[lini]

There was an frequency response graph for the ProMedia GMX A-2.1 published in a recent issue of Stereoplay magazine over here - didn't really look good to me. So I highly doubt that "little minor EQing". And if those thingies really are a "favorite in many pro recording studios around the country", I'm not really surprised about the plethora of badly mixed/mastered cds out there...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[Hostirad]

Big Mike, I have a question on the use of the Promedia 2.1s as monitor speakers. As you know, the Promedia has two connections--the stereo mini plug cable that is attached to the control pad, and a 3.5mm stereo auxiliary jack on the control pad. My intention is to connect the speakers to a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 audio interface, which has two options for output to monitors: balanced and unbalanced. Wondering whether the cable attached to the control pad is balanced or unbalanced, I wrote Focusrite technical support, asking them this question. The answer I got back evaded the question: "We don't recommend that you connect the stereo mini plug into any other device besides a computer. If you want to connect the ProMedia 2.1 system to another device, you'll want to use an auxiliary cord that has male 3.5 mm plugs on both ends and plug it into the auxiliary jack on the right side of your main satellite."
 
Given that you have used the Promedia speakers as monitors, I am wondering what your speaker-to-soundcard connection looks like.

 

[LC3]

  Big Mike, I have a question ...

 
Hostirad, that post was made in 2007, and it was his only post.
 
I did take note of the warning about too much headphone use.  I try to keep the volume down, but I still wonder about the long-term effects of having all that sound generated so close to my eardrums.  I'll always enjoy a nice listening session with headphones, but I want to move to near-field speakers being my primary output.

 

[Hostirad]

I realized it was a long shot to ask a question from someone who posted in 2007. Even more so, now that I've learned it was his only post. Unfortunate that email addresses are apparently not accessible on this site to allow me to contact him directly.
 
I did my own version of hearing damage from playing in a group 40 years ago without ear protection. Fortunately, the damage wasn't bad. My brother, on the other hand, used to fall asleep listening to music with over-the-ear headphones, and his hearing was affected significantly. A word to the wise.

 

[MacKeyser]

Well, on a limited budget and after much auditioning, I went with the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1s.
 
I came away... mixed. 
 
I'm a former multimedia engineer. I know how things SHOULD sound, especially on certain pieces of music like the Von Karajan Masterwork of all 9 of Beethoven's symphonies or Billy Joel's New York State of Mind or standards from Sinatra, Dean Martin, NKC, Mel Tormé and others...
 
And really, on the standards and the Billy Joel... oh man, the Klipshs just sang. 
 
What I ended up doing was going into the EQ and selecting "Bass Reduction" since there seems to be a drop off in the lower mid range. I couldn't tell you exactly where it was since I don't have any equipment to scan it.
 
However, I did put some funk on and played some Zapp More Bounce to the Ounce and I can unequivocally say that these speakers do NOT suffer from one note bass. Authoritatively that's not a problem. I had the house rockin' with that and One Way's Cutie Pie. 
 
Now, was it perfect? Not even close. I've listened to Legacy Audio's Whispers... and I'm forever spoiled on speakers for life (damn you Bill Dudleston!) THOSE are perfect. I'll go to my grave saying and believing that. But for computer speakers? Yeah, I can work with these Klipsch speakers. 
 
They've got a decent form factor, there is no sibilance in the treble and I was surprised at the amount of mids coming from these inexpensive sats. They're actually pretty hefty. I wouldn't want anyone to hit me in the head with one as the case feels like it's made of something relatively dense. 
 
So, I can understand the hate. I've got a pair of Beyerdynamic DT770 80s right next to them (no, I don't understand the hate for those...) and when driven properly, they are just lovely. But there are plenty of times when I just want to sit in my chair and talk with people in the room and play my WoW or be on the computer and not have the family yell at me because they have to get past the 18dB of sound isolation that comes with the 770s. And the Klipschs accomplish that. 
 
One of the issues with just going with monitors is that they have to be driven by...something....unless you find powered monitors which is a whole different set of compromises. At around $100, it's never gonna be perfect and this is no exception.
 
But by working with the EQ more than a little and hopefully plugging them into a desktop amp that'll also power by 770s... it'll clean up the mids and reduce the work the crossover's doing (which I think it's actually overdoing). 
 
If I find that a desktop amp helps these along, I'll pass that info along.