Polk Audio PSW111 8″ Powered Subwoofer – Power
Specifications
- CONNECTIVITY TECHNOLOGY: Wired
- SPEAKER TYPE: Subwoofer
- BRAND: Polk Audio
- MODEL NAME: PSW111B
- RECOMMENDED USES FOR PRODUCT: For Surround Sound Systems
- AMPLIFIER: 150-watt
- PEAK POWER: 300W
- PRODUCT DIMENSIONS: 14 x 11 x 12.2 inches
- ITEM WEIGHT: 21 pounds
Introduction
A downward-firing port that has been fine-tuned, an 8″ Dynamic Balance woofer, and precise speaker geometry all contribute to accurate bass with increased depth that enhances your enjoyment of movies, video games, and music. It Consists of clever compression circuitry that reduces distortion and provides a more satisfying, exciting, and balanced musical experience with deep, rich sound even at low frequencies. If you want more power in a compact package, this sub is your solution, powered by a 150-watt amplifier (300W peak). Wherever you put it, it occupies roughly one square foot of floor space and produces incredible sound in any room. This sub connects to any receiver and is timbre-matched with other Polk speakers from the TSI, RM, and R/T/M Series. Nothing difficult or extra connections. Improve your home entertainment and theatre system. This sub is cohesive and complete, especially for the price, thanks to the sleek detachable grille, LFE line-inputs, speaker-level inputs and outputs, Low-Pass Filter, and Phase Toggle Switch on the back.
Its UNWAVERING COMMITMENT, RELIABILITY, AND CRAFTSMANSHIP have elevated Polk to the top of the home audio industry. In order to allow you to sit back, relax, and listen with your heart, the best surround sound systems and acoustic brilliance should be utilised.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
READ BEFORE OPERATING EQUIPMENT
- Read these instructions.
- Keep these instructions.
- Heed all warnings.
- Follow all instructions.
- Do not use this apparatus near water.
- Clean only with dry cloth.
- Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
- Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
- Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
- Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
- Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
- Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
- Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
- WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, this apparatus should not be exposed to rain or moisture and objects filled with liquids, such as vases, should not be placed on this apparatus.
- To completely disconnect this equipment from the mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug from the receptacle.
- The main plug of the power supply cord shall remain readily operable.
WARNING: LISTEN CAREFULLY
Polk Audio loudspeakers and subwoofers are capable of playing at extremely high volume levels, which could cause serious or permanent hearing damage. Polk Audio, Inc. accepts no liability for hearing loss, bodily injury or property damage resulting from the misuse of its products.
Keep these guidelines in mind and always use your own good judgment when controlling volume: You should limit prolonged exposure to volumes that exceed 85 decibels(dB).
For more about safe volume levels, go to www.polkaudio.com/education/article/SPL/, or refer to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) guidelines at www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/noise/standards_more.html.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
CAUTION: Subwoofers are heavy. Exercise caution when unpacking your subwoofer.
Please inspect your loudspeaker carefully. Notify your Polk dealer if you notice any damage or missing items. Keep the carton and packing material. It will do the best job of protecting your speaker if it needs to be transported.
Your system includes a detachable power cord that’s packaged separately from the cabinet. Insert female end into the receptacle on the amplifier plate and insert the polarized AC plug into a wall outlet (or power strip) as per the safety instructions found on the inside cover of this manual. We Do Not Recommend connecting the subwoofer’s AC power cord to your receiver’s switched outlet.
PLACING YOUR SUBWOOFER IN A ROOM
Your PSW Series subwoofer is not magnetically shielded. Do not place near video monitors. (LCD, DLP and Plasma televisions are not affected by magnetism.) Allow at least 18″ (45cm) of space between your subwoofer and any television, but if you do notice video distortion or discoloration, immediately move the subwoofer away from the TV.
Your PSW Series subwoofer offers many placement options: in an entertainment center, behind furniture, or next to a sofa or chair. You may place your subwoofer anywhere in the room, but you’ll enjoy the best performance when it’s on the same side of the room as your system’s front speakers (Figure 1). Placing your subwoofer near a wall or in a corner will increase its loudness. When placing your subwoofer in the room, always place your subwoofer on its base feet side down (Figure 2). If you can at all avoid it, do not place your subwoofer next to an open door.
