PSW1200 OWNERS MANUAL
Table of Contents
PSW1200 features 4
Subwoofer placement 4
Connecting the
subwoofer (general) 5
Bass management/
speaker setup 5-8
Inputs and outputs 9-15
Hook up options chart 16-17
AC Power controls 19
Subwoofer adjustments 19-20
Maintenance 21
Hum 21
Technical assistance 21
Specifications 22
Warranty 23
2
IMPORTANT—
READ THIS MANUAL
WE KNOW YOU ARE ANXIOUS TO PLUG IN YOUR HOT NEW TOY
(THIS SUB) AND LET ‘ER RIP. BUT IF YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND ALL THE
HOOK-UP OPTIONS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS, YOU WILL ULTIMATELY
GET BETTER PERFORMANCE FROM YOUR SYSTEM.
23
POLK AUDIO LIMITED WARRANTY
“Polk Audio,” “The Speaker Specialists,” and “Power Port”
are trademarks of Britannia Investment Corporation used under license by Polk Audio Incorporated.
Polk Audio, Inc., warrants to the original purchaser only that the Amplifier in this Polk
Audio Loudspeaker Product (the “Product”)
will be free from defects in material and
workmanship for a period of three (3) years
from the date of original retail purchase from
a Polk Audio Authorized Dealer. Polk Audio,
Inc., further warrants to the original purchaser only that the
Loudspeaker(s) in
this Polk Audio Product (the “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. The original
retail purchaser shall hereinafter be referred
to as “you.” However, this Warranty will
automatically terminate prior to the expiration if you sell or otherwise transfer the
Product to any other party.
To allow Polk
Audio to offer the best possible warranty
service, please fill out the Product
Registration Card(s) and send it to the
Factory, at the address provided on the
Product Cards(s) within ten (10) days of
the date of purchase.
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 D, San
Diego, California 92173
. 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 with new or reconditioned parts 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 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.
22
SPECIFICATIONS
PSW1200
Driver Complement
2-12" woofers
Continuous average power*:
230 watts into 8 ohms @1% THD
over power bandwidth of 30-120Hz
Dynamic Power Rating* -
350 watts into 8 Ohms
System Acoustic Efficiency -
90db from 1 watt at 1 meter
Calculated Maximum Output -
115db at 1 meter
Enclosure Type
Direct radiating, vented
Port Type
Power Port
Frequency Response: Overall /- 3db Limits
20Hz -140Hz / 22Hz -125Hz
Lowpass Crossover Frequency
Adjustable 40Hz -120Hz
Phase Control
Variable 0˚ to 180˚
Inputs
Speaker and line level
Outputs
Speaker and line level
High Pass Filters
Line Level Outputs:
Switchable 40Hz or
80Hz, 12db/octave
Speaker Outputs:
Switchable: Flat, 40Hz or 80Hz
Shipping Weight
110 lbs/ea (49.9 kg)
Dimensions
261⁄2"H x 183⁄4"W x 233⁄4"D
67.3cmH x 47.6cmW x 60.3cmD
* About Power Ratings
When making comparisons between
product specifications it helps to understand what they mean, particularly with
amplifier power ratings. The Federal Trade
Commission has recently issued new
regulations regarding the power ratings
of all amplifiers including self-powered
speakers. Polk Audio supports this effort
to standardize power testing methods in
order to provide consumers with a “level
playing field” basis for comparison. Make
sure the basis for the power rating is
clearly stated before comparing it to
another product’s specification.
The FTC rating is based on the continuous
power output of the amplifier. However,
music and movies are not continuous but
are mainly composed of short bursts of
sound. For this reason we also supply a
“Dynamic Power” rating which measures
the ability of the amplifier to produce power
in short bursts similar to those found in
music and movies. In our experience an
amplifier with higher Dynamic Power output will play louder under most conditions
regardless of the continuous power rating.
Dynamic Power is typically greater than
continuous average power although it is not
uncommon for two amplifiers with identical
FTC “Continuous Average” ratings to have
very different Dynamic Power performance.
However, loudspeaker efficiency is by
far the most important factor in determining how loud your system will play.
