PSWi225

by Eric, March 18, 2010

Strengths:

Extremely flexible in regards to room placement

Weaknesses:

Blue light on the Wireless Transmitter can be distracting, but that can be an easy fix

Review:

This PSWi225 totally impressed me. After experiencing this sub in different rooms and settings, I have come to the conclusion that the versitility it provides is amazing! My HDTV is a Pioneer Plasma, and it has a "sub output" which is a very rare feature. The TV itself has a great speaker system, which is something most flat panels lack. With this PSWi225 connected to the TV, it is a combo that is just about perfect for the average listener not wanting a huge system with speakers hanging all over the walls. Moving this into my dedicated 2-channel audio system, I was very surprised at how well this PSWi225 performed with music. For me, I like the low pass crossover set to 60 HZ for music. Gives a great bottom end that is not at all "boomy". This sub also looks fantastic. No grill to get ripped or snagged, and a bottom firing woofer that is well protected. Polk Audio hit a home run with this wireless PSWi225. Good job.

by shack, November 30, 2009

Strengths:

Versatility, convenience, build quality, performance for size and cost.

Weaknesses:

Not for large rooms. Limits to how low and how loud it will go due to size of the sub.

Review:

I've had the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks with this sub. During that time I've used it in several different ways. First off, I put it into my existing 5.1 home theater setup which consist of Polk Audio RT55i front speakers, CS400i center speaker and FX300i surrounds in a VERY LARGE room. I typically use a Dayton Titanic sub. As the only sub in this arrangement, the PSWi225 was just not up to the task. Too much space to fill and it was not equal to the sub it replaced...even after moving it to several different locations to try and find the optimal spot. THEN...I put the Dayton back in place and used the PSWi225 as a SECOND sub. The wireless configuration was perfect for this as it allowed me to put it in the best location (the back of the room) without having to worry about having a long enough sub cable. I used a Y RCA adapter to run my LFE sub cable to both the Dayton sub and the LFE input on the PSWi225's transmitter. This worked VERY well and added some needed depth and helped pressurize the very large room. I would highly recommend the PSWi225 for someone needing a second sub that affords a great deal of versatility in placement for a reasonable price. I also used the sub in my living room with my flatscreen TV using only the TV speakers along with the PSWi225. I tried hooking it up two different ways. One was simply running a RCA audio cable from the audio out to the audio in (line level) of the transmitter. It worked ok, adding a certain level of depth that is not normally there. Then I ran a sub cable out from the DVD player's LFE out to the LFE connector of the transmitter and played a couple of movies with the audio set to Dolby 2.1. After dialing in the volume, phase and low pass filter it worked much better and really brought the movies to life. A big consideration here was finding the best SOUNDING location while still being out of the way and out of sight. While I do not have one, I believe this is the perfect sub to mate with one of Polk's SurroundBars or RM Surround systems. In a small to medium sized room where the ability to move and hide a subwoofer is a consideration...this is an excellent solution both from a sound and placement perspective...and is a highly recommended use for this sub. Lastly...I was a bit skeptical as to the ability of a "wireless" subwoofer. This one performed far above my expectations. I noticed no loss of information I would normally expect in a LFE track. This is a fairly small sub, that is not the loudest, not going to dig the lowest, but when used in the right application, it is a solid performer at a very good price. Definitely a "Thumbs Up!".

by phuz, December 30, 2009

Strengths:

OMG it's freakin wireless! Great bang for the buck. Easy to fine tune/adjust placement (because it's freakin wireless!). Sounds great for both music and home theater. Did I mention that it's freakin wireless?!

Weaknesses:

Wireless signal seems to be a bit delayed causing delayed audio. Wireless feature not available on other models. No remote. It's not free. harhar.

