Polk PSW-650 auto power switch problems

mr_wells

I have connected my PSW-650 to my Onkyo reciever with the sub pre-out cable and set the Onkyo to: subwoofer=Yes. I get great sound but, when I set the power switch on the sub to "auto" it cuts in and out. I thought it was supposed to stay on for 15 minutes with no signal. Even when I'm watching an action flick in Dolby Digital with volume high, the sub frequently cuts in and out...It seems to shut off after less than 1 minute of no major bass. Everythin works fine if I just turn the power switch to "on" but, this is less than optimal and not what I would expect from a top of the line subwoofer. Please advise.

GuitarheadCA

Yes, it's true, my polk subs almost never waited around 15 minutes before shutting off- often it was much earlier.

Here's a possible remedy- the subs stays on depending on how much signal it receives, so try turning the sub up a few notches on the Onk, and turn the volume down a few notches on the back of the sub. So the sub will receive more signal, but the volume you hear will be the same. You can do that on most Onkyo's by finding the "Channel Select" or "Test Tone" button then turning it up when it rotates to the sub.

mr_wells

Originally posted by GuitarheadCA
try turning the sub up a few notches on the Onk, and turn the volume down a few notches on the back of the sub. So the sub will receive more signal, but the volume you hear will be the same.

I'll give that a try when I get home but, I'm suspecting I might have a defective product. I have turned the sub channel all the way to +12 on the reciever and it still doesn't seem to work right. I really thought it was supposed to remain on for 15 min with no signal...

mr_wells

I just talked to a customer service rep. They said that there is no fixed timeout length for the sub to switch off when on the "auto" power setting. It seems that the shutoff time can be "up to" 15 minutes but won't necessarily take that long and that no two subs are the same. The "auto" setting on my sub seems useless if it's going to be cutting in and out throughout the movie. If there is nothing more I can do with my system, I will swap my sub out for a new one at Frys... And hope the new sub has a better sensor.

GuitarheadCA

Come to think of it, I often would not use the auto at all (your reason being on of them), and would just turn the sub on the first time I listened to my stereo that day, and turn it off before I went to bed. But that's not the most hassle-free way to do it, so you may not like that suggestion much.

dorokusai

You have a 5 year warranty, I would leave it on 24/7, unless on vacation and try and kill that thing

mr_wells

Originally posted by dorokusai
You have a 5 year warranty, I would leave it on 24/7, unless on vacation and try and kill that thing

It seems like it's already got a birth defect. I'm very inclined to swap it out...

fireshoes

I leave mine on all the time. Not too concerned about it.

mr_wells

Does anyone see anything wrong with plugging the sub into my recievers' switched power outlet? I just want to make sure I'm not going to blow a fuse or anything...

faster100

No don't do that, not a good idea with amps involved..

GuitarheadCA

Yeah, not a great option. the reason faster and I say this is because the switched power outlets on the back of receivers usually limits the current to somewhere around or below 1 amp. That equates to 120 watts MAXIMUM that is can comfortably supply. And you want more than that for your 650 my friend. So, it's a good idea, and will probably WORK, but not recommended for current reasons.

mr_wells

Originally posted by GuitarheadCA
but not recommended for current reasons.

Pun intended???

GuitarheadCA

Actually it wasn't, I just noticed that

mr_wells

This is what the support people said:

Hello Jason,
If I understand you correctly you are sending a full range, unfiltered,
right and left front audio signal to the corresponding right and left
line
level input, correct? Also, you have the selector switch in the middle
position, corresponding to the "auto" position, correct? If all of this
is
correct and the unit goes into standby in less than 15 minutes, then
there's
something wrong with the unit and it should be checked out by the
dealer who
sold it to you.

GuitarheadCA

That doesn't make much sense to me- The question at hand is whether it turns off before 15 minutes with no signal, so why would it matter whether the signal is full range or not? In theory, you should be able to disconnect the dang thing and it stay on 15 minutes. One more thing though- if you havn't tried using a y-splitter and going into the L&R imputs, than try that, it goes along with the thoery of trying to send more signal to the sub. A Y-splitter will increase the pre-out signal strenth by 3 db. Just turn the low pass filter all the way up, and will essentially be the same as the unfiltered.

