Polk PSW-650 auto power switch problems

mr_wells
mr_wells Posts: 20
edited June 2003 in Troubleshooting
I have connected my PSW-650 to my Onkyo reciever with the sub pre-out cable and set the Onkyo to: subwoofer=Yes. I get great sound but, when I set the power switch on the sub to "auto" it cuts in and out. I thought it was supposed to stay on for 15 minutes with no signal. Even when I'm watching an action flick in Dolby Digital with volume high, the sub frequently cuts in and out...It seems to shut off after less than 1 minute of no major bass. Everythin works fine if I just turn the power switch to "on" but, this is less than optimal and not what I would expect from a top of the line subwoofer. Please advise.
Post edited by mr_wells on

Comments

  • GuitarheadCA
    GuitarheadCA Posts: 400
    edited May 2003
    Yes, it's true, my polk subs almost never waited around 15 minutes before shutting off- often it was much earlier.

    Here's a possible remedy- the subs stays on depending on how much signal it receives, so try turning the sub up a few notches on the Onk, and turn the volume down a few notches on the back of the sub. So the sub will receive more signal, but the volume you hear will be the same. You can do that on most Onkyo's by finding the "Channel Select" or "Test Tone" button then turning it up when it rotates to the sub.
  • mr_wells
    mr_wells Posts: 20
    edited May 2003
    Originally posted by GuitarheadCA
    try turning the sub up a few notches on the Onk, and turn the volume down a few notches on the back of the sub. So the sub will receive more signal, but the volume you hear will be the same.

    I'll give that a try when I get home but, I'm suspecting I might have a defective product. I have turned the sub channel all the way to +12 on the reciever and it still doesn't seem to work right. I really thought it was supposed to remain on for 15 min with no signal...
  • mr_wells
    mr_wells Posts: 20
    edited May 2003
    I just talked to a customer service rep. They said that there is no fixed timeout length for the sub to switch off when on the "auto" power setting. It seems that the shutoff time can be "up to" 15 minutes but won't necessarily take that long and that no two subs are the same. The "auto" setting on my sub seems useless if it's going to be cutting in and out throughout the movie. If there is nothing more I can do with my system, I will swap my sub out for a new one at Frys... And hope the new sub has a better sensor.
  • GuitarheadCA
    GuitarheadCA Posts: 400
    edited May 2003
    Come to think of it, I often would not use the auto at all (your reason being on of them), and would just turn the sub on the first time I listened to my stereo that day, and turn it off before I went to bed. But that's not the most hassle-free way to do it, so you may not like that suggestion much.
  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,573
    edited May 2003
    You have a 5 year warranty, I would leave it on 24/7, unless on vacation and try and kill that thing :)
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
  • mr_wells
    mr_wells Posts: 20
    edited May 2003
    Originally posted by dorokusai
    You have a 5 year warranty, I would leave it on 24/7, unless on vacation and try and kill that thing :)

    It seems like it's already got a birth defect. I'm very inclined to swap it out...
  • fireshoes
    fireshoes Posts: 3,167
    edited May 2003
    I leave mine on all the time. Not too concerned about it.
  • mr_wells
    mr_wells Posts: 20
    edited May 2003
    Does anyone see anything wrong with plugging the sub into my recievers' switched power outlet? I just want to make sure I'm not going to blow a fuse or anything...
  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited May 2003
    No don't do that, not a good idea with amps involved..
    MY HT RIG:
    Sherwood p-965
    Sherwood sd871 dvd
    Rotel 1075 amp x5
    LSI15 mains
    LsiC center
    LSIfx surround backs
    Lsi7 side surrounds
    SVS pb12/plus2


    2 Channel Rig:

    nad 1020 Pre-amp
    Rotel 1080 stereo amp
    Polk sda 2B
    kenwood grunt Tuner
    realistic lab 450 TT
    Signal cable IC
  • GuitarheadCA
    GuitarheadCA Posts: 400
    edited May 2003
    Yeah, not a great option. the reason faster and I say this is because the switched power outlets on the back of receivers usually limits the current to somewhere around or below 1 amp. That equates to 120 watts MAXIMUM that is can comfortably supply. And you want more than that for your 650 my friend. So, it's a good idea, and will probably WORK, but not recommended for current reasons.
  • mr_wells
    mr_wells Posts: 20
    edited May 2003
    Originally posted by GuitarheadCA
    but not recommended for current reasons.

    Pun intended???
  • GuitarheadCA
    GuitarheadCA Posts: 400
    edited May 2003
    :D Actually it wasn't, I just noticed that :D
  • mr_wells
    mr_wells Posts: 20
    edited May 2003
    This is what the support people said:

    Hello Jason,
    If I understand you correctly you are sending a full range, unfiltered,
    right and left front audio signal to the corresponding right and left
    line
    level input, correct? Also, you have the selector switch in the middle
    position, corresponding to the "auto" position, correct? If all of this
    is
    correct and the unit goes into standby in less than 15 minutes, then
    there's
    something wrong with the unit and it should be checked out by the
    dealer who
    sold it to you.
  • GuitarheadCA
    GuitarheadCA Posts: 400
    edited May 2003
    That doesn't make much sense to me- The question at hand is whether it turns off before 15 minutes with no signal, so why would it matter whether the signal is full range or not? In theory, you should be able to disconnect the dang thing and it stay on 15 minutes. One more thing though- if you havn't tried using a y-splitter and going into the L&R imputs, than try that, it goes along with the thoery of trying to send more signal to the sub. A Y-splitter will increase the pre-out signal strenth by 3 db. Just turn the low pass filter all the way up, and will essentially be the same as the unfiltered.
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2003
    GCA,
    Since mr. w. is already sending both channels to the sub, i.e., the Polk way, he should already be getting the gain since the bass info is in both channels.

