Klipsch Promedia 5.1's - Amp repair

my original v2 400 has a constant hissing noise from the satellites now. Was working great for 22 years until now.

is this usually a capacitor problem?

I removed the amp, and I think I see a slightly bulging 47uf 50v cap, but I'm too uninformed to know if this is what might be causing the issue.

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Hi,
The bulging capacitor should definitely be replaced. I recommend using Panasonic FR replacements. If you had a 4.1 (with the push button switch), I would look for charred adhesive on the bottoms side of the circuit board inside the control pod/preamplifier, which can cause white noise. There are two other 47 uF 50v capacitors in the amplifier panel that are almost certainly degraded, which should also be replaced. I expect you have other degraded components, such as a 2.2 uF electrolytic capacitor, and possibly a zener diode. Other capacitors are also likely degraded, but would not typically cause the hiss your describe (e.g., 63v 470 uF). You can find a kit on ebay with those parts, titled "Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 v.2-400 Parts Upgrade Kit Computer Speakers Repair". (You'll recognize who produces it). If you have not checked the foam surrounds in recent years, pulling the 6.5" grills will let you see if the foam is brittle. You should be able to touch and gently press the foam without it creasing or crumbling. Contact me if you would like info about some matching refoam kits, or having me refoam the speakers for you. Klipsch uses 6 ohm impedance, so you don't want to use 4 ohms, and 8 ohms will decrease the performance. Ebay listing number 332229420536 has photos showing how to remove the grills without destroying them.
I don't know where you can find newer compact systems with the power and clarity of the ProMedia v.2-400/4.1 and 5.1, with their four output MOSFETs per channel. I hope this helps.
Henry
 
Hi,
The bulging capacitor should definitely be replaced. I recommend using Panasonic FR replacements. If you had a 4.1 (with the push button switch), I would look for charred adhesive on the bottoms side of the circuit board inside the control pod/preamplifier, which can cause white noise. There are two other 47 uF 50v capacitors in the amplifier panel that are almost certainly degraded, which should also be replaced. I expect you have other degraded components, such as a 2.2 uF electrolytic capacitor, and possibly a zener diode. Other capacitors are also likely degraded, but would not typically cause the hiss your describe (e.g., 63v 470 uF). You can find a kit on ebay with those parts, titled "Klipsch ProMedia 4.1 v.2-400 Parts Upgrade Kit Computer Speakers Repair". (You'll recognize who produces it). If you have not checked the foam surrounds in recent years, pulling the 6.5" grills will let you see if the foam is brittle. You should be able to touch and gently press the foam without it creasing or crumbling. Contact me if you would like info about some matching refoam kits, or having me refoam the speakers for you. Klipsch uses 6 ohm impedance, so you don't want to use 4 ohms, and 8 ohms will decrease the performance. Ebay listing number 332229420536 has photos showing how to remove the grills without destroying them.
I don't know where you can find newer compact systems with the power and clarity of the ProMedia v.2-400/4.1 and 5.1, with their four output MOSFETs per channel. I hope this helps.
Henry
Henry were you the one that did repairs on my stuff? I'm having an issue to where I think only 2 channels are working. However I'm not sure if it's an actual issue with the internals or the 3.5mm jacks? Is there any tips on how I can find out?
 
Henry were you the one that did repairs on my stuff? I'm having an issue to where I think only 2 channels are working. However I'm not sure if it's an actual issue with the internals or the 3.5mm jacks? Is there any tips on how I can find out?
Hi, I may have done your repair. (Your ID here does not show up in my file, but I may have you stored under your given name). The 3.5 mm cables are responsible for about three out of every four ProMedia 5.1 loss of channel issues such as you describe. About one in five is due to a sound card issue (it happens more than people think), and perhaps one in twenty is due to multiple speakers actually failing (burned coils), or speaker wires not seating well in the speaker output terminals at the back of the subwoofer.
One test to try: At the ProMedia's subwoofer, I would unplug the cable for the channels that still are working, and plug that into one of the other inputs that have not been working. Does the sound then move with the cable to play on the other channels?
The input cables are so prone to oxidation and internal failures that I have not used Klipsch's originals for several years. (For some reason, the 4.1 input cables are better made). Just today I got a roll of professional Hosa 20-gauge microphone cable with excellent shielding and have started to assemble cables with Neutrik (REAN) plugs for the ProMedia systems. If your cables are defective, I can recommend a couple of brands, or can even provide some custom, pro-grade cables.
Whenever I repair a ProMedia 5.1, I apply some DeOxit cleaner to the 3.5mm input jacks. It would not hurt to apply contact cleaner or rubbing alcohol to your input cables' plugs' metal surfaces. It does not take much contamination for a that low voltage connection to be disrupted.
Henry
 
