G E T T I N G S T A R T E D
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: Your PSW505 system includes a detachable power cord that’s packaged seperately from the cabinet. Insert female
end into recepticle on amplifier plate and insert polarized AC plug into wall outlet (or power strip) as per safety instructions on inside cover of
this manual.
P L A C E M E N T ( F I G U R E S 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 performance 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 inches (15cm) of space between the subwoofer driver and a
wall or obstruction
(Figure 1)
. The subwoofer should only be placed on its base
(Figure 2)
. It may lie on its side, but NEVER LAY THE SUB-
WOOFER ON THE AMPLIFIER END—THIS WILL DAMAGE THE AMPLIFIER
(Figure 3)
.
Your powered subwoofer is magnetically shielded for placement near video monitors. Allow at least 18" (45cm) of space between your sub-
woofer and any television. If you notice video distortion 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, Monday through Friday, or email: [email protected].
You’ll find an informative article on “Subwoofer Positioning and Adjustment”
in the set up section at:
http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/
C O N N E C T I N G T H E S U B W O O F E R T O T H E S Y S T E M — G E N E R A L
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 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 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. 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.
U S I N G P U S H - T A B T E R M I N A L S – P S W 3 0 3 ( F I G U R E 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.
U S I N G B I N D I N G P O S T C O N N E C T I O N S – P S W 4 0 4 A N D P S W 5 0 5 ( F I G U R E 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.
R E C O M M E N D E D H O O K - U P M E T H O D F O R “ S A T E L L I T E ” S Y S T E M S
S U C H A S P O L K R M S E R I E S S P E A K E R S
( F I G U R E S 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 front satellite speakers using speaker wire from the speaker level outputs from the powered subwoofer.
If it is more convenient, parallel wire the subwoofer and front satellites from your receiver
(Figure 7)
.
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.
For accessories and information visit www.polkaudio.com
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