    As for the PolK CS statement, it sorta makes sense as with full range going to the sub, it should constantly be seeing a signal, even if it is one it is not being asked to reproduce, and stay on. Polk may not guarantee 15 minutes, but it should not be cutting out at all with this arrangement as long as source material is being played.

    That said, mr. w.,
    Might as well trade it in and see if another performs the way you expected it to...

    But, I agree with the leave it on approach dorokusai suggested. On/ Off cycles are more harmful to class A/B or B amps than staying on continuously. Mine go off only for vacations (they deserve one, too) and electrical storms. My good, old Carver M1.5t does not even have an on/off switch...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner

    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
  • ezc
    ezc Posts: 426
    edited June 2003
    I had the same problem! My 650 did the same thing shut off quickly & sometimes didnt do on. I tried turning the sub levels up on the sub & reciver & I dont think It helped, but it messed up my speaker settings. It got worse over time & soon the sub wouldnt go on at all, even with the switch set to on. I took it back to CC. They had my sub for a week & replaced the amp. I took it home & within 1 week I had the same problem. I took it back a 2nd time, They took about 2 weeks this time, CC said they called polk & was told to relace the amp again, I took my 650 home again & plugged it it and DAMM it didnt even go on! I couldnt get it to power at all!!!! I took it back a third time! (When I took the sub back the seccond time I purchased a Carver Knoght Shadow sub to use while my 650 was being repaird, & as a seccond sub for my system once the 650 came back.)
    My sub was not even 2 months old & it was in for repair for over 4 weeks! The manager at CC told me he would just give me a new 650 (lemmon law). I asked him if the new one was from the same batch as my 650 he checked & said yes it was. I asked him if they could refund me or order a new amp from polk & have mine repaired. I was afraid that if I got another 650 from the same batch & there was a problem with amps Id have the same problem again. Gee I went through 3 amps & all three was bad. CC ordered a amp from polk & I waited again about 3 weeks. The manager credited my credit card $100 for the trouble. When the sub was done I picked it up took it home & set it up! Since then no problems at all! I have had it about 1.5 years now. My auto on / off works great, playing music or movies even at low levels the sub turns on, during a movie even when there are no low freq the sub stays on. I think my sub stays on for about 10 - 15 min even after I shut my system down. My carver since day one has had no problems & the auto on / off works well too! Im happy with the 650 now but for the first 2 months I was soo frustrated I was ready to just get rid of it! Id get another sub from the store or have the amp replaced! The 650 is a great sub once its blended & set up.
  • GuitarheadCA
    GuitarheadCA Posts: 400
    edited June 2003
    As much as people like to rag on CC's salesman, I think the last post is an example of how great CC's return policy is. Yeah, it would have been better if it worked the first time out of the box, but that's not CC's fault, it's Polks. And few other stores have as liberal of a satisfaction guarantee and trade up policy.
  • mr_wells
    mr_wells Posts: 20
    edited June 2003
    Well, just so you all know, I exchanged my first 650 for another one at Fry's and the new one performs the way it's supposed to...Stays on for 15 min with no signal...Whohoo!!
  • GuitarheadCA
    GuitarheadCA Posts: 400
    edited June 2003
    Awesome! Now you can finally ENJOY the sound of your new sub w/o out having to troubleshoot it!:D
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited June 2003
    Don't you just love happy endings???
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner

    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
  • ezc
    ezc Posts: 426
    edited June 2003
    great! good to hear they swapped out the 650.. Gee I wish CC would have done that. CC wouldnt swap it out, they had to try & fix it first!
  • mr_wells
    mr_wells Posts: 20
    edited June 2003
    Originally posted by ezc
    great! good to hear they swapped out the 650.. Gee I wish CC would have done that. CC wouldnt swap it out, they had to try & fix it first!

    I used to work at CC and the customer could always do a swap within 30 days. Otherwise, you could have just returned it and bought the same thing somewhere else. Sounds like an overzealous Customer Service Manager....Not good for business. Customer service is obviously hit and miss but, I wouldn't try to talk a customer into getting a new item repaired...although, that is what Polk support said I should do on the phone....
  • Basie
    Basie Posts: 4
    You are a lucky man, I struggle with the same problem on my 660. You don't know witch part they have replaced.
    Basie
    South Africa
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    Basie wrote: »
    You are a lucky man, I struggle with the same problem on my 660. You don't know witch part they have replaced.
    Basie
    South Africa

    Hi Basie,

    You do realize you are commenting on a 17 year old post? All these guys are LONG gone 😂
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
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