TwoCables

Well, it's still a known fact. Even Klipsch themselves recommends leaving it on.

If you have a Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 system, then never turn it off. It's designed to be on 24/7. So, it's designed to be unboxed, powered on, and left on 24/7. That's why the power switch is in an inconvenient location for turning it on and off every day. Turning it on and off every day is what kills these speaker systems. I would even go as far as saying this: if you have a speaker system that has an inconvenient way to turn it off, then that likely means you should never turn it off. Are you worried about idle power consumption? Don't. It's not more than a couple of watts.

Oh yeah, never ever turn it off. This speaker system is designed to be on 24/7. That's why the power switch is in an inconvenient location for turning it on and off every day. So, it's designed to be unboxed, powered on, and left on 24/7.

It seems they don't have them right now. Here's the seller: http://www.ebay.com/usr/audiorepaircenterusa I recommend asking to see if they can make you some that you can buy. What they did for the ones I found on eBay through them was they just used 16 AWG Monster XP speaker wire and put nice Rean brand 1/8" mono plugs on one end (http://www.rean-connectors.com/en/products/35-mm-plugs/nys226bg), and they tinned the bare ends with silver I guess and sold them that way. It's quite convenient for people like me who don't own a soldering iron and have never soldered before and would never solder again after making my own speaker wires. I searched eBay for ProMedia 2.1 speaker wires, but all I found for wires are the stock wires. Of course, that can change quickly on eBay!

I admit to being yet another fan of the ProMedia 2.1 system. I have an original; it's the one with the speaker wires that plug into the backs of the satellites. I replaced them with 16 AWG Monster XP speaker wire (custom-made by an audio repair center selling them on eBay), and the sound improvement was very noticeable. At the time, I also still had the plain X-Fi XtremeGamer sound card - it's the one that seems to have a low-profile design. I eventually upgraded to the X-Fi Titanium HD and then I felt that I achieved the absolute best possible computer audio system for my money. Then I "decoupled" my subwoofer from my floor by putting it on something that doesn't let the vibrations travel to the floor very easy (I chose a big fluffy bath towel) , and now my sound is even better. If you can find an original ProMedia 2.1 system on eBay in good condition, then I definitely recommend going for it because you can further upgrade the sound very easily by replacing the speaker wires with some good specially-made 16 AWG speaker wires. I tried the typical lamp cord type of speaker wires, but the Monster XP wire was a noticeable improvement. When I upgraded to the lamp cord type of wire (it was Audiopipe wire of some kind), I had to use lower Graphic EQ settings and X-Fi Crystalizer settings. When I upgraded to the Monster XP wire though, I had to do that yet again! The sound quality being produced by the satellites was improved quite nicely too over those cheap stock 22 AWG aluminum wires. So yeah, this is what I personally recommend.

Thank you. I just like to keep things simple and easy to understand though.

That's because the ProMedia 5.1's frequency response is 25Hz-20kHz. Correct, because of the built in HPF. If that's what dictates the frequency response, then ok. I'm just saying "frequency response" because I think that's more universally understandable. That's really the only way I've ever understood it.

That's because the ProMedia 5.1's frequency response is 25Hz - 20kHz. I own a ProMedia 2.1 system, and its frequency response is 31Hz - 20 kHz. As expected, it doesn't really do much when I set a tone generator below 31 Hz. My sound card is the X-Fi Titanium HD. When using a tone generator, I make sure I am doing the fairest test possible by using Audio Creation Mode with no audio enhancements enabled at all. It's just a pure DAC this way. If I use Entertainment Mode and start adjusting my bass and graphic equalizer, then I can get low-end response below 31 Hz with a tone generator, but it doesn't really have a pretty or pure sound. It's very fake. So, 31 Hz really is about as low as this sub can go, and I would say 25 Hz is really as low as yours can go.

Then your onboard sound chip (it's not a card - everything is onboard in a laptop) probably has a frequency response that begins at around 15 or 20 Hz. The only way to know for sure is by looking at its specifications. If the specs aren't published, then they probably assumed that no one buying that laptop will care.

