Centre of Mass Destruction
By Venoth Nair
In the world of sound, specifically home cinema, a lot of emphasis is paid on the prominent components in the setup. These are usually the receiver for obvious reasons, the player and of course the main speakers. The centre speaker however is normally a little neglected in the common setup but let me tell you, if there is ever a channel that needs your attention, the centre would be it.
The Centre channel anchors the entire sound scape to the screen and is responsible for most of the actual sound produced. For this it would be logical to have a reasonably sized centre channel especially if you’re the type who likes movies loud and proud. The centre channel is almost always where the dialogue is, so clarity is important which is why you should never skimp on this speaker. The design team at Klipsch however felt that reasonably sized is an insult to the channel responsibility as the focal point of sound. To do it justice, Klipsch built the titanic RP-450C which is a true heavyweight centre speaker from Klipsch’s Reference Premier Line, to deliver the goods with equal confidence as its floor standing main counterparts.
The Klipsch RP-450C is built solid with 4 cerametallic 5.25″ woofers along with its patented horn loaded Linear Travel Suspension Titanium tweeter with its Tractrix horn which sits pretty in the middle between the woofers. The body is made from durable MDF material with a rather classy Brushed Polymer Veneer on the baffle. The front baffle is also kept free from obstruction thanks to the magnetic grill, which is also of a very high quality finish. Power handling is rated at 150 watts continuous with a peak of 600 watts. Though large at almost 80 centimetres in width it weighs in at a rather easy to move 16.2 Kgs.
This is one massive centre, with its array of drivers up front giving it a pure business look and feel. The copper coloured woofers add more fire to the already menacing look, reminding anyone who glances at it that this is one serious loudspeaker. Even with the magnetic grill on, the copper woofers peek out giving off a coloured silhouette of the beast that lay hidden.
Fire up the Klipsch and its looks are immediately substantiated by its performance. This centre goes loud, and does it with absolute ease due to its high efficiency at a fantastic 97 dB @ 2.93v / 1m. The bass drivers, supported by the rear flared Tractrix port digs deeps and delivers floor standing levels of bass depth. This bad boy will deliver all the crash, boom and bang you need to make the sound match up with the picture.
Switch up to subtle scenes with soft spoken dialogue and the Klipsch gives you all the detail that you were meant to hear, no more subtitles to make sense of what was said on screen. The LTS tweeter with its bright sparkly nature means you have great highs that are clear and crisp. The sound of glass breaking is perfectly sharp but not overly that it makes you cringe in your seat.
Considering how Klipsch speakers are super-efficient, amplifier matching is just as simple as plug and play. This simplistic approach to amplifier matching makes these speakers a gem. The speakers would also be perfectly fine partnered to a high powered amplifier as well, thanks to its high power handling. So if you have an amplifier and want to switch up the centre to something with plenty more punch then look no further. The Klipsch RP-450C is the speaker built for the job. Your neighbours however will not be so happy. The Klipsch RP-450C retails for RM 3500 a unit.
For further details contact:
WKH Distribution Sdn Bhd.
Tel: 03 62700035
Kenny Sea – 019 3395186
