Klipsch Audio Technologies is an American loudspeaker company based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company produces loudspeaker drivers and enclosures, as well as complete loudspeakers for high end, high fidelity sound systems, public address applications, and personal computers. Klipsch features its speaker designs in the Hard Rock Cafe line of restaurants. Regal theaters such as Hollywood's BM Theater house also use Klipsch home theater systems.
Historically, Klipsch speakers were designed based on principles originating at Bell Labs in the 1930s. In 1963, Paul W. Klipsch, for the very first time, designed the La Scala speaker for the performing arts sector. Years later, in 1996, the company introduced Rebel8, its first compact satellite speaker. In the last year of the 20th century, Klipsch introduced the first THX-Certified computer speaker system. In 2000, Klipsch moved into its current headquarters location on the northwest side of Indianapolis, and the company was renamed Klipsch Audio Technologies. In 2005, Klipsch entered the iPod accessories space with the iFi, the first iPod-dockable home theatre system in the market. It also acquired Jamo and Audio Products International to accelerate global growth. In 2010, Klipsch diversified its headphone offering by introducing its first on-ear model, the Image ONE.
Klipsch has introduced some very remarkable speakers since its establishment. The Klipschorn loudspeaker is the flagship product of Klipsch Audio Technologies. It was patented by founder Paul W. Klipsch in 1946, and has been in continuous production since then—the longest run in speaker production history. Other noteworthy Klipsch speakers include La Scala, Belle Klipsch, Cornwall, Chorus, ProMedia, Heresy, Forte, Quartet, Legend and Reference. The company also manufactures products for multimedia purposes, like the ProMedia line of computers and the iPod-marketed speakers.
Since Klipsch’s establishment, it has received many honourable awards. In 1977, it received the Audio Engineering Society's Silver Medal Award. The Image S4i too received a 2010 CES Innovations Award. Paul W. Klipsch was also inducted into the Engineering and Science Hall of Fame in the year 1997.