Yep! I don't know how to describe it, but I'm definitely not going to back to having my subwoofer be in direct contact with my floor. 160 db in a vehicle will just about do this. That's about what it takes though. Kind of a difficult task in a house. Oh, then I need to update that to include accomplishing it a house. Or, in an apartment, with an added mega bonus if I don't get thrown out! hehe I know it's not technically and actually decoupling it. I mean, I know that that actual decoupling would require levitation or hanging the subwoofer from something that isn't connected to the structure of the house in any way. So, I was just speaking in practical terms, which I think is the way everyone is speaking when they talk about decoupling the sub from the floor. I have a set of these, how do you decouple the sub? I have never heard of this. Like I said, I used a soft and fluffy bath towel that I folded up into a square about the size of the subwoofer. There are products out there that are specifically designed for this, but I had this bath towel to use so I used it and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if I am getting the exact same results that one would get from a specially-designed product. The whole idea is to find a way to prevent the subwoofer's cabinet from vibrating the floor. The name of the game is "isolation". With the subwoofer sitting directly on the floor, it's coupled with the floor. So, the term most widely used is "decouple". Sorry, I didn't realize that was decoupling a subwoofer. It sounded more technical than just that (thought it involved working on the amp or something). It's all good. I agree that it sounds technical because I think the word "decoupling" sounds more like a way to describe some sort of work on some kind of an electrical system. Like a Bypass surgery for electronics maybe. lol I think from now on, I'm going to come up with my own way to describe it.

I have a set of these, how do you decouple the sub? I have never heard of this. Like I said, I used a soft and fluffy bath towel that I folded up into a square about the size of the subwoofer. There are products out there that are specifically designed for this, but I had this bath towel to use so I used it and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if I am getting the exact same results that one would get from a specially-designed product. The whole idea is to find a way to prevent the subwoofer's cabinet from vibrating the floor. The name of the game is "isolation". With the subwoofer sitting directly on the floor, it's coupled with the floor. So, the term most widely used is "decouple".

My bucket list has a new item on it now: Create a sound system that is capable of vibrating my body so much that I end up feeling nauseous!

By the way, I decoupled my ProMedia 2.1's subwoofer from my high-pile carpeted floor several months ago using a soft fluffy bath towel folded up into a square, and ever since then I have noticed an improvement to its performance (so, my low-end is better). One thing I never tried though was testing this improvement with my favorite tone generator that I linked above. Well, now I tried it and guess what: it's confirming for me that this isn't just The Placebo Effect! You see, the first time I used that tone generator was long before I ever decoupled my subwoofer from my carpeted floor. To my disappointment, 36 Hz was as low as I could get before the low-end began to sound weak. At 35 Hz, it was still producing low-end, but it was pathetic. The reported frequency response of the ProMedia 2.1 system is supposed to be 31 Hz - 20 kHz. Except, at 34 and 33 and 32 and even 31 Hz, I couldn't really detect any low-end at all. With my subwoofer decoupled though, now I'm experiencing noticeable low-end even at 31 Hz. I'm an a state of disbelief right now. I'm sharing this because I hope that I can cause someone else to decouple their subwoofer and hopefully get the same improvement.

Here's a tone generator that I like to use: http://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/ Even this one seems ok: http://onlinetonegenerator.com/ Quick warning: set the volume on the tone generator to a very very very low level first and then slowly work your way up. Its default setting is 100%, and that's a little too high on my end. I recommend reducing your system volume too and then work your way up - just like with the tone generator. I would set both to 0% and then slowly increase them. I used this to test my ProMedia 2.1 system and y'know, it actually seems reasonably accurate.

Interesting. If I did this, then I'd have to move my subwoofer closer to me because of the DIN cable (because of the design of my desk and where I must keep my subwoofer), but I still might try it just to see if it's worth it. I'll post again if I end up trying it to share my results. The main reason why I'm replying though is to say that the 'Subwoofer' knob on the control pod is not for adjusting your Bass (it's not for adjusting the 'tone'). It's for adjusting the subwoofer's volume level independently of the main volume (it's like a mixer). So if you feel that you have too much bass, then you have to reduce it at the source. If that source is through Windows, then you can lower the bass directly in Windows. The default setting is 50%, but that's usually way too high for decent speaker systems that have a subwoofer. I keep my Bass level in Windows at around 15%, and I keep the 'Subwoofer' volume knob at the white mark for most things, but of course I adjust it from time to time depending on what I want at any given time. The manual has this to say about it: For me, the Subwoofer and Main Volume controls are like level controls on a mixer. The Suboofer level control contains all the low-end in the mix while the Main Volume adjusts everything together (so, it's an extremely simple mixer). In addition to that, I can further adjust the tone of that low-end by adjusting the Bass level and/or the low frequencies in a Graphic Equalizer. This is something the manual doesn't explain very well. It still leaves room for interpretation that the Subwoofer level will adjust the tone, giving you more or less bass, like an analog Bass Boost adjuster or something. So it's really just an independent volume knob for the subwoofer.

