With the goal of streamlining its entire product offering under the “Reference” name, Klipsch today announced the release of two new pairs of in-ear monitors, as the company dubs them: the Reference R6 and Reference R6i — they’re fairly similar, with the main difference being the R6i’s inclusion of an inline control microphone compatible with iOS devices.
Up until about 2007 the Reference line was, at its core, Klipsch’s flagship series of speakers. But about seven years ago the company expanded the line to include headphones, naturally using its accumulated-over-the-years speaker expertise in the process.
The R6 is sort of the “express” version of the two, retailing at about $80 compared with the R6i’s $100 price-point — a price difference that seems to make sense considering the R6 doesn’t allow hands-free calls like the R6i. Specs-wise, the only other difference is the slightly lower weight of the R6, which can be attributed to its lack of in-line mic.
Both the R6 and R6i come equipped with 6.5-mm drivers (with dual magnet, dynamic moving coil micro speaker design), frequency responses of 10Hz-19kHz, 110-dB sensitivity, and an impedance of 18 ohms. These specifics combine to create Klipsch’s “signature sound” which the company often describes as high efficiency, low distortion and wide dynamic range for superior acoustic detail.
We’ve appreciated Klipsch’s comfortable in-ear headphones in the past, and we’re happy to see the company is sticking with its comfy design for the new Reference series. Klipsch’s Patented oval ear tips aim to avoid stressing the pressure points along the inside ridge of the ear, as some circular-shaped ear tips allegedly do. The proprietary technology allows the earbuds to fit in a nice contour along the inner surfaces of the ear, which also effectively seals off the ear from outside noise. And because both the R6 and R6i come with four different sizes of the oval ear tips, users should be able to find just the right size for superior noise-isolation and, as a result, un-compromised bass.
Both pairs are available in black and white and come with protective carrying cases. The R6i comes with a clothing clip to supplement its in-line remote and mic.