Hi, I may have done your repair. (Your ID here does not show up in my file, but I may have you stored under your given name). The 3.5 mm cables are responsible for about three out of every four ProMedia 5.1 loss of channel issues such as you describe. About one in five is due to a sound card issue (it happens more than people think), and perhaps one in twenty is due to multiple speakers actually failing (burned coils), or speaker wires not seating well in the speaker output terminals at the back of the subwoofer.
One test to try: At the ProMedia's subwoofer, I would unplug the cable for the channels that still are working, and plug that into one of the other inputs that have not been working. Does the sound then move with the cable to play on the other channels?
The input cables are so prone to oxidation and internal failures that I have not used Klipsch's originals for several years. (For some reason, the 4.1 input cables are better made). Just today I got a roll of professional Hosa 20-gauge microphone cable with excellent shielding and have started to assemble cables with Neutrik (REAN) plugs for the ProMedia systems. If your cables are defective, I can recommend a couple of brands, or can even provide some custom, pro-grade cables.
Whenever I repair a ProMedia 5.1, I apply some DeOxit cleaner to the 3.5mm input jacks. It would not hurt to apply contact cleaner or rubbing alcohol to your input cables' plugs' metal surfaces. It does not take much contamination for a that low voltage connection to be disrupted.
Henry
So I have two cables coming from the klipsch main speaker a green and a pink. I've had to resort to the pink cable. I've tried each of my four speakers into the input that works and all 4 work so it's not the speakers. I'm guessing the cable or one of the four channels on the klipsch internal board. Whenever I had the green plugged I'd get strange static sometimes. The test you mentioned to try are your saying to upgrade the thin speaker wires from the channels working to another channel to see what happens? Lmk I'd like to figure out what went out as I was down to 2 speakers now I'm down to 1
 
So I have two cables coming from the klipsch main speaker a green and a pink. I've had to resort to the pink cable. I've tried each of my four speakers into the input that works and all 4 work so it's not the speakers. I'm guessing the cable or one of the four channels on the klipsch internal board. Whenever I had the green plugged I'd get strange static sometimes. The test you mentioned to try are your saying to upgrade the thin speaker wires from the channels working to another channel to see what happens? Lmk I'd like to figure out what went out as I was down to 2 speakers now I'm down to 1
The Klipsch individual amplifier boards fail only very rarely (about one in 500 repairs), and then it is a single board that fails, not a pair. The input cables fail so frequently that I won't reuse them, and the static you describe is consistent with a failing cable or oxidized connectors/mating surfaces. I am not recommending a change in speaker wires for this issue. Monoprice makes decent 3.5 mm trs cables. Hosa makes some very nice cables, e.g., their #HMM-010.
 
The Klipsch individual amplifier boards fail only very rarely (about one in 500 repairs), and then it is a single board that fails, not a pair. The input cables fail so frequently that I won't reuse them, and the static you describe is consistent with a failing cable or oxidized connectors/mating surfaces. I am not recommending a change in speaker wires for this issue. Monoprice makes decent 3.5 mm trs cables. Hosa makes some very nice cables, e.g., their #HMM-010.
Do you recommend replacing the 3.5mm cables? I'm still using the stock ones and things seem okay.
 
Do you recommend replacing the 3.5mm cables? I'm still using the stock ones and things seem okay.
I would not replace cables that are still working fine. However, if you ever do have issues with noise or loss of one or more channels, the first place to look would be the input cables. A bad cable, especially if it is intermittent, can cause many headaches trying to track down the source. The cables can still look new, yet be degraded internally. If a noise is present without any input cables connected to the amplifier panel, then you can rule them out. I just started assembling custom input cables with 20 gauge Hosa CMX microphone cable and gold-plated Neutrik REAN connectors. The cable has excellent, dense, OFC shielding, but it is slow work to assemble. I plan to take plenty of time to use up 700 feet of that cable. Most uses do not need that level of cable, nor gilded plugs.
 
Hey there everyone, I figured I'd start the first Klipsch Promedia Ultra 5.1 discusson of 2023!

