Heartily recommended, the Klipsch Reference Cinema System 5.1.4 delivers outstanding music and movie sound quality in a compact package.
Although a soundbar can come close to replicating cinema sound in your home, nothing beats a dedicated surround sound system. The Klipsch Reference Cinema System 5.1.4 with Dolby Atmos, when paired with an AV receiver, provides an instant home theater upgrade that you won't want to miss out on. And the best part? It comes at an unbelievably low price.
This relatively compact system delivers excellent home cinema sound and is one of only two lifestyles Dolby Atmos packages I've come across in the last six years. This is surprising, considering how long this spatial audio format has been available. The Focal Sib Evo is the other Atmos system, but it's more expensive and has fewer channels, making the Klipsch option the more recommendable choice. Additionally, it even produces great music sound quality. The only downside could be the system's intricate setup process.
Although some home theater enthusiasts may dismiss the idea of a "cinema in a box" solution, there are significant advantages to consider. Firstly, there's integration. Since all the satellites are the same size, surround effects can move effortlessly from one speaker to the next, providing a more immersive experience with no distracting dips in sound quality, even when the action shifts to the smaller rear speakers. Secondly, these compact speakers can be placed in a discreet manner, providing a more elegant look than most soundbars. In most cases, people don't have enough space for four or more identical speakers in their living room, and the Klipsch's smaller size offers a solution to this problem.
What it is?
The Klipsch Reference Cinema System 5.1.4 is a Dolby Atmos speaker set that provides a "just add receiver" solution, boasting a total of 10 channels. This system consists of three main components: four Dolby Atmos-compatible satellites, a center dialogue channel, and an active 10-inch subwoofer.
The satellites contain a proprietary 5.25-inch spun-copper driver paired with a 1-inch aluminum LTS tweeter within Klipsch's Tractrix Horn. For Dolby Atmos duties, the top of each speaker includes a 4-inch poly-fiber driver specifically designed to bounce height effects off the ceiling and back down to the listener. Each of the speakers is 3.5 inches high and 6.5 inches wide. The center channel contains twin 4-inch copper spun drivers and a 1-inch tweeter, housed in a 17.6-inch wide cabinet.
The subwoofer of the Klipsch Reference Cinema System 5.1.4 features a 10-inch driver housed within a square box of approximately 15 inches. It provides typical controls such as volume, phase, and a low pass filter. Although lacking the fancy inputs and outputs of more expensive models, it offers a single set of RCA-in jacks, which is more than enough for most users. The subwoofer is rated at 150 watts and has a frequency response of 32Hz-120Hz (+/- 3dB). Klipsch's recently released $750 sub, in comparison, boasts a deeper claimed frequency response of 22Hz.
Connection
The Klipsch Reference Cinema System 5.1.4 comes with an adequate amount of wires for all of the speakers, which is a thoughtful addition. However, it's essential to note that the speaker "binding posts" only accept thin, bare wires and not banana plugs. While connecting the wires is easy, it's possible for them to not work securely. The internal connection point is challenging to see, and it's easy to push the wire too far in, causing the post to contact the insulation instead of the bare wire and resulting in no sound. This issue could be prevented if the catch at the end of the post was metal instead of plastic.
In addition, I discovered that when setting up the system, it's crucial to be systematic about which wires you plug in because they are not labeled. To avoid confusion, I marked each Dolby speaker with a green piece of tape, for example, for the Atmos Heights. Keep in mind that there are 10 sets of wires, with each Dolby speaker having two sets, so it can take up to an hour to get everything properly connected.
To power the system, I connected it to an Onkyo TX-RZ50, which comes with Klipsch presets for popular speakers. Although it didn't have a specific preset for the Reference set, it had the "Klipsch>Other" option. Using a decibel meter app, I set the levels and was all set to start enjoying my new system!
How it sounds
One of the best scenes to test a home cinema system is the Thanator Attack scene from the movie Avatar. It has everything from whispered dialogues to jungle soundscapes to intense dynamics. The Klipsch Reference Cinema system did an excellent job of reproducing the sound of the scene. The sound was crystal clear, cohesive, and easy to comprehend, with flawless surround steering. Even though the scene is not an Atmos soundtrack, there was a sense of height as the Thanator approached.
When I switched to the Dolby Atmos soundtrack of Mad Max, I was immediately impressed. The opening seconds gave me goosebumps. The surround effects, including height, were effortlessly moving between the speakers, while the dialogue was crystal clear. When Rockatansky fired up his Charger's engine, it had a full-throated roar, thanks to the 10-inch sub.
Regarding music, I played Nick Cave's Red Right Hand on Apple Music, and the Atmos mix sounded a bit lopsided at first. The bass riff's bottom note sounded "floppy," which was slightly distorted, and I had to adjust the bass to integrate it better. Nonetheless, the other songs I listened to were impressive. Grand Salvo's Field of Flowers was dynamic and intimate; Beta Band's Life was impressively deep, and Okkervil River's For Real sounded punchy and fun. I didn't want to leave and wished to listen more.
