Klipsch R-20B Review

Rank #1

The best home theater systems have access to surround sound, which means that the listener is completely enveloped by a richly detailed audio experience.

In order to obtain this effect, those with home theater centers have two choices: To purchase an entire speaker system, or to purchase a soundbar.

Home speaker systems take up a lot of space, and can be quite expensive, so homeowners often choose the soundbar.

In this Klipsch R-20B review, you will become acquainted with one of the absolute best, top-of-the-line soundbars on the market today.

You May Choose This Klipsch R-20B Soundbar For The Following Specification:

  • Built-in Dolby® Digital Decoder.
  • True 2-way soundbar with two 3/4 inch horn-loaded dome tweeters and four 3 inch woofers.
  • Wireless subwoofer.
  • Bluetooth compatible.
  • 3-D Surround Mode.
  • Remote control.

Klipsch R-20B Review


The Innovative Genius of Speaker Expert Paul W. Klipsch and the R-20B Soundbar


For those new to the world of audio technology, a soundbar is a simple speaker system that houses all of its components in one long, slim design that resembles a ‘bar’.

Often chosen to fulfill the needs of a smaller room or smaller budget, some soundbars come equipped with a subwoofer which gives the soundbar added depth by providing a rich bass sound.

Best Klipsch Soundbar
Click on Photo

If you are considering a soundbar for your home entertainment center, then the Klipsch R-20B Bluetooth Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer is one you should take a close look.

The Klipsch Reference R-20B soundbar is held to the strict design standards as denoted by its founder, audio genuis Paul W. Klipsch outlined over 70 years ago: High efficiency, low distortion, controlled directivity and flat frequency response.

The Klipsch Reference R-20B is a testament to the genius of Klipsch, as its high quality sound along with streamlined, sleek design weighing in at only only 8.5 pounds, and measuring 2.8 x 40 x 4.1 inches makes the R20-B perfect size for most home theater centers.

The R-20B comes complete with a companion wireless subwoofer which will add greater depth of bass to your surround sound experience.

The Klipsch Reference R-20B is light and compact, and built to flood your room with a robust sound, while blending seamlessly into your chosen room decor.


The Klipsch Reference R-20B Offers Complete Plug and Play Convenience


As an active soundbar, the Klipsch Reference R-20B soundbar carries its amplification components on-board, and is an ready to use right out of the box. The engineers at Klipsch designed the R-20B to have ‘plug and play’ capability.

This means that there is no intensive setup required, simply connect the digital optical cable to your televisions digital output, and you are pretty much good to go.

Engineers at Klipsch realized that some customers might not have an optical audio output, so included a 2-channel analog input for their convenience.

When you look at the back of your Klipsch RB-20, you’ll notice that the soundbar is designed to be user friendly with an optical input, DC input and power on/off button, along with the right and left analog inputs. Once connected, simply plug your soundbar into a power outlet and flip the switch, it’s that simple.


Wireless Subwoofer


The wireless subwoofer that comes with the Klipsch Reference R-20B is a major selling point with people setting up their own home entertainment center.

This subwoofer has a solid, medium density fiberboard, or MDF cabinet, and a 10 inch driver. Taking a closer look at this wireless subwoofer, you’ll notice a subwoofer volume knob, power switch and power plug for an outlet.

This wireless subwoofer not only delivers a deep, rich bass, but also allows you to experiment with speaker placement as it has a range of 50 feet.


Features of Convenience and Innovation


The Klipsch Reference R-20B is a 2-channel sound bar that has 6 speakers built inside its enclosure, four 3 inch polypropylene mid-range drivers, dual 3/4-inch dome tweeters which are connected to Tractrix horns.

Klipsch R-20B Review (Best Klipsch Soundbar)
Click on Photo

These Tractrix horns use Klipsch’s Hornloading Technology and work to ensure proper dispersion of sound. Hornloading Technology is specific to Klipsch loudspeakers, and consistently produces sensitive speakers that have low distortion, a wide dynamic range, and emphasize no frequency above another, so bass, mid-range and treble all have a flat frequency response.

Virtual Surround Mode is what the Klipsch Reference R-20B employs to create the fabulous, immersive, three-dimensional audio you hear when listening to movies or music.

The R-20B also has built-in Bluetooth so you can sit back, relax and listen to your music as it streams from smartphones, tablets and computers, with aptX® encoding providing excellence in audio quality from your streaming and mobile devices.

Finally, Dolby® Digital decoding, which is the power behind the R-20B’s ability to recreate such powerful audio.

Also, it should be noted that it’s a good idea to turn off your televisions own speakers, so as not to have them interfere with the sound quality of the R-20B and optical digital audio input.


Accessories and Warranty


Your Klipsch R-20B Soundbar comes complete with a wireless, powered subwoofer, AC adapter with a 6 foot DC cord, 2 6 foot AC power cords, remote control, 59 inch digital optical cable, remote control, CR2025 3 volt battery.

To facilitate positioning, you get detachable rubberized feet and a wall-mount template which will allow you to place your R-20B in front of your television or mount it to the wall.

You also get an owners manual along with information on your warranty which is 3 years for the drivers and cabinet, and 1 year for electronic parts.

For additional information, Klipsch offers an extensive help and support section on their website which covers everything from speaker placement to warranty information.


Final Thoughts (Summary)


This active soundbar by Klipsch comes with a built-in Dolby Digital Decoder, four 3 inch woofers and two 3/4 inch hornloaded dome tweeters. It is bluetooth compatible, has 3D surround sound mode, an ergonomic remote control.

There is also a separate wireless subwoofer, and mounting template and rubberized feet to assist in proper placement.

As can be see in our Klipsch R-20B review, we believe this is one of the best soundbars on the market, absolutely perfect for home or office use.