Old Unknown "Downward Firing" Polk Audio Sub Woofer

Alton T

Hello Forum/Guys...
I moved my Polk Audio RTiA9s into the living room..
I/we do not do anything in there.
I thought I'd try out the A9s in a bigger open room.
I was moving and vacuuming while I was moving stuff around.

I had an old downward firing Black Subwoofer Enclosure that I never used, and,
I always thought it was a Cerwin Vega Sub Woofer, until last night!!!
I think I got it around the late 80's, when I did but the SDA-CRS when they first came out..
Must have been around that time.. I think?
I never hooked it up.. Unreal yea..
I used it for a display table.
What a cool surprise, that it is a Polk Audio, when fussing around Polk Audio A9s.
Please post your thoughts on the model, Manuel ( if still around or on-line) and, maybe it's Crossover... ?
Thanks for viewing..
Alton T.

No model number. Unless it is RM1000W
I did not see this RM1000 on the Vintage Polk Audio List.

Photos of the Bottom/Underside:

[Deleted User]

Hello,
That is the bass module for the Polk RM3000 system, two small satellites speakers called RM2000. Put a pair of RM2000 together with an RM1000 and you have an RM3000 system.

Alton T

Thank You Kenneth S.
I would have never thought it was part of a Satellite System.
I will go and do a search on the RM3000 System.. for
Crossover info. etc..

Maybe I should use it ,or try it with my Martin Logan XL16 Book shelfs.

BTW, The POLK AUDIO RTi-A9 sounds , for me, really good.
Some songs, I need that SCHIIT AUDIO LOKI for lack of Bass.
I can hear what people said about the "brightness" of the A9s.
I remember that from the old Japanese Stereo days.
Matching Racked Components.. Etc..
Then, when BOSTON ACOUSTICS came out with their "Warm, smooth sounding speakers", it was a "Game Changer"..

Gardenstater

Here's one for sale on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/p/20010921278

Sattelites only:

https://www.usedcalgary.com/classified-ad/Polk-Audio-RM3000-Satellite-Speakers_15006338

Gardenstater

Well apparently the mega corp that Polk has become doesn't have any interest in supporting legacy products that are 26 years old, as far as having downloadable manuals on their website. This is what you need:



I'm at a bit of a loss as far as what the blue terminal is for. The speaker inputs on the sub are clearly inputs since they are labeled as such. The sattelites don't have any outputs that I can see. Perhaps the sattelites and the subwoofer are just homerunned to the amplifier, in parallel with each other.




I would contact the eBay seller with the question of how they are hooked up, and whether or not there are special cables included.

Gardenstater

I found this for ya:

"The blue post is for connecting another Polk 1000 sub. The two red and two black are right and left channels. Take your speaker wire from your right and left speakers hook them to the subwoofer. Then take the same red and black post from sub and run wires to the back of your receivers right and left speaker post. Hope this helps."

http://audio.manualsonline.com/support/polk-audio/speaker/polk-rm-1000w-35373-manual-passive-subwoofer--has--5751391

Gardenstater

Confirmed here:

https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/14136/how-do-i-hookup-this-rm-1000w-subwoofer

Alton T

Wow George, Gardenstater,
Thank You for your time and efforts.
You did good.
Thanks to you and Ken S. , I have another item to experiment and try out.

I took this photo of my set-up in the room.
I think I going move out the TV and side table/sub.
I want to try that Hi Fi only listening room with the Towers high and the components low..
Thanks George,
Thanks for viewing..
Alton T.

[Deleted User]

In general terms all that you need to do is provide a standard right and left speaker wire connection to both the bass module and the satellites. If your amplifier has A + B outputs you can use one set to the bass unit and the second to the satellites. Or, speakers wires going from the amplifier to either the satellites or the bass module and then on to the remaining component.
The blue terminal allows the owner to operate the bass module as a single channel unit and use a second bass unit for the other channel. Other than this application the blue terminal can be ignored and simply make the right and left speaker connections.

[Deleted User]

You're welcome, Alton! Glad the information was helpful, you could connect the RM1000 to an integrated amplifier and have a nice woofer system. That unit was designed with Matt Polk's concept of two internal 6.5" drivers and a 10" passive radiator in a well made enclosure. Good musical well defined bass is possible.

Gardenstater

@KennethSwauger since we've spent some time on this, I'm curious what the specs are for the subwoofer. Crossover, freq response

[Deleted User]

I believe the bass module played up to around 100Hz and had a 3dB down limit of 42Hz. The overall sensitivity/efficiency was 88dB. The satellites matched best with the bass unit when they were placed on a wall's surface allowing them to play a bit lower and match the bass unit's upper capability.