Loudspeaker efficiency is usually given as
the amount of sound produced by 1 watt at
a distance of 1 meter. A medium efficiency
loudspeaker rating would be around 87 dB
from 1 watt at 1 meter. A highly efficient
loudspeaker might be 90 dB. Each 3dB
increase in efficiency doubles the sound
output for a given power input. So a 100
watt, 90 dB self-powered speaker and a
200 watt 87 dB unit would produce the
same sound output. For this reason we
also specify the loudspeaker efficiency
and calculated maximum sound output.
Polk Audio and the Consumer Electronics
Manufacturer’s Association are currently
engaged in an effort to set standards for
specifying the actual acoustic output of
self-powered speakers. If we are successful, consumers will be able to use these
ratings to make more meaningful product
comparisons and better purchasing
decisions in the future.
3
POLK AUDIO – A HISTORY OF
EXCELLENCE
Matthew Polk and George Klopfer
founded Polk Audio in 1972. Their
dream was to make high performance
speakers at reasonable prices. Today
Polk Audio is still headquartered in
Baltimore, Maryland, and is one of the
world’s largest manufacturers of loudspeakers for home, office and car. Polk’s
research has yielded over 20 patents for
advances in loudspeaker performance
and value. Polk speakers have earned
the praise of audio experts the world
over, as well as dozens of awards for
innovative, high-quality design. Polk
Audio speakers are sold in over 50
countries and in audio/video specialist
retail locations throughout the U.S.
A WORD FROM MATTHEW POLK
Dear Music Lover,
Thank you for purchasing Polk Audio
speakers. Designing and building speakers is more than just a business for the
people of Polk Audio—it is our passion.
We are all dedicated to your complete
satisfaction and delight.
Your new Polk subwoofer includes
the latest loudspeaker technology to
assure outstanding performance
and unmatched quality. Please take
a moment to read this manual; when
you fully understand all the hook-up
options and their implications, you will
ultimately get better performance from
your system.
We also make a variety of main, center,
rear channel and accessory speakers so
you can assemble a complete and well
matched high-performance surround
sound system. If you would like more
information on building the Polk system
of your dreams, consult your Polk Audio
dealer or call our Customer Service
Department. In North America call
(800) 377-7655, Monday through
Friday, 9:00 AM through 6:00 PM
Eastern Time.
Sincerely,
Matthew S. Polk
Chairman and Co-Founder
P.S. A wealth of information can also be
found on our award-winning web site:
www.polkaudio.com.
FEATURES:
• Two 12-inch direct radiating smooth
response subwoofer drivers.
• Power Port™ patented bass port for
deep bass with low distortion.
• High-current 350 watt power amplifier.
• 7 low level input channels—left front,
right front, center, subwoofer, LFE, left
rear and right rear—to allow connection of every channel’s output to the
subwoofer. There is never a question
whether or not all the bass on your
recording is getting to your PSW1200
subwoofer!
• Front panel volume control
• Variable low-pass crossover and
variable phase controls allow you to
optimize performance to match your
audio system, room acoustics, and
program material
• Auto movie detect and bass boost.
(When the center channel input senses
a signal, it automatically boosts the
overall subwoofer level by 3dB)
• Auto on/off circuit that automatically
turns your Subwoofer on when it senses
a program signal. When no signal is
present, the amplifier turns itself off
within 15 minutes
• Unfiltered LFE/Subwoofer input for
use with low pass filtered subwoofer
output jacks
• Speaker and line level inputs and outputs
• Switchable high-pass filters. When
passed through the PSW1200, main
channel signals may be high pass
filtered at either 40Hz or 80Hz from
both line or speaker level outputs
GETTING STARTED
Please inspect your subwoofer and its
drivers carefully. Notify your Polk dealer
if you notice any damage or missing
items. Keep the carton and packing
material. They will do the best job of
protecting your PSW1200 if it needs
to be transported.
PLACEMENT
The Polk PSW1200 subwoofer may be
placed anywhere in the room, but for
the greatest possible bass output, place
the subwoofer near a corner of the
room. Due to a room acoustics phenomenon called “standing waves,” bass
response may be uneven throughout a
room. In some areas of the room, the
bass will be very loud, in others very
weak. Experiment with subwoofer placement to find the location that yields the
deepest, tightest bass in your favorite
listening position.
