New Polk speaker system. Help with sub!!

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Comments

  • larry777
    larry777 Posts: 480
    edited January 2011
    Its a good idea to follow your AVR Manual for Sub hookup also in case your AVR has special instructions or refers you to an additional page with more details. But basically what everyone is saying here is how I set mine up.
    Home Theatre.............

    Pioneer SC-35
    Polk RTi10's Fronts
    Polk CSiA6 Center
    RTi4 Surrounds
    SVS PB-12 Sub


    2 Channel.............................

    Yaqin MC-100B
    Energy RC-70 Speakers
    Arcam CD-192 Disc Player
    Van Den Hul Interconnects
  • dvran
    dvran Posts: 280
    edited January 2011
    Yeah, refer to the reciever's manual. I know that with my older Sony, I had to actually enable the sub-out in the settings of the reciever. I think it was set to "0" or something.

    Make sure the sub is powered on correctly, try a different outlet.

    Try switching cable locations on the subwoofer and the reciever.

    Take the subwoofer to a friends house and test it there.

    Process of elimination helps.
    ~Dan

    Projector: Epson 705HD on 106" DaLite
    TV: Samsung 50" Plasma PN50B550
    Receiver: Onkyo 607
    Fronts: Polk 1000i
    Center: Polk Csi40
    Rears: Polk Fxi30
    Sub: Velodyne Minivee 10
    PS3 and Xbox
  • mbond24
    mbond24 Posts: 17
    edited January 2011
    jinjuku wrote: »
    I believe he should still get the .1 since it is a discrete channel.
    Who knows what the AVR is doing however.

    I set all the speakers to small. Messed with the LFE settings also and still got no sound. I've tried everything on here guys and nothing is working. Going to take it to my neighbor's house today. I think I'll end up returning it to Amazon and get something else since this is my 2nd sub and 2nd AVR.
  • Mon40CSMM10
    Mon40CSMM10 Posts: 161
    edited January 2011
    Try this method of calibrating the sub:

    1. Turn the subwoofer amplifier dial all the way down.

    2. Enter manual calibration mode.

    3. Select the subwoofer channel.

    4. Slowly increase the subwoofer amplifier dial until the test tone is just heard. This confirms receiver output to the subwoofer is working.

    5. Exit calibration.

    6. Use a music or movie sound source to judge the bass content by ear. Increase the subwoofer channel volume on the receiver as needed up until the channel volume is near maximum (approximately +8.5 dB to +9.0 dB). If that is not giving enough bass presence, then only after that increase the subwoofer amplifier dial if more bass than that is needed.

    If this solves the problem then the subwoofer definitely is not defective. Then use MCACC and see what happens with that.
  • mbond24
    mbond24 Posts: 17
    edited January 2011
    Try this method of calibrating the sub:

    1. Turn the subwoofer amplifier dial all the way down.

    2. Enter manual calibration mode.

    3. Select the subwoofer channel.

    4. Slowly increase the subwoofer amplifier dial until the test tone is just heard. This confirms receiver output to the subwoofer is working.

    5. Exit calibration.

    6. Use a music or movie sound source to judge the bass content by ear. Increase the subwoofer channel volume on the receiver as needed up until the channel volume is near maximum (approximately +8.5 dB to +9.0 dB). If that is not giving enough bass presence, then only after that increase the subwoofer amplifier dial if more bass than that is needed.

    If this solves the problem then the subwoofer definitely is not defective. Then use MCACC and see what happens with that.

    The sad thing is that I've done exactly that many times. I do get a test tone from the sub when I run MCACC but is very very low volume compared to my other speakers. Even when I turn up the sub and re-run MCACC the tone is still very low volume. I put in "I am Legend" Blue Ray and get almost no bass even when I turn the volume all the way up. What sound I get from the sub is not bass... I'm getting a full range of sound and that is what is troubling. I'm thinking that I got another defective sub. I still need to take it to my neighbor's house to get a final verification that it may/may not be my AVR.

    I'm starting to wonder if I should return both AVR and sub and get different models of both. The Onkyo AVR look nice along with the new DSW Pro 400 sub...

    I don't know why this is such a challenge...
  • joeyf
    joeyf Posts: 15
    edited January 2011
    This is really strange. I have the same receiver, but no sub hooked up. Just for kicks, I will go hook up my sub (granted its an old Pioneer sub) and see what kind of settings it takes to mimic your situation.

    I know that before I got my Polks, I had the sub set up with my old speakers and when I ran the MCACC with the sub turned up, it changed the sub output to a reduced volume through the LFE. If I turned the volume control on the sub down before running the MCACC, to about 1/3 of the way up, the MCACC made no change, then I had full control of volume through the sub itself.
  • joeyf
    joeyf Posts: 15
    edited January 2011
    PS- if I can manage to mimic your issue on my system, I'm in Maricopa, AZ... Not too far from you.
  • joeyf
    joeyf Posts: 15
    edited January 2011
    Just my initial messing around- I cant seem to get my sub to output really low volumes unless I have the sub turned up high when I run the MCACC. Try running it with the sub around 1/3 of the way up, and the crossover knob turned fully clockwise. If the speakers are set to small, the sub defaults to ON all of the time. If they are set to large, the sub will be on, but not output anything. If you want to have the speakers set to large and use the sub, you need to have the sub set to PLUS. These settings need to be changed AFTER running the MCACC with the sub volume where I suggested. After running the MCACC, go to the speaker config menu and change the sub to plus and x-over to 80 or 100Hz.

