By Sarah Knight
At Klipsch, we make loudspeakers and have been for over 60 years. But our passion isn't for metal, wood or wires. We're passionate about the extraordinary entertainment experiences our loudspeakers create. Over the past six decades, we've brought forth new innovations and creative improvements that have allowed each generation to enjoy music and movies in a different way.
1940s
Paul W. Klipsch, one of America's most celebrated audio pioneers, revolutionized the way people listened to recorded music when he founded our company on the promise of a corner horn-loaded speaker in 1946.
Unsatisfied with the sound quality of phonographs and early speaker systems, PWK used scientific principles to develop a "corner horn" speaker that sounded more lifelike. He called it the Klipschorn®.
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Paul W. Klipsch giving a Klipschorn demo.
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The second Klipsch factory.
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The introduction of the patented Klipschorn set the standard for high sensitivity, wide dynamic range, low distortion, smooth frequency response and powerful bass. In addition to being the company's foundation product, this speaker contributed to the birth of "Hi-Fi" or the high-fidelity era.
Still manufactured and sold worldwide today, the Klipschorn represents a legacy that has guided Klipsch speaker engineering throughout the years. Every Klipsch loudspeaker is designed to the same live-sound philosophy that inspired the Klipschorn.
1950s
Considered the "Golden Age" of high fidelity, the 1950s brought better-quality sound from radio, records, and music reproduction equipment, such as loudspeakers and amplifiers.
Surprisingly, Paul W. Klipsch introduced his experimental Heresy loudspeaker in 1957, calling it the world's first center channel loudspeaker. He demonstrated it at the World's Fair in Brussels, Belgium in 1958.
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New Heritage Series Heresy III
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New Heritage Series La Scala II
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1960s
Originally designed by Paul W. Klipsch for Winthrop Rockefeller's Arkansas State gubernatorial campaign, the La Scala loudspeaker was widely used for sound reinforcement in commercial cinemas and nightclubs. It also became a favorite among college students and rock-n-roll fanatics because of its ability to play loudly with undetectable distortion.
1970s
Aside from introducing the Belle Klipsch, a more elegant version of the La Scala, for home use, Klipsch used this decade to officially launch its professional line of speakers.
Kicking things off with a very big and very powerful bang, Klipsch entered the commercial market with the 500-pound MCM speaker. Designed for touring sound and cinema applications, this colossal speaker had enough power to rock the house down.
To satisfy those pro customers needing high-performance sound but on a much smaller scale, the company also launched the pro Heresy speaker to serve as a compact PA rig or monitor.
1980s
While it is very possible that cinemas used the Klipschorn in the early 50s to wow audiences, Klipsch formally got into the professional theater business when it sold an MCM system to John Allen in 1980. Allen was responsible for doing the first ever "digital" audio presentation of a soundtrack using Klipsch speakers.
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Cinetopia in Washington uses Klipsch.
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Cine Capri in Arizona uses Klipsch.
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Klipsch has brought a lot to the movie-going experience since then. Today the company is considered a technology leader in the cinema industry with over 20 speaker offerings, including the first and only fully horn-loaded, THX-approved four-way cinema system. Additionally, one out of two new theaters choose Klipsch products to deliver the powerful, detailed soundtracks of today's demanding blockbusters.
As the 80s were coming to a close, Klipsch reached a major turning point. In 1989, at the age of 85, PWK sold the company to a cousin and Indianapolis businessman Fred S. Klipsch and his wife Judy. Business operations moved from Hope, Ark. to Indianapolis, Ind.
1990s
The 1990s brought a lot of growth and change to the company. With 5.1 home theater surround sound emerging, Klipsch began building its audio portfolio with the introduction of its first center channel speakers and powered subwoofers.
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Klipsch Reference Series Center Channel
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Klipsch ProMedia v.2-400
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While not as popular as it is today, Klipsch started supplying the residential contracting market with two in-wall speakers in 1992 and introduced three more in 1995.
In 1999, Klipsch introduced the first computer speaker system in the world to be THX®-Certified. At $249, the ProMedia v.2-400 forever changed the way people thought about multimedia speakers.
Today
As the audio world evolves to accommodate the listening preferences of today's consumers, Klipsch is keeping up with the trends by delivering high-performance products that reflect society's demand for simplicity and minimalist design.
From exciting new speaker solutions for the Apple® iPod® to contemporary flat-panel products and from performance-leading satellite systems to over 30 innovative architectural speakers, Klipsch now has a product for every application, lifestyle and budget.
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Klipsch 2.1 iFi system
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Klipsch original iGroove
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While Klipsch continues to stick to its audiophile roots by carrying on PWK's no-compromise spirit and engineering design genius, the company has significantly changed over the past 60 years.
What started out as a one-man show in Hope, Arkansas has evolved into a globally recognized speaker brand that employs over 300 employees worldwide, occupies 5,000 storefronts and is sold in 75 countries.
Memorable Years
1946 - Paul W. Klipsch founds company in Hope, Ark. with patented Klipschorn
1948 - PWK acquires first factory building and hires first employee
1957 - Experimental Heresy speaker is developed
1963 - PWK designs La Scala for Arkansas State gubernatorial campaign
1977 - Professional speaker line introduced
1978 - PWK receives Audio Engineering Society's prestigious Silver Medal Award
1980 - Klipsch formally enters professional cinema business
1984 - PWK inducted into the Audio Hall of Fame
1989 - Fred Klipsch (a cousin to PWK) and his wife Judy purchase company; business operations move to Indianapolis
1992 - First set of Klipsch architectural speaker launched
1993 - Klipsch taps into 5.1 surround sound with powered subwoofer and center channel lines
1997 - PWK inducted into the Engineering and Science Hall of Fame
1999 - Reference Series and ProMedia lines launched
2001 - Klipsch breaks ground on one of the Midwest's most advanced consumer audio research facilities
2004 - Klipsch THX Ultra 2 system launched; PWK inducted into Consumer Electronics Hall of fame
2005 - Klipsch acquires Jamo brand; iFi and iGroove systems wow iPod audiences
2006 - Klipsch celebrates sixty years of success; 60th Anniversary Klipschorn introduced; Klipsch acquires API