Allow at least 6 inches (15cm) of space
between any subwoofer driver and a
wall or obstruction.
(Fig. 1a).
4
FIGURE 1a.
≥ 6"
21
optimal phase tuning.
MAINTAINING THE APPEARANCE
OF YOUR PSW1200
Your new speaker cabinet is finished in
woodgrain vinyl that can be dusted or
cleaned with a moist soft cloth. Avoid
harsh detergents and cleaning fluids,
they can permanently damage your
speaker’s finish. Remove grilles and
gently vacuum the dust.
Q. “WHY DOES MY SYSTEM HUM?”
A. “It doesn’t know the words.”
This is what passes for humor in the
audio business. Here is the real answer:
If you have any electrical 60Hz hum
in your system, you are more likely
to hear it once you hook up your
Subwoofer. Most hum problems are
caused by ground loops. That is, the
electrical grounds of the components in
your system are not at the same electrical potential. A very common ground
loop source is cable TV. Disconnect the
coaxial cable from your TV and/or VCR.
If the hum goes away, the cable is the
ground loop villain. In that case, you
need a 75-ohm ground loop isolator.
This device is about the size of a pen
and is attached to your coaxial cable
where it plugs into your VCR (or television). You can obtain this device from
some audio dealers, Radio Shack stores,
Zantech (1-800-843-5465) or Channel
Plus (1-800-99-5225).
Ground loops and hum can also be the
result of faulty electrical wiring in your
home. Consult a licensed electrician to
evaluate and, if necessary, repair the
AC wiring in your home. Light dimmers
also tend to introduce noise into audio
systems. Remove them.
If none of our suggestions work for you,
call our customer service number shown
below.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
OR SERVICE
If, after following the hook-up
directions, you have trouble, please
double-check all wire connections.
If the problem is that you are not getting
enough bass, make sure the AC cord is
connected to a live AC power source and
that the power switch is set to the “on”
or “auto” position. Should you isolate
the problem to the speaker, contact the
authorized Polk Audio dealer where you
made your purchase. Authorized Polk
Audio dealers are the best source for
advice and assistance.
Our cheerful customer service representatives are happy to answer your
questions and provide fast, friendly
service. In North America call (800)
377-7655, Monday through Friday,
9:00 AM through 6:00 PM Eastern time.
20
VARIABLE LOW PASS CROSSOVER
(Fig. 18)–This control adjusts the
frequency range over which the
Subwoofer operates. This control only
affects signals that are sent through the
Front, Center and Rear line level “In”
jacks and the Speaker Level Inputs.
It has no effect on signals fed into the
LFE/Subwoofer input. 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. After setting
subwoofer levels, you may want to
experiment with the crossover frequency setting. Turning the knob up will add
more “warmth” to the bass and lower
midrange, possibly at the expense of
bass “tightness” and midrange clarity.
Turning the knob down will make
the bass and lower midrange sound
“thinner.” Experiment and set this
control to taste.
VARIABLE PHASE ALIGNMENT
(Fig. 18)–Have someone else turn
the knob slowly while you sit in your
favorite listening position. Use music
with good bass and a deep male vocal.
When you hear the best balance of deep
bass and the natural lower octaves
of the male voice, you have achieved
FIGURE 18.
VARIABLE
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
40Hz 120Hz
VARIABLE
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
0° 180°
POWER
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
40HZ 80HZ
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
FRONT
IN
LEFT
REAR
IN
CENTER 1
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
ON OFF AUTO
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
40HZ
80HZ
FULL RANGE
+
–
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
+
–
40Hz 120Hz
0° 180°
The subwoofer should be placed only on
its integrated Power Port™ base.
(Fig. 1b) NEVER LAY THE SUBWOOFER
ON THE AMPLIFIER END – THIS WILL
DAMAGE THE AMPLIFIER.
The PSW1200 is not magnetically
shielded and should not be placed
close to a television set. If you see
any color distortion in your TV, move
the subwoofer a few inches farther
from the set.
CONNECTING THE SUBWOOFER TO
THE SYSTEM—GENERAL
The PSW1200 was designed to allow
you to get the maximum bass performance from your stereo or home theater
system, regardless of the type of equipment you have. Due to the broad range
of equipment available, and the versatility of the PSW1200, we are not able to
describe every possible hook up method.
