PSW505 Setup

Just tweaking my system exploring the option of going with full range for my front towers.

Reading through the manual came across this...

• Low Pass—This control adjusts the frequency range over which the subwoofer operates. When using smaller main speakers, the upper
range of the control will probably yield the best results. With larger speakers, the lower end of the control range will probably sound best,
but always let your ear be the final judge. If male vocals sound “thin,” turn this control up until the voice sounds rich but not boomy. If
male vocals sound too “thick” or “chesty,” turn this control down until the voice sounds natural. NOTE: This control does not operate when
the subwoofer is connected with Method #2 (LFE Input).

I have my sub connected to my receiver using an RCA cable and the LFE Input on the sub does this mean that the frequency should be set in the receiver settings and the knob is useless?


My Setup:
2 x RTI10 Polk Audio Front Tower Speakers
2 x RTI4 Polk Audio Bookself (for rear)
1 x CSi5 Center Channel RTI Series Speaker
1 x PSW505 12" Polk Audio Subwoofer

Onkyo TX-NR809
RTI10 Polk Audio Front Tower Speakers
RTI4 Polk Audio Bookself
CSi5 Center Channel RTI Series
PSW505 12" Subwoofer

Comments

  • Yeahup.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    I have my sub connected to my receiver using an RCA cable and the LFE Input on the sub does this mean that the frequency should be set in the receiver settings and the knob is useless?

    Yes to some extent, however if the frequency cutoff for your sub is too HIGH and wont go as low as you like, you should be able to use the knob to cut it off a bit more....

    That said, I let my AVR cut it at 80hz and my LSi 15's are at 60 as I found the low low stuff just wont sound right with floorstanders, and you also risk cancellation and phase issues if you have your fronts fullrange with a sub..

    Just a FYI.

    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • If you are using the LFE input on the sub, then the subs crossover is bypassed. Adjusting the knob will have no effect.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
  • Currently I have my fronts set to Full Band, Center set to 60Hz, Surround set to 80Hz, Sub knob and AVR setting to 120Hz. It feels like there is a bit too much boom if I keep my front towers at Full Band should I bring the Sub crossover down to 40Hz-60Hz instead of 120Hz?
    Onkyo TX-NR809
    RTI10 Polk Audio Front Tower Speakers
    RTI4 Polk Audio Bookself
    CSi5 Center Channel RTI Series
    PSW505 12" Subwoofer
  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,517
    edited December 2014
    No I'd bring the fronts up and lighten the amp load on the AVR.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
  • No I'd bring the fronts up and lighten the amp load on the AVR.

    I had the fronts set to 60Hz before going Full Band should I set them back to that and have the sub crossover set to 60Hz or a bit higher?

    I've had the system for awhile ran through the setup but now I'm reading up on crossovers and trying to tweak my system.

    Onkyo TX-NR809
    RTI10 Polk Audio Front Tower Speakers
    RTI4 Polk Audio Bookself
    CSi5 Center Channel RTI Series
    PSW505 12" Subwoofer
  • seabeerob213
    seabeerob213 Posts: 1,840
    edited December 2014
    Does your avr have auto calibration? If so, run it, and use that as a starting point to adjust your settings.
    2 Channel(work in progress):DAC: Schiit modi 2 uberAmp:Parasound 1200 MK IISub:RBH 1010-SEP Speakers: Monitor 5A peerlesscurrently running some krk rokit 3g since the HK pre outs died and i need to start breaking everything down to move in a couple monthsHeadphones:Source: tidalDAC: schiit modius epre: schiit sysAmp: AQ dragonfly black/ schiit magni2 Cans: Velodyne V-True, Grado SR225i, sennheiser x drop gaming headsetPC:DAC: schiit modius e(over spdif)pre: schiit sysspeakers: prenous eris 5 xtSub: Earthquake Sound MiniMe-P63most of my comments are passing on of info, im a noob, im just trying to help how i can, if im wrong or out of place to comment, dont hesitate to let me know :)"WITH WILLING HEARTS AND SKILLFUL HANDS, THE DIFFICULT WE DO AT ONCE, THE IMPOSSIBLE TAKES A BIT LONGER, WITH COMPASSION FOR OTHERS. WE BUILD - WE FIGHT FOR PEACE WITH FREEDOM"Seabee Memorial, Arlington, VA
  • Does your avr have auto calibration?

    It does I've gone through the 20 minute setup with the mic I believe it set the crossovers to 60Hz for each speaker and 120Hz for the sub. I do enjoy the audio that comes out of the RTi10s when they are set to full band so I'm just tinkering with the crossovers a bit I've been told that in HT that "small" speaker setup is the way to go allowing your sub to take care of the lower frequencies is that correct?

