Polk Audio Car Speaker PSW1200 User Manual

PSW1200  
Instruction  
Manual  
 
POLK AUDIO LIMITED WARRANTY  
Polk Audio, Inc., warrants to the original pur- This warranty does not include service or  
chaser 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  
parts to repair damage caused by accident,  
disaster, misuse, abuse, negligence, inade-  
quate packing or shipping procedures, com-  
mercial use, voltage inputs in excess of the  
from the date of original retail purchase from rated maximum of the unit, cosmetic appear-  
a Polk Audio Authorized Dealer. Polk Audio,  
Inc., further warrants to the original pur-  
chaser only that the Loudspeaker(s) in  
this Polk Audio Product (the Product) will  
be free from defects in material and work-  
manship 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 expira-  
tion 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  
ance 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 exclu-  
sion may not apply to you.  
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.  
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.  
“Polk Audio,” “The Speaker Specialists,” and “Power Port”  
are trademarks of Britannia Investment Corporation used under license by Polk Audio Incorporated.  
23  
 
* About Power Ratings  
SPECIFICATIONS  
PSW1200  
When making comparisons between  
product specifications it helps to under-  
stand 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 fieldbasis for comparison. Make  
sure the basis for the power rating is  
clearly stated before comparing it to  
another products specification.  
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  
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 Powerrating 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 out-  
put 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 Averageratings to have  
very different Dynamic Power performance.  
Outputs  
Speaker and line level  
High Pass Filters  
However, loudspeaker efficiency is by  
far the most important factor in determin-  
ing how loud your system will play.  
Line Level Outputs:  
Switchable 40Hz or  
80Hz, 12db/octave  
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.  
Speaker Outputs:  
Switchable: Flat, 40Hz or 80Hz  
Shipping Weight  
110 lbs/ea (49.9 kg)  
Dimensions  
2612"H x 1834"W x 2334"D  
67.3cmH x 47.6cmW x 60.3cmD  
Polk Audio and the Consumer Electronics  
Manufacturers Association are currently  
engaged in an effort to set standards for  
specifying the actual acoustic output of  
self-powered speakers. If we are success-  
ful, consumers will be able to use these  
ratings to make more meaningful product  
comparisons and better purchasing  
decisions in the future.  
22  
 
POLK AUDIO A HISTORY OF  
EXCELLENCE  
A WORD FROM MATTHEW POLK  
Dear Music Lover,  
Matthew Polk and George Klopfer  
Thank you for purchasing Polk Audio  
speakers. Designing and building speak-  
ers is more than just a business for the  
people of Polk Audioit is our passion.  
We are all dedicated to your complete  
satisfaction and delight.  
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  
worlds largest manufacturers of loud-  
speakers for home, office and car. Polks  
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.  
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:  
3
 
FEATURES:  
GETTING STARTED  
Two 12-inch direct radiating smooth  
response subwoofer drivers.  
Power Portpatented bass port for  
deep bass with low distortion.  
High-current 350 watt power amplifier.  
7 low level input channelsleft front,  
right front, center, subwoofer, LFE, left  
rear and right rearto allow connec-  
tion of every channels output to the  
subwoofer. There is never a question  
whether or not all the bass on your  
recording is getting to your PSW1200  
subwoofer!  
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 phenom-  
enon 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 place-  
ment to find the location that yields the  
deepest, tightest bass in your favorite  
listening position.  
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  
FIGURE 1a.  
Unfiltered LFE/Subwoofer input for  
use with low pass filtered subwoofer  
output jacks  
6"  
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  
Allow at least 6 inches (15cm) of space  
between any subwoofer driver and a  
wall or obstruction. (Fig. 1a).  
4
 
optimal phase tuning.  
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.  
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  
speakers finish. Remove grilles and  
gently vacuum the dust.  
If none of our suggestions work for you,  
call our customer service number shown  
below.  
Q. WHY DOES MY SYSTEM HUM?”  
A. It doesnt know the words.”  
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
OR SERVICE  
This is what passes for humor in the  
audio business. Here is the real answer:  
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 autoposition. 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.  
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 electri-  
cal 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 televi-  
sion). You can obtain this device from  
some audio dealers, Radio Shack stores,  
Our cheerful customer service repre-  
sentatives 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.  
21  
 
