TV with DVR & Internet: $89.90/moKlipsch Image S4 earphones
Manufacturer: Klipsch Group, Inc. Part number: image s4
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- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Klipsch Image S4 earphones offer up sound quality on par with and better than sets that cost many times as much; they are a spectacular choice for anyone looking for new earbuds.
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CNET editors' review
Klipsch Image S4 earphones price range: $79.00 - $79.99
- Reviewed by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on: 05/19/2009
The good: The Klipsch Image S4 earphones offer exceptional sound quality for the money. They're also very comfortable and come with a few handy extras such as a storage box and cleaning tool.
The bad: The cable of the Image S4 earphones doesn't seem very durable, and the included eartips may not work for everyone.
The bottom line: The Klipsch Image S4 earphones offer up sound quality on par with and better than sets that cost many times as much; they are a spectacular choice for anyone looking for new earbuds.
There's nothing like good, old competition to keep tech prices in check. Case in point: earphones. The headphone market is heavily saturated, and we can all thank that fact for the existence of many worthy earbud contenders in the sub-$100 price range. Still, despite having come across plenty of decent earbuds with reasonable pricing, nothing prepared us for the Klipsch Image S4. These supercomfy noise-isolating earphones offer shockingly stellar sound quality, certainly much better than their $80 price tag suggests. If you've been on the market for a headphone replacement for your MP3 player, look no further. (Curious about competitors to the Klipsh Image S4? We've rounded up several in the collection below.)
The Klipsch Image S4 earpieces do not feel as high-end as those of its sibling, the X5, but then the S4 only costs one-third as much, so we won't knock them for that. More important is the fact that the 'buds are ultrasmall and offer a tapered, bent shape that fit our ears perfectly. This combined with the soft, oval eartips gave us a supercomfortable fit that sealed out external noise. Klipsch includes two sizes of standard tips and one double-flanged model, but all of them are on the small side, so those with larger ears may have some fit issues. The package also contains a metal box for storing the earphones and an earwax cleaning tool.
Our only real design concern about the Image S4 earphones is the cable. It's very thin, from the Y section descending from each earpiece to the gold-plated 3.5mm plug at the end. This raises some concern for durability, though this is allayed slightly by Klipsch's inclusion of a two-year warranty. Also, the reinforced L-plug should help prevent breakage that typically happens where the wire connects to the plug. The thinness also makes the cable quite tangle prone, though a slider at the Y helps this a bit.
Truly, the Klipsch Image S4 headphones inspire little complaint, especially when it comes to sound quality. Straight up: these earphones sound stellar. Each earpiece contains a set of dual-magnet microspeakers, and although one would not suspect it given the price point and specs, our ears had trouble telling the difference between these 'buds and Shure's $250 SE310s. In fact, we'd go so far as to say we prefer the sound from the Image S4, thanks to its boomier but still not overpowering bass. Certainly, the S4 earphones are the best we've heard in their price range.
Despite the forward, ultrathumping low-end, the Image S4 earphones do not fail to deliver an excellent amount of clarity and detail throughout the high-end. This set will surely appeal to a wide variety of listeners, from those who demand massive low-end response to those who prefer a bright overall response. The balance offered by the S4 is truly exceptional, with warm, buttery mids that stay right where they should.
We tested the earphones across a variety of genres and were never disappointed. LCD Soundsystem's "Something Great" sounded spectacular, with an encompassing bass line that came nowhere near overshadowing the tinkling digital triangle notes or the mellow richness of the vocals. Similarly, Outkast's super fast dance track "Hey Ya" came through firing on all cylinders, with not a single sound lost in the shuffle. Even classical music sounds great, with the rich violins and bright trumpets from the London Symphony Orchestra underscored perfectly by the deep cellos.
In all honesty, we have trouble believing that the Image S4 earphones only cost $80. Klipsch somehow managed to create an exceptional sound space for very little money, and we'd be very surprised if anyone was not impressed by what these have to offer for the money. Despite potential durability issues, we recommend these heads above competitors in the price range.
User reviews
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Stunningly impressive, brilliantly crafted sound.
by madvisage on November 13, 2009
Pros: The Klipsch S4's overall sound is so good I was truly shocked the first time I used them. Though they have a definite bass bias, the S4's bass is professionally done, startlingly appropriate, even welcome when it's noticed (not a boomy drone, etc.).
Cons: This product's sound is all you're going to get when you buy one these. Klipsch includes almost nothing with these phones. The aluminum "carrying case" is beyond pathetic.
