Klipsch 5.1 Promedia vs. Logitech Z-5500

F

Florida Doc

Weaksauce
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
92
Do the Logitech speakers sound that much better than the Klipsch setup? Other than the controller, do the Logitech's have better features than the original Klipsch 5.1 speakers?
 
Do you mean the regular 5.1s or the 5.1 Ultras? I rarely hear people say the 5500s sound better than the Ultras.
 
ramuman said:
Do you mean the regular 5.1s or the 5.1 Ultras? I rarely hear people say the 5500s sound better than the Ultras.
Click to expand...

Ok. I was meaning the regular 5.1s. I bought them right when they were first coming out (I think four or five years ago).

Anyways, I went ahead and bought the Z-5500 using the Dell deal posted in hotdeals. I was mainly wondering what to expect.
 
I just upgraded to the 5.1U from the original 5.1 Promedias. I think there is a nice difference in the Ultras and that using the same soundcard. just 2 cents. Ive never had anything but Klipsch.
 
logitech speakers are alright for games, but at times the bass is too out of controll (not good at explaining these things, i'm no audiophile) but they lack a tweeter so their highs aren't as good and their sound isn't as tight as the klipsch

bass isn't just about being there, it has to be controlled or it doesn't sound good. a little late now but I would have gone with the klipsch
 
Topher said:
logitech speakers are alright for games, but at times the bass is too out of controll (not good at explaining these things, i'm no audiophile) but they lack a tweeter so their highs aren't as good and their sound isn't as tight as the klipsch

bass isn't just about being there, it has to be controlled or it doesn't sound good. a little late now but I would have gone with the klipsch
Click to expand...

:eek:

I'm glad I saw this. I'm going to cancel my Z-5500 order. I think I'll just stick with my Klipsch speakers.
 
Topher said:
logitech speakers are alright for games, but at times the bass is too out of controll (not good at explaining these things, i'm no audiophile) but they lack a tweeter so their highs aren't as good and their sound isn't as tight as the klipsch

bass isn't just about being there, it has to be controlled or it doesn't sound good. a little late now but I would have gone with the klipsch
Click to expand...

Yeah I have the Logitech Z640's and they also suffer from a "Bass out of control" problem. I can have it turned down all the way, and I still get the bass going crazy and being very loud.
 
I upgraded from Logitech Z-560 THX 4.1 to Klipsch Promedia Ultras and the difference is AMAZING. Klipsch > Logitech in speakers any day of the week!
 
anything for sound = klipsch, shouldnt even be a comparison w/ logitech. everyone knows klipsch is quality
 
Lazy_Moron said:
Yeah I have the Logitech Z640's and they also suffer from a "Bass out of control" problem. I can have it turned down all the way, and I still get the bass going crazy and being very loud.
Click to expand...

You just have to turn it down via. the Creative control panel. I'm not one of those freaks that thinks that good music = loudest bass possible.
 
Obi_Kwiet said:
You just have to turn it down via. the Creative control panel. I'm not one of those freaks that thinks that good music = loudest bass possible.
Click to expand...

Creative Control Panel? I thought he owned Logitec speakers / software?
 
RailGunRiz said:
Creative Control Panel? I thought he owned Logitec speakers / software?
Click to expand...

I believe he is referring to the sound card drivers. ;)
 
oh yeah and my z-680s hissed but my friend's klipsch ultra promedia 5.1s were dead silent when they weren't playing anything

basically the klipsch just sound a lot cleaner

I had my settings at about 70% bass in the control panel, bass redirection on (takes the bass away from the satalites and puts the lower frequencies all on the sub) and the speakers were set to full bass on the unit through its settings.
 
Topher said:
but they lack a tweeter so their highs aren't as good and their sound isn't as tight as the klipsch

bass isn't just about being there, it has to be controlled or it doesn't sound good. a little late now but I would have gone with the klipsch
Click to expand...
QFT. I REALLY wish Logitech would use tweeters. The sound is WAY too muddy for my liking.

And I agree that their bass needs a little.... control? :p

Maybe non ported is the way to go. :confused:


The absolute only thing that is keeping me from getting the Klipsch's is lack of treble control. Its a dumb thing but I am picky when it comes to treble ;)
 
DaRkF0g said:
QFT. I REALLY wish Logitech would use tweeters. The sound is WAY too muddy for my liking.

