Home :: Audio :: Speakers :: Floorstanding  

Bookshelf
Center Channel
Floorstanding

In-Wall
Indoor-Outdoor
Satellite
Speaker Systems
Subwoofers
Wireless
KLH 1230SB 170 Watt 3-Way Floorstanding Speakers

KLH 1230SB 170 Watt 3-Way Floorstanding Speakers

List Price: $199.99
Your Price:
Product Info Reviews

Features:
  • 3-way floor-standing loudspeakers
  • 12-inch cone woofer
  • 5.25-inch midrange
  • 0.8-inch tweeter
  • 170 watts maximum power handling


Description:

The KLH 1230-SBs are exceptionally affordable three-way floor-standing speakers. They are capable of filling even large rooms with their full, rich sound, and they have good bass wallop.

Like most modestly priced speakers, the 1230-SBs are not particularly sexy to look at--they have a generic black-ash vinyl veneer and black grille cloth. Their connectors are of the simple spring-loaded variety, which only accept bare or tinned speaker wire.

However, the beauty of these speakers is more than skin deep. We were impressed, for example, by their driver complement. Not only is each driver of very good quality, but KLH has done an excellent job of integrating their sound. The 1230-SBs have the kind of tonal integration we hope for but don't always find in moderately priced models. This type of coherence makes these speakers easy to listen to for extended periods of time.

In our tests, high-frequency response was extended and airy, and the sound of cymbals, which can easily get tizzy (especially in inexpensive speakers), sounded natural. The midrange area, the most important frequency range in audio, was likewise very good. Typical instruments in the midrange, such as vocals, piano, sax, and cello, were all well-defined, harmonically rich, and open sounding. And the 12-inch woofer not only packs a punch, but it has good definition, too.

If you're looking for all-around good speakers that are well-made, sound good, and don't need a lot of power to make them sing, the KLH 1230-SBs are an excellent choice.

Pros:

  • Big, full sound
  • Very good drivers
  • Easy to drive

Cons:

  • Plain looks
  • Cheap connectors
© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates