Klipsch Promedia 5.1's - Amp repair

Just a courtesy heads up: I am still repairing Klipsch's ProMedia 5.1. This thread has not been very active recently, so I get emails asking if I am available.
As others have noted in past years on this thread, my contact email with juno is correct. Not sure if I may post my own email address. (This is my first post on hardforum).
I have used thousands of Nichicon and Panasonic low impedance/ESR electrolytic capacitors for the power supplies with excellent results, but now after a dozen years repairing ProMedia 5.1s, I am exploring the option of using audio grade capacitors from pF through uF sizes.
Henry
 
stpeteshepherd said:
Just a courtesy heads up: I am still repairing Klipsch's ProMedia 5.1. This thread has not been very active recently, so I get emails asking if I am available.
As others have noted in past years on this thread, my contact email with juno is correct. Not sure if I may post my own email address. (This is my first post on hardforum).
I have used thousands of Nichicon and Panasonic low impedance/ESR electrolytic capacitors for the power supplies with excellent results, but now after a dozen years repairing ProMedia 5.1s, I am exploring the option of using audio grade capacitors from pF through uF sizes.
Henry
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Funny thing is. I have a ProMedia set that I've sort of pieced together. And I believe the subwoofer is not outputting to the speakers. The sub works fine for bass though. I might get some cracks from the speakers, but overall... nothing. Would love to get this fixed.
 
There are a few typical causes for the satellite speakers to not work--from as simple as a failing 2N5551 transistor or 22v zener diode, to replacing a ceramic BASH HC1011 module (sometimes it will make noise or be intermittent). I am still brand new to this forum, so I am not yet familiar with how to go about helping you further. You can find my juno email listed by others previously. Not sure if it would look like seeking business to provide it here.
 
stpeteshepherd said:
There are a few typical causes for the satellite speakers to not work--from as simple as a failing 2N5551 transistor or 22v zener diode, to replacing a ceramic BASH HC1011 module (sometimes it will make noise or be intermittent). I am still brand new to this forum, so I am not yet familiar with how to go about helping you further. You can find my juno email listed by others previously. Not sure if it would look like seeking business to provide it here.
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I think I found your juno (Wow so you're the one person still using juno) email. :)
 
nope he's not, i still have a juno as well, i for the life of me cannot find out how to delete that account so i left it alone

anyways, i found henry on this very thread by googling klipsch 5.1 ultra repair and contacted him (did not remember i contacted him a few years ago and forgot i did to ask)
shipped my amp to him, the repairs were extensive and i should have it back next tuesday.
he did notate the "repairs" that elliot-tronics did hahahahah

communication was A+, emails were clear and listed everything he repaired/swapped out.

can't wait to get it back, been probably 5 years + since they last worked. i had them repaired twice and everytime they died again within 6mos-1year.
once by klipsch when they repaired (before sybesma or whatever), and once by elliot. i gave up at that point and shelved them until now.

i'll report back once i'm using them again, and 6+ mos later after extensive use if i can remember to.
 
Henry has mine right now and he's been pretty good with communication. I'm curious where my repair stands.
 
received it back today, fired it up and it's good to have the system working again after years
don't hesitate to work with Henry everyone.
 
Hey guys, first post here. I just ran into a problem with my Promedia 5.1 Ultra's yesterday. I bought these brand new probably in 2003 and have NEVER considered looking into any other speakers for my pc, so if I can get them fixed I'd be very happy. What happened was I was doing some cable management in my office where my pc is, and while playing music through my speakers from my pc, I disconnected the right rear channel, not really thinking, or thinking anything could happen. Well, that did something. Sound is incredibly low and distorted. My left front speaker barely makes any audio. The speaker is good as I tested it on my home theater setup, no issues there.

I took apart the sub, the fuse looked intact and good. Wasn't broken or burned or anything. I didn't see any burned areas anywhere on the boards (though I didn't look TOO crazy close at everything), nor did I smell anything. All the speaker wires are properly connected, as is the connection to my computer. I tried connecting my phone to the control box, same audio issue. Headphones work fine though from the control box.