And I agree that their bass needs a little.... control? :p

Maybe non ported is the way to go. :confused:


The absolute only thing that is keeping me from getting the Klipsch's is lack of treble control. Its a dumb thing but I am picky when it comes to treble ;)
Click to expand...

I just control the treble from the Creative CP...trust me, there are more than enough highs.
 
Obi_Kwiet said:
You just have to turn it down via. the Creative control panel. I'm not one of those freaks that thinks that good music = loudest bass possible.
Click to expand...

I dont have a creative based card though. Its Realteks 880 audio chipset. More info here:http://www.realtek.com.tw/products/products1-2.aspx?modelid=2004058

And how did you get im one of the freaks that thinks good music = loudest bass possible? I said it suffered from the bass problem, and have my bass down all the way.

If I am able to turn it down through the Realtek Control Panel, what equalizer setting would I have to use?
 
Circuitbreaker8 said:
I just control the treble from the Creative CP...trust me, there are more than enough highs.
Click to expand...
I wish I could take the 5500's for a test run, at home. The samples in store sound like crap :\

Obi_Kwiet said:
You just have to turn it down via. the Creative control panel. I'm not one of those freaks that thinks that good music = loudest bass possible.
Click to expand...
So there are other people in this world that know there are other sounds above 60hZ :D
 
also I believe they had for a while removeable wires for the z-5500s but now they're hard wired into the speakers which is a little noobish imo, people in to sound don't use the crappy cables that logitech ships it with and others that don't switch it I'm sure would like the option

oh and dark, I don't live too far from you :)
 
I had the original Klipsch 5.1 promedias up until this summer. Really, I had no idea how outdated they were till I bought a cheap set of 2.1 z-2300s. Yes, the bass on the z-2300s definitely crushed the klipsch in both tightness and pure volume, but the speakers themselves were also more detailed and crisp. The original 5.1s are just too old.
 
My klipsch 5.1 died after 1 year so im weary to spend that amount of money again for the speakers they make. But hey maybe I just had bad luck dunno
 
Shane said:
My klipsch 5.1 died after 1 year so im weary to spend that amount of money again for the speakers they make. But hey maybe I just had bad luck dunno
Click to expand...


It seems like more Klipsch computer speakers die in a year or two.
 
Topher said:
also I believe they had for a while removeable wires for the z-5500s but now they're hard wired into the speakers which is a little noobish imo, people in to sound don't use the crappy cables that logitech ships it with and others that don't switch it I'm sure would like the option

oh and dark, I don't live too far from you :)
Click to expand...
I dont see one problem with having removable speaker wires. It makes it so you can cut the lenght to what you need. Granted the ones that ship with the speakers dont look too good, a thicker speaker wire really isnt that much more espensive :p

Topher: Sorry to say I have NEVER heard of carlisle. PA is such a large state with so many little towns, I am surprised you have heard of the little town I live in :)
 
DaRkF0g said:
I dont see one problem with having removable speaker wires. It makes it so you can cut the lenght to what you need. Granted the ones that ship with the speakers dont look too good, a thicker speaker wire really isnt that much more espensive :p

Topher: Sorry to say I have NEVER heard of carlisle. PA is such a large state with so many little towns, I am surprised you have heard of the little town I live in :)
Click to expand...
reread my post, I don't like them being hard wired which is another reason not to get the z-5500s

I've heard of where you live so I did a mapquest (but not sure which county you live in as there was more than one)
 
Topher said:
reread my post, I don't like them being hard wired which is another reason not to get the z-5500s

I've heard of where you live so I did a mapquest (but not sure which county you live in as there was more than one)
Click to expand...
Oh I thought the 5500's were not hardwired. I thought they used screw type terminals :confused:

As for my county I live in Bucks County, that makes up all of Doylestown (To my knowledge anyway):)

Wow you are surrounded by alot of farmland :p (Google Earth)
 
lol yeah we are... I remember flying back just the other day from washington and seeing all these neat places then we flew over carlisle and I saw endless farmland :p

the z-5500s used to be removeable, but for whatever reason the switched to hardwired
 
carlisle, pa, where the great jim thorpe went to indian school (king gustav: "you sir, are the greatest athlete in the world" thorpe: "thanks, king"...)...

in addition to the doylestown north of philly, there's one west of harrisburg...

american history/geography lesson over...

on topic... vat, you have anything to back up the "more klipsch speakers die in a year..." comment? i haven't seen anything definitive on that?
 
