Klipsch ProMedia Ultra 2.0 Review

I recently found myself on the market for a pair for my computer at work and thought I would share my experiences. After doing significant amounts of research I decided to settle on the Klipsch ProMedia Ultra 2.0 PC Speaker System as they got positive ratings and seemed to have a good bass response even given their lack of an actual subwoofer. I just received them and am quite impressed so far. They are ideal for people short on desk space who are looking for a great sounding set of speakers with no large subwoofer, or listen to music where excessive bass is not needed. Check out after the jump for my full initial impressions.

 

THE SPEAKERS:

The speakers themselves are not quite as portable as the website might lead one to believe but are certainly small. They are only slightly taller than my PowerBook, and no deeper than a standard CD case. I got the black ones (in fact I couldn’t even find any stores with the fabled silver ones in stock) and they look quite professional on my desk. The speakers feature a removable dust grill that can help protect the delicate membranes on the drivers. I chose to remove the grill as the speakers actually look quite nice with the silver and black tones. The main speaker has a green LED the shines (not to brightly thank goodness) when power is connected to the speakers.

The controls for the speakers are well placed and include a knob for total volume as well as to adjust the bass. There is an extra input on the front (ideal for hooking up an MP3 player while the main input in the back is tied into a computer) as well as featuring a headphone output jack on the front for private listening. Plugging in a pair of headphones mutes the Klipsch speakers - a nice touch.

SETTING UP:

These speakers are about as easy to set up as any can be. They have a well designed power cord with its transformer brick being in the middle of the cord with a good meter of cord on each side. This means that the transformer can be used on a strip form factor surge protector without blocking additional outlets, nor need to have the bulky transformer near the speakers where it could cause distortions.

Setting the speakers up is simple: there is an included cable to join the two speakers, and the primary speaker has a main input in the back for plugging into a stereo or computer. The main speaker also has a female plug for the power. The main speaker is the one with the controls for bass and volume and features the secondary input and the headphone jack.

SOUND QUALITY:

What can I say - I’m impressed. Obviously the ProMedia Ultra 2.0 speakers lack a subwoofer so their bass is not as strong as a 2.1 system, but for not having a subwoofer they have a fair amount of kick. The mid range is very clear, and the high end surprisingly clear. For speakers in the sub $100 price range you usually find a much more tinny sound. I listened to some David Bowie, a little bit of Infected Mushroom (one of the greatest electronic groups in recent time), a little classic Madonna, and some classical music (Bach to be specific). The only thing that even slightly lacked was the Infected Mushroom and that was simply because some of the VERY low (20hz range) frequencies dropped out. The vocals on the Bowie and Madonna were clear, and the classical music was very well balanced.

FINAL VERDICT:

I’m impressed as all heck with the ProMedia Ultra 2.0 speakers. For a sub-$100 set of speakers without a subwoofer they are amazing. You can technically get louder setups in the same price range, but certainly not a better sounding set. If you want massive bass I suggest getting a 2.1 system with a dedicated subwoofer, but that takes additional space and is rarely as well balanced with as natural a tone.