PSW505 hook up to Onkyo TX-SR804

HemiCommander

Hey all... (sort of new to the HT arena - 2 years now)

I just upgraded to a PSW505 sub to go with the Polk RM6900 speaker system I purchased two years ago. The speakers are great, the sub is OK but wanted more boooom!

My receiver is an Onkyo TX-SR804 (THX Select 2 Certified). My current hook up for the sub is via (Monster THX Ultra Certified Sub cable) Sub Out (from recv) to LFE (sub input).

The sub sounds great as is, however:

1: It seems that Polk's recomended connection for the sub is to the receiver Front output jack and connect the front speaks to the sub.

2: I have also read that since the receiver is THX certified that the sub out is good to use ...except on "small" speakers which the RM201 (fronts) and RM101 (center/rear) that are part of the system are considered. (see quote)

The THX Exception
(NOTE: Read this section only if you have a THX certified receiver or processor.) Receivers and processors that are THX certified are required to have a very specific set of bass management filters that are active when the processor is set to THX mode. All channels (front, center and surround) are automatically high-pass filtered at 80Hz (the bass is taken out below 80Hz), the subwoofer output jack is turned on and low pass filtered at 80Hz. For many speaker set-ups this is a good configuration. For a system of bookshelf or small floor-standing speakers with a powered sub with an unfiltered line input, this filter set is a good choice. But if your speakers are small satellites or large floor-standers with built-in sub-woofers, this filter set may result in poor performance.

3: My Polk dealer said LFE was good as long as the rcv set up was set to small.


Before I start pulling additional wire from the receiver to the sub and then re-wire the fronts to the sub.... I would appreciate any guidance the experts have to offer.

Thanks,
Chad

John K.

Chad, welcome. Most HT receivers these days(regardless of whether they're THX certified)have an 80Hz crossover setting for the speakers and sub available. For most speakers 80Hz is a good choice, but the speakers in your RM6900 don't have good response down that low, so that setting would result in some upper bass weakness around 80-120Hz. Since your 804 has a wide selection of crossover frequencies available, a setting higher than 80Hz, most likely 120Hz, will prevent that problem. So, keep the speakers directly wired from the 804 and the 505 connected with the coaxial cable into the LFE input, but use the 120Hz crossover setting, with all speakers set Small.

HemiCommander

John K,

I appreciate the reply. I will be tweaking the settings this weekend.

I am looking to upgrade the RM101 and RM201 speakers next - and use the RM101 and 201s in my bed room attached to my Onkyo TX-SR702. What speakers would you suggest (on-wall) I go with for the upgrade. cost is really not an issue.

Cheers,
Chad

PolkThug

Chad what are all of your current settings and level adjustments? What position is the the sub amp volume knob at? How big is the room? Where is the sub placed in the room?

HemiCommander

PolkThug wrote: »

Chad what are all of your current settings and level adjustments? What position is the the sub amp volume knob at? How big is the room? Where is the sub placed in the room?

Hey PolkThug,

I will get that info tonight and update the post.

HemiCommander

PolkThug wrote: »

Chad what are all of your current settings and level adjustments? What position is the the sub amp volume knob at? How big is the room? Where is the sub placed in the room?

Here are the specs of my room and recv config:

Room Size: 14W X 18L

Rcvr: Hz
Front: 120
Center:100
Surr L/R: 120
Surr Back L/R: 120
Sub: 80 (THX)

Calibration:
Left: -1dB
Center: +2dB
Right: -1dB
Sur.R: +1dB
Sur. Bk.R: -2dB
Sur. Bk.L: -2dB
Sur. L: +1dB
Sub: 0dB

Rough Distance from speakers to sitting area:
Fronts: 12 1/2'
Side Surr: 5 1/2'
Rear Surr: 8'
Sub: 10'

Any assistance on config is appreciated. I am a computer programming geek and am trying to understand Hz and dB settings.

Thanks
Chad

John K.

Chad, as to your question from last week relating to replacement speakers for on-wall mounting, among the Polk speakers well-suited for that are the RTi6s and the considerably more expensive, but excellent, LSi7s.

You didn't describe how the numbers you listed were arrived at, but presumably you used the microphone with the automatic setup feature on the 804. If so, the microphone measured the outputs from the speakers at your listening position and made the small adjustments which you list so that the sound level from each speaker will be equalized. As far as the crossover frequencies shown, as was mentioned before, the speakers in the RM6900 system don't have good response as low as 80Hz, so the 804 apparently accurately measured this and set them at 120HZ AND 100Hz, below which frequencies the sub takes over. The 80Hz sub setting that you list doesn't conflict with the 120Hz speaker crossover; it applies only to the LFE(low frequency effects)channel which sometimes has content during movies and which has nothing significant above about 80Hz, so the rolloff above 80Hz which was set is appropriate.

These automatic calibration systems generally work very well and are at least as accurate as a manual calibration would be, so you don't need to be concerned about making changes.

HemiCommander

John,

I appreciate your input. I did use the auto-set up on the 804. The system sounds great as is - I just want to be sure I am getting the absolute best sound I can from my current speakers.

As for upgrading the current speakers I do not mind spending what ever it takes to get the best sound in my listining area. Due to the configuration of the room I prefer to stay with wall mount, although I could probably get away with floor standing for the fronts.... just not sure how well more powerful fronts would work with wall mount side and rear surround.

At the time I purchased the RM6900 series I was just getting into the HT arena. The research I did led me to the Polk Audio (and Onkyo) world... I am extreemly happy with my decision to break away from BOSE- Polk beats them hands (or ears) down!:D Now that I am learning more about speaker systems I am ready to take my system to the next level... of course setting up a mini-HT in the bedroom (currently Onkyo 702 w/Polk RM6750 system) is a good excuse to upgrade the main HT room speakers.

VXR8

Hi Chad and welcome,

I have actually hooked up my PSW505 via the line in instead of the sub cable. I previously had the RM6000 and the advice was to hook it up that way from Polk HQ. The 505 is now running that way too with RTi10s set to large and a setting of no sub in my AVR.

IMO, you benefit from a better bass response - also at lower volumes as with some AVRs for 2 channel, the sub doesn't get a "feed" unless you set your AVR for the front speakers as "small" and "both" for the bass output. I also have my phase on the sub set to 180 as well.

I had a friend pop over the other night who was blown away with the sound of the sub just because of the different hook up. He was going home to swap his over to that style of connection.

Anyway, it is all trial and error and you need to set it up so that it sounds the BEST for you. This is just another way of connecting. Hope this helps.