DEC Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 dzfan, Sorry to hear that your resistor replacement effort didn't yield more positive results, and I agree, we appear to be in the same boat. FWIW, I am aware that a couple of other people with the same symptoms had good luck when they replaced their damaged R120 and/or R107 resistors. Anyway, if you do end up finding any other malfunctioning components on any of your subwoofer boards, I would be interested in hearing more about that. In terms of my final solution, I ended up ordering a new ProMedia 2.1 system from Klipsch for $149.99 and free shipping last Friday. I had previously contacted stpeteshepherd, but he was too swamped with 5.1 system repairs (his meat & potatoes), and he additionally felt that he wasn't that far ahead of me in terms of trouble-shooting the 2.1 system to get to the bottom of what was wrong with my sub boards in any cost-effective manner. Mister_Clean subsequently suggested that I keep my old 2.1 satellite speakers, control pod, and sub for parts, and that's what I finally decided to do. Good luck with your on-going efforts to get your sub back up, Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razzz42 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 In terms of my final solution, I ended up ordering a new ProMedia 2.1 system from Klipsch for $149.99 and free shipping last Friday I'd be interest in your opinion of your new system. If Klipsch sends you their current version, which has totally different electronics in the sub (about 6lbs lighter than the older ones and no off/on switch with direct wiring through the satellites) I'm wondering if it will sound the same as your old one or better or worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEC Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Mister_Clean did tell me that the new version 2.1 system had direct speaker wiring to the satellite speakers (i.e., no jacks), but I was unaware that there was no on/off switch or that they had substantially changed the electronics in the sub. Based on this, I too will be very interested in the sound quality. And since I still have another of the old 2.1 set-ups hooked up to my MacPro (that is still in working condtion), I will be able to do something of a head-to-head comparison. Now you've got me a bit worried ... so Klipsch had better have done a good job with the new version! [^o)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razzz42 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Also the finally improved the DIN plug with a 90 degree angled plug into the sub. The newer sub is a bit disappointing, at least the one I have. Doesn't seem to be able to produce the lows like older subs. Manual is minus the THX logo but it still appears on the sub port. Can't get a straight answer out of Klipsch if it's still certified or not. I think they have been in production since 1/1/2010. Who knows? Maybe the older ones will become collector's items in time or at least the preferred setup. Let your ears be the judge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEC Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Well, on balance, that sure doesn't sound encouraging. I don't care too much about the direct satellite wiring, and since I always left my two subs on all the time anyway, not having an on/off switch probably isn't the end of the world (and I do like the sound of the improved 90 degree DIN plug). However, less weight and less lows coming out of the redesigned sub definitely sounds like a step backwards to me. Anyway, I will definitely let my ears be the judge on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dzfan Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 DEC, I was able to successfully repair my speakers tonight. Here is my solution: **SOLUTION** My symptoms were no green light, volume very soft when knob is lowest, decreases to no volume as you turn it up. Seems to occur only to people who have replaced their DINs... suspicious. I too have replaced a faulty DIN. The problem was a faulty connection with the repaired DIN socket on one of the +/- 14V supply lines that connects the I/O board to the Control Pod. I suspect it was a poor solder joint to begin with and degraded with heat exposure over time. After taking a voltmeter and testing the +/- 14 V supply voltages on the Control Pod board, I noticed a discrepancy in voltage on (for me) the +14 V supply on the Control Pod board. -14 worked properly when compared to GND (P501:2 - P501:1), but +14 to GND (P501:9 - P501:8) read a different voltage (-12.1 for me). After tracing connections starting from the power supply and ending up at the Control Pod, I found that the missing link was the connection between P3:6 on the I/O Board and JK201:1 on the I/O Board. That is the connection from the +14 V line going to the DIN plug. By doing a simple continuity test with my multimeter, I detected that there was no electrical connection between the two terminals, despite a visible path on the PCB trace. After resoldering the connection, full functionality was restored. TIP: when soldering this joint, apply the soldering iron tip directly to the trace on the PCB to ensure proper solder flow and hence good electrical conduction. The problem was caused by a flux bubble between the DIN pin and the PCB via. These pins are especially prone to this problem because of the brown glue/gunk on the other side of the board which act as a heat sink when soldering. As a result, the trace doesn't heat up properly when the soldering iron tip is place only on the pin, so the trace repels the molten solder, causing an accumulation of flux between the pin and the trace, and no electrical connection. The problem may be either in the +14 V pin, or in the -14 V