    I have the volume on the sub set to around 7% anything above that I find there is a bit too much boom does that mean the room or location of the sub is not ideal?
    Onkyo TX-NR809
    RTI10 Polk Audio Front Tower Speakers
    RTI4 Polk Audio Bookself
    CSi5 Center Channel RTI Series
    PSW505 12" Subwoofer
  • Well if starting there isn't working, try 80Hz, small, and no EQ or level adjustments (EQ should be damn near unnedeeded if you get everything right). Insvest your time into getting your speaker placement on point, and experiment with room treatments. A sub crawl may be monumental in smoothing out this rough patch, as bass response( as well as the rest of the frequency range) can be extremely finicky depending on individual room, acoustics, furniture layout, everything in the listening area. Finding the location where bass response sounds its best will be invaluable in making your sun assimilate to your system. Search the site for sub crawl, or someone else chime in, I am grasping the concepts, but most of y'all got years, if not decades of experience on me.
    2 Channel(work in progress):DAC: Schiit modi 2 uberAmp:Parasound 1200 MK IISub:RBH 1010-SEP Speakers: Monitor 5A peerlesscurrently running some krk rokit 3g since the HK pre outs died and i need to start breaking everything down to move in a couple monthsHeadphones:Source: tidalDAC: schiit modius epre: schiit sysAmp: AQ dragonfly black/ schiit magni2 Cans: Velodyne V-True, Grado SR225i, sennheiser x drop gaming headsetPC:DAC: schiit modius e(over spdif)pre: schiit sysspeakers: prenous eris 5 xtSub: Earthquake Sound MiniMe-P63most of my comments are passing on of info, im a noob, im just trying to help how i can, if im wrong or out of place to comment, dont hesitate to let me know :)"WITH WILLING HEARTS AND SKILLFUL HANDS, THE DIFFICULT WE DO AT ONCE, THE IMPOSSIBLE TAKES A BIT LONGER, WITH COMPASSION FOR OTHERS. WE BUILD - WE FIGHT FOR PEACE WITH FREEDOM"Seabee Memorial, Arlington, VA
  • ^^ Maybe. I also use the 505 and it set only about 25% in a fairly large room. I run my RTi' 12's full range, with the double bass feature turned on and crossed over at 80hz. With proper placement you should be able to achieve clean bass while running your RTi's full range. The sub should support the mains, not over power them. The 505 in my setup blends in perfectly and I never know it is on. If I shut it off, of course there is a difference, but while running with the mains you wouldn't suspect it. Be sure the 505 isn't to close to a corner or wall. If you have an auto setup let it set the distance, level and phase. However before you do that, do at least the sub crawl. Place the sub in your listening position (move the furniture) and then crawl around the room (up on your knees, so your ears are about the height they would be sitting on the furniture) while playing some relatively bass heavy music. Listen for the cleanest but most pronounced bass response, that is where you should put your sub. There are some youtube videos that can give you a better idea of how to place your sub using this method. It works.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
  • ^^ Maybe. I also use the 505 and it set only about 25% in a fairly large room. I run my RTi' 12's full range, with the double bass feature turned on and crossed over at 80hz. With proper placement you should be able to achieve clean bass while running your RTi's full range. The sub should support the mains, not over power them. The 505 in my setup blends in perfectly and I never know it is on. If I shut it off, of course there is a difference, but while running with the mains you wouldn't suspect it. Be sure the 505 isn't to close to a corner or wall. If you have an auto setup let it set the distance, level and phase. However before you do that, do at least the sub crawl. Place the sub in your listening position (move the furniture) and then crawl around the room (up on your knees, so your ears are about the height they would be sitting on the furniture) while playing some relatively bass heavy music. Listen for the cleanest but most pronounced bass response, that is where you should put your sub. There are some youtube videos that can give you a better idea of how to place your sub using this method. It works.

    My basement isn't very big so I guess running it the gain at around 7% makes sense your room setup is fairly big and you have the gain set to 25%.

    When you say crossed over at 80Hz is that the crossover of the 505?
    Onkyo TX-NR809
    RTI10 Polk Audio Front Tower Speakers
    RTI4 Polk Audio Bookself
    CSi5 Center Channel RTI Series
    PSW505 12" Subwoofer
  • That is the crossover in the avr. I am using the LFE input on the 505 therefore the crossover in the sub is bypassed. I have all speakers, center and surrounds crossed over at 80hz within the avr, but the fronts are set to large (w/double bass) so they are receiving the full range signal and the sub is also receiving the fronts signal under 80hz. Some avr's (not mine) will allow you to adjust the "LFE" level as well, and you should keep that one set at 120hz or so, as it is only referring to the discrete LFE channel with movie soundtracks, and does not affect the other crossovers set for the fronts, center or surrounds.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
  • That is the crossover in the avr. I am using the LFE input on the 505 therefore the crossover in the sub is bypassed. I have all speakers, center and surrounds crossed over at 80hz within the avr, but the fronts are set to large (w/double bass) so they are receiving the full range signal and the sub is also receiving the fronts signal under 80hz. Some avr's (not mine) will allow you to adjust the "LFE" level as well, and you should keep that one set at 120hz or so, as it is only referring to the discrete LFE channel with movie soundtracks, and does not affect the other crossovers set for the fronts, center or surrounds.

    I just noticed I am using the line in (filtered) on my sub not LFE so this means my crossover should be set using the frequency dial on my sub?
    Onkyo TX-NR809
    RTI10 Polk Audio Front Tower Speakers
    RTI4 Polk Audio Bookself
    CSi5 Center Channel RTI Series
    PSW505 12" Subwoofer
  • I have the audio cable going into the R line in on my sub...

    http://images.static-bluray.com/products/14/35_2_large.jpg

    It does have the LFE input though...
    Onkyo TX-NR809
    RTI10 Polk Audio Front Tower Speakers
    RTI4 Polk Audio Bookself
    CSi5 Center Channel RTI Series
    PSW505 12" Subwoofer
  • jeremymarcinko
    jeremymarcinko Posts: 3,785
    edited December 2014
    Move it to LFE.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant
  • Move it to LFE.

    Just did that I set the crossover for the sub now on the AVR to 80Hz hopefully that will blend in with the towers set to full band.

    Is LFE the preferred hookup if available?

    Does the double bass option take away from the fronts and push more bass to the sub?

    Sorry for all the questions...
    Onkyo TX-NR809
    RTI10 Polk Audio Front Tower Speakers
    RTI4 Polk Audio Bookself
    CSi5 Center Channel RTI Series
    PSW505 12" Subwoofer
  • Yes, I believe most prefer the lfe input. No double bass does not take anything away from the fronts. It just sends the frequencies under the crossover point to the sub in addition to the fronts.
    Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant