Built a new system and installed X-fi card - hooked up my pro-media ultra 5.1s.  Seemed like everything worked, but went to load my games this weekend and I noticed nothing was coming out of  a while sattelites.  I only hear a faint rumble from the sub - nothing out of the front, center, rears.

I reset my sound card, checked my connections, even plugged the speakers into a known working computer and no change...............

I have had these speakers since new,  Does this sound like an amp failure?  

Option-1

Repair of defective parts like Regulatrs on power supply(Heat sink is thin & heat disposal from this is not proper/sufficient) ,  MOSFET on BASH board, transistors on primary board (pre amp board). {in my case regulators were partially damaged & 2 nos transistors on primary board were defective- cost repair was Rs800 = $20 in India, but it took 32 man hours to diagnosis without any circuit diagram }. But design defect,  probably heat disposal / over heating still exists. It may advisable to stop for 30 minutes per every 1 hour play.

Option-2

a)Purchase of  amplifier ONKYO   HT-R340, 6 channel , 100W /channel, 5.1 Amp , ~ $100 (Probably any Amplifier with 6 amplified  channels around 100w to 200 w /channel, i.e. subwoofer amp output (it is not same as Subwoofer line out which is line level)should be there  so that Klipsch subwoofer can be used as Passive subwoofer)

 b) Open  Klipsch Promedia 5.1 Amp back plate called Plate Amp, Remove subwoofer cable connections generally black for -Ve, red for +ve & remove suitable connections(switch to amlifier)  from power on/off switch. now connect the above speaker connections to power on/off switch. now identify & mark power input socket out side which lead shoud be -Ve & +Ve (e.g  from speaker black cable  to on/off switch black cable to power socket, this lead to be marked as -ve, similiarly red cable for +ve). Now   close the back panel.

c) Now use this power cord socket (Amp side) as input to Sub woofer by using split type plug (available in electrical/ computer shops)&  and connect speaker cable +ve & -Ve properly to this plug, as lead is marked above. The other side of cable to be connected to ONKYO amp subwoofer out.  

d) CAUTION: This plug & socket is to be modified  so that 120v/220v can not be given to the subwoofer accidentally.

e)The on/off  switch can be used to on/off subwoofer for knowing how the sound is with / without subwoofer.  

f) Other speakers may be connected to ONKYO front, surround, center etc.

NOTE: any other method of input to subwoofer may be thought but the free volume inside Subwoofer cabinet  should not be changed.

 &

preferable settings for ONKYO Amp are as given below

Speaker Config----Subwoofer-Yes, Double Bass-on  , Crossover 100 Hz etc

Level Cal-------Front/rear +6, Sub +12  

Volume : 20 to 40

OPTION 3

IF only subwoofer is to be used/reclaimed, instead of above 5.1 amp, single channel amp of 200w to 500w may used. If amp is of higher, care may be taken volume to be kept low. (klipsch subwoofer ratings 100w+100w=200w, 2 woofers in series with 6ohms+6 ohms=12 ohms)    

The above is based on my experience / experiments with all 3 options. But in option 3, I have connected the subwoofers in parellel [i.e. 6X6/(6+6) = 3 ohms. Note: This impedence is marked on subwoofer magnet] to Reckhorn A400 (an External Subwoofer amplifier which is 400W rms at 2 ohms), purchased from http://www.diyhifisupply.com/diyhs_speaker.htm, It is having lot of settings which may need more time for achieving best results. ( at presents i am using volume control,& High cut at max of this Sub Amp and  M-Audio Revolution 5.1 sound card for cross over). My subjective feeling is this sound is superior to original Promedia Subwoofer amp.

My decision for External Subwoofer Amp was based on cooling point of view & selection of this Amp is based on solid build quality.  My recommendation is even higher wattage external amplifier (10X of normal listening wattage, as subwoofer needs large dynamic head room ( It is the ability of your amplifier to output power at a significantly higher level for short periods to accommodate musical peaks or extreme sound effects in films/ music ), I recommend 250 W rms to 1000W rms external or enclosed  plate amp (as holes / size may not match, enclosed plate Amp can be kept out side with suitable stand & if it is fully enclosed danger of shock is avoided), but operating strictly below 200w rms.

At Option-2, I have used above inernally parellal connected (i.e. 3 ohm) subwoofer, it was working well with better bass performance, but I am using it at lower volume level 20 to 35 % (out of permitted 67%) as recommended subwoofer with Onkyo HT-R340 Amp is 6 ohm.(No abnoramal temperature is observed). In this case WinDVD 7.0 is not required.