nad_masters's Full Review: Klipsch Synergy B-3 Main / Stereo Speaker
As some of my fellow readers know, I've been using a stereo desktop speaker set (though a good one - Klipsch ProMedia 2.1) for my modest home theater system. Basically it consists of a PC running Vista Media Center and a modest sized LCD HDTV. My friend also have a TV the same size as mine, but paired with an 5.1 surround system. After playing a few movies as well as playing Age of Conan (excellent support for surround sound!), it's finally time for me to step up to the plate. Gotta keep up with the Jones, right?
I head off to Best Buy to see what they have to showcase. They seem to have a lot to play with, from stereo bookshelf speakers, to a set of 5.1 speakers, even complete "home theater" systems. I've decided to go the "put it together yourself" route, and checked out a few receivers, speakers, and sub woofers.
Klipsch B-3
The Best Buy in my area have a nice set up to showcase their bookshelf speakers. All speakers and sub woofers are connected to an A/B switch, which allows for you to turn on or off. These kind of speakers are perfect for a front stage speaker set, and can also be used for the rear surround set up as well. They are expensive, but sound much better than the small speakers typically found in most 5.1 speaker set (such as Klipsch's Quintet series).
This is where I found the Klipsch B-3s along side the small B-2 and the previously reviewed Bose 301v and 201v. The B-3 is price the same ($330) as the Bose 301v, so I believe that's the speaker I should compare it to. They stand tall like most other speakers (and unlike the Bose's side-ways sitting 301 and 201 series). The B-3 is pretty significant in size for a bookshelf speaker. They sit 8" x 15" x 10" (WxHxD) and weighs in around 35 lbs each! They feel solidly built.
The Klipsch B-3 are 2-way speakers with a 6.5" woofer/mid-range driver and a 1" tweeter that is surrounded by a 5" horn enclosure dubbed the "Tractrix Horn". There is a ported hole in the rear of each speaker, along with two plastic screw-type contacts for speaker wires. The drivers are covered by a cloth grill that is framed by plastic. Taking the cover off requires a bit of prying force, but reveals the attractive looking gray and black drivers. The tweeter is behind the horn, which looks very impressive. The horn is designed to disperse the high frequency so that it isn't directed at a single. This the opposite of how the Bose speakers I reviewed were designed.
Sound
When compared to the Klipsch's smaller sibling (the B-2), the B-3 is more full sounding, reproducing more of the lower frequency and giving a better overall feel. The high to mid-bass range doesn't seem to sound flabby or loose, which to me means that the crossover between the two drivers were calibrated correctly with little to no overlap.
The high frequencies are definitely less bright, but more seem more accurate than the Bose. Also, this means I was able to listen to the Klipsch for an extended amount of time without feeling fatigued - something that is important when watching a 2 hour movie or listening hours on end. What is more important is that the tweeters are not directed to a single area, making the sound field wider than the Bose. The sweet spot for listening to the B-3 is larger than the Bose 301 and 201 series.
Then there is the mids and mid-bass, which the large 6.5" woofer is able to reproduce without straining. The driver remains tight and accurate even at higher volume levels. The amazing part is that the woofer does not overwhelm the tweeters no matter how loud you go. With the Bose speakers I've tested, it always seem like the woofers eat the tweeters as the volume is raised higher and higher, causing the sound from the woofers to drown out the tweeter's efforts. Not so with the Klipsch!
While the Bose initially sounded clearer, it's probably sound that way because of the overly bright and highly focused tweeter. This reminded me of the experience I had with the Altec Lansing VS4221 desktop speakers. Even after doing a side-by-side comparison with the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1, the Altec Lansing sounded much cleaner and clearer than the Klipsch. This is because of the overly bright sound (overpowered tweeter?). When I got home and actually had hours of use on it, I kept finding myself wincing at many passages that had constant high frequencies (cymbals from the drummer, glass shattering, etc). Thus, I've learned that an overpowered or highly focused tweeter doesn't mean better, cleaner, or clearer sounding. In the end, the Klipsch B-3 it is overall best sounding speakers out of the 4 large front stage bookshelf speakers I've tested.
The Upshot
I've done more homework on speakers, and it seem that the price range for these bookshelf speakers are about right. $330 for a pair of Klipsch B-3 may be pricey, but they are considered the higher-end of high fidelity audio. A full set of proper speakers from Klipsch including the rear surround, center, and sub woofer can set you back more than a grand! So if you want to start out with the front stage, the B-3 is the perfect place to start. These speakers are powerful enough for a relatively large home theater in a typical basement, and would be perfect if paired with the Klipsch Sub-12 sub woofer (12" driver). Klipsch do offer a smaller Sub-10 (10" driver), but it seems underpowered for the B-3 speakers.
If you only listen to stereo music and it's not rap, you may even be able to do without any sub woofers, as the the B-3 can reproduce mid-bass very well.
All in all, the Klipsch B-3 is the overall best sounding speakers I've heard. I may get them if I ever get my own place. I would love to have a proper home theater, but for now, I may go with something smaller, less extravagant, and less expensive.
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