You're welcome. Post an update with the results. I'd love to know how it works out.

You may need to reduce the Bass setting in your operating system, or in the control panel for your onboard audio or your sound card (whichever you have) - or both the operating system and the control panel for your sound card or onboard audio. I can show you how to reduce it in Windows and in Creative's X-Fi Console Launcher. Beyond that, I would have to look it up on the internet. Also, many media players have a Graphic Equalizer, and lots of sound cards and onboard audio solutions have a Graphic Equalizer in their control panels as well. It's possible you might need to look into this as well. I know where the Graphic Equalizers are in Windows Media Player 12, Winamp, and even Foobar. Beyond these, I would have to look them up on the internet.

Yeah they're supposed to be included. From where did you buy your ProMedia 2.1 system?

No, some of us need satellite speakers that are smaller than that - much like the ProMedia 2.1 has. What we are asking for here is, a higher quality version of that. Those bookshelf speakers are too big. I don't have enough space. So, why not have a high-end version of the ProMedia 2.1 system? It would/should have high-quality 16 AWG satellite speaker cables (probably made by Monster) that plug into the back of the satellites and also the amplifier. It would also have higher quality drivers (speakers) and probably also an 8" subwoofer with a superior cabinet design for superior low-end reproduction and less chuffing. The system would also have more power than the ProMedia 2.1; more power for the satellites and more power for the subwoofer. The amplifier would be superior quality as well - and so would that control pod.

Hmm, nothing bad happened. I wiggled and I even pulled on it a bit and pushed it in but nothing bad happened.

Thank you for your reply. It never moves, so it might not be. If I have this problem again while watching a talk video, then I'll check to make sure the cable is secure and I'll update this thread with the results.

Bump to the top.

Is my original post too long? I'm just curious. Or is it that the person or people who know the answer haven't read it yet? I'm only curious. Please don't take this as impatience. I don't know the speed of this forum at all.

Ok, this is a strange issue that's difficult to explain, so please read all of this. I apologize for its length. My thread title is bad and that's because this is hard to pin down. So, here's what I've been noticing in the past several months: Three times now in the past several months, the right channel died on me in such a way that sounded like I had a loose connection that someone was messing with more and more and more until finally just severing the connection (like, a brief cut-out, then a longer cut-out, then a longer one, then a longer one, and then finally nothing). I checked ALL of my connections, but no, everything is perfectly secure. The first two times it happened, it somehow came back to life. I mean, I don't have a clue how it happened or how I did it or when it happened. Just, within like 5 minutes of it dying, I had it back. I don't know what brought it back, but I think I do now because it happened again today and this time I suddenly had the right channel restored the EXACT SAME INSTANT I accidentally played something that had a punchy bass drum at a somewhat-loud volume. The exact same instant it had to play that bass drum, the right channel came back to life. It was like the right channel was asleep and I woke it up by making it play that. Now, I've played hours and hours and hours and hours and hours of music, games and movies and I've never had an issue. So far, it seems like it only happens when watching a talking-only YouTube video, and even worse, I've watched countless hours of talking-only YouTube videos. So, I can't predict when it will happen next. Have you ever heard of such a thing? What could the problem be? Could it be the fuse in my right satellite speaker? Roughly 10 years ago, I had to replace the fuse in a friend's PM 2.1 satellite because his died on him and until we discovered the culprit (the fuse in the satellite), we had no idea why it died. We picked one up at the nearby Radio Shack, put it in and presto, the right channel was restored. I'm listening to music right now and the sound is BEAUTIFUL and STRONG - just as it always is. The same is true for movies and games, but those 2 or three times in the past several months with talking-only YouTube videos, the right channel started cutting out intermittently (just as though they had an audio problem when making their video) and then died completely. In fact, the first time it happened, I ignored it because I thought that it was just a part of the video, technical difficulties. Then the right channel cut out completely. When the video ended, I clicked a link and the "click" sound only played in the left channel. I soon discovered that I wasn't getting sound out of my right channel. Oh, and restarting the computer doesn't help either, so it's definitely either the speaker system or my sound card (the X-Fi Titanium HD) experiencing some sort of hardware failure of some kind. I guess. I don't know. lol Sheesh. I'm confused. I need help.

I think a part of what's happening may be that people are buying catalogue albums in order to put them on their computers and MP3 players.