For those of you with iPods!

[Parrot]

Neo,

Could you please post some pictures of the iPod Klipsch unit in your

listening room, and maybe a couple of you purchasing it at BestBuy?

[neo33]

"Could you please post some pictures of the iPod Klipsch unit in your

listening room"

You non-believer! [6].

"and maybe a couple of you purchasing it at BestBuy?"

Sorry, but Trinity won't be back for a while.

[Petrol]

You should probably give it a listen before you accuse us of selling something with no sound quality.

You would think anyway [:-*]

I heard an iGroove over the weekend at a friends house and I thought it sounded pretty good for what it is...

btw, what are they refering to... sounds like someone doesn't believe that neo has actually auditioned the iGroove []

btw, I don't have an ipod but I do have a tiny mp3 player that I use when I'm pedaling for my life on the stationary bike at the gym... I have no need for it when I'm home what with two separate systems that can easily fill the tiny house with sound.

[Petrol]

...I'm personally disappointed everytime a good speaker company comes out with something like this. When Polk came out with the I-Sonic, I mourned. When Klipsch came out with the iGroove, the same feeling swept over me. However, I didn't mourn.

You see, I already associated Klipsch with the Bose/JBL/Infinity/whoever-else-you-want-to-put-in-here category because of the multimedia stuff. I just see all that as being on the same level. I personally think companies like Polk, Klipsch, Paradigm, Wharfedale, Energy, etc, etc, should just stick to making nice speakers.

I guess if they need to make the cheaper, 'convenient' stuff for the non-audio-inclined to make a profit (haha) I'm ok with that. Just as long as none of that affects the other line-ups (which is pretty much impossible as it would at the least take money and R&D time/manpower away).

Anyhoo, I would just prefer everyone associate the name Klipsch with the Heritage and Reference series. I personally wouldn't even mind if they dropped the Synergy line.

audiobliss

*puts on flame suit*

Well, since you already have your firesuit on I won't waste any fuel other then to ask, "Did you think the same thoughts when the Buckmiester Buggy Whip Company of Michigan began working on a line of Auto Parts?" (purely ficticious)

"Did you think the same thoughts when Klipsch announced the RVX4 line of small speakers in an effort to sell some product to the folks who have to have the latest, sleekest flat panel displays in their minimalist 'living-rooms'?"

What is Klipsch to do, stand pat on the the small segment of the home electronics market that existing Heritage and Referance line address while the majority of the industry cashes in on the boom that is the "multimedia" portion of the market? [*-)]

[Guest BobG]

FWIW, the portable audio market, including products like iPod and accessories for iPod, is now larger than the home audio market. In fact, it is almost as large as the home audio + car audio market.

It is important that Klipsch, and any other audio company that wishes to remain relevant and prosperous, recognize the dynamics of the market and offer products that people wish to purchase. When we developed the iGroove, our goal was to outperform the competition. We believe we have achieved that goal. Clearly not everybody will agree. It is important to remember the performance target. If you purchase an iGroove expecting it to sound like RF-7's or other out of category products, you will certainly be disappointed. If you compare iGroove to like product, we expect most will prefer the iGroove.

[neo33]

"btw, what are they refering to... sounds like someone doesn't believe that neo has actually auditioned the iGroove"

Yup...you got me! But I still know the exact shape of the iGroove and the location of every single screw on it! [].

BTW, where is Trey and Amy? The forum has been unmonitored for a couple days now!

[audiobliss69]

...I'm personally

disappointed everytime a good speaker company comes out with something

like this. When Polk came out with the I-Sonic, I mourned.

When Klipsch came out with the iGroove, the same feeling swept over

me. However, I didn't mourn.

You see, I already associated

Klipsch with the Bose/JBL/Infinity/whoever-else-you-want-to-put-in-here

category because of the multimedia stuff. I just see all that as

being on the same level. I personally think companies like Polk,

Klipsch, Paradigm, Wharfedale, Energy, etc, etc, should just stick to

making nice speakers.

I guess if they need to make

the cheaper, 'convenient' stuff for the non-audio-inclined to make a

profit (haha) I'm ok with that. Just as long as none of that

affects the other line-ups (which is pretty much impossible as it would

at the least take money and R&D time/manpower away).

