Need help ....PSW350.

hookuphlp

Hello, Everyone ... and helpp!!!
Flipping from manual to manual, and trying to comprehend the different hookup options for my equipment, I've got very little hair left..!!! :eek:
I am running a Harman Kardon AVR40 pro-logic receiver, with a pair of
RT800i 's ... a pair of F/X 300i 's ... a CS400i ... and as I mentioned a PSW350, that really has me mumbling to myself. If anyone is familiar with
the correct setup, I could really use some help. The Center, and F/X 300's are wired with 11gage stranded copper, and the towers with "Z" series Monster Z1r (I believe 4/6 gage). The woofer with (2) Monster Bass "300" (subwoofer) cables. The sub just isn't performing right. If need be, I have no problem with re-wirering from scratch. I appreciate your input.
Sincerely, Craig. :rolleyes:

fab5valentine

I just replaced my PSW350 a couple of days ago but had it for many years, and did my share of mumbling thru that manual as well.. Does you AVR have subwoofer-out? If so, take a single M300 cable from the Subwoof-out and go straight into LFE input. The manual says to not do this, but use the speaker wire connection instead. Try this.. Set AVR to subwoofer-Yes, set all speaker to small in your AVR, Cross-over at 80hrtz in your AVR, Try a volume setting at around 1 o'clock (on the sub) to start and adjust the dials until you like the output, the cross-over on the sub can start about 80 hrtz, you can play with this a bit too, made a difference on mine.. This seems like an easy connection and played great for me. Try it.. If it works better for you this way you can then use a radio shack SPL meter to level all your speakers perfectly.. Let me know..

-fab5valentine

hookuphlp

fab5valentine wrote:

I just replaced my PSW350 a couple of days ago but had it for many years, and did my share of mumbling thru that manual as well.. Does you AVR have subwoofer-out? If so, take a single M300 cable from the Subwoof-out and go straight into LFE input. The manual says to not do this, but use the speaker wire connection instead. Try this.. Set AVR to subwoofer-Yes, set all speaker to small in your AVR, Cross-over at 80hrtz in your AVR, Try a volume setting at around 1 o'clock (on the sub) to start and adjust the dials until you like the output, the cross-over on the sub can start about 80 hrtz, you can play with this a bit too, made a difference on mine.. This seems like an easy connection and played great for me. Try it.. If it works better for you this way you can then use a radio shack SPL meter to level all your speakers perfectly.. Let me know..

-fab5valentine

I hope I'm replying in the right manner fab5 ..?? ....
Well... Thank you very much for your prompt reply. I will mumble some more info for you, to narrow it down. .... YES, my AVR has subwoofer -outs (2) "full" range left and right signals (no cross-over). The manual states that Both jacks need to be connected to the L/R in-puts for proper operation. or a "Y" cable to connect the two out-puts together, if a single input mono sub is used. I did as you recommended, and connected a single M300 cable.
I placed it in the left out, to the LFE ... and what an improvement ...!!! Inspite the manual's specific config of using Both left and right jacks. Now, your recommendation.==> but use the speaker wire connection instead <==
Can you clarify this for me...?? Are you refering to wirering everything from the sub ..?? Also, the AVR40 does not have bass management.
It does have Center large/small/NO, ... Rear/No Rear, and speaker calibration. On the calibration, would it still be benificial to use an SLP meter...?? I will fiddle with it, as it is now, and look forward to your reply.
Thank you again so very much, "fab5" You are fabulous... :cool:
Sincerely, Craig

michael_w

Since it does not have any bass management or lfe out you'll have to run the front pre-outs to the sub. (I belive this is how you have it already?) These preouts as you already know are unfiltered so you'll have to utilize the crossover and gain on the sub's amp to do your fiddling.

The other method, which isn't as highly recommended but is doable, is to run wire from the front terminals of your h/k into the high level inputs of your sub. From there you run wire from the high level outputs of your sub to your RT800i's. What this does is filter out any low frequencies (up until the point where you have set your crossover - eg. 80Hz) and then the rest of the sound will go to your front speakers.

btw what do you mean when you say your sub just doesn't sound right? There are a few things that will affect what your sub will sound like, one of which is how you hook it up. There are some other very crucial things like placement and phase that will either make it sound great or it can actually work against the rest of your system.

An SPL meter (sound pressure level = how loud is it in decibels (dB) ) would still help but isn't a necesity. Usually you'd use one to calibrate every speaker to play the same tone at a certain level. This helps to produce the sound on a recording as the editor / director intended for it to sound as well as generally making things sound nicer. You can just use your ears for now but down the line it would be handy to borrow one or pick one up for yourself. They can be had at Radio Shack for around $50 -link to spl meter- This one is a digital one but an analog one would do fine too. It's personal preference which one you get... mine's analog.

Hope that helps a little... Welcome to the forum


edit: I just remembered.... using both pre-outs to hook up your sub might screw things up. When I hook up my sub using both preouts it sends my amp into mono. To fix that I just use the left preout into the left low level input on my sub. If you want you can use a y-splitter (just takes a single rca turns it into two) to get a 6 dB gain in the signal, but it usually isn't necessary. If you can keep things simple and don't use the splitter; why put extra cabling into the system if you don't absolutly have to? However, if you need the extra gain go for the splitter.

fab5valentine

Craig, try what michael_w suggested in his edited version, I'd just use one cable and see how it sounds prior to getting the splitter, -if at all.. Also, it's not as recommended here put Polk insists on it in the manual, and depending how far you sub is from your AVR and your fronts you could run the speaker wire method as also explained by michael_w. I ran the speaker wire method in the begining, and it worked great, just a lot of wire, that's basically what the manual is telling you.. At this point if your AVR ask'sif you have a sub say -NO, and set the fronts to large.. All others to small.. But inthe first method keep everything to small.. See what sounds best to you.. -fab5

hookuphlp

Thank you both, Fab5 and Michael_W ...

Unfortunately, it worked for a minute and now center speaker works only by itself, and not with the others. I haven't the slightest of what's going on. Also, you both keep mentioning large and small when I only have "center" large/small/NO, ... and ... rear/no rear, on my config. The AVR40 that I have, is one of the first they came out with ... with pro logic surround.
Michael, as for my sub not working right, it's just the bass is mumbled (like i am). ... and it could be I don't have it wired correctly. The front towers are hooked up to the L/R pre-outs as well as the center, and rear pre-outs, repectively. Think I will contact Harman Kardon to see what they say. I will get back to you, both.
Thank you for your help, and I'm sure you will be able to help me further, as soon as I get some feed back from them.
Sincerely, Craig

fab5valentine

I'm interested in what you find out, but I have a feeling that if you upgraded your AVR you'd be grinning for a week..

-fab5