Start by understanding the issues and
the capabilities of the PSW1200. From
there, you should be able to determine
the hook up method that is perfect
for you.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS?
The first goal is to make sure that all
the bass information on the recording
gets to your speakers. Second, that the
bass gets to the speakers that are best
suited to reproduce it. And third that all
the speakers in the system “blend” per-
fectly. A poor blend will sound unnatural; you will be aware that the main and
subwoofer speakers are separate units.
In a well-blended system, the subwoofer
will not call attention to itself; you will
simply hear at lot more deep, tight,
exciting bass. Experiment with alternate
hook-up methods to find the one that
works best for you.
WHAT IS BASS MANAGEMENT AND HOW
DO I USE IT?
Bass management involves moving bass
signals from one speaker to another. For
example, if you have a speaker that is
not well suited to reproducing loud deep
bass, bass management allows you to
move that channel’s bass to another
speaker—generally to the subwoofer.
The PSW1200 has some built-in bass
management features for those systems
that have no bass management facility
at all, or for those whose facilities are
inadequate for your needs.
Stereo receivers and preamps never
have bass management facilities.
If you have a stereo-only system, go
immediately to page 9. Dolby Pro Logic®
receivers and processors usually have
minimal bass management facilities.
Dolby Digital® processors always have
bass management features but
the capabilities and operation may
vary from model to model.
The bass management system function
in your receiver or processor is usually
accessed through an on-screen display
and may be called “Speaker Set-Up.”
Some units use switches on the front
and/or rear panels. Read your electronics’ owner’s manual to learn how to
access your bass management/speaker
setup features. Here is a list of the
terms and choices you will find, and
how they operate:
5
FIGURE 1b.
BASS MANAGEMENT/SPEAKER
SETUP SETTINGS
DOLBY PRO LOGIC
Wide–(center speaker only) The center
speaker is sent a full-range signal: all
the sounds that are on that channel will
go to the center speaker.
Normal–(center speaker only) Bass frequencies below 100Hz are filtered out of
the center channel and sent to the Front
and Subwoofer outputs.
Phantom–(center speaker only) Not part
of the bass management/speaker setup
system at all. This simply sends all the
center information into the front speakers.
Subwoofer Output Jack–In Pro Logic
units this output is nothing more than
summed left and right front channels
with a low pass (lets only bass through)
filter, usually fixed at 80Hz. Because a
fixed filter negates the Variable Low
Pass Crossover function, one of your
main bass “tuning” tools, you shouldn’t
use this output
unless it is unfiltered.
See page 13 for information on filtered
and un-filtered outputs.
THX Variation–In THX certified Pro Logic
receivers and processors, the front main
speakers can also be selected as WIDE
(LARGE) or NORMAL (SMALL). When
selected as NORMAL (SMALL), the bass
is filtered out of the front
channels and sent to the subwoofer
output jack.
DOLBY DIGITAL AND DTS®
Dolby Labs mandates that Dolby Digitalprocessor equipped electronics must
offer “all channels small” and “all channels large” options, but beyond that
there are no standards. Most units allow
any combination of “Large / Small”
choices for Front, Center and Surround
channels, but not all do. In such cases,
the PSW1200 allows you to overcome
that limitation.
Large–When you select a speaker as
“Large” that speaker will be sent a fullrange signal: all the sounds that are on
that channel will go to that speaker.
Small–Most often Center and Surround
channels are small, bass-limited speakers and are set to “Small.” When you
select a speaker as “Small,” frequencies
below a certain point (usually 80Hz) are
taken out and sent somewhere else.
Where does that bass go? It will go to
the subwoofer output jack if that jack is
turned “On” (see below). If the subwoofer output jack is “Off,” the bass
should go to the front Left and Right
channel outputs. If you select Front
speakers as “Small” and Subwoofer
“Off” you are going to lose a lot of bass.
Subwoofer Yes (ON) / No (OFF)–
This determines whether the subwoofer
output jack is fed signal. If it is “Off,”
any bass redirected from other channels
and the LFE-channel bass should go to
the Front L&R outputs.
