Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Review

In-ear headphones free of cables, resistant to dirt and water, yet extremely elegant and of course with a particularly high level of wearing comfort – that’s how the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless are supposed to present themselves. And when it comes to sound, they promise nothing less than the legendary Klipsch sound….

Even though the US company Klipsch is still often perceived as a loudspeaker specialist, the product range goes far beyond this core business. In some areas, one must even say that these have long been part of the core business, for example in the headphone segment, which Klipsch has dedicated itself to with great commitment for a long time.

In this context, it must be added that Klipsch has also developed into a manufacturer in the headphone segment over the years that can set trends and develop some outstanding technology. Especially in the in-ear headphone segment, there were many products from Klipsch that clearly set standards.

The fact that Klipsch has been a major player in Bluetooth headphones in recent years is therefore not at all surprising, nor is the fact that the company skilfully advertises its outstanding reputation as one of the leading loudspeaker manufacturers and promises to be able to offer the legendary Klipsch sound in the headphone sector as well.

Yes, Klipsch has skilfully made use of the fact that, above all in the headphone sector, not only sober technical figures are relevant, but rather an image that is as unique as possible is of very, very high importance for success.

Klipsch T5 II Series

For some time now, Klipsch products have been marketed under the slogans “True comfort, true performance, true independence, true you”. This applies in particular to the so-called Klipsch T5 Series, which has been on the market since the beginning of 2019 and now represents Klipsch’s current in-ear headphone line-up in the form of the Klipsch T5 II Series.

Klipsch T5 II True Wireless – The elegant allrounder…

The Klipsch T5 II True Wireless clearly plays a central role within the Klipsch T5 II Series. It functions as a universal solution for everyday use, whereby the developers placed the highest value on a particularly elegant appearance. In every respect, you have the feeling that you are holding a real premium product in your hands, which also presents itself with an extremely appealing design.

This is clearly aimed at a clientele that appreciates elegance and value, even or especially in solutions that are used on a daily basis, on the way to work, when travelling, in short, as a constant companion for relaxation accompanied by music whenever and wherever possible.

The first contact…

You might dismiss this as not very relevant, but the exact opposite is true: even the very first contact is immensely important, not least with solutions such as headphones. If a manufacturer wants to place a product in the premium segment, then not only does everything have to fit with the product itself, one should also think about its presentation, i.e. the packaging.

And Klipsch has obviously done that, because the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless come in an attractive box, which, after opening the slipcase and flipping open another lid, presents the headphones neatly. All the accessories are stored in their own little box. So you don’t have to fumble around to hold the product of desire in your hands for the first time.

What is in the box?

Besides the actual headphones, the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless come with plenty of “extras” in the box. First and foremost, there is a transport box, which we will discuss in more detail in a moment, as well as a variety of different earpieces, which we will also discuss in more detail, a USB charging cable with USB C, plus an adapter from USB C to USB A, so that you can easily use various power supplies.

By the way, a separate power supply is not included with the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless, but no one expects that these days anyway. Every user probably has umpteen of these power adapters lying around anyway…

True Wireless…

True wireless refers to headphones that do not have any cables at all. The Klipsch T5 II True Wireless are in-ear headphones that use Bluetooth to establish the connection with the source device. The developers rely on a Bluetooth module from Qualcomm, the proven expert in this field.

The module is Bluetooth 5.0 and supports the profiles A2DP 1.3, ACRCP 1.6, HSP 1.2 and HFP 1.7. In the case of A2DP codecs, the company lists the lossy SBC as well as the clearly superior AAC and finally the lossless aptX. The signal transmission is thus at least in approximate or actual “CD quality” for Apple iOS as well as Google Android or portable hi-res audio players; hi-res audio, on the other hand, is not available due to the lack of support for aptX HD or LDAC.

By the way, a very important point is that the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless have specially designed antennas for optimal signal transmission at all times. The manufacturer refers to this as a signal-boost external antenna.

True comfort…

Many users reject in-ear headphones because they are perceived as uncomfortable. The developers at Klipsch are doing their utmost to counteract this, first and foremost by designing the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless in a particularly compact form. In fact, these in-ear headphones are downright tiny, considering that all the electronics and batteries are integrated.

Even the housing is designed to sit comfortably in the ear cup. Much more decisive, however, is that the area that is actually inserted into the ear canal is designed strictly according to ergonomic specifications, so the so-called nozzle is very slim.

In addition, the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless comes with six pairs of earmoulds in different sizes. These have an oval shape, which should also help to guarantee a comfortable, yet always secure fit. Conveniently, they are provided with colour rings so that you can always pick out the correct pair when fitting them.

By the way, choosing the right earpieces is not only relevant for wearing comfort; only the right fit in the ear guarantees the best sound with in-ear headphones. A poor fit usually delivers too little bass, and there is also a lack of dynamics, as the sound actually goes into the void instead of into the ear. This also provides the best possible shielding from ambient noise, even without active noise cancellation. After all, the attenuation of external noise is said to be -22 dB here.

For optimal comfort, the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless also have a so-called Transparency Mode. At the touch of a button, not only is music playback paused, but the integrated microphones are also switched on in order to transmit ambient noise to the ear. There are four of them, with special beamforming microphones with cVc for optimal suppression of background noise.

Of course, these are also used to make phone calls with the best voice quality, i.e. to use the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless as a hands-free device. It can also be used to directly access the smartphone’s voice assistant, be it Apple Siri or Google Assistant.

