Hey there! As a home theater enthusiast, you’re likely considering the Klipsch Cinema 1200 to take your TV and movie audio to the next immersive level. I’ll be upfront – it packs incredible power with heart-thumping bass and detailed surround sound to make blockbusters truly shine.
However, even premium gear has its downsides. Over the years, specific complaints around the Cinema 1200 have given some shoppers pause. I want to provide a trusted, unbiased breakdown of this soundbar‘s biggest criticisms to ensure you make the best choice for your needs and budget.
We’ll analyze the Cinema 1200’s limitations around connectivity, format support, user experience, and beyond. Does value outweigh any frustrations? Let‘s weigh the pros and cons together.
What is the Klipsch Cinema 1200 Exactly?
First, let’s quickly recap what this audio upgrade entails. The Cinema 1200 falls under Klipsch’s high-performance Reference Premiere line, positioned as an object-based Dolby Atmos processor to emulate movie theater-style surround sound at home.
- 5.1.4 channel soundbar with dedicated center, right/left, and height channels plus wireless sub and surrounds
- Flagship 12-inch wireless subwoofer for room-shaking bass
- 54-inch wide soundbar housing Tractrix horns and 1-inch titanium tweeters
- HDMI eARC, Optical, Bluetooth, and Aux inputs
- Discrete amp channels for 1100W max power
I‘ll refer back to these core characteristics as we analyze areas that have sparked complaints. Let‘s start with missing audio format support…
Complaint 1: Lacks DTS:X Support
Dolby Atmos gets all the hype, but DTS:X now sees widespread adoption across Blu-ray discs and streaming platforms like Tidal. It takes object-based spatial sound to the next level.
Unfortunately, Klipsch only built in a Dolby Atmos decoder for the Cinema 1200. For tech Specs, that means you miss out on the deepest, most atmospheric sound formats used in many movies today.
It automatically disqualifies the Cinema 1200 from playing DTS:X audio tracks found on 30%+ of physical media and digital streaming services. You‘d only hear basic DTS core audio instead of fully immersive mixes curated specifically for your living room‘s layout.
Here is a breakdown of how common DTS:X has grown compared to Dolby Atmos:
| Audio Format | Blu-ray Disc Adoption | Streaming Service Support |
|---|---|---|
| Dolby Atmos | 25% of new releases | Apple TV+, Disney+, Vudu |
| DTS:X | 35% of new releases | Tidal HiFi |
If DTS:X capability is a must based on your preferred movies, shows or music, the Cinema 1200 won‘t cut it as your primary sound system.
Complaint 2: Only One HDMI Input Port
You invest in serious home theater gear anticipating it seamlessly connects all your media sources. Unfortunately, Klipsch‘s design decision to only include a single HDMI input on the Cinema 1200 baffles buyers hooking up multiple devices.
Gone are the days Blu-ray players were our only HDMI-enabled components. Modern 4K consoles, streaming sticks, cable boxes, and media players each require direct HDMI inputs for hi-resolution reproduction.
With only one onboard HDMI port, getting A/V signals into the Cinema 1200 poses frustrating limitations:
- An external HDMI switcher splitter is required to toggle between sources, adding clutter and cables.
- 4K HDR passthrough and upgraded eARC bandwidth from the TV may suffer from intermediary signal splitting.
- More sound lag and sync issues often stem from indirectly "daisy chaining" A/V sources.
All compromises buyers didn‘t anticipate spending $1000+ on a flagship Klipsch system in 2023. How does it compare to rival options in wireless subwoofer soundbar packages?
| Model | HDMI Input Ports | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Klipsch Cinema 1200 | 1 | $1,200 |
| Sonos Arc + Sub (Gen 3) | 1 | $1,898 |
| Bose Smart Soundbar 900 | 2 | $899 |
| Samsung HW-Q950A | 2 | $897 |
| JBL Bar 9.1 Surround System | 3 | $1,099 |
With abundant competition offering more inputs under $1000, setting up the Klipsch Cinema 1200 introduces unnecessary complexity. Buyers were swift to complain.
Complaint 3: No Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)
What about leveraging the latest HDMI 2.1 specification dubbed eARC you ask? Well, that‘s another missing feature on the Cinema 1200 that restricts home theater utility and performance for some buyers.
eARC allows bidirectional audio traffic up to lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master quality between your smart TV and soundbar along the existing HDMI cable. It eliminates need for secondary optical inputs just for multichannel TV audio.
