Klipsch is best known for its incredible line of Heritage loudspeakers and high-end home theater systems; the American audio company holds a special place in the hearts of many hi-fi enthusiasts. More recently, the company has dipped its expertise into more mass-market products, like portable Bluetooth speakers, headphones and earbuds. Enter the Klipsch T5 True Wireless ($199), the company’s first true wireless earbuds and a bonafide AirPod competitor. If you’re wondering: yes, they wanted the charging case to look like a Zippo.
The Good: First, the sound quality. Klipsch has been able to transition from the world of high-end (and high-priced) loudspeakers to accessible earbuds with relative ease. The T5 True Wireless really excel in the high and midrange frequencies – they’re clear and while – while the bass still hits you as most other true wireless earbuds. The sound quality on par with the likes of Sennheiser Momentum TW, Master & Dynamic MW07 or the most-recent Sony WF-1000X, but at just $199, the Klipsch T5 True Wireless are significantly cheaper.
Second, the design of the charging case and the fit of the earbuds is each unique. The charging case is meant to look and, to some extent, feel like a Zippo, and it pulls this off pretty well. The one caveat is it’s considerably heavier than a Zippo, but this extra weight makes the charging case feel premium in the hand. In terms of the actual earbuds, Klipsch has sort of trademarked the oval shape earbud design – the tips of the T5 True Wireless are flattener than those on most other earbuds; the idea being that they’ll fit deeper and more securely in your ear.
Who It’s For: The T5 True Wireless are for most people that want true wireless earbuds, just so long as they don’t work out in them. They’re a little more expensive than Apple AirPods or the Jabra Elite 65t, but they also sound noticeably better. If you like great sound quality and/or the Klipsch brand, these are pretty great true wireless earbuds to buy.
Watch Out For: The “deeper” fit of the earbuds won’t be for everybody and the elongated body of each earbud causes them to stick further out when in your ears. Even though they’re water-resistant, these aren’t sport-focused earbuds and I probably wouldn’t exercise with them. The on-button controls work well – except when controlling the volume. The Klipsch Connect app, which will allow you to tweak the EQ settings of the T5 True Wireless, isn’t available at launch (though it’s expected this fall). Lastly, the Zippo design of the case might not be your cup of tea.
