Polk Audio PSW10 (Black) Subwoofers

Polk Audio PSW10 (Black) Subwoofers 

DESCRIPTION

Do away with distortion. While the Polk Monitor Series PSW10s 10 driver and 50W built-in amplifier are filling out your home audios bass tones, a wide variety of distortion-reducing technologies - including laser Klippel Distortion analysis - deliver bass true to the source.

  • Bass-reflex
  • 50-watt RMS amplifier
  • 10" front-firing driver
  • Frequency response 40-160 Hz (-3dB)
  • Continuously variable 80-200 Hz crossover
  • Phase switch
  • Auto on/off
  • Speaker-level and line-level inputs; speaker-level output

USER REVIEWS

Showing 1-10 of 19  
[Aug 12, 2023]
Jelai Ande


Strength:

This will turn them into acoustic suspension speakers. Muddy bass will be gone replaced by a smooth base. It will also slightly lower the volume of the woofer. That allow the midrange and tweeters to play louder giving a clear detailed sound, more audiophile. Commercial cleaning services Reno

Weakness:

None so far.

OVERALL
RATING
5
[Jun 29, 2021]
stussy


Strength:

Home Addition will provide you with an instant makeover or a full renovation for your kitchen.

Weakness:

none so far

Purchased:
New  
OVERALL
RATING
5
[May 03, 2022]
yammy man


Strength:

Transparent, you can stare right at it and not tell where the sound is coming from, and don't let the 50 watts of power dissuade you, just use your ears and common sense. I hear systems were the owners don't know how to use a subwoofer. This $100 sub does exactly what it was designed to do, ENHANCE the bass of your speakers, and it does that at the right price and without flaw...when set correctly to your set up and listening area. Telling you how I have mine adjusted won't make any sense because you don't have my amp, speakers, cables, soft furniture, thick carpeting, heavy drapes, and sound treated walls and ceiling in my tiny 4th bedroom. I'm still in awe at the 3D sound stage of my 2 channel system and use it for music only, nothing snobby, just some modestly priced quality components that I chose for value because high price doesn't always mean high quality and vice versa. I listen to many different genres and just a whisper above conversation level, never louder than that. To me the true test of a system is how much detail you can hear at low volume. I have a neighbor who has spent tens of thousands on his 11.2 'rig' and tries to make it sound like the finale at a 4th of July fireworks show so the only thing you hear are his two monster subwoofers (he says they weigh over 200 lbs. each). I laugh to myself and tell him how good it sounds when he wants to show off and blast it at jet engine volume and has to shout the price of each piece when it actually is very fatiguing and I can't wait to get out of there. Ok enough about that, back to the Polk PSW10, it has deep, tight bass with speaker in/out and RCA line level input, volume and frequency controls, auto-on-off and 0 or 180 degree phase toggle switches that complete this great sub.

Weakness:

After reading my review I suppose you're wondering why only 2 stars. Well after walking across the carpet to turn the unit off I touched the metal toggle switch, discharged a static spark, and that was the end of my fantastic sub. I removed the back plate, replaced the fuse, but it blew as soon as I plugged it back in, so something got fried inside there. I feel that switch should have been protected from static electricity. I would have given 1 star but it really sounded good before it turned into burnt toast. I'm looking to replace the back plate amp as soon as I find one that meets the original specs. Update: Parts Express sells a 70 watt 8 ohm subwoofer back plate amp ( model number SA70 ) and these specs are close. I paid $80 on sale and only had to enlarge one side of the existing cutout by about a quarter inch. Polk wanted $120 for OEM. I saved my sub from the garbage and I think it sounds better than the original.

Price Paid:
$100
Purchased:
New  
Model Year:
2018
OVERALL
RATING
2
[May 05, 2021]
rosendamanns


Strength:

The phase and volume controls that give good resistance; decent sound enhancement when adjusted properly. | Roofing Repair

Weakness:

Nothing to complain about since I am highly satisfied!

Purchased:
New  
OVERALL
RATING
5
[Feb 09, 2017]
Matt
Audio Enthusiast

Perfect match for a smaller music system. I use this to provide the missing lower octave or so from my little living room (yes, the room is small) stereo system. It's an Onkyo TX-8211, a pair of Acoustic Research AR-215PS on cinder block stands, and this sub. I keep it dialed really low; it simply augments the low end that is lacking in the bookshelf speakers. It's also connected to my TV/HTPC. It does fine for casual watching. If cranked, movies with a ton of fake earthquake type low end effects can make it a bit chuffy, but it never fails to make the walls rattle.
TL;DR: Buy this to augment decent bookshelf speakers in a small to medium space and you won't be disappointed. For home theater or larger systems, step up to something bigger.