Review:

Firest let me get this out: I am not a bass head. I like bass, I like full sound, but I like quality over quantity. It's freakin wireless! How cool is that? It's about time someone did this. This is an awesome sub to add to any modest home theater or stereo system. It's loud enough for normal sized rooms in most modern homes, and digs low enough to leave an impression on any listener. It has a smooth, solid, clean design that will not stand out. Once I had it in place and set up, it pretty much disappeared and I had very nice, full sound. Thank goodness that cheap looking silver plastic crap that many manufactueres had been using is on it's way out. Woodgrain/Black is where it's at. Classy, if you ask me. I added this sub to my living room system which consists of Rotel equipment, PS3, and LSi9 speakers. After finding the right crossover point for my room and plugging everything in, I was rockin' and rollin'. This sub is a dream to set up because it's simple, and FREAKIN WIRELESS! I was able to move it around and adjust it's position within my open floorplan very easily. It did well with both movies, and music listening. It mated well with my LSi9 speakers with crossover points set to 80hz. Problems you say? Little to none. But there is one thing that caused me to give 4/5 starts. There seems to be a slight but audible delay I assume due to the wireless signal connectivity, or maybe the port design? I really only noticed it while having crossover points set to off or very high. I used my Rotel recievers delay settings to adjust the timing a hare south which is when my LSi9 speakers and this sub nearly became one. This sub is not for critical 2 channel listening, but it will do an excellent job for music and home theater for most people these days. It will fill in the bottom end of your music, and rattle your picturs on the wall during movies if you wish. And, ITS FREAKIN WIRELESS! I can't get over that. I was so excited when I saw it that I had to give it a spin, and I'm happy I did.

by Joe Dallorso, August 13, 2009

Strengths:

It's wireless and quite small compared to most subs. You really have to spend a grand to get much smaller. Great for the money.

Weaknesses:

Probably doesn't go as low a frequency as larger or more expensive subs just do to size & costs.

Review:

I'm not an audio nut. Maybe behind the times. I have an Onkyo stereo receiver & a pair of Lsi 7 speakers. My wife hated my old Polk sub a 650? huge with 2 12" drivers. Living in FL our house has no cellar & you can't get into the attic so the wireless sub is great. It won't knock the pictures off the wall like my old Polk but it adds a nice amount of base to the Lsi 7's.

by Mark, December 16, 2010

Strengths:

The wireless feature works perfectly in our room. The sub itself is attractive enough.

Weaknesses:

Boomy mid-bass, limited bass extension. No speaker-level inputs. BRIGHT blue light on transmitter is always on.

Review:

I have had this one week. I'm not delighted. I was not expecting this to equal the sub I have in our home theater room, but I find it boomy--lots of mid-bass, not too much down really low. If you have very small front speakers, this might be a good match, but even my BA 4.5" woofers go down low enough that this doesn't make much of a difference. Also (it's not really a criticism, but a design observation) this device is not easy to use in a 2.1 configuration. Many receivers don't put out a volume-controlled line-level output suitable for this without a center channel in use also.

by AL Lozano, March 5, 2010

Strengths:

small footprint. Easy to place and can be hidden very easily. lightweight. good for small theater systems.

Weaknesses:

Only problem I encountered was that it appeared the wireless transmitter interfered with my home wireless network. I switched to another channel and never experienced that problem again.

Review:

I like the fact that this small subwoofer is wireless. I guess that would be the appeal for most people. When I listen and watch TV or even movies. I like a small impact from my subwoofer. This sub can be dialed in to give you just the right amount of oomph for that. It can get loud and handle large amounts of bass. It took maybe 30 minutes of tweaking to get the subwoofer sounding it's best. Once that was completed, it sounded and played fine. I recommend this product for the home theater person who is looking to have impact from bass in their system, but without the hassle of a large cumbersome subwoofer. The fact that it is wireless is a big bonus.

by Radames Santisteban, August 10, 2009

Strengths:

EASY to install, fast and powerfull.

Weaknesses:

It's not free.jajaja It didn't came with audio cables. jajaja No weaknesses (seriously)

Review:

Very nice sound, excellent performance will deliver the low octaves in time.Is invisible until its time for bass.

by Ben Washington, December 1, 2009

Strengths:

Extreme ease of placement, small size is easy to get out of the way. The solid output belies it's size and price.

Weaknesses:

Not the lowest or hardest htting thing in the world, but that's not expected with this model. Having a high pass from the XO box would be nice.

