Technical data in reality
One thing must be left to Klipsch: the information on achievable sound levels and the respective frequency-lower or frequency-lower-and-lower-frequency levels that can be reached in the tolerance range of -3dB. caps are correct. However, a factory specification of +/- 3dB tolerance implies an almost linear frequency curve, which is never and never possible due to the mainstream compatible bathtub tuning and the associated level increase in the low and high frequency range.
Nevertheless, for once, the information on the subwoofer is correct here, which is so rare in practice that this whole point is worth a separate mention to us. The performance values are also somewhat consistent, so that in the end you really get what is promised in the data sheets. Thick plus point.
Conclusion to the Klipsch RSB-8 Soundbar
Small but fine – but not quite cheap. The RSB-8 fits just like that on the desk and is really fun especially in games with good in-game sound. Even with rather simple home-cinema systems, the smaller of the two soundbars is still completely sufficient, as long as the room is not significantly larger than 20 square meters.
The acoustic tuning of the soundbar is successful, albeit a little high-height. It is once again the typical bathtub, but at least the lower middles still pass quite harmoniously into the upper bass. In the low note, even the smaller subwoofer can play surprisingly full and goes extremely low, even if the level strength is somewhat more modest due to lack of amplifier power.
In any case, the choice of the Downward-Firing principle is good, which also makes the wirelessly connected subwoofer acoustically a little more independent of the site. You don't really have to experiment here for long. A switchable phase shift, on the other hand, is not found, just as there is even a simple level controller for the sub on the remote control. The latter is somewhat inappropriately available to the price only in cheap cheque card format. There would certainly have been more in there.
Klipsch RSB-8 Soundbar
If something is missing, then it is an on/off switch on the control panel of the soundbar, because this is incomprehensibly only possible via the remote control. The light background noise of the bar is just so painful if you don't stick directly to the tweeters with your ear. But you hear it and that is actually completely unnecessary. The folding is just as bad as on our then anonymously tested Klipsch R-15PM, which by the way also bring the same basic noise.
The connectivity is very good and all connections including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi setup (unfortunately only WPS button) worked very well. The 63 MB app is self-explanatory, but colourfully mixed with parts translated into German and predominantly English-language components and messages. A small matter for language experts, but the complete exclusion criterion for the rest.
Despite these minor defects, all this is whining at a very high level and the customer can also punish broken edges and folding defects with return. Before we finally decided on an award, we were able to examine a real retail pattern by favorable additions, which was neither pre-selected by the manufacturer nor classified from the online trade as a possible returner. The folding was better, though not really perfect.
The bottom line, however, is the purchase tip for a very universally applicable and already quite potent soundbar, which can easily keep up with the big ones and whose subwoofer is a small sound wonder. Even if in the end the velvety-soft, final blubb was missing, for a neat plopp the part is enough. The rest of the bar is perfectly designed and allows for above-average connectivity. The price of approx. 600 Euros is just fine, even if you want a real remote control.
Conclusion to the Klipsch RSB-14 Soundbar
The RSB-14 is larger and significantly more expensive than the RSB-8. But it is no longer worth it, in terms of price, but rather less. This is mainly due to three criteria that prohibit us from making a final purchase recommendation. Sure, it doesn't explode and the part is really fun in many respects, but there are good reasons to speak against an award.
The faulty insulation of the mains connection in the subwoofer may only be a random negligence of the Chinese ODMa with exactly this one test pattern, but one does not have to accept it. What is also not possible is the far too high basic sound level of noise and chirping. Jitter just doesn't have to be and so the whole system is actually completely out of the race, if you don't always and constantly operate an air conditioning system as background.
The sound is a tick worse than that of the RSB-8, even if the subwoofer of the RSB-14 is almost brilliant. The tuning of the soundbar, on the other hand, is the real reason, because where it still goes brutally in the bass and upper bass, especially the under the middle and the middle simply lack the breath. The bathtub is too extreme for us and in the end it even turns badly on the speech intelligibility, because especially the basic range of female voices is almost clinically sterile killed.
Klipsch RSB-14 Soundbar
The connectivity is similar to what we wrote about the RSB-8. In addition, however, we must also point out that, for example, there is with our current 65" Philips TV from 2017 came problems with the HDMI connection, as long as the TV was activated Easylink / CEC and more than one HDMI source was connected to the soundbar. The same applies to other devices (e.g. Hisense) may also or if Arc (Audio Return Channel) was enabled in the source or target device.
For home theater setups, this is quite relevant, because this kind of hostile takeover can already pose serious problems for the uninitiated. At a Teufel Core station, for example, the radio remote control ran amok when you connected the receiver to the Philips TV and you could only get the good piece back on the ground by removing the battery of the remote control. You should always look for the blame of the TV manufacturer. Just disable the Plunder and it's good.
In summary, it can be said that the RSB-14 Soundbar is not a bad solution, but it suffers from some small things, with which we are looking at the rather proud price from the current price from approx. 800 Euros already a little hard.
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