Soundbars/Soundbases

The Klipsch roars into life with the Blu-ray of the Ron Howard-directed Formula 1 drama Rush, its LCR drivers finding all the detail and weight of the duelling racing cars of James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl). The soundbar presents squealing tires with relish, while the acceleration of engines is gutty and fierce, the sub delivering appropriate thunder.

Indeed, integration between the 10in subwoofer and the main array is excellent, the two crossing over seamlessly. There's no sense of disconnect between the units, which isn't always the case with soundbar/subwoofer combis. And those horn tweeters left and right, fluted for wide dispersion, really help deliver impressive width. The soundstage is big and wide, and you'll certainly feel like you're travelling at speed.

This may not be the most technically advanced of soundbars, but it has genuine cinematic chutzpah.

As for the Cinema 600's audio post-processing, it's light of touch. The Surround mode option doesn't offer any additional ambience, beyond what appears to be a little reverb; perhaps it's only intended for layouts using Klipsch's optional Surround 3 speakers?

The Dialogue mode may prove of worth if you struggle to discern speech in drama, although I never felt the need to engage it. Klipsch's Night preset flattens the dynamics, and so would only be used when trying not to disturb others in the house.

A few movies in, and I'm left with the impression of a soundbar that's unapologetically bold, with clean-cut channel definition. Dialogue is focused, full-bodied and smooth, avoiding sibilance. There's also warmness to the Cinema 600's presentation overall; it sounds not unlike a pair of quality standmount speakers, albeit with the bonus of a dedicated centre channel. And despite its lack of Atmos upfirers or steering DSP, when Teddy's spacecraft takes off in episode 2 of Cowboy Bebop (Netflix), there's still's a dimensionality to the sound which makes the levitating metal seem all the more real.

As the soundbar is Bluetooth-enabled, it would seem churlish not to send a few tunes in its direction. This transpires to be time well spent. Temple of Ekur, from Danish rockers Volbeat, confirms Klipsch's kick-ass reputation, as the Cinema 600 does a sterling job with the track's relentless riffing, and delivers a great guitar tone without sacrificing that smooth midrange.

I'd have no qualms about using this Klipsch as a surrogate Bluetooth music speaker.

Timely Reminder
Dolby Atmos compatibility might seem like a red line when shortlisting soundbars, but Klipsch reminds us there are other fundamentals that can make or break a listening experience. This system is light on contemporary technology, but does a blistering job with the basics.

It's a no-nonsense, big and powerful soundbar that's eminently listenable. Bass drops deep but integration is top-notch, and dialogue remains crisp and well defined. The Klipsch Cinema 600 isn't leading-edge, but it's more accomplished than its spec suggests n

HCC Verdict

Klipsch Cinema 600

Price:  £600 
www.klipsch.com

We say: A no-nonsense soundbar system that's an exhilarating listen; dynamic and clean with seamless bass integration. It's expensive though, given the lack of Dolby Atmos.

Overall: 4/5

Specifications

DRIVERS: 3 x Tractrix horn-loaded 1in tweeters; 4 x 3in fibre composite woofers ONBOARD POWER (CLAIMED): 600W total CONNECTIONS: 1 x HDMI input; 1 x optical digital audio input; 3.5mm analogue audio input DOLBY Atmos/DTS:X: No/No Separate subwoofer: Yes. 10in driver REMOTE CONTROL: Yes DIMENSIONS: 1,443(w) x 73(h) x 86(d)mm WEIGHT: 14kg (including subwoofer)

FEATURES: Bluetooth; Dolby Digital compatibility; HDMI CEC control; Dialogue, Surround and Night audio presets; 28Hz-20kHz claimed frequency response; wireless subwoofer connection; motion sensitive backlit remote; optional Surround 3 speakers for 5.1 setup