Introduction

The Powerbass Air Suspension Subwoofer PS-WB121T is engineered to deliver deep, powerful bass that enhances any audio experience. Featuring advanced air suspension technology, this subwoofer ensures optimal sound quality and performance, making it ideal for both car and home audio systems. Its robust construction and high power handling capabilities allow for impressive sound output without distortion. The PS-WB121T is priced at approximately $199.99, making it a great investment for bass enthusiasts.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR ‘PS THIN’ SERIES SPEAKER SYSTEM

(Due to Constant Improvements, Specifications and Parameters are subject to change without notice.)

UNPACKING THE ENCLOSURE AIR SUSPENSION

Every attempt has been made to transport your new PowerBass Air Suspension Subwoofer system safely. 

1. Carefully unpack the enclosure and inspect it thoroughly for any damage that may have occurred during shipping. 
2. Notify your local PowerBass dealer immediately should you notice any damage prior to installing the unit.  
3. Be sure to keep the carton and packing material until your system is operational.  The original boxes will do the best job of protecting your speaker system if they need to be transported.

INSTALLATION EXPERIENCE

Installation of PowerBass Autosound Speakers requires experience with a variety of mechanical and elec-trical procedures. This manual only provides general installation and operating instructions. If you have any reservations about your installation skills or lack the proper tools, please contact your local PowerBass  Autosound dealer for assistance.

AUTO SOUND-LOADED ENCLOSURE FEATURES

• Air Suspension Bass: Chosen because of its ability to reproduce good low frequency response in a small area, this ultra-thin sealed enclosure is constructed at 5/8 non-resonant material. 
• One Piece Injection Molded Cone: This design ensures low distortion bass reproduction and voice coil alignment.
• 2” Vented KSV Voice Coil Formers: These specially designed resin coated high temperature voice coils ensure high power handling and precise linear excursion while maximizing thermal heat dissipation.
• Large Roll Rubber Surrounds: Allows maximum excursion and precision bass reproduction.
• Computer Optimized Acoustic Chamber: Engineered for a tight and accurate bass response in space prohibitive applications, such as behind seats or inside compact trunks.
• Custom Mounting Brackets: Two brackets each with one side marked Vehicle and the other Enclosure. Use two of the brackets on each enclosure to properly secure the cabinet.

Description

Powerbass Air Suspension features a robust polypropylene cone and a rubber surround, ensuring durability and long-lasting performance. The air suspension technology replaces the traditional foam or rubber surround, allowing for greater excursion and better heat dissipation. This results in a more accurate and powerful bass response. The subwoofer is designed to fit into most standard car audio enclosures, making it a versatile choice for car audio enthusiasts.

ENCLOSURE PLACEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Your PowerBass Air Suspension Subwoofer system accurately reproduces the lowest portion of the audible frequency range, which is generally considered to be non-directional. As such, the placement within the vehicle is not as critical to achieving good sound reproduction as with full-range systems. Typical locations include behind or under the seat in a pickup truck, coupe or wherever space is limited.

Use the mounting brackets and hardware supplied to secure the enclosure to the vehicle.

WARNING: Permanent mounting is not only the safest installation, but usually produces the best sound quality. This custom enclosure is heavy and has a smooth surface finish, which may slide around during aggressive driving, sudden stops, or road vibrations.  To avoid vehicle damage or personal injury please ensure that the enclosure is securely mounted to a surface with adequate strength and rigidity to support it.

The following placement recommendations and installation tips are the result of many hours of development and experimentation. These examples are provided to you as a guideline.  Please feel free to experiment yourself as you may find that other placements can provide you with superior results.

• Make sure all moving parts and factory electrical wires are out of your way and will not interfere after installation.
• Leave a little slack in the wire to prevent pulling or stretching, this is even more important if the wires will be run under or through the factory interior.
• Use cable ties and wire clamps to prevent the wires from getting caught or shorted.
• We do not recommend placing or installing loaded enclosures where they might be subjected to moisture.
• Correct subwoofer polarity must be observed.  The polarity positive side is marked by a (+) sign. Subwoofers wired out of phase will produce little bass. 
• Speaker wires should be electrically and physically isolated from the vehicle and routed away from any factory wiring that carries high currents or noise (ie, ABS brake systems and engine computer signals).
• Use speaker wire large enough to carry the full power of your amplifier. 14-gauge or larger should be adequate.  (Speaker wire not included)

Your PowerBass Bass Air Suspension subwoofer system needs to be installed some place where it can operate efficiently and not endanger the occupants of the vehicle.