Summary: Sound is subjective. My ears have heard lots of different kinds over the years, from the best to the worst. I played music professionally for 14 years and know a ...
Summary: Sound is subjective. My ears have heard lots of different kinds over the years, from the best to the worst. I played music professionally for 14 years and know a thing or two about sound quality. Bose? Please. Clarity? These phones have it. Bass? They have bass that punches you in the chest, that "feels" more powerful than the likes of even the Monster Turbines (perhaps due to their NOTHING BUT BASS overall sound). These phones DESTROY the Bose in-ear phones, as they do nearly every other IE phones I've listened to. They're also incredibly comfortable, hardly noticeable after a short while wearing them. They'll do well for those who need phones that'll stay in place during workouts and such, that are light but tough - quality all around. Considering their sound, Klipsch asks an impossibly low price for these phones. But, considering the accessories? Think cereal cartons and Kleenex boxes that come included with stellar, superior IE canal phones. If you want a product that comes with pretty parts and sexy packaging but delivers ultimately mediocre and unimpressive sound, go with V-Moda, Bose, most of the Shure range, many others. If you want awesome sound and nothing more, get a pair of these suckers. Simple as that.
8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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You can't go wrong - literally
by LosTresGatos on June 29, 2009
Pros: excellent lows and mids, lightweight buds, unbelievable value
Cons: a bit weak on the highs (although my opinion is a bit skewed - read the summary for more details),
Summary: I got these S4s out of curiosity - originally I bought a pair of Monster Turbines, but they didn't fit my listening preferences (way too much bass) and so ...
Summary: I got these S4s out of curiosity - originally I bought a pair of Monster Turbines, but they didn't fit my listening preferences (way too much bass) and so I did a partial exchange with the S4s after reading glowing reviews on Cnet.
For reference, I own 4 pairs of earbuds - Shure E3G & E500PTH, Ultimate Ears superfi 5 pro (*NOT* EB) & triplefi 10 pro. As you can see, my tastes run expensive and the Klipsch are by far the cheapest earbuds I own.
IMO, they're frigging amazing. Outright they beat my Shure E3s in all aspects, and I don't just mean sound - they're lighter and more comfortable to wear too. Low end outperforms both of my Ultimate Ears as well, although I do think the triplefis have a cleaner bass sound (albeit not as strong as the S4s). Mid range is amazing - close to par with the E500 and triplefi 10. The highs are the only letdown - I found both Ultimate Ears and Shure E500s to have much much brighter and crisper high notes. The Klipsch sound tinny in comparison.
Outside of sound reproduction, the Klipsch S4s also have a huge ace in the hole in that they're so compact. Both the Shures and Ultimate Ears have tons of technology, but that's because they pack em into earbuds the size of lego blocks. I have no idea how Klipsch was able to pack in such great sound reproduction into an earbud that's literally 1/2 of the length and 1/3 of the weight of a Super.fi 5 pro. They're also very light - yes, that *could* mean they're flimsy as the Cnet reviewer reported, but until they actually break, I'll give Klipsch the benefit of the doubt.
My overall conclusion: If you're looking to upgrade and have a budget of $130 or less, stop reading and get these - no way no how is there anything better period. Even my brother's Bang & Olufsen Earpiece 3 sound like crap compared to this.
If you have a bigger budget, then musical preferences come into play. Personally if I had to pick only 1 pair of earbuds, value for money it would be the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 pro (no EB - the extra bass screws up the sound) for around $200. If low end bass is your thing, try out Monster's new Turbines - it has unbelievable bass, but I'm not sure if it's worth the extra $50-60 over the Klipsch.
As I said though, you literally CANNOT GO WRONG with these S4s. The fact that I was comparing them to $200-$500 earbuds speaks volumes about how much quality is packed into an $80 package. And they will be used regularly by me - nobody wants to use $500 lego blocks while running outdoors or working out in the gym. Not only are these compact and lightweight, the bud design doesn't require you to loop the cord over your ear for support - they hand straight down so no sweat trickling down the cord into my ear *AND* they don't get dislodged when I wipe my face with a towel.8 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Amazing fit and sound quality!
by Reprotected on August 25, 2009
Pros: These headphones are definitely worth it, especially the S4i's for hotkeys n' mic users. The quality is very high, it's just as good, if not better than the Bose On-Ear headphones I bought, they fit almost perfectly in my ear.
Cons: For $79.99 (or $99.99 for S4i's), these may not be worth it for people who hardly can tell a difference between $20 earbuds and these Klipsch Image S4's. The earbuds are not all confortable, the cords do not look durable.
