PSW 505 vs. DSW Pro 500

cantzme78

Just wanted the opinion of some more experienced people on this. I am planning on running the following set-up and want to know which sub would best fit? The PSW 505 for $268 or the DSW Pro for $500? The price does not really matter I guess but I think should way in a little. As for my set-up, here it is:

Onkyo 805
RTi8's
CSi5
FXi3

So let me know what you think...

ryanjoachim

I got my DSW Pro 600 from Fry's for $400...so i'm kinda biased

All I can say is that the 600 has caused my windows to rattle dangerously.

Oh, and true story...just happend last nite:
I was setting up my RTi10's (fronts) for Bi-amping, and hooking up my new FXi4's with a buddy of mine.
We put in Transformers HD-DvD version, started it up, and from the title screen to the scene with the chopper first appearing, I was WOW'ed. Apparently so were my neighbors (I live in an appartment complex). They came over laughing cause my sub had been making their baby's basinet vibrate, which helpped to put their kid to sleep!

SuperG

I got the PSW505 and it does the job very well although I read from past threads that the Pro series is much better...but i cant confirm this.

If money is no object, the Pro series might be your best bet or have you considered buying two PSW505...would be approx the same price as the Pro series.

Does anyone have two PSW505 setup that can comment...

cantzme78

I have decided to just keep the Pro 500 that I have already bought unless you guys think I should step up to the Pro 600. My room is around 14X20

MADGSF

I have not heard the newer Polk subs but if price is no object there is no such thing as too much bass! I run a PC-Ultra in a 19x15 room and while I don't crave more bass, yet, I don't think I have too much.

blacklab

I had a PSW505 and for a long time was very happy with it. For the price you can get it for, it's a very good deal. I do not have any experience with the new Polk subs. For music, the PSW505 is very good and will fill in most of the bass needs for 90% of the population. For movies, if you have never had a sub before, you will think it is amazing. But, over time, I found it to be a bit muddy sounding on sub 40hz or so movie LFE material. I guess my ears got more refined and I started to get much more picky about what was good bass, and what should be great/clean bass. All my LFE DVD/BD move effects started to sound very similar and mushy, if that makes any sense, which I found very irritating. I switched to a 20-39 PC+ and the difference was extremely noticeable. So much so, that my original idea of running the PC+ and the PSW505 together was trashed, and I sold the PSW505. But, for the price difference, the PSW505 is still a good sub and a very good deal for $268.

greg2350

Ive had the PSW505 for 2 years now and enjoyed it very much for music and movies. I recently bought the DSW pro 500 and WOW what a difference. I tried both configurations downfiring and forward firing I like the down firing mode better. Sorry if I dont give good detail but the pro 500 is better in every aspect. I feel the bass more the pro 500 digs deeper. The pro 500 has line outs so I hooked up my PSW505 and the pro 500 huge difference the pro 500 sounded much better and more powerful. The 505 is a great sub but I would go for the pro 500 the difference in performance justifies the difference in cost in my opinion. I was able to program my harmony remote to the pro 500.:)

psw505best

I am writing this as i was here myself a few days back to find the better sub between psw505 and dsw500.I found mixed reviews about both these products here as well as on google.I finally decided to go for the dsw500 thinking that it's a new series as compared to the psw so there must a significant improvement.Budget was not a problem as both the subs were selling for $300.I got the dsw 500 last week and played every possible thriller and sci-fi movie on it to check the LFE.I could not feel the bass effect without raising the volume on the receiver which is not what I wanted to do as it makes everything so much louder. I tried play some instrumental jazz and guitar with drums on it, the same thing happened the dsw500 struggled to impress me.I pushed the volume button on the sub to the max to see if that makes any difference. This made the sub produce more hum sound which made the overall sound unnatural.

Then I went to my local electronics store to check out the psw505.I took the same DVD and music CDs to compare.I was delighted to find out that there was a polk specialist advisor at the store that day so I can ask him about both the products. He listened to me and without showing any signs of confusion recommended the psw505 over the dsw500. He even said that he would buy the psw505 if he was me. I asked him about the difference in the psw and dsw series and he said it's just a marketing ploy and nothing much has changed except the remote and downfiring in the dsw series.

I bought the psw505 home and compared it with the dsw500 side by side and I was surprised to see how big of a difference the psw made to the sound. I no longer had to raise the volume on the receiver and the effect was so deep and natural like a theatre. I also liked the fact that the psw has a knob for volume control as compared to the tiny button on the dsw which makes the volume control feature so hard to understand on a level of 1-10.

cfrizz

DSW 500 all the way. My brother has one and it rattles his glass cabinets!

punk-roc

While this is zombie-thread, I'll still add that I have the 505 and wish I'd decided on the DSW instead..

