REVIEW-Klipsch Image One

[fhantazm]

I've been on ABI for 3 years now and, unfortunately haven't really contributed too much. However, starting with this review, I hope to change that.

Today, I'll be reviewing the brand new, Klipsch Image One headphones.
These are Klipsch's first foray into the over-the-head market. I picked these up for $150 from the local Apple store and am happy to report, they're worth every penny.

Read on for the details.....

FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS
DESIGN On-ear, Dynamic Moving Coil 40mm Speaker
FREQUENCY RESPONSE 16Hz - 23kHz
SENSITIVITY 110dB
DRIVE COMPONENTS Full Range KG 150
INPUT IMPEDANCE 32 ohms
INPUT CONNECTIONS 3.5mm
DIMENSIONS Driver diameter: 40mm
Packaging: 9.9" H x 7.5" W x 2.7" D
WEIGHT 138.3 grams
FEATURES mic+3-button remote
FINISHES Black/Chrome
BUILT FROM 2010

FIRST IMPRESSION
The box is pretty unassuming and the Apple store even had it hanging from a peg, right next to the Dre Beats and Skullcandy's. Say wha??? But fret not. It's whats inside that counts, and these count in a big way.

The box is exactly the same size as the B&W box.


Accessories include a nice zippered pouch, the typical 1/8" to 1/4" headphone adapter, an airline adapter, the manual, the warranty card, etc. Pretty much what you'd expect to find when de-boxing headphones. But you're not reading this to hear about accessories, so let me get right to it.



BUILD QUALITY
The Image One's are quite nice looking and seemingly well built. Although plastic is the primary material, it's quite sturdy and unlike the "creaky" Dre Beats. The leather patches on the outside of each 'phone are a nice touch and when mixed with the "chrome" accents, such as the Klipsch name, look really nice. The cable is actually thicker than most and seems to be quite sturdy. These are something you'll feel proud wearing and you actually feel as if your money was well spent.




AUDIO QUALITY
Audio quality is VERY good. I've got probably 30 pairs of earphones/headphones floating around, and the only pair I like more than these, are the B&W P5s. But not by much.

BASS: If you're looking for a super-flat set of headphones, these aren't it. These have a VERY NICE bass response, but without sounding like a "fart cannon" and/or disturbing the rest of the spectrum. This is in contrast to a lot of other 'phones that can't seem to quite get it right. They're either all bass and trash the mids and highs (Dre Beats), or they are super clear from 800Khz on up, but have very little bass response(Etymotic HF3). It seems as if Klipsch finally got it right.

MIDS and HIGHS: The mids and highs are ultra smooth and there weren't any noticeable spikes, which could lead to audio fatigue. The bass seems to be the only aspect that is a bit "colored". I listened to several genre's of music from Dubstep to Classical and was equally impressed with the performance on them all. I could literally pick out the instruments being played and I felt as if I was right there in the studio.



Comfort/Operation
COMFORT: These are a closed-back, supra-aural headphones. Meaning they sit on the ear, instead of over it. That being said, the soft leather pads and the design make them quite comfortable. I was able to listen for extended periods of time (2hrs+) without any major discomfort. My ears were, not surprisingly, a bit warm after use, but that's about it. Very nice.

MIC/IPOD CONTROLS: The control "stick" is located down on your chest, right where the "Y" splits off. Some may not like this as much as having it up by your ears, but I actually prefer this design. To me, it's just easier to reach and control. The downside to having the stick lower is the mic is now further away from your mouth. That being said, I found mic clarity to be a bit muffled, and a heavy wind would cause the typical "audio-blowout", but neither were bad enough for me to consider a major negative. I don't use these on my iDevices much anyway.

SOUND LEAKAGE: The leather and foam pads do a nice job of keeping the sound in your ears, where it belongs. In fact, with a perfect "seal", I heard no leakage at all with my Fuze full-throttle. However, once the seal is lost, you do get some leakage (to be expected), but it's still nothing to be overly concerned about. I would feel comfortable using these in a library, as long as I didn't have the volume full-blast.


The "clicker"

CONCLUSION
I simply cannot recommend these enough. I read somewhere that these were designed to be the Image S4's in a full size form factor. This is not the case. These sound very different from the S4's, and in a good way. The clarity, bass response and soundstage is pretty amazing. If you've been primarily an IEM user, and aren't going to the gym everyday, you owe it to yourself to try a pair. You'll be pleasantly surprised. They're priced right, look right and most importantly, sound right. A winner in my book.


Sorry about the finger smudges

[The DarkSide]

We're waiting,...

[fhantazm]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

We're waiting,...

The review is up!

[The DarkSide]

Originally Posted by fhantazm

The review is up!