Summary: I really liked this product, all the way. It was a hard decision of choosing Klipsch Image S4 with some more expensive headphones/brands such as the Bose On-Ear headphones. ...
Summary: I really liked this product, all the way. It was a hard decision of choosing Klipsch Image S4 with some more expensive headphones/brands such as the Bose On-Ear headphones. Now comparing the two, Klipsch Image S4, beats it in price and performance is very similar. I really like the sound quality, it was definitely worth it compared to the Apple In-ears or the Bose Triport Mobile In-ear earbuds. The bass is noticable, and is decent, pretty balanced. When I put these into my ears, I really liked how they do fit almost perfectly, even though they are not super comfortable; they fit and feel better than some of the Skullcandy Ink'd eartips. The bag carrying case was confusing for the first 10 seconds, but once you get the idea of how to use it, it is much more convenient than box cases. For the S4i's, the mic has average performance, a little less than the Razer Moray+ (which I think is a good cheap alternative to the Klipsch Image S4i), but the hotkey system (for volume, pause/play and skip forward/backwards buttons) was pretty nice and can be a really good companion to the iPod Touch; keep the iPod Touch's screen blank but control your environments with the hotkeys. For iPod Shuffle 3rd Gen users, this will be 100% worth it in EVERY perspective.
I am very impressed, I thought it would be as good as some $50 headphones from Sony. I thought that CNet was crazy to give these earbuds a 4.5/5 stars before I bought these, now I've heard them, these are GREAT, even though I was 10% disappointed that either I purchased the Bose On-ears a day before I purchased the Klipsch Image S4i's or that the quality is comparable to the On-ears.
Style: 8.5
Comfort: 8
Fit: 9.5
Clarity of Voice: 9.5 or higher
Clarity of Insturments: 9.5
Bass: 9
Mic: 7
Other Features: 8.5
Price: 9.5
OVERALL: 95 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Superb S4i
by NeONGeneSAr on August 1, 2009
Pros: sound quality, clarity of mids to highs, depth of bass, relatively inexpensive, small size, comfort, lightweight
Cons: soft carrying pouch
Summary: As the title notes, I'm reviewing the S4i version of these headphones, which has the in-line mic/3-button remote for use with the iPhone 3GS and 3rg gen iPod ...
Summary: As the title notes, I'm reviewing the S4i version of these headphones, which has the in-line mic/3-button remote for use with the iPhone 3GS and 3rg gen iPod Shuffle, neither of which I have, so I can't review that feature. As for the headphones, I like the sound from these MUCH BETTER than my Shure SE530. While the Shure's excel in overall clarity, one can "hear" the bass, but with the Klipsch, one can "feel" the bass, which is what I personally prefer. My only con is the soft carrying pouch the S4i comes with unlike the aluminum case the S4 comes with, which makes no sense to me as the S4i is a slightly more expensive piece of equipment. Despite this, my 4.5 rating is solely based on the earphone's sound performance, which hit all the highs and lows just the way I like them!
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent for the price, sound is flawless
by alex73a on June 24, 2009
Pros: Sound is superb, design is comfortable and stylish, a lot smaller than I expected. Best with 320 k/b mp3's.
Cons: Takes some time to get used to wearing them properly, but no big deal. May be uncomfortable for some.
Summary: I got these today in the mail, I was having a lot of trouble at first adjusting the earphones to fit right but after a got it down, the sound ...
Summary: I got these today in the mail, I was having a lot of trouble at first adjusting the earphones to fit right but after a got it down, the sound was superb. If you go to the klipsch site they will tell you how to put them on properly. Good luck!
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good Sound, terrible cord, suspect fit.
by cramerotti on November 27, 2009
Pros: Pretty good sound overall when seated correctly in the ear.
Cons: Bass is acceptable but doesn't resonate.
Terrible, flimsy cord.
Suspect fit. I cannot maintain the sweetspot. They do not stay seated.
Could include a sport cord feature. Bose wins here.Summary: I did a side by side comparison of the Bose in-ear headphone and these are definitely better sounding. I always find the Bose muddy sounding. With that said there is ...
Summary: I did a side by side comparison of the Bose in-ear headphone and these are definitely better sounding. I always find the Bose muddy sounding. With that said there is a lots of room for improvement as identified in the cons. I can't help but think I should have gone all out for a superb set of in-ear headphones instead of wasting $80 on another 'ok' pair.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best i've ever heard
by Utie24 on September 18, 2009
Pros: clean tight bass
full bodied mids
clear highs, not crackly like others
L-shaped connector
bent canal results in the most confortable fit everCons: Wire is a bit thin, however it's not as thin as people say it is.