Tour2ma

GCA,
Since mr. w. is already sending both channels to the sub, i.e., the Polk way, he should already be getting the gain since the bass info is in both channels.

As for the PolK CS statement, it sorta makes sense as with full range going to the sub, it should constantly be seeing a signal, even if it is one it is not being asked to reproduce, and stay on. Polk may not guarantee 15 minutes, but it should not be cutting out at all with this arrangement as long as source material is being played.

That said, mr. w.,
Might as well trade it in and see if another performs the way you expected it to...

But, I agree with the leave it on approach dorokusai suggested. On/ Off cycles are more harmful to class A/B or B amps than staying on continuously. Mine go off only for vacations (they deserve one, too) and electrical storms. My good, old Carver M1.5t does not even have an on/off switch...

ezc

I had the same problem! My 650 did the same thing shut off quickly & sometimes didnt do on. I tried turning the sub levels up on the sub & reciver & I dont think It helped, but it messed up my speaker settings. It got worse over time & soon the sub wouldnt go on at all, even with the switch set to on. I took it back to CC. They had my sub for a week & replaced the amp. I took it home & within 1 week I had the same problem. I took it back a 2nd time, They took about 2 weeks this time, CC said they called polk & was told to relace the amp again, I took my 650 home again & plugged it it and DAMM it didnt even go on! I couldnt get it to power at all!!!! I took it back a third time! (When I took the sub back the seccond time I purchased a Carver Knoght Shadow sub to use while my 650 was being repaird, & as a seccond sub for my system once the 650 came back.)
My sub was not even 2 months old & it was in for repair for over 4 weeks! The manager at CC told me he would just give me a new 650 (lemmon law). I asked him if the new one was from the same batch as my 650 he checked & said yes it was. I asked him if they could refund me or order a new amp from polk & have mine repaired. I was afraid that if I got another 650 from the same batch & there was a problem with amps Id have the same problem again. Gee I went through 3 amps & all three was bad. CC ordered a amp from polk & I waited again about 3 weeks. The manager credited my credit card $100 for the trouble. When the sub was done I picked it up took it home & set it up! Since then no problems at all! I have had it about 1.5 years now. My auto on / off works great, playing music or movies even at low levels the sub turns on, during a movie even when there are no low freq the sub stays on. I think my sub stays on for about 10 - 15 min even after I shut my system down. My carver since day one has had no problems & the auto on / off works well too! Im happy with the 650 now but for the first 2 months I was soo frustrated I was ready to just get rid of it! Id get another sub from the store or have the amp replaced! The 650 is a great sub once its blended & set up.

GuitarheadCA

As much as people like to rag on CC's salesman, I think the last post is an example of how great CC's return policy is. Yeah, it would have been better if it worked the first time out of the box, but that's not CC's fault, it's Polks. And few other stores have as liberal of a satisfaction guarantee and trade up policy.

mr_wells

Well, just so you all know, I exchanged my first 650 for another one at Fry's and the new one performs the way it's supposed to...Stays on for 15 min with no signal...Whohoo!!

GuitarheadCA

Awesome! Now you can finally ENJOY the sound of your new sub w/o out having to troubleshoot it!:D

Tour2ma

Don't you just love happy endings???

ezc

great! good to hear they swapped out the 650.. Gee I wish CC would have done that. CC wouldnt swap it out, they had to try & fix it first!

mr_wells

Originally posted by ezc
great! good to hear they swapped out the 650.. Gee I wish CC would have done that. CC wouldnt swap it out, they had to try & fix it first!

I used to work at CC and the customer could always do a swap within 30 days. Otherwise, you could have just returned it and bought the same thing somewhere else. Sounds like an overzealous Customer Service Manager....Not good for business. Customer service is obviously hit and miss but, I wouldn't try to talk a customer into getting a new item repaired...although, that is what Polk support said I should do on the phone....

Basie

You are a lucky man, I struggle with the same problem on my 660. You don't know witch part they have replaced.
Basie
South Africa

rooftop59

Basie wrote: »

You are a lucky man, I struggle with the same problem on my 660. You don't know witch part they have replaced.
Basie
South Africa

Hi Basie,

You do realize you are commenting on a 17 year old post? All these guys are LONG gone 😂