"The RF-63 will rock your world. Dynamics are freewheeling and the bass is huge, yet controlled. There's an effortless quality to the presentation that's hugely appealing."

"The RF-63 also has the rare ability to sound equally satisfying when played softly, at more moderate volumes and way, way up."

"If you crave big speaker sound, look no further. The RF-63 kicks butt..."

"With its cabinet design and two passive drivers, Klipsch gives a perfect coupling to the room."

"... the raw power is truly there ..."

"The subwoofer is also self adjusting with automatic calibration and is very easy to handle. For the tech nerds, you can also attach your PC through the USB and then you have 8 fully parametric operation points!!!"

“One of the Image’s greatest strengths is its ability to convey low-level sonic information in a pure, believable, cohesive way. Harmonics, overtones, and other small details always sound like natural organic extensions of the voices from which they originate. It’s a subtle quality that quickly becomes addictive.”

“Klipsch Images are, hands down, the most comfortable and easy-to-use in-ear headphones we’ve ever tested.”

“The Icons performed admirably with challenging, full-range material like The Song of the Nightingale, producing smooth but exciting big-hall sound with ample slam on big-bass attacks.”

“… the XF-48 delivered clear, punchy sound and plenty of output. They generated enough low-end grunt for satisfying movie sound …”

“Klipsch’s Icon XF-48 is an extremely able, extremely slim, extremely good-looking powered speaker. And it’s priced very fairly if you factor in the sums that would be otherwise spent on an external amp. Fans of serious sound who are unafraid to veer away from the passive-speaker herd—Icon-oclasts, if you will—should absolutely seek out the XF-48 for a listen.”

"Klipsch's new Image and Custom-3 earbuds--are quite light and physically tiny. But their sound is not."

"The Image model is arguably the smallest and lightest high-performance earbud ever made, and its sonic goodness derives in part from its electromechanical simplicity; it's a single-armature (or what speaker folks might call a "full-range, single-driver) design ..."

"One point I can't emphasize strongly enough is that the Images are so small and light, and fit so beautifully, that you all but forget you're wearing them."

"But for the purists, especially those who favor strict accuracy over slightly more forgiving tonal warmth, and who really want to push the high-resolution envelope, Klipsch's Custom-3s are just the ticket."

Review translated from German into English.

The Mild, Wild One

100% dynamic and zero coloration: The Palladium is the boldest project that Klipsch has undertaken in 60 years.

Music requires dynamics; once in a while, it has to be aggressive. The distinctions between loud and soft notes, quiet passages and the overwhelming ones that shut off all other senses—these bring music to life. Without dynamics, music would be as interesting as a ring tone. Most people would, I think, agree. There’s another side to the question, however: how far can you compromise other important criteria in order to maximize dynamics? 

Six Loud Decades

For 60 years, Klipsch has taken a radical position in this discussion. This is how long the legendary Klipschorn has represented the epitome of their principles. Products from the company that Paul Klipsch founded in 1946—on what, previously, was an artillery test area in Hope, Arkansas—should deliver dynamics, dynamics and more dynamics.

The Klipschorn is still being built and is still making rock fans ecstatic, while shocking classical music lovers. However, the horn is now getting support from an equally expensive, highly modernized grandchild; one which combines elementary force with the attributes of an all-rounder. The name: Palladium P-39F. A fleet of smaller models will follow, but it’s up to the flagship to prove that the US-based company not only builds dynamic speakers, but ones that meet all hi-fi criteria at world-class levels. 

High Technology Horn

The Palladium uses horns in the high and middle ranges, just like the classic Klipsch speakers of the 40s and 50s. “Horns?” you say, “Don’t they colorize?" Not if you build them correctly. In the last several years, amazing things have happened to this technology. Unlike Paul Klipsch, who had to develop and fine-tune his first horn through intuition, today’s developers can model extremely efficient finite element simulations. With these simulations, you can see how the magnetic fields react in the drivers; visualize the heat dissipation over the basket, or how the smallest change of geometry affects the frequency response of the throat—without having to build a model chassis. 