I would say it's as thick as a cheaper set of earbuds.Summary: I just got my Kipsch S4s today and i cannot take them out they are so freakin awsome!! I guess you could categorize me a low budget audiophile so when ...
Summary: I just got my Kipsch S4s today and i cannot take them out they are so freakin awsome!! I guess you could categorize me a low budget audiophile so when i heard there were a set of earbuds on cnet with 4.5 stars out of 5 for 80 bucks i knew i had to snag these bad boys. Overall quality of these buds are the best you can get for the money.
I can tell you that i've had jbl reference, denon c551, sony ex71s, vmoda bass freqs and none of them compared to these. the jbl references sucked in all regards, the denon's were too high pitched i thought my ears would bleed, the sonys were eh, and the vmodas were to sloopy in the bass. THESE, however, hit the sweet spot on all frequences. I mostly listen to hiphop and R&B and these babies can THUMP. You can especially feel them in Jay-z's "empire state of mind".
If you're looking for a bargain set of earbuds you've come to the right place. All in all i'd recomend these to anybody.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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You have to wear them right to hear the excellent bass!
by eng77 on August 3, 2009
Pros: Excellent sound and comfort.
Cons: You have to learn to wear them right to fully enjoy them.
Summary: At first I couldn't hear the bass but after checking Klipsch's website, I learned how to wear them right. Quoting the website, you have to "insert the ear ...
Summary: At first I couldn't hear the bass but after checking Klipsch's website, I learned how to wear them right. Quoting the website, you have to "insert the ear tip (while connected to the nozzle) into the ear canal, gently rotate it left and right and then slightly pull it back..." Now the sound is amazing!
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Value for money and how!
by NattyBoi on November 19, 2009
Pros: Sounds great, as long as you stick to mostly Billboard top 20, rap, pop and etc non instrumental stuff.
Cons: Have to be inserted just right.. read up at Klipsch's and other places. and still not exceptional with instrumentals.. the highs not that great, but oh well.
Summary: Pretty happy with these. Learn how to use em right and ull be too. Ya, they dont come with all the additional frills, but seem well worth the money nevertheless.
Summary: Pretty happy with these. Learn how to use em right and ull be too. Ya, they dont come with all the additional frills, but seem well worth the money nevertheless.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Pretty Good but not the most accurate reproduction
by RM55 on October 31, 2009
Pros: Full range sound. Comfortable. Light.
Cons: Not the most accurate in the upper midrange. The bass is a little exaggerated.
Summary: Based on the review, I thought these were going to be killer earbuds but after listening to them I was somewhat disappointed. I experimented with them for an hour or ...
Summary: Based on the review, I thought these were going to be killer earbuds but after listening to them I was somewhat disappointed. I experimented with them for an hour or so and I found I could still get a much more musical and accurate sound from my Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 by tweaking the EQ on my iPod.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Klipsch Group, Inc.
- Part number: image s4
- Description: Tune out the external environment and tune into your own private concert experience anytime, anywhere with the Image S4. These noise-isolating in-ear headphones deliver dynamic sound and unequaled comfort for a price that's easy on the wallet. These reasonably priced, high-performance earphones go above and beyond what you'd expect from the stock earbuds that come with your MP3 player or music phone. In fact, you'll find Klipsch headphones are far superior to other brands - delivering unequaled comfort, noise isolation, musical accuracy and bass. Furthermore, Klipsch has managed to take its decades of research and development experience to value engineer the Image S4, while staying true to its audiophile heritage.
General
- Recommended Use The noise canceling feature blocks the din on buses and airplanes. Plus, they are portable for easy transport.
- Product Type Headphones
- Weight 0.4 oz
- Additional Features Gold-plated plug
Headphones
- Headphones Type Headphone - Binaural
- Headphones Form Factor In-ear canalphone
- Headphones Technology Dynamic
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Response Bandwidth 10 - 19000 Hz
- Sensitivity 110 dB/mW
- Impedance 18 Ohm
- Headphones Ear Pads Included
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Headset ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories 3 ear tips, Cleaning tool, Carrying pouch
Manufacturer info
- Klipsch Group, Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Klipsch Group, Inc. products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.klipsch.com/
- Address:
3502 Woodview Trace, Indianapolis, IN 46268 - Phone: 1-800-554-7724
- Fax: 317-860-9195
