The Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 include 2 two-way satellites, one subwoofer with integrated amplifier, a preamplifier control pod that comes attached to one of the satellites which features separate main volume and subwoofer level controls, a headphone jack and an auxiliary input. Each satellite speaker comes with a self-supporting pedestal, but Klipsch also offers accessory upgrades such as telescopic floor stands and adjustable wall brackets through its www.klipsch.com web site.

The system comes with two shielded 8.5" H x 4.2" W x 5.67" D (including bracket) satellites that utilize a sealed elliptical enclosure made of high impact polystyrene. According to Klipsch, the elliptical shaped satellite speakers cabinets are designed to reduces the negative effects of internal standing waves within the enclosure and are similar in shape to the cabinets used in Klipsch’s much more expensive ($899) Quintet Micro Theater system. Each satellite has an acoustically transparent removable cloth grill (that has a plastic grid for support) and sit on short, high quality metal stands that are attached to the base of the cabinet by a screw. The control pod is as noted attached to one of the satellites offering very easy access to all the speaker controls.

The satellites use a 2-way design. A 0.75-inch polymer dome tweeter mated to a Micro-Tractrix horn handles high frequency response. The Tractrix horn shape according to Klipsch allows expanding sound waves to be released, unaltered and uncolored, through the wave-guide with controlled and focused radiation. So what does this mean? High frequency sound tends to be very focused. Dome tweeters will do a better job of dispersing the sound around the room than cone-based tweeters (or single driver systems). By horn mounting a dome tweeter using a horizontal horn Klipsch is working to direct that high frequency energy along the horizontal plain most likely to find your ears. Some have criticized the horn loaded design because it creates speakers that sound too bright. I did find that the high-end response was slightly more pronounced than that offered by the VideoLogic Sirocco Crossfire (4.1 system). This was something that might be a result of the Micro-Tractrix horn on the ProMedia 2.1 but it was not a night and day difference and certainly not something that I would point out as an issue in either case.

The mid/bass driver is a 3-inch long-throw design with an advanced fiber-composite cone and black urethane surround for reliability. Both the tweeter and midrange driver were custom designed by Klipsch for use in the ProMedia multimedia series. According to Klipsch, other than the reworked crossover network between the midrange and tweeter in each satellite, these satellites are identical to what was in the original v.2-400. One thing I noted aside from improved midrange quality is the reworked crossover network has resulted in a bit lower volume for the new satellite compared to the original v.2-400 satellite at identical output settings on the ProMedia 2.1 amplifier. However the maximum usable (clean) volume in the end is unchanged. It's worth noting here that the new ProMedia 4.1 uses the same updated crossover network as the ProMedia 2.1.

The ProMedia 2.1 subwoofer utilizes a bass-reflex (ported) MDF (10 mm thick with a black plastic wrap) enclosure with front flared port and side-firing active 6.5" driver (long-throw design) with a metal grill to protect the cone. Klipsch indicates that the sixth-order bass reflex design allows high acoustic output and low distortion bass response while minimizing driver excursion. As with the satellites the 6.5-inch drivers were custom engineered by Klipsch for the specific purpose of the ProMedia.

The bass-reflex type of enclosure is used to improve the efficiency of the systems ability to produce low frequencies and is a great way to get more bass out of a given sized box. When the port/box combination is properly tuned, low frequency air vibrations within the port are in phase with the cone motion and output is increased (its also worth noting that the sub must also be in phase with the satellites). The deep bass efficiency of a ported system can be 50 to 100 percent greater than a sealed box (acoustic suspension enclosure).

The reason that Klipsch went with a single side-firing driver subwoofer in the 2.1 instead of the dual driver side-firing sub for the 4.1 series is balance. That is they feel that the quad output required a more powerful subwoofer to keep pace with the four satellites where as the 2.1 system is well served by a single driver system.

Amplifier and Power Supply

The subwoofer enclosure as noted houses a 200-watt RMS digital linear hybrid amplifier. For the 200 watts RMS, 35 watts RMS are delivered to each of the 4 satellites with 130 watts RMS going to the subwoofer using a discrete MOSFET power section for high current, maximum dynamic headroom. The digital-linear design means its using a digital power supply matched with class A/B type analog amplifier outputs. Some may question the use of a switching power supply on a performance oriented multimedia system and in response Klipsch has indicated that the digital-linear design is better than the average standard switching power supply when it comes to noise. Specifically they note that the overall design is highly efficient and delivers superior sound quality over conventional switching power supplies.