Does that toxic waste dump in NJ have some adverse effect on your brain that helps give you a good sense of history and direction, ccotenj :p?You seem to know alot about PA! Its a shame you have to live in on of the "crustier" parts of NJ :(

Anyway, I would like to know more about your comment on the klipsch's.

/me patiently waits for logitech to come out with something new. Its been a while (since a release) and prices are dropping so something has to be up with Logitech.
 
nah, just paid attention in school and have driven all over the eastern seaboard... :)

my comment on the klipsch was directed at vat... vat posted that it seemed like "more klipsch die in a year...", and i was wondering if there's anything definitive on that, or was just vat's "observation"... i'm curious, more than anything else... always looking to add to the knowledge base, if indeed there's some basis in fact for vat's comment...
 
ccotenj said:
carlisle, pa, where the great jim thorpe went to indian school (king gustav: "you sir, are the greatest athlete in the world" thorpe: "thanks, king"...)...

in addition to the doylestown north of philly, there's one west of harrisburg...

american history/geography lesson over...

on topic... vat, you have anything to back up the "more klipsch speakers die in a year..." comment? i haven't seen anything definitive on that?
Click to expand...

I don't have time to go search for the information but I researched quite a while and a lot of people's klipsch died within a year for no reason and a lot of people received a DOA.
 
Well, (more on-topic...:p) I have the Z-5500s running on an X-Mystique, and most of what is being said here is true.
The bass?
Crazy. Absolutely overpowering, unless turned right down to about 15-20% of its max. It's can also be very....sloppy, because the container IS ported, and therefore is really designed for volume and efficiency, not for the best sound. I alleviated this somewhat by opening up the box (PITA, by the way) and packing the hole and most of the free space with foam, carpet and Liquid-Nails :D. Sounds a hell of a lot better now, IMO.
The sats?
These are really form over function. They arent separate mids and tweeters, but rather a composite of both, which makes for some awesome sound staging, especially in games and action movies, but unfortunately detracts from their music reproduction quality due to a lack of a decent mid-range driver (noticed a huge amount in "Marilyn Manson-Rock Is Dead"). These, I have entirely replaced with a decent set of JBLs I had from another stereo, which each have 2 separate mid-range drivers and a tweeter. The sound quality goes up a huge amount when you listen to music, and if positioned and set up right, easily match the Logitechs for sound quality and staging.
The amp?
This is pretty much the only thing I really, really like about this kit. The amp is great. Produces 500w RMS at 8ohms. Plenty of power, and if you're game enough to void your warranty and open the box up (PITA, damn you Logitech!!), it has adjustable crossovers, which I changed so that frequencies below 120Hz were sent to the sub, and above was sent to the JBLs. Definitely better than the default settings.
Wiring?
The original set from logitech had hard-wired cabling on the speakers, the new one DOES NOT. Nothing more to say. The wire is mid- to high-quality, but it's only 18-gauge, which is fine for the default satellites, but i got better results by moving to 12-gauge.
Overall, I'd say it's an awesome set for a gamer or small-time movie watcher, crap for audio listeners, and perfect for the people who want to use it as part of a loud speaker system with different sats at a party, as I do now. Just use the optical-in jack on the control centre, and set it to do "Stereo x 4". Plenty of sound, plenty of bass, and it looks damn sexy...!
 
vat said:
It seems like more Klipsch computer speakers die in a year or two.
Click to expand...

The original klipsch promedia 5.1s had a design problem inside all the ones from othe early batches. There was a mis-matched resistor in there that was destined to burn out and fail after a few years. Some failed within warranty, but many did not, and an 80 dollar repair fee+ shipping was needed to fix it. In return some reported receiving the new version's subwoofer, though some did not.

The problem was caught in the later batches but not early enough for many people. I elected not to pay the repair costs. The speakers were old and had served me well enough, but it was time to move on to newer speakers.
 