I know this is an really thread old post but hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. My beloved 5.1 Ultras have developed this static / hiss / crackling through all satellites regardless if they are plugged into an audio source or not. The static is intermittent, at first it was more noticeable when I turn them on but usually faded within 30 seconds. Now, the static comes and go seemingly at random. The static does not increase or decrease if I change the volume. I have a small space heater in the same room, where if I turn it on it initially eliminates the static. I've had the heater and speakers in the same space for years and never had this issue.

I've had this set since the early 2000's and previously (over 8+ years ago) I have changed both BASH chips and the two 100uf 35v capacitors to remove the constant bass hum.

I pulled apart the amp and hear a very similar static / hiss noise coming from the Digital converter as seen in this youtube video, but can't specifically pinpoint what is making the noise. I don't think it's the BASH chips, as the sound doesn't come from them and wiggling them doesn't do anything:


I also tried taking a closer look at the AC/DC converter and noticed some components that look a bit toasty (attached images).

I tried resoldering everything that looked like it might have come desoldered in my photos, but I don't really see much of an improvement in static (maybe now it has longer periods of non-hiss). Does anyone know which bits of circuitry I should replace here? And if so, is there an easy way to identify what I need to purchase?

If not, I might try to bite the bullet and pay $150+ Shipping for an ebay seller to repair, replace common components, and install a fan kit. Though, I'm not even sure if that is a good idea as it's novel to try to keep these things alive in 2023 as they sound awesome. I've been using these at a 2.1 system for years and there might be brand new and improved systems to spend $150 into.

Thanks in advance!
 

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Hey there everyone, I figured I'd start the first Klipsch Promedia Ultra 5.1 discusson of 2023!

I know this is an really thread old post but hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. My beloved 5.1 Ultras have developed this static / hiss / crackling through all satellites regardless if they are plugged into an audio source or not. The static is intermittent, at first it was more noticeable when I turn them on but usually faded within 30 seconds. Now, the static comes and go seemingly at random. The static does not increase or decrease if I change the volume. I have a small space heater in the same room, where if I turn it on it initially eliminates the static. I've had the heater and speakers in the same space for years and never had this issue.

I've had this set since the early 2000's and previously (over 8+ years ago) I have changed both BASH chips and the two 100uf 35v capacitors to remove the constant bass hum.

I pulled apart the amp and hear a very similar static / hiss noise coming from the Digital converter as seen in this youtube video, but can't specifically pinpoint what is making the noise. I don't think it's the BASH chips, as the sound doesn't come from them and wiggling them doesn't do anything:


I also tried taking a closer look at the AC/DC converter and noticed some components that look a bit toasty:


I tried resoldering everything that looked like it might have come desoldered in my photos, but I don't really see much of an improvement in static (maybe now it has longer periods of non-hiss). Does anyone know which bits of circuitry I should replace here? And if so, is there an easy way to identify what I need to purchase?

If not, I might try to bite the bullet and pay $150+ Shipping for an ebay seller to repair, replace common components, and install a fan kit. Though, I'm not even sure if that is a good idea as it's novel to try to keep these things alive in 2023 as they sound awesome. I've been using these at a 2.1 system for years and there might be brand new and improved systems to spend $150 into.

Thanks in advance!

Hi,
I've repaired the hiss on hundreds of ProMedia 5.1 amplifiers, and once properly repaired and upgraded, it can be solved. The noise could be from a number of places in the AC-DC converter board, or even (not the most likely) the BASH HC1011 board that you replaced on the digital converter board years ago. The original BASH ceramic design can develop problems after less than a decade. Here are the typical causes of the noise you describe: A) failing 22 uF 50v capacitors, near that green plug in your photo. They lose capacitance. Three I replaced earlier today were at 1, 0 and 2 uF. They looked fine. There will be no visual clues to their internal condition. B) failing zener diodes (4) or ceramic capacitors (3) on the daughter board for the AC-DC converter board. Heat will cause the zeners to change performance, and when the ceramic capacitors bake and turn dark brown, they become brittle and can fail (also intermittently). I just replace that entire board with a new one an engineer helped me develop. It has 1/4 watt instead of 1/8 watt resistors, and three power resistors are mounted above and behind the board to stay cooler (especially when a fan is mounted over them). There is also a 1% tolerance resistor there that tends to change value. The last two amplifier panels I repaired over the past few days had that resistor rise from 205,000 ohms to 263,000 ohms--far from tolerance. I have seen the ProMedia 5.1 stop working when that resistor has only risen to about 235,000 ohms. There will be no visual clues to the zener diodes or resistors degrading. C) Hiss can be caused by charring of the circuit board material on the daughter board, especially between the two closest leads of the 470 ohm resistors. The charring causes power to leak through the breakdown into carbon happening in the board material. Eventually (and with humidity) that hiss will lead to a catastrophic failure of resistors and shorting of a nearby power transistor. That is another reason why I replace the daughter boards with new boards that have better material, with resistors not having leads so close together, and a fan so it all stays cooler. D) A white noise can be caused by the ceramic BASH HC1011 board developing intermittent contacts. Some breaks can be inaccessible beneath a bit of epoxy potting material. Those boards fail on nearly 1/2 of the amplifiers I repair now. The same engineer helped me also create new replacements for these boards, avoiding the troublesome ceramic. (The ceramic material is fine when it stays a steady temperature, but when it warms and cools thousands of times, its thermal expansion is different from the epoxy and other materials, and after many years, a single BASH board can have over a dozen weak spots. So the amplifier can likely be repaired with a few inexpensive parts, but it has potential to serve for many years. Replacing the three vulnerable boards, about fourteen other components and installing a Noctua fan to eliminate hot spots (no venting is needed to accomplish that) costs more, but restores original performance and can be enjoyed for many years.