SMALL AND LARGE DECISION MAKING
Most of the time this choice is easy to
make. A very small bookshelf or on-wall
speaker should always be selected as
Small. A main speaker with built-in
powered subwoofers should be selected
as Large. Sometimes this choice is not
so clear cut. Is a “beefy” bookshelf
speaker like a Polk RT55 “small” or
“large”? Is it good or bad to have such
a speaker play bass?
“Small” Advantages
• By rolling off the bottom end (taking
out the bass) of a speaker, it can play
a lot louder, with less distortion. If you
play your system very loud, and your
speakers are not full-range behemoths,
this is the right choice for you
• The midrange will be clearer and
better defined
6
19
the one that’s right for you.
AC POWER
The PSW1200 has a built-in power
amplifier and must be plugged into a
standard household 110-120V AC power
source in order to operate.
The power switch has three positions:
“On,” “Off” and “Auto”
(Fig. 16). In the
“Auto” position, the amplifier will automatically turn on, and the green pilot
light on the front of the subwoofer will
illuminate, as soon as the speaker senses a signal coming from your electronics. The amplifier and the green pilot
light will turn off approximately 15 minutes after input signal ceases. In the
“On” position, the power amplifier will
operate and the green pilot light will
illuminate until the switch is set to “Off”
position or the AC cord is disconnected
from a power source.
SUBWOOFER ADJUSTMENTS
SUBWOOFER LEVEL
CONTROL–Subwoofer level is adjustable
via the knob on the front of the subwoofer under the logo pod (Fig. 17).
Play a piece of music that has an average amount of bass
content. Adjust by ear using a variety of
CDs and video sources. Adjust for deep,
powerful bass, avoiding “boominess.”
FIGURE 16.
FIGURE 17.
VARI ABL E
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
40Hz 120Hz
VARI ABL E
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
0° 180°
POWER
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
40HZ 80HZ
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
FRONT
IN
LEFT
REAR
IN
CENTER 1
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
ON OFF AUTO
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
40HZ
80HZ
FULL RANGE
POWER
+
–
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
+
–
ON OFF AUTO
40HZ 80HZ
5
18
R
40Hz 120Hz
T
V
S
I
S
I
G
O
C
A
R
FIGURE 12.
FIGURE 14.
FIGURE 13.
FIGURE 15.
Bass Management/
Speaker Setup
Front Large
Subwoofer: On
Bass
Management/
Speaker Setup
Front Large
Subwoofer: On
Bass Management/
Speaker Setup
Front Large
Subwoofer: On
Unfiltered
Or
Filtered
Unfiltered
Or
Filtered
Unfiltered
Or
Filtered
Bass
Management/
Speaker Setup
Front Large
Subwoofer: On
Unfiltered
Or
Filtered
0° 180°
BLE
SS
ER
EL)
40HZ 80HZ
UBWOOFER IN
ON OFF AUTO
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER
OUTPUT
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
40HZ
80HZ
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
FULL RANGE
+
–
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN
+
–
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
FRONT
SPEAKER OUTPUTS
R
L
+–+
–
+ – + –
LFE/SUBWOOFER
SPEAKERS
+ – + –
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
120Hz
180°
40HZ
ON OFF
FULL RANGE
Z 80HZ
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
FER IN
OUTPUT
+
–
80HZ
–
+
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
FRONT
SPEAKER OUTPUTS
L R
+
–
40 HZ
80 HZ
80HZ
+
–
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
+
–
LFE/SUBWOOFERFRONT
PRE-OUT
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
ABLE
PASS
OVER
40Hz 120Hz
ABLE
ASE
MENT
0° 180°
OWER
ITCHABLE
H PASS
SSOVER
E LEVEL)
40HZ 80HZ
R
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
L R
40HZ
ON OFF AUTO
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
FULL RANGE
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
PHASE
POWER
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
IN
IN
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
40Hz 120Hz
0° 180°
40HZ 80HZ
L R
ON OFF AUTO
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
VARIABLE
LOW PASS
ROSSOVER
VARIABL E
LIGNMENT
L R
ONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
ONT
LEFT
EAR
ER 1
R
R
LFE/SUBWOOFER OUT
40 HZ
80 HZ
PRE-OUT
L
MAIN IN
L
+
–
40HZ
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
80HZ
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
FULL RANGE
+
–
“Large” Advantages–
• You will probably get better blending
between main speaker and subwoofer.
