The Klipsch brand name has been around for a while, and 2021 sees it celebrate its 75th anniversary. It’s doing so with a new line-up of feature rich soundbars.
TV audio has always been an issue since the move from boxy CRTVs to flatscreens, with thinner displays have less space for the audio drivers to produce that big, expansive sound. It’s a role that’s been taken over by soundbars, and Klipsch latest aim to enhance both music and movies with their performance.
The soundbars had been announced as coming to the UK late last year, but now they have firmer dates. As is usual from the US audio brand, the Cinema Sound Bars are crafted from materials such as wood (yes, actual wood), as well as utilising Klipsch’s horn-loaded speaker technology. If you’re looking for a sound system with big bass performance, then each bar comes with big and powerful subwoofers.
Aside from the Cinema 400, the rest of announced soundbars will work with the Klipsch Connect App. The app provides product firmware updates, video set-up guide videos, product registration and more. EQ customisation and a virtual remote control are on their way in August 2021.
Klipsch Cinema 1200 soundbar with Dolby Atmos
- Price: £1,449 / €1,499
- Availability: August
- 5.1.4 channels
- Power: 1200W
- Frequency response: 22-20kHz
- Width: 54-inches / 137cm wide
- 3x 25.4mm soft dome tweeters mated to Tractrix horn speaker, 6x 76.2mm high output oval fiber composite cone woofers, 3x 76.2mm high output Cerametallic cone woofers (height), 3x 76.2mm high output fiber composite cone woofers, 12-inch subwoofer
- 12-inch subwoofer
- Weight: 14.52kg
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, HDMI eARC
The Cinema 1200 Soundbar is the top-of-the-range model, featuring Klipsch’s best-in-class 12-inch wireless subwoofer. At 54-inches wide (translating to 137cm), you’re going to need a big piece of furniture to house this soundbar
With upfiring Atmos front and rear speakers, the Cinema 1200 has a 5.1.4 speaker configuration to deliver width and height to film soundtracks. It can also decode Atmos soundtracks rendered in 7.1.4, too.
There’s support for 8K HDR passthrough (if you’re lucky to have an 8K TV) with Dolby Vision compatibility, and an eARC connection for transmitting high quality audio (such as Atmos) from a compatible TV to the soundbar. Two HDMI inputs are included for plugging external devices into the soundbar.
Wi-Fi connectivity brings Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support, plus there’s Spotify Connect to play music directly from the music service, along with the possibility for adding the soundbar to multi-room systems. The packaged remote senses movement and lights up, with buttons to adjust subwoofer and surround levels, volume, sound modes and inputs.
Klipsch Cinema 800 Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos
- Price: £899 / €999
- Availability: August 2021
- Power: 800W
- 3.1 system
- Frequency response: 28-20kHz
- Width: 48-inches / 121.9cm
- 3x 25.4mm soft dome tweeters mated to Tractrix horn speaker, 4x 76.2mm high output oval fiber composite cone woofers, 10-inch subwoofer
- Weight: 9.98kg
- Connections: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, HDMI ARC, 3’5mm, optical, RCA output
Slightly less wide is the step down Cinema 800 Sound Bar. Measuring at 48-inches wide (121cm) it’s supported by a 10-inch wireless subwoofer.
This soundbar is capable of 3.1 channels, so there are no upfiring speakers for Atmos, but it can decode 7.1.4 Atmos soundtracks.
Like the Cinema 1200 there’s 8K HDR passthrough with Dolby Vision, eARC connectivity, and if you’re interested in adding rear channels, the Cinema 800 can be paired with Surround 3 wireless speakers (£265 / $299) for a 5.1 surround set-up.
Wi-Fi is once again built in, enabling smart features in Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Spotify Connect, as well as making multi-room streaming possible. There’s also room for two HDMI inputs if you want to connect external sources to the soundbar and through the TV.
The packaged remote senses movement and lights up, with buttons to adjust subwoofer and surround levels, volume, sound modes and inputs.
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Klipsch Cinema 600 Sound Bar
- Price: £549 / €599
- Availability: Now
- Power: 400W
- 3.1 system
- Frequency response: 28-20kHz
- Width: 45-inches / 114.3cm
- 3x 25.4mm soft dome tweeters mated to Tractrix horn speaker, 4x 76.2mm high output oval fiber composite cone woofers, 10-inch subwoofer
- Weight: 13.97kg
- Connections: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI ARC, 3’5mm, optical, RCA output
The Cinema 600 Sound Bar is 45-inches in length (around the same as the Sonos Arc) and like the Cinema 800 it has a 10-inch sub and 3.1 channels of sound.
Where it differs is that there is no Dolby Atmos support, simply processing for Dolby Audio. The HDMI eARC is downgraded to ARC, but this soundbar can still be paired with the Surround 3 wireless speakers to fill out the rear channels for a 5.1 system.
The remote lights up when it sense movement, with buttons to adjust subwoofer and surround levels, as well as volume, sound modes and inputs.
Klipsch Cinema 400 Sound Bar
- Price: £379 / $399
- Availability: Now
- Power: 400W
- 2.1 system
- Frequency response: 35-20kHz
- Width: 40-inches / 101.4cm
- 2x 25mm soft dome tweeters mated to Tractrix horn speaker, 2x 76.2mm oval fiber composite cone woofers, 8-inch subwoofer
- Weight: 12.47kg
- Connections: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HDMI ARC, 3’5mm, optical
The entry-level model for this new series is the 40-inch Cinema 400 Sound Bar. It’s a 2.1 system packaged with an 8-inch wireless subwoofer, Dolby Audio decoding, HDMI ARC and Wi-Fi connectivity. There’s no mention of any smarts of digital assistants or Spotify Connect, so expect this to be a more audio-focussed soundbar package.
The remote allows for adjustments to subwoofer levels, volume, sound modes and inputs.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
