Quick Start - PSB Speakers PSB SubSeries 500 Guide D'utilisation

low-pass filter, which controls the upper limit of the subwoofer's
frequency range. This should be set high enough to overlap the low
frequency cutoff of the satellite speakers, but not high enough to localize
specific sounds from the sub.
If the frequency response of your satellite speakers is such that the
subwoofer's low-pass filter must be set higher than about 80Hz in order
to avoid gaps in the overall system response, then you might well be able
to localize specific sounds from the sub. This can be very distracting
when these sounds appear to come from beside or behind you. One
solution is to make sure the subwoofer is in the front of the listening area;
another is to use multiple subwoofers to make such sounds more diffuse.
Subwoofers also offer a phase control so the upper frequencies they
produce will not cancel out the lower frequencies of the satellites. A
judicious tweaking of this control can pay major dividends in spectral
smoothness in the crossover area. Phase changes with frequency,
however, so these controls may need readjusting every time you vary the
cutoff frequency.
Also adjustable is the overall level of the subwoofer's output. Many users
tend to set this too high at first, in an effort to achieve truly impressive
bass. Again, smooth response is the aim, and it may well be that, if you
use them, two subwoofers end up being set differently—if, for example,
one is in a corner and the other is not. It's all part of the overall-balancing
act that is bass management in real rooms.
We get virtually no inquiries about subwoofer placement from customers,
which is a good indication that it's not something over which people lose
much sleep. A good subwoofer is such a pleasure when used with a
good main speaker that enjoyment is definitely the rule.
VI. Quick Start
If you cannot wait to hear your new PSB subwoofer: Turn off all other
components, and follow one of the connection diagrams. Connect the
supplied power cord to the AC power socket. Set the PSB subwoofer
volume control to its minimum position (counterclockwise), then plug the
subwoofer into an active AC outlet. The same receptacle as the rest of
your audio/video system or another on the same electrical circuit should
be used to avoid ground hum. Set the subwoofer's Sub Cut-Off
Frequency control to its midpoint, and the phase switch to 0°. Flip the
Power Switch to the on position. Play a bass-rich program source, and
slowly bring up the Sub Volume control (clockwise) until the subwoofer
contributes a natural level of low frequency sound. Now please read the
rest of this guide and fine-tune your installation accordingly—it will be
time well spent!
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