AV Receiver Reviews

Bottom Line

The Klipsch Gallery system isn’t one I’d recommend for purists seeking outstanding fidelity and natural reproduction. It’s for those who seek exciting 5.1 or 7.1 movie soundtrack reproduction — and who demand that their speakers look as sleek at their new 3D flat-panel TV set.

Test Bench

Frequency response

• LCR 88 Hz to 20 kHz ±2.5 dB

• surround 98 Hz to 20 kHz ±3.2 dB

• subwoofer 28 to 150 Hz ±3 dB

Sensitivity (SPL at 1 meter/1 watt)

• LCR 88.4 dB

• surround 88.7 dB

Impedance (minimum/nominal)

• LCR 3.4/8 ohms

• surround 3.3/8 ohms

Bass limits

• LCR 50 Hz at 84 dB
• surround 63 Hz at 84 dB

Bass output, subwoofer (CEA-2010 standard)

• Ultra-low bass (20-31.5 Hz) average: 103.4 dB

20 Hz: 94.7 dB

25 Hz: 105.9 dB

31.5 Hz: 109.7 dB

• Low bass (40-63 Hz) average: 115.6 dB

40 Hz: 112.2 dB

50 Hz: 115.6 dB

63 Hz: 119.1 dB

I measured the G-28 LCR and G-16 surround speakers without grilles at a distance of 2 meters. Both sat atop a 2-meter-high stand to give quasi-anechoic results down to 250 Hz. The curves in the graph show an averaged response from 0° to 30°, smoothed to 1/12th of an octave, with the speakers positioned vertically. I also ran full measurements with the speakers placed horizontally, plus an on-axis measurement with the speaker mounted on a vertical plywood panel to simulate wall-mounting. I used a ground-plane measurement to get each speaker’s bass response. I then spliced the bass responses to the averaged quasi-anechoic responses to produce the curves you see here. To measure the SW-310 subwoofer’s frequency response, I used a ground-plane measurement at 2 meters. The G-28 and G-16 responses are normalized to 0 dB at 1 kHz, and the SW-310 is normalized so that its peak response shows as +3 dB.

The G-28 measures remarkably well when positioned vertically; its frequency response would be impressive even for a $10,000-per-pair speaker. Off-axis response is also excellent with the speaker positioned vertically — up to 12 kHz, there’s no difference in response at 45° or 60° off-axis except for the usual treble rolloff. There are deepening dips centered at 12.5 kHz and 17.5 kHz, though, as you move to 45° or further off-axis. Horizontally, it isn’t so good, of course: You get dips centered at 2.8 and 13 kHz at 30°, and 20-dB dips at 1.5 kHz and 1.2 kHz at 45° and 60°, respectively. Wall-mounting causes a fairly narrow but deep 20-dB dip at 650 Hz. The grille has probably the least acoustical impact of any I have measured; the worst effect is a dip of 1.3 dB between 9 and 11 kHz.

The G-16 measures beautifully, too, although not quite as flat as the G-28. Its off-axis performance is outstanding; even way out at 60° off-axis, there’s no difference in response except a gradually declining treble. Horizontally, it’s similar to the G-28 but not quite as good. It shows the same dips at 2.8 and 13 kHz. The dips at 1.5 and 1.2 kHz are there, but less extreme at 13 and 16 dB, respectively. At 30°, it also shows a deep, narrow dip at 2.3 kHz. Wall-mounting produces the same dip at 650 Hz as with the G-28, and the grille effects are just as admirably trivial with the G-16 as they are with the G-28.

Good sensitivity and an 8-ohm nominal impedance make both of these speakers easy to drive for any amp or receiver. Average sensitivity from 300 Hz to 10 kHz at 1 watt (2.83 volts), measured quasi-anechoically at 1 meter, is in the 88-dB range for both, making them about average in this regard. (The manufacturer’s spec is 95 dB for the G-28 and 94 dB for the G-16; maybe it did those measurements with the speakers wall-mounted, which would raise the output by at least 3 dB.) Minimum impedance for the G-28 is 3.4 ohms at 270 Hz, where impedance phase is –9°. Minimum impedance for the G-16 is 3.4 ohms at 290 Hz, with phase of –10°. Maximum impedance phase for the G-28 is 58° at 105 Hz/15.5 ohms; for the G-16, it’s 65° at 127 Hz/9.0 ohms.

I measured the CEA-2010 output of the SW-310 subwoofer on the ground at 2 meters, then added 6 dB to approximate measurements at 1 meter. For a sub of this size, the SW-310 is most noteworthy for its excellent output in the ultra-low bass octave. (Most similarly sized subs have little or no output at 20 Hz.) This is surprising given the measured –3-dB frequency response of 28 Hz, which is okay for the SW-310’s size but not especially impressive. Combined low-pass function of the crossover, driver, and enclosure is about –22 dB/octave.