Without eARC in the mix, audio quality downgrades to standard lossy Dolby Digital and DTS. For purists wanting the best representation of Atmos and DTS:X mixes built into streaming apps and tuner content from the TV, the Cinema 1200 misses the mark.
And we see eARC inclusion even in more affordable alternatives:
| Model | eARC | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Klipsch Cinema 1200 | No | $1,200 |
| Vizio M512a-H6 | Yes | $480 |
| TCL Alto 9+ Soundbar | Yes | $650 |
| Polk React Soundbar | Yes | $449 |
Consider eARC a core prerequisite in 2023. Without it, buyers feel the Cinema 1200 already lags behind competitors on paper.
Complaint 4: Reliability Concerns Plague Some Units
Here’s an issue that extends beyond features and connectivity. Multiple reviewers who started as Cinema 1200 fans began reporting systemic technical problems after several months of ownership across units.
Common gremlins like the wireless sub randomly dropping connection, surround speakers losing pairing, spontaneous reboots, and full system lockups surfaced too often once these soundbars were out of return windows. Even HDMI board failures cropped up beyond the 1-year mark – indicating cheap components inside.
Many had no choice but to battle Klipsch customer service (hit or miss itself) for repairs or replacements. But the number of acknowledged issues across forums, YouTube, Reddit, and owner reviews is worrying for $1000+ equipment. It should last 5+ years, not demonstrate faults in under two!
And competing platforms like Sonos and Bose stand by reliability first and foremost. Their components go through exhaustive stress testing to prevent such problems plaguing buyers out of warranty.
No one should gamble expensive A/V hardware purchases on hopes they "might" get a defect-free unit. Consider how frequently you see Cinema 1200 owners praise longevity versus lamenting premature breakdowns. It skews negative.
Complaint 5: Difficult Room Customization & Calibration
Object-based soundbars like the Cinema 1200 promise surround effects and bass precision custom-fit to your room’s unique acoustics. Manufacturers achieve this via auto room calibration mics and sound tuning software.
However, countless buyers struggle tailoring the Cinema 1200’s default audio profile to prevent overpowering bass, uneven tones, and poor speech intelligibility.
- Klipsch includes an external calibration microphone to analyze room dynamics and listening position. But their companion app offers no custom parametric EQ bands or frequency response control. Users can‘t fine tune sound signatures besides crude bass/treble punch.
- Room correction only focuses on surround timing/delay – not addressing major room-induced dips and peaks damaging clarity and precision.
- No capability to upload correction settings from professional external measurement tools for those wanting more control. Again, rivals like Sonos have far more versatile tuning.
If tonal balance and room adjustment nuance matters (it should!), the Cinema 1200 misses capabilities buyers demand in 2023. It‘s too amateur. Great on paper, but vocal complainers weren‘t as lucky translating specs into custom excellence.
And this bleeds right into the next hotly critiqued issue…
Complaint 6: Overpowering Bass That Burdens Detail
So about that room-thumping bass labeled as a selling point? The Cinema 1200‘s dedicated sub and low-end emphasis aim to add spine-tingling impact for movies and music. But unmatched power without balance plows right over the soundstage.
- The 12-inch wireless sub offsets tiny drivers in the surrounds and soundbar. Critics consistently call out boomy, bloated, loose bass crowding details. You feel the rumble more than hearing actual low-frequency resolution and pitch.
- No custom EQ for taming or tightening bass leaves listeners fatigued – especially in smaller rooms.
- The intensity also washes out critical midrange information like dialogue in complex scenes. Cranking bass to rock-concert levels shouldn‘t strip vocal nuance.
Yes, the Cinema 1200 can rattle foundation walls if that‘s all you desire. But precision home theater demands more restraint. This speaker set badly needs a recalibration to prevent overzealous oomph from drowning the full experience.
If developers added more room correction tools, it might satisfy audiophiles better. But out of the box, bassimshow more than capability according to a majority of professional reviewers. It turns off discerning listeners rather than engages them.
Complaint 7: No Wi-Fi Connectivity Feel Restrictive
Soundbar owners in 2023 expect seamless wireless connectivity beyond Bluetooth streaming from our phones. Whether for accessing music services or integrating voice assistants, Wi-Fi unlocks key features.
