Features:
- Built-in 100-watt amplifier
- 8-inch long-throw woofer
- Rated 30 to 150 Hz
- Line- and speaker-level inputs
- Sweepable crossover frequency (50 to 150 Hz)
Description:
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
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