Polk Audio PSW 303, PSW 505, PSW404 User Manual

OWNER’S

MANUAL

PSW303
PSW404

PSW505

POWERED
SUBWOOFERS

11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufactur

12. Use only with the car
or sold with the apparatus. When a car

t/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

car

13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning stor
long periods of time.

14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the
apparatus has been damaged in any way
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.

15.

WARNING: T

be exposed to rain or moisture and objects filled with liquids, such as vases,

should not be placed on this apparatus.

o completely disconnect this equipment from the mains, disconnect the power

16. T
supply cord plug from the receptacle.

17. The mains plug of the power supply cor

t, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer,

t is used use caution when moving the

ms or when unused for

, such as power-supply cord or plug is

o reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, this apparatus should not

d shall remain readily operable.

er.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
READ BEFORE OPERATING EQUIPMENT

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.
Do not use this apparatus near water

5.
Clean only with dr

6.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers,
stoves, or other apparatus (inlcuding amplifiers) that produce heat.

9. 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 r

10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs,
convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

y cloth.

eplacement of the obsolete outlet.

.

CONSIGNES DE SÉCURITÉ IMPORTANTES
À LIRE A

1. Lisez ce mode d’emploi.
Conservez ce mode d’emploi.

2.

3. Tenez compte des avertissements.
Suivez toutes les instructions.

4.

5. N’utilisez pas cet appareil à proximité de sources d’eau.

6. Nettoyez avec un chiffon sec seulement.

7. N’obstruez pas les ouvertures de ventilation. Installez selon les
instructions du fabriquant.

8. N’installez pas à proximité de sources de chaleur (radiateurs, registres de chaleur,
fours ou autres appareils produisant de la chaleur (incluant les amplificateurs).

9. Ne contournez pas le dispositif de sécurité de mise à la terre d’une fiche polarisée
ou avec broche de mise à la terre. La fiche polarisée a deux broches, l’une plus
large que l’autre. La fiche de mise à la terre est dotée d’une troisième broche de
mise à la terre. La broche large ou la troisième broche sont des dispositifs de
sécurité. Si vous ne parvenez pas à insérer la fiche dans votre prise murale,
contactez votre électricien pour qu'il remplace la prise de courant obsolète.

10. Les cordons d'alimentation secteur doivent être acheminés hors des zones de
passage, particulièrement à proximité des prises de courant, des blocs à prises
multiples et à leur point de sortie de l’appareil, où ils risquent d’être écrasés,
tirés ou pincés.

11. N’utilisez que des accessoires spécifiés par le fabriquant.

12. Utilisez seulement avec un charriot, socle, trépied, support ou meuble spécifié par le
fabriquant ou vendu avec le produit. Lors de l’utilisation d’un chariot, soyez vigilant
pour éviter le renversement du chariot chargé de l’appareil, ce qui pourrait
occasionner des blessures.

13. Débranchez cet appareil du secteur par temps orageux ou de
non-utilisation prolongée.

14. Confiez tout entretien ou service à un personnel qualifié. Le service est requis
lorsque l’appar
ou la fiche d’alimentation a été endommagé, si un liquide a été renversé sur
l'appar

à l’humidité, s’il ne fonctionne pas nor

AVERTISSEMENT : Pour réduire le risque d’incendie ou de choc électrique, cet

15.
appar
du liquide, comme des vases, ne doivent pas être placés sur cet appareil.

16. Pour déconnecter entièrement cet appareil du secteur, débranchez le cordon
d’alimentation de la prise de courant.

17. La fiche principale du cor

VANT D’OPÉRER L’APPAREIL

eil a été endommagé d’une façon ou d’une autr

eil ou si des objets s’y sont introduits, si l’appareil a été exposé à la pluie ou

malement ou s’il est tombé ou a subi un choc.

eil ne doit pas être exposé à la pluie ou à l’humidité. Des objets contenant

don d’alimentation doit toujours êtr

e, p. ex. si le cor

e en bon état.

don

2

Contact Polk Audio Customer Service 1-800-377-7655, [e-mail]

GETTING ST

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.