FIGURE 18.  
40Hz  
120Hz  
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
0°  
180°  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
40HZ 80HZ  
+
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER  
IN  
2
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
experiment with the crossover frequen-  
cy setting. Turning the knob up will add  
more warmthto the bass and lower  
midrange, possibly at the expense of  
bass tightnessand midrange clarity.  
Turning the knob down will make  
the bass and lower midrange sound  
thinner.Experiment and set this  
control to taste.  
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 prob-  
ably sound best, but always let your  
ear be the final judge. After setting  
subwoofer levels, you may want to  
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  
20  
 
The subwoofer should be placed only on  
its integrated Power Portbase.  
(Fig. 1b) NEVER LAY THE SUBWOOFER  
ON THE AMPLIFIER END THIS WILL  
DAMAGE THE AMPLIFIER.  
fectly. A poor blend will sound unnatur-  
al; 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.  
FIGURE 1b.  
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 channels bass to another  
speakergenerally 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.  
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.  
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  
CONNECTING THE SUBWOOFER TO  
THE SYSTEMGENERAL  
The PSW1200 was designed to allow  
you to get the maximum bass perfor-  
mance from your stereo or home theater  
system, regardless of the type of equip-  
ment you have. Due to the broad range  
of equipment available, and the versatil-  
ity 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.  
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 electron-  
icsowners 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:  
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 blendper-  
5
 
BASS MANAGEMENT/SPEAKER  
SETUP SETTINGS  
LargeWhen you select a speaker as  
Largethat speaker will be sent a full-  
range signal: all the sounds that are on  
that channel will go to that speaker.  
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.  
SmallMost often Center and Surround  
channels are small, bass-limited speak-  
ers 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 sub-  
woofer output jack is Off,the bass  
should go to the front Left and Right  
channel outputs. If you select Front  
speakers as Smalland Subwoofer  
Offyou are going to lose a lot of bass.  
Normal(center speaker only) Bass fre-  
quencies 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 JackIn 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 tuningtools, you shouldnt  
use this output unless it is unfiltered.  
See page 13 for information on filtered  
and un-filtered outputs.  
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 beefybookshelf  
speaker like a Polk RT55 smallor  
large? Is it good or bad to have such  
a speaker play bass?  
THX VariationIn 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®  
SmallAdvantages  
Dolby Labs mandates that Dolby Digital-  
processor equipped electronics must  
offer all channels smalland all chan-  
nels largeoptions, 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.  
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
 
FIGURE 16.  
POWER  
ON  
OFF  
AUTO  
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
40HZ 80HZ  
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
40HZ 80HZ  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
+
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER  
IN  
2
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
the one thats right for you.  
from a power source.  
AC POWER  
SUBWOOFER ADJUSTMENTS  
SUBWOOFER LEVEL  
CONTROLSubwoofer level is adjustable  
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.  
via the knob on the front of the sub-  
woofer under the logo pod (Fig. 17).  
Play a piece of music that has an aver-  
age amount of bass  
content. Adjust by ear using a variety of  
CDs and video sources. Adjust for deep,  
The power switch has three positions:  
On,” “Offand Auto(Fig. 16). In the  
Autoposition, the amplifier will auto-  
matically turn on, and the green pilot  
light on the front of the subwoofer will  
illuminate, as soon as the speaker sens-  
es a signal coming from your electron-  
ics. The amplifier and the green pilot  
light will turn off approximately 15 min-  
utes after input signal ceases. In the  
Onposition, 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  
powerful bass, avoiding boominess.”  
FIGURE 17.  
5
19  
 
