And I Almost Bought a Different Set of Speakers!

Yes, it's true; I almost bought another set of PC speakers other than the Klipsch Promedia 2.1. I don't know what I was thinking at the time, but I saved up a week longer and bought these. I haven't thought about the other set I was going buy ever since and for very good reason.

If you have ever been to a Best Buy, you might have seen these speakers sitting in the PC audio section, you may have even tried them out. Sure, they get loud in the store, but it's hard to notice any of their other qualities in such a large, noisy and uncontrollable environment. I had the fortunate experience of hearing them in a smaller environment (a dorm room) and immediately fell in love with the system. What I noticed at the time was a very well controlled subwoofer, tight mid-range and crystal clear highs.

Three years later, a set of these Promedia 2.1 speakers finally adorn my PC desk in my apartment and I've noticed much more about them. The side-firing, 6.5" subwoofer with port on the front is even better controlled than I remember and can get very loud, if you so desire it and remain controlled. Never boomy, never muddy, it is an exceptional sub.

Moving up, the mid-range is suburb. There is hardly a dead spot in the range of frequencies the subwoofer can produce and the range of mid-range frequencies the satellite speakers produce. Every voice, guitar or even a gun sound in a game played over these speakers sounds incredible, unlike so many speakers that short change the mid-range for more bass and over-pronounced highs.

The tweeters (or as Klipsch calls them, the 90° x 40° MicroTractrix® Horns) are also exceptional. As their name implies, they are aimed at a certain point where a sweet spot is created, allowing the best reproduction of high frequencies. This sweet spot allows for a good deal of latitude, so fear not about fiddling with them for hours. High-hat cymbals sound impossibly clear and crisp and even the subtle sound of dust falling in a game is exceptionally defined and takes a presence all its own.

There is nearly no audible hiss at any volume level afflicting this system that seems to affect so many other brands out there.

The hardware of the system is just about perfect, but there is one thing gone awry. The volume and bass control on one of the speakers is good, with long knobs for smooth adjustment and a power LED sits between them. The input comes from this control pod, as well as the control cord which goes to the subwoofer. Each speaker has its own pre-installed stand which is very sturdy, made of metal. The satellite enclosures are made of plastic and the cloth grills are removable. The satellites get power via an 1/8" mono plug from the back of the satellite to bare wires into the back of the subwoofer, so it requires a small bit of soldering knowledge to create your own cables to upgrade the paltry 22-gauge wires the system comes with. The subwoofer also has a fuse, in case some wires get crossed, you won't loose you whole system. All in all, setup is very easy.

However, the biggest problem with this system is the fact that the power switch is located on the back of the subwoofer. I'm not sure what was wrong with the design team when they got to this decision. It could hardly be in a more inconvenient location than on the back of the subwoofer. Faced with this problem I had three decisions to make. 1) Leave it on all the time and let my electricity bill take the brunt of it, 2) Reach under every night and switch it off, or 3) locate my surge protector in a more accessible place and simply unplug it every night. I decided on #3. Less head bumping on the keyboard tray that way.

Aside from that one major problem, the Klipsch Promedia 2.1 system is nothing short of extraordinary and should be a top candidate for anyone who likes good sound (and who doesn't?). Great for music, great for games, great for movies, this system handles anything you thrown at it with ease and finesse in a way no other PC 2.1 system on the market can offer.