Klipsch Image S4 impressions

Klipsch has never really been a company to cater to the low-end, but there's likely never been a time in the outfit's history to better introduce a lower-end pair of earbuds than right now. The Image headphone line, which started in August of 2007 when the X10s launched at $349, has grown a few members since. Today, we're talking a look -- er, a listen, actually -- at the $79 Image S4 in-ear headphones, and while these are far from "cheap," they're definitely in the realm of feasibility for anyone considering a set of 'buds that are marginally more awesome than the stock ones bundled with PMPs these days. Head on past the break for a few impressions.

Klipsch Image S4 impressions

For starters, we can't help but remark that these are small -- really small. The original Image earbuds were called the planet's smallest by Klipsch (much to the chagrin of JAYS), and these certainly follow in that lineage. For $79, you get the earbuds, an ear tip cleaning tool, three sets of different-sized ear gels and a swank aluminum case to carry them to and fro. Compared to the $49 Image S2, the S4 has angled nozzles and larger housings, while the S2 has straight nozzles and smaller housings. The 3.5 millimeter input jack is connected to a rubberized, grip-resistant cable that's around three feet long, with an even left / right cable split hanging around a foot beneath the tips.

For $79, these are definitely well built. From the durable cable to the massively comfortable ear gels, each component screams mid-range despite the price tag. Unlike most earbuds, these boast oval gels -- compared to the perfectly round ones elsewhere -- and we must say, we dig the difference. The seal on these buds were perfect for us, even mitigating surrounding noise quite well. We were able to listen for a few hours straight with no discomfort to speak of, and generally speaking, we were stoked with the quality of sound. Furthermore, gym rats and runners alike will adore the fit here; unlike most rounded gels, these managed to stay put regardless of activity / sweat. In the past, we've found ourselves readjusting the fit every ten minutes or so while jogging, but the Image S4s sat in place during extended motion. Kudos, Klipsch.

The tight seal ensured that bass response was magnificent without being overly punchy, and the heralded "Klipsch sound" is definitely captured here. Of course, that does mean that some of you won't appreciate the occasionally fatiguing highs, but there's always (er, sometimes) an equalizer to compensate, right? The bottom line? These are leaps and bound better than the stock earbuds that are tossed in with any portable media player these days, and we'd argue that these are superior to other 'buds in the $80 to $100 range. So, should you snap a pair of these up when they start shipping en masse this month? If you've already set aside $79 for a set of some kind, absolutely. If you're looking to stay in the $40 to $60 range, we'd still argue that the unique oval gels and fantastic overall sound warrant at least a look. For those with $150 or more waiting for a set of Ultimate Ears, don't bother laughing as you pass these by, cool?

[dcnoren Posted May 3rd 2009 9:43PM]

How do they compare to Shure's E2C's or similar?

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 9:52PM]

I think Shure has replaced the e*c line with something else...

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 9:58PM]

I wish my ears held in earbuds.

ah well.

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:30PM]

David, I have the same problem but I can tell you if you spend over $60 on headphones or you get foam tips that problem will be gone. I have se110's for reference.

[DaveBach Posted May 4th 2009 9:03AM]

I have a friend (RS) that went down to Klipsch from Shure to head up their product development shortly before Klipsch launched their earbud product line a few years back. I haven't really listened to either company's earbud offerings much but it wouldn't surprise me if the Klipsch line gave Shure a run for their money.

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 11:35AM]

Your money would be best spent on Westone, who makes 3-driver ear buds for around $200 or so. Many swear Westone's ear buds are better than Shure and a lot of musicians use them when performing live.

[(Unverified) Posted May 6th 2009 2:38PM]

Do what I did and for $99 bucks, get the Shure SE115's. They consistently get great reviews for sound and bass quality, and they stay in place because the cable points up and wraps around ear. Plus, there is a connector right where the left and right cables connect, so you can add a mic attachment (I recommend the Griffin Smarttalk) close to your mouth and not have all that extra cable to contend with.

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 9:49PM]

but your grammar is not

[aznofazns Posted May 3rd 2009 9:51PM]

How do these compare to Bose Triports? The sound quality of the Bose is great, especially the ridiculous bass, but recently the rubber wire housing started to come off and I might need a replacement soon.

[Schmitty Posted May 3rd 2009 9:56PM]

I don't like BOSE.

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:08PM]

"The sound quality of the Bose is great"

I'd have to disagree with that statement. For the money, Bose is pretty mediocre. The 901s were fantastic when introduced, but in general I find the sound from most of their stuff to be artificially warm, and I think they are way too expensive for what you get.

