Klipsch R-51PM

Sources split three ways. The largest group, led by Wirecutter's blind panel, TechRadar and Jay's iyagi (desktop), hears it as full, natural and even warm — 'not bright whatsoever', Jay says, against the RP-600M. Hi-Fi World, Audio Advice and several owners hear the classic forward, lively Klipsch sound and like it. A smaller group of owners, mostly at a desk or close up, find it bright and scooped: harsh treble, recessed vocals, tiring after a while. Several fixed it by aiming the horns away, flipping the speakers or adding a subwoofer.

Sources split almost evenly, largely by volume and room. TechRadar, Audio Advice, Jay's iyagi, T.E.D. and nloop were surprised how much bass these cabinets make. Most credit Dynamic Bass EQ, which lifts the low end at low volume, and BellisarioSonic gets good bass with them mounted in room corners. Hi-Fi World (a large listening room) and Wirecutter's panel (moderately loud levels, where the EQ backs off) wanted more, and many owners add a subwoofer. Klipsch's own sub out, with its level on the remote, makes that easy.

Few sources speak to the midrange directly, and they split. Jay's iyagi hears a full, warm, rich midrange. Hi-Fi World hears vocals pushed forward with big presence, verging on glare. A Kanto YU6 comparer (an owner who sent them back) found the midrange hollowed out and vocals recessed.

Most of the weight finds the treble forward. Hi-Fi World notes 'some glare', Audio Advice calls it edgy for listeners who prefer warmth, and several owners call it bright or tiring until they aimed the horns away, flipped the speakers or added a subwoofer. One owner moved them to TV duty because they hurt after moderate sessions. A smaller group, led by Jay's iyagi (desktop, against the RP-600M), finds it smooth and non-fatiguing.

Broadly praised as big and wide for the size. Hi-Fi World calls the stage massively spacious, with height, and Audio Advice and Jay's iyagi (on a desk) agree. TechRadar finds it wide but flat, with instruments 'all on the same plane'.

“The Tractrix horn of the tweeter works well here, delivering a massively spacious sound that engulfed the area beyond the loudspeakers at left and right.”

Noel Keywood, Hi-Fi World

“we wished the speakers had more depth, as instruments are presented all on the same plane”

Lewis Leong, TechRadar

Big rather than pinpoint. Hi-Fi World describes images 'occupying area', TechRadar lists 'average imaging' as a con, and Jay's iyagi blames the horn for a less precise image. One desktop owner calls the imaging phenomenal.

“the imaging is not as pinpoint the imaging does suffer due to the horn design of the speaker”

Jay's iyagi (YouTube; desktop)

“The imaging is phenomenal, so much detail in every octave.”

adnanistheogfam, r/BudgetAudiophile (owner, desktop)

Sources split, mostly favourably. Hi-Fi World, nloop and owners call it detailed and clear, and even the Kanto owner who returned it credits its detail. TechRadar says it isn't 'the last word in resolution'. One owner finds it dull and short of detail.

Reviewers split by how hard they pushed. TechRadar and Audio Advice (a 21 × 24 ft room) found it played remarkably loud without distortion — Audio Advice had never heard a powered pair this loud. A few owners report it straining or distorting at high volume with bass-heavy music, and one moved to passives and an amplifier for that reason.

Forgiving, with one caveat. Hi-Fi World and Audio Advice found the horn's dispersion wide, horizontally and vertically, so it sounds much the same around the room, and an owner says it sounds good wherever they stand. The rear port means it shouldn't be backed tight against a wall (Wirecutter, Audio Advice). Even so, Jay's iyagi had no trouble close to the wall on a desk, and BellisarioSonic likes it in room corners for the extra bass. Owners who found it bright suggest aiming the horns slightly away.

“they also have rear bass ports, which means they can’t be backed up tight against a wall without affecting the sound quality.”

Brent Butterworth, Wirecutter

“despite being a rare ported design it does work close to the wall without much problems”

Jay's iyagi (YouTube; desktop)

“The Tractrix Horn tweeter has great horizontal and vertical dispersion as there is very little high-frequency roll off, even totally off to the side or above and below them.”

Audio Advice (dealer blog; 21 × 24 ft room)

The clearest owner complaint. Amazon's noise mentions run 58 negative to 16 positive. Several owners returned pairs — one exchanged two or three — over amplifier hiss audible at a desk, and some heard extra whine or interference from one speaker. Others hear it only with an ear to the speaker. One owner finds it fine from more than 2 m, and one YouTuber heard hiss only on Bluetooth. No reviewer measured the self-noise, and none of the magazine reviews mention it.

“would not recommend them for a purpose where you'd be sitting less than 2 meters away from them without playing anything”

Katanae, r/audio (bought for a desk about 3 ft away; returned them)

“The normal hiss is acceptable to me when sitting >2m away from the speakers, but the additional noise coming from the left speaker is pretty bad.”

Johnyy, Klipsch Audio Community forum (owner)

“when it's in Bluetooth mode there is a little bit of hissing background noise but which does not exist when it's connected digitally to my CD player or the laptop”

Tools. Electro. DIY (YouTube; desk)

Its reason for existing, and widely praised. Wirecutter called it the most versatile of its picks, thanks to the phono input, USB and optical inputs, a 3.5 mm input, a sub out and sub level on the remote. Hi-Fi World measured the phono stage as accurate. Gaps come up repeatedly: no tone controls (Audio Advice, BellisarioSonic, a Son-Vidéo owner), no network streaming or aptX (TechRadar), and a phono stage that TechRadar calls average and one owner found much worse than an outboard Rega. Hi-Fi World preferred its analog input to the built-in DAC.

“Klipsch’s R-51PM is the most versatile choice of all our picks”

Brent Butterworth, Wirecutter

“the internal phono stage sounds average.”

Lewis Leong, TechRadar

“We wish Klipsch had put some kind of tonal control on these for that type of listening preference.”

Audio Advice (dealer blog)

Simple to set up, and most like the remote: Wirecutter and Jay's iyagi single out its dedicated input buttons and sub level. The complaints are about infrared range and fiddliness. Owners say it must be aimed straight at the speaker, a coloured LED is the only status display, and Bluetooth drops when you switch inputs. TechRadar notes it doesn't power down with the TV and waits 15 minutes before going to standby.

“The Klipsch system comes with a nice remote that includes subwoofer output-level controls”

Brent Butterworth, Wirecutter

“Bad remote, annoying every time you turn them on with only an ambiguous little light as an indicator of good or bad times”

aeolianwindeffect, r/Klipsch (owner)

Sources split between how it's made and how long it lasts. Reviewers and owners like the dense MDF cabinets, magnetic grilles and copper-and-black look; Audio Advice's only complaint is the vinyl wrap. But Amazon's reliability mentions run 49 positive to 40 negative. Reddit and the Klipsch forum carry repeated amplifier and power-board failures, some out of the box and others three to five years in, including after storage. One owner found a leaking capacitor, and a replacement amp panel cost more than half the speakers' price. A hiss complaint survived a warranty replacement.

Sources split, and the price paid drives it. Hi-Fi World, TechRadar and Jay's iyagi call it excellent value, and BellisarioSonic calls it a great buy at $300 on sale. Wirecutter notes the versatility costs more than its top pick. Several owners and video reviewers say a cheaper Edifier pair, a Kanto YU6, or a passive pair with an amplifier beats it for sound alone.