for that problem.

That's not how it works.

The outside midrange and tweeter are being fed the signal from the opposite channel and are attenuated and with inverted polarity. The result is the right ear primarilu gets the right signal and an inverted left signal and an a reduce SPL and EQed to reflect the crosstalk from the left speaker. The left speaker gets the opposite. The result is the sound more closely reflects the sound of headphones where the left and right signals are not shared between ears. The two midrange units in each speaker are reproducing different channels, so mono comb-filtering won't occur in a traditional sense. However, if a signal is mono, like the vocal track, things get strange. This is where acoustics will mess with things and make it so more crosstalk occurs than with headphones. .

 

[malsackj]

one thing they did not address in the white paper is the first reflection points and the acoustics of the room. The setup is assumed to work in Near Field Monitors and the room acoustics not being addressed.

 

[malsackj]

I have found that the mono center image to be very good. But this was using the home built version that does not have the signal attenuation for the out of phase opposite side. My crossover was around 200 to 260 hz for the bass module to the 4 inch drivers I used as midrange.

 

[Flint]

one thing they did not address in the white paper is the first reflection points and the acoustics of the room. The setup is assumed to work in Near Field Monitors and the room acoustics not being addressed.

In fact, projecting an out of phase signal from about 6 to 10 feet away from the original source signal reduces some of the room reflection issues by causing significantly more cancellations than reinforcements. That said, placement will be very critical to the enjoyment of these speakers.

 

[MatthewB]

My best friends father has the original SDA towers (big enough to be buried in) they come with an anchor bolt so you can secure it to the wall so they don't tip over. These speakers are 40 years old and I bet have less than 100 hours of use in 40 years. He just never uses them. I've asked him multiple times in the past 30 years if I could buy them off of him but he refuses to sell them.

 

[TitaniumTroy]

Well that's strange, maybe he just likes looking at them?

 

[Randy]

There could very well be an emotional attachment to the speakers. Maybe he rarely gets the opportunity to dedicate the time to listening but when he does it is his version of audio nirvana.

Maybe he looks at them as a status symbol and cant bare the thought of selling them.

Maybe he just likes them and doesn't want to sell them.

 

[Randy]

I had one of my very first eye opening audio experiences with Polk SDA 1.2's if my memory serves me correctly I think 1.2 was the model number, anyway but they were gigantic like Matt explained and powered by some crazy Carver and Harmon Kardon setup with like 2000 watts per channel.

Listened to them and was blown away, then my buddy took me across town and I listened to a pair of Klipschorns fed by tube preamp and tube amps (biamped I think) with less than 50 watts per side going into it and I was absolutely blown away.

I preferred the Klipsch setup and my buddy said "Don't be fooled by numbers, they are not as important as the salesman would have you believe."

 

[TitaniumTroy]

 

[TitaniumTroy]

I’m trying to get the hang of this posting pics thing, I know years behind the times. Better late than never

 

[TitaniumTroy]

 

[TitaniumTroy]

This was at ABT Electronics in Chicago last week. They had a big raffle, many manufacturers, I came for the Polks. Which had the worst room there, open and very noisy.

They had a huge soundstage, too much bass for me. The sales rep only played a small portion of less than two minutes and that’s all he played. So that’s my only impressions I have of the Polk’s.

 

[TitaniumTroy]

New Yamaha speaker all drivers are made from the same material Zylon

 

[TitaniumTroy]

This is an ABT Design Center so it’s a huge store, lots of rooms, plus appliances.

 

[TitaniumTroy]

McIntosh, Klipsch's new K-Horn was there, B&W had their new wireless speaker technology and Bose of course, Martin Logan sounded the best to me playing Fleetwood Mac. Oh they also had a very nice fish tank. To enter the raffle you had to have five manufacturers sign some little pamphlet they gave you, I skipped it after a couple of signatures.

Some low midfi receivers, some cables, headphones, some cups with logos on them, were the prizes.

Best selection of speakers that look like Rocks, that I’ve ever seen.