Settings For Polk PSW350 Sub With RTi12 Mains...

[PearlcorderS701]

Hi All.

I finally received my RTi12's, delivered from Fry's, and will have them up and running hopefully this week sometime, once our new wall unit for the new house arrives...in the meantime, would someone be able to suggest correct settings for the rear of my PSW350 sub in conjunction with the RTi12's?

Should the PHASE be set to "0" degrees? And what about the LOW PASS setting...should this be on the highest value, which is around 160Hz or so, or should this be different?

 

[sholling]

I have a TX-SR606 and not a 605 but I would think Audyssey would get your levels close. But I do like to confirm the settings with a tape measure and Rat Shack SPL meter. Keep in mind that the Rat Shack meter reads deep bass 4-6db low and adjust for that when adjusting settings.

Phase setting takes two people - one adjusting and one listing, and is a play with it until it sounds right thing.

This guide should help you a lot.
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/get-good-bass/subwoofer-connection-guide

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Thanks!

But I was talking about the actual subwoofer itself, and the controls on the back of it...the PHASE switch and the LOW PASS knob...

 

[sholling]

Here is a simple method for setting phase that I haven't tried. My method is even less orthodox so I'll hold back and see what the old pros say.

http://www.goodsound.com/howto/2002_06_15.htm

 

[anamorphic96]

I would not use that sub with your RTi12's. The 12's go a good bit deeper than the sub does. So the sub will probably not integrate well and just make things muddy and not very clean down low.

PSW350 has a -3db point at 38hz which is not very low at all. The 12's have a -3db of 30hz. These specs are from the Polk site.

So run the 12's as large with no sub. This will result in the cleanest sound right now until you can get a real subwoofer that at extneds to 25 or 20hz.

When you get a better sub I would use a 60hz or maybe even a 40hz crossover point since the 12's are true full range speakers.

As for the controls on the back you would set the phase to 0 to start with and set the crossover to its highest point and use the crossovers in the receiver.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

I would not use that sub with your RTi12's. The 12's go a good bit deeper than the sub does. So the sub will probably not integrate well and just make things muddy and not very clean down low.

PSW350 has a -3db point at 38hz which is not very low at all. The 12's have a -3db of 30hz. These specs are from the Polk site.

So run the 12's as large with no sub. This will result in the cleanest sound right now until you can get a real subwoofer that at extneds to 25 or 20hz.

When you get a better sub I would use a 60hz or maybe even a 40hz crossover point since the 12's are true full range speakers.

I understand what you're saying here, Anamorphic, but I want to use the 350 with my 12's if I can for now -- if it sounds horrible, I'll switch the sub off, but that's my plan for now.

As for the crossover point for the 12's inside the receiver, you don't recommend 80Hz for the 12's?

As for the controls on the back you would set the phase to 0 to start with and set the crossover to its highest point and use the crossovers in the receiver.

Thanks -- this is what I wanted to know. ZERO on PHASE and bring the LOW PASS to the highest point, which would be 160Hz on my PSW350 -- correct?

 

[anamorphic96]

Yes on the sub settings.

However I think your making a mistake using the sub. The 12's are superior in every way and will sound much cleaner and go lower. You are going to give up bass extension and impact using the sub. I honestly can't understand why you would a sub like that. Truly baffled.

 

[AVRat]

I would not say to not use the sub since it’s the only way to get the full discrete LFE output. And it should be okay to supplement the center/surrounds low end. But I agree with a96 that the 12s run at full range is the best performance option at this point of your upgrades.

 

[AVRat]

Because he bought it awhile back before he bought the 12s.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

why are you using a PSW350 sub? weird

Why is it so "weird" to be using a PSW350 sub?

And like 'Rat said, it is because this is an old sub from previous systems, bought long before the RTi12's, which I purchased just recently for an R20 upgrade.