Klipsch Ultra 5.1s

[MrDigital]

Well I was about to buy the Klipsch 2.1s from Dell for $120 shipped when I decided to take a quick look around to see if any local peeps were selling them... and somehow I lucked out.

I found a dude selling a 1 year old pair of Promedia Ultra 5.1s, with 2 stands (for fronts) and 2 wall mounts + cable (for rears) for all of $130. No shipping, no tax, nada. Just a bit of a drive to the far side of LA. (With gas prices what they are, better make that $170 )

Now, I don't really want 5.1's but it's ridiculous not to pay an extra $10 for them over the 2.1s. My problem is that I have the EMU 0404 and I have to jump through some pretty big conversion hoops to make this work.

I guess I might put them on the second PC up in the loft which has the Intel HD Audio on it.

I'm starting to regret the EMU since getting speakers for it is really getting to be a pain. I can't make up my mind on any 2.1 system. I think I might just live with headphones for now and look at getting some sort of console system or whatever they call home stereos these days. A nice pair of floor speakers should sound better than 2 minis & a sub, yeah? I've been wanting a nice pair of Energy C-9s for awhile now.

I don't really want a big bulky receiver though. Is there a "simple" way to hook up regular stereo speakers to the EMU 0404?

I'm kind of meandering here. Anyhow I would just like to congratulate myself on finding a killer deal.

-MrD

[exocer]

The new panasonic xr55 digital receiver is inexpensive, powerful, and a space saver...If i were trying to avoid those big bulky receivers Id give this unit a serious look...I will never buy a pair of multimedia speakers again after buying my Onkyo tx sr602. The difference for music is night and day.

[SprySpectre]

I agree that the difference between receiver vs desktop speakers is night and day...I can't listen to desktop speakers anymore, it almost hurts. But whether or not you're gonna get a receiver...the adapting wouldn't be that awful. I think you'd only need two 1/4" to 1/8" adapters, and a simple AV to miniplug cable. Probably had for under 10 bucks, however it really just defeats the purpose of owning that E-Mu 0404. It's made for lower end recording and outputing to receivers, simple as that.

[MrDigital]

The new panasonic xr55 digital receiver is inexpensive, powerful, and a space saver...If i were trying to avoid those big bulky receivers Id give this unit a serious look...I will never buy a pair of multimedia speakers again after buying my Onkyo tx sr602. The difference for music is night and day.

The XR55 is 7.1 though, which is overkill for my needs. All I really need is a stereo receiver. Does anyone make those anymore at a decent cost?

That still looks like a pretty big receiver. I guess I could always just invest in a proper home theater receiver for "future-proofing" for the day I actually want a home theater.

-MrD

[MrDigital]

The Klipsch subwoofer is like a house, that's crazy big! Man what a deal I got, unreal.

If anyone hasn't ever checked out craigslist.org before for local deals I'd seriously get on it. I see at least 3-4 amazing deals a week, depending on what you're looking for.

Quite a step up from the Altec Lansing 251's I was using.

-MrD

[talldude]

well, you can use the ultras as a 2.1 setup as well...there's no absolute NEED to plug all the speakers in.

[MrDigital]

Yeah but that's like playing "just the tip". (For anyone who's seen wedding crashers)

Nah, I put em on the loft PC. Unfortunately the sub is too much for this weak apartment. I need to buy one of those sub stands to absorb a lot of the vibrations. It sounds like crap because the bass is too boomy due to vibrating the entire loft area.

I'll get 1 or 2 of these: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SubDude

-MrD

[Remotia]

Get the ultra's but don't worry about the whole 5.1 thing. You can still run them in 2.1 mode and they sound great. Honestly what you should end up doing anyway is throwing away your sats from the Promedia’s and replace them with RSX-3's 4's or 5's. You can just start with a single pair and run your speakers in 2 channel mode with the RSX's. This is a great way to get higher fidelity out of a lower priced system.

[Audio18]

Get the ultra's but don't worry about the whole 5.1 thing. You can still run them in 2.1 mode and they sound great. Honestly what you should end up doing anyway is throwing away your sats from the Promedia’s and replace them with RSX-3's 4's or 5's. You can just start with a single pair and run your speakers in 2 channel mode with the RSX's. This is a great way to get higher fidelity out of a lower priced system.

I agree, that would make a great system.

[Buster Sword]

Neat man
will this reduce or increase the bass from my Ultra on my carpeted room?
I could use more overall deepbass to engulf the room, its uneven and lost in half hte room and very strong near the closet walls and outside the room!

I'll get 1 or 2 of these: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SubDude

-MrD

[I4one]

Yeah but that's like playing "just the tip". (For anyone who's seen wedding crashers)

Nah, I put em on the loft PC. Unfortunately the sub is too much for this weak apartment. I need to buy one of those sub stands to absorb a lot of the vibrations. It sounds like crap because the bass is too boomy due to vibrating the entire loft area.

I'll get 1 or 2 of these: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SubDude

-MrD

got some Egg cartons - and some foam ? MrD ?
I'm not kidding heck spray paint them - much cheaper

also what brand are the RSX-3/4/5 's that;'s being ballied about

I'm not a multimedia spkr liker type guy at all

[LTech221]

got some Egg cartons - and some foam ? MrD ?
I'm not kidding heck spray paint them - much cheaper

also what brand are the RSX-3/4/5 's that;'s being ballied about

I'm not a multimedia spkr liker type guy at all

the RSX Series is also made by Klipsch, a line of compact sattelites for ht/music.

[MrDigital]

Neat man
will this reduce or increase the bass from my Ultra on my carpeted room?
I could use more overall deepbass to engulf the room, its uneven and lost in half hte room and very strong near the closet walls and outside the room!

I have not the slightest idea. I think it's just absorbs the vibrations to give a more "thumpy" bass and less of a "boomy" bass. I've never used them though but they sound like what I needed.

If you need more bass you may want to consider a second sub or something? I think the Klipsch's can use a second sub can't they?

-MrD

[Remotia]

got some Egg cartons - and some foam ? MrD ?
I'm not kidding heck spray paint them - much cheaper

also what brand are the RSX-3/4/5 's that;'s being ballied about

I'm not a multimedia spkr liker type guy at all

High end near field sat from klipsch. I own em all if you have any questions. Because of the simialr frequency response, They work very well right off the promedia amp.



To give you an idea of thier size, The smallest ones (RSX-3) are about an inch taller than promedia sats. The 4's and 5's are of course, noticeably larger. I recommend the 5's if you can afford em.

3 and original pm sat


4 and 5 and ultra sat


3, 4, 5

[MrDigital]

Unfortunate that they are so ugly.

-MrD