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On display: Heritage-Inspired Wireless Speakers


Chad

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I don't see why an internal amp and connectivity is a mistake. I do see why a cheap or poorly designed one would be. Bang & Olufsen, one of the most highly regarded speaker builders, has been using internal amps for decades. Furthermore, giving these speakers connectivity using bluetooth, airplay, DNLA, or other wireless technologies is in keeping with the current trends in the industry. Having a proprietary interface makes sense for a connection to an AVR, but if the connection method were patented as opensource, perhaps Klipsch could become a leader in this technology.

 

I don't like seeing the amp on the sides, so I +1 that. Also, I would hate to see this amp become a fiasco like some of the subs of days gone by.

Edited by mustang guy
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one thing that comes out of DaveWJr's post that I also felt and was told while talking to employees at the booth was...

 

"we've tried mass market wide appeal products... for the Klipsch company going forward, if its not premium quality or worthy of the Klipsch name, it will not be built by us... period!"

 

seeing the booth, I believe every word of that statement!

 

I can not wait to see some of the headphone and earphone products coming... premium "single" and "dual armature" in ear phones

Edited by Schu
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Guest Steven1963

Thanks Dave!

 

 

Okay, now that I am wrapping my head around the intended use of these speakers and seeing some of those specs I'm feeling better about them.  Digging down to 27hz is nice. How about power handling ability? Efficiencies...better than 97db I hope (they're Klipsch, what am I saying)? I am a two channel lover and I do use google play for a majority of my music so this is starting to look right up my alley.   

 

With their small footprint (relative to heritage) and 'portability' by not being tethered by speaker wire and an amp this is starting to sound attractive. I can actually see myself owning a pair.

 

But yeah, I agree that the designers should move that control panel to either under the grill or to the back.

Edited by Steven1963
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How do you communicate to the speaker if it's not Bluetooth?  Is it wifi?  Can a phone do it or do you need something specific?

 

If it's going to use something like apple airplay it's going to have to be wifi.

 

I would look at the Klipsch Stadium for some of this info, as it is what the speaker is based upon (and Heritage of course). The Stadium uses Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth. I don't see why DNLA wouldn't be included as well. I wonder if there will be a transmitter sold that will connect to your AVR. Maybe Apple AirPlay already does that, but I'm not up on that system. All I have is an Apple TV in the shop, which uses something like AirPlay.

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A couple more shitty photos for you. (CES is chaotic as heck. I don't have time to do my actual job haha!)

 

We have a real photographer there, so she'll have a butt load of great pics. I'll have to snag a quick one without the grille too for y'all.

 

Also, reminder that these speakers are conceptual. Nothing is final.

 

Anyway, enjoy...

 

Heritage_Inspired_Towers_1200_6355619715

 

Heritage_Inspired_Towers_3_1200_63556197

 

Heritage_Inspired_Towers_4_1200_63556197

Edited by angusruler
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If klipsch gets the amplification right, and you can bet they will, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with active speakers. My absolute favorite speakers were the Paradigm Active 40, I will kick myself until the day I find another pair...The design of the speaker being developed alongside it's amplification could be a match made in heaven. I can also understand some not liking the thought of being "stuck" for choice of an amp, but my experience was very positive.

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Dave, what's your target demographics?

People who appreciate high quality audio with the ease of a fully integrated system. :)

 

I know what you meant by your question, but as this is still a prototype system, it could appeal to a lot of people. That includes anyone who's either very young and likes the vintage look with high technology inside, or older customers who laud it for its easy of connectivity. Plug and play, if you will.

 

 

 

How do you communicate to the speaker if it's not Bluetooth?  Is it wifi?  Can a phone do it or do you need something specific?

 

If it's going to use something like apple airplay it's going to have to be wifi.

 

I would look at the Klipsch Stadium for some of this info, as it is what the speaker is based upon (and Heritage of course). The Stadium uses Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth. I don't see why DNLA wouldn't be included as well. I wonder if there will be a transmitter sold that will connect to your AVR. Maybe Apple AirPlay already does that, but I'm not up on that system. All I have is an Apple TV in the shop, which uses something like AirPlay.

 

As it is not finalized yet, I can't tell you specific details. I can tell you that this system is very versatile, however.

