RCA PRO-SW100P Quick Manual

PRO-SW100P 100-Watt Powered Subwoofer

Your RCA PRO-SW100P 100-Watt
Powered Subwoofer is designed to give
you the best possible low frequency sound
quality for the ultimate home theater
experience. You will be astonished by the
realism it adds to movie sound effects and
the power it lends to all kinds of music.

The subwoofer combines the power of a
built-in 100-watt RMS amplifier with a
responsive, 10-inch coated paper cone
woofer  all housed in a ported
bass-reflex enclosure to produce tight,
floor-rumbling, powerful bass (down to 42
Hz) that you can feel as well as hear! The
LED power indicator lets you see at a
glance when the subwoofer is operating.

Your subwoofer has an adjustable high cut
filter and high and low level inputs,
making it easy to incorporate into existing
systems, or you can use it as an integral
part of a subwoofer/satellite combination.

It also has these features:

Auto On/Off  automatically switches
the PRO-SW100Ps amplifier to standby if
the subwoofer does not receive a signal for
about 11 minutes.

Standby Indicator  lights when the
subwoofer is connected to power but not
receiving a signal.

Note: You need speaker wire (not
supplied) to connect the subwoofer to an
amplifier or receivers speaker outputs.

High Level Output  lets you connect
the subwoofer between an amplifier or
receiver (without line out terminals) and
other speakers.

Low Level Input  lets you connect the
subwoofer to an amplifiers or receivers
subwoofer out or pre out jacks. These
inputs automatically sum left and right
channel information.

Note: You need phono cables (not
supplied) to connect the subwoofer to an
amplifier or receivers subwoofer out or
pre out jacks.

Volume Control  lets you match the
PRO-SW100Ps output level to your
satellite speakers output (if used).

Phase (Polarity) Switch  inverts the
subwoofers output polarity so you can set
it to match the main speakers.

Frequency HZ  controls the high
frequency cutoff point. Rotated fully
clockwise, it cuts high frequencies over
200 Hz. Rotated fully counterclockwise, it
cuts high frequencies over 50 Hz.

High Level Input  lets you connect the
subwoofer to an amplifiers or receivers
speaker outputs.

WARNING:

shock hazard, do not expose this product to
rain or moisture.

CAUTION:

OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE COVER OR BACK. NO USER­SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSON­NEL.

!

To reduce the risk of fire or

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC

SHOCK. DO NOT OPEN.

TO REDUCE THE RISK

This symbol is intended to alert
you to the presence of uninsu­lated dangerous voltage within
the product’s enclosure that
might be of sufficient magnitude
to constitute a risk of electric
shock. Do not open the prod­uct’s case.

This symbol is intended to
inform you that important oper­ating and maintenance instruc­tions are included in the
literature accompanying this
product.

!

 Unplug the PRO-SW100Ps power

cord from the electrical outlet if it will
be left unused for a long time.

 Only connect this unit to a power

supply of the type described in the
operating instructions or marked on
the unit.

 Route the power-supply cord so it is

not likely to be walked on or pinched
by items placed upon or against it,
especially at plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where it
exits from the unit.

 Placing the subwoofer on the same

stand or shelf as your turntable can
result in low frequency rumble or
acoustic feedback.

Cautions:

 To prevent fire or shock, do not

expose this subwoofer to rain or
moisture.

 Do not place the subwoofer with its

metal plate against the floor.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

 Never open the cabinet or remove the

metal control panel, as this might
result in electrical shock or damage to
the unit.

 If your PRO-SW100P needs servicing,

contact your local RadioShack store.

 To prevent electrical shock, do not use

this polarized plug with an extension
cord receptacle or other outlet unless
the blades can be fully inserted to
prevent blade exposure.

 Place the subwoofer away from heat

sources such as radiators, stoves, or
other appliances that produce heat.

2

CHOOSING A LOCATION

Cautions:

 To prevent the cabinet from warping

or discoloring, do not place the
subwoofer in a place where it is
exposed to direct sunlight or excessive
humidity.

you place the PRO-SW100P at least 4
inches away from the wall, and at least
23 feet away from your television or
computers disk drive system so the
subwoofers magnet will not distort the
colors of your TV picture or erase your
floppy disks.

 Do not place the subwoofer where it

might be knocked over or exposed to
falling objects.

 The metal control panel on the back

of the PRO-SW100P acts as the heat
sink for the subwoofers internal
amplifier. Therefore, place the unit at
least 4 inches (10 cm) away from a
wall, and do not let anything come
into contact with this panel.

Where and how you position your
subwoofer greatly affects its bass response.
Adjusting the subwoofers volume control
in relation to the left and right speakers
and adjusting the subwoofers high cut
filter also affects your speakers overall
sound.

