Klipsch Image X5 review

Descending from the earbuds, which are encased in aluminum and feature silver accenting, is a black Y-cable that has a slider to help prevent some tangling. The cord measures 50 inches long and terminates in a modified L-plug. The plug is flexible, to help reduce the stress on the wires if you tend to wrap your headphones around your player. Klipsch also includes a semi-hard travel/storage pouch, as well as an airplane adapter and an earwax cleaning tool.

Thanks to the well-designed eartips, the Klipsch Image X5 earphones offer great sound isolation--always a good thing in our book, because it lets you listen to your music at lower volumes and preserve your hearing. Since the sleeves aren't round like most, it may take a bit of twisting to get the best fit; if you're having trouble getting a seal, try inserting the 'buds then tugging them out a bit. Once you get a good fit, you'll be rewarded with great overall sound quality. Music sounds exceptionally clear, balanced, and enveloping, with warm mids and tight bass. High-end detail is also good, though we think it could stand to be a bit more sparkly. In general, we found the X5 earphones to be on a par with the Shure SE310s, which are in the same price range.