PSW10 Subwoofer Hookup

Tahoua

I'm considering getting the PSW10 subwoofer, but want to make sure it will connect properly to my receiver. Looking at the back of the PSW10 subwoofer.

It looks like it takes two RCA type connectors for an input (Left & Right). However on my receiver there is only one RCA type output labeled "Subwoofer".
Two questions:
1. Is it okay to just connect the one receiver output to either the L or R input on the PSW10, or do I need to get a different subwoofer that has a single RCA input connection?
2. If its okay to connect that way can I do it with a 16 guage 2 wire speaker wire that is already run in the ceiling :biggrin: from the receiver location (back of the room) to the speaker location (front of the room) or do I need to fish a coax cable through the ceiling:sad:?

[Deleted User]

Hello Tahous,
Welcome to Polk's forum! The PSW10 will work fine, however since you have speaker wire for your sub connection you'll need to make the connection, to the sub, via the speaker level input. At the receiver end, place the two speaker wires into the "main" or "front" speaker connections. Then, at the sub, connect the two speaker wires to the right and left speaker level inputs. In the receiver's setup menu set the sub function to "off". This will send the bass to the front speakers and the sub and should sound fine.
The right and left RCA connections would have to be made with coaxial type cable instead of speaker wire.
Regards, Ken

jbooker82

Tahoua wrote: »

I'm considering getting the PSW10 subwoofer, but want to make sure it will connect properly to my receiver. Looking at the back of the PSW10 subwoofer.

It looks like it takes two RCA type connectors for an input (Left & Right). However on my receiver there is only one RCA type output labeled "Subwoofer".
Two questions:
1. Is it okay to just connect the one receiver output to either the L or R input on the PSW10, or do I need to get a different subwoofer that has a single RCA input connection?
2. If its okay to connect that way can I do it with a 16 guage 2 wire speaker wire that is already run in the ceiling :biggrin: from the receiver location (back of the room) to the speaker location (front of the room) or do I need to fish a coax cable through the ceiling:sad:?

The RCA cable hookup is the better option than using speaker wire. All you need is a single cable then use a Y. That way both the L&R RCA's will be hooked up.

How much are you wanting to spend on a sub? The reason I ask is because New Egg has the DSW Pro xxxWI subs on sale at a pretty hefty discount. You can get a really nice sub for the money but it will more than likely be over your budget, but it will be 100x better sub.

The DSW Pro 440WI is $249
The DSW Pro 550WI is $299
The DSW Pro 660WI is $349

They can be ran wirelessly with the aditional puchase of the transmitter and reciever. This would allow you to not have to run any cables through the wall, just plug the sub in to an outlet.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100008225%2050012345%20600030003&IsNodeId=1&name=Polk%20Audio

[Deleted User]

The "wireless" suggestion makes perfect sense!

Tahoua

Kenneth,
Thank you for the quick and complete response that would enable me to connect a PSW10 without running a coax cable. However, since I have not yet bought the PSW10, would it be significantly better to buy a subwoofer that accepts a single RCA input and run a coax cable. I think the single RCA connectors are called LFE right? I notice that some of the other subwoofer models accept LFE inputs.
Thanks,
Tahoua

[Deleted User]

Hello Tahoua,
The LFE input on a sub-woofer provides a connection that isn't filtered. This prevents what is referred to as "double filtering"; sending an already filtered signal through another low pass filter. In the PSW10 the same thing can be accomplished by setting the variable low pass filter to its highest setting. This places any filtering action, of the sub, above the incoming filtered signal from the receiver. However, a shielded coaxial connecting cable would be needed.
Cheers, Ken

jbooker82

Yes that method works fine but it isnt the preferd way. If you use the rca cable your allowing your avr to do the bass managment vs just useing a knob to control the low pass filter and volume. The only way I would use line level inputs is if my avr had no sub out.

Tahoua

xcapri79 wrote: »

Jbooker offered some very good advice concerning the use of Polk wireless subs.




Wiring through your existing front speakers is a fine traditional method as Ken suggests below. I did this for several years with a pair of Polk Monitor 60 speakers and a pair of PSW10's. It looked good and worked well in a small bedroom setup.


hello xcapri79:

What speakers do you have Tahoua?

Front Center Speaker is 255c-RT
Front L & R Speakers are RC85i
Back & Surround Speakers are RC60i

The problems I see with this method are:
1. I already have speakers connected to the Front R,L,& C at the receiver. Connecting another in parallel would drop the resistance (by how much I don't know) and possibly cause the receiver's amp to overheat since the Front Speakers are already matching the 8 ohm recommendation.
2. Since the receiver is in the back of the room and the subwoofer goes up front I would have to run 2 more speaker wires through the ceiling. (That does raise the question "does it really make a difference whether the subwoofer is the front of the room or not." If not my problem is solved fairly easily because I don't have to run the coax through the ceiling.)

Tahoua

jbooker82 wrote: »

Yes that method works fine but it isnt the preferd way. If you use the rca cable your allowing your avr to do the bass managment vs just useing a knob to control the low pass filter and volume. The only way I would use line level inputs is if my avr had no sub out.

My AVR is a 7.1ch Sony Model #STR-DH720 . It does have a sub out. But it is a single RCA connector. It is labeled "Audio Out - Subwoofer" and is presumably an LFE connection though I can't verify that in the documentation. Here's a picture:

Tahoua

The wireless was definitely the best solution offered, but even at newegg's sale price of $250 plus another $100 for the wireless kit, that's $350 total and out of my price range.

Here's what I decided on:
Stick with the PSW10 at $105 on Amazon
Not put any new wiring through the ceiling
Instead connect directly to the AVR's subwoofer output
Use a 35' subwoofer cable with a Y connector ($26 on Amazon)
Set the variable low pass filter to its highest setting, making use of the AVR's filter.
Total $131

Thank you all for your help. Though at the start I had and idea that a Y connector was in the works, I didn't even knowing the difference between a line and a speaker input, much less the problem of double filtering, or the alternative of wireless subwoofers. Thanks for the education as well as the solution.

vk2r

My subwoofer speaker terminals broke, any idea where I could buy just the terminals and not the whole amplifier? I can solder. Thanks.

ken brydson

vk2r wrote: »

My subwoofer speaker terminals broke, any idea where I could buy just the terminals and not the whole amplifier? I can solder. Thanks.

Parts Express and probably Monoprice to start.