Note to PSW505 owners only: Y
plate and inser

PLACEMENT (FIGURES 1, 2 & 3)

Your PSW Series subwoofer offers many placement options—in an entertainment center, behind furniture, or next to a sofa or chair. It can be placed anywhere in the room, but you
will get the best per
inches (15cm) of space between the subwoofer driver and a wall or obstr
NEVER LAY THE SUBWOOFER ON THE AMPLIFIER END—THIS WILL DAMAGE THE AMPLIFIER (Figure 3).

our powered subwoofer is magnetically shielded for placement near video monitors. Allow at least 18" (45cm) of space between your subwoofer and any television. If you notice

Y
video distor
Monday through Friday, or email: [e-mail].

Y

CONNECTING THE SUBWOOFER TO THE SYSTEM—GENERAL

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 ter

of 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 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 wir

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.
Connect two conductors to the r
on the other end of the wire to the speaker terminals. Repeat for the other channel.

tion or discoloration, immediately move the subwoofer away from the TV and call Polk Audio Customer Service 800-377-7655 (US & Can), 410-358-3600, 9am-6pm EST,

ou’ll find an informative article on “Subwoofer Positioning and Adjustment” in the set up section at: http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/.

ARTED

our PSW505 system includes a detachable power cord that’s packaged seperately from the cabinet. Insert female end into recepticle on amplifier

t polarized AC plug into wall outlet (or power strip) as per safety instructions on inside cover of this manual.

formance from it when it is on the same side of the room as the front speakers. Placing it near a wall or in a corner will increase bass loudness. Allow at least 6

uction (Figure 1). The subwoofer should only be placed on its base (Figure 2). It may lie on its side, but

minals on the rear of the speaker is marked red (+) and the other black (-). Make certain that you connect the wire from the red (+) terminal

es is connected backwards. Double check all connections for correct polarity.

eceiver or amp (refer to the owner’s manual supplied with your electronics for assistance with proper hookup). Connect the two conductors

USING PUSH-TAB TERMINALS – PSW303 (FIGURE 4)

Push the plastic tab of one connector to open up the hole. Insert the bare wire into the hole, and release the plastic tab. Repeat this step for the other terminal.

Make sure that none of the bare wire ends (left & right) touch. Such contact could result in an electrical short and cause your receiver or amplifier to turn off or malfunction.

USING BINDING POST CONNECTIONS – PSW404 AND PSW505(FIGURE 5)

Unscrew binding post hex nuts several turns. Make sure that none of the bare wire ends touch. Such contact could result in an electrical short and cause your amplifier
or receiver to turn off or malfunction.

RECOMMENDED HOOK-UP METHOD FOR “SATELLITE” SYSTEMS
SUCH AS POLK RM SERIES SPEAKERS
(FIGURES 6 & 7)

Connect the left and right front speaker outputs of your receiver or amplifier to the speaker level inputs of the powered subwoofer using speaker wire.

°

Then, connect the left and right fr

°
°
°
°

RECEIVER SET-UP / BASS MANAGEMENT

All sur
lear
following settings with the above hook-up method:

Front speakers—set to “large”
Center speaker—set to “nor
Surround speakers—set to “small”
Subwoofer—set to “OFF” or “none.” (We know. Doesn’t make sense, right? Your system obviously has a subwoofer. But really truly, this is the correct setting for the recommended

hook-up method. By setting the front left and right speakers to “Large” and routing them through the subwoofer as instructed above, you deliver a full range signal to the sub­woofer’s low pass filter. The low pass filter directs low frequencies and to the subwoofer. Full range signal is passed to the front speakers, for perfect sub/sat blending.)

e convenient, parallel wire the subwoofer and front satellites from your receiver (Figure 7).

If it is mor
Connect the Center Channel Speaker directly to the center channel output from your receiver.

ound Satellites directly to the rear or surround channel outputs from your receiver.

Connect the Rear Sur

round receivers allow you to “customize” their performance depending on the size of your speakers. Refer to the owner's manual of your receiver or surround processor to

n how this is done. T

r

o get the best per

ont satellite speakers using speaker wir

mance from small “satellite/subwoofer” type systems, use the

for

mal” or “small”

om the speaker level outputs fr

e fr

om the power

ed subwoofer.

