Klipsch is an American company dedicated to high fidelity audio and high-end. If you don’t know its story, we invite you to continue reading.
The speaker company Klipsch Audio Technologies was founded in 1946, and was originally called “Klipsch and Associates”. The American company was founded in Hope, Arkansas, by speaker industry pioneer Paul W. Klipsch.
Before Paul Klipsch founded the company, he was already a committed radio amateur. While serving at the World War II military installation Southwest Proving Grounds in Hope, Klipsch was able to refine the design of a loudspeaker he was working on, which would later be known as the famous Klipschorn.
The Beginnings
The residents of Hope, seeing Paul’s ingenuity and creativity, encouraged him to get started in the loudspeaker business. This is how Kilpsch bought the old building belonging to the Southwest Proving Grounds telephone exchange and turned it into his first speaker factory. It was in this same factory where the Klipschorn speaker began to be manufactured in 1946 and it has been the speaker that has been produced continuously from that moment to the present day.
From the moment of the founding, the speakers were built by hand by Paul himself, it was in 1948 when he hired another employee to work with him. Meanwhile, Belle, Paul’s wife, served as secretary in the company.
The manufacture of Klipschorn was completely handmade. To manufacture the speaker cone, fiberglass was poured into a pre-built mold, then premium quality drivers were purchased that were already pre-fabricated. Subsequently, the wooden pieces that made up the body of the speaker were cut by hand, and finally all the components were wired and soldered to the wooden frame, which were tightened with about 350 screws.
Among the patents granted to the company, three patents in ballistics and eight patents in geophysics stand out. For its part, the Klipschorn received its patents, but not as a speaker as a whole but for its ornamental parts and its high-frequency functions in the year 1951.
Industrialization, without affecting quality
By 1989 the company was sold to Fred Klipsch, Paul’s distant cousin, becoming part of the new parent company Klipsch Group, Inc. Despite the company’s acquisition, many speaker manufacturing operations remained in Hope, but the base of operations was redirected to Indianapolis, Indiana.
After this move, Chinese-made components were used, but they kept the essence of their flagship product, the Klipschorn speaker, almost intact. In relation to this, the company began the production of new models such as the Belle Klipsch, Chorus, Cornwall, Forte, La Scala, Legend, Quartet and ProMedia.
Taking into account the success of home speakers, the company entered the world of sound systems for dance clubs, festivals and theaters worldwide. Among the company’s new challenges, they began manufacturing sound systems for the famous music-themed restaurant chain Hard Rock Cafe.
XXI century
The company continued its progress in the area of sound and components and in 2001 it acquired the company Mondial Designs, which focused on the production of electronic products together with the Acurus and Aragon brands.
In 2002, company founder Paul W. Klipsch died at the age of ninety-eight.
Klipsch Group, Inc., which also owns the Danish speaker brand Jamo, as of 2006 the speaker brands Athena, Mirage and the Canadian sound technology company Energy from Audio Products International (API)
In 2011, Klipsch was sold to Audiobox, but equipment continued to be manufactured under the Klipsch name.
The Current
Klipsch Group, Inc., continues to manufacture some of the best concert-quality speakers, speaker systems, and electronic audio products, including theater-quality surround sound for the home, commercial audio products, and speakers for home audio players.
By 2021, the former Klipsch factory site in Hope had been transformed into the Klipsch Audio History Museum, dedicated to Klipsch’s life and achievements, featuring speakers, photographs, audio and recording equipment, and the library technique and the archives of Paul Klipsch.
The museum is maintained by the Klipsch Heritage Museum Association, founded by admirers of Klipsch’s work; The organization seeks to foster interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, inspired by Klipsch’s example.
Jim Hunter, an engineer who has been with Klipsch since the 1970s and currently serves as museum administrator, said most people who visit the museum are Klipsch fans; They have the speakers and respect the sound quality and want to know more about them.
The company’s history is intricate, and you can learn fascinating stories involving not only the speakers, but Paul Klipsch himself, whose many accolades include an induction into the Engineering and Science Hall of Fame, whose peers include Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers.
Klipsch R-41PM
Klipsch R-41PM Bookshelf Speakers with 70 Watts integrated power and Bluetooth wireless technology. Surround Sound Channel 2.0 configuration. Optical digital, analog RCA and USB inputs. Speaker dimensions WxDxH (mm) 146 x 216 x 287. Weight (kilogram) 3.7. Frequency response (Hz) 76 – 21,000. Analog input 1 x 3.5 mm and 1 x RCA Phono (switchable to phono). Optical digital inputs 1. USB input 1. Secondary output. Cables included 4m single speaker cable, USB Type A to Type B cable. Remote control.
KLIPSCH The Fives
Klipsch The Fives Bookshelf Speakers. Matte black. Rated power (watts) 160w in total. Bass Reflex speaker box type. Remote control. Cables included HDMI, USB-A to USB-B, 4m speaker link. Bluetooth. Weight (kilogram) 5.6 / 4.9 (active / passive speaker). HDMI. Frequency response (Hz) 50 – 25,000. Active speaker. Speaker dimensions WxDxH (mm) 165 x 235 x 305. Analog input 3.5 mm x 1. Phono input – MM (switchable to line level). Optical digital inputs 1. USB input 1 (USB-B). 1 RCA analog inputs (switchable between Phono/line levels). Secondary output yes
KLIPSCH R-51M-BK
KLIPSCH R-51M-BK HiFi bookshelf speakers. couple. Sensitivity (dB) 93. Impedance (ohms) 8. Rated power (watts) 85. Bass Reflex speaker box type. Weight (kg) 5. Frequency response (Hz) 62 – 21,000. Speaker dimensions WxDxH (mm) 178 x 215 x 338
Klipsch R-100SW
KLIPSCH R-100SW HiFi Home Cinema Subwoofer. 10″ front spun copper IMG woofer. Digital amplifier with 300W maximum power. Line level/RCA LFE inputs for maximum receiver compatibility. Amplifier features: volume, low pass, 0/180 phase, auto power on.
KLIPSCH THE ONE II EBONY
KLIPSCH THE ONE II EBONY. Luxury Bluetooth desktop speaker system. 2.1 stereo bi-amplified audio system. Legendary Klipsch sound tuned to high-end standards. Bluetooth ® 4.0 Wireless technology. 3.5mm analog audio input 60W power.
As you will see, variety for all tastes, within excellent quality. You can continue looking at their products at madridhifi.com.
