Soundbar and Connectivity
Let's put another two kilos of weight on it and extend the boliden by another 10 cm at the same time. Like the similar-looking RSB-8, the now almost 1.12 meter long soundbar Klipsch RSB-14 consists of a multi-shell, matt black plastic housing, while the front is covered with black painted perforated metal. Behind them are the two high- and Midtone chassis.
As with the RSB-8, a 1.9 cm tweeter sits left and right outside in a 90° x 90° Tractrix horn typical of Klipsch. In addition, a 6.35 cm midrange with a composite fiber membrane is added to each channel and side. In theory, this is sufficient for a really good performance above the separation frequency of 125 Hertz to the subwoofer. As with the smaller sister, all crossovers are actively executed and already part of the DSP board, whereby there is also a separate power amplifier for each frequency range.
The soundbar is just as variable and is also suitable for wall mounting. The supplied drilling template is very helpful for this, but there are still no plugs and screws even at a 200 Euro surcharge.
Klipsch RSB-14 Soundbar
On the back, the connection sockets are angled by 90°, so that no conflicts with plugged-in cables can arise during wall mounting. However, the Ethernet jack and the WPS button sit unturned in the middle and you have to pay attention to how long the plug used and how rigid the cable is when you prefer the wall mount. Here, ribbon cables would be a useful option.
Here, too, the same plastic is in use and haptically no revelation, but apart from the small piano lacquer surface at the front, everything is largely fingerprint-safe.
Klipsch RSB-14 Soundbar Connections
The remote control in normal size allows, in line with the RSB-8, the range selection for the inputs, the volume control or the Mute, the level adjustment for the subwoofer, three media buttons for the player functions when pairing with suitable Bluetooth devices, as well as the buttons for dialog (improved speech intelligibility), surround effect and the night mode for acoustic protection of the neighbourhood residential environment. In addition, the soundbar can also be switched on and off here.
What struck a little negative is the sometimes frightening inertia of the regulation. Just to quickly set the volume up or down, one unconsciously pushes a wolf, because after every transmitted action a Paul-Klipsch-Memorial minute is inserted by the soundbar.
Klipsch RSB-14 Soundbar – Remote Control
On the front of the soundbar, as with the RSB-8, you will find some buttons for operation, but the RSB-14 again lacks the important output or output. Standby button. remote control away or defect means again that the complete soundbar is unusable. There is a point deduction for this, because such a thing with pure logic is not comprehensible. On the other hand, the small, luminous symbols for various functions and functions are well solved again. Modes in the switched on state.
Klipsch RSB-14 Soundbar – Controls
Subwoofer
The subwoofer is already a different category with its more than 10 kilos. The 20 cm chassis sits on the left side, which can lead to problems with the installation if you no longer have at least one meter distance to the wall on this side. The Klipsch-typical folding with black vinyl film looks good and the MDF body together with the rounded front edges has also been processed quite cleanly.
 Subwoofer – ISO Links |
 Subwoofer – ISO Right |
The bass reflex tube is glued in and sits with the plastic bezel on the back of the case. Here you need at least 30 cm distance to the nearest surface, better even more. If you have to place the subwoofer near the wall, you can optionally apply a small cushioning with a foam rubber plug. The rear board only carries the mains jack and the pairing button.
 Bass reflex tube |
 Connection panel |
The subwoofer sits plugged through and screws very tightly in the well-glued and stiffened housing, the solder quality of the internal wiring is good. But we will come to that in detail.
Subwoofer Chassis
The decoupling to the floor was carried out via glued rubber feet, but we would have liked a little more distance or a more flexible modifiable solution.
Subwoofer and rubber feet
Built-in technology and workmanship
Klipsch's ODM also relies on a mixture of purchase and Klipsch labelled boards on the INSIDE of the RSB-14, as well as partly also on a stacked design of several boards. The HDMI module for the three channels and output sits separately on the left side and is connected to the motherboard via a flexible connection cable. On the right is the Ethernet module, which primarily relies on an Ethernet-to-USB solution.
Ethernet board and USB input
The much larger motherboard compared to the RSB-8 carries on the one hand the separate mid- and high-frequency amplifier modules for both channels, including all DSP games including the active crossovers and on the other hand the preamplifiers up to the stacked Module for Bluetooth and converter. The board quality is consistently neat, the soldering quality is also here.
Amplifier board with Bluetooth module
As with the RSB-8, the mono amplifier module is expected to rely on an integrated power amplifier in bridge circuit, but the output power is significantly higher.
Amplifier board in subwoofer
The power supply is provided by an integrated switching power supply, which is located inside the subwoofer. Since the body is significantly large and massive, Klipsch has had the radio module for the internal wireless connection attached separately to the front of the housing. This guarantees a secure connection to the soundbar.
 Subwoofer power supply |
 Subwoofer radio module |
However, we found a real point of criticism on the rear board at the mains connection. One phase is completely free and the strand, although neatly tinned, has already been bent a few times at this rigid point. This is a potential breaking point, because the vibrations are a possible reason to create material fatigue up to breakage in the long run. The insulating and actually above the shrink tube does not perform any function. This is not acceptable in this form and should be evaluated with the ODM.
Shrink hose in the sub man helped
Another downside is the annoying basic noise, which penetrates the ear through the loudspeakers of the soundbar even when operating without a level or mute. It is a kind of noise, which is decorated by an oscillating and continuously changing in the base frequency chirping. We measured the frequency spectrum in the laboratory and in the end it looks as annoying graphically as it sounds in reality:
Zirconium and noise idle
In particular, note the changing, conspicuous frequency of a very specific source in the spectrum, which during this period of approx. 6 KHz on approx. 4 KHz, only to rise again later. Well noted: these are all own sounds of the RSB-14 soundbar!
This type of noise is very often caused in Class-D amplifiers or components of the DSP by jitters in the clock or components such as the integrator, comparator or the driver switching of the FETs. This could also be due to the popular spread spectrum to comply with the CE standard even without expensive filters (EMC tests). We would not call this a background noise, but a real and clearly perceptible noise.
In a not so pronounced form, we have also found this noise in the active loudspeakers of Klipsch (test of the Klipsch R-15PM), so that one cannot assume a coincidence, but rather has to take on the responsibility of the Chinese supplier, who is responsible for the component selection simply did not pay attention. Our many audio tests of active boxes or soundbars prove that it is also completely noise-free. At a soundbar of Edifier or Creative, nothing rustled or chirped, although these products play in a much lower league.
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