KLH PSW8100-8 Down-Firing Powered Subwoofer
KLH PSW8100-8 Down-Firing Powered Subwoofer
Product Description
Amazon.com Review
As an alternative to large, full-range speakers or as an upgrade to an existing pair of smaller speakers, a subwoofer can make a lot of sense. Depending on your main speakers, having or not having a sub can mean the difference between merely watching videos or experiencing home theater. The KLH PSW8100-8 powered subwoofer is a solid and affordable entry-level subwoofer capable of slamming loads of bass to every last nook and cranny of your living room.
But while the PSW8100-8 offers deep bass and heavy power, it isn't necessarily the smoothest of subwoofers. (At this price range, you can't expect it to be.) We found it a bit difficult to integrate with our system if we weren't feeding it a dedicated subwoofer output, such as the ".1"-channel information from a Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1-channel source.
The phase-inversion switch--a great feature to find on a budget subwoofer--allowed the PSW8100-8 to sit farther from our speakers without sounding like it. One of the things that can happen when using multiple speakers in different locations is phase cancellation, where sound waves meet at different points in their wave cycles, nullifying each other when one's "peak" finds another's "valley." If the subwoofer sounds like it's not working, it could be because it's out of phase with the main speakers (in its current location at least). Inverting the phase by 180 degrees can sometimes bring the sounds more closely into alignment.
Using direct subwoofer feeds through the two-channel RCA inputs (the "left" plug serves both for mono feeds) shortened the setup and integration process considerably, readily providing the deep, tight bass the PSW8100-8 is capable of.
Pros:
Good sound
Easy setup
Flexible inputs
Cons:
Tricky integration when not using dedicated low-frequency outputs
Average customer rating: 
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KLH PSW8100-8 Down-Firing Powered Subwoofer
Manufacturer: KLH ProductGroup: CE Binding: Electronics  Subwoofers
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ASIN: B00000J3Q8 |
Amazon.com Review
As an alternative to large, full-range speakers or as an upgrade to an existing pair of smaller speakers, a subwoofer can make a lot of sense. Depending on your main speakers, having or not having a sub can mean the difference between merely watching videos or experiencing home theater. The KLH PSW8100-8 powered subwoofer is a solid and affordable entry-level subwoofer capable of slamming loads of bass to every last nook and cranny of your living room.But while the PSW8100-8 offers deep bass and heavy power, it isn't necessarily the smoothest of subwoofers. (At this price range, you can't expect it to be.) We found it a bit difficult to integrate with our system if we weren't feeding it a dedicated subwoofer output, such as the ".1"-channel information from a Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1-channel source.
The phase-inversion switch--a great feature to find on a budget subwoofer--allowed the PSW8100-8 to sit farther from our speakers without sounding like it. One of the things that can happen when using multiple speakers in different locations is phase cancellation, where sound waves meet at different points in their wave cycles, nullifying each other when one's "peak" finds another's "valley." If the subwoofer sounds like it's not working, it could be because it's out of phase with the main speakers (in its current location at least). Inverting the phase by 180 degrees can sometimes bring the sounds more closely into alignment.
Using direct subwoofer feeds through the two-channel RCA inputs (the "left" plug serves both for mono feeds) shortened the setup and integration process considerably, readily providing the deep, tight bass the PSW8100-8 is capable of.
Pros:
Cons:
Customer Reviews:
Pro: Hey, it's a $100.00 subwoofer. Con: Hey, it's a..........2002-07-31
That being said, it's adequate for a [price] for use with a *small* stereo system. Don't expect it to perform a miracle on a [price] surround system. The bass is adequate, but frequency range is narrow and "thumpy" lacking detail. Tends to make a system sound like a boom box. On hardwood floors it's a good performer but too small for carpeted rooms. Both the frequency cutoff and volume are adjustable. But the controls are rear mounted and placement of the sub can make accessing the controls difficult. The remote controls provided for newer models are far more convenient.
As others have noted the "auto power on" feature is flawed and produces an annoying THUMP when your system is turned on. It's better to disable the feature, although that leaves the sub drawing power on a constant basis.
I cannot figure out, as one other reviewer has noted, if an apparent lack of bass on occasion is a "feature" or a technical problem with the auto power off. Every so often I find myself putting an ear to this sub to check if it's powered on or not. Some times the bass is barely audible. At those times, even with the "auto power on" feature disabled, I have to flip the power switch off and on again to get the sub to function.
It's great for my sister's stereo but I wouldn't buy another one. If you want a hundred bucks worth of sound reinforcement for a weak, low end system - it's a good buy. If you want something that sounds really good - look elsewhere and spend more. Especially for a unit with a remote control.
Bigger is Better.......2002-05-08
If you want a sausage factory BUY IT!.......2002-04-05
Disappointed, low quality.......2002-02-27
Not very reliable..........2001-12-30
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