It allows you to control your iTunes music using an Apple smart device like the iPhone. The speaker uses Klipsch’s famous horn-loaded technology in a thin speaker for better sound. The speaker is in a thin cabinet with a minimalist design that is glossy black in color. I am not a fan of glossy finishes since they tend to gather dust and fingerprints.

The G17 is designed to be wall mounted or placed on a table or desk using the included smoked glass base. The speaker is 17-inches long but makes big sound. It will work with just about any iPod on the market along with the iPhone and iPad. The biggest downside is the price at $549.99 each.

As you expect with an inline remote the S4A remote can control call answer and end, redial, and the mic can be muted. For music the remote controls pause/play, track forward/rewind, volume, and they are designed to block noise. The ear tips are designed to fill the ear and block noise as well as keep the sound in your ear.

The remote and mic also support voice searching and voice commands. The app required for the mic to work only supports Android 2.1 and later devices. The headphones sell for $99 and come with a carry case and multiple ear tips. You can pre-order now for $99.99 with an unspecified shipping date.

[via Android Community]

Klipsch has announced that its speakers will be used on the first 3D gaming notebook from Alienware. The new machine will be the first release in a series of new notebooks from Alienware that will use Klipsch speakers to give superior sound quality. The speakers should sound great; Klipsch makes some of the best audio gear on the market today.

The new M17x will launch this month starting at $1499. The machine will have a 3D 17-inch screen and it will use Intel Sandy Bridge processors with four cores. The notebook will also have HDMI in for playing the Xbox and PS3 3D style and the 3D screen will be an option.

Audiovox has now announced that the purchase has been completed at the $166 million price tag plus transaction fees and other expenses. The purchase is expected to benefit cash flow immediately at Audiovox and the Klipsch is expected to generate about $170 million in net sales in fiscal 2012.

The combined value of Klipsch and Audiovox is now about $730 million. Patrick Lavelle, President and CEO of Audiovox Corporation stated, “We are very excited to close this acquisition because it not only adds world-class brands with strong distribution, both domestically and abroad, but it also gives us entre into the high-end installation market at both the residential and commercial level. In addition to #1 market positions in the U.S., Klipsch brands are recognized throughout EMEA, the Americas, and the Asia-Pacific region, and we plan to continue expansion into other key international markets.” Lavelle continued, “Klipsch R&D capabilities and its quality reputation are second to none, and we intend for that to continue as we welcome the Klipsch team to Audiovox.”

We haven’t heard much out of Audiovox over the last few years, they did trot out the first Blu-ray player for cars at CES this year. Before that, I had not heard from them since I put one of its radios in my car back in the day. Audiovox has signed an agreement to acquire Klipsch and all its worldwide subsidiaries.

The deal will cost Audiovox $166 million and will be paid for with cash on hand and money from a revolving credit line with Wells Fargo Capital Finance. The transaction is expected to close in the next 30 days. Klipsch will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Audiovox, will be run as a stand-alone company, and will continue to be based in Indianapolis.

The Klipsch AudioRock is an add on speaker for the LightSpeaker system that is not included. It has a built-in wireless receiver and is weather and rustproof. Power for the AudioRock comes from a removable and rechargeable lithium battery pack.

The finish on the rock is granite and the speaker is angled up so the sound comes at the listener rather than the ground. The wireless tech used for connectivity is 2.4GHz and it can be connected to a pair of music sources with the LightSpeaker device. A full charge on the battery is up to eight hours of music listening and the battery pack charges in four hours. The LightSpeaker system required for the AudioRock to work is $599.99 if you don’t already own it. The AudioRock speaker sells for $199 each.

The new models include the F-30, F-20, and F-10 floorstanding towers, a bookshelf model called the B-20, pair of center channel offerings includes the C-20 and the C-10, and two surround sound offerings including the S-20 and the S-10. Those surround offerings use the Klipsch exclusive wide Dispersion Surround Technology to provide maximum sound coverage with flexible placement options.

The entire series of speakers use ridged IMG woofer cones for bass response, Tractrix horn tweeters with Linear Travel Suspension and aluminum diaphragm compression drivers. The line is packed inside black ash vinyl veneer cabinets with gray accents. The speakers range in price from $598 for floor channels to $479 for surround speakers in pairs.

The new Reference II Series speakers have 17 different models hat use the proprietary Tractrix horn technology and cosmetic upgrades like black metallic finished baffles and Cerametallic woofers. The new models include five floor standing towers RF-7 II, RF-82 II, RF-62 II and RF-52 II and RF-42 II; four bookshelf models including RB-81 II, RB-61 II, RB-51 II and RB-41 II.

The line also includes four center channel models including RC-64 II, RC-62 II,RC-52 II and RC-42 II; four surround speakers with the RS-62 II, RS-52 II, RS-42 II and RS-41 II. Those surround speakers include Klipsch Wide Dispersion Surround Technology. Pricing varies depending on the speaker model ranging from $549 to $3189 for floor standing models, $279.99 to $798.99 for bookshelf pairs, $229.99 to $1299.99 for center channels, and $329.99 to $1198.99 for surround speaker pairs.