Although low frequencies are non­directional, factors such as room
reflections, standing waves, resonance and
absorption strongly affect your
subwoofers performance. For maximum
bass output, place your subwoofer in a
corner. To reduce output, move it away
from corners and back walls. Even slightly
moving the subwoofer can have a major
effect on bass response.

ATTACHING FEET

Using the supplied screws, secure the four
protective feet (packed separately) into the
threaded inserts at each corner of the
cabinets bottom.

CONNECTING TO AN
AMPLIFIER

You can connect your PRO-SW100P to an
amplifier/receivers subwoofer out or pre
out jacks or speaker terminals.

Notes:

 You can connect your PRO-SW100P

to your TV if it has variable line out
jacks.

 See Connecting to Subwoofer Out or

Pre Out Terminals or Connecting to
Speaker Terminals on Page 4.

Caution: To avoid any damage to the
subwoofer or amplifier, disconnect power
from your components before making any
connections.

We recommend that you test the
subwoofer in different locations to
determine where the best balance is
between your satellite speakers (if used)
and subwoofer. We also recommend that

3

Connecting to Subwoofer Out
or Pre Out Terminals

Use this connection if your amplifier/
receiver has jacks labeled SUBWOOFER
OUT or PRE OUT. Do not use the PRE
OUT jacks if they are already connected by
cables or jumpers to your amplifier.

TV line out and then adjust the TV
volume up or down. If the subwoofer
volume changes with the TV volume,
then the TV line out is variable.

Connecting to Speaker
Terminals

Right
Speaker

+ – + –

1. Connect the PRO-SW100Ps

LEVEL INPUT

Amplifier/Receiver

Sub Out/Pre Out Terminal

HIGH LEVEL INPUT

HIGH LEVEL OUTPUT

+ R – – L +

HIGH LEVEL INPUT

+ R - + L -

POWER

STANDBY

RED

+ R - + L -

HIGH LEVEL OUTPUT

LOW LEVEL

Rec Out

L

R

INPUT

VOLUME

L

REV NORM

CONTROL

R

MIN MAX

jacks to the amplifier/

PHASE

Left
Speaker

FREQUENCY

HZ

80

5060200

LOW

receivers sub out or pre out jacks (or
TVs audio line out jacks).

2. Connect your satellite speakers (if
any) to the amplifiers or receivers
output terminals as they would
normally be connected.

Notes:

 On some receivers/amplifiers, the

subwoofer out is a single jack. Use a
single phono cable (not supplied) to
connect the subwoofer jack to the L
input on the PRO-SW100P.

 When connecting to a TV, we

recommend using variable line output
jacks, which will allow the PRO­SW100Ps volume to change with the
TVs volume. Refer to your TV owners
manual. Also, you can connect to the

Connect the amplifier/receivers speaker
output terminals to the PRO-SW100Ps

HIGH LEVEL INPUT

speaker terminals. Be
sure to connect the terminals in phase,
connecting positive (+) to positive and
negative () to negative. To match the
subwoofers polarity with your systems
polarity and receive full bass response,

100
150

slide the
Choose the setting that provides the

PHASE

switch to

REV

or

NOM

.

greatest bass output.

Right
Speaker

Amplifier/Receiver
Output Terminal

HIGH LEVEL OUTPUT

Left
Speaker

PHASE
REV
NOM

Connecting Speakers

You can connect your left and right
speakers to your amplifier/receiver (as
shown in Connecting to Subwoofer Out
or Pre Out Terminals ), or to the PRO­SW100Ps

HIGH LEVEL OUTPUT

terminals (as shown above).

speaker

4

If you use MEGACABLE, or any other
high quality, low gauge speaker wire, the
terminals will be too small to
accommodate the wires. You need two
pairs of speaker pins (available at your
local RadioShack store) to make the
connection. Follow these steps to connect
the wires to each terminal using speaker
pins.

1. Separate the conductors for a length
of about 2 inches on the end of each
wire. Then strip

1

/2 inch of insulation
from the ends of each conductor and
twist the wire ends.

2. Position each wire end between the
open barrel ends of a speaker pin.

To PRO-SW100P

From Left or Right Speaker

CONNECTING TO POWER

STANDBY

AC120V
60Hz

Plug the PRO-SW100Ps AC power cord
into an AC outlet. The STANDBY indicator
lights green. If the subwoofer does not
receive a signal for about 11 minutes, the
STANDBY indicator lights red.

ADJUSTING THE VOLUME

Once you have made all connections,
follow these steps to adjust the PRO­SW100Ps volume.

3. Using a pair of pliers, crimp down the
open barrel ends of the speaker pin to
hold the wire end in place.

4. Plug the speaker pin into the proper

HIGH LEVEL OUTPUT

terminal on

the PRO-SW100P.