Here's a link to a video I took last night, I couldn't really turn the sound up as my 2 kids were sleeping. But even at this level, sound should have been clear and loud.


Just for reference, I typically leave the speakers at level 55 and use the windows volume to adjust. When music was playing it was pretty low in windows, but the speakers were set to 55 which is pretty loud for them. Any help is greatly appreciated. I feel it's something with the amp or power supply, which seeing these are a quality speaker system can be fixed. I just put in a help ticket with Klipsch.
 
1 mos check in, repaired 5.1 ultras are working fine w/o any issues :D

i'm not sure if he repairs 2.1's, he may, just shoot henry an email
 
This post is long overdue. I had my Promedia 5.1 Ultra amp repaired by Henry in May of 2015 after finding his info here and reading all the success stories. I had the full work-up done... new BASH modules, the cooling fan and an assortment of other upgrades and preventatives. Henry's work and communication are top rate... let there be no doubt for anyone in need of his services to have him do the job. It took me a little over two years to get things sorted out enough at home and reset my office and set up my Promedias again (yikes, time flies, doesn't it), so I was well out of Henry's warranty period. Not too worry, they sprang right back to life and sound as good or better than they ever have. When my amp gave out, I was very disheartened that nothing else on the market really filled the gap left by the PM Ultras... I am very happy that Henry was able to breathe some new life into my system.

In short... props to Henry for a fine job at a fair price. If I ever need to do this again, there will be zero hesitation to get in touch with Henry again.
 
I'm a long time lurker, but created an account so I could add to this thread to say that Henry is still going strong. I sent him the amp from my Promedia Ultra 5.1. He fixed all the problems, fixed a few other things that were likely to go bad soon, installed the cooling fan, and got it back to me very quickly at a great and fair price.

I've only had it running a few days now, but it sounds amazing. I've had these speakers out of commission for a few years, and had forgotten how amazing they sound. Super glad I got Henry to fix these instead of buying something new.
 
jimharr18 said:
Well, that did something. Sound is incredibly low and distorted. My left front speaker barely makes any audio. The speaker is good as I tested it on my home theater setup, no issues there.
Click to expand...

If you have a bridged amp circuit, touching the two speaker leads together instantly burns your amplifier. I learned that the hard way when installing car amplifiers as a teenager.
So your amp is burned. If it's a cheap one (which I gather it is) just replace it with something better. And be careful not to cross the beams! Haven't you seen Ghostbusters???

Edit: Uh, necropost
 
My 5.1 amp finally just died. With HDMI surround I wonder if promedia is a thing of the past.

Henry sells a fully upgraded amp+ control pod for 299$ and is still going strong on ebay as stpeteshepherd.

Is it worth it to fix this system or invest in a new powered sub and 5.1/7.1 receiver with less wires around my house?
 
My PM 5.1 center channel doesn’t work—there’s an electronic hum coming from the speaker. The volume control module works because when I turn it up the noise/hum gets louder from the center speaker. The center speaker itself also works fine as I tested it on another (working) channel with music playing. I basically use my PM 5.1 as a 4.1 system for which it works fine. When testing the center channel I use MusicBee upmixed to 5.1. It always worked this way until the center channel eventually gave out.

I too was scammed by Elliot-tronics. He replaced several resistors with higher temp ones, and IIRC, a transformer. It worked ok for about 2 months after the repair but then the center channel stopped working. By that time I could no longer locate him on ebay or elsewhere. I subsequently installed a cooling solution specifically made for the PM 5.1 I bought from ebay. As aforementioned, I now use it as a 4.1 system, but games that output to 5.1 (Res Evil Rev 2 for example) lose the audio entirely so I have to set my x-fi to 2.1 mode. Really sucks because I lose a lot of atmosphere in the games as I have the speakers set up nicely in my home office.

Only recently have I sought to repair the unit again. I think this time I’d like to do my own but would like some guidance as to what to look for.

So basically my Qs are:

1. Do any of you know which part(s) I should replace to repair the defective center channel?
2. How does the Logitech Z906 system compare to the PM 5.1?

