Sales of wireless speaker systems are predicted to rise by over 70 per cent by 2016 compared with 2012, and few AV and speaker manufacturers dare ignore such a potentially lucrative sector, especially at the high end.
Klipsch
truly announces itself in this sector with the Stadium music system, which
offers a colossal 400W of amplification in a unit with a footprint not much
bigger than a briefcase. As a premium product, the AUD$2,999 Stadium
unsurprisingly covers all the streaming bases with AirPlay as well as
aptX-quality Bluetooth, plus a raft of digital and analogue inputs. It eschews
a display window, which looks neat but means you depend on using a control app
for status information. Acoustic tech comprises two horn-loaded linear travel
suspension tweeters, aluminium diaphragm midrange drivers with Faraday rings,
which reduce distortion, and dual, horizontally-opposed, long-throw subwoofers
with Tractrix ports. The question is can the Stadium’s generous bass response
blend coherently with its insanely overpowered stereo speakers, especially with
the inherently narrow stereo image?
The
latest addition to Klipsch’s ultra high-end Palladium series is the P37F, which
is the least tall of its premium floorstanders but will set you back AUD$13,598
for a pair. Like its stablemates, the P37F has a distinctive design with
zebra-grain Linia wood veneers that stand out like, well, a zebra in your front
room. The spec includes a Tractrix horn for extended high-frequency response
and a second 90? by 60? acoustically dampened Tractrix horn coupled to the
midrange driver. Three low-frequency drivers employ 7-inch hybrid cone woofers,
powered by a unique three-part neodymium magnet structure with dual stabilizing
rings that reduce nonlinear flux.
Titanium
tweeters with linear travel suspension are also to be found on the mid-range
Reference RF-7 floorstanders, somewhat less ostentatious in appearance than the
Palladium series, and much more affordable at AUD$5,998 a pair. Now in its
fifth generation, Reference II speakers have re-engineered drivers and a new
crossover system, plus of course, Tractrix horn technology, which delivers
Klipsch’s trademark sound of high output from less energy, reduced distortion
and a large soundstage with well-defined imaging.
Panasonic
has just revived Technics and Klipsch has also turned back the clock with its
Cornwall III, a full-range model which saw first active service from 1959 to
1990 and has been reborn with improved drivers but remains faithful
cosmetically to the original. Built by hand, it’s available to order for the
sum of AUD$7,398 per pair.
When
it comes to in-wall speakers aesthetics play a much smaller role and
performance is paramount so Klipsch has secured THX certification for its range
of architectural speakers. With an 8-inch aluminium woofer and 1-inch titanium
dome compression driver mated to a square Tractrix horn, the AUD$1,729
KL-7800-THX should work well with multi-channel movies and music, playing up to
reference levels in rooms of 85m3. Two vertically-stacked Tractrix horn-loaded
tweeters optimise the AUD$1,229 KS-7800-THX for surround sound work. In-ceiling
models in the range comprise the identically priced KL-7502-THX and
KS-7502-THX. They both feature dual 5.25-inch Cerametallic woofers with damping
characteristics that aim to deliver consistent bass response regardless of the
installation or ceiling air space and the KS model doubles up on the high
frequency drivers to deliver a broader soundstage. The price of the KL-7502 and
KS-7502 model is $1,649.