• The bass “attack” or “tightness” may
be better
• Imaging may be more even, seamless
and natural
HOW THE PSW1200 CAN HELP
If your system has no bass management/speaker setup feature or if it does
not meet your needs, the PSW1200 can
help. For example, if you are torn
between setting your front main speak-
ers as “Large” or “Small”, you can use
the high pass filters on the PSW1200 to
roll off their response at 40 Hz instead
of relying on the fixed 80 Hz filter in
your receiver or processor.
Here’s another example: you have a
large full-range Center speaker like the
Polk CS1000p. You want it to play
Center bass frequencies (for better
imaging) and you
also want to send
those Center bass frequencies to the
Subwoofer (to get better system
impact). But if you set your center to
“Large” and you hook up the Subwoofer
7
INPUT
CENTER PRE OUT
CENTER
SPEAKER
RECEIVER OR PROCESSOR
FULL RANGE CENTER
SPEAKER
Bass Management/
Speaker Setup
Center: LARGE (WIDE)
+
–
+
–
VARI ABL E
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
40Hz 120Hz
VARI ABL E
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
0° 180°
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
ON OFF AUTO
40HZ 80HZ
40HZ
80HZ
FULL RANGE
POWER
FRONT
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
IN
LEFT
REAR
IN
CENTER 1
IN
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
+
–
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN
+
–
FIGURE 2.
8
to the Subwoofer output jack, the Center
bass would not go to the Subwoofer. In
this case, you can select your Center as
“Large” and hook up the center channel
output
directly to the Center channel
input of the PSW1200.
(Fig. 2, previous page)
Now you have it all!
In fact, the PSW1200 has enough inputs
to accept every channel of a 5.1 surround system. If you want to make sure
you get the bass from every channel
through your Subwoofer, simply plug in
the preamp output from each channel
directly into the PSW1200. No guesswork and no lost bass information.
(Fig. 3)
The Front, Rear, and Center, etc., labels
on the PSW1200’s inputs and outputs
are just there for convenience. There is
no reason why you cannot use a given
set of jacks for another channel. For
example, assume you want to roll off the
FIGURE 3.
DOLBY DIGITAL / DTS
RECEIVER OR PROCESSOR
Bass Management/
Speaker Setup
Front: Large
Center: Large
Surround: Large
Subwoofer: Yes
VARI ABL E
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
40Hz 120Hz
VARI ABL E
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
0° 180°
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
FRONT
IN
LEFT
REAR
IN
POWER
40HZ 80HZ
ON OFF AUTO
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
40HZ
80HZ
FULL RANGE
+
–
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
+
–
FRONT
REAR CENTER LFE
L
R
CENTER 1
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER
2
CENTER
IN
IN
17
16
HOOK-UP OPTIONS
The PSW1200 offers a wide range of hook-up and use options. Each option has advantages and potential downsides. The option that
is best for you depends on your electronics, Your main speakers, and your personal taste. The hook-up method you use will have
a large impact on the “blending” between your main Front speakers and the Subwoofer. Read all the options before selecting
9
bottom end of the Rear speakers at
40Hz. Simply use either the Front Line
Level or Front Speaker Level in/out sets
to do that (assuming they are not
already in use). Be creative.
PSW1200 INPUT AND OUTPUT
FEATURES AND USE
Front Speaker Level In–Although these
are labeled “Front,” they can be used
for any channel. If your equipment does
not have—or if you do not wish to use—
preamp level outputs to drive your
Subwoofer, you can deliver signal via
speaker wire
(Fig. 4). The signal will pass
through the Variable Low Pass Crossover.
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT–
These may be used to route signal to
speakers, especially if you want the
PSW1200 to filter bass frequencies out
of those speakers.
(Fig. 4)
+
–
VARIABLE
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
40Hz 120Hz
VARIABLE
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
0° 180°
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
40HZ 80HZ
40HZ
80HZ
FULL RANGE
POWER
FRONT
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
IN
LEFT
REAR
IN
CENTER 1
IN
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
–
+
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN
40 HZ
FULL RANGE
80 HZ
ON OFF AUTO
+
–
FIGURE 4.