This work has lead to a completely new driver set: three 9-inch woofers, with the topmost adding to the midrange. These drivers are made of an aluminum membrane backed with rohacell-ridged foam, which reduces vibration and reinforces. A total of three strategically-placed neodymium magnets per chassis guarantee that the long moving coil follows a fully homogenous path, even by maximum movement (a whopping 18-mm.) By comparison, the horns have to handle microscopic movements which exert a lot of power. The 4.5-inch inverted diaphragm driver has an aluminum phase plug, covering about 80% of its surface. The back builds a pressure chamber in connection with the front of the membrane. On this and the horn (called Tractrix, after the geometric form of its wall curvature), the developers researched and filed to get rid of the last of the dreaded throat resonance. The high-end horn (with 25mm titanium driver) takes over from 3.5-kilohertz range with the same attention to detail. As you can see in the waterfall diagrams provided by the TESTfactory, the Palladium is as tidy as a house after spring cleaning in the high- and mid-ranges--which is sensational for horn construction.

After hearing generations of Klipsch speakers with a tone to which one had to become accustomed, the Palladiums in the Audio listening room were astonishing. The Klipsch played so perfectly that even my colleague Malte Ruhnke, known for his coloration allergy, had to search long and hard through his CD collection to find a recording of a certain baritone, in order to detect a minute flaw.

Power Without Regret

Even old school Klipsch fans will love these speakers. It's not their coloration that make them exciting; it's their fantastic dynamics and the fact that they are so efficient, they can be pushed by any amp this side of single-ended triodes. When you can hear crescendo, modulation and fine passages where there were none before, it means the speaker you're listening to is better than the ones that did not reproduce them. 

Result

Palladium delivers nearly the same dynamics as the Klipschorn and music detail, without "horn problems" --plus, they look much better. The Palladium is an electroacoustic tour-de-force, whose perfection was beyond my expectations. 

"The horn is precisely shaped to allow sound to emanate as efficiently as possible, meaning you won't need a boatload of power to get loud, clean sound—a modest receiver will do the trick."

"... the sound was so realistic that I practically jumped out of my seat."

"... you have a dynamic, high value system that I would heartily recommend to anyone who wants a good home theater sound system but is tight on space or funds."

“One of the biggest selling points of the RoomGroove is its simplicity. I plugged it in and was up and running in a couple of minutes—far and away the record among the wireless products I’ve tested."

"In several weeks of testing, I never noticed any interference or compromises in the sound quality, which was equally good in both the transmitting and receiving speakers."

"In this case, the RoomGroove’s sound was smooth and natural, with more subdued treble than some of the other iPod speakers I’ve tested. And the bass … was tight, clean, and surprisingly palpable without being overly boomy."

"For the price ($350 each), the RoomGroove is a solid all-around performer and one of the best simple multiroom music systems I’ve seen and heard.”

“Klipsch’s full-size RF-83 Home Theater definitely sounds pricey. Its formidable transparency and resolution are a big part of that; you hear subtleties that other speakers gloss over. When I turn up the volume, the sound’s character doesn’t change, and there’s no sense of increasing distortion or strain; the sound simply grows louder.”

“The Reference speakers are all extremely efficient, so they can make a big sound even with a low-powered A/V receiver (50 watts would do in many rooms), and they’ll still accommodate powerhouse amps as well.” 

"The References put the music first. Oh, and even without the sub, the RF-83's low-end slam was superlative—deep, tight, and as nimble as they come."

"...all of my DVDs with the more explosive soundtracks had the exhilarating impact I've heard in the best movie theaters."

"Klipsch obviously designed this system for maximum placement flexibility; the speakers are small enough to be installed in many home entertainment cabinets, built into a wall or simply placed around a TV set. For an Ultra2 system, this is a rare feat."

"From the first moment, the Klipsch system impresses me with its neutrality -- the sound is natural, and neither the bass, midrange or treble really jumps out at you. For example, voices never sound harsh, as they do with a system that emphasizes treble, and they never sound boomy, as they do with a system that emphasizes bass. I hear more detail in dialogue from movie soundtracks than I have ever heard before ..."