FRONT  
LFE/SUBWOOFER  
OUTPUT  
SPEAKER OUTPUTS  
FRONT  
L
R
LFE/SUBWOOFER  
OUTPUT  
SPEAKER OUTPUTS  
+
R
L
+
+
SPEAKERS  
+ –  
+ –  
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
R
+ –  
+ –  
+
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
120Hz  
T
180°  
40 HZ  
80 HZ  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
80HZ  
R
CROSSOVER  
80HZ  
OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
CROSSOVER  
FULL RANGE  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
ABLE  
ASS  
HZ 80HZ  
VER  
VEL) 40HZ 80HZ  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
+
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
+
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
L
R
Unfiltered  
Or  
Unfiltered  
Or  
Filtered  
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER  
IN  
2
Filtered  
CENTER  
IN  
2
OFER IN  
Bass Management/  
Speaker Setup  
Front Large  
Bass Management/  
Speaker Setup  
Front Large  
SUBWOOFER IN  
Subwoofer: On  
Subwoofer: On  
FIGURE 13.  
FIGURE 15.  
FIGURE 12.  
FIGURE 14.  
PRE-OUT  
LFE/SUBWOOFER OUT  
R
L
MAIN IN  
FRONT  
LFE/SUBWOOFER  
PRE-OUT  
R
L
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
L
R
0°  
180°  
IABLE  
40HZ  
W
PASS  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
SOVER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
+
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
40Hz  
120Hz  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL) 40HZ 80HZ  
40 HZ  
80 HZ  
+
L
R
RONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
IABLE  
ASE  
NMENT  
LEFT  
RONT  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
IN  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
TER  
1
CENTER  
IN  
2
WITCHABLE  
IN  
GH PASS  
OSSOVER  
NE LEVEL) 40HZ 80HZ  
+
R
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
Unfiltered  
Or  
Filtered  
Unfiltered  
Or  
Filtered  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
Bass  
Bass  
CENTER  
IN  
2
Management/  
Speaker Setup  
Front Large  
Subwoofer: On  
Management/  
Speaker Setup  
Front Large  
Subwoofer: On  
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
18  
 
LargeAdvantages–  
ers as Largeor 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.  
You will probably get better blending  
between main speaker and subwoofer.  
The bass attackor tightnessmay  
be better  
Imaging may be more even, seamless  
and natural  
Heres 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  
HOW THE PSW1200 CAN HELP  
If your system has no bass manage-  
ment/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-  
impact). But if you set your center to  
Largeand you hook up the Subwoofer  
RECEIVER OR PROCESSOR  
FIGURE 2.  
CENTER PRE OUT  
CENTER  
SPEAKER  
+
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
+
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
INPUT  
40HZ 80HZ  
+
FULL RANGE CENTER  
SPEAKER  
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER  
IN  
2
Bass Management/  
Speaker Setup  
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
Center: LARGE (WIDE)  
7
 
DOLBY DIGITAL / DTS  
RECEIVER OR PROCESSOR  
FIGURE 3.  
FRONT  
REAR  
CENTER  
LFE  
L
Bass Management/  
Speaker Setup  
Front: Large  
R
Center: Large  
Surround: Large  
Subwoofer: Yes  
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
40HZ 80HZ  
+
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER 2  
IN  
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
to the Subwoofer output jack, the Center  
bass would not go to the Subwoofer. In  
this case, you can select your Center as  
Largeand hook up the center channel  
output directly to the Center channel  
input of the PSW1200.  
you get the bass from every channel  
through your Subwoofer, simply plug in  
the preamp output from each channel  
directly into the PSW1200. No guess-  
work and no lost bass information.  
(Fig. 3)  
(Fig. 2, previous page)  
The Front, Rear, and Center, etc., labels  
on the PSW1200s 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  
Now you have it all!  
In fact, the PSW1200 has enough inputs  
to accept every channel of a 5.1 sur-  
round system. If you want to make sure  
8
 
17  
 
16  
 
FIGURE 4.  
+
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
40HZ 80HZ  
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
+
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER  
IN  
2
40 HZ  
80 HZ  
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
FULL RANGE  
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.  
not haveor 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–  
PSW1200 INPUT AND OUTPUT  
FEATURES AND USE  
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)  
Front Speaker Level InAlthough these  
are labeled Front,they can be used  
for any channel. If your equipment does  
9
 
SWITCHABLE HIGH PASS CROSSOVER  
(Speaker Level)If you want to filter  
FRONT LINE INAny 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)  
bass out of any speaker, connect the  
Speaker Level In and Out, and select  
either 40Hz or 80Hz. Use 40Hz for larg-  
er 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 fil-  
ter out any bass, select Full Range.  
(See Fig. 4, previous page)  
DOLBY DIGITAL / DTS  
RECEIVER  
FIGURE 5.  
PRE-OUT  
R
L
Y CONNECTOR  
Y CONNECTOR  
MAIN IN  
R
L
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
40HZ 80HZ  
+
L
R
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER 2  
IN  
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
10  
 
