CNET editors' review
-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 03/26/2009
- Released on: 02/15/2009
Few speaker manufacturers know as much about true movie theater sound as Klipsch. The Indianapolis-based company started making speakers for movie theaters decades before the words "home" and "theater" were ever uttered together in the same sentence. But for better or worse, the company's home products had a reputation for being expensive. Klipsch is hoping to change that perception with its new HD home theater system series. The HD Theater 500, the middle package in the product line, is available for about $600. That makes it one of the most affordable satellite/subwoofer combination packages ever to be offered by the company. Paired with the system's 8-inch 100-watt powered subwoofer, the HD Theater 500 is a fine performer overall, though we were happier with its movie performance than its musical capabilities. It can't quite trump the similarly priced and sized Energy Take Classic, which remains the 5.1 system to beat in this category.
Design and features
The HD Theater 500 is a six-piece (5.1) system consisting of four satellite speakers, a center channel speaker, and a subwoofer. The curvy cabinets are finished in a combination of satin and high-gloss black with removable black cloth grilles.
The satellites measure 6 inches tall and the center speaker stretches 9 inches wide. The satellites and center speaker each feature a horn-loaded 0.75-inch aluminum tweeter and a 2.5-inch woofer. Reminiscent of the company's massive movie theater speakers, those horn-loaded tweeters resemble an inverted cone. They help the tweeter project a focused treble frequency range with less room interaction from floor and ceiling reflections than conventional box speakers. This composition makes for a better and more precise imaging performance.
The center speaker uses two 2.5-inch woofers that flank the tweeter. All of the speakers are molded with ABS plastic--which is solid enough--though nowhere near as impressive as the Definitive Technology ProCinema 600 injection-molded mineral-filled polymer cabinets.
The satellites come with plastic adjustable wall-mount brackets that allow for up to 40 degrees of lateral movement. This lets you aim the speakers toward the listening position for the best possible performance. The center channel speaker can be wall mounted or placed in the supplied rubber cradle. Additionally, Klipsch offers optional floor stands for use with all of the speakers in the system.
The speakers' plastic spring-clip connectors won't accept banana plugs, so you'll have to use bare wire or wires terminated with pins. We really don't think spring clips belong on a $600 speaker package, as they don't produce as secure and reliable of a connection as screw-on or banana connectors.
The black "Pica" vinyl-covered, medium-density fiberboard subwoofer is fashioned with a rear-mounted port. An 8-inch fiber-composite woofer is mounted on the bottom panel, and a 100-watt amplifier resides inside the cabinet. It's a rather plain-looking box, though the curved corners are a nice design touch. The subwoofer's connectivity allows for stereo speaker and line level (RCA) inputs. Altogether, the woofer measures in at 13.9 inches tall by 12.5 inches wide by 12.5 inches deep.
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