"Also, the KS-525 surround speaker produces the most enveloping and detailed surround sound I have ever experienced in my home."

"The subwoofers and the KA-1000 amp produce deep, powerful, intense, frightening bass."

"Overall, the sound quality I hear from DVDs easily surpasses that of the majority of the movie theaters I have visited -- including some of Los Angeles' very best. The Klipsch THX Ultra2 is an extremely well designed, meticulously engineered and thoughtfully executed speaker system. My quest is fulfilled!"

"The Klipsch RF-52 system sounds wonderful—challenging, in some respects, the sound of good systems in the $3,000 to $4,000 price class."

"... the first characteristic that caught my ear was the system's ability to resolve fine sonic details. The Klipsch speakers effortlessly resolve small textural and transient details that get lost in other systems."

"In short, the RF-52 rig served up the sort of sophisticated realism I normally expect only from costly high-end speaker systems."

"... the Klipsch speakers never sounded forced or strained—not even at high volume levels."

"Klipsch's new THX Ultra2 speaker system boldly goes where poseur speakers fear to tread."

"These speakers served up gobs of detail and never veered over to harsh or aggressive."

"The low-frequency assaults seemed to take a palpable, feel-it-in-your-chest percussive quality. The bass articulation and room-energizing powers of the twin 12-inch woofers were extraordinary , and, trust me, "boom" and "muddy" aren't in this ensemble's vocabulary; these powerhouses were always airy and palpably detailed."

"...the THX Ultra2 array unfurled a tremendous sense of depth --frankly, their soundstaging dexterity is the best I've heard from any horn speaker I've auditioned at home."

“I quickly found that the RF-83 is a lot of speaker. It throws a broad, highly detailed soundstage that’s remarkably consistent both horizontally and vertically.”

“The RC-64 is a superb center speaker: There’s little or no timbral shift as you move from left to right on most voices … and its vertical consistency is even better.”

“The RT-12d performed brilliantly in my space, taking its place among the best subs I’ve ever tested.”

Licensed Content
"Klipsch". Sound & Vision November 2006

Credit
© 2006 Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Inc. Originally published in the November 2006 issue of Sound & Vision. Reprinted with permission.

"These speakers could image! Maybe that’s the last thing you expect from a big-box loudspeaker. The soundstage was spacious, the performers precisely placed. Their imaging was excellent – side to side, front to back, up and down.”

“The La Scala II’s real payoff is its high sensitivity. You don’t have to pour money into heroic amplification. You can use a flea-watt amp, if you like. You could even use a headphone amp – I did.”

“The La Scala II really shone when it comes to dynamics – macrodynamic swings in particular, but microdynamics too: those subtle, low-level dynamic shifts.”

“The La Scala II had an effortless, expansive, warm, generous sound …”

"In their basic design, the speakers have changed little from the original incarnation Klipsch introduced more than 50 years ago. And they still hold up today because they rely not on sophisticated electronics but on the shape of the horns that amplify the sound; the cabinets are designed to be placed in the corner of the room, in effect incorporating the walls into the speaker."

"One of the first things to grab me with two-channel music was the immediacy of the system. It was instantly engaging but never in a way that was aggressive or overly forward. This was readily apparent with the CD rendition of The Three Pickers (Rounder), featuring Ricky Skaggs' aggressive mandolin work. This system maintained all of the inherent immediacy of the sound without ever letting the tonal balance get top-heavy."

"The system's immediacy obviously paid dividends with movie soundtracks, particularly with effects-heavy sequences like the artillery duels of chapter 21 from Gods and Generals. There is excellent front-to-back and side-to-side action here, and this system was all too happy to display its agility."

"... the compact speakers produced a fullness of sound and volume normally associated with much larger speakers. The RSX-4 projected an excellent stereo image with warmth and exceptional clarity when playing CDs, while dialogue from DVDs was always well articulated and special effects were especially dynamic."

"Midbass was punchy and accurate and the bass fast and low."

