STEREO GUIDE verdict
+ authentically clean reproduction
+ rich bass with kick
+ easy to use
+ Lightweight and easy to carry
- No app control
- Battery life only 8h, requires a socket for recharging
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Sound: tonal balance / transparency8.4
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Sound: Bass / Dynamics8.4
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Ease-of-use / Connectivity9
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Price / Performance9.2
Along with the floorstanding Gig XXL, horn loudspeaker manufacturer Klipsch adds a compact but powerful model expanding the range of mobile Bluetooth speakers: the Klipsch Gig XL is a truly portable yet powerful wireless speaker. Given concept and size, one might come to the idea this was conceived as a direct competitor to the JBL Partybox Encore (which we will try to review eventually).
Despite from offering similar dimensions, Klipsch´s variant of a cube-shaped partybox is both cheaper and lighter than JBL´s. The concept is less fancy, you would get neither app control nor wireless microphone. Nevertheless, a promising offer for a spontaneous ´bring your own gear´ party. That is especially true to karaoke-like occasions as a wired microphone is included. Taking the whole thing to the beach or garden is no problem either, as IPX4 rating means splash protection.
A cube of power, astonishingly light to carry
Compared to its competitors, the Klipsch Gig XL is surprisingly light: it only weighs 4 kilograms while JBL´s Encore is 6.3. And that despite a metal grille and a pretty rigid-looking, rounded plastic casing.
It is not quite cube-shaped, but slightly higher than deep. Given its light weight, we just file it under medium-sized Bluetooth speakers. The big rear handle makes it easily portable, especially since the weight distribution is well-balanced. A shoulder strap, on the other hand, cannot be attached, and upright position is the only way to use it.
The bass driver is quite mature
A 6.5″ woofer (18 cm) is supposed to provide particularly punchy bass. The lower end is supported by a pretty impressive rear vent. Klipsch is highlighting 109 decibels of output SPL in 50 cm distance which appears to be a slightly bold claim. A -3dB cutoff frequency of 60 Hz sounds more realistic. There is no output power given in the specs. However, we expect it to be quite a few watts because the battery lasts just 8 hours. That is just below average in its class. To recharge the Klipsch Gig XL it is mandatory to have a 100 to 240V socket. So a car battery plus adaptor would not help.
With an additional 2″ cone midrange/tweeter, the Klipsch Gig XL is an active mono 2-way design. From our point of view, this makes a lot of sense particularly for open-air parties.
Easy to handle – want some karaoke?
The affordable Gig XL comes with a simple wired microphone for announcements and karaoke. Besides Bluetooth, you fine a USB slot, but playing from a flash stick is limited to MP3 and WAV. In addition, an analogue input plus a mic provide sufficient playback options.
App control is not provided. In return, the Klipsch Gig XL is really easy to handle. We liked the classic rotary knob controlling the output volume, although it reacts slightly delayed and does not offer any level synchronization with the Bluetooth source. Microphone level can be adjusted via buttons, which takes a bit longer.
Immediate party
All the controls are very intuitively designed. E.g. bass boost is self-explanatory. The light button is flipping through 4 different LED light moods – from disco flash to quiet ambient light – but you could also deactivate the light completely. The woofer is surrounded by a broad multi-coloured and segmented LED ribbon.
Bluetooth 5.0 ensures fast and stable connection which in practice worked flawlessly. Playback controls worked great and you do not really have to consult the manual to understand what is what. However, there is neither a voice assistant nor a phone mode.
Two Gig XLs can be wirelessly paired to form a stereo pair. This procedure is slightly more complex so you might want to have a look at the manual. However, a daisy-chain (party) mode for a larger number of speakers is not provided.
Does the Klipsch Gig XL rock the party?
The fact that the Klipsch Gig XL is one of the most voluminous speakers in its class was audible from the first beat: it sounded powerful, rich, relaxed and tonally well-balanced. The bass offered punch and appeared to be well-integrated regardless the genre. Clean, if not overly silky voices with a strong fundamental created an almost hi-fi-like sound. That said you can expect some clean treble and authentic midrange without too much of annoying loudness.
Especially rock, softer pop and acoustic music sounded authentic on the Gig XL. Chillout and low beats sounded as relaxed as you could wish for beach. If you are merely into dancefloor and hip-hop, you might wish for a bit more bite in the highs and punchier lower bass.
Perfect for the indoor party
This is especially true in open-air use, where the Gig XL certainly showed its qualities, but stayed on the relaxed side. The bass seemed a bit too subtle. Activating the “Bass” button surely resulted in an emphasized bass region, but also made the Gig XL´s sound slightly probe to a less impulsive, sometimes even muddy bass at higher SPLs.
Its dynamic capabilities are amazing, especially considering the light weight. However, the Klipsch Gig XL does not replace a portable PA like the more expensive and heavier Mackie Thump 8 Go. As convincing as it plays at close range and indoors, it might appear to be a bit vague if listeners are far away from the speakers.
Verdict and alternatives
The Klipsch Gig XL scores in terms of a well-balanced, relaxed sound and its surprisingly low weight among the portable party speakers. Some competitors offer more features, a longer battery life or a more gripping party sound. The Gig XL is what we would recommend for indoor parties or a relaxed sound outdoors.
Klipsch Gig XL: Specifications
- Retail price: 250 dollars/pounds/euros
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 25.5 x 35.5 x 23 cm
- Weight: 4 kg
- Features: IPX4 splash protection, analogue AUX input, microphone included, 8 hours battery life, multi-coloured light
- More at: klipsch.com
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