There was also an issue with a cracked diode in the early versions but that was sorted out later as well. ;)
 
kelbear said:
The original klipsch promedia 5.1s had a design problem inside all the ones from othe early batches. There was a mis-matched resistor in there that was destined to burn out and fail after a few years. Some failed within warranty, but many did not, and an 80 dollar repair fee+ shipping was needed to fix it. In return some reported receiving the new version's subwoofer, though some did not.

The problem was caught in the later batches but not early enough for many people. I elected not to pay the repair costs. The speakers were old and had served me well enough, but it was time to move on to newer speakers.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing they fixed this in the Ultras right?
 
Don't sleep on the Logitechs. They can be had almost $100 cheaper and provide very comprable sound. Yes they don't have tweeters but the sound is crisp and clear for almost any type of music and they kick the crap out of the Klipsch in movies and games. Many people who complain don't have their sets in a proper setup.
 
banGerprawN said:
Well, (more on-topic...:p) I have the Z-5500s running on an X-Mystique, and most of what is being said here is true.
The bass?
Crazy. Absolutely overpowering, unless turned right down to about 15-20% of its max. It's can also be very....sloppy, because the container IS ported, and therefore is really designed for volume and efficiency, not for the best sound. I alleviated this somewhat by opening up the box (PITA, by the way) and packing the hole and most of the free space with foam, carpet and Liquid-Nails :D. Sounds a hell of a lot better now, IMO.
The sats?
These are really form over function. They arent separate mids and tweeters, but rather a composite of both, which makes for some awesome sound staging, especially in games and action movies, but unfortunately detracts from their music reproduction quality due to a lack of a decent mid-range driver (noticed a huge amount in "Marilyn Manson-Rock Is Dead"). These, I have entirely replaced with a decent set of JBLs I had from another stereo, which each have 2 separate mid-range drivers and a tweeter. The sound quality goes up a huge amount when you listen to music, and if positioned and set up right, easily match the Logitechs for sound quality and staging.
The amp?
This is pretty much the only thing I really, really like about this kit. The amp is great. Produces 500w RMS at 8ohms. Plenty of power, and if you're game enough to void your warranty and open the box up (PITA, damn you Logitech!!), it has adjustable crossovers, which I changed so that frequencies below 120Hz were sent to the sub, and above was sent to the JBLs. Definitely better than the default settings.
Wiring?
The original set from logitech had hard-wired cabling on the speakers, the new one DOES NOT. Nothing more to say. The wire is mid- to high-quality, but it's only 18-gauge, which is fine for the default satellites, but i got better results by moving to 12-gauge.
Overall, I'd say it's an awesome set for a gamer or small-time movie watcher, crap for audio listeners, and perfect for the people who want to use it as part of a loud speaker system with different sats at a party, as I do now. Just use the optical-in jack on the control centre, and set it to do "Stereo x 4". Plenty of sound, plenty of bass, and it looks damn sexy...!
Click to expand...


How does a single driver have superior soundstaging compared to one with a dedicated tweeter and midrange?
 
Pinipig523 said:
How does a single driver have superior soundstaging compared to one with a dedicated tweeter and midrange?
Click to expand...
no idea... don't get the rational in that

I never turned my z-680s passed half so I don't really care if the logitechs have 30 more watts than the klipsch if the klipsch sound better (I haven't heard the z-5500s but the ultra promedia 5.1s sounded much better than my z-680s even on a display model)
 
Topher said:
no idea... don't get the rational in that

I never turned my z-680s passed half so I don't really care if the logitechs have 30 more watts than the klipsch if the klipsch sound better (I haven't heard the z-5500s but the ultra promedia 5.1s sounded much better than my z-680s even on a display model)
Click to expand...
Heh I think 500W is WAY too much for most people.
 
Topher said:
logitech speakers are alright for games, but at times the bass is too out of controll (not good at explaining these things, i'm no audiophile) but they lack a tweeter so their highs aren't as good and their sound isn't as tight as the klipsch

bass isn't just about being there, it has to be controlled or it doesn't sound good. a little late now but I would have gone with the klipsch
Click to expand...

This is correct. Klipsch is way better quality.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top