Klipsch KC-25 Icon 5-1/4-Inch Center Speaker (Black Ash)

The media could not be loaded.  I have a dedicated theater room, with an Epson 4K HDR projector  Epson Home Cinema 4000 3LCD Home Theater Projector with 4K Enhancement, HDR10, 100% Balanced Color and White Brightness and Ultra Wide DCI-P3 Color Gamut , and power top grain leather recliners. It has an Atmos surround sound system and it’s great. This speaker was not for that.We decided we would like to do block party, drive in movie style, in our driveway. We got a nice mid range 4K projector  ViewSonic PX747-4K 4K Projector Ultra HD with 3500 Lumens HDR Support and Dual HDMI for Home Theater Around the Clock , and a rear projection screen  Projector Screen 150 Inch 16:9, Outdoor Portable Movie Screen Support Front and Rear Projection . I tried a few sound bars, for convenient audio. But the sound quality was terrible. I had an extra Sony STRDH770  Sony 7.2 Channel Home Theater 4K AV Receiver (STRDH770) sitting unused. So I decided I would use that and a simple center channel speaker for decent outdoor sound quality. I knew Klipsch was a great brand, though I’ve never owned any Klipsch speakers. I found this center channel speaker from the Klipsch Icon line. I was not really looking for the nicest speaker, this would after all, be used outside. So I wanted a budget speaker. This is why I chose the Icon line.I was blown away by the sound quality. It was night and day better than the two previous sound bars I tried. With the Klipsch paired with the Sony STRDH770, vocals are clear and bright (as heard in the outdoor video, shot with an iphone 7, and no external mic). Mid range quality is great for 5.25 inch drivers. I really expected less. I did not buy a sub, but this setup would be absolutely amazing, paired with a sub. I have to admit I really want to add the other 4 speakers and a sub now. It was so good with just this center speaker, it makes me want more. All of my expectations were exceeded, however, now I think my expectations for an outdoor movie theater were too low.The speaker size is large enough to create great sound, but not so large as to be cumbersome for my temporary setup.At max volume on my Sony 770, the speaker did bottom out in bass heavy scenes. I turned down the volume to 65 (which is still very loud), the audio stayed clear and enjoyable. This speaker is not meant to be stand alone. It needs a sub to carry the heavy bass load. But it will do great by its self with a small volume adjustment.This single speaker filled my driveway with sound. It really was impressive, especially given the cost. Home audio is addictive. When something exceeds your expectations, the temptation to want more is real. You’ve been warned!!In the first photo, you can see the silhouette of the speaker behind our 150 inch screen (bottom/center). Also note that we only have about a 125 inch image. Our projector needed a few more feet of distance behind the screen to get to the full 150 inches. But we really like the setup.

It's a great speaker. Didn't blow me away like I thought. Like I really thought I would be literally blown out of my shoes! But I wasn't. So I guess the slight disappointment is my own doing. Still great. Speaker kicks, good sound too.

This is the first review I have ever written on Amazon but I just can't pass up the opportunity to tell you just how great this center speaker is. It is replacing a Polk center that is similar in size but the comparison ends there. This speaker is absolutely amazing. No longer do my wife and I have to look at each other and ask "...what did he just say?". The dialogue is crystal clear and the bass is a great compliment. Trust me when I say it is well worth the few extra bucks.

This speaker is OK, nothing special, but not bad either. I had purchased this to go with a second AV setup in the house, at a lower level than my main setup. I own several sets of Klipsch speakers, they are older, but they perform flawlessly (KG4 and Forte). I guess I was expecting the same level of performance that I have been used to from products carrying the name. The sound quality is mediocre in comparison to my reference points, the manufacturing quality of the cabinet seems good, the speaker grille is really very cheap. It is not like it has to be a tough piece, but it is so thin that once out of the box it was so warped that it had a hard time getting it onto the speaker enclosure. Would I buy it again? I am not sure. I had made the buy sight unseen based on the reviews and the brand.

I previously complained that the speaker sounded a bit harsh. Since then one of the woofers failed. It was barely putting anything but a scratchy sound out. Kilpsch would not honor the warranty. They said I had not purchased it from an authorized dealer. I ordered it here on Amazon. They sent a replacement woofer for $36.55. I'm thinking that a partial short was there for a while until it got bad enough to be more obvious and cause my receiver to report a short and that it was what caused the "harsh" sound. While I had it open to replace the bad woofer I observed that the driver magnets are quite heavy and the crossover network pretty elaborate. I'm quite happy with the sound now.

This speaker is OK, but the problem with it is that it is not ported. While watching movies and musics it will sound OK due to sound effects and music. However, while listening to conversation only, news broadcast for example, when the voice is not changed and no music in the background you will notice people sound like they are in a box and unnatural due to not ported. After you developed the ears for clarity, this speaker will not do. That is the reason why even the more expensive Klipsch or other brand center channel comes with front or back ported. Corner cutting to profit a few more buck?

So I am piecing my sound system together, just don't have $3k top drop all at once. When I got my kc-25 and opened it (which I was so excited it was like Christmas day for me). First it is beautiful, wasn't a nick on it. So I proceed to install it, which by the way drives my wife insane. Once I have it connected I crank up the volume with a little SVR and Slow Hand. I go through a couple of sound variations and this speaker handles everything I throw at it. Crisp, clear and clean. Now I need to update my subwoofer. I also turned on Jurassic World and Top Gun. Since having the speaker it makes me smile, can't wait to complete the audio update.

For the average home theater user, this is nice upgrade. It was only 105 dollars on sale when I purchased, so for me at that price, I am very satisfied with its performance, if you're looking for the very best center speaker, this probably won't cut it, but again it's the best center speaker out there for around 100 dollars.