Klipsch's first Dolby Atmos soundbars offer 8K passthrough
The company announces two models, the Cinema 800 and the Cinema 1200, which include three HDMI ports and Wi-Fi music streaming.
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The Klipsch Cinema 800 pictured with the optional wireless speakers.
Klipsch on Friday released its first Dolby Atmos soundbars, the Klipsch Cinema 1200 and the Klipsch Cinema 800, with prices starting at $879.
The new Klipsch Cinema Sound Bars follow on from the excellent 400 and 600 models, and feature 8K video passthrough, wooden construction with horn-loaded tweeters and Wi-Fi connectivity. Both soundbars also feature control via Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Spotify Connect, plus three HDMI inputs, including one eARC that can pass Dolby Vision and Atmos from a compatible TV.
It's worth noting that only the 1200 can play back true Dolby Atmos, whereas the 800 can only decode it, as it lacks height speakers.
The $879 Klipsch Cinema 800 Sound Bar's features include:
- 3.1-channel speaker system
- Dolby Atmos decoding
- 10-inch wireless subwoofer
- 48-inch soundbar
The Klipsch Cinema 800 Sound Bar can be paired with the $279 Klipsch Surround 3 wireless speakers to make a 5.1 channel system.
A close-up of the height speaker on the Cinema 1200.
The $1,699 Klipsch Cinema 1200 Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos' features include:
- 5.1.4-channel speaker system
- Dolby Atmos-certified wireless surround speakers
- 12-inch wireless subwoofer
- 54-inch soundbar
Klipsch announced its first Dolby Atmos soundbar back at CES 2019, but the promised Klipsch Bar 54A never arrived. Instead it seems that its features and design have been rolled into the 1200. It's a shame that the 800 in particular isn't true Dolby Atmos, especially given that Vizio is able to offer a 5.1.2 system for half of the price of the Klipsch.
Both the 1200 and 800 soundbars are available now.