Klipsch Reference R6i Black On-Ear Headphones

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The Klipsch Reference R6i On-Ear is built to a price point, to be a $100.00 headphone.  For this, Klipsch has done a great job producing a unit that actually sounds good, without being too flashy.  First line of the R6i description sums it up perfect, “Short on fluff”, perfectly said.

http://www.klipsch.com/r6i-on-ear-headphones
 

 
As always, all photography was taken by me and no stock images from the manufacturer were used.
 
 
 
 
*Accessories*

- Carrying Bag
 
Staying right in budget, you will find the only accessory to be a thin, inexpensive carrying bag and nothing else.  And that is ok.  The bag works well to throw your headphones in, though the R6i only folds flat, so the bag is a decent size and not as compact as some other headphones in this class.


 
 
 
*Build*

Plastic, lots of plastic.  It is nice plastic though, it does not creak or look cheap, it’s just black plastic.  The nice thing about using this less expensive material, it helps to keep the weight of the R6i low, 160.3 grams to be exact and that is including the cable and controls.  The cable itself is on the thin side, but it displays no signs of microphonics which is great.  Strain reliefs are on the smaller side, but seem tough enough to get the job done.
 

 
 
 
*Function*

I’m going to be honest; I am not a fan of Apple.  There, I said it.  Not that they have bad products, it is just that their products are not for me.  The reason I do not like them, is for reasons just like the controls on the R6i, they are for Apple products only.  The microphone works just fine on my Galaxy S4, but that is just about it.  I ended up grabbing my wife’s iPod 5S to test the other controls, they work perfectly and flawlessly.  I just wish Klipsch had an Android version of the R6i so I could get the most of it.  Apple people will be unaffected.  Not sure about those 3 Windows phone users though.


 
 
 
*Fit*
These are listed as On-Ear headphones, but for my ears, they actually just barely over ear, but for some odd reason, they still are strangely comfortable.  The ear-pads and headband both have sufficient padding, but the headphone is so light, that it does not really matter much.  These are very easy on the head, I’ve worn these for hours at a time (while editing the photos for this review) and I found that there was minimal discomfort even after all that time had passed.    The pads never became too warm, again because of how light they are, not a lot of pressure is applied to the ears.
 

 
 
 
*Sound*

Upon my first listen of the R6i, I could tell right away that I liked them.  The sound reminded me of the no nonsense sound signature that my Klipsch computer speakers had many, many years ago.
 
Bass – Simple and straight forward.  No bloating, with a decent amount of quality sub-bass that does ever so slightly bleed into the mids.  The R6i does have a good little kick download without being overwhelming.
 
Mids – Are just the smallest bit forward.    Personally, I like the mids like this, I think it makes vocals pop.  The R6i does not disappoint in this area.  The middle is filled with wonderful, crisp and controlled sound reproduction.  I like these mids a lot.

Highs – The upper range is slightly rolled off, but with barely any noticeable loss in overall detail.  The highs are extremely well suited for extended use, while never becoming the smallest bit fatiguing.
Isolation – The seal will depend on your ears.  For me, as mentioned, my ears can squeeze into them, making them over the ears, thus giving me a decent seal.  Even so, Isolation is still not the best I have heard in its class, though still very sufficient. 

Soundstage – Is not that wide, but at the same time I would not call it narrow.  I find it to be what is expected of a typical over-ear/one-ear.  Never did the music become congested though.  On the contrary, instrument separation is quite impressive and accurate. 
 

 
 
*Overall Thoughts*

I think Klipsch did a wonderful job with this reference quality, budget headphone.  They kept the costs down, but still managed to make the sound signature near Audiophile levels.  The build might not have the fanciest materials, but benefits from a superb lightness and easy fit.

The sound to value ratio is very high with the R6i.  It’s sound signature verse more towards fun, but still has a hint of reference.  I found the sound overall to be very crisp and clear while still having a nice controlled sub-bass kick.

I have a feeling the R6i will be around for a while, that it will sell well and that people will truly enjoy them.  Klipsch did a wonderful job keeping out the fluff and instead focusing on quality instead.
 

 
 
 
*Extra Savings*

It should be noted there is also a R6 Version (no mic) with $79 price tag, talk about a great budget buy!

http://www.klipsch.com/r6-on-ear-headphones
 
 
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