PSW505 Sub Age

Tornado Red

I have a chance to pick up a PSW505 at a good price from a dealer here in Canada. I understand this is a "vintage" speaker now and is no longer made by Polk. To me, this is a close out type of sale, but I am curious as to when production of these ceased and therefore how long these have been sitting around. Also, if these are foam edged, anyone think there could be degradation just sitting in the box? Thanks...

Bosstone95

Unfortunately, I can't answer your question but just curious as to how much they are selling the PSW505 for and where?

I'm in Canada and looking at the PSW505 and the cheapest I can find it is Amazon.com.

Tornado Red

Bosstone95 wrote: »

Unfortunately, I can't answer your question but just curious as to how much they are selling the PSW505 for and where?

I'm in Canada and looking at the PSW505 and the cheapest I can find it is Amazon.com.

Visions Electronics (I'm in Winnipeg) has it for 298, but I'm hoping to get it a little cheaper. I see it's 189 on Amazon.com, but assume bringing it over (duty) plus shipping may kill that as a better deal? Actually, maybe I'll go to Amazon now and do the math and see...just checked. Amazon won't ship that item here, I'd have to arrange a border drop.

cnh

We generally consider the PSW 505 a Best Buy in that 200 dollar new sub category. It's a fine sub but not as good as some of the newer subs in the over 500 dollar category that you can buy on line by SVS, HSU, EPIK, and even something like Polk's own DSWPro 600 series.

I know you guys in Canada have "duty" to deal with so as much under 300 USD as you can get it for so much the better!

cnh

Tornado Red

cnh wrote: »

We generally consider the PSW 505 a Best Buy in that 200 dollar new sub category. It's a fine sub but not as good as some of the newer subs in the over 500 dollar category that you can buy on line by SVS, HSU, EPIK, and even something like Polk's own DSWPro 600 series.

I know you guys in Canada have "duty" to deal with so as much under 300 USD as you can get it for so much the better!

cnh

Thanks cnh. I've also been looking at the DSW550 which I could pick up for $50 more than the 505. ($348)

cnh

The specs on the 550 are pretty close to the PSW 505 and the advantage would be in the "tighter" more "musical" base the 550 would put out. 348 is really an excellent price for that!

The 505 hits a little lower and has a 12" driver but is a little sloppier. And the real measured difference is only 2 hz lower. 30 hz for the 550 and 28hz for the 505.

As I understand it, the ear needs about 3 hz or more to hear a real difference. So I'd go with the 550 if you can get it at that price.

Room size is also a factor. Because if your room is big, I'd have to suggest the larger 660?

cnh

Tornado Red

cnh wrote: »

The specs on the 550 are pretty close to the PSW 505 and the advantage would be in the "tighter" more "musical" base the 550 would put out. 348 is really an excellent price for that!

The 505 hits a little lower and has a 12" driver but is a little sloppier. And the real measured difference is only 2 hz lower. 30 hz for the 550 and 28hz for the 505.

As I understand it, the ear needs about 3 hz or more to hear a real difference. So I'd go with the 550 if you can get it at that price.

Room size is also a factor. Because if your room is big, I'd have to suggest the larger 660?

cnh

I like your line of thinking, folks like yourself have been a wealth of information on here, I appreciate that. I've read on here, and elsewhere, just about what you're saying. Initially, I was thinking I'd be missing the lack of power from the 550 vs the 505. But it seems so small now...and that the 505 will be sloppy and not as musical, I've heard that quite often. So...sending a small panorama pic of my room, about 19'x12'. But as you can see, the 19' is the width. Pic is taken from my seat, I have about a 5 foot opening to the room over my left shoulder. Rears are in the ceiling over my head. Sub is presently just right of the right side 75t. Yamaha V-671 presently powering things. My medium of choice is blu-ray, but not all movies. About 60 or so blu movies, but my main arena is blu-ray concerts, of which I have 80+. So, it's sort of HT, but not...I know, clear as mud. Think the 550 would work in this environment?

teekay0007

The DSWPRO550wi pulls double duty - music and HT - superbly and would be more than enough for your needs as you described above. I currently have two of them and prefer them over the DSWMicroPRO2000 and 3000 that I replaced with the 550s.

IMHO, the 550 is leagues ahead of the PSW505, sound quality-wise, feature-wise, and build quality-wise - Big Time! Best place to get the 550, in the states, is at Newegg. Don't know if that's available to you.

