Pro media 4.1's versus the Z-560's #2

[Kevzmusic]

OK...so, to satisfy MY own curiosity, as to which is the bettter speaker system, I went down our local CompuSmart store here in Toronto and got the Z-560's for a trial run.

Thank goodness for the 15 day return policy with no questions asked - eh :-)

Anyhow, I set the Z-560's up to the rig....and tried various tests.

I've got the Audigy Plat soundcard with front bay connectivity, etc.

1) The regular CD and Mp3 playback quality is pretty good at a low to mid volume range....BUT once you crank the volume up...the Z560's sound very treble "metalic" like with a lot of high-end hiss,and at kick-*** levels the quality deteriorates to a point where it's downright dreadful...

2) The subwoofer seemed OK on some tunes, but rather un-balanced (ratio wise) on others, although not too bad overall - I guess. On some songs I had to turn the WINXP mixer bass down to zero, just to avoid SUB *BOOM* distortion. The sub is heavier/bigger (at 180 Watts RMS) than the Prom media sub, and looks just as good.

3) When I plugged my guitars in (thru my Line6 POD or Flextone II synthesizer amps) and into the Audigy front panel, that's when I noticed a real difference between the Pro Media's and Z560's. The SAT speakers on the Z560 can't handle even a moderate volume. High-gain lead riffs made the speakers BUZZ/HISS/ZAP pretty bad...I don't have this problem at all with the Pro Media's 4.1.

4) The overall depth & quality of sound is much warmer, better and cleaner with the Klipsch 4.1's and it doesn't deteriorate at the higher volume levels, at least, not on my set-up....I can turn the front bay VOL almost up to MAX on the Audigy Drive before any (white noise) is audible. Not so with the Z560's.

The Z560's are quite well made, although I personally don't like the 'cheap plastic' look of the central desktop controller.

The *M3D* surround sound feature that is "hyped" so much on the various web reviews does add a little "pronounciation" to the overal 3D experience and seperation,...but it's nothing to write home about...in fact, with the *M3D* turned OFF, I found the Z560's sound performace very flat & dull.

To summerize, I guess the Z560's are quite good value for the buck ($199 CAD /$124 USD here in Canada)...but IMO the price tag truly gives it away...they just don't match up to the KLIPSCH 4.1's.

In the end...you get what ya pay for - right?

I'm keeping my PM 4.1's :-)

KEV

[Btrigg]

hmm, thats not what I've read. You have your audigy around 90% main or lower right? I haven't seen anyone see what you just wrote. Did you get a bad set? The sub should be cleaner at high volumes, about as boomy. The sats should sound better in midrange, dont let the tweeters on the pros fool you into thinking that they are more accurate. I haven't heard of the volume issues either.

I really think you got a bad set if you had all those probs.

[justin_tx_16]

quote:

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Originally posted by Btrigg:

hmm, thats not what I've read. You have your audigy around 90% main or lower right? I haven't seen anyone see what you just wrote. Did you get a bad set? The sub should be cleaner at high volumes, about as boomy. The sats should sound better in midrange, dont let the tweeters on the pros fool you into thinking that they are more accurate. I haven't heard of the volume issues either.

I really think you got a bad set if you had all those probs.

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boomy bass is not cool boom bass is different from powerful bass, boomy has a blumph noise not a clean output. i agree with everything Kevzmusic said, personally

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-justin

SoundWise Tech Support

I am an amateur, if it is professional;

ProMedia help you want email Amy or call her @ 1-888-554-5665 or for an RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5

Klipsch Home Audio help you want, email support@klipsch.com or call @ 1-800-KLIPSCH

RA# Fax Number=317-860-9140 / Parts Department Fax Number=317-860-9150s>

[TheEAR]

I agree with Btrigg here

The ProMedia 4.1 is bested by the Logitech Z-560.Both are great PC speakers but the Logitech takes the nod because of its low price.

The set you were testing is a LEMON.

TheEAR(s) Now theears

[Kevzmusic]

Nah, I don't have any settings at 90%....

I usually put the wave out at about 50% (as Klipsch recommends) my bass at 40-50% (90% is far too high) and the treble at 75%, coz it gives better vocal/high end pronounciation.

The Z560's were ok at low to mid VOL levels, but once past that they sounded so brassy/metalic that they hissed at me like a very pissed off Texas rattler - Lol!!!

The quality just wasn't there.

Like I said previous, the SUB didn't sound too bad - overall, but didn't have much control via the pod center thingy. I could seem to find the right 'balance' ratio between VOL, sub and sats, no matter what I played with.

