Klipsch is showing a pair of soundbars aimed at price-conscious film fans at CES 2024. The Flexus Core 100 and 200 cost $449 (about £350 / AU$670) and $199 (about £156 / AU$300) respectively, and both can be paired with a matching wireless subwoofer ($299, about £235 / AU$450). ) and surround sound speakers ($249, about £195 / AU$372) for an easy system upgrade path. I’ll get into that in a moment, but the upshot is that with the new Klipsch Flexus sound system you can get a full 5.1.2 channel Dolby Atmos setup for just under $1,000 (about £780 / AU$1,490)
Flexus is a joint design and manufacturing effort with Japan’s Onkyo, a brand best known for its A/V receivers and responsible for all internal electronics and amplification on the soundbars.
The best Dolby Atmos soundbars include budget-friendly options like the Bose Smart Soundbar 600, a model with upward-facing speakers to deliver height effects in Atmos soundtracks. Like the Bose, Klipsch’s Core 200 is a 3.1.2-channel model with upward speakers, while the Core 100 is a 2.1-channel model that uses virtual processing to deliver height effects in Atmos soundtracks.
In time-honored Klipsch fashion, the Core 200 uses a horn-loaded tweeter to improve dialogue clarity, flanked by a quartet of 2.5-inch midrange drivers and dual 4-inch woofers for bass. The Core 100 uses dual 2.5-inch drivers and 4-inch woofers, but omits the horn-loaded tweeter. Both soundbars have an HDMI input and HDMI eARC port for a TV connection.
For budget soundbars, both the Core 100 and 200 have a remarkably elegant design. A woodgrain cabinet finish blends seamlessly with metal mesh and black fabric speaker grille elements, and a large alphanumeric LED display – a rare feature on budget soundbars – provides visibility when adjusting volume levels and settings.
The Flexus sound system’s compact wireless subwoofer and surround speakers share the same cosmetic design as the Core 100 and 200. As with the Sonos soundbars, two wireless subwoofers can be linked to the system, allowing for a 5.2.2 Dolby Atmos configuration .
Flexus is flexible – and affordable
When it arrives in April, Klipsch’s Flexus sound system could offer a strong alternative to modular soundbar systems from Sonos and Bose. The modular approach to system building is perfect for home theater fans on a budget who want to start as cheaply as possible by purchasing a main soundbar and then expand the system with a wireless subwoofer and surround speakers as their budget allows.
Klipsch’s Flexus sound system also appears to offer a simpler approach to building systems than those from Sonos and Bose, both of which use advanced control apps for setup. And at less than $1,000 for a full 5.1.2 channel system, it’s a more affordable option.
The Flexus sound system demo I heard at CES wasn’t the kind of full experience that would reveal the soundbars’ true capabilities if a business meeting were held in the same room – CES is an international trade show, after all. For that reason, I’ll have to defer judgment until a later date, although the movie’s dialogue in the demo was remarkably clear. Keep an eye out for a future review, as Klipsch’s new soundbars, especially the Core 200, could very well join the ranks of the best soundbars at the budget end of the price spectrum.
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