Klipsch ProMedia Lumina 2.1 Review

Design

• Professional, black colouring
• Solid build quality
• Fan of the extra connectivity on the speakers

The basic makeup of the ProMedia Lumina 2.1 doesn’t deviate too much from older models, taking the form of a set of small satellite speakers with a subwoofer sat beneath the desk for low-end oomph.

I’m a fan of the satellite speakers with their black colourway and silver accents that give them a professional finish. They’re also compact and easy to place on a desk without feeling like they’re encroaching too much. 

The ProMedia Lumina 2.1’s satellites feature 3-inch mid-range drivers and 1-inch mylar tweeters inside with a custom horn waveguide, and come with no grilles, leaving said drivers exposed, which I’m a fan of. 

The main units also have their own little desktop stands to angle the speakers up towards your ears. I appreciate their inclusion in a more affordable set of desktop speakers – for reference, the desk stands for the KEF LSX II LT cost £140 for the pair and aren’t included and they cost £899.

You’ll also find addressable RGB on the rear of the satellite speakers – controllable within the Klipsch Connect Plus mobile app for Android and iOS, or the Windows-only desktop software – for a touch of flair. It can do things such as cycle through a rainbow of colours, flash specific colours, and react to the music.

On the back of the left satellite speaker is a USB-C port that’s used for charging devices up to 10W. The right speaker houses a 3.5mm jack for passing through stereo sound, plus a button for controlling the RGB effects without the app. The top of the right speaker also houses touch controls for playback and volume control.

The subwoofer is quite narrow and won’t take up much space beneath a desk and features a 6.5-inch mid-bass driver. It’s also ported, and is the main connectivity hub for the entire system, with ports on the rear and a digital dial for bass strength. As it’s digital, it just keeps going, rather than having a hard stop at either end, making it quite difficult to dial in an exact amount of gain.

Connectivity

• Reasonable wired connectivity
• Basic Bluetooth codec support
• Decent mobile app and PC software controls

The ProMedia Lumina 2.1’s subwoofer is the brain of the operation. The speakers themselves connect via these chunky VGA-type locking cables that are fixed to each speaker, rather than a USB-C or a jack.

It makes cable management a bit of a challenge and can be quite unsightly. Nonetheless, it’s quite similar in practice to the SteelSeries Arena 7, so I can understand why Klipsch has gone this way.

As for ports from the subwoofer to external devices, you’ve got the choice of either a USB-C or 3.5mm option, with both in the box with the system. The connectors on the subwoofer’s end are recessed into the unit, making it a little difficult to hook them up the first time, but they worked without a hitch with my gaming PC and a MacBook. This connectivity is largely fine for desktop use, although the SteelSeries option also adds optical in and out.

You’ve just got to make sure the connection is set in the Klipsch Connect Plus app before the device is recognised as an input on the speaker’s side, which then makes it selectable as an output from a PC or laptop. To help denote the connection you’ve selected, there is also an LED on the front of the right speaker. 

For wireless means, there is also Bluetooth, and pairing with my Honor Magic V3 worked without an issue. Codec support is basic with just SBC. More hi-fi focused desktop speakers from Cambridge and Ruark support aptX HD to the party for higher fidelity over Bluetooth, which would have been nice to see here.

The Klipsch Connect Plus mobile app and Windows software handle duties such as connectivity switching, RGB lighting control and a six-band EQ. It also allows you to enable specific modes for movies and games, and a Night Mode that halves the bass output to prevent this system from disturbing those around you.

Sound Quality

• Excellent width to presentation
• Clear mids and treble
• Middling bass performance

The important thing with the ProMedia Lumina 2.1 is how it all sounds, of course – it is a set of speakers after all, and with the Klipsch name I had quite high expectations. In testing them with my phone, gaming PC and a MacBook Air, they met some of my expectations, but not all.

I was immediately impressed with the sense of separation and the precision of the soundstage from the satellite speakers, especially on busier tracks such as Dance of the Illegal Aliens from Brand X and Earth, Wind & Fire’s September. Both are a workout for any set of speakers, and the ProMedia Lumina 2.1 did well in making the sound extend beyond the diminutive size of the satellites.

This also plays well for games, such as when I loaded up Counter-Strike 2 with my gaming PC. Granted, you usually want a headset for the utmost precision for footsteps and distant gunfire, but this Klipsch system did a decent job of accurately positioning enemies in the game’s busy soundscape.

To this end, the ProMedia Lumina 2.1’s satellites handle the mids and treble decently well, with good body and depth to vocals, such as on Gloria Estefan’s Get On Your Feet where it sits back in the mix, or in James Taylor’s October Road where his vocals and a warm acoustic guitar sit right up front, with the ensemble built around it. There’s a nice weight and power to the mid-range that works well for music and games.

As for treble, it too felt clear and quite smooth; the cymbal hits on Steely Dan’s Time Out Of Mind or On The Other Side from The Strokes didn’t feel too jarring, and packed both punch and a surprising amount of detail.

My problem with the ProMedia Lumina 2.1 is the subwoofer. Granted, it provides some decent extension and a tightness to the low end that helps music and games along, but it doesn’t feel like enough.

On tracks such as Riverman from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds or heavier rock from Rush and Marillion, I’d expect more in terms of the weight and power of the bass. It’s a thump, but little more than that – even if you turn the gain up to a higher level than expected, it’s just lacking substance and definition.

Should you buy it?