Buy
Other
Sound
Equipment

[aznofazns Posted May 3rd 2009 10:27PM]

Why are 90% of Bose comments always using silly acronyms to bash the company's products. Honestly, I love the sound quality of my Triports. This is mostly due to the fact that I use a custom equalizer in Rockbox to bring out the best, but compared to a $30 set of Sony Fontopias I previously owned, the Bose just has MUCH better bass and a less tinny overall sound. It's not my fault a lot of Bose owners don't know how to utilize equalizers. Plus, I got em as a gift so no complaints about price. I just want to know if these Klipsch S4's are comparable or better (bass really matters to me).

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:37PM]

Buy Pioneer

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:38PM]

Bose is all marketing. Their 150 dollar headphones sound worse than a 20 dollar pair of Sennheiser's. That is why people dislike Bose.

[aznofazns Posted May 3rd 2009 10:49PM]

Thanks so much for the help, everyone... based on your comments, I can conclude that 1) I'm an idiot for having Bose, despite enjoying them, 2) I should buy Pioneer, 3) I still have no idea how these Klipsch earphones compare

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:58PM]

I'm looking for high end computer speakers...what should I buy that has the look of Bose's Companion 5 Series but isn't overpriced for what you get?

[aznofazns Posted May 3rd 2009 11:02PM]

Thanks for hijacking my little "thread"... but to answer your question, Logitech Z-2300 is a great 2.1 system for around a hundred bucks.

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 11:43PM]

I can guarantee you that these sound better than your Bose earbuds. In the professional audio world (which is my career), there's a saying:

"No highs? No Lows? Hey, must be Bose!"

If you spent any more than $40 on Bose earbuds, you wasted serious cash. Sennheiser puts out the best cheap earbuds ($20 ones I purchase for friends who broke their MyPhonies). Klipsch has never been a company to put out mediocre products and the oval tip alone will make the experience so much better.

[aznofazns Posted May 4th 2009 12:44AM]

Thanks for actually answering my question. Maybe the Klipsch do have better overall sound quality, but I highly doubt the bass is better. Maybe the no highs no lows saying applies to the over-ear headphones, but the bass on the earbuds is one thing that I'm certain is unbeatable for under $100.

[Jorvay Posted May 4th 2009 10:12AM]

I used to think that stronger bass was better...Then I got a nice set of Sennheiser open-ear cans. Now I know that good headphones give you the same feeling of strong bass that I was striving for in cheap headphones, but without overpowering the rest of the range (mids and highs).

[Stephanie C Posted May 4th 2009 12:44PM]

Jorvay is correct IMO, clear balanced bass is better than overpowering muddy bass. I like to hear the entire range, not just pumped up bass. A good pair of headphones will allow you to hear the bass without killing the rest of the range. I had the TriPorts, they were too muddy.

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 8:32PM]

i looked at the Z-2300 and the rest of the logitech line of computer speakers and they definitely don't look as sleek as the Bose speakers. They're look more like the computer speakers teenagers who're addicted to wow usually have.

[aznofazns Posted May 4th 2009 10:29PM]

Yeah they have a very "gamer" look but I can assure you the sound quality is top notch for a sub $150 set of speakers. The sub is especially ridiculous. Look up some reviews if you want more evidence.

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 9:52PM]

Keep telling yourself that.

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 9:56PM]

Panasonic had the oval earbud design before anyone else.
Also klipsch might be pricey but it's not overrated like bose, so these are potential future headphones for me!

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 9:56PM]

I adore Klipsch. I still have some of their kg4 loudspeakers, still kickin' it after 23 years. I'd love to hear what these little buds sound like.

[Hckngrtfakt Posted May 3rd 2009 10:02PM]

Just as accurate as saying a honda can outrun a ferrari any day ....

Zap !!

[bombastinator Posted May 3rd 2009 10:18PM]

That would depend entirely on the honda and the ferrari involved. There were some pretty crap cars made in the 70's

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:14PM]

Etymotic Research 6isolator.

'Nuff said.

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 3:14PM]

Yeup... I use those as well. But, I'm always open to finding something "better"...

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:11PM]

Klipsch has been catering more and more to the low-end of the consumer electronics industry since they became publicly traded. I wish they'd make stuff more like the Epic series they were making in the '90s. Sigh.

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 2:20PM]

Actually, Klipsch is still a privately held company (by the Klipsch family).

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:14PM]

@David
PerfectFit has a solution for you if you have around $120. They send you the goo, you stick in your ears, and they send you back custom plugs with your headphones in there. You can choose in-ear-canal or a design that the rockers on stage use that plugs more of the ear up (no diff in sound isolation)

J

[ZZMitch Posted May 3rd 2009 10:13PM]

How do these compare with the Apple In-Ear Headphones?

[CJ Posted May 4th 2009 1:10AM]

These are good.

