PSW350 Question

jgido759

I have a Polk PSW350 connected via the LFE output of a Yamaha RX-V595 A/V receiver to the LFE input of the sub. The crossover on the Yamaha is 90Hz. I have Altec Lansing Model 85 bookshelf speakers as my main L + R rated at 50Hz - 20kHz set to "Large" on the receiver. The bass management settings are as follows: Main, SW, Both. I have this set as "Both". All other speakers (Polk CS245i center, Polk M1 surrounds) are set to "Small".

My question is, with the subwoofer cable connected to the LFE input on the PSW350, is the crossover dial on the PSW350 "disabled" using this configuration or can I adjust it to approximately 60-70Hz to match my mains?

RuSsMaN

It's not 'disabled', you wont be able to adjust 'over' the cutoff your rec is sending to it, eg 90Hz or whatever. You can go lower.

Cheers,
Russ

[Deleted User]

Hello,
Thanks for contributing to the Forum. When you make a connection to the LFE input on the PSW350 this by-passes the variable low pass filter on the unit. Audio signals coming into this input are just amplified and sent to the 10" woofer. If you wish to use the built-in low pass filter, use the right or left line level inputs, then the variable low pass adjustment will function.
Regards, Ken Swauger

Venu

But why would you want to decrease it to 60 - 70 Hz? Your sub is going to do an awfully better job reproducing those frequencies. Frequencies upto about 80 - 90 Hz are non-directional. So the ideal situation is to set the sub's crossover to 90 Hz.
By the way, what are the specs on the Altec speakers for the lower 3dB limit? The overall frequency is 50 - 20K. But at 50 Hz, how much sound is it really reproducing? If it is barely audible, why would you want that? I say set them as small, cross-over at 80 Hz.

RuSsMaN

Ken,

Is this common? For the LFE input to bypass the xover? I don't have a Polk sub, I am assuming we are speaking of the low-level rca inputs? I beleive you, just seems odd to me.

Venu,

Imho, bass @ 80Hz is directional. The only true non-directional bass is one octave lower, in the <=40Hz range. It does seem that 80Hz is non-directional, because most satellite speakers will produce frequencies in the 80~ Hz range, which in essence 'masks' the subs location. Just discussing, not arguing....

Cheers,
Russ

jgido759

Altec Lansing speakers are Model 85 2-way (about 6 years old). Manual is not very informative as far as specs go:

Freq Response: 50Hz to 20kHz
Pwr: 40W Nom, 100W Max
Crossover Freq: 3.5kHz
Sensitivity (@ 1W/Meter): 91dB

Yamaha RX-V595 fixed crossover at 90Hz.

I have not tested speakers with any test disks (VE or Avia) but sub blends well with them (using LFE out from receiver to LFE in on sub). All other speakers are calibrated, not the sub, haven't had a chance yet.

[Deleted User]

Hello Russ,
The Polk sub-woofers (PSW350, PSW450 and PSW650) have "LFE" line level inputs to provide an un-filtered path for sub-out connections. There are also "right" and "left" line level inputs for un-filtered outputs; from a pre-amp, for example. The use of an LFE input avoids "double-filtering" of an already filtered source. The PSW250 has only the right and left line level inputs, not an LFE input.
Regards, Ken