What is a good upgrade to Klipsch Promedia 2.1 + Sound Blaster E1(static on headphones) ?

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FM 3370

Gawd
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Jun 29, 2002
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I've been using Klipsch Pro Media 2.1 speakers probably since 2004 and love them. I'm on my 3rd set since then and so far I think they're perfect.

Looking through some threads I realize there might be something better out there I can upgrade to. Right now they are connected to a Sound Blaster E1 yet when I plug in my Sennheiser HD 598 CS (love these headphones) I notice a lot of static when I'm at low volume or static. Any recommendations on a good upgrade from the Klipsch Promedia 2.1's? I'm looking for a better 2.1 setup. I'm not a gamer anymore and listen to mainly African music with heavy bass guitar.

I think upgrading to a Sound Blaster E5 may resolve the static issues and would love to have a new 2.1 speaker system to compliment that purchase. I'd like to keep the speaker price $300 or under yet if there is something better that will last me the next 10 years I wouldn't mind investing more.
 
longblock454 said:
I can't offer any upgrade advice, but why the 3rd set, first two fail?
Click to expand...

The first set broke due to the subwoofer connection coming loose after being bumped a few times and I tossed the subwoofer instead of repairing it.
Second set I found at Goodwill for $25 yet the subwoofer speaker had problems at higher volumes(buzzing) so I tossed the subwoofer and kept the two speakers.
My third and current set I also found at Goodwill for about $35 about 5 years ago and they are still in perfect condition. They are the original version of the Promedia 2.1's so I'm in heaven.

Realistically I probably just need to upgrade my Sound Blaster E1 for the static. I have two of them and both are emitting static over headphones.
 
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This has an easy solution: do not plug your headphones into the speakers.

If you're using some trash (or just a corporate headset or somesuch) then the speaker 'extension' for the headphones is probably alright.

But for audiophile grade cans?

You might even be better plugging them into the motherboard headphone output directly!

(if you want to buy something, go get a headphone amp)
 
what IdiotInCharge said.. those Senn's 598CS headphones only have 23ohms impedance, I would assume you're having noise floor issues with the headphone out put on the Klipsch headphone jack... have you tried plugging the headphones into the sound card directly?
 
atarione said:
what IdiotInCharge said.. those Senn's 598CS headphones only have 23ohms impedance, I would assume you're having noise floor issues with the headphone out put on the Klipsch headphone jack... have you tried plugging the headphones into the sound card directly?
Click to expand...


I'm plugging the headphones into the Sound Card (Sound Blaster E1) directly.
 
IdiotInCharge said:
This has an easy solution: do not plug your headphones into the speakers.

If you're using some trash (or just a corporate headset or somesuch) then the speaker 'extension' for the headphones is probably alright.

But for audiophile grade cans?

You might even be better plugging them into the motherboard headphone output directly!

(if you want to buy something, go get a headphone amp)
Click to expand...


I plug the Sennheiser 598 CS directly to the Sound Blaster E1. I haven't tried plugging the headphones into the Klipsch headphone jack since that would add more distance between the headphones and Sound Blaster E1.
 
IdiotInCharge said:
Update drivers, try different USB ports, basic troubleshooting -- failing that, yeah, a new soundcard might be helpful :)
Click to expand...


At this point I realize I'm happy with the speakers. I want to upgrade the E1 but doing research on sound devices is tough. It seems like every audio product $300 or less has problems. I want to get the Sound BlasterX G6 but I don't like that it only has one headphone jack. I was also looking at the Sound Blaster X7 yet according to Amazon reviews it has a lot of problems and $300 is a lot of money for me for a sound device.

Is there something that is just as good as a Sound BlasterX G6 around the same sub $200 price range? I know Schiit has some products so I'm still in research mode.
 
So funny story FM you're in austin?
I do have a pair of these I'll be selling soon, but ya'd need an amp: https://www.klipsch.com/products/r-28f

I'm recently picked up the Sennheiser HD 6XX and schiit asgard 3 with the dac, its phenomenal even upgrading from my HE-35X and HD-598SE.
 
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Spartacus09 said:
So funny story FM you're in austin?
I do have a pair of these I'll be selling soon, but ya'd need an amp: https://www.klipsch.com/products/r-28f

I'm recently picked up the Sennheiser HD 6XX and schiit asgard 3 with the dac, its phenomenal even upgrading from my HE-35X and HD-598SE.
Click to expand...


Round Rock for the moment but I love Austin. What made you choose the Schiit Asgard over other Schiit products? I see that the Asgard + TrueMultiBit DAC is $400. Way over my budget for sound but if it will last me the rest of my life maybe worth it. I generally like to buy hardware and then I'm done obsessing over it. Kinda like the two Durgod K320 Mechanical keyboards I just purchased to replace a broken Logitech Keyboard and the shitty K830 I was also using. Took me about a month to research the keyboard that I wanted. This Audio research kinda sucks because there are so many options. Enough with the whining lol, at least there are a lot of options out there.

I might just pull the trigger on the Sound BlasterX G6 because at $150 is a decent price point for me. I'll miss the two headphone outputs that the E1 has so I may just learn how to live with that.
 
I'm in pflugerville myself, peeps that aren't here know Austin not the individual cities :p.

I chose the Asgard because I needed a better USB DAC+amp than my SMSL M3 (solely for headphones), I went between the various options but for USB paired with the HD 6xx the asgard was a best solution.
I was trying to stay around $500 total for HD6xx + amp/dac.

Modi/magni -
Pro: able to upgrade separately, master of one mindset vs jack of all trades, cheaper if I go with optical
Con: to get USB input vs optical you need to buy the modi multibit though (which is $350 total for the pair)

Asgard 3 w/ak dac -
Pro: One unit to take up desk space, PSU is built in (no dc brick/wall adapters and no power noise), DAC is still upgradable to multibit technically, better specs amp side ~ pushes 600mW at the 300ohm im running at, should I decide to go deeper down the rabbit hole a single unit is easier to resell.
Con: Less upgradable

Jotenheim w/ak dac - Pro: better amp/more power but dont really want to buy $500+ headsets that would benefit from it
Con: $450, wont really use the extras it comes with nor do I want to start getting into the balanced headphone game

I got 2 kids so I don't see myself going much higher in the audiophile realm, but who knows.
 
Spartacus09 said:
nor do I want to start getting into the balanced headphone game
Click to expand...
Shoot, my HD600 are running balanced off that cheap Loxjie tube amp as my work setup... clear and warm!

(I have balanced cables for everything that has a removable cable with four poles, and I've considered modding my DT880s with a balanced mini-XLR like the one my DT177x Go came with...)
 
Thats not bad actually, I might have to consider that for my work setup as well.
 
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