True Performance…

Let’s move on to the most important criterion, the optimal sound. With the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless, Klipsch once again relies on a special concept, namely a so-called High Clarity Dynamic Moving Coil Micro Speaker, whose diaphragm has a diameter of 5 mm and a thickness of only 3 μm. The manufacturer therefore refers to it as a high-resolution diaphragm. This principle is not only reminiscent of the MC pick-up system used in record players because of its name, it actually works in a similar way, or rather, the exact opposite.

Here, it is not a needle that delivers voltage through mechanical vibrations, here the diaphragm is set in motion by applied voltage. This drive is so sophisticated that a very dynamic, detailed reproduction is achieved with the smallest dimensions. The limitation of the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless is actually not the driver itself, but the signal transmission via Bluetooth. According to the data sheet, the frequency range is nevertheless 10 Hz to 19 kHz.

True independence…

Optimal performance also includes the fact that the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless has a long battery life. Each earpiece contains a 50 mAh battery and is said to offer up to eight hours of playtime.

Another essential feature of in-ear headphones for everyday use is that you don’t have to worry about what the weather is like or where you’re going to use them.

For example, the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless are resistant to dust and are claimed to be waterproof; from a purely technical point of view, they are certified to IP67.

Complete independence also means that the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless can be recharged at any time, at least for a day or two away from the mains. The aforementioned transport box, which is part of the scope of delivery, is responsible for this.

However, this should not be called a simple transport box, because the developers at Klipsch have actually come up with something quite extraordinary.

The transport box of the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless was developed in cooperation with Zippo, the legendary lighter manufacturer whose products are instantly recognisable by their design, handling and, yes, sound.

For us, this is just another detail that shows that Klipsch is really doing everything it can to position its headphones in the premium lifestyle segment.

From a very practical and sober point of view, the 360 mAh battery of the charging case provides a further 24 hours of playtime and is also a very robust and, above all, very compact protection for the in-ear headphones. The fact that you can easily put the in-ears into the case without having to think about the correct positioning is another plus point, as are the three LEDs that indicate the charging status.

By the way, there are also status LEDs directly on the in-ears, but only in the form of an LED that shines in different colours depending on the operating status and charge level. Simple, but functional.

Nothing without an app

Of course, there is also a suitable app for the Bluetooth headphones from Klipsch, namely the Klipsch Connect App for Apple iOS and Google Android. This serves not least to be able to carry out any firmware updates.

In addition, there are various options to adjust the sound, such as an equaliser with different presets, the mentioned Transparency Mode can be set up, and you get another option to see the charging status of the headphones.

From practice

I can still remember very well the first time I had in-ear headphones from Klipsch in my ears in 2007. Klipsch could justifiably claim to have revolutionised the in-ear headphone market, because nothing on the market at the time came close to the Klipsch Image X10. Admittedly, the market has changed dramatically in the years since then and there are hundreds of outstanding solutions from a wide variety of manufacturers in a wide variety of price ranges and for a wide variety of application scenarios.

Nevertheless, even unpacking the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless gave me the feeling of having acquired a really fine solution, especially when holding this transport case in my hands for the first time. A good start!

The selection and fitting of the optimal earmoulds was also fun, without any fiddly fitting, it just “clicks” and the parts are fitted and can be put into the ear. After a few moments you can hardly feel them, they fit so perfectly.

The connection to the smartphone worked straight away, a quick search for the new devices, a tap on pairing, and music could be heard. Quite frankly, I didn’t install the matching app until days later, so it’s not necessary either for the set-up or for everyday operation, only to make any further settings.

The everyday operation is simple, you hit the buttons on the outside of the in-ears “blind”, only the various commands have to be remembered, because the various options are divided between the left and right earpieces. Increasing the volume, for example, is on the left, decreasing it on the right. The same applies to playback control, answering and ending phone calls and all the other options offered here. If you use this frequently, you will soon have all the commands intuitively at your fingertips.

The transport box deserves a lot of praise, not only because of its unique design, but also because it is really easy to remove the in-ears and store them again. The transport box itself is so compact that it can easily be stowed in a trouser pocket. Wireless charging would have been nice…

By the way, the battery life in practice largely corresponds to the manufacturer’s specifications, although this depends on how loud you listen or how long you listen at a stretch or more often at shorter intervals.

And the sound?

In terms of sound, I was immediately reminded of my beloved Klipsch Image X10s, which, by the way, I still love to use.

When Klipsch talks about the “legendary Klipsch sound”, they mean a sound that, in my humble opinion, simply fits, regardless of the music genre. It has to be said that the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless are not for bass fetishists, that is not the style of the US-Americans. Concise, accentuated bass is what you get when the recording allows it, and it’s to the point, and literally in harmony with clear mids and detailed, even crystal-clear highs. The Klipsch T5 II True Wireless thus deliver a coherent, harmonious sound image that guarantees relaxed music enjoyment for hours on end.

Getting to the point

Everything about the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless is just right. The US company Klipsch can justifiably boast of being able to offer solutions that convey the legendary Klipsch sound in the field of wireless in-ear headphones.

The in-ears are also characterised by a really impeccable wearing comfort, a simple operation and, last but not least, a very robust design for carefree use in everyday life. The Klipsch T5 II True Wireless is a worthy solution in the premium segment at an extremely attractive price because of the attention paid to details such as an outstanding transport case, which conveys style and elegance just like the headphones themselves.

Legendary Klipsch sound in the most elegant, very compact form is delivered by the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless, whereby even hours of relaxed music enjoyment are guaranteed through high wearing comfort. Whether on the way to work, in the countryside or at the beach, it doesn’t matter thanks to the robust construction, and the battery won’t let the user down either. In a pinch, the chic charging case provides two additional charges far from the power socket.

Test environment

• Apple iPhone 12
• FiiO M9 High Resolution Lossless Music Player
• TIDAL HiFi
• Roon 1.8