Why You Can Trust CNET Klipsch Reference Series speakers offer clean looks and better sound at CES 2022
Klipsch has unveiled a host of new Reference speakers at CES 2022, including a floorstander with an integrated Dolby Atmos speaker.
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At CES 2022, Klipsch has pulled the covers off a brand-new range of Reference speakers that feature updated Tractrix horns and an understated aesthetic.
The line consists of three new floorstanders -- the R-605FA (Atmos), R-600F and R-800F -- and two new bookshelves, the R-50M and R-40M. In addition there are two centers, the R-30C and the R-50C, plus an R-40SA effects speaker and the R-121SW and R-101SW subwoofers.
One of the most striking things about the new loudspeakers is the 1-inch copper-anodized aluminum tweeter, and this sits inside an edge-to-edge Tractrix horn. Klipsch says this design offers a "more accurate sound stage and larger listening area."
The Tractrix horn of the R-605FA.
The loudspeakers also benefit from a new woofer material called Spun-copper Thermoformed Crystalline Polymer, and an improved crossover that the company says delivers better accuracy and transparency.
The three flagship models are as follows:
- The R-605FA floorstander features two 6.5-inch woofers and an integrated, up-firing Atmos driver. The company says it has refined the Atmos connectors and the built-in wire management from previous models.
- The Klipsch Reference R-30C center channel is a wide center channel which features four 3.5-inch IMG woofers plus that 1-inch aluminum tweeter.
- The Klipsch Reference R-121SW subwoofer is an active design that includes a 12-inch driver.
The new R-50M bookshelves boast a cleaner look.
Unlike the copper fasteners of the previous versions, this time they're hidden, which results in a cleaner look. In additio,n the rubber bumpers on the bottom of the speakers have been replaced with cork.
In previous years Klipsch Reference speakers have performed very well, and I look forward to testing the update to the R-51M, which got an 8.1 from me back in 2018.
The new speakers are coming in spring 2022 with pricing yet to be announced. However, I would expect the pricing to be similar to the existing Reference models -- for example, around $1,660 for the R-605FA floorstanders, $500 for the R-30C center and $300 for the R-50M.