We do recommend placing your subwoofer in different locations within your room to learn what produces the best sound quality for your listening environment.
For more information on subwoofer placement, go to www.polkaudio.com/education/article.php?id=20.
CONNECTING THE SUBWOOFER TO THE SYSTEM— HOOKUP OPTIONS
IMPORTANT NOTE: Use only one of these options. Never combine hookup options.
OPTION #1 Receivers that include a “Sub Out” feature—the most common hookup method with Dolby® Digital receivers.
- Set the low-pass filter knob to “LFE.”
- Connect a single RCA cable from the “Sub Out” connection on your receiver to the Right LINE IN input of the subwoofer. This connecting method bypasses the subwoofer’s internal filter and relies on the filter built into your receiver.
Make no other signal connections. Do not use speaker wire to make the connection to the subwoofer.
- Connect all speakers directly to the receiver. When using method #1, adjust your receiver’s speaker configurations as follows: Set Front, Center and Surround speakers to “small.”
- Depending on your speakers’ bass output capabilities, set the crossover frequency on the receiver to 80Hz for tower and bookshelf speakers (speakers with a woofer 5 1/4″ in diameter or larger) and 100-120Hz for satellite speakers.
- Receiver Settings:
- Front, Center, and Surrounds = “SMALL”
- Subwoofer = “ON,” or “YES,” or “PRESENT”
Consult your receiver’s owner’s manual for speaker configuration.
OPTION #2—
Two-channel or Dolby® Pro Logic receiver with no “Sub Out.”
If you elect to use the speaker level inputs, use two-conductor 16 gauge or thicker speaker wires. See your Polk dealer for wire recommendations.
Note that one of the speaker input terminals on the rear of the speaker is marked red (+) and the other black (-). Make certain that you connect the wire from the red (+) terminal of your receiver to the red (+) terminal on your speaker, and the wire from the black (-) terminal of the receiver to the black (-) terminal on your speaker. Speaker wire has some indication (such as color coding, ribbing, or writing) on one of the two conductors to help maintain consistency. If your subwoofer doesn’t seem to produce much bass, it is most likely that one of the speaker wires is connected backwards. Double check all connections for correct polarity. Strip 1/2″ (12mm) of insulation from each of the two conductors on both ends to expose the bare wire. Twist the exposed wire of each conductor to form two un-frayed strands.
NOTE: Do not use the LINE IN inputs in this configuration.
- Connect the left and right front speaker outputs of your receiver to the speaker level inputs of the powered subwoofer using speaker wire.
- Then, connect the left and right front speakers using speaker wire from the speaker level outputs from the powered subwoofer.
- Connect the Center Channel Speaker directly to the center channel output from your receiver.
- Connect the Rear Surround Satellites directly to the rear or surround channel outputs from your receiver.
RECEIVER SETTINGS
- Front speakers = LARGE
- Subwoofer = “OFF” or “NO”
- Center and Surrounds= SMALL
OPTION #3—
- Receivers with full-range (unfiltered) Left and Right “Pre Out” jacks (this is the least commonly used hookup).
- Connect the left and right preamp output from your receiver to the left and right LINE IN input of the subwoofer. Do not use speaker wires.
- When using method #3, it is necessary to adjust the settings on your receiver as follows:
RECEIVER SETTINGS
- Front speakers = LARGE
- Subwoofer = “OFF” or “NO”
ADJUSTING YOUR SYSTEM
SUBWOOFER ADJUSTMENTS
Your Powered Subwoofer offers a range of setting options. We recommend the following settings as starting points, but the settings that are best for you depend upon your speak- er placement, electronics and personal taste. After you’ve become familiar with what the settings do, experiment with alternate options to find the method that works best for your system setup. You’ll find an informative article on “Subwoofer Positioning and Adjustment” in the set up section at: www.polkaudio.com/education/article.php?id=19.
Note: When you set up your subwoofer for the first time, you will probably have to make adjustments several times before you hear what you personally like. Start with the volume at 50%.