Thank you sir, I shall enjoy the excellent review!!!

[fhantazm]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

Thank you sir, I shall enjoy the excellent review!!!

No, problemo! Thanks for reading it!

Also, let me know if you see any boo-boos. I did use spell check, but you never know.

[The DarkSide]

Love the read,...great work!!! But, now I want these AND the AIAIAI-TMA-1!!!

[fhantazm]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

Love the read,...great work!!! But, now I want these AND the AIAIAI-TMA-1!!!

Thank you, kind sir!

And oh man, I would LOVE to get my hands on a pair of TMA-1's! I've spent way too much money the past few months on audio gear, so i have to let the wallet cool for a bit. But Christmas is right around the corner, and you never know what Santa will bring!

[Spk282]

Nice review, I personally would go for the B&W P5's, it seems that both come in at $300. The P5's would have to come down to around the $200 range though for me to honestly consider purchasing them.

[glove4]

God I am jealous, I want these so bad.

[fhantazm]

Originally Posted by Spk282

Nice review, I personally would go for the B&W P5's, it seems that both come in at $300. The P5's would have to come down to around the $200 range though for me to honestly consider purchasing them.

I LOVE the P5's. Love them. And if I had to choose between the two, would certainly choose the B&W's. But, the Image One's ring in at $150 and the P5's ring in at $300 (Retail). They're in a different class. But, like I said above, the Image One's sound VERY good and actually come close to the sonic nirvana the P5's put out. To my ears, anyway.

[IDvsEGO]

I really want a set of these as well. I have heard nothing but glowing reviews. unfortunately apple has an exclusive on them and I dont think I want to give them any money just yet.

[lestatar]

Hey...excellent review/pics - nice job! Not a cans guy myself, but these and the AIAIAI are very tempting...

thanks for sharing
-les

[Adub]

I'm betting the image one and the tma1 are not in the same league, or even close.

[lestatar]

hmmm, yeah, prolly right based on the AIAIAI thread...still, these Klipsch thingies seem kinda nice...

ahhh, I am talkin out my ass...I know myself - I just won't commit and get cans anytime soon no matter what I might babble about

[JxK]

Originally Posted by Adub

I'm betting the image one and the tma1 are not in the same league, or even close.

And yet the image one will undoubtedly outsell the tma1 by just as large a margin. There's something to be said for a company's skill at marketing. Of the "good" headphone manufacturers, the only one that actually manages to maintain a decent brick and mortar presence is sennheiser. And even it lags well behind such mainstays as sony and bose.

[Adub]

Yeah luckily marketing and mass availability are not on my list of pros when choosing headphones, I'll leave that to the apple store sheep.

[fhantazm]

Originally Posted by lestatar

Hey...excellent review/pics - nice job! Not a cans guy myself, but these and the AIAIAI are very tempting...

thanks for sharing
-les

Thanks, bud! I appreciate the compliment. As you can tell, I'm quite happy with these. They're definitely not the end-all-be-all of headphones, but for the money, they're really nice.

[fhantazm]

Originally Posted by Adub

Yeah luckily marketing and mass availability are not on my list of pros when choosing headphones, I'll leave that to the apple store sheep.

Why so angry? This whole "hate on Apple" fad is getting quite long in the tooth. Although, I have mostly Sandisk players, I do enjoy the occasional romp in the bed with other manufacturers, including Apple. I've bought 1 or 2 pairs of 'phones from Apple, but I certainly don't think that classifies me as being a sheep. To be honest, I really wouldn't care if it did. I got what I wanted, and didn't have to wait for it (unlike 80% of my other gear I bought from online vendors). It's nice to be able to walk into a store, purchase, walk out, and use it almost immediately. Sure you usually end up paying more, but sometimes it's worth it. Not always, but sometimes.

My point is, when did it become "uncool" for a manufacturer to market their product? Or for a person to patronize a particular store to purchase said product? Just because something's being sold at an Apple store, doesn't mean it's instantly a sub-par product and marketed towards unwitting "sheep". On the other hand, just because a product has no visible branding or advertising, doesn't magically make it superior. The aiaiai for instance may very well be superior to the Klipsch and probably are. But this decision shouldn't be based on looks and/or advertisement alone.

I'm definitely not being argumentative, but am honestly interested in the mentality involved.

[IDvsEGO]

my problem with apple isnt marketing, its overpricing. I honestly wish some of these other companies like cowon and sansa would market better. of course, then the products would be overpriced. stupid catch 22.

plus jobs is an oddball and borderline doosh.

[fhantazm]

Originally Posted by IDvsEGO

\

plus jobs is an oddball and borderline doosh.

I concur with this statement. I am NOT a fan of Jobs.