3DsoundSurge Reviews: ProMedia 5.1 Review

Official specs
Manufacturer	Klipsch
Suggested Retail Price	US$399 (Note: a 220 volt version is not yet available, current estimate is September 2002)
Number of satellites and subwoofers	4 identical satellites one tonally matched center channel and one subwoofer.
Satellite dimension	Main: 21.6 cm (8.5") H x 10.7 cm (4.2") W x 14.4 cm (5.67") D (including bracket) Center: 10.2 cm (4") H x 21.6 cm (8.5") W x 12.1 cm (4.75") D
Subwoofer dimension	28.6 cm (11.25") (width) X 30.2 cm (11.875") (height) X 38 cm (15") (depth)
Weight	Subwoofer: 25.5 lbs (11.57 kg) Satellites (each) 2.4 lbs (1.09 kg) Center: 2.0 lbs (0.91 kg)
Cables	Satellite cables: 3 meters for the front speakers and 5 meters for the rear speakers. 3 analog stereo channel mini-jack cable (10 feet) control module mini DIN cable (9 feet) Standard AC cord (1.8 m / 6 foot)
Floor stands/Wall mount options	RB-1 Speaker Stands and WB-1 Wall Mount Brackets sold separately by Klipsch
Driver Size	3" midbass fiber-composite cone and 0.75-inch metal polymer dome tweeter in each satellite and center channel dual 8" woofers in the subwoofer
Power output/satellite	60 Watts RMS*
Power output for subwoofer	200 Watts RMS*
Total Power	500 Watts Maximum Burst Power Output*
Maximum Sound Pressure Level	113 dB
THD	< 0.5% THD+N typical
Noise	Not listed
Frequency response	25 Hz to 20 kHz with no +/- dB rating provided
Inputs	6-analog
Input sensitivity for maximum output:	Not listed – (input impedance listed as 10,000 ohms
Headphone output:	Yes – amplified 200 mW max into 300 ohms 450 mW max into 50 ohms
Subwoofer Output:	No
Decoder	No
Stereo to 4 or 5.1 expander	No See Stereo to 4 or 5.1 Expansion Technologies article for more on this area.
Equalizer or effect mode (e.g. Theatre preset)	No
Controls	Wired Control Module has main, center, rear and subwoofer volume controls as well as a digital LED volume and channel level display and an on/off or headphone listening mode switch.

Our Objective Measurements
Measured SPL (loudness)	We found it to be the loudest 5.1 input system tested to date somewhat but not significantly ahead of the MegaWorks 510D reaching between 106 and 108 dB in our two tests. These levels need to be reduced by no more than 2 dB to be mostly distortion free.
Subwoofer exaggeration	The subwoofer has excellent exaggeration range (about 22 dB at 80 dB and 17 dB at 90 dB).
Measured Frequency response	Our measurements of the frequency response of both the subwoofer and satellites are very good. Approximately +/- 5 dB from 127 Hz right through to 20 kHz. Even better, the ProMedia 5.1 satellites deliver +3.7/-3 dB between about 136 Hz and 19.6 kHz The range greater than +3 dB appears to be approximately between 1.2 and 5.7 kHz and again between 9.6 and 13 kHz with the peaks coming at around 2.7 (+3.7) and 11 kHz (+3.5). This is just bit behind the MegaWorks 510D (particularly through the midrange) and Crossfire in terms of the response being within fairly small bracket. Aside from the relatively even overall response what is particularly impressive is the midbass extension of the satellites down to approximately 136 Hz at -3 dB and approximately 127 Hz at �5.5 dB. Off axis (30 degrees): midrange response was quite stable where as at 30 degrees off-axis the high frequency response had rolled of fairly sharply beyond 8.7 kHz. Beyond that the measured roll off was quite significant (noticeable on some instruments like cymbals but in most cases you are unlikely to even notice it). This is somewhat behind the off-axis response of the MegaWorks 510D which is almost as good as on-axis up to about 12-13 kHz.
Our Subjective Impressions
Subjective impression of noise levels	I had no issues with noise until near to the maximum volume and then it was not hiss but a low hum from the center channel. At the same gain settings the ProMedia 51 is just a little less quiet than the Crossfire which is in turn a little behind the MegaWorks 510D.
Subjective impression of sound quality	The most significant difference compared to less expensive systems is the excellent power and depth of the subwoofer. Quality of the subwoofer is also very good, the best of any 4.1 or 5.1 system I have heard. Satellite upper bass extension is above average somewhat ahead of the MegaWorks 510D. Midrange quality is good but not unmatched, even by some less expensive systems. High frequency detail is good if somewhat forward. How a forward soundstage comes across will be a matter of personal preference as it can sometimes resulting in an enhanced sense of detail (something the even those who prefer a more laid back approach for music will often appreciate for games and movies). Compared to the 4.1 competition I found the Crossfire satellite performance was overall smoother than the ProMedia 5.1 satellite performance for the common frequencies covered where as the ProMedia 5.1 has clearly better upper bass performance. The same can be said for Monsoon�s MM2000 while the satellites on Logitech�s Z-560 deliver quality that is in the same general realm as the ProMedia 5.1 with just a little less high frequency definition and upper bass imaging. Subjective comparisons with the MegaWorks 510D currently not available.
Music	Overall smooth clean sound with good transient response, good stereo image thanks to strong upper bass extension and high frequency detail. Can be somewhat forward sound stage. Midrange good but not as smooth as Crossfire or MM2000. The deep and defined subwoofer is a musical strong point.
Games	Game performance is as expected excellent with the good bass extension of the satellites as well as good imaging being two key benefits for better positioning in games. The powerful and good quality of the subwoofer and its good exaggeration ability are two other strong aspect of its gaming performance. Overall a very good gaming performer, the best of the 5.1 systems I have heard and also matches up well even against the best 4.1 systems. Having said that, if gaming is the main use of the system then you will want to carefully consider if you want to spend the extra money for this system over the ProMedia 4.1 or one of the other less costly 4.1 options.
DVD Movies	The good quality, deep bass effects and dynamic range in DVD movies are all handled very well by the ProMedia 5.1, clearly above average. The satellites do an excellent job of positional effects and vocals. The somewhat forward sound stage can enhance the DVD experience. As a big fan of action movies where deep bass and great dynamic range are important I found the ProMedia 5.1 to be the best multimedia system I have heard for movies. (I have not heard the DigiTheatre DTS or MegaWorks 510D). It's worth noting that no decoder is included but Klipsch does sell two different hardware decoders.
Summary	It easily earns our Gold Award and Surge of Approval. While the system is good for music it can be matched or surpassed. It's also great for gaming but even gaming often does not bring out off all the strengths of this system vs the other high end systems. The ProMedia 5.1's greatest strength is for watching movies where its great depth of bass and overall dynamic range shine through.
If you are interested in the ProMedia 5.1 you may also find the following speakers of interest. In case we have done a review we offer a link to it, otherwise we offer a link to the official product page.	Altec Lansing 641 Cambridge SoundWorks MegaWorks 510D Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 Monsoon MM2000 Logitech Z-560 MidiLand S4-8200 v.2 VideoLogic Sirocco Crossfire VideoLogic DigiTheatre DTS More Speaker Reviews Press Releases of Speaker Systems

* For details on Maximum Burst Power Output please check out the detailed review..

We will go into much more detail about the ProMedia 5.1 and how it compares to some of the other top of the line multimedia systems in this review. For those looking for a shorter read, we are offering a condensed version that is about half the length of our typical detailed review.

Klipsch ProMedia 5.1 Detailed Review