Alton T

Hello Guys..
Hello George ( Gardenstarter) and Ken S..
Set up the Sub Woofer.
I Have the McIntosh MC7100 to the POLK AUDIO RM1000 Sub Woofer, and, from the Sub to Martin Logan XL16s ( I don not have the POLK Satellites)..

Sounds good.. I have a chance to play them louder today..

The Terminal "Box" is small, so, I had a hard time using "Terminated" Speaker Cables.
I use terminated ( Bananas and Spades) for quick/easy swapping between components.

How fortunate was I, to find I had a POLK AUDIO SUB WOOFER.
I am also fortunate to have gotten a B&K ST202 AMPLIFIER (Arriving today )
200w/Ch ..

Polk Audio and Stereo stuff.. Keeps me home and safe..

All is well.
Thank You all.
Alton T..

BinKY188_5

@McInPolk I believe I have the original owner's manual for the RM3000 Sub/Satellite system that I would look for if you are interested.

BinKY188_5

Here is the original owner's manual for the RM3000 System.

Alton T

Thank you BinKY188_5
I got the POLK RM1000W Sub woofer facing forward, tilled up and toed in.
I have a separate 100w/Ch Pre Amp/Amp set-up to drive them.
I can" lessen" the Bass of the POLK RTiA9s.
Thanks all.
This Post is done..
Thank you POLK AUDIO FORUM..

Alton T.

Alton T

Hi Gardenstater, Thanks for the links.
I did do a search for the RM1000 hook up instruction.
I was going post in the Set up section, but, since I'm here...
May I ask..
How does this sub woofer work?
Do I just plug in the L/R inputs into the RM1000 and that is it?
What is that Blue Terminal for?

Alton T

Thank You Kenneth S.
Another very helpful post.

I seem to have liked POLK AUDIO Speakers several times in my life.
I forgot, that in the early mid 90's, I also bought Polk Audio Towers for my rear surround speakers driven by a SAE 100w/ch Amplifier.
I had MUSICAL FIDELITY 100 w Class A Amp, QUAL ESL-63s for the fronts. 12 Subs in the ceiling above where I sit. I made the enclosures and mounted them. Real DOWNWARD FIRING.
The people living above me must have felt it through their floors.
I had a SUMO Deliha SUBWOOFER controller
The top Surround Processor at that time was the SHURE SSHT with Dolby Surround.

Thanks guys..
Have a safe Fun Sunday..
Alton T.

tjkcc

I'm helping my neighbor with his setup, looks like he has that RM3000 system and the sub is connected through front speakers like here:


The speakers are connected to Yamaha RX-V377 which looks like this:


From what I hear the sub is barely working. I checked the speakers' config in the amp and the fronts are set to "large". Anything I can do to bring the sub back to life without rewiring?

xschop

I have this rebuilt subwoofer and I believe you have to run it with your main speaker outputs.

F1nut

With a -3dB of 42Hz it's not a subwoofer, more of a bass reinforcement unit.

tjkcc

Ok, then maybe what I am hearing is all it can do.

xschop

Still, something sounds amiss with what you describe. The bass is very impactful when hooked up correctly. Maybe double-check the internal wiring. The internal wire colors are easy to get mismatched when reassembling. While I was swapping drivers and testing, I had one pair of internal leads backwards and could barely hear the unit.

tjkcc

xschop wrote: »

Still, something sounds amiss with what you describe. The bass is very impactful when hooked up correctly. Maybe double-check the internal wiring. The internal wire colors are easy to get mismatched when reassembling. While I was swapping drivers and testing, I had one pair of internal leads backwards and could barely hear the unit.

This can definitely be the case. The wires are not colored, in transparent insulation. And speakers are in wall, so I have no idea how they are connected. How can I test the phasing is right? What I know for sure is when I run the sound test on the receiver, the front speakers are active and produce noisy test sound.

xschop

You could simply swap the wire leads on just one channel at the subwoofer terminals just to be sure.

pitdogg2

There is always magnet shift on the drivers inside the box.

tjkcc

pitdogg2 wrote: »

There is always magnet shift on the drivers inside the box.

Are you saying it wouldn't move at all if polarity was wrong? Coz it does move a bit, as if the volume was very low.

xschop

The only way you'ld know mag shift is by removing the PR and pushing in on both drivers.