10
SWITCHABLE HIGH PASS CROSSOVER
(Speaker Level)–If you want to filter
bass out of any speaker, connect the
Speaker Level In and Out, and select
either 40Hz or 80Hz. Use 40Hz for larger speakers, 80Hz for smaller speakers.
This feature is useful if you have a
stereo or Pro Logic system that has no
bass management/speaker setup system
and you want to filter bass out of your
main speakers. If you do not want to filter out any bass, select Full Range.
(See Fig. 4, previous page)
FRONT LINE IN–Any set of preamp out-
puts may be connected here, but usually
Front channel outputs. The signal will
pass through the Variable Low Pass
Crossover. If you do not have a spare
set of pre-outs use a Y connector.
(Fig. 5)
FIGURE 5.
VARI ABL E
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
VARI ABL E
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
POWER
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
L R
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
FRONT
IN
LEFT
REAR
IN
40Hz 120Hz
0° 180°
ON OFF AUTO
40HZ 80HZ
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
DOLBY DIGITAL / DTS
RECEIVER
PRE-OUT
R
Y CONNECTOR Y CONNECTOR
FRONT SPEAKER
LEVEL OUT
L R
+
–
40HZ
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
80HZ
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
FULL RANGE
+
–
L
MAIN IN
L
R
CENTER 1
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
CENTER 2
IN
15
your amplifier to the red (+) terminal on
your speaker, and the wire from the
black (-) terminal of the amplifier to the
black (-) terminal on your speaker. Most
wire has some indication (such as colorcoding, ribbing, or writing) on one of the
two conductors to help maintain consistency. If your Subwoofer does not 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” 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. Connect two conductors to the
receiver or amp (refer to the owner’s
manual supplied with your electronics
for assistance with proper hookup).
Connect the two conductors on the other
end of the wire to the speaker terminals. Repeat for the other channel.
To connect wire to the binding post,
unscrew the plastic hex nut on the binding post and insert the bare wire into
the hole near the base of the binding
post (
Fig. 11). Do not insert the insulated part of the wire into the hole, as
this will not give you a good connection.
Twist the hex nut back down the binding
post until it firmly meets the wire. Do
not over-tighten.
FIGURE 10.
Insert
speaker
wire
through
hole
Tighten
hex nut
Do not
insert
insulated
section
through
hole
Loosen
hex nut
FIGURE 11.
SURROUND RECEIVER OR PREAMP/PROCESSOR
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
ALIGNMENT
FRONT
FRONT
REAR
CENTER 1
VARIABLE
VARIABLE
PHASE
POWER
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
IN
LEFT
IN
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
40Hz 120Hz
0° 180°
ON OFF AUTO
40HZ 80HZ
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
40HZ
80HZ
FULL RANGE
+
–
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN
+
–
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
SPEAKER OUTPUTS
R
L
+–+
–
+ – + –
14
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
Speaker level hook up is often the most
convenient method and may yield the
best results, especially if the subwoofer
is placed far from your electronics.
Speaker wires are a lot less susceptible
to picking up hum and noise than are
long RCA cables.
Connect the speaker outputs of your
receiver or power amplifier to the
Speaker Level In binding posts of the
PSW1200. You may connect your main
speakers either to the Speaker Level
Out binding posts of the PSW1200
(Fig. 9) or directly to your receiver or
amp
(Fig. 10 next page).
Use 2-conductor 16 gauge or thicker
speaker wires. See your Polk dealer for
wire recommendations. Note that one of
each set of Speaker Level Input terminals is marked red (+) and the other
black (-). Make certain that you connect
the wire from the red (+) terminal of
FIGURE 9.
VARIABLE
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
VARIABLE
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
POWER
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
FRONT
IN
LEFT
REAR
IN
CENTER 1
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
40Hz 120Hz
0° 180°
ON OFF AUTO
40HZ 80HZ
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
+
–
40HZ
80HZ
FULL RANGE
–
+
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
+
–
80 HZ
40 HZ
FULL RANGE
11
FRONT LINE OUT–Connect these to the
power amp (main) inputs only if you
want a high pass filtered signal (selectable 40Hz or 80Hz) to go into the
amplifier
(Fig. 6). The filter cannot be
defeated.