The location and orientation of your enclosure will affect the quality and quantity of the bass.  The port tube (vent) openings cannot be obstructed.  At some frequencies most of the bass will come out of the port tube.  Therefore we recommend you leave at least 3-inches (7.62cm) between the port tube openings and interior surfaces such as side panels, seats and doors.

If the enclosure is to be mounted all the way in the back of the vehicle, it works best to point the woofer toward the front of the vehicle.  Conversely, if the enclosure is going to be mounted closer to the back seat, pointing the woofer toward the rear of the vehicle will give you the best results.  Even when the enclosure is placed inside a car trunk with no opening to the passenger compartment, the Bass Reflex design will produce strong and full bass.

WIRING AND CONNECTIONS

The PowerBass Air Suspension subwoofer system consists of a single 4-ohm voice coil woofer. Check to see that your amplifier is optimized to drive this load. A single spring-loaded push terminal cup provides a quick and easy connection from your bass amplifier to your Air Suspension system.

The push terminal input cup is located on the side of the enclosure (Fig 1).  For a bare wire connection, strip 1/2 inch (12.7mm) of insulation from each of the two conductors of your speaker wire (not included) to expose bare metal (Fig 2). Carefully twist each of the conductors to eliminate any frayed ends. Push open both terminals, line up the holes, and insert the wires from your amplifier as follows: Positive wire (+) to the Red terminal, Negative wire (-) to the Black terminal.  Be careful not to insert the insulated part of the wire into the hole as this will not give you a good connection.

SOUND CHECK

1. Your PowerBass Air Suspension Subwoofer system will operate at optimum performance after a break-in period.  
2. Allow the system to play 20 to 30 hours at moderate levels.  
3. To sufficiently drive either the Single Woofer 10 or 12-inch system, we recommend using an amplifier with at least 150 watts RMS mono output.

CAUTION: Damage to the woofers can occur when an amplifier, regardless of its wattage, is made to play at higher listening levels than its power can clearly produce (usually beyond the “1 to 2 o’clock” position on the volume control). This results in very high levels of audible distortion. Contrary to popular belief, a speaker is more likey to be damaged by trying to get too much volume from a low-powered amp than from a high-powered amp.

NOTE: Lack of bass output is usually caused by the subwoofer being out of phase with refer-ence to the rest of the system.  In this case reversing the speaker connection from positive to negative on the terminal cup will correct the problem.

Setup Guide

To set up the Air Suspension Subwoofer, 

• First, choose a suitable enclosure that satisfies the requirements of the subwoofer.
• Make sure you have the enclosure ported or sealed appropriately.
• Make sure the subwoofer's power and impedance ratings match before connecting it to your vehicle's amplifier.
• Install the subwoofer firmly in the enclosure by following the wiring and setup guidelines provided by the manufacturer.
• Lastly, adjust the bass settings on your car's audio system to get the finest possible sound.

CARE AND CLEANING

The enclosure is constructed of the same non-resonant material used for premium quality home audio speakers, but covered in vinyl instead of veneer. 

1. A damp cloth is best to wipe down any dirt on its surface. 
2. Avoid using strong cleaners that may discolor the vinyl wrap.  
3. Never apply water or cleaner to the woofer cones.

ENCLOSURE DIMENSIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Troubleshooting

The following are some typical troubles and fixes for your Powerbass Air Suspension Subwoofer PS-WB121T:

• If there is no sound, make sure the subwoofer and amplifier are in the correct wiring positions.
• Check for overloading or change the amplifier's gain settings.
• Make sure the enclosure has enough airflow, and look for excessive power intake.

Always abide by the safety precautions and instructions provided by the manufacturer to prevent harm or subwoofer damage.

Powerbass Air Suspension Subwoofer PS-WB121T Pros & Cons

Pros

• Excellent bass response with rich lows
• Robust design with a rubber ring and a polypropylene cone
• Using air suspension technologies to improve performance
• Compatible with the majority of automobile audio systems
• Cost-effective when compared to comparable high-performance subwoofers

Cons

• Requires proper enclosure setup for optimal performance

Customer Reviews

The Powerbass Air Suspension Subwoofer PS-WB121T has received accolades from customers for its strong and distinct bass production. It performs better than comparable subwoofers in its price range, according to several reviews. To get the greatest results, several users have noted that thorough setup and adjusting are necessary. 

Common complaints 

Add in the requirement for exact enclosure measurements and the potential for overheating if ventilation is inadequate.

Warranty

PowerBass Autosound Speakers are to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year.