This month’s digital TV transition is prompting many consumers to upgrade their equipment, even if they are not affected by the analog broadcast shutoff. And as they shop for new HDTVs, Klipsch plans to enhance their entertainment experience with dynamic audio from three new, reasonably priced HD home theater systems.
According to Mike Klipsch, Klipsch brand president, consumers need to understand the important role high-performance audio plays in the entertainment experience before spending their entire home theater budget on just a TV. A good rule of thumb is to spend the same amount of money on a surround-sound system as the TV itself.
“While video technology has improved over the years, a TV’s factory-based audio components will never be up to par with a true high-performance speaker system. And the slimmer the set, the more deficient the sound will be, because there’s little room to house decent built-in speakers.”
In fact, because sound is so important, cinema operators spend 50 percent of their budget on audio-”and Klipsch should know because it is the leading speaker supplier for half of all new theaters in North and South America as well as several other countries.
“If someone buys an HDTV and doesn’t have high-definition surround sound to go with it, it’s like buying a Ferrari without the engine or a Learjet without the wings. It’s the audio that drives the action, creates the mood and brings the video content to life,” Klipsch further noted.
With its new, compact and easy to set up HD Theater 1000, HD Theater 500 and HD Theater 300 packages, Klipsch plans to give its listeners the premium high-output, low-distortion sound reproduction the brand is known for-”but at prices that are among the lowest in company history.
“These HD speaker systems are easy on the pocket book,” said Klipsch. “We’ve managed to take our decades of research and development experience to value engineer these products, while staying true to our audiophile heritage. They utilize durable, high-quality components and undergo rigorous testing before leaving the factory. They also use the same state-of-the-art horn-loaded technology that has made Klipsch an industry leader for over 60 years.”
These HD theaters are all 5.1 designs, which means they include five speakers-”left, center and right front channels with two rear surrounds-”and one powered subwoofer.
HD Theater 1000
All five speakers in this system are identical. Each magnetically shielded speaker is a bass-reflex design with a rear port for increased efficiency and mid-bass output. Inside their ABS enclosures rest dual 2.5-inch fiber composite woofers and a MicroTractrix Horn-loaded 0.75-inch aluminum dome tweeter. Finished in high-gloss black, these speakers stand 8.6-inches tall and include ¼-20 inserts for wall mount or stand attachment.
Available in a black pica vinyl finish, the subwoofer is a bass-reflex design with a front-firing slot port. It employs a 10-inch fiber composite driver and digital hybrid subwoofer amplifier, while also featuring traditional volume, crossover and phase controls.
Priced at $899.99 (U.S. MSRP), the HD Theater 1000 will be available for purchase at select mass and specialty retail locations this month.
HD Theater 500
Each main and surround speaker is a sealed enclosure finished in high-gloss piano black with a 2.5-inch IMG woofer and a MicroTractrix Horn-loaded 0.75-inch aluminum dome tweeter inside. The magnetically shielded center channel shares the same attributes, except it employs dual woofers. The speakers come with adjustable wall brackets that provide a 40-degree range of motion and ¼-20 inserts for stand mounting. The center channel includes a cradle base, giving it a 45-degree range of motion. Available in a black pica vinyl finish, the subwoofer is a bass-reflex design with a rear-firing flared port. It employs a down-firing 8-inch driver.
Priced at $599.99 (U.S. MSRP), the HD Theater 500 will be available for purchase at select mass and specialty retail locations in March.
HD Theater 300
Each main and surround speaker is a sealed ABS enclosure finished in high-gloss black with a 2.5-inch IMG woofer and a 0.75-inch MicroTractrix Horn-loaded textile tweeter inside. The center channel shares the same driver attributes except that it is magnetically shielded. The speakers come with adjustable wall brackets that provide a 40-degree range of motion and ¼-20 inserts for stand mounting. The center channel includes a cradle base, giving it a 45-degree range of motion. Available in a black pica vinyl finish, the subwoofer is a bass-reflex design with a rear-firing flared port. It employs a down-firing 6.5-inch driver.
Priced at $399.99 (U.S. MSRP), the HD Theater 300 will be available for purchase at select mass and specialty retail locations in April.
