No Receiver?

So i am wanting to buy a Polk Audio PSW10 for my computer set up and have a few questions before i buy it.
1: I do not want to buy a receiver for my setup due to the cost so i wanted to know if the setup would work without one.
2: Also i wanted to know if I use a Y cable from my sound-card to the Sub if i can set the low-pass on the sub still.
3: i have a nice set of Bose speakers that i want to run from the Sub after i set the low-pass so how would i do that?

Comments

  • Also I have a Sub out on my motherboard so would that work for music or just movies?
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Sorry man, unless the speakers are powered you must have an amp.

    Do you have rca outputs out of your sound card? And are the speakers self powered?
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • Yes my speakers are powered. Is it possible for my to run a 3.5 mm slitter from my audio out and then run a Y cable to my Sub and one to my speakers?
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Okay so more info about the soundcard would be helpful, but if you have a sub out I am assuming you have 5.1 outputs. So you should be able to connect the speakers to the front l/r outputs, and the then just use the sub out for the sub. You should a setting in the soundcard software that allows you to always have the sub on and set the crossover (80 is typical).

    That's all I can say without knowing the kind of soundcard you have...
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Other question: how much is the PSW10? It's not a very good subwoofer, and if you go used you can get much better for the money.

    If you want to stick with Polk, I would recommend this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/703-Polk-Audio-Model-PSW111-Black-8-Home-Powered-Subwoofer-Speaker-/182498073074?hash=item2a7dbb99f2:g:QQgAAOSw32lY0X6Z

    This is a great little sub that I used in a computer setup for awhile: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mirage-LF-100-subwoofer-/401280389775?hash=item5d6e2cd28f:g:IVAAAOSwfVpYrZoR

    It is much tighter than the PSW10, and it goes much deeper. Output it a bit limited, but at least as good as the PSW10 and it is for a computer setup.

    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • Ok so my main question for this is does the low pass setting on the sub work if i use a RL input? I have a Sub out on my motherboard too so can i adjust the low pass on my computer settings and use that for music too?
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Ok so my main question for this is does the low pass setting on the sub work if i use a RL input? I have a Sub out on my motherboard too so can i adjust the low pass on my computer settings and use that for music too?

    I am not sure about the low pass, but the manual is available online and I am sure that it will tell you.

    As for the second question, again without knowing the type of soundcard or software you are running I cannot be sure, but yes, the crossover settings should be universal be default, i.e., applying to every sound that comes out of your computer.

    @DonnerUndBlitzen, while I agree that the PSW10 is perfectly fine for what it is, I am just saying that for the same money (about $100) you can do a lot better used. And its not about output or rattling cupboards, is about clean output and extension. The PSW10 only goes done to maybe 40 hz, it has high levels of distortion at moderate volumes, and at higher volumes the port chuffs audibly. Yes, 40hz extension will turn a pair of small monitors into almost full range speakers, and if you carefully integrate it and keep the volume in check you can have very decent sound. But for the same amount of money, you can get a sub that is tighter and goes deeper. Why not???
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:
    Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra

    Bedroom 2.1
    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
  • Yes but i am not good at buying things used and i think my parents would like me to use Amazon. My sound car is the one built into my Gigabyte B250-D3H motherboard. It looks like the low pass will not work with the RL cables but my motherboard has a center/subwoofer speaker out (orange). So do you think that will work for all media playing?
  • My speakers are the Bose Companion Series 2. The right one has two sets of RL inputs, and one 3.5 mm jack running to the left speaker. Another idea is how hard would it be to run a Y cable out of the audio out on my computer, then split it into the left and right inputs of the Sub then run the wires from there into my other speakers? I am new to the audio setup so sorry if i am making noob suggestions.
  • What if i bought this amp for it? Would it let my set up my system without much wiring?
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N5D5ONB/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A7H32HUQT8E8T
  • Ok sorry for spamming but can i use this pre-amp https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TE5YWU/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
    and then use the powered speakers and sub after that? And what kind of input does this use? i couldn't figure it out? Can I run a AUX into it?
  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,776
    Those are car audio components. 12VDC
  • i know but would a pre amp work for a powered sub and speaker set?
  • Ok but the problem is I hooked up a powered set of speakers to the sub out and I could never get any sound out of them? I'm running windows 10 so does anyone know how to set a sub up there? And lastly I have started thinking that buying a cheap receiver might be the way to go.