You love bass and you want that oomph that is guaranteed only when you use subwoofers. So naturally, you go for those home theater receivers that include one or more subwoofers.
And what’s the best receiver subwoofer combo if it’s not Polk Audio subwoofer against Denon receiver? Both brands are industry leaders in their respective niches. And both are known for their quality of sound and amazing partnership.
You knew their amazing collective sound effect and went to get them. But now you are wary – how to connect Polk Audio subwoofer to Denon receiver.
The two gadgets don’t even offer the same RCA cable output/input! Take Denon receiver, for example. It comes with a Sub Out feature that presents the LFE channel just like most other receivers. But if you are using Polk Audio PSW10, you don’t get similar input.
How are you supposed to connect the two devices? Luckily, the Polk Audio’s user manual is crystal clear about this connection. Here is the whole process.
How to Connect Polk Audio Subwoofer to Denon Receiver
Once you have placed the devices in their most suitable locations, it’s time to connect them. You will use an RCA cable for this connection.
Look for the Sub Out of your receiver. It may also be named Subwoofer. Run the cable from the Denon receiver’s sub out to the LFE input of the Polk Audio subwoofer. You will find an LFE input in the Polk Audio PSW12 subwoofer.
But this inlet is missing in the Polk Audio PSW10 subwoofer. Instead of LFE input, PSW10 features L and R inputs. Most PSW10 users get confused when they encounter L and R inputs instead of an LFE input. Don’t worry. You can treat either of these inputs as LFE. So, connect the RCA cable to any of these.
If you want to guarantee supreme voice quality, you can use a y-split cable. It will allow you to connect to both L and R inputs at the same time.
Once you have connected the wire, you have to turn the Low Pass filter clockwise.
That’s all you need to do to connect the two devices. Isn’t it easy? Now that you are sure of your skills at connecting these devices, let’s choose the best ones from them for your home theater. Here are a few options you should consider.
Best Polk Audio Subwoofers for Denon Receivers
Polk Audio subwoofers are one of the few gadgets that guarantee superior bass quality. Among different models from this brand, PSW10 and PSW12 are famous because of their suitability for common households as they are made to keep you entertained in small to medium-sized rooms.
For Denon receivers you can rely on the following two products from Polk Audio:
Polk Audio PSW10
Pros
Affordable
Built-in amplifier
Compression circuit limits sound distortions
Cons
No LFE input
You can work around the only con present in this product and what you will get as a result is the perfect bass solution for your home theater. Note that the subwoofer is built for small to medium-sized rooms. So, you should get other Polk Audio options like Polk Audio HTS 12 Powered Subwoofer.
Do you want to listen to your music at a high volume? You can do that with this subwoofer without compromising sound quality. Despite connecting with any speaker within your home theater system, it will give distortion-free sound at any volume.
As we said earlier, you may have to get a y-split cable to attach to both L and R input. Connecting only to L or R input will compromise the sound quality.
Polk Audio HTS 12
Pros
Suitable for larger rooms
Built-in amplifier
Universal compatibility
Cons
Costly
This subwoofer costs a little less than $500 but the price is justified by the sound quality you get in return. If you have larger rooms and you are loyal to the Polk Audio brand because of its quality and reliability, HTS 12 is the subwoofer you should be looking at.
The amplifier wattage stands at 200 watts. But what is noteworthy in this subwoofer is its dynamic balance technology that works with Klippel detectors to reduce distortions before they become part of the finished sound quality.
On top of this, the manufacturer protects the sound from resonance at the receiving end with patented port technology. The technology minimizes turbulence from seeping into the subwoofer system from the speaker. So, you get up to 3dB less port noise than other subwoofers.
Best Denon Receivers for Polk Audio Subwoofers
Here, we will review two Denon receivers one with five-speaker output and the other with seven speakers.
Denon AVR-S540BT Receiver
Pros
Bluetooth enabled
Multi-room audio system
Compatible with smart TV
HEOS compatible
Cons
Difficult setup
This is a basic receiver that promises all the benefits you can get in an apartment-worthy home theater receiver. It allows you to connect up to five speakers and two subwoofers.
You can connect it with your phone using Bluetooth technology. And it arrives with Denon’s HEOS link. This feature allows you to listen to music in any part of your home. Also, you can use it to listen to music from Spotify, TIDAL, Pandora, and likes.
Denon AVR-S960H Ultra HD 7.2
Pros
Built for gaming
HEOS compatible
Alexa compatibility
Cons
Difficult set-up
Once you’ve got past the set-up phase, you will appreciate that the receiver offers quite a few interesting features. You can connect up to two subwoofers to it in addition to seven speakers. Also, the device is compatible with HEOS and Alexa. Now, you can listen to your favorite songs wherever you are at your home without moving to reach your phone.
If you are looking for a video solution for gaming, you can rely on Denon S960H for it. But let’s remain focused on audio quality for now. The receiver ensures a real-life audio experience with Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization technology that can be supported by this receiver.
Take Away
If you are wary that you wouldn’t be able to connect your Polk Audio subwoofer to Denon Receiver, you shouldn’t. The process is simpler than you think. And in the end, you get the most realistic acoustic solution because you’ve paired the most compatible devices for your home theater.
