Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar

Klipsch’s line of soundbar systems has a new flagship, with the new Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar now at the top of the range. It is the first of its kind at Klipsch that is actually fully equipped for Dolby Atmos.

Klipsch Cinema Series sound bars are said to offer outstanding sound quality, a versatile range of features, and last but not least, a look and feel on par with Klipsch Signature Reference Series speakers. This is especially true of Klipsch’s new flagship sound bar system, the new Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar.

The Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar is a sound bar designed to deliver immersive surround sound in Dolby Atmos.

Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 – Everything included…

The Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar is not only based on the actual sound bar, a wireless subwoofer and a pair of surround speakers are also part of the system. Klipsch is right to call this a real surround sound system for the living room.

In comparison to the Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar, which is also newly presented, Dolby Atmos is not only decoded here and reproduced via Virtual Surround, the Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar has drivers that are specially designed for the reproduction of immersive surround sound and radiate upwards.

The US specialist therefore calls it a 54-inch 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos Soundbar System with 12-inch Wireless Subwoofer and Wireless Surround Speaker.

3.1-channel system plus Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers, surround speakers and subwoofer

Strictly speaking, the Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar is a 3.1-channel system in its own right, but what stands out positively is that the left, right and centre channels are each designed as two-way systems, and what’s more, in addition to a 1-inch soft dome tweeter, there are two 3-inch mid-range drivers in the form of oval fibre composite cone woofers.

As befits a Klipsch solution in this class, the tweeters naturally feature 90° x 90° Tractrix horns, giving them the legendary Klipsch sound signature.

For accurate reproduction of Dolby Atmos content, there are also two 3-inch Cerametallic cone woofers that radiate upwards at an angle. Ultimately, this is the same principle that is used for so-called Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers. Acoustic events from above are reproduced via reflections on the ceiling.

In the separate surround speakers, 3-inch fibre composite woofers are also used, whereby these are also equipped with so-called up-firing elevation speakers, which thus also radiate upwards to achieve a realistic surround setting via Dolby Atmos.

Finally, the subwoofer is equipped with a 12-inch driver and bass reflex system.

The signal processing is, of course, DSP-based to enable surround sound with Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus and 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos decoding, as well as various sound modes and to guarantee optimal control. The amplifier modules rely on Class D and ensure that the Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar has a total output of 1,200 watts. The frequency response for the Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar is specified as 22 Hz to 20 kHz.

Dialogue Enhancement Modes

Klipsch is particularly proud of the new Dialog Enhancement Modes that the Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar offers. This is intended to guarantee particularly accurate speech intelligibility, whereby the intensity can be adjusted in three stages.

Of course, there is also a special night mode, so that you can enjoy an appealing sound quality even at late hours without disturbing your neighbours.

Connections – Everything you need

Of course, the new Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar is primarily connected to the TV set via HDMI, an HDMI connection is available for various source devices.

These are state-of-the-art interfaces that pass signals in 8K HDR and support HDCP 2.3.

Of course, an ARC (Audio Return Channel) is no longer sufficient for immersive surround sound; the new Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar thus supports an eARC, a so-called enhanced Audio Return Channel. Signals in Dolby Atmos can thus be transferred directly from the TV to the sound bar via Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV.

Control codes are transmitted via HDMI CEC, so that in the simplest case the remote control of the TV is sufficient for control.

An additional audio source can be connected either via an optical S/PDIF interface or an analogue input in the form of a 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack.

An additional subwoofer can be connected via a separate output, but the one that is part of the system is also controlled via radio in the 2.4 GHz band, just like the Klipsch Surround 3 surround speakers.

Bluetooth and WiFi

Mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets can be easily integrated as a source via Bluetooth 5.0.

In addition, the new Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar is equipped with WiFi, so it can be integrated into the network.

This primarily provides music streaming via Spotify including Spotify Connect, Google Chromecast is also to be supported.

In addition, the new Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar is designated as “Works with Google Assistant” as well as “Works with Alexa”, so you can integrate this solution into the Smart Home and control it via the Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa voice control systems.

There is also an app, which is offered in the form of the Klipsch Connect App for Apple iOS and Google Android.

High-quality workmanship

Klipsch explicitly states that the soundbar systems of the Klipsch Reference Series have an equally impeccable workmanship as the company’s hi-fi speakers. This means that wood is used as a material, which is accurately refined and presented in discreet black.

The new Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar measures 137.2 cm in width, 7.5 cm in height and 15.7 cm in depth. The system can not only be placed directly under the TV on a TV cabinet, but can also be mounted on the wall. Everything needed for this is included in the delivery.

The subwoofer measures 39.6 x 51.6 x 40.3 cm, so it is definitely a powerful solution. The Klipsch Surround 3, on the other hand, is very slim, so you can easily place it in the right place in the room.

As already mentioned, there is no need for a separate remote control for everyday use, but one is included in the delivery. Of course, you can use it not only to control the volume, but also to call up the sound modes listed and to adjust the bass level separately.

As a special feature, this remote control has a motion detector that illuminates the buttons as soon as you pick them up.

The new Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar is expected to be in stores towards the end of summer 2021. The price will probably be € 1,499.

Getting to the point

Although the newly introduced Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar already supports Dolby Atmos, it lacks one crucial feature, namely separate speakers for the accurate reproduction of immersive surround sound. Only the new Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar, which is the new flagship in the product range of the US company Klipsch in the field of soundbar solutions, offers this.