1. Rotate

VOLUME CONTROL

2. Turn on your amplifier/receiver and
another component (such as a radio,
cassette player, CD player, or
turntable).

3. Begin play of an audio source (such as
a radio) and adjust the amplifier/
speakers overall volume to a
comfortable level. Rotate

CONTROL

clockwise, a little at a

VOLUME

time, until you achieve a pleasing
balance of bass between the PRO­SW100P and the main speakers (and
satellite speakers, if used). Bass output
should not overpower the main
speakers, but should blend across the
entire musical range.

5

to

MIN

.

Once you have adjusted

CONTROL

, use the amplifier/receivers

VOLUME

volume control to control the speakers
volume.

ADJUSTING THE HIGH CUT
FREQUENCY

FREQUENCY HZ

(between 50 Hz and 200 Hz) at which the
subwoofer begins passing frequencies to
other speakers. This controls setting
depends on the low frequency capabilities
of your satellite speakers (if used), speaker
placement, and other factors that affect
bass performance.

adjusts the level

CARE

To enjoy your RCA PRO-SW100P 100­Watt Powered Subwoofer for a long time:

 Keep the subwoofer dry. If it gets wet,

wipe it dry immediately.

 Use and store the subwoofer only in

normal temperature environments.

 Handle the subwoofer gently and

carefully. Dont drop it.

 Keep the subwoofer away from dust

and dirt.

 Wipe the subwoofer with a damp

cloth occasionally to keep it looking
new.

While playing music, rotate

clockwise until it sounds like the

HZ

FREQUENCY

music is too bass-heavy. Then rotate it
counterclockwise until the bass sounds
more natural.

If the mid-bass sounds natural but you
want more low bass, rotate

counterclockwise a little, then rotate

HZ
VOLUME CONTROL

FREQUENCY

clockwise by about
the same amount. This increases low bass
output without affecting the mid-bass
output.

To reduce low bass output without
affecting the mid-bass output equally,
rotate

FREQUENCY HZ

VOLUME CONTROL

clockwise and

counterclockwise.

Modifying or tampering with the
subwoofers internal components can
cause a malfunction and invalidate its
warranty.

This subwoofer has been manufactured to
the specifications of RadioShack and is
covered by a limited warranty from
RadioShack. If your subwoofer is not
operating as it should, take it to your local
RadioShack store or call 1-800-THE­SHACK for assistance.

6

SPECIFICATIONS

Amplifier Output .................................................... 100W RMS (4 Ohms @ 1% THD)

Crossover ............................................................................. 50 Hz200 Hz Adjustable

Frequency Response .................................................................................. 42200 Hz

Power Voltage .................................................................................... AC 120 V/60 Hz

Power Consumption .......................................................................................... 120W

Dimensions (HWD) ........................................................................ 14

(311

Weight ................................................................................................... 31 lbs (14 kg)

Specifications are typical; individual units might vary. Specifications are subject to
change and improvement without notice.

14 × 153/4 in.

×

311 × 400 mm)

×

7

Limited One-Year Warranty

This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workman­ship under normal use for one (1) year from the date of purchase from RadioSha ck compa ny-owned
stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, Ra­dioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING
THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED
IN DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED
HEREIN. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY OR RE­SPONSIBILITY TO CUSTOMER OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY
LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BY USE OR PERFOR­MANCE OF THE PRODUCT OR ARISING OUT OF ANY BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY, IN­CLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM INCONVENIENCE, LOSS
OF TIME, DATA, PROPERTY, REVENUE, OR PROFIT OR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDEN­TAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF RadioShack HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Some states do not allow the limitations on how long an implied warranty la sts or t he exclusi on of in­cidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.
In the event of a product defect during the warranty period, take the product and the RadioShack
sales receipt as proof of purchase date to any RadioShack store. RadioShack will, at its option, un­less otherwise provided by law: (a) correct the defect by product repair without charge for parts and
labor; (b) replace the product with one of the same or similar design; or (c) refund the purchase
price. All replaced parts and products, and products on which a refund is made, become the prop­erty of RadioShack. New or reconditioned parts and products may be used in the performance of
warranty service. Repaired or replaced parts and products are warranted for the remainder of the
original warranty period. You will be charged for repair or replacement of the product made after the
expiration of the warranty period.
This warranty does not cover: (a) damage or failure caused by or attributable to acts of God, abuse,
accident, misuse, improper or abnormal usage, failure to follow instructions, improper installation or
maintenance, alteration, lightning or other incidence of excess voltage or current; (b) any repairs
other than those provided by a RadioShack Authorized Service Facility; (c) consumables such as
fuses or batteries; (d) cosmetic damage; (e) transportation, shipping or insurance costs; or (f) costs
of product removal, installation, set-up service adjustment or reinstallation.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from
state to state.

RadioShack Customer Relations, 200 Taylor Street, 6th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76102

We Service What We Sell

04/99

09/99 Printed in the USA

RadioShack

A Division of Tandy Corporation

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

40-5018