"With sound that is sweet, accurate, bright and punchy, plus adequate power for most small to medium sized rooms, the Klipsch Cinema 8 speaker system is as reference-grade as compact satellite systems get. The elegance of the enclosure along with premium and lively performance makes the Cinema 8 system easy to recommend."

"The bass from these speakers was exceptional for their size and specification; they filled quite a large room effortlessly."

"The highs were crisp and clear, adding to the overall good quality of these speakers."

"They're easy to set up, have a small footprint and offer great performance."

"How the SLX attaches to, works while on, and removes from the bracket is going to have a lot of competing product designers experiencing the ol' palm slap to the forehead, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Positioning the SLXs for optimal performance was easy. After making small adjustments to the amount of toe-in, I got a very clear, focused image with nice dimensions."

"As noticeable as the speaker's directionality was the very convincing center channel effect obtained from just the right and left speakers."

"Regarding the "Tapered Array," I heard clear, open, heavy when necessary, but never boomy vocals, which I believe is a direct result of this design feature."

"This well-executed crossover arrangement provides bass when needed, but does not unnaturally "color" difficult and dynamic dialog with overly bass-heavy voices. True to Klipsch's four design principles, the SLXs did not require the Denon receiver to be cranked on in order to achieve very impressive volume levels without apparent strain, and, most notably, with less compression than many other speakers using small drivers and limited cabinet space."

“These are really powerful speakers. Their force is breathtaking. We found ourselves caught up in an orgy of decibels.”

“Most sound systems either skip over the defects or make them worse, especially in the higher register. To my astonishment, the Klipsch speakers did neither. They reproduced the recording as is: flat in the flat parts, scratchy in the scratched parts. The sensitivity of the front RF-63’s is phenomenal. No imperfections make it past. Everything is reproduced faithfully – you get the naked truth.” 

“… the Klipsch will hand you an unforgettable experience.”

“Many speakers have a tough time keeping the sounds straight. But with the Klipsch, the natural tone colors stay natural and the artificial ones stay artificial.”

“We were in heaven. Give me more!”

"What initially seemed a mere novelty, a curious artifact of the past, turned out to be a great-sounding speaker system."

"I enjoyed every second I spent with these fascinating speakers."

"The THX Ultra2 is simply amazing in terms of sheer musicalness, its ability to deliver exceptional dynamics and clean, unadulterated detail."

"The Klipsch THX Ultra2 7.1 home theater system gives the consumer the opportunity to reap the benefits of a product built on 60 years of engineering expertise and technological refinement."

"With the THX Ultra2, Klipsch has managed to carry forward decades of home and professional cinema sound experience and bundle it all into one brilliantly executed system." 

"Dollar for dollar, this is arguable one of the best speaker packages on the market."

"The Reference Cinema ensemble has the characteristics of a much larger system -- more like a floor standing monitor. The bass hits hard and tight. The entire system is incredibly efficient from sub to satellite."

"... I was amazed at how the Cinema satellites reproduced even the slightest of details at very low volume levels."

"Overall, the ensemble has a very tall, wide soundstage with an off-axis quality that still delivers pinpoint direction when the material calls for it -- this is a trait of any great speaker and I was delightfully surprised to hear it here."

"The subwoofer provided a solid platform for the entire ensemble and, even when pushed to extreme levels, did not produce port noise or chuffing."

"The bottom line here: Klipsch has clearly planted a flag boasting a shield of audiophile heritage with the release of the Reference Series Cinema 10 speaker ensemble."

“…the Cinema 8 delivers some of the best imaging I’ve ever heard from a sub/sat set and never falters in terms of dialogue clarity and overall intelligibility…”

“You get a tremendous efficiency that translates into powerful dynamics, pinpoint imaging that translates into emotional color, and lean but commendably well-controlled bass that takes the bloat out of action-movie soundtracks.”

“When a manufacturer is willing to break the four-figure taboo to produce a high-achieving sub/sat ensemble – and make no mistake, the Klipsch Cinema 8 is a crew of superior performers – I get up and cheer. These speakers push the envelope to what the $1,000-plus category is capable of. They are now on my short list of high-end compact speakers.”