I really like the sound of the PM 5.1. Years ago I tried the Z5500s and thought they were too bass muddied, with no way to set it to get the great tight bass of the PM 5.1.
 
I would suggest to stop trying to CPR the old equipment and get something else instead. It's a losing battle and the system wasn't exactly high end even when new.
 
Don’t go for the Logitech’s, terrible sound quality. They eq’d The system much like dre beats are for bass, where they just lower treble (which they weren’t good at anyways) and boost low end frequency. The sub was also terrible, by terrible I mean the worst part.
 
Nobody should buy a Logitech audio product. Thats just blasphemous.
 
Hey guys, new to the forums here..
What exactly does the Bash HC1011 chip do?

The reason im asking is because i have the PM 5.1 THX, and i too had problems with the lower chip. (the one that's on the bottom of the board)
I kept messing around with it by moving it a little as previously recommended earlier in this thread, until a few days ago when it "broke" off (too much back and fourth bending).
Funny thing is- they work fine now! all channels and the sub! no more screaching noises or anything.

one thing i HAVE noticed is that the amplifier runs EXTREMELY hot now... feels like you could cook an egg on it hot..
 
B00nie said:
Nobody should buy a Logitech audio product. Thats just blasphemous.
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Strange. I have a set of Logitech Z560's for over 15 years and I bought them used. The original control pod's volume had a static when I would play with the volume. A used replacement pod from fleabay solved that issue. Stilll cranking out till this day.
 
Nebulous said:
Strange. I have a set of Logitech Z560's for over 15 years and I bought them used. The original control pod's volume had a static when I would play with the volume. A used replacement pod from fleabay solved that issue. Stilll cranking out till this day.
Click to expand...

So they continue to produce crappy sound for years. You consider that good? I consider it an unusual punishment.
 
B00nie said:
So they continue to produce crappy sound for years. You consider that good? I consider it an unusual punishment.
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Not really. I enjoy it and sounds just as good now as they did 15 years ago. Hey back then the klippes were quite expensive, so I got these. Beer money and my tunes. Yeah they're not klippies, but I do enjoy them. Sry if that offends you.
 
Nebulous said:
Not really. I enjoy it and sounds just as good now as they did 15 years ago. Hey back then the klippes were quite expensive, so I got these. Beer money and my tunes. Yeah they're not klippies, but I do enjoy them. Sry if that offends you.
Click to expand...

That doesn't offend me, you're free to use any equipment you like. You can consider yourself lucky if you don't have to spend a fortune on audio. For enthusiasts however, that route doesn't exist.
 
My 5.1s just died on me roughly a month ago. They won't turn on anymore. Going to do a quick check and see if it's obviously burnt out. Lasted me a good 15+ years, some of those in and out of storage. Looks like it might be time to send Henry an email :(
 
+1 for henry koch.

you really do need the tools to do this repair. a Weller pk2c+picquik cover most areas but it takes some effort to remove the brackets on some of the pcbs that 'wall off' certain sections.

certainly grateful for this forum post leading me to pastor koch

(side note: who'd a 'thunk' he was a pastor eh? pretty cool when you think about it.)
 
In 2009 I changed my BASH HC1011 http://www.thompdale.com/bash_amplifier/HC1010_HC1011/HC1010_HC1011.htm module for my subs. I bought an extra one in case my sats were going to crackle and hiss. And after a few months I had to replace the other Bash module as well. Everything ok until 2 months ago.


Everything dead no light in the control pod so I checked my fuse and that was blown. Look at the Line-Filter if I saw anything charred. The MOV(metal oxide varistor) looked great,so I put in a new fuse. Turned on the amp and all ok. After two weeks blown my fuse again.

Put in a new one and blow it instantly when turning on the amp. Something was really wrong.


Nothing seems wrong in the line-filter so I looked at the AC/DC converter and saw that the four legs of the RS 606 bridge rectifier http://www.rectron.com/data_sheets/rs601-rs607.pdf were completely charred. Replaced it and my amp is fixed again.


http://thompdale.com/bash_amplifier/5-1/5-1_bash_amp.htm
 
Long and quite old thread, so might not get any help.