Review:

Overall I was surprised and impressed with this little sub. We don't have a 5.1 system in the living room any more, it was difficult to integrate in a way that was aesthetically agreeable to the wife. I fed the sub an output from the TV and it really added impact. The best part was being able to put it under an end table without having wires running under the area rug. We also brought it on vacation along with a pair of book shelf speakers. The sub was very easy to integrate due to the level and XO fequency controls as well as the ease of placing it in different locations with the wireless set up.

by Dru Summers, March 22, 2010

Strengths:

Wireless makes it great for any room,easy install,

Weaknesses:

No option for forward firing,no remote

Review:

After using the polk pswi225 sub Ive injoy so much about it.It was easy to instill and the wireless transmiter responded better then I imgen it would.The is bass nice and smooth but would have like a forward firing option.Holds a lot of power for the size.With it being wireless gives it great placement around a room.I will end it up saying the pswi225 is a nice sub to have for the versitily of it being wireless.Great for smaller systems and small rooms.I would buy it.

by Ted, May 3, 2010

Strengths:

Small size, wireless

Weaknesses:

Does not dig deep enough for my insane deep bass needs.(I'm talking about pitch, not loudness)

Review:

Thank you PolkAudio for the chance to review this nice little sub. This little sub is very surprising for it's size. Most subs in this category are either very accurate or some what loud, this thing has both. It's not a foundation rocker like some of the big subs, but has plenty of speed and articulation. This would be a nice sub to match with a smaller set of bookshelf speakers be it for 2ch(stereo) or home theater use. This would also be a nice addition to one of the sound bars Polk offers.The small foot print enables you to place it virtually anywhere in the room. Being wireless their are no wires to tangle, run, impede placement or be unsightly.

by Greg, May 4, 2010

Strengths:

Set up takes 5 minutes or less. Plug it in and turn it on. wireless feature is great! small size blends well in any room.

Weaknesses:

Cant really think of any.

Review:

This was my first real home experience with a sub and my first and final impressions are awesome! This little sub packs plenty of punch and fits in very well with any home stereo system or home theater system. Plus its wireless so you dont have lots of wires running all over. Once proper placement is located the sub blends in and if you cant see it, you cant tell where its at. I am anxious to try other subs but in my opinion the POLK PSW1225 is a top notch performer!!

by Dominic Lane, May 18, 2010

Strengths:

Wireless!! Nice full bass from a small package.

Weaknesses:

Small size limits SPL, but this isn't a weakness considering most people buying this sub are in it for the size and wireless capability.

Review:

Polk has really done well with this sub. I demoed it for about a month, mostly in my 2 channel system: Polk Monitor 5's and a Harman Kardon 3480. First the sound - This sub performs admirably for it's size. It won't shake the foundation, but it produces nice full tones down into the lower frequencies at moderate volume. There's some moderate buzzing and vibration at higher volumes, but that's to be expected with a sub this size and at this price point. Overall, for the blues, funk and rock that I mostly listen to, this sub was a welcome addition to my stereo, filling out the low range nicely. Second the other features - This sub is wireless! And it works! Honestly, the wireless feature is great. I plugged the module into my receiver and moved the sub all around the room, even all the way across the house. The sub worked great in all positions and there was no discernible lag or audio discrepencies. I never had to use the other 3 channels, because the signal was clear and strong on the first channel. The size is also a great feature, this sub can be tucked in very small spaces and will produce great bass, especially considering it's 8" woofer and small enclosure. For it's intended use, this is a great subwoofer.

by DJ, July 7, 2010

Strengths:

Placement flexibility, sound, and ease of setup. It's also nice that there are four wireless channels to choose from in case of interference or if you wanted to buy more than one for your room.

Weaknesses:

Its small size makes it easy to place unobtrusively but also limits extension and output. It would be nice if it had a bigger brother!

Review:

I used this sub two ways. The first was underneath the end table that's right next to my sitting position. This is where the wireless ability really came in handy. I would not have been able to do this with a traditional sub and this sub did great in this position, adding some extra punch and tactile bass. I could not localize the sub either, which is crucial when using it in a near field application. Others have noted a slight delay due to the wireless but I did not see this, possibly because any slight delay was compensated by the fact that it was much closer to me. I also used this in place of my regular sub in a front, semi corner loaded position. It was no substitute for my regular sub but this was not a fair test as I have a very large open room and the PSWi225 is simply not big enough to handle the job. Plus I could have bought three of these for the price I paid for my other sub. Nonetheless, it performed as well as can be expected and I think in a smaller room would have done very well. It would also do well in a large room as long as you just wanted some extra low end and not wall rattling levels.

by Randy Striemer, October 31, 2010

Strengths:

Size, wireless, good sound quality.

