We have reviewed a few products from Klipsch over time, and so far have never been disappointed in the quality and features. Once again, Klipsch has proven this again.
The Klipsch Reference ONE Headphones have been available for a few years now, so they are nothing new to the market. They have stood their ground the entire time however, as they push on to prove themselves as one of the top choices for what is now the $99 range.
In style, they take the approach of luxury living with a nice leather band and finish. Kind of brings you back to the 80’s with such, including the brownish gold accent trim. The cables feature a clear jacket visually exposing the copper wires within.
They come with both an airplane and quarter-inch (1/4) adapter and a hardened case to keep them protected that isn’t bulky. The cable is a little stiff in our opinion but that doesn’t get in the way of comfort (just an observation), just storage can be tricky when it comes to cable memory (if you have heard of the term “under/over your cables”…it would be wise to do it with these).
Sound: They offer a decent and clean range of sound, and a whole lot of volume. As do most Klipsch products, they deliver a very warm range of bass. Some may find it a little warmer than what they are looking for, but this can be drawn out a little if you have them connected to something that allows you to adjust the EQ of what you are listening to. The mid range is present and and enjoyable, as are your highs. In terms of reference listening, they will not compare to an expensive pair of headphones plugged into a clean amp, but they will come close (especially for the $99 range).
They do not offer any noise-cancellation outside of the good coverage and seal around the ear that does help block out most noise. You won’t be getting a lot of improvement in our opinion by switching to a pair that does offer cancellation. We have reviewed a number of noise-cancelling products, but they usually only work “so well”.
The headphones are light in weight and the earpieces swivel for easy storing and relaxes well around your neck.
There is an in-line microphone and controls for iPhone devices if you have one connected, allowing you to use it for taking calls or using voice commands. Sadly usage of the mic and controls may be limited outside of iPhone devices (not all features will work with Android or Windows devices which is a drawback).
Our Conclusion
We find these to be comfortable and to produce great sound for current going rate of $99. The range is good and the volume they put out is perfect for playing music from your phone. They also have a great look to them. The biggest drawbacks are the stiff cable and lack of non-iPhone support for the controls. If that wasn’t present, we would lean more towards and 8, but the Reference ONE will have to live with a 7.5/10. Absolutely worth the price…just not “perfect”.
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