Our take on the Polk Audio CSW100

by Amanda P.

It's easy to see why Polk Audio's décor-friendly CSW100 won the prestigious 2006 Innovations Design and Engineering Award from the Consumer Electronics Association. This subwoofer's clever construction allows for out-of-sight placement in your floor, ceiling, or even a piece of furniture. After it's installed, all you'll see is the included 4" x 14" grille, which looks like an ordinary air vent.

Performance is excellent, too. You get clear, potent bass with movies and music. Feel the deep rumble of the engines in an on-screen car chase, and enjoy richer, fuller sound from your favorite songs.

Polk's optional SWA500 amplifier powers the CSW100.

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Highlights:

requires separate amplifier such as Polk's SWA500
10" woofer
frequency response 33-120 Hz (-3dB)
High Velocity Compression Drive® for more powerful bass
Laminar Flow Port for resonance and noise-free performance
rigid MDF (medium-density fiberboard) enclosure
speaker-level inputs
mounting hardware, anti-rattle isolation pads included
paintable 2" x 12" grille
cutout: 13"W x 26-1/4"H
mounting depth: 9"
lifetime warranty

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Features and specs chart | What’s in the box? | In-depth notes

Features and Specs


Enclosure Type Loading...	In-floor/In-ceiling
Video Shielded Loading...	No
Tweeter Loading...	---
Midrange Size Loading...	---
Woofer Size Loading...	10
Woofer Composition Loading...	Fiber
Woofer Surround Loading...	Rubber
Power Range (Watts) Loading...	N/A
Sensitivity Loading...	---
Impedance (Ohms) Loading...	8
Frequency Response Loading...	33-120Hz
Connector Type Loading...	Spring posts
Bi-Amp Inputs Loading...	No
Parts Warranty Loading...	Lifetime
Labor Warranty Loading...	Lifetime

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What's in the box?

Download owner's manual

In-wall ceiling subwoofer with a 3.25" x 13" wooden woofer cover plate mounted to it
One 4" x 14" plastic white grill
4 Metal mounting brackets
5 Self-adhesive foam isolation pads
Ten 0.75" wood screws
10 Flat washers
6 Rubber caps
Owners Manual
Online product registration sheet

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Features
Mounting Options

Features

Matched Amplifier: The CSW100 requires and is designed to only be used with the Polk SWA500 Subwoofer amplifier (107SWA500, sold separately). The SWA500 comes with a SPEX Card that configures the EQ, crossover, and power control circuitry to match the CSW100 subwoofer.

Woofer: The CSW100 features a long-throw 10" fiber cone woofer with a rubber surround.

Enclosure Construction: The CSW100 has rigidly braced MDF enclosure construction for low resonance and rattle-free performance.

Slot Vent: The enclosure features an integrated slot vent for deep, driving bass.

Grille: The CSW100 is designed to fire through an opening in the floor or ceiling. Once the installation is complete, the opening can be covered with an optional grille. The CSW100 comes with a 4.5" x 14 " grille that looks like an air vent.

Spring Posts: The CSW100 subwoofer has one set of spring post terminals that will accept pin connectors and bare wire.

Mounting Options

Mounting Location: The CSW100 is designed to be mounted between floor or ceiling joists. The CSW100 can fit between the tighter joist-spacing of QuietFloor or wooden I-Beam construction. The subwoofer requires a joist spacing of at least 13" and a depth of 9". The overall length of the subwoofer is 26.25".

Mounting Brackets: The supplied brackets and wood screws allow you to mount the CSW100 to any parallel floor or ceiling joists.

Isolation Pads: When the enclosure is installed, it fits snugly against one of the floor or ceiling joists. To prevent rattling, two of the isolation pads should be installed between the enclosure and the joist, while the other three isolation pads should be placed on the front panel of the enclosure.