Big Picture Big Sound

After 65 years in business, Klipsch Audio has learned a few things about building loudspeakers and that expertise has migrated in recent years to the home theater segment. Klipsch's best work still resides within its Heritage loudspeakers; including the venerable Heresy III, and Cornwall III, which are seriously undervalued and extremely engaging loudspeakers, particularly when paired with low-powered tube amplifiers.  But that wasn't the focus at its most recent event with its partners at Dolby Labs. New York City was all about Dolby Atmos in the home and Klipsch's Reference Premiere Atmos-enabled home theater systems are taking a shot at the title.

Big Picture Big Sound has been a big proponent of Dolby Atmos from its initial launch a few years ago in commercial movie theaters; it is clearly a major step forward in surround sound technology, and we applaud Dolby Labs for its calculated approach in trickling down the technology into the home theater market.

Dolby had to contend with the aftermath of a global recession that decimated the housing and home theater markets for many years and we are willing to bet that more than one home theater manufacturer was forced to keep Atmos-enabled products on the shelf awaiting a new surge in consumer spending.

Dolby Labs has also been more aggressive in getting quality movie titles into the marketplace (crazy concept…building up a library of titles before flooding the market with hardware) and our home theater primer on Atmos is a great place to start.

One of the potential drawbacks of any Atmos-enabled home theater is the need to cut multiple holes in your ceiling (that wasn’t really popular when I suggested it at home) to add height channels – unless you are willing to use a loudspeaker with integrated height channels, which reflect sound off the ceiling.

Klipsch have taken the "have a good time living by yourself" card off the table with its Reference Premiere line-up, which consists of three models: the RP-280FA tower loudspeaker ($2,400/pair), RP-140SA Elevation loudspeaker ($499/pair - which users can position on top of their existing front and rear channel loudspeakers), and the brand new RP-450CA center channel loudspeaker ($850.00).

The RP-280FA, are formidable full-range front channel loudspeakers that can handle medium-large home theater rooms without breaking a sweat. They also weigh more than 70 pounds (each) and we would advise bribing a friend to help set them up.

When it comes to system matching, we suggest auditioning the Reference Premiere home theater loudspeakers with electronics that lean to the warmer side of the tonal spectrum; Anthem, Marantz, and even McIntosh if you can swing it.

Klipsch’s matching R-115SW subwoofers will run an additional $899.00/each and help fill out the bottom of this otherwise potent home theater system.

The RP-280FA, and RP-450CA are available in both walnut and black real wood veneers, while the RP-140SA is available in a brushed polymer veneer finish. All three loudspeakers feature removable cloth-woven grilles attached magnetically to the front baffles.

Klipsch’s Reference Premiere home theater loudspeakers feature the brand's proprietary 90°x90° Hybrid Tractrix® Horn technology coupled with Linear Travel Suspension (LTS) titanium tweeters.

Find Out More or Order Now:

• Klipsch Reference Premiere Speakers on Amazon