No THD or S/N numbers are offered by Klipsch but a post from DanF (a moderator in the Klipsch Forum) talking about the original v.2-400 pointed out that "the official [THD] specification is 1%, but that is mostly to ensure that all units will do that. Typically it's much lower (probably .25% or so)". Simple listening tests revealed no noise issues with the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 so we can assume that the S/N numbers are quite good.

The total system is rated to deliver 31Hz- 20kHz with a maximum peak output of 106 dB. Oddly no parameters (e.g. +/- 3 dB) are placed on the systems frequency response and no crossover point between the subwoofer and satellites is given.

In actual testing the ProMedia 2.1 delivers on the 106 dB peak output using a 1 kHz test tone. It also reaches down to 31 Hz but not at a usable level with the subwoofer set to neutral levels. The -5 dB point (from 80 dB @ 100 Hz) is about 42 Hz. The other area of note with the subwoofer is the subwoofer high frequency rolloff is unusually sharp for a multimedia system making it highly unlikely that you will ever localize sound emanating from it.

Klipsch indicates that the satellite crossover is 2-pole @ 120 Hz.. Our testing indicates that the effective point where the satellites start dominate is at about 170 Hz if not a bit earlier. While that is quite good for a multimedia system, it’s not unique. What is particularly noteworthy is the satellite’s strong low frequency extension well beyond the crossover point. Specifically, in near field testing the satellites are getting down to 140 Hz before the -3 dB point and about 120 Hz to - 5 dB point making the transition between the satellites and subwoofer unusually smooth. More comments will follow in the performance sections.

In the near future we will be publishing 'hard' numbers on high frequency but for now I will just say that performance is better than what you will get from a single driver system for high end clarity with relatively smooth on-axis performance right through to 20 kHz!

This is as good a place as any to note that THX certification has nothing to do with any decoding standard like Dolby Digital, DTS etc. Rather it's an optional quality certification process developed by Lucas Films and there are several different standards. The THX multimedia speaker specification covers, sound performance, user interface and construction quality. Performance parameters include bandwidth, frequency balance, front/rear speaker matching, directional characteristics, minimum peak sound pressure level and the system's ability to play up to its rated output level. In addition, ease-of-use is evaluated, including installation, set up and operation. That a system has this THX certification means that it has met or exceed all of the necessary criteria, but because it is an optional standard there will also be systems that could easily meet or exceed the criteria that won't have the certification.

The digital power supply is supposed to be incredibly efficient drawing no more power than a night lamp when the system is idling. Despite this low power draw, this is another area where Klipsch listened to criticism of the original v.2-400 and the ProMedia 2.1 has a master power switch on the rear of the subwoofer, something that the original v.2-400 lacks.

On the rear of the subwoofer enclosure you will also find a standard power cord. There is no external power brick or wall adapter as it is all enclosed in the subwoofer enclosure. Aside from the power you will also find two pairs of standard clip speaker wire connections and a DIN plug for the control module. It's worth noting that compared to the preamps (the original first shipping unit and the new lower gain unit shipping in later units) offered on the original v2-400 system this new preamp offers an enhanced direct path amplifier interface for lower noise, crosstalk distortion, and amplifier compression.

The satellites are connected to the subwoofer by utilizing the bare end of the provided (10 foot) unattached light gauge sections of speaker wire (all four wires are in a single strip that can be pulled apart). The other ends are connected to the back of the ProMedia 2.1 satellites via a pair of attached mono mini-jacks.

The control module has a master volume control that adjusts total system volume (satellites and subwoofer together) and a subwoofer volume control. The control module also has an amplified headphone output (1/8" mini-jack) of excellent quality and an auxiliary-input (1/8" mini-jack) that offers a 6 dB boost to the incoming signal to help with the low-level output of most portables. The input from the auxiliary input is automatically mixed in with the main sound card connection and there is no way to use the ProMedia 2.1 controls to adjust the levels separately.

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