My 5.1 system 3.5mm RCA stereo sockets (in back panel of amp which is mounted in base unit) have got progressively worse at making good contact until now now one isn't working at all. I took amp out of case and found these 3.5mm stereo sockets are not accessible without un-soldering and dissasembling amp. I'm in South Devon UK. Does anyone have any suggestions how to repair this?
 
I've been struggling with junking my PM 5.1 sub. I've had it repaired twice, and it failed again two years ago. All my current speakers fulfill my needs nicely, and once you go hi-fi or DIY speakers, the cheap computer satellites are totally sub-par now.

I did see that Henry still has amp repairs on his ebay profile, and now he supposedly has a bash module upgrade and his own power supply daughterboard design. Tempted to get it repaired once more, but I already have a multitude of speakers I don't have a use for already unless I upgraded houses.

Combining the sub with better satellites, such as a nice used Quintet IV or other satellite system, would make for a decent 5.1 PC setup.

Nowadays I just game with superb stereo headphones on a USB DAC/amp. Hard to beat the sound quality.
 
VoodooRufus said:
I've been struggling with junking my PM 5.1 sub. I've had it repaired twice, and it failed again two years ago. All my current speakers fulfill my needs nicely, and once you go hi-fi or DIY speakers, the cheap computer satellites are totally sub-par now.

I did see that Henry still has amp repairs on his ebay profile, and now he supposedly has a bash module upgrade and his own power supply daughterboard design. Tempted to get it repaired once more, but I already have a multitude of speakers I don't have a use for already unless I upgraded houses.

Combining the sub with better satellites, such as a nice used Quintet IV or other satellite system, would make for a decent 5.1 PC setup.

Nowadays I just game with superb stereo headphones on a USB DAC/amp. Hard to beat the sound quality.
Click to expand...

I'm in the same predicament my sub is dying again and dont know what to do .. ive been looking at some bookshelf monitors or should i go 5.1 again .. sigh
 
And I'm another in similar predicament. Amp is still working but 1/8" Stereo RCA sockets are failing. Love their sound but am no in UK so not easy to ship back to USA and get repaired.
 
I'll have to look at my amp to see how hard it would be to change those out, but if you send it in for repair it might be a good spot to upgrade. Maybe even add proper binding posts for the speaker outputs.
 
Does klip still sell the 2.1 version? I still have the original 4.1 that i use daily. I only use 2 satellites as the other 2 are no longer working. I really just need 2 anyways but wondering if they sell these in 2.1 configuration still
 
https://www.klipsch.com/products/klipsch-promedia-2-1-thx-certified-computer-speaker

Supposedly yes. I imagine their reliability is better than the systems of old, but I've read that the sound quality has suffered in the newer versions because of the amp. Then again, they are $100 computer speakers. You can find all sorts of different vintage 2.1 sets on Ebay, too. Word is the ones with the actual power switch on the back are the best.

Personally, I think instead of those one might be better off with some solid 2.0 monitors.
 
VoodooRufus said:
https://www.klipsch.com/products/klipsch-promedia-2-1-thx-certified-computer-speaker

Supposedly yes. I imagine their reliability is better than the systems of old, but I've read that the sound quality has suffered in the newer versions because of the amp. Then again, they are $100 computer speakers. You can find all sorts of different vintage 2.1 sets on Ebay, too. Word is the ones with the actual power switch on the back are the best.

Personally, I think instead of those one might be better off with some solid 2.0 monitors.
Click to expand...
I've heard that as well the newer models suffer in sq compared to the old ones. I still can't believe they are working lol mine are going on 20 yrs almost haha still remember the first time I got them i was blown away
 
Pivo504 said:
I've heard that as well the newer models suffer in sq compared to the old ones. I still can't believe they are working lol mine are going on 20 yrs almost haha still remember the first time I got them i was blown away
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This is why im stuck should i give up on my 5.1 , and get some studio monitors
 
I decided to send my 5.1 amp in and get it troubleshot and upgraded one last time. Going to have Henry replace the BASH boards and the power supply daughterboard with his new designs.

Now if only I could find a good place to sell my Z5500s......
 
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