Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 Computer Speaker System

Pros:Bluetooth speakers are buggy. Windows, when booting up or waking from sleep, commonly switches to a different device like your monitor when you have multiple potential audio sources when you are using bluetooth. This is rock-solid reliable, because it is NOT bluetooth. This is, as stated, a PRO. Unlike some of the best "PC" speakers today that are bluetooth.... these just plug into the 3.5mm headphone out jack on the PC and it's set it and forget it. Set as default audio device and it will ALWAYs just work.The Bass is insane for the modest size of the speakers and sub. When gaming, this was considered the most immersive speaker you could buy when they were released in the early 2000 timeframe. You can literally FEEL the hits in your legs and seat when playing Madden for example. Even today, I was surprised the level of immersion a set of speakers could give.The "mid" tones are the richest, fullest, clearest I have EVER heard on PC speakers. No distortion at any volume level.The volume is CRAZY loud if you choose to test how far it goes.Cons:The upper or higher frequencies are a little bit flattened or compressed. I find that certain music I like to use a volume mixer app with different profiles to try to bring out more high note and in that case, the quality of the sound falls down a level. Still absolutely not bad. As reference the best budget PC speakers I've found are the Creative Pebbles 2.1, and when using software to bring out the suppressed higher frequencies, these don't sound AS amazing in midtones, but the overall sound is still better than the before-mentioned pebbles, and by a decent margin.In summary:Low frequency/Bass: OUTSTANDINGMID frequency: G.O.A.T. /BEST EVER on a PC speaker. Full. Rich. Immersive. Soul melting sound.High Frequency: It's OK. Clear. No distortion. Slightly "suppressed" or "compressed". Not badOverall: This is a 2.1 sound system hooked to a computer. There are always choices, and tradeoffs, and Klipsch absolutely nailed it. When Klipsch came out with these, they were considered the pinnacle of PC sound, and gaming immersiveness. Sadly, the market dried up in this space, and nobody ever came even close to coming out with as good or better of a speaker. 20 years later, these are still the best. IF it were possible for them to have made this a 3.1 instead of 2.1 to get some really good tweeters and capture the higher frequencies and Audio dialogue /upper vocals at the same level as the lows and mids, these speakers are so good they would be better than most of the 5.1 entertainment systems that cost thousands. The execution was just that good.As it stands, using a third party app with sound profiles (or just using the voice and loudness equalization setting in windows) for when you watch shows or want to listen to music at lower levels in the background is a good option to negate the only thing you could call a weakness here.They don't make these anymore. Buy these while you still can.

i had the older ProMedia 2.1s, which are 10w x2 + 80w subwoofer. That was a great little system, with plenty of boom. It supplied those sub-hass frequencies most 2.0 systems simply can't. The build quality of those speakers was superb. The sound quality was pretty great too considering the size of the speakers. The biggest issue with those was that the bass could overwhelm the mids and treble quite easily. There was also a bit of static when adjusting the volume. Unfortunately, I blew the subwoofer while testing out a new DAC, by using the input which also serves as a preamp. whoops.Time to get new speakers. I researched a lot of 2.9 and 2.1 desktopcomputer speakers. I considered the Mackie CR3s (which i also had and are amazing but no real sub-bass or low frequency extension), the ProSonus Eris, and the Genius 3-way 50w speaker. I kept coming back to the Klipsch.I finally bit the bullet and ordered them. Only time will tell if the build quality holds up to the older version, but there are quite a few improvements. The first is that the L/R speakers are now 35w each, and the subwoofer clocks in at 135w. This is overkill for desktop use, and can easily fill a small-to-medium room. Giving the satellites more power pretty much fixes the issue of bass overpowering mids and treble -- if you keep the subwoofer volume set in-between 9 and 10 o'clock on the dial. You can boost the sub much higher, but i wouldn't recommend it. The connectors have also changed a bit. There's now a locking connector which plugs into the sub. This fixes the problem of the old pin connector, which could easily get bent. Klipsch also removed the on/off switch, which isnt an issue for me, but it does mean the sub is always on. The LED light is also white instead of green, and the system is no longer THX-certified, which is really only an issue if your primary intended use is gaming. you can spend about $70 more and get the THX version, but at that price point, toy could also get Mackies or ProSonus powered speakers and a powered sub. i didnt go that route mainly because i didnt have room for a subwoofer by my desk which was bigger than the one which comes with the Klipsch. Which is another benefit of ProMedia. The subwoofer is relatively small but mighty, and doesnt take up nearly as much room as most subs.Sound reproduction is fairly accurate, maybe not quite reference-quality, but crosp and detailed, with more of a soundstage than might be expected. It's not a super-wide soundstage, but there is clear separation and excellent imaging. The updated ProMedias appear to be a little better than the older version at low volumes. The treble is bright but not too sharp. Bass to mids transition is smooth. The Mids are maybe a bit recessed, but overall the tuning sounds well-balanced. The bass and main volume control knobs also feel a bit smoother in operation and less-prone to sticking-- which should effectively reduce the chance of static. It's a subtle yet significant improvement.How well the ProMedias work depends on a few factors. These are great for modern pop, hip-hop, rock, reggae, and electronic music. They're not bad for jazz or classical, but if you primarily listen to those genres, you might want something more like a reference monitor. You will want to place the subwoofer in a corner or under the desk, where it can reverberate properly. You need to place the L/R speakers wide enough apart to get best stereo separation, and also place them as close as possible to ear level -- which may involve raising them up on a stand. And, try to resist the tendency to turn the bass up to the point where the sound becomes muddy. You probably won't need to do this anyway, because the mains can handle a lot of power. I'd also recommend an EQ app to fine-tune settings as there iare no treble or mid volume controls.Overall, this system punches well above its weight. You can't get a better 2.1 system at this price point, and any 2.9 powered speaker system in this range wont give you that sub-bass. The LFE goes down to 31kh, while most 2.0 systems will be at about 80 kh. That is actually better than my Polk subwoofer, which rolls off below 40hz. The Genius 3-way does dip down to 20khz, but there are questions about build quality and quality control, as well as an underpowered max decibel level. Also the Genius is 15" tall, which takesup a lot of desktop real estate and may be too tall for some booksheleves.The only reason NOT to get the ProMedias is if you despise bass and abhor low frequencies, and/or want more or a reference/studio monitor for sound mixing and editing. or if you simply don't have room for a subwoofer. Soundwise, these improve on the earlier version, and are easily comparable to the Mackie CR3s, which might have slightly more defined mids. The ProMedias somewhat defeat the purpose of a near-field speaker with its massive power rating--200w total--but that's not necessarily a bad thing. for one, they sound good at low volumes. For another, they are beefy enough to fill a room with sound without needing to be turned up all the way.One thing to be aware of is the connectivity is limited as far as outputs. All you get is a 3.5mm jack. Which is fine for connecting to most computers. But there's no optical toslink or HDMI, and you'llneed an adapter to run through dual RCAs. If you're trying to hook this up to a TV, you may need to go through the headphone jack. On the plus side, there are inputs for 3.5mm aux and 3.5mm headphones. There's also no on/off switch, but also no hiss when the volume control is turned all the way down.At this price point, this is a 5-star speaker system. It would be nice to have the option to replace the speaker cables with thicker gauge wire, as well as greater connectivity, but it's hard to complain for what you get for the money, especially if you appreciate deep bass on a smallish system.

Great value on high quality audio. You cannot go wrong with klipsch products. The speakers bang. Have true deep bass, and the high and mids are crisp for the price.