The Klipsch Character: Horn Loaded and High Sensitivity Since 1946
Klipsch has designed and built high sensitivity horn loaded loudspeakers in America since Paul W. Klipsch founded the company in 1946. That heritage still guides every model. The signature is Tractrix horn loading, a carefully shaped horn that couples the driver to the room with remarkable efficiency and control. Paired with Cerametallic or Titanium tweeters, the result is a lively, dynamic, and effortless sound that comes to life the moment you press play.
Because horn loaded designs are so efficient, Klipsch speakers carry very high sensitivity ratings. This is the reason they pair so beautifully with low wattage tube amplifiers. A modest single ended or push pull tube amplifier can drive these speakers to satisfying levels with headroom to spare, and the tube glow flatters the horn presentation. They are equally happy on solid state, so you can build the system that suits your taste. Few brands give you this much freedom in amplifier matching.
Passive Versus Powered: Two Ways to Own Klipsch
Before you choose a model, decide how you want to build your system. This is the single most important distinction in the Klipsch lineup.
Passive Speakers Need an Amplifier
A passive Klipsch speaker, which includes the entire Heritage floorstanding line, the Reference RF-7 III, the Rebellion bookshelf, and the Heritage Theater Bar, needs amplification from an integrated amplifier, a receiver, or separate preamplifier and power amplifier. This is the classic separates approach and it is where the tube amplifier synergy really shines.
Powered Speakers Need Only a Source
A powered Klipsch speaker has amplification built in, so it needs only a source. The powered models, The Fives II, The Sevens II, and The Nines II, include HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, network streaming, and a built in phono stage. Connect a turntable, a television, or a streamer and you have a complete system with no separate amplifier required. This is the simplest path to the Klipsch sound.
The Hand Built Heritage Floorstanders
The Heritage line is hand built in Hope, Arkansas, and represents the purest expression of the Klipsch philosophy. These are all passive speakers that reward a thoughtful amplifier, tube or solid state. Within this range the models step up in cabinet size, bass extension, and scale, so your room should guide the choice.
Heresy IV
The Heresy IV is the compact member of the Heritage family, a three way horn loaded design that sits comfortably in small to medium rooms. Its modest footprint makes it a natural for spaces where a larger cabinet would overwhelm the room, and it delivers the dynamic Heritage character in a form that is easy to place.
Forte IV
The Forte IV adds a rear firing passive radiator and a larger cabinet for greater bass reach and scale. It suits medium rooms where you want more presence and low end weight than the Heresy IV provides while keeping a relatively slim profile.
Cornwall IV
The Cornwall IV is a large, full range Heritage floorstander built for medium to large rooms. Its generous cabinet and horn loaded midrange and treble deliver a big, room filling presentation with the ease that defines the line.
La Scala AL6
The La Scala AL6 brings fully horn loaded bass to the Heritage range in a tall, imposing cabinet. Designed for larger rooms and listeners who want the immediacy of a complete horn system, it is a genuine statement piece with the dynamics to match.
Klipschorn AK7
The Klipschorn AK7 is the legendary corner horn, the only speaker Klipsch has kept in continuous production since 1946. It is designed to load into the corner of your room, using the walls to complete the bass horn. In a large room with solid corners, it produces the effortless scale that made the Klipsch name.
Jubilee, the Flagship
The Jubilee is the flagship of the Heritage line, a horn system with an active DSP crossover and bi-amplification. Because it uses an active crossover, the Jubilee is configured differently from the classic passive Heritage models and pairs with the dedicated Klipsch Heritage Active Crossover, which serves the system by managing the DSP crossover and bi-amp arrangement. This is the choice for a large room and a listener seeking the most ambitious expression of the Klipsch design goal.
Reference and Rebellion: Alternative Passive Choices
RF-7 III
The passive RF-7 III is a high output Reference floorstander with a horn loaded Tractrix design and the high sensitivity that lets it thrive on a wide range of amplification. It is aimed at listeners who want big, dynamic sound for music and home theater in medium to large rooms, and it slots into a system alongside the Heritage models as a different route to the horn loaded experience.
Rebellion Bookshelf
The Rebellion is a Heritage bookshelf speaker for those who want the hand built character in a compact form. As a passive design it needs an amplifier, and it is well suited to smaller rooms, desktop or near field setups, and second systems. For proper positioning at the listening height a horn design likes, pair it with the Klipsch KS-12 Stand, which serves the system by placing the horn on axis with your ears.
Building a Klipsch Home Theater
The passive Klipsch Heritage Theater Bar is a horn loaded left, center, and right soundbar. Being passive, it needs amplification, so it integrates into a home theater built around an AV receiver or processor and power amplifier. It brings the Heritage voicing to the front three channels for a cohesive, dynamic cinema presentation.
Choosing by Room Size
Room size is the clearest guide to a good match. In a small or acoustically busy room, the Heresy IV or the Rebellion on stands keep scale in proportion. In a medium room, the Forte IV and Cornwall IV offer more weight and presence. In a large room, the La Scala AL6, the corner loaded Klipschorn AK7, and the flagship Jubilee deliver the full horn loaded experience. If you prefer the simplest system, the powered The Fives II suits smaller spaces and desktops, The Sevens II steps up for medium rooms, and The Nines II brings the most output for larger spaces, each needing only a source.
Matching an Amplifier to Your Passive Klipsch
Because the passive Klipsch models are so sensitive, you do not need a large amplifier to enjoy them. This opens the door to the low wattage tube amplifiers that many enthusiasts love, where a few well chosen watts produce lively, dynamic sound. If you prefer solid state, that works beautifully too. The efficiency of the horn design gives you room to experiment and to build the system that reflects your listening taste. The powered models remove this question entirely, since the amplification is already matched to the drivers inside the cabinet.
Come Listen at Our Timonium Showroom
All Elite Audio is an authorized Klipsch dealer with a showroom in Timonium, Maryland. Demo units rotate and not every model is always set up, so we invite you to contact AEA to arrange a listen. We are happy to help you match the right Klipsch loudspeakers to your room and system.