Klipsch Audio Technologies

Lore & Background

Klipsch was founded in 1946 by Paul W. Klipsch in Hope, Arkansas, as Klipsch and Associates. The company has consistently promoted horn-loaded speakers, citing advantages in sensitivity, low modulation distortion, wide dynamic range, controlled directivity, and flat frequency response. Historically, horn designs have been associated with a coloration sometimes described as 'honkiness,' the causes of which are still being researched; one cause is vibration of the horn material itself. Early Klipsch designs used metal-throated horns that could create a 'ring' or 'buzz,' but the company later introduced braced fiberglass horns to alleviate resonances. In 1989, Klipsch introduced a midrange horn with a tractrix flare said to reduce 'honkiness' and create a more open sound quality. The company also moved from silk diaphragms to materials like phenolic resin, aluminum, and titanium.

The Klipschorn, or K-Horn, is the company's flagship product, patented in 1946 and in continuous production since then. Its large enclosure houses a three-way design with a 15-inch cone woofer in a folded bass bin that uses the room's walls and floor as extensions of the horn structure. This design yields extremely high efficiency—one watt RMS produces 105 dB at 1 meter—and extends frequency response down to about 35 Hz. The speaker has received periodic minor modifications, including diode overload protection added around 1970, changes to the midrange horn material from wood to metal to fiberglass, and front-mounting of the tweeter in the 1980s. In 2005, cosmetic and functional revisions were made, and the crossover was revoiced in the early 2000s. Anniversary models were offered in 2006 (60th) and 2016 (70th, limited to 70 pairs with a fully enclosed horn).

Reader's Guide

Klipsch Audio Technologies holds a significant place in audio history primarily through the Klipschorn, the only speaker in the world to remain in continuous production for over 70 years. The company's unwavering commitment to horn-loaded designs, rooted in principles from Bell Labs in the 1930s, has influenced both high-end home audio and professional applications. The Klipschorn's extreme sensitivity—capable of concert-level dynamics with as little as one watt per channel—has made it a natural partner for low-powered single-ended valve amplifiers, a pairing that has seen renewed interest in the audiophile community. Beyond the flagship, legacy models like the La Scala and Klipsch Belle extended fully horn-loaded performance without requiring corner placement, while models such as the Cornwall and Heresy combined horn tweeters and midranges with direct-radiating woofers for high sensitivity. The company's later product lines, including the Palladium series introduced in 2007 and the Icon Series (X, W, and V), diversified its offerings across price points and aesthetic preferences. Klipsch's historical willingness to address the 'honkiness' criticism of horns through material changes—from metal to braced fiberglass to tractrix flares—demonstrates an ongoing refinement of its core technology. The company's acquisition by Audiovox in 2011 marked a corporate transition, but its legacy as a proponent of horn-loaded efficiency and its iconic corner-horn design remain central to its identity.

Did You Know?

• The Klipschorn has been in continuous production since 1946, the longest run in speaker production history.
• Paul W. Klipsch wore a 'Bullshit' button pinned inside his jacket lapel to flash at people making bogus claims.
• In 2016, Klipsch released a 70th Anniversary Klipschorn limited to 70 pairs with a fully enclosed horn.