Although a soundbar can come close to replicating cinema sound in your home, nothing beats a dedicated surround sound system. The Klipsch Reference Cinema System 5.1.4 with Dolby Atmos, when paired with an AV receiver, provides an instant home theater upgrade that you won't want to miss out on. And the best part? It comes at an unbelievably low price.
This relatively compact system delivers excellent home cinema sound and is one of only two lifestyles Dolby Atmos packages I've come across in the last six years. This is surprising, considering how long this spatial audio format has been available. The Focal Sib Evo is the other Atmos system, but it's more expensive and has fewer channels, making the Klipsch option the more recommendable choice. Additionally, it even produces great music sound quality. The only downside could be the system's intricate setup process.
Although some home theater enthusiasts may dismiss the idea of a "cinema in a box" solution, there are significant advantages to consider. Firstly, there's integration. Since all the satellites are the same size, surround effects can move effortlessly from one speaker to the next, providing a more immersive experience with no distracting dips in sound quality, even when the action shifts to the smaller rear speakers. Secondly, these compact speakers can be placed in a discreet manner, providing a more elegant look than most soundbars. In most cases, people don't have enough space for four or more identical speakers in their living room, and the Klipsch's smaller size offers a solution to this problem.
What it is?
The Klipsch Reference Cinema System 5.1.4 is a Dolby Atmos speaker set that provides a "just add receiver" solution, boasting a total of 10 channels. This system consists of three main components: four Dolby Atmos-compatible satellites, a center dialogue channel, and an active 10-inch subwoofer.
The satellites contain a proprietary 5.25-inch spun-copper driver paired with a 1-inch aluminum LTS tweeter within Klipsch's Tractrix Horn. For Dolby Atmos duties, the top of each speaker includes a 4-inch poly-fiber driver specifically designed to bounce height effects off the ceiling and back down to the listener. Each of the speakers is 3.5 inches high and 6.5 inches wide. The center channel contains twin 4-inch copper spun drivers and a 1-inch tweeter, housed in a 17.6-inch wide cabinet.
The subwoofer of the Klipsch Reference Cinema System 5.1.4 features a 10-inch driver housed within a square box of approximately 15 inches. It provides typical controls such as volume, phase, and a low pass filter. Although lacking the fancy inputs and outputs of more expensive models, it offers a single set of RCA-in jacks, which is more than enough for most users. The subwoofer is rated at 150 watts and has a frequency response of 32Hz-120Hz (+/- 3dB). Klipsch's recently released $750 sub, in comparison, boasts a deeper claimed frequency response of 22Hz.
Connection
The Klipsch Reference Cinema System 5.1.4 comes with an adequate amount of wires for all of the speakers, which is a thoughtful addition. However, it's essential to note that the speaker "binding posts" only accept thin, bare wires and not banana plugs. While connecting the wires is easy, it's possible for them to not work securely. The internal connection point is challenging to see, and it's easy to push the wire too far in, causing the post to contact the insulation instead of the bare wire and resulting in no sound. This issue could be prevented if the catch at the end of the post was metal instead of plastic.
In addition, I discovered that when setting up the system, it's crucial to be systematic about which wires you plug in because they are not labeled. To avoid confusion, I marked each Dolby speaker with a green piece of tape, for example, for the Atmos Heights. Keep in mind that there are 10 sets of wires, with each Dolby speaker having two sets, so it can take up to an hour to get everything properly connected.
To power the system, I connected it to an Onkyo TX-RZ50, which comes with Klipsch presets for popular speakers. Although it didn't have a specific preset for the Reference set, it had the "Klipsch>Other" option. Using a decibel meter app, I set the levels and was all set to start enjoying my new system!
How it sounds
One of the best scenes to test a home cinema system is the Thanator Attack scene from the movie Avatar. It has everything from whispered dialogues to jungle soundscapes to intense dynamics. The Klipsch Reference Cinema system did an excellent job of reproducing the sound of the scene. The sound was crystal clear, cohesive, and easy to comprehend, with flawless surround steering. Even though the scene is not an Atmos soundtrack, there was a sense of height as the Thanator approached.
When I switched to the Dolby Atmos soundtrack of Mad Max, I was immediately impressed. The opening seconds gave me goosebumps. The surround effects, including height, were effortlessly moving between the speakers, while the dialogue was crystal clear. When Rockatansky fired up his Charger's engine, it had a full-throated roar, thanks to the 10-inch sub.
Regarding music, I played Nick Cave's Red Right Hand on Apple Music, and the Atmos mix sounded a bit lopsided at first. The bass riff's bottom note sounded "floppy," which was slightly distorted, and I had to adjust the bass to integrate it better. Nonetheless, the other songs I listened to were impressive. Grand Salvo's Field of Flowers was dynamic and intimate; Beta Band's Life was impressively deep, and Okkervil River's For Real sounded punchy and fun. I didn't want to leave and wished to listen more.