Klipsch is one of my favorite audio brands (they're my go-to for a $100-ish pair of earbuds), so I was excited to check out the Gallery G-17 AirPlay speaker. Unfortunately, the experience wasn't stunning. I checked out the speaker playing a range of tracks on the show floor. Obviously, a crowded expo hall isn't the best place in the world to do audio testing, but I got a decent feel for the speaker through a range of tracks streamed from an iPod touch to the simple black bar. There's plenty of power in the speaker, with a huge jump between the last two volume notches on the iPod, but there's a lack of subtlety in modern, full-bodied songs that fill up the entire range -- the highs and lows and mids are all there and plenty clear, but they're a little "rounded" off, if that makes any sense. It's very "pleasant" to listen to, but I like my music a little more precise. Hopefully I can get another listen in more ideal conditions, but from what I've heard so far, the $549.99 pricetag is really high for what you're getting -- even with DLNA along for the ride. For now it seems like the DIY solution of an Airport Express + a pair of nice speakers reigns supreme, but hopefully somebody in this new wave of AirPlay-equipped sound systems can do it right. A few photos are below the fold.
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