promedia ultra 2.0: sometimes no sound

[Cotay]

I have been using a set of Promedia v2.400 speakers that I received refurbished sometime in 1999/2000 and they have had the staticy problem almost from day one. I lived with it for the most part because I didn't use my machine for gaming/audio much over the years. Now I'm running a mt-daapd server and play music often and the problem became unbearable last night. We have a new baby in the nursery in the next room and the poping/static wakes the baby every time I change the volume. It's not the volume that bothers the baby, but rather the static/poping noise. On the advice of those here I cleaned the volume knob with some electrical cleaner and coated it with some dielectric grease (I used QD cleaner from the auto parts store and generic dielectric grease I have laying around for working on the electrical components on my motorcycles) and it did the trick! If the "fix" doesn't last I'll try the stuff recommended here. This is clearly a parts quality issue...but thankfully I don't have to hunt down a new controller module.

[SilverSport]

good to hear...mine have been trouble free since the "fix" and they are on 24/7...

Bill

[Jakester22]

Dear Amy Unger and Klipsch:

My almost 2 year old Ultra 2.0s have just started exhibiting the same problem, randomly going off and on, which is clearly centered at the volume control pot. None of the above-mentioned "fixes" seem to work.

Given that the problem is so widespread and well documented it is obvious that Klipsch has a major design/manufacturing defect with this item. I strongly urge you to do the right thing and offer free repair or replacement to all experiencing this problem, regardless of warranty term, if not issuing a complete recall.

I purchased the Ultra 2.0s on the Klipsch reputation and on my personal fine experience with a pair of Klipsch Heresy speakers whcih I have had for 20 years with no problems. I sincerely hope you will rectify the matter properly to avoid further tarnishing of the Klipsch reputation.

[SilverSport]

...you've tried the "fix" and it didn't work???

Bill

[alsey]

Hi Bill,

I tried your fix, but I used WD40 instead, and what do you know, it fixed the problem! Just a slight bit of scratching when you adjust the volume, but no more fiddling with the volume knob to get the speakers to equalize the volume from one speaker to the next. I can't even remember when they worked this well, it sure is nice having trouble free speakers again. To everyone who has this problem, all it takes is 10 minutes to fix it, and you probably spend that much time every day just fiddling with the volume knob.

Thanks again

[SilverSport]

Glad to hear it...I felt the same as you and mine have still bees trouble free after the fix...seems to be some kind of static buildup but I am not an electrical engineer nor did I sleep at a Holliday Inn last night...[]

Bill

[PSJ]

I owned a pair of these previously and had the same faulty pot/no sound problem. Although Klipsch offered to repair it I couldn't be bothered with the courier costs so I sold them. I have since bought a pair of Bose but the sound is not very inspiring to say the least. I'm considering getting rid of these and buying another pair of promedias.

I will be using them with a laptop therefore won't be using the volume pot at all (just unplugging at the wall when I put them away). My question is for users that have used these similarly (i.e. set the volume initially and not touched the settings afterwards) do they still have the problem of the sound cutting out? If people have had favourable results using them this way I may be inclined to take a chance on them again.

[SilverSport]

My GF has had hers for almost 3 years set up this way...she never (rarely) touches them and they are on all the time (24/7)...I keep the volume low on mine but powered on...my computer makes an irritating click at regular intervals that I can hear if I keep the volume up...not heard when music is playing...hers have never experienced any problems (bought at Best Buy)...mine were "Best Buy returns" and had the problem until I employed the "fix."...no problems yet...if it makes any difference...hers) older speakers...have the LED like emerald green power light while mine...a bit newer (6months?) have the "apple green" power light.

Bill

[Kurotetsu]

I got my speakers in the spring of 2007, and they recently began showing the exact same symptoms everyone else has been complaining about. I was getting static when adjusting the volume, speaker imbalance, and drop offs. Fortunately, I was able to find this forum and, most importantly, silversport's fix. It went much easier than I thought it would (though, I wound up accidently treating the headphone and media player ports by accident, mistaking them for the 'pots'). Everything sounds much, much better now, very smooth and clear. I just recently got a Creative XtremeGamer sound card, so getting my speakers back to normal couldn't have come at a better time.

Now, despite everything turning out alright, I'm still very dissappointed in Klipsch. For a $100+ pair of speakers, I kind of expect quality and longevity right out of the box. Now, I can understand having to do this to maybe get some less expensive speakers to sound better. But having to do this to an expensive pair of speakers just to get them to WORK?