An encouragement when weighing costs to replace with newer: Yes, the Promedia 5.1 design is over 20 years old. How can it compete today? It has superior clarity/accuracy and power. Consumer audio electronics have gone toward portability (wireless) and battery-power efficiency in place of clarity and powerful performance. Amplifiers are placed on a single chip, rather than use expensive, more powerful rows of discrete MOSFETs. (The ProMedia 5.1 has 24 individually mounted MOSFETs in its six channels' output stages). Already in 2012 for the ProMedia 2.1 Klipsch went to using a class D amp on a chip that at its advertised (full) power was anticipating 10% total harmonic distortion. That version has since been replaced, and you can guess if the newer versions returned toward more expensive circuitry. The ProMedia 5.1 from 2001-2008 still brings smiles to many faces, and can serve for many more years. I can help do the work if you prefer, or can provide you with a full kit of new boards and upgraded components that I would always replace. (I am awaiting my 2023 shipment of replacements for BASH boards; I may run out for a couple of weeks in February). If you would not want to keep your ProMedia 5.1 amplifier, I can give you a core value for it--others will be interested once it gets restored.
 
Hi,
I've repaired the hiss on hundreds of ProMedia 5.1 amplifiers, and once properly repaired and upgraded, it can be solved. The noise could be from a number of places in the AC-DC converter board, or even (not the most likely) the BASH HC1011 board that you replaced on the digital converter board years ago. The original BASH ceramic design can develop problems after less than a decade. Here are the typical causes of the noise you describe: A) failing 22 uF 50v capacitors, near that green plug in your photo. They lose capacitance. Three I replaced earlier today were at 1, 0 and 2 uF. They looked fine. There will be no visual clues to their internal condition. B) failing zener diodes (4) or ceramic capacitors (3) on the daughter board for the AC-DC converter board. Heat will cause the zeners to change performance, and when the ceramic capacitors bake and turn dark brown, they become brittle and can fail (also intermittently). I just replace that entire board with a new one an engineer helped me develop. It has 1/4 watt instead of 1/8 watt resistors, and three power resistors are mounted above and behind the board to stay cooler (especially when a fan is mounted over them). There is also a 1% tolerance resistor there that tends to change value. The last two amplifier panels I repaired over the past few days had that resistor rise from 205,000 ohms to 263,000 ohms--far from tolerance. I have seen the ProMedia 5.1 stop working when that resistor has only risen to about 235,000 ohms. There will be no visual clues to the zener diodes or resistors degrading. C) Hiss can be caused by charring of the circuit board material on the daughter board, especially between the two closest leads of the 470 ohm resistors. The charring causes power to leak through the breakdown into carbon happening in the board material. Eventually (and with humidity) that hiss will lead to a catastrophic failure of resistors and shorting of a nearby power transistor. That is another reason why I replace the daughter boards with new boards that have better material, with resistors not having leads so close together, and a fan so it all stays cooler. D) A white noise can be caused by the ceramic BASH HC1011 board developing intermittent contacts. Some breaks can be inaccessible beneath a bit of epoxy potting material. Those boards fail on nearly 1/2 of the amplifiers I repair now. The same engineer helped me also create new replacements for these boards, avoiding the troublesome ceramic. (The ceramic material is fine when it stays a steady temperature, but when it warms and cools thousands of times, its thermal expansion is different from the epoxy and other materials, and after many years, a single BASH board can have over a dozen weak spots. So the amplifier can likely be repaired with a few inexpensive parts, but it has potential to serve for many years. Replacing the three vulnerable boards, about fourteen other components and installing a Noctua fan to eliminate hot spots (no venting is needed to accomplish that) costs more, but restores original performance and can be enjoyed for many years.