AC POWER CONNECTION AND AUTO ON/OFF
Your PSW Series subwoofer features auto on/off circuitry, marked “auto” on the power switch, which automatically turns your subwoofer on when it senses a program signal. We recommend the “auto” setting if your subwoofer is always receiving power (i.e., if it’s plugged into a wall outlet).
When no signal is present, the circuit turns the subwoofer off after 15 minutes. If you are concerned about the brief delay between when the music starts and when the subwoofer turns on, simply leave your subwoofer in the “On” position. You may want to leave your PSW system unplugged during extended periods of non-use, such as during a vacation.
FINE-TUNING YOUR SUBWOOFER
- Volume—Adjust by ear using a wide variety of CDs and video sources. Adjust for deep, powerful bass without “boominess.”
- Low Pass—This control adjusts the subwoofer’s frequency range as well as selects LFE (Low Frequency Effects), which bypasses the subwoofer’s internal filter and uses the filter built into your receiver. When using smaller main speakers, the upper range of the control will probably yield the best results. With larger speakers, the lower end of the control range will probably sound best, but always let your ear be the final judge. If male vocals sound “thin,” turn this control up until the voice sounds rich but not “boomy.” If male vocals sound too “thick” or “chesty,” turn this control down until the voice sounds natural.
- Phase Switch—Sit in your favorite listening position. Play music (not a movie) with a walking bass line. We recommend playing jazz or country music. Now listen carefully for the point at which the subwoofer transitions to your main speakers. This is the crossover point, and this point should be below the frequency of a male human voice. Whichever phase setting sounds louder or fuller at the subwoofer’s crossover (transition) point is the optimum setting. Sometimes no difference will be heard.
TROUBLESHOOTING
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SERVICE
If, after following these hook up directions, you experience difficulty, please double-check all wire connections. Should you isolate the problem to the speaker, contact the authorized Polk Audio dealer where you made your purchase, or call Polk Audio’s friendly Customer Service Department at 1-800-377-7655 (calls from US or CAN only), (Outside the US or CAN, 410-358-3600), 9am to 6pm EST, Monday through Friday.
You may also contact us via email: polkcs@polkaudio.com. For more detailed hook up information and manual updates, visit: www.polkaudio.com.
For recommended accessories (including speaker stands, brackets, accessories and exclusive Polk Audio logowear), visit our Webstore: http://shop.polkaudio.com.
Polk Audio is a Directed Electronics company which trades on NASDAQ under the symbol DEIX. Investor information can be found at http://investor.directed.com.
Polk Audio, Polk, PowerPort, Dynamic Balance, F/X, Atrium, Big Speaker Sound Without The Big Speaker, High Velocity Compression Drive, Acoustic Resonance Control, ARC Port, Casket Basket, I-Sonic, SurroundBar & SDA are registered trademarks of Britannia Investment Corporation used under license by Polk Audio, Incorporated. Polk Audio Designs & miDock are trademarks of Britannia Investment Corporation used under license by Polk Audio, Incorporated.
LIMITED FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY
Polk Audio, Inc., warrants to the original retail purchaser only. This warranty will terminate automatically prior to its stated expiration if the original retail purchaser sells or transfers the product to any other party.
Polk Audio, Inc., warrants, to the original retail purchaser only, that the LOUDSPEAKER(S), PASSIVE CROSSOVER COMPONENT(S) and ENCLOSURE on this Polk Audio Loudspeaker Product will be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of five (5) years from the date of original retail purchase from a Polk Audio Authorized Dealer.
Furthermore, Polk Audio, Inc., warrants, to the original retail purchaser only, that any AMPLIFIER OR OTHER ELECTRONIC COMPONENT that may be included in this Polk Audio Loudspeaker Product will be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of three (3) years years from the date of original retail purchase from a Polk Audio Authorized Dealer.
To allow Polk Audio to offer the best possible warranty service, please register your new product online at: www.polkaudio.com/registration or call Polk customer service at 800-377-7655 in the USA and Canada (outside the USA: 410-358-3600) within ten (10) days of the date of original purchase. Be sure to keep your original purchase receipt.
