Best way to do this...

glemay · November 2003

Here is my question,

I will be getting a Paradigm PW-2200 very soon. I am trying to sell my NIB Polk Audio PSW202 but no luck so far. If I decide to keep the Polk Audio PSW202 and use it in my HT along with the Paradigm PW-2200 how should I hook it up? Is it a good idea?

Speakers:

Mains: Polk Audio RTi70 Bi-wired (Set to LARGE)
Center: Paradigm CC-170 V.3 (Set to SMALL)
Surrounds: Paradigm Micro V.3 (Set to SMALL)
Subwoofer 1: Paradigm PW-2200 (On its way)
Subwoofer 2: Polk Audio PSW202 (NIB)

Receiver:

Denon AVR-1803 (crossover is set @ 80Hz)

My room is 20' x 13' x 7'. I was thinking of putting the Paradigm PW-2200 in the front right corner hooked up via RCA (Y-splitter) cable. Then I thought of putting the Polk Audio PSW202 in the rear right coner, but not sure how to hook it up. Is this good placement for 2 subwoofers?

Please let me know what you guys think.

Gerald Lemay

Tour2ma · November 2003

whatever you do with the subs, at least try the 70's on small.

as for the subs, co-locating them in a stack is probably the easiest way to manage them, but have fun experimenting...

Dr. Spec · November 2003

Originally posted by glemay
I will be getting a Paradigm PW-2200 very soon.

Thank GOD. I was starting to worry you were suffering from interminable analysis paralysis.

gatemplin · November 2003

I have tried using my psw202 stacked on the Tempest and in the opposite corner and both will work if you get the right placement and phase settings.

glemay · November 2003

gatemplin,

Is the PSW202 a noticeable improvement? Woundn't you have to run it really hot (same db as your tempest) to notice it? How do you have yours hooked up?

I have a Y-splitter RCA cable, how would I hook it up to the Paradigm and Polk? Would the left RCA plug go in the left or right RCA plug on the Paradigm and the right RCA plug go into the lest or right plug if I was stacking them, or vise-versa? What settings would I set each sub at?

gatemplin · November 2003

I hardly notice the 202, I use it as a coffee table beside the couch. I also have two 12" subs that I dont use now that I have the Tempest.

I use the Y-splitter out of the LFE out and put the cables into the left rca inputs, no reason. This goes for stacked or seperate. I set the crossover on the 202 all the way up and phase at zero. On the Tempest crossover defeated phase around 180 Hz.

I was looking at the pw2200 on the weekend because I had to take my center in for repair. It is very nice and has a five inch flared port and it is very heavy. I listened to the first 10 minutes of the LOTR FOTR and it was amazing. You should be able to get one for at least $1000 maybe $950 and I think it retails for $1090.

glemay · November 2003

gatemplin,

My local dealer will give it to me for $1080 CDN with taxes. I hope I can get it at a lower price. Did you listen to the new PW-2200 or the old one?

gatemplin · November 2003

It was the new one. It was in a room without a roof that was about 15 X 15. 1080 is good, you might want to try a couple other dealers though. The best offer I found was $1150 incl. taxes.

Graham

glemay · November 2003

Thanks, but I am pretty sure I will be able to bring him down some more. I think he is the only dealer in my area (Windsor) unless I want to go all the way out to Chatham, which I don't.

glemay · November 2003

gatemplin,

Just wondering, but if I were to plug the two subs in with the RCA cable (Y-splitter) into the left plug on the subs, would I lose the sound that would be sent to the right sub?

If not, with the hook up you mentioned, will one sub produce the right channel signals and the other produce the left channel signals?

Gerald Lemay

gatemplin · November 2003

Gerald,

I am using the mono sub pre out on my Harman AVR. It combines the LFEs of the L&R mains as well as the sub LFEs and sends them all through the sub out. This way it makes no difference which input (L or R) you use.

If you are using unfiltered preouts (L & R) and skipping the BM on the receiver you would be losing one channels signal by only using the left or right channel on each sub.

Graham

glemay · November 2003

With what you stated gatemplin, I believe I will be alright. I will have the RCA cable (Y-spiltter) plugged into my Denon AVR-1803's sub preout, which is mono, if I am correct. Then plug the one of the two RCA plugs into one of the plugs on each sub.

Am I right?

gatemplin · November 2003

That's right, just plug em in either one and I would set the 70s to small when you get the pw2200.

glemay · November 2003

Just curious gatemplin, but how big is your room?

gatemplin · November 2003

My room is in the basement with a cement floor and is about 28' X 15' X 7 1/2'. My home theater is in one end of the room so I am only about 11' from the screen and 12' from the sub.

glemay · November 2003

gatemplin,

Your room is bigger than mine(20x13x7). Correct me if I'm wrong but you have your PSW202 right beside your couch. And with it being placed so close to your listening position you still barely notice an improvement. Am I right?

Would I still benefit from having another subwoofer in my HT even if I can't hear a diffrence since I will be able to move more air with a 12" and a 10" vs. one 12"?

gatemplin · November 2003

You wont notice a big difference but you can hear it. I definitely dont need it, I also have 2 sony 12" subs that I dont use. You will just have to do some experimenting and then decide.

Best way to do this...

Comments