An encouragement when weighing costs to replace with newer: Yes, the Promedia 5.1 design is over 20 years old. How can it compete today? It has superior clarity/accuracy and power. Consumer audio electronics have gone toward portability (wireless) and battery-power efficiency in place of clarity and powerful performance. Amplifiers are placed on a single chip, rather than use expensive, more powerful rows of discrete MOSFETs. (The ProMedia 5.1 has 24 individually mounted MOSFETs in its six channels' output stages). Already in 2012 for the ProMedia 2.1 Klipsch went to using a class D amp on a chip that at its advertised (full) power was anticipating 10% total harmonic distortion. That version has since been replaced, and you can guess if the newer versions returned toward more expensive circuitry. The ProMedia 5.1 from 2001-2008 still brings smiles to many faces, and can serve for many more years. I can help do the work if you prefer, or can provide you with a full kit of new boards and upgraded components that I would always replace. (I am awaiting my 2023 shipment of replacements for BASH boards; I may run out for a couple of weeks in February). If you would not want to keep your ProMedia 5.1 amplifier, I can give you a core value for it--others will be interested once it gets restored.
Thank you for the detailed and thoughtful write up! This was is very helpful. I'd like to start at replacing the three 22 uF 50v near the green plug on the AC-DC converter board. I'm not exactly sure which zener diodes or ceramic capacitors I'd need to buy, so a kit / replacement board sure would be helpful. I can desolder and solder, but I'm far from an electrician and would need to read-up on how to identify what components need replacing where.

I perused your ebay store and it's awesome you supply new reengineered daughter and BASH chips. I took a look at the AC-DC Converter daughter board (image attached), and it doesn't appear AS bad as some of the burnt/cracked ones in your listings, but I know it will just get worse and it would be nice to have the parts on hand to replace.

One last question, in the second image in my last post, the board looks browned/burnt directly under the previous picture. Also the resistor above that browned/burnt spot also looks very brown and hard to tell what the color bands are. Is this a problem? Or will replacing the capacitors be enough in this area?

Thanks again!
 

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Does anyone know a legitimate seller for these? I keep trying to buy them and having it not work out
 
Trust in stpeteshepherd!! He will not steer u wrong. He Fixed my klips that are from 2001. They were in hurricane Katrina back in 2005 luckily I put them on a desk and they survived! Not really sure how they did bc the house was full of water and moisture for many weeks just shows how well they were built!! I don't own anything else this old but as he says in the post above it always puts a smile on my face when I turn the music up!!
 
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Trust in stpeteshepherd!! He will not steer u wrong. He Fixed my klips that are from 2001. They were in hurricane Katrina back in 2005 luckily I put them on a desk and they survived! Not really sure how they did bc the house was full of water and moisture for many weeks just shows how well they were built!! I don't own anything this old but as he says in the post above it always puts a smile on my face when I turn the music up!!
stpeteshepherd is the man. I don't even own any Klipsch PC speakers anymore but every time this thread gets resurrected I'm happy to know that people are trying to keep them alive.
 
stpeteshepherd is the man. I don't even own any Klipsch PC speakers anymore but every time this thread gets resurrected I'm happy to know that people are trying to keep them alive.
I know it's so cool to still own something from 2001 that's still bad ass! I'm not the type to throw anything away that can be saved. This was a gift from my parents and they're both gone so I never want to part with it if it can be fixed thanks to Stpeteshepherd!!
 
Still have a dozen pairs of the old / original design Klipsch 2.1s in service (for over 15+ years)
Only repairs have been :
- (1x) replace speaker terminal block (clips fell apart spontaneously)
- (1x) replace control pod (went bad)
- (?x) deoxit treatment on the volume / sub pots
 
Hey all, I just wanted to follow up. A big thanks goes to stpeteshepherd for pinpointing my issue with the capacitors on the AC-CD Converter daughter board, as I did fix my intermittent hissing issue! More details below...

