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Klipsch The Nines - Review & Measurements by Erin

VintageFlanker

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Klipsch%20The%20Nines%20FR_Linearity.png

Is that really a Klipsch speaker ? o_O

Edit: Text data is up:
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Definitely the best measuring speaker from Klipsch so far.

Great to see Klipsch designing more neutral speakers.
It's the end of an error. Uhm era.
 
Looks like they got the NFS too, or at least access to use one, to get the design right. Good for them. Now let's see the entire line updated.
 
Even the older passive RP series measured quite well as I had showed 1.5 years ago:


Somehow I felt that Klipsch was often treated more harsh than deserved here.
 
Yeah but how do you upgrade when a better sounding amp and DSP comes along next year?
An already good speaker wouldn't need for upgrade. That is the all point. ;)
And what to do with my 10 ga wires?
I'd say that these will sell well and fast on second-hand market. :p
 
1684947571834.png


Will this lead to the speaker sounding bright/airy (pick your word)? Perhaps it can be EQ'd.
 
View attachment 287952

Will this lead to the speaker sounding bright/airy (pick your word)? Perhaps it can be EQ'd.
You won't be able to fix this bump in the frequency response at around 18khz.

Here's the spin:
1684949553055.png

Look at Sound Power DI and Early Reflections DI at around 18khz, and you'll see a bump as well, which means you won't be able to EQ in this region.

For an example, here's the previous Klipsch the Fives, that has the same problem at 18khz (or so).
CEA2034.jpg

Even if you apply EQ to the Fives, this is the best you can achieve:
CEA2034.jpg
 
The Fives weren't bad either. But these are next-level. Definitely, active DSP design helps. ;)
Nope, the step in directivity @1kHz is something one would not like to see with speakers designed for home use (you may want to add a wide dispersion center speaker). Multitone distortion is as bad as with every other 2-way. Mind you, with real music it will become very much worse (the multitone has simply not enough bass).
 
Great to see Erin back in action. Interesting speakers, much better than expected, no nonsense straightforward review by Erin!

Side note, did Erin mysteriously grow more hair or is my memory fading?
 
You won't be able to fix this bump in the frequency response at around 18khz.

Here's the spin:
View attachment 287954
Look at Sound Power DI and Early Reflections DI at around 18khz, and you'll see a bump as well, which means you won't be able to EQ in this region.

For an example, here's the previous Klipsch the Fives, that has the same problem at 18khz (or so).
CEA2034.jpg

Even if you apply EQ to the Fives, this is the best you can achieve:
CEA2034.jpg
18kHz? When do you think almost any of us can hear 18kHz?
 
Plus they look good and aren't overly expensive. Add two subs and a simple streamer and you have a nice system for less than $3000. If there just weren't these dials/switches on top...
 
Erin said out of the box, the speakers were not flat (bright), but he said the rudimentary EQ sliders allowed him to get the response flat.

I keep saying that, for a speaker review, if a speaker provides some EQ or tone controls, the reviewer should always try to use to get a flat response as possible before judging it. Active speakers almost always have controls or dip-switches to tailor the response, or apps that allow some customization, so they should be used if possible to get the speaker performing as well as it possibly can and then share the settings used.

I'm glad Erin takes into account the available built-in tools offered by the speaker itself.
 
I keep saying that, for a speaker review, if a speaker provides some EQ or tone controls, the reviewer should always try to use to get a flat response as possible before judging it.
Strongly disagree.

Any product has to be evaluated as it performs out of the box, whatever product that is. As many potential buyers will.

so they should be used if possible to get the speaker performing as well as it possibly can and then share the settings used.
That should be the manufacturer's job to deliver a speaker that actually performs. Not on users or reviewers to tweak it to do so...

Then, yes. It is very informative if reviewer could also share measurements with EQ and adjustments, what Erin did in that case. ;)
 
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