“Today’s consumers are overloaded with complex technologies, and the LightSpeaker is designed to enrich their lives without complication,” said Klipsch president Paul Jacobs. “It offers brilliant light, reduces energy costs and creates a multiroom ambient music system in mere minutes. There’s no wiring, no retrofitting and no software to deal with.”

Each unit purportedly consumes 10W of power while putting out the equivalent of 65W of light.  Klipsch is offering a $599 LightSpeaker bundle, which includes two LightSpeakers, a transmitter, a remote control, and a 3.5mm-to-RCA cable. Currently demoing at CES 2010, A single speaker will cost $249 on Klipsch’s website this March.

These earbuds have a remote and microphone built-in, which is a necessity for any smartphone user these days. Intended to work with Apple devices, the earbuds can work with many other phones as well.

Included with the earbuds are oval eartips, which supposedly fit better in the ear than the standard round ones. Pricing is expected to be around $59.99 when the Image S2m earbuds are released next month.

While it may be difficult to see the difference in photos, the difference between the Klipsch buds and typical rivals is that these are oval, not round.  That apparently means they fit the ear canal more naturally, increasing both comfort and noise-isolation.

As for the headphones themselves, they have moving coil drivers with controlled damping, with the S4 getting a dual-magnet motor for increased damping and improved kick drum “attack”.  The Klipsch Image S2 and S4 will go on sale in July and April 2009 respectively.

Press Release:

New Recession-Proof Klipsch® Headphones Minimize Noise, Maximize Comfort

Patent-pending ear tips help Image S4 and S2 preserve hearing and outperform stock earbuds

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (March 11, 2009) — Imagine yourself on a loud, crowded bus or a stuffy airplane full of chitchat and all you want to do is phase out the public and tune into your own private world. The new Image S4 and S2 in-ear headphones from Klipsch are designed to make that vision an affordable, comfortable and safe reality.

The Image S4 and S2, priced at $79 and $49 respectively, open up new channels of distribution for the company, as its other headphone models range from $129.99 to $349.99. But what’s cool is that the S4 and S2 use the same proprietary ear tips as their pricier predecessors, continuing the company’s extreme comfort with superior noise isolation story.

“People have less discretionary income these days. Therefore, we felt it was necessary to develop reasonably priced, high-performance headphones that go above and beyond what you’d expect from the stock earbuds that come with your MP3 player,” said Mark Casavant, vice president of product development for Klipsch.

Unlike circular-shaped designs that put stress on the pressure points inside the ear, Klipsch’s patent-pending oval ear tips naturally fit the contours of your ear canals, providing comfortable long-term wear. These ear tips also offer superior passive noise-cancellation, blocking out almost all ambient noise and providing excellent bass.

“Once you have the right fit and seal, these headphones are virtually impossible to feel—letting you listen longer and better,” said Mark Blanchard, senior acoustic design engineer for Klipsch and inventor of the company’s oval ear tips. “When we began studying three-dimensional ear impressions, it was discovered that nearly everyone has an oval-shaped ear canal. We couldn’t believe that no one else had yet considered the anatomical shape of the ear canal when designing in-ear headphones.”

Blanchard also mentioned that when you wear Klipsch headphones, you don’t need to turn up the volume as loud because a good seal dramatically reduces background noise—a feature that could definitely help preserve your hearing.

Additionally, the Image S4 and S2 are moving coil designs with controlled damping, allowing them to deliver smooth, full-bodied sound that is similar to a balanced armature. In fact, the S4 has a “hot rod” dual magnet motor structure that increases the damping factor. It’s a feature that allows kick drums to “attack” and intermodulation distortion, or IMD, to be significantly reduced.

“We’ve been in the audio business for over 60 years and are continuously finding ways to value engineer our products without compromising our audiophile heritage,” said Casavant. “And our S4 and S2 are no exception—they are superior performers at everyday price points.”

The Image S4 will be available in a piano black and silver finish and include three different-sized oval ear tips (a small/medium dual flange design as well as medium and large single flange designs), an ear tip cleaning tool and a compact, crush-resistant aluminum case.

The Image S2 will be available in a piano black finish and include three different-sized oval ear tips (small, medium and large) and a cloth “Snap-tite” carrying pouch.

Both models carry a two-year warranty and work with the iPod, iPhone and other portable devices that feature a standard 3.5mm headphone jack. The S4 and S2 will be available for purchase at klipsch.com and other retail locations worldwide in April and July respectively. Amazon.com, Klipsch’s online launch partner, will begin taking pre-sale orders for the S4 this month.