Anyhoo,

I would just prefer everyone associate the name Klipsch with the

Heritage and Reference series. I personally wouldn't even mind if

they dropped the Synergy line.

audiobliss

*puts on flame suit*

Well, since you already have your firesuit on I won't waste any fuel

other then to ask, "Did you think the same thoughts when the

Buckmiester Buggy Whip Company of Michigan began working on a line of

Auto Parts?" (purely ficticious)

"Did you think the same

thoughts when Klipsch announced the RVX4 line of small speakers in an

effort to sell some product to the folks who have to have the latest,

sleekest flat panel displays in their minimalist 'living-rooms'?"

What

is Klipsch to do, stand pat on the the small segment of the home

electronics market that existing Heritage and Referance line address

while the majority of the industry cashes in on the boom that is the

"multimedia" portion of the market? [*-)]

I realize that a new company has to broaden its horizon's and embrace

new markets, in some instances, to survive. Perhaps my youth and

idealism just give me a skewed sense of when they should.

As for what I thought about Klipsch's line of small speakers designed,

I assume, to go with plasma TVs, yes, I had the same thoughts.

I'd prefer 'real' speakers, if you know what I mean.

audiobliss

[Petrol]

audiobliss69, Believe me, I agree with you as far as my own personal purchase decision tend to reflect.

It's as simple as the Every auto company in the industry HAD to offer an SUV and is now scurrying to provide a Hybrid to market example. If you don't offer for sale what the market demands, you die, or at the very least get seriously ill.

I just happen to be of the same mind as BobG with regards to Klipsch NEEDING to be in the EXPLODING portable/personal audio market.

...the portable audio market, including products like iPod and accessories for iPod, is now larger than the home audio market. In fact, it is almost as large as the home audio + car audio market.

It is important that Klipsch, and any other audio company that wishes to remain relevant and prosperous, recognize the dynamics of the market and offer products that people wish to purchase...

[Amy]

Neo,

I've been at a seminar for a couple of days.

You're of course free to express your opinions, but no need to get defensive and continue beating a dead horse. You don't like the iGroove, and that's fine.

I welcome anyone else's comments about the product from this point forward.

[neo33]

"You don't like the iGroove, and that's fine."

Amy, I have never dislike a Klipsch product. It's not that I

don't like the iGroove. But at $279, and not-so "audiophile

quality", it sounds more like Bose marketing!

Klipsch has been beaten by Altec Lansing this time for "best bang for the buck"!

[Parrot]

Neo: "anyone else" meant anyone else but you.

[neo33]

Parrot, so I am not entitle to response to her message that has my name on it?

[DrWho]

Do animal rights still apply to dead animals, or more specifically to dead horses?

Amy, or someone at Klipsch...

where is the iGroove going to be sold? Is it strictly a Best Buy and

intnernet thing? I saw some similar products in Target the other day

and thought to myself "I wonder why Klipsch doesn't try to get a

similar product out in other stores like this?" Lo and behold the

iGroove shows up about 2 weeks later. Anyways, the reason I ask is

because I would love to go give it a quick listen. Perhaps I can

suggest something other than the Bose wave radio to my friends (which actually sounds

quite nice for what it is).

Have you guys looked into selling through the "sharper image" stores as

well? That would be a great place to establish a very sophisticated

feel to the Klipsch name []

[audiobliss69]

As for broadening the horizons with respect to where to sell Klipsch...

...I for one would not like to see Klipsch in places like Best Buy,

Circuit City, Target, Wal Mart, etc. Not because of what it does

to the company - it has absolutely no affect. However, I do

dislike it for the 'image' it presents to the public. If someone

sees Klipsch in stores like Target and Wal Mart, they're not going to

consider Klipsch a very high-end product/company. While that's

obviously not true, and a company's activity in the more affordable end

of things does not affect its ability to play around in the high-end,

it does affect the public's opinions and perception of the

company. I can see that with Polk Audio. Great

products. However, they're sold in Circuit City (the RTi series),

and so that 'dirties' their name in the public's opinion.

If a high-end company is going to dauble in the multimedia/portable

realm, I think the two areas should be very distincly separated, as if

two different companies, so the lower one will not affect the public

perception of the higher-end one.

Did that make any sense?

[Amy]

Dr Who,

iGroove is at Best Buy, Apple Stores, and either is or soon will be at Target.com and hopefully eventually the stores as well. We're also going to be in the Herrington's catalog, possibly CompUSA and Amazon. I think we have a rep looking at Sharper Image, but nothing has been confirmed.