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
5
[Feb 26, 2016]
Levi
Audio Enthusiast

I have a fine home system with two subs, and then I have a "workshop" system that has involved much wheeling and dealing/upgrading/trading/buying/selling, etc. Anyways, at this point in time, in the workshop, I have a Yamaha RX-V1500 receiver, an older Sony 5-disc carousel, a set of JBL J620 bookshelf speakers I refoamed, and a Technics P-mount turntable (the Yamaha is one of the last of the phono input models). I listen to rock and country mostly, old school with cd's and albums on vinyl, so this stereo stays on full time 2 channel stereo mode. NOT a HT system. I ran up on a Polk PSW10 on the local Craigslist for $40. I thought it might be a good candidate for the shop system. After an hour of experimenting with different locations, tweaking the volume/crossovers, I found a "happy spot" for the sub to roll up and drop off right around the lower limits of the JBL's. Too much volume, it's boomy and distorting, too low on the crossover, same thing. So, for a music system, this thing needs to be set to gently enhance the lower end of your speakers. Nothing more, nothing less. It is well worth the price paid for that. It absolutely is not a top-end sub, and no one should expect such. It presents itself as a good mid-bass supplement to a good set of speakers. I can only imagine that if pressed into HT use, it would have the same sort of effect. I'd buy one for a small room / garage / music system, but would be scared to press it into any other kind of duties. For a good HT system, I'd look higher up the ladder for the type of LFE this sub would be unable to handle. But it does my application pretty nicely, and it's exactly as I expected.

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
3
[Sep 03, 2014]
fendaaudio
Audio Enthusiast

Value for money and got good exp in listing

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
[Aug 23, 2013]
musicmonger
Audio Enthusiast

Got an opportunity to demo unit against the Sony SA-W2500 and Pioneer SW-8MK2 at my local BB's listening room. Amongst the 3, the PSW10 is in its own class. It would be the home audio pick. All have crossover dials and auto on/off switches. The latter 2 are close. Each was selected joining a HT system of Yamaha receiver and Pioneer speakers in a 5.1 configuration. The Pioneer sub had some noticeable bottom emphasis while the Sony seemed consistent throughout its frequencies. Something was amiss at SW-8MK2 higher frequencies. Could be due to lowest cutoff of highest frequency of the 3. Had the volumes and cutoffs maxed during demo. Had to back the Polk volume 1/3rd due to distortion(port noise?). My conclusion is that the latter 2, especially the Sony, would be good all around choices. For all you disciminating Charlie tuna, stereo junkies dial in the clean, tight, sweet bass of the Polk. Got mine dialed in on Hiroshima's Kokoro. I was knocking on heaven's door.

OVERALL
RATING
3
VALUE
RATING
3
[Jun 26, 2012]
Mike Suarez
AudioPhile

I have the PSW10 in conjunction with a Polk Monitor Series Surround and a Denon 2111 receiver... and Kimber Kable PBJ cables. I bought the PSW10 because I was living in a small apartment and didn't particularly want to blow my downstairs neighbors out of the building. For the price, these guys do fairly well with music. They are fairly tight from 40hz to about 80hz. If you use cheaper cables (Radio Shack or even Monster) they fall apart even above 40hz, so I recommend buying proper cables for it. Below 40hz (even with proper cables) the port noise is almost unbearable. This means that they are fairly good at filling out your speaker set if you tend to listen to music (which tends to keep away from lower frequencies), but it will give you problems in a theater system (where the LFE drops well below 40hz).
Also, avoid the PSW10 if you are into boomy subs. Polk tends to make tighter speakers, focusing on clarity rather than power. Within the right range the PSW10 follows this trend. They are certainly tight, albeit not punchy.

OVERALL
RATING
2
VALUE
RATING
5
[Jul 17, 2010]
pitogo
Audio Enthusiast

This sub is great for what I bought it for, a sub to my main computer speakers. $88 seems like the price is right. I have crossover set at 80Hz so its really only effective from 40-80Hz at best. Corner loaded and volume set way way. Helps reinforce the lower octaves.

OVERALL
RATING
4
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 1-10 of 19  

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