    Also, this receiver is a little weird with the MCACC mic... Make sure you actually put the mic on a tripod. I noticed a significant difference in the level that it outputs lower frequencies when I calibrate with the mic sitting on a coffee table or the backrest cushions of the sofa.
  • larry777
    larry777 Posts: 480
    edited January 2011
    I recently ran MCACC on a new Pioneer Receiver I just got. When I got to the Sub area a message on the GUI Screen said.......TURN UP THE VOLUME.....befor running the test tones. I set my sub at aprox 3/4 Volume. After the auto setup I still went in and pumped my sub to + 2db.......and the Sub shakes the whole house...No Kidding. After that I believe my Sub volume was returned to aprox 12 o'clock position or slightly lower. I have used the PSW 505 ( still have it for a planned second room setup ) and it is a very capable Sub indeed....I like it so much, I plan to keep it.
    Home Theatre.............

    Pioneer SC-35
    Polk RTi10's Fronts
    Polk CSiA6 Center
    RTi4 Surrounds
    SVS PB-12 Sub


    2 Channel.............................

    Yaqin MC-100B
    Energy RC-70 Speakers
    Arcam CD-192 Disc Player
    Van Den Hul Interconnects
  • B Run
    B Run Posts: 1,888
    edited February 2011
    Pookiebear wrote: »
    icon_smile.gif Interesting...

    Dude gtfo of here
  • spock 2054
    spock 2054 Posts: 163
    edited February 2011
    mbond24 wrote: »
    The sad thing is that I've done exactly that many times. I do get a test tone from the sub when I run MCACC but is very very low volume compared to my other speakers. Even when I turn up the sub and re-run MCACC the tone is still very low volume. I put in "I am Legend" Blue Ray and get almost no bass even when I turn the volume all the way up. What sound I get from the sub is not bass... I'm getting a full range of sound and that is what is troubling. I'm thinking that I got another defective sub. I still need to take it to my neighbor's house to get a final verification that it may/may not be my AVR.

    I'm starting to wonder if I should return both AVR and sub and get different models of both. The Onkyo AVR look nice along with the new DSW Pro 400 sub...

    I don't know why this is such a challenge...

    What was the result of testing this sub at your friends location?
    polk monitor 70's
    center - polk monitor cs2
    surround - polk monitor 60's
    surround back - jbl e10
    sub - velodyne dps 12
    sub - polk psw110
    avr/pre-amp - onkyo tx-nr809
    amp - adcom gfa-5500
    amp - carver av405
    display - sharp lc70le847u
    tv - silicon dust hd homern
    blu-ray - oppo bdp-103
    hd dvd- toshiba hd xa2
    control - logitech harmony one
    turntable - technics sl1500 mkII
  • mbond24
    mbond24 Posts: 17
    edited March 2011
    Alright finally took the sub to my neighbors house and still very little sound even with it turned up to max volume. Therefore it has to be the sub and not my receiver (my neighbor was running a top of the line Yamaha receiver w/Mirage sub). I'm sending it back to Amazon tomorrow. I would like to try one more time with the PSW505 sub so I'm going to do an exchange.
  • Theheadsn
    Theheadsn Posts: 413
    edited March 2011
    Maybe its just the sub then? has to be?

    Ive had the 1020k for about a year now, and I like the receiver, really havent had any problems. Other then maybe not having enough hmph to punch my tsi500's. But I have an old Onkyo sub hooked up and it seems to work well. Glad I saw this post, was originally thinking of getting a psw505, might now now

    If you have the money, spring for an Epik Subwoofer, there $499 brand new, and GREAT subs from what Ive read.

    Let me know how things go :) hope this doesnt turn into one of those "o forgot to plug the computer in" type of things haha
    Home Theater Setup
    • Receiver - Onkyo TX-RZ1100
    • Mains - Polk RTi A9's
    • External Amps - Outlaw 2200 Monoblocks for L/R/C
    • Center - Polk CSiA6
    • Side Surrounds - Polk FXiA6's
    • Atmos - 4 Polk 80F/X RT's
    • Sub - SVS PC-4000
    • T.V. - LG OLED65C7P

  • leftwinger57
    leftwinger57 Posts: 2,917
    edited March 2011
    Finding out after going to your neighbors house and had the same problem then yeah
    it's a bad sub.What my experience was A.I put the sub wire in the wrong port
    and B. After that I found out it was only programed for 50%, so yes I was a putz but it seems you've tied everything .My avr is a Yamaha rx-v665 w/ also auto cal and test tones.....LW
    2chl- Adcom GFA- 555-Onkyo P-3150v pre/amp- JVC-QL-A200 tt- Denon 1940 ci cdp- Adcom GFS-6 -Modded '87 SDA 2Bs - Dynamat Ext.- BH-5- X-Overs VR-3, RDO-194 tweeters, Larry's Rings, Speakon/Neutrik I/C- Cherry stain tops Advent Maestros,Ohm model E

    H/T- Toshiba au40" flat- Yamaha RX- V665 avr- YSD-11 Dock- I-Pod- Klipsch #400HD Speaker set-

    Bdrm- Nikko 6065 receiver- JBL -G-200s--Pioneer 305 headphones--Sony CE375-5 disc