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these concepts remind of the Icon W speaker but in a heritage style package.  i have never been a fan of the cane grills and feel like they died in the 70's and 80's and I can only with they stayed there.  I like the option of the more exotic wood finishes though.  I go both ways, i love the ultra modern looks and sometimes the warmer feel of woods for a more classic appeal.  will stay tuned for more info :)

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Understood. These are meant to be 2-channel, so the limitations are minimal in that regard IMO

 

The WiSA modules are inside these prototypes, so technically the bookshelf version could become surround speakers for the towers.

 

Well, these are just a concept for now. Therefore, we don't have specs and what you are seeing here isn't necessarily what the final product would be like if we ever do put them out. 

 

That said, when we say "Stadium technology", we mean top of the line sound in a wireless package. If you've had a chance to listen to a Stadium speaker, you'd get an idea of what that means. 

 

I wish we had more to tell you guys. I personally really hope we get enough interest from dealers and customers to put more work into them and make them a reality.

 

 

 

As for the wireless tech, what is the potential for interference etc? 

 

 

WiSA technology has very very low potential for interference.

 

You guys want specs? I've got specs. :)

 

The goal was indeed a product that bridges retro with modern. I can't tell you everything about them since what you see here are prototypes, but at a minimum for the towers: 27Hz - 22kHz +/- 2dB while the monitor is 40Hz-22kHz +/-2dB. Tweeters are 1" LTS titanium, midranges are 3" aluminum slot-loaded drivers, and the woofers are 5.25" of a design to let such a small driver dig into the 20s with authority. ;)

 

Rest assured, we do not believe in cheap amplification. Horn loaded speakers don't take kindly to low quality amps. ;)

 

As far as the wireless bit goes, until a handheld battery comes out that can provide the 1800W that a standard 120V plug can, wireless speakers are going to have power cords. You do want power, right? :)

 

Something people need to understand about the transmission is that WiSA products are not wireless like your cell phone's Bluetooth ear piece. They work in a completely different bandwidth. There is near zero insertion loss (your input signal goes from the source, to the driver with nothing added). The DACs used for such products must be quite good in order to resolve the amount of detail that's in the source signal. As an added bonus, you get 24b/96kHz compatibility.

 

Think about this: we wouldn't use products or formats that don't let our acoustics shine to their highest potential. Rest assured that these retro/modern concepts follow that ideal. :)

 

-Dave W

 

It's hard to add anything to that!  All I will say is that with powered systems you can do things that just aren't possible with passive speakers.  Had PWK had access to the type of electronics 50 years ago that we now have at our disposal, I imagine he would say the same thing, and the hardcore Klipsch-o-philes would be quoting him as saying such.  And instead of bothering with crossover tweaks, they would be hacking the DSP. (Hey, I'm entitled to my opinion :), no offense intended.)  That said, all the stuff about horn loading, dynamic range, reducing excursion, increasing radiating area still applies, just like it did in 1946.

 

Yes, these prototypes borrow heavily (very heavily :) ) from the Stadium acoustics, though Dave already has plans and has been working on improvements to the donated acoustic package - that's about all we can say at this point.  Suffice it to say that the improvements work, I've heard them. 

 

 

 

 

How do you communicate to the speaker if it's not Bluetooth?  Is it wifi?  Can a phone do it or do you need something specific?

 

If it's going to use something like apple airplay it's going to have to be wifi.

 

I would look at the Klipsch Stadium for some of this info, as it is what the speaker is based upon (and Heritage of course). The Stadium uses Apple AirPlay and Bluetooth. I don't see why DNLA wouldn't be included as well. I wonder if there will be a transmitter sold that will connect to your AVR. Maybe Apple AirPlay already does that, but I'm not up on that system. All I have is an Apple TV in the shop, which uses something like AirPlay.

 

 

Yes, the Stadium is DLNA compatible.  There are a few Android music apps that will work, and Windows Media Player works too, using the "play to" function.

 

Right now PD is calling for WiSA and Bluetooth in this design, but I'm hoping for a WiFi version as well.  I'm of the opinion that in 10 years, speakers (even high end 2-channels audio only systems  :o ) on your network will be ubiquitous, just as laptops, tablets and phones are now.  We might as well get started.

 

The biggest hurdle right now is that people think it's hard to get things connected and use them on your network.  I think they just don't realize how small the learning curve is.