Anyhow, according to my musician contacts - IF one wants/needs a real *quality* music sound they have to leave the home amateur cards well alone - period!

They said the DMX 6 Fire is probably the "best" non-pro sound card at the moment, especially for recording...but the *real deal* starts with something like the "M Audio Delta 44 Pro Audio Card" which sells for around $270 USD, or the "Delta 66" at $399 USD, and so on upwards....

http://digitalaudioworks.com/manufacturers-f-r-midiman-m-audio-sound-cards.html

I've been using the Audigy Plat for two weeks now and I'm definately not satisfied....I gues I fell for all the CL hype BIG time, I should've done more research before I made a decision to buy - *sigh*

Ce la vie :-)

and the beat goes on!

KEV

[justin_tx_16]

hey kev, interesting music could you make some really good trance to show off on the pros? high, lows, and mids?

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-justin

SoundWise Tech Support

I am an amateur, if it is professional;

ProMedia help you want email Amy or call her @ 1-888-554-5665 or for an RA# 800-554-7724 ext 5

Klipsch Home Audio help you want, email support@klipsch.com or call @ 1-800-KLIPSCH

RA# Fax Number=317-860-9140 / Parts Department Fax Number=317-860-9150s>

[AudioMan2703]

You must have got a bad set. Alot of what you said was true but everything you said about the SOUND was... off. The bass is fine, and in no way are the mids and highs screwy sounding.(High, mattalic, as you said.)

(Reply to your first post)

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[TheEAR]

Right on

CL sound cards are ok for the gamer and general peep,CL products are FAR from Pro quality and are NOT for musicians.Well DUH

CL speakers are most hype and their best(err real Cambridge)are ok(MicroWorks,MegaWorks 210).

The Audigy is NOT a true 24BIT audio card,its better sales thru brainwash.Like B0$e,like I said many times B0$e owners tend to hate music and crave boomy 50Hz band pass bass.

TheEAR(s) Now theears

[Btrigg]

Yes, I've lost almost all of the respect I had for creative as a company. And I have to control myself everytime someone says that their friends have the BEST speakers; I ask what kind, and they say "they are these small cubes, they are so small, and sound so good." I don't even get started because most of them have it set in their head what good audio sounds like. It is hard to change their opinion, we know this from the earlier years with the pros and 3dss forum.

BTW, Kevsmusic, I was refering to main at 90, keep the response flat. I understand the blending between the sub and the sats, that is the biggest problem for the system, the sub can't be turned down enough to work more seemly with the system. The sub could be just too boomy to really blend anyway, or maybe logitech needs to rework the rolloff of the upper end of the sub. I don't think the 4.1s sound be considered better though.

[Asmo]

Ok, I also have been a pro 4.1 owner for about a year now -- I recently recommended my friend buy the logitech z-560s, the price is unbeatable, anyways .. after setting them up at his place and warming them up, did a few tests.

Gaming (both of our systems have Audigy cards ya ya i know not true 24bit but sound decent enough)

The logitechs are excellent, the bass isn't quite as tight as the klipsch i found, but for gaming the difference is not noticeable, they boomed when they needed to boom, and the mids are very strong, I was really impressed with these speakers at first.

Music

Played some diff stuff, alternative, dance/trance, classical(brought some test cds along), this is where I really missed my klipsch's, I love the highs and bass the klipsch's give compared to the logitech's, i found the mids strong - but highs and bass not up to par with what I was used to getting from my klipsch speakers, also at high volumes they started to sound even worse.

DVD Movies

Ok, first off that m3d switch in gaming and music I personally dislike it, in dvds i just dind't care for it, it seemed to add some interesting surround effects in dvd playback, personal choice though, anyways again, same results, boomy bass, strong mid, yadda yadda you've heard it all before.

Anyways, I'm not just saying this because I own a set of klipsch 4.1's, but they are better than the logitech 560s, BUT the price of the logitech's really makes them attractive, foe half the price, you are getting 3/4 the quality in comparission, if I was getting a new speaker system today -- i would go logitech 560 OR Klipsch 5.1 or Videologic (if you got the cash) The price of the Klipsch 4.1's need to be dropped to compete with the new speakers coming out, great speaks tho, definetly not plannin to part with mine anytime soon

[rol1]

I've been torture testing my v2-400's for awhile. Bought 2 sets of z560's @ $111 ea.

I had them set side-by-side. The Klipsch got all the play. The z560's were flat, had to turn the bass all the way down not to overpower the sats.

Sold 1 set in a system and gave the other to my daughter. I kept the v2-400's.