I don't mind if Klipsch won't create a revised set, but I would think they could at least inform consumers of this. I never would've known if I hadn't read product reviews for them, and I think the majority of casual computer users probably won't do that. At the very least, if this problem MUST go unaddressed, then throw a two-pack of contact cleaner and conditioner inside that gigantic box these things come in, along with some documentation explaining the problem and how to fix it if it comes up. I think people would appreciate the honesty at least.

Bleh, I realize no one important inside the company will ever read this, but I wanted to vent anyway.

Kudos to silversport, bleh to Klipsch.

(By the way, as a consequence of treating the headphone ports, I think the sound coming out of my pair sounds much, much clearer than before. An unexpected bonus?)

[SilverSport]

Glad it worked for you but it is not my fix...I just repeated it...and all Klipsch might have to do to "fix" this is have the assemblers give the knobs a spritz of lube...seems like a small price to pay for perfection...I think they sound great!

Bill

[93sr20det@gmail.com]

I have 2 sets of these speakers purchased from 2 different authorized retailers at 2 different times and they both have the problem. And both of them started doing it out of warranty. THe speakers are a 2 different locations. One is used on a Roku Soundbridge at my store to play internet music and the other is used at home on a first generation Macbook. I have never abused them or turned them up past half volume and both of them cut out at random times and the only way to get sound back is the quick turn off and turn on. I think it is ridiculous that Klipsch will not fess up with the problem.

I halso had a set of Promedia 5.1's that I lost in hurricane Katrina that had a flaky volume knob as soon as the warranty was up. What gives?

[SilverSport]

Did you try the fix...5 minutes out of your life for two pair and no issies whatsoever...less time than it took to type this reply...let us know how it works for you...

Bill

[93sr20det@gmail.com]

Ok i tried the fix. I went by Radioshack and purchased the stuff and spent almost $20 on it and I still have cut out problems.

[SilverSport]

I don't know what to say...if you tried the fix, you followed the steps and it DIDN'T work...you're the only one...

[:$]

[starsky]

I don't know what to say...if you tried the fix, you followed the steps and it DIDN'T work...you're the only one...

Actually, mine worked for about a month, and thne started experiencing problems again. Fixed it again, and one month later same again. I have ditched my Klipsch, and won't be buying them again, nor will I be buying Jamo again in protest at the lack of acknowledgement and resolution of the problem.

[starsky]

As a last word I'd like to address all the posters that said: "I'll never buy another Klipsch".
You must remember that most (if not all) manufacturers do NOT make all components. Just as in this case, the likelyhood that other manufacturer run into component problem is very high. We the public, have the duty to inform a manufacturer of problems, for their R&D burn in time is limited and cost prohibitive respectively.

demaX

I completely agree demaX. It could happen anywhere. My beef is with customer service. The lack of acknowledgement of the problem by Klipsch, and basically saying "you are on your own".

[SilverSport]

I'm curious as to why mine have never had the problem crop up again and the both of you have...further curious as to why you didn't take them back for a refund or warranty repair...Klipsch told you that you were on your own???

Bill

[Kurotetsu]

I began to notice some problems recently myself after applying the fix. The sound coming from my speakers wasn't balanced at all.

It wasn't until I accidently pushed in the volume button that the sound became balanced again. Likely, while fixing it, I accidently loosened the potentiometer or something?

[starsky]

I'm curious as to why mine have never had the problem crop up again and the both of you have...further curious as to why you didn't take them back for a refund or warranty repair...Klipsch told you that you were on your own???

the problem started happening about a month before my warranty expired. I didn't think it was a speaker problem at first, and it took me a while to nail it down. I got referred to customer service Asia who said out of warranty bad luck. Eventually they referred me to a repair centre here in Australia, and I had to contact them myself. So at this point I am on my own. It was going to cost me $100 + postage to get fixed. So basically it was about the same price to go and buy a new set.

My beef is that this is a common problem due to a bad part, failed within the warranty, and should be fixed by Klipsch at their cost.

Edit: here is my blog post on the repairing if anyone is interested in how to do this. Note it is all based on info garnered from the helpful people in these forums.

[ufopsi]

Hi there, another Italian here. I've been using Klipsch with a MacPro 2007 since october 2007. Great sound. Recently though, I've started witnessing some sound cuts. Not many yet. Switching off and on the speakers fixes the issue. Strange how such an expensive kit can fail.

I'll try the fix suggested on this thread.