Defective Products must be shipped, together with proof of purchase, prepaid insured to the Polk Audio Authorized Dealer from whom you purchased the Product, or to the Factory at 2550 Britannia Boulevard, Suite A, San Diego, California 92154. Products must be shipped in the original shipping container or its equivalent; in any case, the risk of loss or damage in transit is to be borne by you. If upon examination at the Factory or Polk Audio Authorized Dealer it is determined that the unit was defective in materials or workmanship at any time during this Warranty period, Polk Audio or the Polk Audio Authorized Dealer will, at its option, repair or replace this Product at no additional charge, except as set forth below. All replaced parts and Products become the property of Polk Audio. Products replaced or repaired under this warranty will be returned to you, within a reasonable time, freight prepaid.
This warranty does not include service or parts to repair damage caused by accident, disaster, misuse, abuse, negligence, inadequate packing or shipping procedures, commercial use, voltage inputs in excess of the rated maximum of the unit, cosmetic appearance of cabinetry not directly attributable to defect in materials or workmanship, or service, repair, or modification of the Product which has not been authorized or approved by Polk Audio. This warranty shall terminate if the Serial number on the Product has been removed, tampered with or defaced.
This warranty is in lieu of all other expressed Warranties. If this Product is defective in materials or workmanship as warranted above, your sole remedy shall be repair or replacement as provided above.
In no event will Polk Audio, Inc. be liable to you for any incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the Product, even if Polk Audio, Inc. or a Polk Audio Authorized Dealer has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for any claim by any other party. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the above limitation and exclusion may not apply to you.
All implied warranties on this Product are limited to the duration of this expressed Warranty. Some states do not allow limitation on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitations may not apply to you. This Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you also may have other rights which vary from state to state.
This Warranty applies only to Products purchased in Canada, the United States of America, its possessions, and U.S. and NATO armed forces exchanges and audio clubs. The Warranty terms and conditions applicable to Products purchased in other countries are available from the Polk Audio Authorized Distributors in such countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make that the AC outlet is operational. If so, unplug the subwoofer and check the fuse, which is situated on the rear of the subwoofer immediately above the AC line. On the rear of the sub, there is a fuse type list.
The audio output port on your TV must first be found. Locate the audio input port on your subwoofer after plugging the HDMI wire into the TV’s connector. Connect the opposite end of the HDMI wire to the subwoofer once you’ve discovered that. There you have it, then!
A small subwoofer with good sound quality and a cheap price is the Polk Audio PSW10. It can also provide deep bass for a variety of setup scenarios that call for additional low-frequency energy thanks to its up to 100 watts of dynamic power.
Checking the fuse should be your first step if your subwoofer stops working. Replace it if it is blown and check to see if the issue is resolved. If it doesn’t, there can be another issue with the subwoofer, in which case you’ll need to have an expert fix it.
Your subwoofer’s failure to produce powerful bass can be attributed to a variety of factors. You’re not giving it enough power is one of the most frequent causes. Other potential problems include a defective head unit or a grounding issue.
The connection between your subwoofer and home entertainment receiver is straightforward: Simply connect this audio connector cable between the subwoofer’s line input and the receiver’s subwoofer output (pictured above). Use the LFE input if it is available on the subwoofer.
LFE (Low Frequency Effect) is the separate audio data from a Dolby or DTS encoded audio track that is transmitted to the subwoofer. (A 5.1 or 7.1 audio track’s.1) Whether the speaker channels are set to Large or Small, LFE + Main is the low frequencies output to the subwoofer.
To determine whether your sub has blown, test the sound at a low volume. You have a partially blown subwoofer if the sound is distorted, and a fully blown subwoofer if there is no sound at all. Before jumping to conclusions, check the cable if the subwoofer is receiving its signal through one.
If there is an amp specifically for the subwoofer, the fuse may be placed there. Subwoofer fuses may also be placed inside the speaker enclosure, in line with the subwoofer cables. Different styles of in-line fuses are possible.
A subwoofer can last anywhere from 5 to 14 years. The average person should be able to get 10+ years out of their subwoofer if it is well-maintained and not misused.
