Logitech Z-2300 vs. Klipsch ProMedia 2.1

[Visitor Q]

I own a set of the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1, they are in my arcade cab but now I am looking at something for my juke setup. Never own any Logitech speakers but I have been reading great things about the Z-2300.

Have any of you compared the two?

Thanks.

ps. Have nothing bad to say about the ProMedia 2.1, just wondering...

[VicBond007]

Klipsch all the way.  The Z-2300 are amazing speakers, but the volume control pod has serious balance issues that Logitech refuses to admit exist.  I've traded in the control pod 5 times and finally gave up.  2 had 3-6 db bias to the left channel, the rest had 3-6db bias to the right.  Yes, at some volume levels, every control pod that I owned would play one channel 4x louder than the other.  Check their own forums if you don't believe me.  I don't know how these models still sell after 3 years of people complaining about how bad they are.  Only reason I can think of is that people go "omg THX speakers for $60 what a deal!" and read the reviews on the net (based on review samples, not off-the-shelf parts) that show how amazing they sound.  Truth is they certainly are amazing sounding speakers, but they will always sound lopsided unless you win the potentiometer lottery and get a working control pod.

The Klipsch set is still easily the best sounding 2.1 PC audio solution today, despite it's age.  Just don't use the in-box speaker wire.  It's way too thin for good sound, but easily replaced on-the-cheap.

[Visitor Q]

Thank you for your post.

Yeah the Klipsch are nice, if I buy another set it will be more or less my 3rd pair of them (I got the 5.1 setup on my upstairs PC). Like I said, I got nothing bad to say really, just nothing to compare them to since it's all I got. 

[VicBond007]

There's only 1 other THX certified 2.1 PC solution that I know of, and that's the Mako by Razer.  However, they're $400 at the cheapest.

The Logitech X-230 is an awesome compromise.  It's been discontinued and replaced by the X-240 (which doesn't sound nearly as good) but you can still find the X-230 anywhere for like, $40US + shipping.  They're a very impressive set, even if you ignore the low price.  Klipsch will sound better, but if these are going in an arcade cab and not a jukebox, you'll probably never know the difference.  I don't trust any of Logitech's other offerings right now since they're all using the same control pod as the Z-2300, which suggests to me that they all might share the same problem    The X-230 volume control is on the left satellite and the sub, so you'll need some other way to change volume if you're putting them in a cab.

[Visitor Q]

2.1 ProMedia is already in my cab, ordering a set for my juke as we speak. They are available directly from their site, a little on the high side. $150 shipped, more than a paid for the set in my cab but I don't feel like dealing with second hand off eBay right now.