TheEAR Posted August 10, 2003 Share Posted August 10, 2003 Hello there Klipschers As you know(better know)I am one sub human bass fanatic.I own over a dozen subwoofers and experinmented with dozens at home comparing them to my benchmark subs on music and HT. Not long ago I passed by my local Klipsch/Sunfire/PolkAudio dealer and found a very compact and VERY INEXPENSIVE PolkAudio sub,yes PolkAudio(I know I did not give them much credit sub wise).Looked at the sub,lifted it,inspected its amp,its woofer.And said...I'll try this one at home. The PSW404 is almost as heavy as my Sunfire MarkII!Very good built quality,cabinet,plate amp and woofer.The main surprise is the PSW404 retails for around $600CANADIAN,and I got the bugger for $450CANADIAN(under $300US). I condicted tests on my MP3 PC system(Celeste power amp/preamp,Totem TABU mains,Cardas cables and interconnects),sound card being the Audigy 2. I started my listening with music(from classic rock to blues)the first impact was how little the sub gets in the way(TABU cut at 85Hz thru the PSW404).Compared with the Klipsch KSW12,the PSW404 is extra clean and defined.No droning boomy and irritating bass.And the PSW404 extends deeper with serious power(do not trust printed specs here). Then compared the PSW404 with my Carver Shadow Knight and Velodyne SPL1000.Both the SK and Velo are cleaner and dig a bit deeper(they better both cost way more).But bass definition is close when the PSW404 is placed with care,as its more room dependant.The SPL1000 and SK are sealed designs are are not as prone to bad room acoustics. I am listening to my Totem TABU/PSW404 as I write this.Very impressive inexpensive sub.I am very pleased,a true winner in the EL cheapo section. It will bests quite a few if not all the inexpensive subs found in most mass market audio stores with ease.For anyone looking for an inexpensive subwoofer check the PolkAudio PSW404 out,the PSW505 is a 12" version with more of the good,higher max SPL and extends a wee bit deeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinipig523 Posted August 10, 2003 Share Posted August 10, 2003 dang it ear - u shouldve told me about this two months ago! i bet the 12 inch is one good sub! boo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivelitermustang Posted August 10, 2003 Share Posted August 10, 2003 One word: (well actually three) DIY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinipig523 Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 yeah yeah... DIY is the best way to go - but i dont got the time and i am leary of first-timer's mistakes. but ear, i read some Circuitcity reviews about the polk404 and it seems like alot are complaining of blown amps. u may want to check on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted August 11, 2003 Author Share Posted August 11, 2003 5cc Mustang, Two words...BIG DEAL pini, I see why the blown amps,the heatsink gets quite HOT room temp at home is a "cold" 18 Celcius.In non air conditioned rooms the problem may turn into a sour amp. I will contact Polk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinipig523 Posted August 11, 2003 Share Posted August 11, 2003 i wonder what polk will say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damonrpayne Posted August 12, 2003 Share Posted August 12, 2003 I demoed the 404 (among other things) at a local retailer before buying my SVS. Several blown floor models turned me off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted August 13, 2003 Author Share Posted August 13, 2003 The bastards,they finally have a great sub anyone can buy and enjoy and...it overheats!I have no serious problems so far,I mounted a Sanyo 120mm 12V(I run from my nearby PC PSU) quiet fan on the back.Runns silent and keeps sub amp cool Polk better have an answer soon,for the average Joe who places this thing in a warm room the amp will overheat in minutes!Feels as hot as the Promedia 2.1 plate amp(a product I returned swiftly). The best,coolest running plate amps are made by Sunfire.Never hot,always ready to blast and do not even require heatsinks during the most unhuman stress tests!All my other sub amps tend to become..hot during heavy blasting.The only amp I cannot say if it overheats is the RSW amps(reside inside),I think its a mistake.All plate amps should have proper cooling and not be 100% enclosed in the cabinet. Oh well I guess you get what you pay for...aint a Krell dude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodj101 Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 how does the PSW650 rate? is the 404 a much better bargain? I've always been interested in the 650. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted August 14, 2003 Author Share Posted August 14, 2003 ProDj, The PolkAudio 650 is a good sub,with a great finish and built quality,but the PSW404 for the price is an amazing value(amp problem not taken into account). Last night I did listen with my Totem ROKK and TABU,with the PSW404 and from track to the next I was very impressed how fast,non boomy and dynamic this little inexpensive sub is.Plus it goes deeper with power then the boomy KSW,with ease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted August 18, 2003 Author Share Posted August 18, 2003 UPDATE! I contacted Polk and got a fast repply,they will replace the plate amp.Well I will change it where I purchased it. The amp works but gets hot like a Pass Aleph class A amp. Did more listening(Totem TABU/Polk 404)and all I have to say is wow,its the first inexpensive sub that does not have the nasty boom that plagues almost all ported inexpensive small subs.It can snap and hit hard with clean power,not repulsive boom. The woofer looks like the extra long throw Sunfire,Velodyne HGS/SPL subs.The woofer itself has a very large magnet and you can see the travel of thhe woofer is great in int price class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted August 18, 2003 Author Share Posted August 18, 2003 The pic of the 404,grill off to show the woofer.Sorry for the lousy picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodj101 Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 that driver does not look like it would belong on a sub in that price range. I'd love to see a picture of the magnet structure if you have one. it's a shame the amplifier has problems or judging from your review it would be the perfect subwoofer, for the pric3e range anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fabulousfrankie Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 That surround looks pretty serious, reminds me of the huge Sunfire surrounds. I'm thinking of upgrading my Promedia 2.1's maybe I think I'll look into this sub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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