With this kit being close to the cost of a mail-in repair ($130-$150 depending if you go with the kit or repair), you kind of need to weigh your own cost / benefit / abilities with a system this old. I reached out to stpeteshepherd and decided to buy his 5.1 Ultra repair kit with a fan. My reasoning for going this route is: I have a beginner's ability to desolder / solder and have repaired this system before thanks to forum members like yourself sharing information. stpeteshepherd has reengineered 3 components (BASH chips and AC-CD Converter Daughter board) to be cooler and longer lasting which is a godsend for a system this old with faulty parts. I also wanted a kit that had everything I needed to fix my current issue and future issues with this system without guessing, along with instructions. With that in mind, If I knew exactly what to replace, I could have bought some of the components that fixed my specific issue for less than $20, but I will inevitably have to replace/fix something in the future as these systems are prone to breaking due to heat issues.

Something keep in mind that as time goes on: less and less people have these systems and Klipsch Promedia electrical enthusiast may not be selling / repairing these forever, so I figured buying now is an investment in the future of these 501 Ultras 😃.

At first I sought out to do a full repair and replace everything in the kit, so I tackled the two 16v 100 uF and two 35v 100 uF capacitors at the upper right corner of the panel near the pair of small black heat sinks in the picture attached. Years ago I replaced the 35v 100 uF capacitors due to a bass hum, but I decided to replaced these with the new ones in the kit since they were and upgrade / a higher temp rating. Doing so, I accidentally pulled out a copper trace from the board because I didn't fully desolder. Stpteshepherd even warned me of this in the instructions 🤦🏼‍♂️. Re-attaching a trace is currently outside of my electrical wheelhouse, so I thought I ruined my system. I attempted to solder the capacitor back anyways on the top and bottom of the board and it seems to be working fine, but I'm not sure if this is a permanent fix or not.

Due to this FUBAR, I decided to focus on what I believed my main problem was: The AC-DC converter board with the three 22uf 50v capacitors, 2N5551 transistor, and Zener diode on the AC-DC converter board (picture attached). I wanted to focus on this area first as this was the only area where the bottom of the board was charred. After replacing these 5 components and starting the system up again, it stopped buzzing and hissing. Once again, silence! Huzza!

Pro tips: When removing the AC-DC board, use needle nosed pliers to grab the plastic mounts under the board and unscrew the screws holding those in place on the outside of the panel. I tried to press the plastic prongs in, but the plastic is so old the prongs broke off 😑. All in all, if you are having this problem and stumble upon this forum post, doing this repair is pretty easy and even a beginner with a solder sucker and a soldering iron can pull this off.

stpeteshepherd also gave instructions in the kit to replace many more commonly failed components and an internal fan kit to keep everything cool. Since my previous repairs are currently holding up (for now...), I didn't attempt to replace anything else in fear of causing more damage than good. I'm sure something will fail down the road, but I have the parts and instructions to tackle them when they come at me 😃.

It's crazy to think about keeping these nearly 20 year old speakers going, but they still sound great and are fairly simple to repair. I hope this helps someone in the future!
 

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Are the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX Certified Computer Speaker System 149.99 being sold on amazon the same as these older ones we are using? Or has something changed to drastically make them sound worse than the older models? Having issues with mine from 2001 and weighing in my options..They are causing random hissing noises,the sound is sometimes lost in the 2nd speaker that is not the main pod randomly, I can only use 2 speakers at one time, the only way to get decent sound is to have the green jack plugged into the front speaker input of sound card and then the purple plugged into the headphones input of the main pod.
 
Are the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX Certified Computer Speaker System 149.99 being sold on amazon the same as these older ones we are using? Or has something changed to drastically make them sound worse than the older models? Having issues with mine from 2001 and weighing in my options..They are causing random hissing noises,the sound is sometimes lost in the 2nd speaker that is not the main pod randomly, I can only use 2 speakers at one time, the only way to get decent sound is to have the green jack plugged into the front speaker input of sound card and then the purple plugged into the headphones input of the main pod.
Sounds like you would benifit from just cleaning your plugs and sockets with some IPA. If this doesn't solve it then look further. Yes, they are different. Spend some time reading though this thread.
 
The new ones are nowhere near the originals quality. I would look into getting yours repaired if possible.
If they aren't, the new ones can be had from Walmart for $50-$75 pretty regularly. They are decent for the price if you get them on sale. I got mine for $60.
 