 

On the Stadium you connect the USB cable to your iPhone and into the USB port, push a button, say "Allow" on you iPhone and you're done.  Before that is was: connect to the speaker via WiFi, open web browser, type in and IP address (that really confuses people for some reason), select your WiFi network from the list and enter the password.

 

The other hurdle is that since it's "electonics" prices should be coming down not going up with the passing years... in a way that is true... as mentioned we can do things now that even 10 years ago we couldn't do at any price, however, unless you "fake it" somehow (an there are a lot of people out there trying).

 

Example: the DX-38.  A fantastic piece of equipment... we still use them.  But now we have other things, in 1/10th of the space and 1/10 of the cost (or less), that does the same thing, and a lot more, on a lot more channels, a lot faster.  And we can put it in every unit we sell.

 

But I digress, to complete my point, the most expensive part of amplification is the power supply (and in high-end amplifiation, the chassis -- the fancier it is the more expensive it is) and you still only get what you pay for - material costs are definitely not going down.  100W/ch 7-channel receivers don't have transformers any bigger than they were 20 years ago when they were just 2 channels.  In many cases they are smaller now, so what does that tell you? (I'm speaking of 50-60Hz transformers).  The laws of physics haven't changed... if you want 700 Watts, you need a 700 Watt power supply.

 

So how do you get there?  You give up headroom, or you put in a bigger power supply.

 

Or you bi-amp.

 

(or tri-amp, as the case may be.)

 

And then you save the cost of the chassis entirely (ok, mostly) and put the amp in the speaker.

 

Of course this goes against the grain of the traditional audiophile thought process.

 

We fight this battle on two fronts here - tweaking (people wanting to swap out components or upgrade) and a potential for obsolescence.

 

It is a paradigm shift, both in the market and corporately, but looking to the future you see it coming.

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Thank you Andy and David for chiming in!

 

I will tell you that initial response from CES has been extremely positive. 

 

WISA has been a huge hit. The people who demo'd Reference Premiere Wireless WISA in the sound room at CES have been blown away. We even just won an award from Digital Trends for them. You are looking at very very low potential for interference. 

 

Like Andy said, there is a potential that this could become more than just floorstanders/bookshelves thanks to WISA.

 

Also, for people crying out for passive versions, I getcha...but, at the same time, that would be somewhat redundant with the current Heritage line.

 

Also, "Made in USA" is making a HUGE comeback among people 25-40. That's part of the demographic for a product like this. BUT, these people are also looking for modern convenience which is why this solution is so intriguing. These speakers are not just for people who remember when Heritage was all we sold.

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So I have a question about the WiSA tech then...could these be implemented into a theater setup alongside other Klipsch speakers?  I realize that it's been said these are for 2 CH demographics, but why limit yourselves?  Are these gonna be able to receive a signal off another amp, or is that not how WiSA works?

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WiSA incorporates a wirelss transmitter and receiver (in a relatively unused band), and digital decoding/DSP.  2.0 up to 7.1 is possible now, but may be expanded in the future.  Inputs are added as desired (HDMI, SPDIF, Analog, Bluetooth, etc.), as is a user interface, and amplification.

 

Here a snippet from the WiSA website...

 

 

The WiSA Compliance Test Specification (CTS) defines a set of attributes for Wireless Speaker and Audio technology that combine to deliver unmatched performance and ease of use for the home theater consumer. WiSA technology transmits 24-bit audio at sample rates up to 96k/second, with robust error recovery for uninterrupted listening enjoyment. With extremely low latency and negligible speaker-to-speaker delay, it offers flawless wired-quality performance and reliability.

 

WiSA technology operates in the relatively unused 5.2 to 5.8 GHz UNII radio frequency spectrum, reliably transmitting uncompressed HD audio from 2-channel stereo to 7.1 surround, along with system configuration and calibration data. Older wireless technologies, by contrast, operate in the same crowded frequency band used by cordless phones, baby monitors, security monitors, wireless Internet hubs, and microwaves—resulting in interference and poor quality audio.

 

I'm not an expert on the specific band usage, however a portion of this 5GHz band (not the portion used by dual-band WiFi routers) is what has been used by AWACS - the only real source for interference when WiSA was bring developed.  Although, just in the past year I believe this this has been opened up somewhat for WiFi usage, and I believe a power increase is now being allowed as well (I think it used to be only 50mW before, now might be as much as a Watt).

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