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While you get crystal-clear vocals and loud sound for dialogue-heavy movies, the Klipsch Bar 48’s mid-range price isn’t justified for cinephiles seeking an immersive viewing experience. Drawbacks include the relatively high latency, narrow soundstage, imbalanced sound profile, and missing Atmos and EQ presets.
The Klipsch Bar 48 is a mid-range soundbar that was first released in 2019, and it delivers an excellent surround sound experience in most living room setups, just like the best speakers out there.
This model boasts a comprehensive 3.1-channel speaker setup and, similar to the best soundbars, comes with a dedicated subwoofer unit that connects via Bluetooth.
But if you don’t want a subwoofer and are looking for a stereo (2.0 channel) soundbar instead, take a look at our JBL Link Bar review. The soundbar also features a dedicated center channel speaker, which the brand claims, helps balance the sound output to desired levels.
But if you are an audiophile and need an even more detailed and nuanced sound output, check out our Klipsch Cinema 400 review. This soundbar features an option to upgrade, as well, which you can perform by adding a second subwoofer to the setup.
And its port selection includes an HDMI ARC, one optical audio port, a USB port, and a 3.5 mm jack.
Consensus
our Verdict
The Klipsch Bar 48 is missing Full HDMI, but it connects reliably with HDMI ARC and Optical, and the subwoofer is a wireless subwoofer. Audio is crackle-free, but the tested latency leans towards the higher end (89ms via ARC and 73ms via Optical).
The soundstage is narrow, sounds come from the front due to weak downmixed surround, and the lack of Dolby Atmos hampers immersion.
Additionally, the subwoofer lacks bass, and the sound, though loud, has an imbalanced profile, making it unsuitable for action films. Nonetheless, the center channel reproduces audio accurately.
You can conveniently tweak soundbar functions with its handy remote, and although the bar’s fairly sturdy, it doesn’t feel premium. Lastly, input commands are responsive, but the bar is missing EQ presets to customize sounds and an app for hassle-free control.
ReasonS to Buy
Secure connection
No disturbing audio sounds
Clear dialogue reproduction
Gets loud
Sturdy bar
Reason to Avoid
Slightly high latency
Narrow soundstage
Poor surround performance
Less extended bass
Uneven sound signature
No EQ presets
No app compatibility
Klipsch Bar 48 Specs
Bluetooth Enabled
Yes
Depth
3.4"
Dialogue Enhancement Feature
Yes
Energy Star Certified
No
HDMI ARC
Yes
Height
2.9"
Number of Audio Channels
3.1
Subwoofer
Included
Surround Sound Supported
Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS-HD
Voice Assistant
No
Wall Mountable
Yes
Weight
15.4 lbs
Width
47.75"
Wireless Connectivity
Bluetooth
Wireless Subwoofer Connectivity
Yes
Works With
Bluetooth, Remote Control
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Soundbars based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Low End Roll Off (Hz)
62.586
High End Roll Off (Hz)
12,354.606
Max Volume Test (db)
101.9
Latency (ms)
89
THD @ 80dB
0.26
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The Klipsch Bar 48 is a mid-range soundbar that was first released in 2019, and it delivers an excellent surround sound experience in most living…
The Klipsch Bar 48 is a mid-range soundbar that was first released in 2019, and it delivers an excellent surround sound experience in most living room setups, just like the best speakers out there.
This model boasts a comprehensive 3.1-channel speaker setup and, similar to the best soundbars, comes with a dedicated subwoofer unit that connects via Bluetooth.
But if you don’t want a subwoofer and are looking for a stereo (2.0 channel) soundbar instead, take a look at our JBL Link Bar review. The soundbar also features a dedicated center channel speaker, which the brand claims, helps balance the sound output to desired levels.
But if you are an audiophile and need an even more detailed and nuanced sound output, check out our Klipsch Cinema 400 review. This soundbar features an option to upgrade, as well, which you can perform by adding a second subwoofer to the setup.
And its port selection includes an HDMI ARC, one optical audio port, a USB port, and a 3.5 mm jack.
The JBL Bar 5.1 delivers much better directionality and soundstage than the Klipsch Bar 48, thanks to its 5.1 channel speaker setup. In addition, the…
The JBL Bar 5.1 delivers much better directionality and soundstage than the Klipsch Bar 48, thanks to its 5.1 channel speaker setup. In addition, the JBL soundbar offers three HDMI 2.0 inputs to double as an HDMI hub, which the Klipsch Bar 48 doesn’t have.
Although the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 lacks a dedicated subwoofer right out of the box, it performs better than the Klipsch Bar 48 in terms…
Although the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 lacks a dedicated subwoofer right out of the box, it performs better than the Klipsch Bar 48 in terms of soundstage, thanks to its supremely flat frequency slope response. Moreover, the Bose Soundbar can also be upgraded after purchase to boost the bass performance.
Despite both having a 3.1-channel speaker setup, the Klipsch Cinema 600 offers a far wider soundstage compared to the Klipsch Bar 48. The Cinema 600…
Despite both having a 3.1-channel speaker setup, the Klipsch Cinema 600 offers a far wider soundstage compared to the Klipsch Bar 48. The Cinema 600 also offers a far more balanced and nuanced sound profile when compared to the Bar 48, thanks to its exceptionally flat frequency slope response.