Weaknesses:

doesn't give the deepest bass, but definitely gives plenty for secondary system or a lot of 2 channel uses.

Review:

I had this Subwoofer in my house for about a month. I think this is a great little subwoofer with a lot going for it. The wireless aspect allows you to place this sub anywhere you want whether that is trying to find the place where the most bass is or b/c you want to hide it for aesthetic reasons. It may not give you the deepest bass but it gives a great lower end support for a system. I used it in 2.1 configuration with a receiver and two bookshelf speakers, it filled in the lower end nicely and really enhanced the movies, TV, and sports we watched on the TV. I give this sub high recommendation for someone who wants convience, but doesn't need the deepest or loudest bass, but does want plenty of lower end support.

by Chuck, December 20, 2010

Strengths:

Put it anywhere without the hassle of cabling.

Weaknesses:

None.

Review:

I really like this sub. The wireless feature make it so easy to get the best placement. You can use it to fill in any dead spots in the room, or just place it next to your favorite chair to get a real jolt. A literal kick in the pants!

by Shaun, January 23, 2011

Strengths:

Ability to place this sub anywhere in the listening area, great performance for the price

Weaknesses:

The blue light on the transmitter always stays on

Review:

I love the fact that this sub is wireless! After placing it under a table in my living room, about as far away from my receiver as I could get, I sort of forgot about it (but not in a bad way). I noticed that some reviews were critical of the fact that this sub doesn't have a remote; personally I think having a remote for a sub is unnecessary. I have two Polk microPro 2000 subs and I would much rather have the manual adjustments on them that the PSWi225 has. I also wish my microPro's were wireless like this sub! Overall I think this sub is great for a home theater setup. But if you want to rattle everything in your house...then this probable isn't the sub for you.

by David, November 13, 2011

Strengths:

Great sound. Fills my room very well. Love 'almost' everything about it. So far, customer support has been great.

Weaknesses:

Reliability of the electronics. You could've been a 5 star rating. :-(

Review:

I have had this sub for about 1.5 years. I do like the sound quality and range. It does a good job of bass reproduction, and makes the soundtracks of the shows sound much better than not using a sub. When it is working, it would get 5 stars from me. Now the downside...after close to 1 year of ownership, it quit working...no sound at all. A call to customer support resulted in a no haggle, no problem fix. They sent a replacement electronics panel, that also included the transmitter. After installing the new components, it started working again...back to its 5 star status. Currently, about 7 months later, it is not working properly again. Same symptoms...sound simply stops coming out. Sometimes removing power from the transmitter will get it back, sometimes not. I understand no company can manufacture a product that lasts forever...it would have a lot of followers, but eventually, no resales. But, I'm not impressed with the durability of the electronics of this sub. I do expect more reliability from Polk Audio than what I am seeing from this unit.

by Richard Cutler, November 16, 2011

Strengths:

Very easy setup. Can place the sub anywhere in the room where there is power.

Weaknesses:

Not able to produce lowest frequencies. But would not expect it in this small unit.

Review:

I love the little guy. Adds that lower end that completes the audio experience. Am very impressed with Polk. Just found my power unit had quit. Polk answered my phone call and is sending a replacement unit at no cost. I know that's how it should be, but how many companies really do this these days. I'm happy with the customer service and will buy from them again.

www.surroundwirelessspeakers.net

"Having fun with home cinema simply grew to be a whole lot far easier, with thanks to the new PSWi225 Instant Subwoofer. And since it’s instant, there won’t be any wires to find a bedroom; it’s compact measurement (12 1/2-Inch x 13-Inch x12 1/2-Inch) frees you squeeze PSWi225 the place it appears best. One energy plug and you’re done."

Surround Wireless Speakers (www.surroundwirelessspeakers.net)

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