The new ones are nowhere near the originals quality. I would look into getting yours repaired if possible.
If they aren't, the new ones can be had from Walmart for $50-$75 pretty regularly. They are decent for the price if you get them on sale. I got mine for $60.
Jeez Amazon is selling the 2.1s for 149! Still trying to figure out if it's my sound card, the main pod, or something on the circuit board..? Have a new sound card coming in to test out if it's the rear channels in the sound card or the klipsch setup not being able to play rear channels. Also have to figure out if repairs are worth the cost vs getting something new?
 
I've got a set of promedia 5.1s that I've been meaning to send to our man stpeteshepard for the last 10 years or so...the only reason I got the 2.1s is because I happened upon a thread here at the forum and figured wth may as well try em out.
I truly miss my 5.1s, there's no comparison between the the two other than cost to repair/replace the 5.1s :(
 
I've got a set of promedia 5.1s that I've been meaning to send to our man stpeteshepard for the last 10 years or so...the only reason I got the 2.1s is because I happened upon a thread here at the forum and figured wth may as well try em out.
I truly miss my 5.1s, there's no comparison between the the two other than cost to repair/replace the 5.1s :(
Yeah I'm hoping stpeteshepard can fix mine as well.. Never know how bad the repairs are and if it's worth the cost!!! I've been using only two satellites for the past 4 years lol. Kinda want T to go back to them all working again
 
As someone who used to have a promedia 5.1 ultra set who got a second one quite a bit of time later, do yourself a favor and go back to the clarity sound was meant to have. I've been mentally kicking myself for ever straying from these. The fidelity is real and oh so good
 
Thank you for the detailed and thoughtful write up! This was is very helpful. I'd like to start at replacing the three 22 uF 50v near the green plug on the AC-DC converter board. I'm not exactly sure which zener diodes or ceramic capacitors I'd need to buy, so a kit / replacement board sure would be helpful. I can desolder and solder, but I'm far from an electrician and would need to read-up on how to identify what components need replacing where.

I perused your ebay store and it's awesome you supply new reengineered daughter and BASH chips. I took a look at the AC-DC Converter daughter board (image attached), and it doesn't appear AS bad as some of the burnt/cracked ones in your listings, but I know it will just get worse and it would be nice to have the parts on hand to replace.

One last question, in the second image in my last post, the board looks browned/burnt directly under the previous picture. Also the resistor above that browned/burnt spot also looks very brown and hard to tell what the color bands are. Is this a problem? Or will replacing the capacitors be enough in this area?

Thanks again!
Hi,
The discoloration under the 2N5551 transistor, 22v zener and two resistors is normal. The heat has caused the transistor and zener diode to become heat-sensitive & intermittent eventually on quite a few of these, but still less than 10% of repairs I see. The 680 ohm and 5110 ohm resistors practically never fail, in spite of the latter resistor having a dark color. I always replace and upgrade the three 22 uF capacitors--they degrade predictably, and always replace the zener diode and transistor--they fail often enough to merit replacing. I mount their replacements above the board to stay cooler and always have a fan moving air past them. I cannot remember having one of them fail after replacement/mounting above the board & cooling.
 
Jeez Amazon is selling the 2.1s for 149! Still trying to figure out if it's my sound card, the main pod, or something on the circuit board..? Have a new sound card coming in to test out if it's the rear channels in the sound card or the klipsch setup not being able to play rear channels. Also have to figure out if repairs are worth the cost vs getting something new?
Just to clarify: you have shared pictures of a 4.1 ProMedia (with purple and green input plugs), but are referring also to the 2.1 and 5.1. All three of these ProMedias are quite different, and the 2.1 itself has gone through more than three significant redesigns. It can be confusing. The 5.1 with its dual 8" speakers has bass performance that the 4.1 (dual 6.5" speakers) and 2.1 (single 6.5" speaker) cannot match. There are quite a few other differences, which would take pages to list.
As far as what to do with an old system, if a person has a 4.1 (or its sibling, the v.2-400), it still can produce a power and clarity most people will find worth keeping/repairing. There are components that degrade in the preamplifier pod and amplifier panel that should be replaced after 15-20 years, just to have it work as designed. It is common for components to have lost most or all capacitance, and the system still functions, though we don't realize the gradual degradation.
There is a cost to weigh, but inflation plays tricks on our memories when we recall what was purchased with 2001 or even 2012 dollars, compared to today. For a 2.1 owner, if a person is fortunate to have a first generation 2.1 (recognizable by its rocker switch for power next to the power cord), it can be restored, made more durable, and can surpass in power and clarity what is new today.
 
