Well, I have been a proud and satisfied owner of a Klipsch THX Ultra2 7.2 system (7x KL650) ever since it was introduced in 2004 (I got the very first set that was ever sold in Austria...).
Last year I got bored and was beginning to think about an upgrade - looking for the "next best thing". As I'm not into the Klipsch Heritage stuff (I know, I know - blasphemy...say no more) the Klipsch Premier(e) line catched my eye - probably one of the most beautiful speaker I have ever seen.
One sad day Amy confirmed that this project has been cancelled. So I was looking at some other brands for my upcoming upgrade - doing alot of auditioning (KEF Reference, JBL Synthesis/K2, Teufel,...) and was finally about to make a decision.
What happens? - Klipsch is back with the new Palladium P-39F. Not quite as striking as the previous Premiere design but that may change when I actually see it in person.
A couple of questions:
Hopefully the designer/product manager cares to chime in.
- Will a black piano gloss finish be available for the P-39F?
- How would you describe the sonic signature of the upcoming Palladium? Please compare it to THX Ultra2 (KL650), Reference RF-5/7 and the new RF-82/83 - all of which I have first hand experience with.
- Regarding the last sentence in the press release: "For a complete home theater
experience, six other globally-inspired high-end models, which use the
same technology and design principles as the P-39F, will be introduced
at CES 2008 in Las Vegas."
Please give us some hints about those 6 upcoming Palladium based designs - I expect a somewhat "smaller" Floorstanding Speaker, a center, a surround di/bi-pole and probably a bookshelf. Perhaps a subwoofer with a new design.
- MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION:
Are there any plans for a THX Ultra2 successor? It has been quite a while since 2004... Is it correct that the "THX Ultra2" lead designer has left Klipsch? Is this making development difficult?
To be perfectly honest - and with all due respect - I am not quite sure I would take the Palladium P-39F over other options in this price segment - we are talking brands like KEF, Wilson, Revel here... It will be a hard sell in this highly competitive market segment - I wish Klipsch all the success they deserve.
What I am really looking forward to is that some of the Palladium technology (drivers, extended high-frequency response, new high-temperature neodymium magnets, 3-way design,...) will make it into an improved THX U2 successor.
Am I just day dreaming here or is there something to look forward to for all your high end home theater/custom installs enthusiasts, who are not quite as excited about the THX U2 performance now as we were back in 2004?
Thank you very much!