The pandemic may have temporarily curtailed Austin's incredible live music scene, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the vital, engaging, right there sound of music in your home, anytime you want. All you need is the right audio system and a set of Klipsch speakers.
Since 1946, Klipsch has been a company that has hewn closely to founder Paul Klipsch's vision of bringing the live sound of the music performance right into your living room. Few speaker brands have been around as long as Klipsch, and few have as engaging a sound signature.
Whether you are looking for superlative sound for music or multichannel surround sound, you cannot go wrong with Klipsch. In this blog, we'll cover Klipsch's highly regarded Reference Premiere series, an affordable line with bold audio quality that punches well above its price. And we'll also review the Klipsch Heritage line, designed primarily for two-channel audio and bringing all of Klipsch's know-how into speakers that sound as beautifully as they are crafted.
SEE ALSO: Klipsch Reference Premiere Speakers: High Performance and High Value
Klipsch Reference Premiere
If you are looking for hi-fi sound that fits your budget, look no further than Reference Premiere. Like all Klipsch speakers, the trademark live sound starts with Klipsch's horn-loaded drivers. The square Tractrix horn coupled to a refined Linear Travel Suspension titanium tweeter impart the high-frequency energy that makes these such lively speakers. The Cerametallic cones provide the midrange and bass response, with woofer sizes varying across the bookshelf and tower models.
Klipsch Reference Premiere is a full line of speakers for either stereo or complete Dolby Atmos multichannel setups. The line includes three bookshelf models, the RP-400M, RP-500M, and RP-600M, all featuring the same tweeter and 4-inch, 5.25-inch, and 6.5-inch Cerametallic woofers, respectively. On the tower side, you can choose from the RP-5000F, RP6000F, and RP-8000F, with dual 5.25-inch, 6.5-inch, and 8-inch woofers and midrange drivers. The line also includes two bipolar surround speakers and the RP-500SA speaker that can be used for Dolby Atmos or surround duties via a built-in frequency switch. The final touches to the line are matching subwoofers in 10, 12, and 15-inch sizes to provide powerful bass for music and movie soundtracks.
How do they sound? The RP-600M bookshelf was Steve Guttenberg's (the Audiophiliac) Speaker of the Year and has been consistently praised by audio reviewers everywhere. Stereophile's Herb Reichert said, "a speaker this inexpensive isn't supposed to be this good. It isn't rational." Not only is the Reference Premiere line lively and engaging, but it is also refined and sophisticated, delivering sound quality for both music and movies comparable with speakers twice their price. And with holiday pricing in effect right now, there's never been a better time to buy.
Klipsch Heritage
The Klipsch Heritage line is the pinnacle of the company's many speaker lines, built to hi-fi standards and incorporating the best of Klipsch's acoustic engineering prowess. Constructed to be heirlooms to pass down to the next generation, they are made in matched pairs, carry a ten-year warranty, and are still hand-built by skilled craftsmen in Klipsch's original Hope, Arkansas factory. With their book-matched luxurious wood veneers, Klipsch Heritage speakers go well with today's modern mid-century and industrial modern-chic furnishings so popular in Austin.
The starting point in the Heritage hierarchy is the Klipsch Heresy: the smallest speaker in the Heritage line. The Heresy can trace its lineage all the way back to 1957 when it was developed as the center channel speaker to complement a pair of Klipschorns, the original Klipsch speaker. The Heresy IV was recently updated with a new crossover network, a refined Tractrix horn, a new compression driver, and Tractrix ports to add more bass response. Austin-based YouTube reviewer and audio writer Andrew Robinson called the new Heresy IV dynamic and "mind-blowing." And this is just the entry point into Klipsch Heritage.
Next up in the Heritage series is the Forte III. Initially introduced in 1985, it quickly became the most popular Klipsch speaker. It was brought back to life in 2017 with modern engineering and traditional Klipsch horn loading design. The Forte III features an unusual design for bass, backing the 12-inch woofer with a large 15-inch rear-mounted passive radiator for full-range sound. The 72-pound Forte III packs a punch and can fill a large room with rich sound, yet takes relatively little power to play loud and clean thanks to Klipsch's focus on high sensitivity speaker designs.
The recently redesigned Cornwall IV, like all Klipsch Heritage models, has an interesting history. Initially introduced in 1959 as a larger counterpart to the Heresy, the Klipsch community was saddened when it was discontinued in 1990. By popular demand, Klipsch brought the Cornwall back in 2006, bigger and better than ever. A 2019 refresh brought a new mid-frequency driver and midrange driver horn that provide better clarity and detail, Tractrix-design ports at the front increased bass extension from the 15-inch woofer, and a new riser lends this large mid-sized tower an elegant, floating appearance. The finishing touch is a new metal grill that is at once classic and modern. According to Steve Guttenberg, the burly, 100-pound Cornwall IV "will make your speakers sound small."
Experience the incomparable sound of Klipsch speakers at A&B TV, where you can audition them for yourself and enjoy special holiday pricing. Our showroom is safely open for business, and we are taking all necessary precautions for health and safety in the current environment. Call us today at (512) 454-4534 for more information, expert advice, and current pricing. We look forward to hearing from you!