Additionally, for what it's worth: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?139255-How-to-make-it-better&p=1844356#post1844356

Also, from your pic above, it looks like you might get better sound out of your setup if your towers could be toe'd-in a little more, moved forward a bit and maybe a little further out from your entertainment center cabinets. Nice to see there's still others out there with "Stonehenge" entertainment centers like mine - :biggrin:

Tornado Red

teekay0007 wrote: »

The DSWPRO550wi pulls double duty - music and HT - superbly and would be more than enough for your needs as you described above. I currently have two of them and prefer them over the DSWMicroPRO2000 and 3000 that I replaced with the 550s.

IMHO, the 550 is leagues ahead of the PSW505, sound quality-wise, feature-wise, and build quality-wise - Big Time! Best place to get the 550, in the states, is at Newegg. Don't know if that's available to you.

Additionally, for what it's worth: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?139255-How-to-make-it-better&p=1844356#post1844356

Also, from your pic above, it looks like you might get better sound out of your setup if your towers could be toe'd-in a little more, moved forward a bit and maybe a little further out from your entertainment center cabinets. Nice to see there's still others out there with "Stonehenge" entertainment centers like mine - :biggrin:

Ha Stonehenge, I love it. This cabinet has been with me in some morphed form or another for a long time, it has so much storage I'd hate to give it up. Brought out the speakers some and toe'd in more: better. Going to give the 550s a listen tomorrow, thanks TK...

dirtydenim86

Tornado Red wrote: »

Visions Electronics (I'm in Winnipeg) has it for 298, but I'm hoping to get it a little cheaper. I see it's 189 on Amazon.com, but assume bringing it over (duty) plus shipping may kill that as a better deal? Actually, maybe I'll go to Amazon now and do the math and see...just checked. Amazon won't ship that item here, I'd have to arrange a border drop.

I just purchased the PSW505 for $189 off of amazon border isn't far from here so I'll just need to pay the .13 tax well worth the savings.

Tornado Red

Pulled the trigger on the DSWpro550wi today. BestBuy had it for $348+t online only. Didn't have any in store so this is a blind buy of sorts for me. I'm relying on the info I've gotten on here, although you are the same folks that seem to have no issue spending other people's money...:cheesygrin:

cnh

The 550 should be sufficient in your room. The 660 might have given a bit more low end even in that space. But I think you'll be OK.

I, myself, run a 300 watt/600 watt peak 12" in a room that is about 11.5 x 25 with the HT taking up less space (17 x 11.5) and I find that more than enough for my space. My sub is not a Polk but compares favorably with, perhaps, the 660 (although I would say that the Polk sub is tighter in the bass dept).

Enjoy!

cnh

Tornado Red

cnh wrote: »

The 550 should be sufficient in your room. The 660 might have given a bit more low end even in that space. But I think you'll be OK.

I, myself, run a 300 watt/600 watt peak 12" in a room that is about 11.5 x 25 with the HT taking up less space (17 x 11.5) and I find that more than enough for my space. My sub is not a Polk but compares favorably with, perhaps, the 660 (although I would say that the Polk sub is tighter in the bass dept).

Enjoy!

cnh

Thanks cnh. I certainly looked at the 660 (today actually) but the "sale" price was $200 above the 550. It's a high jump in price, but also in sub as well I know. My tastes in music and playback have changed some with age, the tightness and musicality of the 550 I'm hoping will be what I'm looking for, that's kind of why I passed on the 505. I'll be looking at replacing the center next, probably in the spring.

teekay0007

T-Red: I'm very confident you'll be more than satisfied with the 550 in your 12 x 19 room. Both the 550s I have are in comparable-to-larger sized rooms and do their job wonderfully for both HT and music listening. Reviews - for added peace of mind 'til your sub arrives? - can be found all over the net. Search for DSWPRO550wi and DSWPRO500 - they are IDENTICAL subs, except that the 550wi has the wireless capability.

Good luck, and do let us know what you think once you get it fired up.

Tornado Red

teekay0007 wrote: »

T-Red: I'm very confident you'll be more than satisfied with the 550 in your 12 x 19 room. Both the 550s I have are in comparable-to-larger sized rooms and do their job wonderfully for both HT and music listening. Reviews - for added peace of mind 'til your sub arrives? - can be found all over the net. Search for DSWPRO550wi and DSWPRO500 - they are IDENTICAL subs, except that the 550wi has the wireless capability.

Good luck, and do let us know what you think once you get it fired up.

Thanks TK, I will.