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 1:19AM]

Well, it doesnt seem to have the mic and the volume controls so you cant use it as hands free for your iphone but the sound quality is probably better

[skyblaze Posted May 3rd 2009 10:16PM]

just when i was looking for a sweet set of premium headphones i open up my google chrome, click engadget right there on my most visited list and BAM! first article i see just so happens to be on some hot new Klipsch swag coming out. skyblaze is sold. soon as these puppies come out hell be swingin his credit card out like a baseball player with a bad case of tourettes. good job guys for making my gadget loving life that much easier :)

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:32PM]

talking a look..?

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 10:47PM]

Better than Apples in ear...are they iphone compatible

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 11:41PM]

how is this breaking news. less paid advertisement posts please.

[(Unverified) Posted May 5th 2009 12:02AM]

It wasn't "breaking news", it was clearly labeled a hands-on impression of the product. You can see it listed in "Featured stories".

[thisisit Posted May 3rd 2009 11:49PM]

looks nice

[yes Posted May 3rd 2009 11:52PM]

just like u!

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 4:49AM]

...or your mom.

[Chickenatr Posted May 4th 2009 5:12AM]

(uh...oh)

[jhoff80 Posted May 3rd 2009 11:50PM]

I've got the Etymotic Research hf2 for $150, and they sound as good to my ear (if not better) than my previous $300 Etymotic ER-4P. If you want a set for the iPhone or any other phone with a 3.5" 4-conductor jack, get the hf2, otherwise, look into the hf5 (same thing without the microphone).

However, the reason I'm posting this on this thread.... the Klipsh eargels are amazingly comfortable. I've tried the Shure foam "black olive" tips, which broke my ER-4P on removing them, the Comply foam ones, the stock Etymotic 3-flange and the Etymotic clear smaller 3-flange ones before trying a set of these Klipsch gels. The two most comfortable were the Shure and the Comply foam ones. However, foam needs to be replaced pretty often, depending of course on earwax production, so I've been trying to find a silicone set that was comfortable. I'd settled on the small Etymotic 3-flange ones, before getting a set of these Klipsch eargels, and wow, these are nearly as comfortable as the foam ones.

Just something for people to keep in mind even if you already have IEMs.

[(Unverified) Posted May 3rd 2009 11:51PM]

denon c452's are totally awesome! ( and cheaper!)

[Stephanie C Posted May 3rd 2009 11:58PM]

To be fair, the $80 ones aren't bad. But the base model ones, not so great. I have the $80 ones and I get balanced clear sound out of them, which is fine with me. However I do always try other models and everyone should, because there may be something out there that hits your sweet spot 100%.

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 12:20AM]

After one gets past the $50 mark the sound quality of various ear-buds are quite close to each other. I have a pair of Nokia WH-700's I bought for my smartphone and they sound very, very close to a pair of studio grade Sony MDR 7506 full size headphones I have, when I've A/B tested them.

In terms of form fitting silicone ear-buds, any audiologist can whip up a pair for you for very little money - usually less than $40. So, Klipsch can stick their $300+ ear-buds up their ass!

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 12:55AM]

I would like to recommend the Nuforce ne-7m headphones instead. I bought them about a month ago and have really blown me away. they're only $49 too! I don't know how they compare to the image's but check em out, guys.

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 12:56AM]

by the way, they have a mic and pause, play, skip button for the iphone

[CJ Posted May 4th 2009 1:04AM]

Well, it the honda is going at 120KPH, and the Ferrari at 100KPH, the Honda would win, every time!

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 1:16AM]

I I I I I I I I I I I I
I I I I I I I
I I I I I I I I I
I I I I I I
I I I I I I
I I I I I I I I I







sucks.

kthxbye

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 2:18AM]

I had the Etymotic ER-6i before some bastard broke into my car. So I got the ER-6. I also have a pair of Shure I2CM.

I definitely prefer the even frequency response of the ER-6 over the bass bias ER-6i and Shure I2CM.

Since my ER-6 is wearing out, I might pick up a pair of these if it has even frequency response.

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 3:40AM]

I like to listen to even frequencies, but also like the odd frequencies... it just doesn't sound the same without them...

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 4:48AM]

Can Hondas go that fast though?..

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 5:00AM]

You're a complete clown! I love my iPhone as much as the next guy, but even I have to admit that the stock iPhone headphones are absolutely shit! That's why I replaced them with the Etymotic Hf2.

[superhobo Posted May 4th 2009 6:11AM]

Honda competes in F1 too, you know.

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 9:43AM]

Wrong I'm afraid. Try Brawn GP.

[superhobo Posted May 4th 2009 9:45AM]

Yeah, it was sold recently.

But (i think) they still use Honda engines?

[(Unverified) Posted May 4th 2009 10:07PM]

I am still confused. I am looking for < 100$ headphones and i dunno what to buy