Please help me pick a sub (PSW202, PSW10, other?)

jarros

Hello! I recently bought the Polk RM6005 Satelites (just the 5 satelites) to upgrade from a computer surround sound system that was set up with my TV. They sound great, but I'm having a few problems with my subwoofer.

It's a Hitachi HTS5, 100W with a 10" speaker, and chances are you've never heard of it. I bought it used through some classified ads for $50. It sounds alright, but every now and then during DVD scenes with dialogue and low background noise, I get a very annoying "tapping" sound. I've tried adjusting the frequency cutoff, but I still get it. The sub is also missing any high level inputs, preventing me from wiring it "The Polk Way".

So, I figure it's time to upgrade the sub. The room is about 10x15 feet. What sub would be best suited for my situation? Will the PSW202 be loud enough to match the room/speakers? What's the difference between the PSW202 and the PSW10? Thanks in advance for the help!

Jared

okiepolkie

What is your budget? From your own questions it looks to be between $150-$250.

The PSW202 will probably be sufficient for your room size and satelite sizes.

You can find one from Electronics Express for $100.

Hope this helps.

jarros

Thanks for the reply!

Yeah, a budget of around $150 is what I'm thinking, and I don't mind buying used. Everything local is way overpriced, so I'd probably be shipping anyway.

Do you know what the difference is between the PSW202 and the PSW10? They look pretty much the same on paper, but I like the idea of having something front ported (the PSW202 is rear ported, right?)

On another note, it looks like the "tapping" I mentioned earlier is comming from my Pioneer VSX-D509S Sub Output. I'll have to do some tests to see if this tapping still occurs if the front speakers are set to large.

gatemplin

The 202 is fine for smaller rooms. If you can squeeze a few more bucks out of the budget there are several good subs out in BC at www.creativesound.ca

okiepolkie

As far as I know, there is not much of a difference between the 202 and 10(other than the porting).

The psw202 is rear ported. It is your call on whether you get rear or front ported though. Others may also have a better opinion on this.

Let us know how the tapping situation works out. There are inexpensive(under $20) ways around using the subwoofer output if that is the problem.

jarros

Thanks for the suggestion, but their cheapest sub runs at $359.00US, which is a little too steep for my college student budget.

Ways around using the sub output? I'm interested, would you be able to explain?

okiepolkie

You could try a passive LINE LEVEL CONVERTER

These can usually be found at car audio places for under $20.

If you want to see some results from this type of hookup, go to this thread:Sub Wiring Questions

If it doesn't solve your problem, then upgrade to a new sub.

jarros

Originally posted by okiepolkie
You could try a passive LINE LEVEL CONVERTER

These can usually be found at car audio places for under $20.

I'll take a look around and see if I can find any for cheap. If not, I might as well go with a new sub, or just put up with the tapping.

Quick question about the line level converters. If I wire the front chanel outputs in parallel (the speakers and the sub), will the sub's internal crossover still effect the frequency range sent to the satelites? The last thing I want to do is blow those and have to spend money on them too. Thanks!

okiepolkie

I'm not sure if I understand your question entirely, but here is a diagram to show you how I would hook it up.

If you have a second set of speaker outputs, use them to input to the subwoofer.

One other suggestion before you go out and spend any money. Can you try your subwoofer out on someone else's receiver to make sure it is the output on your receiver? This would save you money all the way around.

It could be the amplifier in your subwoofer that is causing the tapping, so another recevier would cause the same problems.

jarros

Yep, that's what I meant for the wiring.

My question is, will wiring it like that prevent low frequencies from reaching my front satelites? In the polk manual that came with the RM6005's it recommended wiring the sub like that, although the line level converter wasn't in the mix and the signal going to the sub was speaker level.

I'm pretty certain it's the Receiver, not the Sub. I hooked up a little Behringer mixer to the sub output on the receiver and heard that same tapping through the headphones I had attached.

okiepolkie

Hooked up this way, your fronts will have the full range of sound coming through them. The subwoofer's internal crossover will block the high frequencies from entering, but there is nothing between the receiver and the L/R speakers to block the low frequencies.

Another option that might work is to hook up your subwoofer to an output on your receiver(such as a RECORD OUT) or similar feature.

Let us know what you find to work.

jarros

Originally posted by okiepolkie
Hooked up this way, your fronts will have the full range of sound coming through them. The subwoofer's internal crossover will block the high frequencies from entering, but there is nothing between the receiver and the L/R speakers to block the low frequencies.

Another option that might work is to hook up your subwoofer to an output on your receiver(such as a RECORD OUT) or similar feature.

Let us know what you find to work.

When I was looking at Page 8 of the PSW202 Manual, it recommended wiring the sub the same way, but they seemed to think that this would have the same effect as connecting the Receiver's Front Speaker ouputs to the Speaker Level In on the Sub (and then the Speaker Level Outs going to the front satelites). I hope that makes sense, you can check the manual if that wasn't clear. The two wiring options I'm talking about are Figures 5 & 6. I was just curious as to whether or not the Line Level Adapter would change things.

As for hooking the sub up to a Recording Out, all the outputs on the Receiver are Fixed, not Variable. So, I'd have to manually adjust the sub level every time I want to do a volume change.

Drewsmith

Jarros sent you a PM about my PSW202 for sale or see thread in flea market.