Disappointingly, Klipsch declined equipping the Cinema 1200 with any Wi-Fi hardware or antennas whatsoever. That means no access to:
- Music platforms beyond crude Bluetooth compression levels
- Multi-room Cast streaming and amplification potential
- Updates to mitigate buggy firmware down the road
- Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri controls for smart homes
Rivals like Sonos, Bose, LG, and Yamaha have shifted towards overall ecosystem centralization – not just standalone audio performance. The Cinema 1200 now feels dated and restrictive by limiting how owners can expand its usefulness over time.
And it‘s not just wireless streaming at play. Smart assistants via mics feel oddly excluded as TV companions:
| Model | Wi-Fi | Music Services | Voice Assistant Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klipsch Cinema 1200 | No | via Bluetooth only | No |
| Bose Smart Soundbar 900 | Yes | Wi-Fi enabled | Alexa + Google Assistant |
| Sonos Beam (Gen 2) | Yes | 75+ services | Amazon Alexa |
| LG S95QR Dolby Atmos Soundbar | Yes + Ethernet | Apps access | Google Assistant |
In an age focused on consolidation, the Cinema 1200 falls way behind what owners expect powering their central entertainment hubs. No access to expanding capabilities down the road only amplifies the letdown.
Complaint 8: Hard to Justify at Original $1,500 MSRP
We finally arrive at the broadest complaint surrounding this otherwise mighty-on-paper soundbar. Specifically – its premium $1,500 launch price left many shoppers skeptical on overall value compared to alternatives.
There‘s no denying the Cinema 1200‘s acoustic muscle. This speaker system can turn your living room into a mini theater with tangible surround effects and chest-thumping LFE. Spechounds drool over 400W+ amplification spread across eleven high-output drivers.
But better context comes from how versatile all that power translates in real home integration. And limitations around room correction, wireless expansion, format support, reliability woes, and connectivity issues left many buyers feeling Klipsch lagged justifying the costly investment against rapid market growth.
Let‘s see how Cinema 1200 value perceptions fare when pit against rival full Dolby Atmos configurations sporting wireless rears and bass:
| Model | Channels | Amps | Wireless Surrounds | Sub/Soundbar | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Klipsch Cinema 1200 | 5.1.4 | 11 | Yes | 12" | $1,500 |
| LG S95QR | 5.1.3 | 10 | Yes | 10" | $1,300 |
| Bose Smart Soundbar 900 | 5.1.2 | 5 | Yes | 6.5" | $899 |
| Sonos Arc + Sub (Gen 3) + Rears | 5.1.4 | 11 | Yes | 10" | $2,095 |
| Samsung Q950A | 11.1.4 | 22 | Yes | 10" | $1,297 |
Flagship processors like the LG S95QR fell $200 cheaper. Samsung‘s heavyweight Q950A packing twice the firepower approached half the cost during sales. And Sonos‘ ecosystem focus resonated despite a higher total MSRP.
Reviewers called out Klipsch for resting too much on prestige without proving real-world expansions and refinement beyond baseline Dobly Atmos specs buyers craved most. The price just never aligned with expectations.
The Klipsch Cinema 1200 still occupies an interesting spot for home theater wonks prioritizing overall sonic muscle and visceral theater emulation above feature versatility, format support, and connectivity. Significant power shifts inside largely prevent buyers feeling shortchanged once dropping over $1,000 if bold, dynamic audio is the priority.
But approach practicality and ownership experience with adjusted expectations. Any lagging HDMI inputs, absent streaming conduits, or reliance on crude Bluetooth fall inconvenient in daily use. I wouldn‘t call the Cinema 1200 a scam – but no other option comes free of comprising either based on your needs.
My advice? If brought down to $1,000 or below and paired with an external switcher you may already own, the Cinema 1200 brings unique acoustic brilliance lacking in many lifestyle-geared options nowadays. Just prepare for a less polished out-of-box ride compared to leaders at this price tier. Prioritizing pure muscle over polish gets you far here. But value-first shoppers have every right eyeing more flexibility for their dollar all the same.
I hope my time outlining the most common Klipsch Cinema 1200 complaints helps steer your decision towards confident satisfaction! Let me know if any other questions come to mind. Enjoy the hunt and eventual peace found after hitting that buy button.