The 505 adequately does the job, but not enough authority, boom, or slam to make me happy.. my room is probably medium-sized? (11x25 of total open space).. for some perspective for others happening across this thread

Jason

cnh

ryanjoachim wrote: »

I got my DSW Pro 600 from Fry's for $400...so i'm kinda biased

All I can say is that the 600 has caused my windows to rattle dangerously.

Oh, and true story...just happend last nite:
I was setting up my RTi10's (fronts) for Bi-amping, and hooking up my new FXi4's with a buddy of mine.
We put in Transformers HD-DvD version, started it up, and from the title screen to the scene with the chopper first appearing, I was WOW'ed. Apparently so were my neighbors (I live in an appartment complex). They came over laughing cause my sub had been making their baby's basinet vibrate, which helpped to put their kid to sleep!

+1. the 600 is the better sub--hands down.

But output wise, the 500 is not that far from the PSW505--however, the 500 puts out a tighter more refined bass...more controlled than the 505.

Either sub, the 505 or the 500 should be able to rock a room 11 x 25 unless your standards for LFE are Ultra class...like a BIG SVS or Hsu sub, etc.

I have a B.A. 300 Watt RMS, 600 watt peak 12" in a 25 x 11.5 room and it does the same job that Ryan describes for his DSW600.

cnh

dorokusai

psw505best wrote: »

I am writing this as i was here myself a few days back to find the better sub between psw505 and dsw500.I found mixed reviews about both these products here as well as on google.I finally decided to go for the dsw500 thinking that it's a new series as compared to the psw so there must a significant improvement.Budget was not a problem as both the subs were selling for $300.I got the dsw 500 last week and played every possible thriller and sci-fi movie on it to check the LFE.I could not feel the bass effect without raising the volume on the receiver which is not what I wanted to do as it makes everything so much louder. I tried play some instrumental jazz and guitar with drums on it, the same thing happened the dsw500 struggled to impress me.I pushed the volume button on the sub to the max to see if that makes any difference. This made the sub produce more hum sound which made the overall sound unnatural.

Then I went to my local electronics store to check out the psw505.I took the same DVD and music CDs to compare.I was delighted to find out that there was a polk specialist advisor at the store that day so I can ask him about both the products. He listened to me and without showing any signs of confusion recommended the psw505 over the dsw500. He even said that he would buy the psw505 if he was me. I asked him about the difference in the psw and dsw series and he said it's just a marketing ploy and nothing much has changed except the remote and downfiring in the dsw series.

I bought the psw505 home and compared it with the dsw500 side by side and I was surprised to see how big of a difference the psw made to the sound. I no longer had to raise the volume on the receiver and the effect was so deep and natural like a theatre. I also liked the fact that the psw has a knob for volume control as compared to the tiny button on the dsw which makes the volume control feature so hard to understand on a level of 1-10.

The biggest problem with the comparison is that these two subs are nothing alike and your "salesman" is borderline product information retarded. Take some time to actually read about both subwoofers in the main homepage. You'll have to search for the PSW since it's been discontinued for over a year.

I'd be willing to bet that you didn't have it set up properly since I assure you it's a much more capable subwoofer on all levels.

I'd be interested in the store name and location if you care to post it.

Mark

ahmed

I own the 600 and am quite satisfied with it. My only issue with it is the blue light. Everytime I turn them off then there is a power outage they come back on. I don't have a subwoofer setting on my harmony remote so I have to go look for the subwoofer remote to turn them off. Other than that it is a great product. I just wish they had made it simpler even with no remote.

B Run

mikeyb wrote: »

I had 2 psw 505's in my setup for about a year. they are very impressive for the amount of money paid for them. however I was never satisfied with the muddy sound, and I really felt they were a bit sloppy, I just wanted tighter bass. I had a chance to buy 2 dsw pro 500's for 700 Canadian. after some minor tuning and a test run with star trek, all I can say is they preformed way better, nicer bass, IMO better build quality. although the remote sometimes doesn't work so well, but is nice to use while tweaking things. DSW all the way on this one!

I just got a 2nd psw505 and agree with what you said about them. My question is I can still return one and sell the other one on craigslist, would one DSW 600 sound better than 2 505's? I know you have the 500's but i'm curious for an overall impression since i've never heard the dsw's.