SURROUND RECEIVER OR PREAMP/PROCESSOR  
FIGURE 10.  
SPEAKER OUTPUTS  
L
R
+
+
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+ –  
+ –  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
40HZ 80HZ  
+
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
FIGURE 11.  
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
Do not  
insert  
insulated  
section  
through  
hole  
Loosen  
hex nut  
Insert  
speaker  
wire  
through  
hole  
Tighten  
hex nut  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER  
IN  
2
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
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 consis-  
tency. If your Subwoofer does not seem  
to produce much bass, it is most likely  
that one of the speaker wires is con-  
nected backwards. Double-check all  
connections for correct polarity.  
strands. Connect two conductors to the  
receiver or amp (refer to the owners  
manual supplied with your electronics  
for assistance with proper hookup).  
Connect the two conductors on the other  
end of the wire to the speaker termi-  
nals. Repeat for the other channel.  
To connect wire to the binding post,  
unscrew the plastic hex nut on the bind-  
ing post and insert the bare wire into  
the hole near the base of the binding  
post (Fig. 11). Do not insert the insu-  
lated 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.  
Strip 1/2of 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  
15  
 
FIGURE 9.  
+
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
40HZ 80HZ  
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
+
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER  
IN  
2
40 HZ  
80 HZ  
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
FULL RANGE  
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).  
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.  
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 termi-  
nals is marked red (+) and the other  
black (-). Make certain that you connect  
the wire from the red (+) terminal of  
Connect the speaker outputs of your  
receiver or power amplifier to the  
Speaker Level In binding posts of the  
14  
 
FRONT LINE OUTConnect these to the  
power amp (main) inputs only if you  
want a high pass filtered signal (selec-  
table 40Hz or 80Hz) to go into the  
amplifier (Fig. 6). The filter cannot be  
defeated.  
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  
preouts connected to a power amplifier  
or Main In jacks.  
SWITCHABLE HIGH PASS CROSSOVER–  
(Line Level)This selects the filter  
(crossover) frequency at either 40Hz  
FIGURE 6.  
PRE-OUT  
L
R
MAIN IN  
R
L
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
40HZ 80HZ  
+
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
40 HZ  
OR  
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER 2  
IN  
80 HZ  
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
11  
 
CENTER LINE INConnect Center line  
level preamp output here (Fig. 7).  
(There is no need to plug something into  
both center inputs; one would be redun-  
dant.) The signal will pass through the  
Variable Low Pass Crossover. Use a Y  
connector if you need to have this pre-  
out connected to a power amplifier or  
Main In jack.  
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.  
When this input senses a signal, it auto-  
matically boosts the Subwoofers output  
FIGURE 7.  
SURROUND RECEIVER OR PREAMP/PROCESSOR  
REAR  
PRE-OUT  
CENTER  
PRE-OUT  
SUBWOOFER  
OUT  
( LFE  
Low pass  
filtered  
only )  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
40HZ 80HZ  
+
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER  
IN  
2
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
12  
 
FIGURE 8.  
SURROUND RECEIVER OR PREAMP/PROCESSOR  
SUBWOOFER/LFE OUT  
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL OUT  
L
R
VARIABLE  
LOW PASS  
CROSSOVER  
+
40Hz  
120Hz  
VARIABLE  
PHASE  
ALIGNMENT  
0°  
180°  
40HZ  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
POWER  
80HZ  
CROSSOVER  
AUTO OFF ON  
(SPEAKER LEVEL)  
FULL RANGE  
SWITCHABLE  
HIGH PASS  
CROSSOVER  
(LINE LEVEL)  
40HZ 80HZ  
+
FRONT  
LEFT  
OUT  
FRONT  
RIGHT  
OUT  
LEFT  
FRONT  
IN  
RIGHT  
FRONT  
IN  
L
R
FRONT SPEAKER LEVEL IN  
LEFT  
REAR  
IN  
RIGHT  
REAR  
IN  
CENTER 1  
IN  
CENTER  
IN  
2
OR  
LFE/SUBWOOFER IN  
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR SUBWOOFER  
OUTPUT JACK IS FILTERED OR NOT  
Use the speaker set-upor bass  
managementfunction of your  
Dolby Digital processor to select  
Subwoofer as onor yes.Connect  
the Subwoofer output jack to the  
LFE/Subwooferinput 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.  
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 unfil-  
tered, connect the subwoofer output  
jack to any unused Line Level In jack  
(Fig. 8). In either case, with Dolby  
Digital systems, select Subwoofer as  
onor yesin the speaker set upor  
bass managementfunction of your  
electronics. Read the owners manual of  
your electronics to learn how to select  
this setting.  
13  
 
5601 METRO DRIVE,  
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21215, USA,  
410-764-5275, FAX: 410-764-5266  
RM1203-1  
 

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