Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 - and others - opinions?

[ls20]

i know these are quite popular, and would like to hear some of your opinions on them

I have the PM4.1 running from the Revo and they are not as enjoyable as I expected...

There's a certain fatigueness with something to which i cant seem to pinpoint... theyre not particularly overly bright (as some would say), nor sibilant, nor anything else... maybe theres a big gap in the sub-satellite freq cutoff?

the only characteristic i can describe is the thin sound... i'd like something with more depth... a warmer, fuller-bodied sound... are there other speakers with these characterisitics or would i have to go Receiver->bookshelf speaker route?



the sub is corner loaded, and the satellites are sitting 1ft below ear level... 3ft apart, and 3ft in front of me

 

[Gopher]

ls20,

I've got some PM4.1s myself and know what you are talking about. I think one of the problems is with the x-over setting, but not that its too low, but that it's ridiculously high where the sub kicks in.

I was about to sell them off until I tried that 20 dollar chaintec card, now I see some potetnial. I'll probably buy some 1/8 mono minis and make some new cables with 12awg Radio Shack cable--that might be a nice upgrade from the zip wire they ship 'em with. If that doesn't work, I suppose I'll deal with it. It's nice having sounds in the computer room, but in my case is a very distant 3rd or 4th priority to me audiowise.

 

[Distroyed]

There seems to be some sort of gap in frequency between the satellites and the sub. Try moving your sub around in different locations, that will help minimize it a lot.

 

[ls20]

let me know how much the speaker wire upgrade helps, gopher! i'd be interested in hearing how it helps the coherence and presence


my revo has a neat feature that lets me adjust the crossover point... given that the system is connected to the sound card individually (for dd5.1 and 7.1 setup?)...

since the subs and mains are connected by a single wire.. adjusting the crossover affects the entire sub + mains as a single unit

 

[ooheadsoo]

MM systems have the crossover built into the subs, so there's not much you can do about it. The crossover in the revo is for a separates system that doesn't have its own crossover management. Pretty rare, now that I think about it. You'd have to construct that system with the revo's crossover in mind...

 

[Ctn]

Have you tried putting the sats on the floor?

 

[ls20]

wouldnt putting these small satellites on the floor completely destroy any imaging? these arent really floor-standing speaker size

also--this is a big drawback of the klipsch--the volume and sub control are built onto the left satellite... so it makes relocation of the satellites unpractical

 

[Ctn]

Quote:

Originally posted by ls20 wouldnt putting these small satellites on the floor completely destroy any imaging? these arent really floor-standing speaker size also--this is a big drawback of the klipsch--the volume and sub control are built onto the left satellite... so it makes relocation of the satellites unpractical

They dont image well to begin with anyways. Putting them on the floor will make them sound "warmer". Btw the sound you describe is the signature sound of Klipch. Bright and in your face.

Dang abou the volume control location

Im using bookshelf speakers with it's own amp for my PC setup.
Cheap and sounds much better than any PC speaker inc the Klipch/Midiland/Altec Lansing.

 

[vwap]

Quote:

Originally posted by ls20 also--this is a big drawback of the klipsch--the volume and sub control are built onto the left satellite... so it makes relocation of the satellites unpractical

Ummm.. no they aren't? You can use the control on eithe rthe right or left by just plugging the respective wire into the unit.. but I guess this still leaves that they're pretty unpractical to move around.

I've found that the pot in my is very staticky.. has anyone found a cure for this, and/or knows where I can get a replacement pot?

Thanks!

 

[SumB]

Quote:

Originally posted by vwap Ummm.. no they aren't? You can use the control on eithe rthe right or left by just plugging the respective wire into the unit.. but I guess this still leaves that they're pretty unpractical to move around. I've found that the pot in my is very staticky.. has anyone found a cure for this, and/or knows where I can get a replacement pot? Thanks!

You can alleviate the the crackling by popping open the control pod and spraying WD40 or some silicone lubricant on the volume pot and working it in. It's a little tricky to remove the pod but once you figure it out it slides right off the back of the satellite. Worked like a charm for me.

 

[Ctn]

Quote:

Originally posted by SumB You can alleviate the the crackling by popping open the control pod and spraying WD40 or some silicone lubricant on the volume pot and working it in. It's a little tricky to remove the pod but once you figure it out it slides right off the back of the satellite. Worked like a charm for me.

I wouldnt recommend spraying WD40 on the pot.

I just turned the pot all the way left to right and back a few times.
Problem solved. This only happens on cheap pots mind you.

 

[vwap]

Quote:

Originally posted by Ctn I wouldnt recommend spraying WD40 on the pot. I just turned the pot all the way left to right and back a few times. Problem solved. This only happens on cheap pots mind you.

Hmm.. I'd have to assume there's a pot I can buy from Mouser that's similar, and I can replace it with that?

I was looking in the Mouser catalogs for something that looked the same, with the six prongs and what-not, but I was unsuccessful.. but then, I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for, either

 

[Pepsione1]

You really should swtich out the cables and see the difference for yourself. And please don't get the solderless jacks because they are horrible. I've been using those jacks for 3 years and only today I found out that by soldering them it makes a significant difference. I can hear the bass going much lower with more punch and tighter (speakers for the speakers only). The highs are about the same but now they reveal a heck of a lot more details then before.

 

[Pepsione1]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gopher ls20, I've got some PM4.1s myself and know what you are talking about. I think one of the problems is with the x-over setting, but not that its too low, but that it's ridiculously high where the sub kicks in. I was about to sell them off until I tried that 20 dollar chaintec card, now I see some potetnial. I'll probably buy some 1/8 mono minis and make some new cables with 12awg Radio Shack cable--that might be a nice upgrade from the zip wire they ship 'em with. If that doesn't work, I suppose I'll deal with it. It's nice having sounds in the computer room, but in my case is a very distant 3rd or 4th priority to me audiowise.

I think what I did today fixed part of the crossover problem because there's more (better) bass coming from the speakers now.