The Klipsch The Nines pair, which is a combination of active (active monitor) and passive (passive monitor) bookshelf speaker systems, is positioned by Klipsch as an alternative to modern soundbars. The speakers have a neat design with retro elements and are equipped with removable grills with magnetic fastening. The Klipsch The Nines feature a 1-inch LTS compression tweeter with linear displacement technology and a titanium dome. The tweeter is housed in a proprietary Tractrix horn, which guarantees an accurate polar pattern and detailed sound. The mid/low frequency range is transmitted by an 8-inch speaker with a long-throw cone made of fiber composite.
The active speaker has built-in D-class amplifiers with a low noise level, allowing to provide a power of 120 W per channel (biamping connection, two 80-watt for mid/low-frequency drivers and two 40-watt for tweeters). The passive speaker is connected to the active one using a special cable with 4-pin connectors. On board Klipsch The Nines there is an MM phono stage for connecting turntables, a high-performance DSP processor, a dynamic low-pass equalizer for bass enhancement (analogous to loudness) and a DAC with support for PCM up to 24 bit/192 kHz when connected via a USB input. The model also received a Bluetooth receiver with support for AAC and aptX HD codecs for wireless audio streaming from Bluetooth devices.
The Klipsch The Nines acoustic system is assembled in a well-damped bass reflex housing made of MDF. The body has a bass reflex port built into its rear part with an output pipe in the form of a Tractrix horn. Available in two finishes (natural walnut veneer or matte black). Two miniature metal “wheels” are integrated into the top panel of the active speaker for adjusting the volume level and selecting a source. The rear panel of the active speaker has a built-in panel with a set of switching connectors, among which the HDMI port with support for the ARC return channel, which is ideal for connecting to a TV panel, should be highlighted. There are also RCA connectors, which can be used in two ways – as a regular line input or as phono preamplifier connectors. The desired option is selected using a nearby mechanical switch.
A 3.5 mm Aux jack is used to connect portable sources. There is an optical input and a USB port for connecting to a computer. You can also connect an active subwoofer to the Klipsch The Nines using the Sub Out output, and a small standard remote control is provided for remote control of the speaker systems.
The difference between the Klipsch The Nines and The Sevens speakers is the caliber of the woofer: it is an 8- or 6.5-inch long-throw woofer with a composite cone. Because of this, the dimensions of the case, the low-frequency limit and the total power of the built-in amplifiers differ – 240 and 200 W, respectively. Otherwise, the Klipsch The Nines and Sevens are identical.
Klipsch The Nines Features
Speakers: 1 x 1″ (25.4mm) diameter titanium dome tweeter, Tractrix horn, 1 x 8″ (20.3mm) diameter woofer cm)
Frequency response: 34 Hz to 25 kHz
Sensitivity: 115 dB
RMS power: 240 W (2 x 120 W – low: 80 W / high: 40 W)
Peak power: 480 W
Bluetooth 5.0, range approx. 10m
Auxiliary input: 3.5mm mini jack
Switchable line/phono input (pre-amplified): 2 x RCA
Audio USB port (type B)
Optical digital audio input
HDMI ARC input
Dimensions (W x H x D): 240 x 480 x 337 mm
Weight of right speaker: 12 kg
Weight of left speaker: 11 kg
Accessories included
Right speaker to left speaker cable (4 wires, 4 meters long)
3.5 mm mini jack auxiliary cable
USB cable (Type A connector) to type B terminal)
HDMI cable
Remote control
Power cord