SWITCHABLE HIGH PASS CROSSOVER–
(Line Level)–This selects the filter
(crossover) frequency at either 40Hz
or 80Hz at 12dB/octave
(Fig. 6).
REAR LINE IN - Connect rear line level
preamp outputs here (Fig. 7 next
page). The signal will pass through the
Variable Low Pass Crossover. Use Y
connectors if you need to have these
pre–outs connected to a power amplifier
or Main In jacks.
FIGURE 6.
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
VARI ABL E
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
40Hz 120Hz
VARI ABL E
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
FRONT
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
LEFT
REAR
POWER
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
IN
IN
0° 180°
ON OFF AUTO
40HZ 80HZ
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
40HZ
80HZ
FULL RANGE
+
–
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
+
–
PRE-OUT
R
L
MAIN IN
R
L
40 HZ
OR
CENTER 1
IN
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
CENTER 2
IN
80 HZ
12
CENTER LINE IN–Connect Center line
level preamp output here
(Fig. 7).
(There is no need to plug something into
both center inputs; one would be redundant.) The signal will pass through the
Variable Low Pass Crossover. Use a Y
connector if you need to have this preout connected to a power amplifier or
Main In jack.
When this input senses a signal, it automatically boosts the Subwoofer’s output
by 3dB. This feature is useful because
most people like a little more bass for
movies than music. When you are
listening in stereo, the Center channel
speaker is off so the boost does not
“kick in.” As soon as you put on a movie
in surround sound, the Center speaker
turns on and the 3dB bass boost
engages. If you do not want to use this
feature, use an available input instead
of one of these.
FIGURE 7.
VARI ABL E
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
VARI ABL E
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
POWER
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
FRONT
IN
LEFT
REAR
IN
CENTER 1
IN
40Hz 120Hz
0° 180°
ON OFF AUTO
40HZ 80HZ
SURROUND RECEIVER OR PREAMP/PROCESSOR
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
REAR
PRE-OUT
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
40HZ
80HZ
FULL RANGE
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN
+
–
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
+
–
CENTER
PRE-OUT
SUBWOOFER
OUT
( LFE
Low pass
filtered
only )
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
13
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN - Use this input only
if you have a Dolby Digital system and
know your Subwoofer output jack is low
pass filtered (Fig. 7 previous page).
If the Subwoofer output jack is unfiltered, connect the subwoofer output
jack to any unused Line Level In jack
(Fig. 8). In either case, with Dolby
Digital systems, select Subwoofer as
“on” or “yes” in the “speaker set up” or
“bass management” function of your
electronics. Read the owner’s manual of
your electronics to learn how to select
this setting.
FIGURE 8.
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SUBWOOFER
OUTPUT JACK IS FILTERED OR NOT
Use the “speaker set-up” or “bass
management” function of your
Dolby Digital processor to select
Subwoofer as “on” or “yes.” Connect
the Subwoofer output jack to the
“LFE/Subwoofer” input of the
PSW1200. Disconnect the other
speakers in the system so that all
you can hear is the Subwoofer. Play
music or a movie with vocal content.
If you can hear and understand the
words, your output jack is
not fil-
tered. If all you can hear is bass, and
the vocals are barely or not at all
audible, your Subwoofer input jack
is
filtered.
VARI ABL E
LOW PASS
CROSSOVER
40Hz 120Hz
VARI ABL E
PHASE
ALIGNMENT
0° 180°
POWER
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
CROSSOVER
(LINE LEVEL)
FRONT
LEFT
OUT
LEFT
FRONT
IN
LEFT
REAR
IN
CENTER 1
IN
40HZ 80HZ
SURROUND RECEIVER OR PREAMP/PROCESSOR
SUBWOOFER/LFE OUT
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT
L R
+
–
40HZ
SWITCHABLE
HIGH PASS
80HZ
ON OFF AUTO
FRONT
RIGHT
OUT
RIGHT
FRONT
IN
RIGHT
REAR
IN
CENTER 2
IN
L R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN
FULL RANGE
CROSSOVER
(SPEAKER LEVEL)
+
–
OR
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN
5601 METRO DRIVE,
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21215, USA,
410-764-5275, FAX: 410-764-5266
http://www.polkaudio.com
RM1203-1
PSW1200
PSW1200
Instruction
Manual
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