pin on the DIN connection, but either way, that is the likely source of the problem. @DEC, since your problem is with the subwoofer, use a continuity tester to check that pin JK201:2 on the I/O Board (the DIN connector) is making a connection with R209 and R210, which are connected to JK201:2 via a trace on the PCB. This will test that the solder connection is good. Alternatively, you can turn the device on and test that the voltage difference between the two pins is zero. If there is no connection, resolder the connection and see if that fixes it up for you. Cheers, Dan cross listed here: http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/p/122989/1394942.aspx#1394942 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEC Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Dan, Congratulations on your successful repair! In my case, the control pod green light is on and I get full volume out of both satellite speakers. At first blush, I appear to get no sound coming out of my sub, but when I run the sub potentiometer up to max and then play a source with some very heavy bass passages, I can detect a very slight amount of air movement and bass coming out of my sub. And FWIW, the DIN plug was replaced by Mister_Clean a couple of years ago. Despite my multiple posts, I am not much of an electronics guy. I don't know if I can successfully test all of the things you have to get to the bottom of whatever else is wrong on my sub boards, but when I get a chance, I'll see what I can do. However, in the short term, my focus is going to be setting up the new ProMedia 2.1 system for my wife's iMac once I receive it. Thanks for your follow-up post, and hopefully that will help someone else who is having the same problem. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEC Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 In terms of my final solution, I ended up ordering a new ProMedia 2.1 system from Klipsch for $149.99 and free shipping last FridayI'd be interest in your opinion of your new system. If Klipsch sends you their current version, which has totally different electronics in the sub (about 6lbs lighter than the older ones and no off/on switch with direct wiring through the satellites) I'm wondering if it will sound the same as your old one or better or worse. Also they finally improved the DIN plug with a 90 degree angled plug into the sub. The newer sub is a bit disappointing, at least the one I have. Doesn't seem to be able to produce the lows like older subs. Manual is minus the THX logo but it still appears on the sub port. Can't get a straight answer out of Klipsch if it's still certified or not. I think they have been in production since 1/1/2010. Who knows? Maybe the older ones will become collector's items in time or at least the preferred setup. Let your ears be the judge. razzz42,I received my new ProMedia 2.1 system a couple of days ago and I am very happy to report that it is definitely a "good" system IMO. While it is true that the new version 2.1 system has hard-wired satellite speakers, mine actually does have an on/off switch on the back of the subwoofer unit. I also weighed both my "old version" 2.1 sub and the "new version" sub, and the new one weighed only 1 lb less than the old one (i.e., 15 lbs versus 16 lbs). And as already mentioned, the new version system has the new & improved 90 degree DIN plug. Most importantly, the bass output from the new sub is absolutely stunning IMO. Where I was worried that the bass output would be worse than the old design sub, it is actually better in both the amount/intensity and quality of bass, so I am very thrilled with this development. In terms of THX certification, I also noticed that the new owner's manual doesn't have the THX logo on it (as the old one did), but I do have the Klipsch/THX logo "buttons" on both satellite speakers as well as by the sub port, so I don't know what to say about that aspect. The only negative I encountered was that I have a bad mini stereo plug (the green plastic one) that comes out of the control pod wiring. The sound gets cut out and I get humming & static when it is rotated or if you touch the wire going into the back of the plug. The problem is definitely not with the jack on the back of my wife's iMac, but luckily, I can find one "sweet spot" where I can rotate the mini stereo plug and get good sound without the hum & static. I contacted Klipsch about this, and they are shipping me a replacement 2.1 control pod at no charge, so I will swap that out when that arrives. All in all, I am very happy with the new 2.1 system. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razzz42 Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Think you lucked out and received a transitional system. There is no doubt the very newest sub weighs 6 lbs less than the one you have now, I know because I have one. I also have a system like yours with newer DIN plug and pass-thru wiring in the satellites and still has an on/off switch and fuse on the sub (the newest subs no longer have these items, I think subs produced after January 2010). After replacing your control pod, you should be very happy with your system, I'm sure of it. You know I still went in and replaced/upgraded the two resistors to 1 watt and found the areas around the stock 1/4 watters 'browning' already due to the heat they produce. The system was tagged as manufactured in Oct. 2009 so it had very little usage as I bought it 'defective' where even with a newer DIN plug someone managed to bend the pins over when plugging it in. So I straighten the pins up and plugged it in and the whole system sounds great. I had an older 2.1 system that I bought from Klipsch as 'reconditioned' and it sat in my closet for years, never used it because I upgraded to a Promedia 4.1 system around the same time. I sold the 2.1 system recently and when I hooked it up to check it out, it sounded better than any other 2.1 system I ever heard. Wish I would have kept at least the sub, oh well. Now the only other improvement needed is a decent sound card. Makes all the difference in the world. Laptops can use USB sound card type connections. I'm using a Prodigy HD2 ($69 lately on Ebay) stereo sound card (replaceable op-amps) and you wouldn't believe how good it makes the 2.1s sound. The card is especially great for headphones too since you can set a jumper to increase the headphone output (gain). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEC Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Well, I'm certainly not trying to argue about this, but I don't know how I could have gotten a "transitional system" (especially since you say that the new 2.1 systems were produced after January 2010). I bought the new 2.1 system directly from Klipsch, and when you mentioned the various changes in the newer 2.1 systems in your earlier postings, I was concerned enough to contact Klipsch while my order was in-process to see if they had any of the older systems left and they said no (and they of course said that there should not be any differences in sound quality between the two). Anyway, independent of what genre of 2.1 system I got, I am really happy with it. I think I will open it up though and replace the two 1/4-watt resistors with 1-watt versions just to be on the safe side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razzz42 Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 I'm just glad you received an 'older' system. I think that phone call to Klipsch paid off. There is no mistaking the newer sub, light as a feather and almost bare inside. I only know what Klipsch tells me over the phone. Even replacement speakers are the older plug-in models until they run of stock and begin selling replacement satellites with the pass-thru wiring. You can already get a replacement control pod with the new 90 degree angled plug when ordering through Klipsch Parts. Have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambenttelos Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 I just replaced my resistors with 82 ohm 1 watt resistors from digi key. I also resoldered the connections that dzfan indicated and my speakers work again. Thank you to everyone who has contributed here in figuring out how to repair these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ascorbic Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 I just joined the forum to say a H-U-G-E THANK YOU to dzfan... you're a true hero! I'm one of the lucky few with a 230v Promedia 2.1. I bought it about 7 years ago and I've loved it ever since. It cost an arm and a leg with the shipping (I'm in Cyprus), so replacing it, even if a 230v version was still available, is not really an option. My dog decided to park his behind on the DIN plug, which resulted in the exact same problem discussed here. I had no light on the control pod and feint sound from the satellites when the volume was set to minimum, but that disappeared as soon as the volume was turned up. I spent ages searching for a solution, got more and more confused by the strange +/- 14v arrangement in the control pod, then I found this thread. Yesterday I changed out those two resistors (R120/R107) for 1W/82 ohm, but that didn't fix the problem. Then I saw dzfan's post. I removed the I/O sub board that includes the DIN socket as I wanted to clean it up properly. I removed all the heat transfer glue that was holding the sub-board in place and covering the DIN socket -- it actually peels off pretty easily and I think that's much safer than scraping the PCB surface -- then I removed the DIN socket and cleaned up using solder wick. I resoldered the DIN socket pins, reassembled everything, powered up and to my absolute joy everything works again! Words cannot express how happy I am. Thank you everyone for the contribusions you have made to this thread; particularly dzfan for the solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dzfan Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 @Ascorbic and lambenttelos, good job! Glad my solution helped. My speakers were down for years until I just got the spark of ambition to go and fix them. All it takes is a little persistence -Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ascorbic Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 @dzfan, and what great speakers they are. A fix really worth doing, so thanks again for the solution.I just thought to mention that the low-level hum from the sub always annoyed me, so I've been looking into that too. I read a post from 'stpete cooling' here: http://community.klipsch.com/forums/t/129378.aspx He says he services 4.1 systems and he changes out the two 35w caps on the power board (also upgrades them from 85ºC to 105ºC) as a part of every repair as this this stops the hum, particularly in older systems. I'll be doing that tomorrow and if it works out with my 2.1 system I'll add it in the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dzfan Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Thanks for the tip. I'd be interested in hearing how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ascorbic Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 I changed out those two 35w caps on the power board today, but it didn't make the slightest bit of difference and I still get the exact same low-level hum.It doesn't really matter as it's not that loud really. I just thought I was on a winning streak, what with dzfan's DIN socket solution Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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