[Amy]

Audiobliss,

While I agree with the sentiment of your post, you also have to keep in mind that we need to be a presence where the vast majority of "like" products are actually sold to be able to support the existence of the product. Better quality or not, the general public is going to go to a Best-Buy-type store for electronic needs.

[audiobliss69]

Amy - I hear you on that one. I sure hope you wouldn't sell any

of those iGrooves in Tweeter, Now! Audio Video (they're now Tweeter,

but I added them anyways 'cause I don't know of that many high-end

audio stores []), Read Brothers (now I know about that one!!), Elite

Audio Video, etc. I agree that the product needs to be marketed

to the market it will appeal to, and in the most suitable marketplace

based on its purpose. However, my post was more about coming up

with a different name or logo or some such to distinguish between the

two lines of products so the public will more readily see Klipsch as

high end despite the multimedia stuff they make. I.E (and not a

very good example, but the best I can think of) Sony and Sony ES.

Two totally different lines. Well, not really...Sony is always

junk...Sony ES just usually is....[]

Maybe I'm trying to think of something more along the lines of Anthem and Sonic Frontiers.

Oh, and I knew you didn't really agree with me 100%! []

[Parrot]

iGroove is at Best Buy, Apple Stores,

and either is or soon will be at Target.com and hopefully eventually

the stores as well.

I bet Target stores would handle Klipsch Heritage if you asked them nicely. They have the floorspace.

[DrWho]

Bose has no problem maintaining their image and they sell in just about any store you can think of...

Name recognition is the most important thing in advertising and the

image comes second, but can easily be obtained via clever marketing in

the mass stores and by just making a good product. Think about it....oh

wow, my iGroove sounded better than the Bose wave radio in the store.

10 years later...I think I'll go with klipsch in my HT because they as

a company sounded better than the competition when I bought my boombox.

People associate what they want with a brand name, not by the specific

products they sell or where they sell them (except the few image

obsessed rich snotty wannabe upper class idiots...so klipsch just needs

to carry a line that is only sold in those stores).

[Petrol]

the iGroove looks like an attempt to compete with the Bose SoundDock, more like a gimmick and no sound quality. Shame on Klipsch!....

Amy, I bought it! I listened to it! I returned it!....I'll say that it is marginally better then the Bose SoundDock for not much less expensive. And that's about it!....Even the $99 ProMedia Ultra 2.0 sounded better! Shame on Klipsch! What the hell is Klipsch thinking?

I bought it at my local Best Buy store, and yes they DO have a few units. I returned it directly through them.

I stand by my statement....Bought another unit from another Best Buy over the weekend and gave an extensive listening session....Weak stereo separation. Somewhat thin midrange which becomes more apparent in the voices. Tight but very weak bass; the specs said 65Hz at the low end but it sounded more like > 100Hz. Instruments are blurry and have no tonal quality. Two units from two different Best Buy locations, pretty much the same result. Manufacture defect? Don't think so. I will return this unit to Best Buy (again).

"btw, what are they refering to... sounds like someone doesn't believe that neo has actually auditioned the iGroove"

..... Yup...you got me!

----------------------------------

But I still know the exact shape of the iGroove and the location of every single screw on it!

Amy, I have never dislike a Klipsch product. It's not that I don't like the iGroove. But at $279, and not-so "audiophile quality", it sounds more like Bose marketing!.....Klipsch has been beaten by Altec Lansing this time for "best bang for the buck"!

<b> Can I PLEASE get a Big Ole WTF, Over?!?! </b>

When I read your first post BASHING the iGroove I was almost ready to second guess my own opinion about the unit that I ACTUALLY LISTENED TO!

Heck, I was ready to chalk it up to the fact that you either got hold of a dud until you 'fessed-up'

I consider it to be a very major load of crap that someone who professes to be a Klipsch junky would berate Klipsch for being "beaten by Altec Lansing for best bang for the buck" on a product that you have not even demo'd...

Thank God for Klipsch and their efforts to market the iGroove that I'm not some highly impressionable 'young-skull-full-of-mush' and a fist full of $$$ that's was scared away from the iGroove by your bogus "review". . .

<b> may the SHAME be upon YOU neo </b> for, no matter how hard I try to keep an open mind and place 'true' value on the opinions of others that I read here, I will from now on remember of how you played me for a fool at the expense of Klipsch [:$] [*-)] [+o(]