Hi,
The discoloration under the 2N5551 transistor, 22v zener and two resistors is normal. The heat has caused the transistor and zener diode to become heat-sensitive & intermittent eventually on quite a few of these, but still less than 10% of repairs I see. The 680 ohm and 5110 ohm resistors practically never fail, in spite of the latter resistor having a dark color. I always replace and upgrade the three 22 uF capacitors--they degrade predictably, and always replace the zener diode and transistor--they fail often enough to merit replacing. I mount their replacements above the board to stay cooler and always have a fan moving air past them. I cannot remember having one of them fail after replacement/mounting above the board & cooling.
Thanks for that! It gives me more confidence that the repair will last. Thanks for the parts and keep on being awesome! 😎 In the mean time, I really need to hook back up the 3 other speakers... 🔊🔊🔊🔊🔊
 
Hi all! I recently acquired a PM 5.1 from a guy through Craigslist...I know risky, lol. They seemed trustworthy and very fond of the system but life and interests led to them not really utilizing it anymore, but it is in rather good condition. Though exploring the interwebz for basic information on the system eventually led me to some of the common problems and going down the rabbit hole leading me to forums like this one. I was looking for preventative measures and possible spare parts and such when I zeroed in on this thread.

I took a look inside the box and there looks to be no serious damage... There is the daughterboard with a couple bits that looked like they had thier insulation melted a bit, but that may the extent. Also a little charring/cracking of the glue on some caps, including on the I/O board. Though some of that could have been during manufacturing maybe? There also must have been an assembly mishap with the tacky rubbery red glue oozing and gobbing in and around a sub coil (if that's what the hollow cable coil tubes are). Pictures included.

I'd definitely like to get a refresh on the heart of the system though before it really breaks down. I'm also thinking I might build a nice, properly vented box for the amp components and let the subwoofer box be just a subwoofer box.
 

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This past weekend I got to thoroughly enjoy the PM5.1. After a several hours of both gaming and music listening at modest levels, with a few breaks in between, the box and back panel were HOT!!! Yeah, I'm going to make a properly ventilated cabinet for this system's guts (and run decent speaker wire to the subs via a port I'll build into a replacement back panel for the sub box). The new cabinet when I'm able to build it in hopefully the next couple weeks, will likely sit on top of the sub box.
 
Hello all. I have a 5.1 system that I have had for quite a few years, but for the last 5 or so it has been inactive. The original problem stemmed from the daughter board on the ac-dc convertor board cooking itself. I purchased a kit with replacement parts (and the cooling fan mod) from a gentleman and installed all the daughterboard parts and several transistors, caps and diodes on the secondary side of the board as well. When I got everything back together, it is still blowing 1 amp fuses as soon as I power it on. I have narrowed it down to something on the ac-dc board, but I can't figure out what the issue is. I have removed the daughter board several times and checked for shorts, removed the mosfets on the primary side of the transformers and they test fine. I have pretty much hit a dead end on troubleshooting, so I am hoping someone can give me some advice on what else to check for shorts/issues.
 
Good thread. My Klipsch THX 5.1 amp died this weekend. It's been running stock all these years. Been buzzing for a few weeks. I actually have two of them, but the first died years ago and has been sitting in the box. Sent stpeteshepherd a pm, hopefully can fix them both.
 
Mine that was repaired died within 2 years. I ended up tossing the whole set out because I don't want to bother with this again and again.
 
Mine that was repaired died within 2 years. I ended up tossing the whole set out because I don't want to bother with this again and again.
If anyone does decide to move on from their ProMedia 5.1, please let me know. There continues to be interest in the systems, since the consumer market the past decade has gone away from the power, clarity and compactness that Klipsch combined in the ProMedia 5.1. I can likely find a new owner for a system that a person would otherwise discard, and take advantage of improvements that were not available for ShepsCrook back at the time of his system's repair in September 2017.
Unfortunately until mid 2020, no new, improved replacement boards had yet been developed for the 5.1 ProMedia's two ceramic BASH HC1011 boards and their intermittent tendencies. Also, the daughter board (with its heat issues and a component that changes out of tolerance) could only be rebuilt until mid-2020. Rebuilding worked, but was labor-intensive. Since mid 2020 there are new, improved (non-ceramic) replacements for both boards, and when combined with internal airflow (I prefer Noctua), results have been excellent.
 
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