Manage updates with the Download AppKlipsch Image S4
Manufacturer: Klipsch Part number: 1010471
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- 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 price range: $49.89
- Reviewed by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on: 05/20/2009
- Updated on:08/14/2012
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.
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.
38 out of 39 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.22 out of 24 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!
9 out of 10 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!
6 out of 6 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: 97 out of 10 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.5 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Awesomely clear sound right through the spectrum.
by renefridge on February 25, 2010
Pros: Beautiful sound sound sound, need I say more!
Cons: absolutely nothing
Summary: I don't know why some people in these reviews feel the need to bag these gems, perhaps they need new ears or lessons on setting up an equalizer to ...
Summary: I don't know why some people in these reviews feel the need to bag these gems, perhaps they need new ears or lessons on setting up an equalizer to optimize sound, but 99.9% of buyers won't be disappointed. Amazing noise isolation, huge phat bass and crystal clear trebles and mids. I'm becoming isolated from society because I don't want to take them outa my ears.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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High quality sound but poor fit
by carlconti08 on December 21, 2009
Pros: The sound from these earphones is great. They have pretty good highs and mids with strong bass.
Cons: The fit for the earphones is too hit or miss for my taste. Sliding them in your ear and getting even just a good (not perfect) fit was too inconsistent. Also, the S4's eartips are made of very flimsy silicon that blocks very little noise.
Summary: I've owned so far, including the S4's, five different sets of in-ear headphones. I began with basic Sony MDR-EX71SL's whose sound and fit were decent in relation ...
Summary: I've owned so far, including the S4's, five different sets of in-ear headphones. I began with basic Sony MDR-EX71SL's whose sound and fit were decent in relation to my little experience with in-ear earphones, and they lasted me over a year. I then purchased a pair of Sennheiser CX300's that I really enjoyed listening to, but they irritated my ears so I couldn't use them regularly. I then received a pair of Shure SE110's for Christmas that I fell in love with. I graduated to SE210's when I lost the SE110's (only to find them a few months later). I recently had to send out my SE210's for repair and had read the reviews of the S4's when I decided to try out the S4's. I was very impressed by the sound. They made me realize just how much my SE110's and SE210's lacked in bass. At the same time I noticed less clarity from the S4's highs and mids, which was slightly distracting for me considering how long I'd been listening to my music with the Shure headphones. However, after some comparison, I do believe that the S4's have very good highs and mids along with the excellent bass, just not as good as the Shures, especially the SE210's. After wearing the S4's during various activities I would normally wear headphones, I came to decided that I hated the way I had to fit the S4's into my ears. The process of getting just a decent fit could take me up to a minute and then I would often find myself readjusting them shortly after and eventually pulling them out and trying to fit them in again. I will say that the headphones are VERY comfortable when worn properly, but the flimsiness of the silicon sleeves caused the silicon to pinch and fold as i tried to get them in my ear, either blocking sound or creating an uncomfortable fit. This challenged was also accompanied by poor noise blocking once the headphones were in the ear. Being on the subway was less quiet as when I had used the Shures. The fit was overall less secure as well. In the gym the earbud actually slid out of one of my ears while running due to the sweat (yes, I know, ew) and the jostling of the cord. In the end I found these headphones were not right for me. Luckily I had purchased them at Best Buy and could return them. I would highly suggest trying these headphones out, as they do sound great, but I would just make sure to keep the receipt and packaging in case you find the S4's shortcomings to outweigh its strengths.
3 out of 3 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!
5 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Too much treble, fussy bass.
by SixtyEightWhiskey on July 5, 2011
Pros: Wires don't rub the bottom of my neck; many different ear tip options.
Cons: Treble far too loud with a ringing "canned" sound. Bass only seems to work when the earbuds are half way off from falling from my ear canal.
Summary: Like many others, I bought this pair of earbuds based on the outstanding ratings it got throughout the interweb. What I found though, was a huge disappointment... The treble is ...
Summary: Like many others, I bought this pair of earbuds based on the outstanding ratings it got throughout the interweb. What I found though, was a huge disappointment... The treble is AWFULLY loud, creating a strange screeching noise that not only hurts MY ears, but becomes painful after awhile. The bass is another issue: it's really quite, especially when the earbuds aren't placed outside the ear; I find that I only can hear the bass when I pull the earbuds away from my actually ear canal (giving the sensation that they're about to fall off) In all I'm VERY disappointed and don't recommend these earbuds to anyone.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Klipsch
- Part number: 1010471
- 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
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Product Type Headphones
- Weight 0.4 oz
- Recommended Use Portable audio system
- Additional Features Gold-plated plug
Headphones
- Headphones Type Binaural,
Headphones - Headphones Form Factor In-ear
- Headphones Technology Dynamic
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Frequency Response 10 - 19000 Hz
- Sensitivity 110 dB/mW
- Impedance 18 Ohm
- Headphones Ear Pads Included
Connections
- Connector Type Headset ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories 3 ear tips,
Cleaning tool,
Carrying pouch
Product series
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Manufacturer: Klipsch
Specs: Headphone - Binaural,
Headphones,
In-ear,
0.4 oz,
Stereo,
Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm,
Gold-plated plug
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Klipsch products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Klipsch
- Address:
3502 Woodview Trace, Indianapolis, IN 46268 - Phone: 1-800-554-7724
- Fax: 317-860-9195
