The latest sound bar from Klipsch, which is available as either a Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar or Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar 5.1 system, is intended as a solution for immersive surround sound in the living room based on Dolby Atmos.
Once again, Klipsch is expanding its range of soundbar systems with the Klipsch Cinema 1200 Dolby Atmos 5.1.4 Sound Bar and the new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar. This also serves as the basis for another new solution, namely the Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar 5.1 system, which already includes the otherwise optional Klipsch Surround surround speakers.
The new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar is another solution from the US specialist that is designed for Dolby Atmos.
The new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar joins the Klipsch product range seamlessly above the previously available Klipsch Cinema 400 and Klipsch Cinema 600 solutions.
Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar – Soundbar plus subwoofer and, if desired, also including surround speaker
Of course, the developers of the new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar also rely on the actual sound bar plus a wirelessly controlled subwoofer. However, this solution is also available as a Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar 5.1 system, and that’s where additional designated surround speakers come into play, the Klipsch Surround 3.
Virtual Surround or true 5.1 surround system
If the simplest version is a 3.1-channel system that relies on virtual surround, Klipsch explicitly states that the new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar 5.1 System is a true 5.1-channel surround system.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar is capable of 7.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos decoding, especially with the additional Klipsch Surround 3, which is supposed to guarantee a particularly impressive, room-filling sound experience, even though no separate speakers are available for Dolby Atmos.
The new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar is, as the manufacturer itself puts it, a 48-inch sound bar in combination with a 10-inch wireless subwoofer.
The sound bar uses two-way systems for the left and right channels, with 3-inch drivers in the form of oval fibre composite woofers in combination with 1-inch soft dome tweeter. The centre speaker even has two midrange drivers in combination with a tweeter for particularly accurate reproduction.
It wouldn’t be Klipsch if these tweeters didn’t feature the legendary Klipsch Tractrix horn, which is said to offer particularly detailed, clear reproduction with optimum dispersion.
The subwoofer of the Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar relies, as described, on a 10 inch woofer and a bass reflex system.
The Klipsch Surround 3, which is part of the Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar 5.1 system, is equipped with 3-inch full-range drivers in the form of fibre composite cone woofers.
The system has a total output of 800 watts; if you include the surround speakers of the larger system, the total available power is 860 watts.
Of course, the signal processing is DSP-based and Class D amplifier modules are used. The frequency response is given as 28 Hz to 20 kHz, which is also mentioned here for the sake of completeness.
From Dolby Digital to Dolby Atmos
As the name suggests, the new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar not only uses Dolby Digital and Dolby Digital Plus, it can also process Dolby Atmos content.
By the way, the manufacturer particularly emphasises the various sound modes that the system offers, first and foremost the dialogue enhancement modes. These new individually tuned dialogue modes not only raise the volume of dialogue in TV shows and movies, but also optimise the system’s EQ setting to ensure that dialogue is crisp, clear and exceptionally intelligible no matter what is happening on screen, according to the manufacturer’s promise. Three levels of dialogue enhancement ensure that users can choose the setting that is perfect for them. A separate Night Mode is also available to dampen the bass a little at an early hour and still allow for balanced playback.
Connection diversity
First and foremost, of course, the soundbar is connected to the TV via HDMI, using two latest-generation HDMI interfaces. This means that 8K HDR video pass-through is supported as well as HDCP 2.3 and it is not only an ARC (Audio Return Channel), but also an eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel), which is the basis for transmitting immersive surround sound from the TV set to the soundbar, for example from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ or Apple TV.
In addition, there is also an optical S/PDIF interface (TOS link) and an analogue input in the form of a 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack.
By the way, not only the subwoofer but also the surround speakers are controlled by radio, so there is no need to lay cables across the room. The signal is transmitted in the 2.4 GHz radio band. Alternatively, a subwoofer can be connected via cable.
Bluetooth and WiFi
The new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar naturally has Bluetooth 5.0 to be able to use mobile devices directly as a source.
However, WiFi is also available here, so that this solution can also be integrated into the network. Music streaming is possible primarily via Spotify including Spotify Connect, but Google Chomecast is also supported.
Control via voice is also possible; Klipsch offers both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa as options to take control via these voice assistants. However, the soundbar itself does not serve as a so-called Smart Speaker, so the corresponding solutions from Google or Amazon must already be available in the network.
Klipsch Connect App
Of course, the appropriate app must not be missing, which is available in the form of the Klipsch Connect App for Apple iOS as well as for Google Android. This primarily serves as an aid for the already simple installation, for any firmware updates, and should also enable the configuration of EQ settings in the future.
A remote control is also included in the scope of delivery, although the everyday controls are carried out with the TV’s remote control via HDMI CEC anyway. As a special feature, the remote control has a motion detector, so as soon as you pick it up, the buttons are illuminated for easy control even in poor lighting conditions.
High-quality workmanship
Klipsch emphasises that the new soundbar is made with the highest quality in mind. Solid wood is used to ensure reproduction free of resonances and vibrations that could damage the sound.
The finish is also supposed to be like that of the Klipsch Reference Series.
The soundbar itself measures 121.9 cm in width, 7.3 cm in height and 8.6 cm in depth, while the subwoofer measures 36.8 x 47.1 x 36.8 cm.
The new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar is expected to be available later this summer, as is the Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar 5.1 system.
Getting to the point
The new Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos 3.1 Sound Bar is designed to deliver particularly impressive surround sound for home cinema on the basis of a sound bar, which is also optionally available in conjunction with surround speakers, the Klipsch Surround 3. This solution is then called the Klipsch Cinema 800 Dolby Atmos Sound Bar 5.1 System.
Manufacturer: | Klipsch |
Distribution: | Audio Tuning Vertriebs GmbH |
Price: | Klipsch Cinema 600 € 999,- Klipsch Surround 3 € 399,- |