HOOK-UP METHOD #2 (FIGURE 8)

This method can be used with electronics that include a “SUB OUT” feature (Figure 8). It is not recommended for use with compact sub/sat systems. Connect a single RCA cable
from the “SUB OUT” of your electronics to the LFE input of the subwoofer. This input bypasses the subwoofer’s variable low pass filter and relies on the filter built into your electron­ics. If your “SUB OUT” is an unfilter
method #2, it is necessary to adjust the settings of your electr

ed signal (check your owner’

s manual), use either left or right “Line Level Input,” to use the low pass cr

onics as follows: Fr

ont speakers = lar

ge or small depending on their output capabilities; Subwoofer = “ON.”

ossover in the subwoofer

. When using

For accessories and information visit www.polkaudio.com

3

HOOK-UP METHOD #3 (FIGURE 9)

This method is for use with electr
Series. Connect the left and right pr
to hookup both the subwoofer and your power amplifier. When using method #3, it is necessary to adjust the settings on your preamp/processor as follows: Front speakers = LARGE;
Subwoofer = “OFF” or “NO.”

AC POWER CONNECTION AND AUTO ON/OFF (FIGURES 10, 11 & 12)

These PSW series subwoofers featur
no signal is present, the circuit turns the subwoofer off after a few 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. When the power switch is set to “OFF” (PSW303 or PSW404) or “STANDBY” (PSW505) it consumes a low amount of

. If this is a concern, you may want to leave your PSW system unplugged during extended periods of non use, such as during a vacation.

power

Note (PSW505 owners only): Your PSW505 has a detachable power cord.

SUBWOOFER ADJUSTMENTS (FIGURES 10, 11 & 12)

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 speaker
placement, electr
tem setup. Y

“MAKING ADJUSTMENTS” OR “FINE TUNING” (FIGURES 10, 11 & 12)

• For RM System adjustments please r
olume—Adjust by ear using a wide variety of CDs and video sources. Adjust for deep, powerful bass without “boominess.”

• V

• Low Pass—This contr

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. NOTE: This control
does not operate when the subwoofer is connected with Method #2 (LFE Input).

• Phase Switch—Have someone switch between the two settings 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 natural lower octaves of the male voice, you have achieved optimum phase tuning.

onics 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 sys-

ou’ll find an informative article on “Subwoofer Positioning and Adjustment” in the set up section at: http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/.

onics featuring “PRE OUT” jacks—and may be used as a secondary hook up method for use with compact satellite speakers such as Polk RM

eamp output from your electronics to the left and right LINE LEVEL input of the subwoofer. This may require use of RCA “Y” cables (not supplied)

e auto on/off circuitry, marked “auto” on the power switch, that automatically turns your subwoofer on when it senses a program signal. When

efer to their owners manuals.

ol adjusts the frequency range over which the subwoofer operates. When using smaller main speakers, the upper range of the control will probably yield

Why does my system hum?”

Q: “

A: “Because it doesn’t know the words.”

This is what passes for humor in the audio business. Here’s the real answer: If you have any electrical (50/60Hz) hum in your system you’re going to hear it clearly as soon as 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 attaches to your coaxial cable where it plugs into your VCR (or television). They’re simple to install and usually solve the hum
problem. Find 75 ohm ground loop isolators at your audio dealer, Radio Shack stores, or online at http://shop.polkaudio.com.

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, contact Polk Audio Customer Service 800-377-7655 (US & Canada), 410-358-3600, 9am-6pm EST, Monday through Friday, or email:
[e-mail].

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR 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), 410-358-3600 9am

, Monday thr

to 6pm EST
For more detailed hook up information and manual updates, visit:
http://www.polkaudio.com/home/products/subwoofers/psw303
or
http://www

For recommended accessories (including speaker stands, brackets, accessories and exclusive Polk Audio logowear), visit our Webstore: http://shop.polkaudio.com.

.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/

ough Friday

ou may also contact us via email: [e-mail].

. Y

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Contact Polk Audio Customer Service 1-800-377-7655, [e-mail]