About Klipsch®
Founded in 1946 by Paul W. Klipsch, one of America’s most celebrated audio pioneers, Klipsch has long been a high-end name in speaker design. Today, the brand continues its success as a leading global manufacturer of premium sound solutions for home, personal and commercial use. From massive professional cinema speakers to tiny headphones, Klipsch remains committed to delivering the most powerful, detailed and emotional sound experiences. Family owned and operated, chairman Fred Klipsch and vice chairman Judy Klipsch set the vision and strategy for the brand as well as the entire Klipsch Group, Inc. organization. For more information, visit klipsch.com.

The HD Theater 1000 features five identical speakers for main, surrounds and center channels. Each unit drives a dual 2.5-inch fiber composite woofers and a MicroTractrix Horn-loaded 0.75-inch aluminum dome tweeter. Low frequency range is taken care by an active subwoofer with an 10-inch fiber composite woofer and a digital hybrid amp. Next up is the mid-range HD Thearter 500 with 2.5-inch IMG drivers, smaller 8-inch down-firing subwoofer and a class D digital amp. The center channel is also different than 1000 series with a dual-woofer driver.

The smallest set, HD Theater 300, having the same drivers and features from 500 series, but a much-compact 6.5-inch subwoofer and a magnetically shielded center channel (to avoid image distortion for CRT-tube based monitors). It can be set up to add basic surrounds for your TV set, and is suitable for high-end PC entertainment as well.

Klipsch will launch the HD Theater 1000 in February, with the 500 and 300 coming in the next following month for $899, $599 and $399, respectively.

These speakers are really quite tiny. The satellite speakers are only 4.7-inches tall. Yet, the system pumps out sound that seems as though it were come from an entirely different and much larger system. It also does well to work all of the speakers together in a non-jarring fashion. However, there are wattage limitations here, but the standard listener won’t have a problem.

Costing about $1000, this speaker system can be tucked away out of sight, yet still deliver impressive sound more akin to those large speakers that stand out like a sore thumb. The Energy RC-Micro 5.1 speaker system delivers more than you would expect from such a system, and while it won’t please the biggest of audiophiles, it will do the job for most.

These Klipsch speakers feature two 1-inch compression drivers. They also have a 4-inch cone woofer, which can drive 50 watts. Pretty impressive. And while this pair of speakers used to be priced at $229.98, you can now get them for just $99.88 from Vann’s. Plus, shipping is free. That makes for a total savings of $130.10, plus the free shipping.

In case you’re still not convinced this is an awesome deal, check out the speakers’ specs below:

• 50 Watts Maximum Continuous (200 Watts Peak)
• Nominal Impedance: 8 ohms
• Two 1″ Polymer Dome Compression Driver Tweeters
• 4″ Square 90-Degree x 60-Degree Tractrix Horn
• 4″ Poly Cone Woofer
• HF Crossover: 2200Hz
• Medium Density Fiberboard Construction, Sealed Enclosures, Matte-Finish Black Vinyl

Each Image model will come in five different sizes so you can find your perfect fit. They have exclusive extended-frequency KG926 balanced micro-armatures and feature aluminum casing finished in anodized copper. They have aerodynamic shaped black tails which are flexible and reduce cable stress and help to damper and minimize noise.

They have come with 50inch vinyl cables and will work with any standard headphone jack. You’ll also get a handy carrying case, a 1/4inch adaptor, an airline adaptor, 5 sets of ear gels and a cleaning tool. It’s available now and priced at $349.

In fact these look like that house on the corner that used to be condemned but someone came along and threw a new paint job on it and is now selling it for a small fortune. These speakers claim to be of audiophile quality, and it sounds like they are even trying to compare their product to those $400 Bose PC speakers, but they look quite cheap.

Sure, they have various finishes including real wood for the boisterous price of $559, oh, and the subwoofer, which will cost you extra, a $179 extra. I have yet to hear or even see this speakers in real life, so they may actually be worth it, but for now, if I get close to $700 to spend on a PC speaker system, I am going to the closest place that retails Klipsch or Polk Audio products, not some company in Canada that I’ve never even heard of.

Axiom Audiobyte: The Bentley of PC speakers [via news]

These colossal works of audio art utilize a 3.5-way (what?) Tapered Array that has some new proprietary horn-loaded tweeter made from acoustic dampening materials, that last part seems like a step in the wrong direction, but I am sure they sound great, anyways, on with the specs. The mid’s are of an inverted dome design and then there are the three whopping woofers.

The whole packages deliver what I assume is the sound of God, very precisely. There is a Tractrix horn with a three quarters of an inch diaphragm tweeter, all that combined puts out a frequency response of 3kHz to 30kHz. Everything’s matched too, the speaker cases and the actual speakers, but all of that comes at a price, as I said earlier, you really have 2 choices you can buy a car, or drop the $15k for what I hope is at least a pair of these.

Klipsch Palladium P-39F Home Theater Speakers are on the floor [via NewLaunches]