Question 1

Do I need a Y-adpater?  A sound tech told me one sub wire would do the trick and just plug it into the L and ignore the R.  Is this true?

Accepted Answer

You don’t “need” a y-adapter.
It depends on your audio source. If you are using an audio/video receiver (like Yamaha/Denon/Kenwood etc) or a PC Sound card with a “sub out,” then that output already summed up the left and right channel’s bass frequencies (LFE) into one Mono output, and you can plug that into either RCA input on the PSW10 subwoofer. It’s also recommended to set the sub’s crossover dial as high as it will go (because the source will dictate the crossover point).

Why then are there left and right RCA inputs on the sub, and a crossover dial? And Speaker binding posts? All of that is for using the sub as an amp to power (efficient) speakers. In that setup, you wire up the passive speakers into the subwoofer’s binding posts, plug the L&R RCA inputs into your TV or other source’s RCA outputs, set the crossover somewhere just above the speaker’s lowest part of their rated frequency response range (if you don’t know, I think 120 Hz is a good guess), and then the volume dial controls both the speakers and the sub (you can’t independently control the balance of bass to mids/treble). The sound quality like this is… not great. But if you need the option, at least it works?

Question 2

Can this sub be added to a Vizio 2.0 sound bar, for small to medium-sized HDTV's? If not, what should I get? For TV/Games/Music

Accepted Answer

Like John, I too have a Vizio 2.0 sound bar and this pairs very well. I have a small theater room (10 x 20) and this one 10" fills the room. This sub is the best bang for the buck you can get.

Question 3

Does this speaker have a volume control?   Thanks.

Accepted Answer

Yes, it has a volume control.

If you have an integrated amp or audio-video receiver (AVR), then you plug the speakers into that, and this sub into the sub-out, and use the AVR or amp to set the bass crossover point (and turn up the dial on the sub’s crossover so that you don’t have a “hole” between where you set the sub’s limit and the amp’s low frequency output). In this configuration, you can boost or decrease the bass emphasis by turning the volume dial on the back of the sub.

In the fringe case that you don’t have a speaker amp, you can connect (efficient) passive speakers to the binding posts on the back of the subwoofer, and control the crossover and volume of the system from the dials on the back of the subwoofer. As you can imagine from a $200 subwoofer (I got this same model for half that), the amp in the sub for speakers is… not great. But it exists.

Question 4

What in your opinion is the best power setting for normal use, "on" or "auto" for this unit.

Accepted Answer

I use the "ON" power setting because the Sub and my Receiver are plugged into a smart surge power strip. When the Receiver turns on/off so does the Sub. No wasted power.

ASIN	B0002KVQBA
Additional Features	Surround Sound
Age Range Description	Adult
Antenna Location	musical
Audio Driver Size	10 Inches
Audio Driver Type	Dynamic Driver
Audio Output Mode	Stereo
Brand	Polk Audio
Built-In Media	Connection Cable (RCA or Speaker)
Color	black
Compatible Devices	Television
Compatible with Vehicle Type	Car
Connectivity Protocol	RCA, speaker level
Connectivity Technology	Auxiliary
Control Method	Voice
Customer Reviews	4.7 out of 5 stars 14,652 Your Review
Frequency Response	200 Hz
Global Trade Identification Number	00747192118211
Impedance	8 Ohms
Is Waterproof	False
Item Dimensions D x W x H	43.2D x 36.2W x 36.8H cm
Item Weight	11.8 Kilograms
MP3 player	No
Manufacturer	Polk Audio
Model Name	AM1055-C
Model Number	AM1055-C
Mounting Type	Tabletop Mount
Number of Audio Channels	1.0
Number of Items	1
Power Source	AC
Series Number	10
Speaker Maximum Output Power	100 Watts
Speaker Size	10 Inches
Speaker Type	Subwoofer Speaker
Specific Uses For Product	Home Audio
Subwoofer Connectivity Technology	Wired
Subwoofer Diameter	10 Inches
UPC	781005301018 747192118211
Water Resistance Level	Not Water Resistant
Wireless Technology	Unspecific wireless technology
Woofer Diameter	10 Inches

Polk Audio PSW10 10" Monitor Series Powered Subwoofer (Black)

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