Should You Avoid the Klipsch Cinema 1200 Soundbar?

You just purchased a beautiful new 4K OLED TV and want to build an incredible home theater system around it. In your research, the Klipsch Cinema 1200 catches your eye with its big, bassy sound and Dolby Atmos support in a slick soundbar package. But before clicking buy, I want to offer six compelling reasons why you may want to steer clear of this model and consider your alternatives instead.

As an AV expert who has helped countless readers get the most from their home audio, I‘ve tested and reviewed all the top soundbars and understand this market inside and out. With pros and cons of each option in mind, my goal is to save you money and maximize performance with the right gear for your needs.

What Exactly is the Klipsch Cinema 1200?

Before jumping into why avoiding it may be wise, let‘s examine what this soundbar brings to the table:

• 54-inch wide soundbar with 12 high-performance speakers
• Wireless dedicated surround speakers and subwoofer
• Five channel sound plus four Dolby Atmos height channels (5.1.4 config)
• Powerful built-in 1200 watt amplifier
• Support for latest Dolby Atmos and DTS:X 3D audio formats
• Klipsch‘s proprietary Tractrix horn-loaded tweeters for dynamic sound

On paper, it ticks all the boxes as a top-tier immersive audio system. But a few flaws make that $1900 price tag hard to swallow…

What I Liked About the Klipsch Cinema 1200

Now, it‘s not all bad – let‘s kick things off on a positive note discussing aspects audiophiles may enjoy:

Killer Sound Quality – With ceramic-domed tweeters, spun copper woofers, and tactile wood cabinet materials, the Cinema 1200 continues Klipsch‘s tradition of smooth, detailed audio reproduction. The mid-range clarity stands out in particular.

Statement Design – Flanked by satellite speakers, this 54-inch beast makes a visual impact as strong as its bass. Standing just 3 inches tall, it can slide right under your new LG C2.

Plays Nice with Your Gear – Thanks to HDMI eARC connectivity, the Cinema 1200 hands off decoding tasks to your TV while allowing power and volume changes via your existing remote. Setup is simple.

Now that‘s out of the way…let‘s dive into the top reasons I steer friends away from this otherwise mighty soundbar powerhouse.

The 6 Best Reasons to Avoid the Klipsch Cinema 1200

#1: Absolute Bass Overkill in Smaller Rooms

Klipsch is synonymous with loud, booming bass. But in compact home theater spaces, the Cinema 1200‘s wireless subwoofer goes ridiculously overboard.

Overpowering Low-End

With no manual adjustments beyond a volume knob on the plastic-wrapped sub, there‘s no reining in the bottom end. If intense vibration is your goal, great – but for films it‘s fatiguing even with serious bass trapping.

#2: You Get What You Get Sound Profile

A premium surround processor allows meticulously dialing in a tailored sound signature. The Cinema 1200…not so much. You can tweak the sub, heights, and surround levels moderately, engage a few canned profiles, and that‘s about it.

Missing Audio Options

With all speakers just running full blast, the sound lacks nuance. And the blown-out bass eats up headroom for dynamic range.

#3: The App Doesn‘t Help Either

So the remote is a loss – surely the app steps up where the hardware falls short? Think again. The Klipsch Connect app adds smart home integration but completely neglects any sort of audio tweaking.

A glaring omission consider competitors like Sonos allow tuning surround levels, running room correction sweeps, even adjusting EQ directly from your phone. Klipsch…yeah, nope.

#4: Missing Features for the Price

Speaking of Sonos, the Cinema 1200 lacks support for the Apple AirPlay 2 streaming standard. And with no onboard DTS decoding either, you miss out on key audio formats commonly found on Blu-Ray discs and streaming services relative to the competition.

Don‘t get me wrong – Dolby Atmos is incredible! But why leave features out in a supposedly no-compromise flagship model? It calls the lofty pricing into question when you can find everything from voice control to room correction elsewhere for less.

#5: More College Crash Pad Than Cinema Palace

The Cinema 1200 will undoubtedly become the highlight of many a frat house living room. But for a serious home theater room costing many thousands to perfect the vibe…not so much.

Why? One reason is the chintzy build quality. That "wood" bar feels like plastic, while the wrap covering the subwoofer belongs more under a dorm room bed than displayed proudly along your gear rack.

For two grand, metal grilles, richer finishes, premium bindings – basically more effort – seems reasonable to expect. If looks matter, it leaves much to be desired.

#6: Hard to Swallow $1900 Price Tag

Our last gripe ties all the above together – the staggering $1900 retail cost Klipsch demands for the Cinema 1200 experience. For a single-box solution…ouch. Yes, you get four speakers total, but competing options with fewer components provide greater value.

You must really crave chest-pounding bass over balanced sound to justify that huge sum. Between multiple compromises and limitations, the price makes it a very tough sell when alternatives exist serving more needs at similar or lower cost.

Hopefully you now agree – it‘s wise carefully evaluating your options!

Great Alternatives to the Klipsch Cinema 1200

Rather than roll the dice on a questionable Cinema 1200, these rival Dolby Atmos soundbar systems better reward your hard-earned investment:

Samsung HW-Q990B

My current top surround soundbar pick, the Q990B offers disgustingly good performance for ~$1400. With wireless rears, better quality drivers, and a real wood sub, it provides the complete cinema package.

But beyond sound, you also get:

• Multiple room correction modes to tailor the audio perfectly for your space
• Support for BOTH Dolby Atmos and DTS:X – crucial for Blu-Ray discs and streaming
• Gleaming metal build quality that looks gorgeous along high-end gear
• Cutting-edge gaming features like 4K/120 passthrough, Auto Low Latency Mode, and Game Mode Pro

If you can sacrifice a few decibels of low-end compared to the Cinema 1200‘s planet-rumbling bass, the Samsung HW-Q990B is an easy recommend.

Sonos Arc

Seeking an efficient minimalist option skipping the clutter of excess components? The Sonos Arc packs immersive Dolby Atmos performance into a single understated bar.

Consider:

• 83% as loud as Klipsch‘s setup with a wider, more enveloping sound
• Sophisticated smartphone app allowing EQ adjustment and room analysis
• Seamless integration with all other Sonos speakers throughout your home
• Support for both Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands

The Arc cannot hit the bowel-loosening bass depths of the Klipsch, yet provides 80Hz to 20kHz of glorious, refined sound perfect for both movies and background music.

Bose Smart Soundbar 900

Lastly, the Bose Smart 900 retains the simplicity of a single bar while using psychoacoustic tricks to create shockingly spacious 3D audio for just $549.

• Proprietary Bose spatial processing expands perceived width and height
• Built-in Alexa and Google Assistant accept voice commands
• ADAPTiQ room calibration further customizes the output to your room
• Gorgeous glass top and wraparound metal grille ooze premium quality

Bass can‘t compare to the chest-pounding Cinema 1200, but if shaking walls aren‘t critical, I believe you‘ll find this solution plenty satisfying.

The Bottom Line

Klipsch makes outstanding speakers, so I don‘t mean to knock their efforts. However, the Cinema 1200 falls short given its premium cost. Between bass overkill, missing features, and questionable quality, alternatives like the Samsung, Sonos, and Bose models outlined above offer superior performance and value.

I hope breaking down the pros, cons, specs, and configurations clearly helps make an informed, confident decision on your next soundbar purchase. Let me know if any other questions come up – happy to dig in further and guide you towards audio bliss!