Klipsch R-41PM

amazon Klipsch R-41PM reviews

We rarely review traditional bookshelf speakers intended to connect to a stereo receiver, but the $399 Klipsch R-41PM, sold as a pair, is just traditional from the front. There’s no need for a stereo receiver for starters — on the rear panel, you can connect it directly to a computer via USB or to a Blu-ray player via Optical. But the real draw is the built-in Bluetooth, so you can easily play music from any audio source. Other than that, the speakers look pretty good and sound great. You don’t need a sub to get rich bass depth from them, although adding a sub will provide the rumbling sub-bass that the speakers lack. Either way, these are some of the most versatile bookshelf speakers we’ve ever seen.

Design

Available in black, the left and right speakers measure 9.8 x 5.9 x 7.5 inches (HWD) and weigh 18.7 pounds. The front grilles are removable, and underneath, each has a nice 1-inch tweeter (located in a 90 x 90-degree horn) and a 4-inch copper woofer. The Klipsch Reference logo appears on the bottom of the tweeter, and the speakers look undeniably classy, ​​the grilles turned on or off (they snap into place magnetically). Klipsch includes eight silicone pads for the bottom corners of the speakers — especially if placing them on a wooden surface; these are recommended to keep them stable and help control some vibrations of bass.

The system offers a frequency range of 76Hz-21kHz, so although you won’t get much bass from a pair of speakers, a crossover is built-in for sub-compatibility. The woofers still manage pretty impressive power despite not digging into the deep lows – combined, the system power is 70 watts. An included cable connects from the rear panel of the left speaker to the right, which houses the main connections for the system.

On the back of the right speaker, there’s a master volume knob (which works independently of any connected Bluetooth device’s volume) that doubles as a source selector when pressed. Next to this is the turntable ground connection. There’s a switch to toggle between the typical line signal and the turntable phono signal, as well as the RCA inputs needed to connect the turntable — no cables included for this input. Near them, there is a 3.5mm aux input and the subwoofer mentioned above output. There’s a USB connection for digital output from a computer — along with and sturdy cable is included for this — and Optical input and a micro USB service port. Both speakers also have a port area on the rear panel. The included power cable connects to the back of the right speaker.

Not all remotes are necessary, but you don’t want to lose the controls available here. Its rubber buttons handle power, volume, subwoofer volume (if you connect one), mute, play/pause (for Bluetooth), and pairing. There are also dedicated buttons for different audio sources: Aux, Optical, USB, and Phono. There is an LED button to turn off the status LED and control the sub-reset. The remote is powered by two AAA batteries included. The only thing missing here are the track navigation buttons, but that’s not a big deal. If there’s one complaint that needs to be made, the remote sometimes has a bit of a lag when playing or pausing Bluetooth tracks.

Bluetooth pairing is a bit of a hassle. Speakers automatically re-pair with your phone or tablet when they are switched to Bluetooth. So every time you want to use Bluetooth, you have to connect manually. It didn’t take long, but it wasn’t very pleasant.

Performance

These are powerful speakers, and they are quite loud. Of course, at the highest level of madness might experience distortion, but at a safe listening level which is still very high, we didn’t hear anything. On tracks with intense bass content, such as The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the speaker delivers powerful bass depth. As mentioned, the sub-bass area isn’t part of the R-41PM’s repertoire, but they still deliver everything above 76Hz with power and precision. Adding a sub does create some lovely extra depth, but it’s unnecessary to enjoy tracks with strong bass responses. In addition to the presence of bass, the mids and highs are presented superbly — this is a bright, crisp sound signature with rich fixation in the lows.

Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the R-41PM’s overall tonal character. The drums on this track can sound thunderous and unnatural on some bass transition systems. Here, they sound full and round but not too deep if the speakers can summon some of those sub-bass frequencies. The drums don’t feel weak, but they do sound fuller with a subwoofer attached. That said, Callahan’s baritone vocals add some lovely rich detail in the mids and lows — and fortunately, there’s plenty of clarity in the highs and mids to boost his singing with the vocals treble and guitar with some sharp attacks.

In Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum ring receives an ideal presence in the mid-highs, highlighting its powerful attack. The loop also picks up some additional thumping in the lows, but nothing beats it, while the beat-breaking sub-bass synthesizers deliver with a solid bass presence. But again, nothing elicits the deepest bass like a subwoofer. The vocals on this track have great clarity and no real extras.

Like the opening scene in John Adams’ Gospel According to Others, orchestral tracks sound fantastic through R-41PM. The lower register instruments are handled gracefully—there’s some subtle boost, but the stage goes to the higher registers, strings, and vocals. That is a well-balanced sound signature, and most of the low frequencies present on a track like this are within the range that the R-41PM can cover without a sub.

Conclude

Even without a subwoofer, the Klipsch R-41PM speaker sounds great. At $400, they’re not cheap, but if there’s one thing that makes us feel like we’re missing the all-in-one wireless speaker era, it’s the stunning stereo separation you get from well-placed bookshelf speakers. Klipsch here takes a modern connection and applies it to an old stereo sampler with excellent results and great value for money. In the stereo speakers department, we’re also fans of the Audioengine 2+, Audioengine A5+, Edifier R1280T, and Edifier S350DB 2.1. Each pair has its strengths, but the R-41PM is a worthy opponent.

where can you get a Klipsch R-41PM online

Klipsch R-41PM Powered Bookshelf Speaker,Black: Buy it now

Klipsch R-41PM Powered Bookshelf Speaker (Renewed): Buy it now