The Klipsch Cinema 400 is a 2.1 setup from the company's 2020 lineup. It comes with a dedicated subwoofer, which helps reproduce a present and punchy bass. Out-of-the-box, it has a very neutral sound profile suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of sound customization features available. It also has to downmix surround content into stereo, and it doesn't support Atmos content.
Our Verdict
The Klipsch Cinema 400 soundbar is fair for mixed usage. Its balanced sound profile makes it suitable for listening to lots of different audio content. Even though it lacks a dedicated center channel, dialogue in TV shows is clear and accurate. You can also use its subwoofer level adjustment to customize its sound. However, it has to downmix surround content into stereo, which doesn't sound as immersive. It also doesn't support Dolby Atmos content.
- Subwoofer level adjustment.
- Subwoofer level adjustment available.
- Bluetooth-compatible.
- Doesn't support Dolby Atmos.
- Downmixes surround content into stereo.
- Compression at max volume.
The Klipsch Cinema 400 soundbar is very good for dialogue-centric content like TV shows. Its balanced mid-range can reproduce clear and accurate vocals, and it even has an adjustable dialogue enhancement feature to help make voices sound even crisper. You can also stream podcasts and audiobooks from your phone to the bar wirelessly via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, while it gets pretty loud, there's some compression at max volume. It also lacks a dedicated center channel.
- Subwoofer level adjustment.
- Adjustable dialogue enhancement mode.
- Bluetooth-compatible.
- Phantom center channel.
- Compression at max volume.
The Klipsch Cinema 400 is decent for music. It has a very neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, making it suitable for listening to lots of different music genres. You can also use the subwoofer level adjustment feature to customize its sound more to your liking. Unfortunately, while it can get pretty loud, there's compression at max volume. It also lacks a full graphic EQ for greater sound customization.
- Subwoofer level adjustment.
- Subwoofer level adjustment available.
- Compression at max volume.
- Okay soundstage performance.
The Klipsch Cinema 400 is acceptable for movies. It has a very neutral, balanced sound profile that can reproduce clear dialogue, as well as the deep thumps and rumbles in action-packed scenes. It can get pretty loud, but unfortunately, there's some compression when you play it at max volume. It also has to downmix surround content into stereo, which isn't as immersive, and it doesn't support Dolby Atmos content.
- Subwoofer level adjustment.
- Subwoofer level adjustment available.
- Doesn't support Dolby Atmos.
- Downmixes surround content into stereo.
- Compression at max volume.
Changelog
- Updated Apr 06, 2023: Added cable lengths to In The Box.
- Updated Apr 05, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 1.1. With this update, we've added a Mounting test and added information aboutSubwoofer Output, Spotify Connect, and Microphone Mute.
- Updated Mar 30, 2021: Changed our EQ result to make the results more clear.
- Updated Feb 18, 2021: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Klipsch Cinema 400 comes in 'Black', and you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version, let us know in the discussions so we can update our review.
Popular Soundbar Comparisons
The Klipsch Cinema 400 is a 2.1 setup with a very neutral, balanced sound profile out-of-the-box that makes it suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. Unlike the Klipsch Cinema 600, it doesn't have a dedicated center channel, so dialogue-centric content doesn't sound as real or clear. That said, it comes with an auto-volume mode and an adjustable dialogue enhancement feature. See also our recommendations for the best soundbars under $300, the best soundbars for dialogue, and the best soundbars.
The Klipsch Cinema 400 is a better soundbar than the Klipsch Bar 48. The Cinema 400 has a more neutral, balanced sound profile, so it's suitable for lots of different types of audio content. However, the Bar 48 is better built, and it has a better center channel performance thanks to its 3.1 setup.
The JBL Bar 5.1 Surround is a bit better for mixed usage than the Klipsch Cinema 400. The JBL is a 5.1 setup that's better built and offers better center and surround performances. Unlike the Klipsch, it even has a Full HDMI In port for high quality passthrough. That said, the 2.1 Klipsch can reproduce a more extended low-bass.
The Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is better than the Klipsch Cinema 400. The Sonos is a better-built 5.0 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content. It has better soundstage, center, and surround performances. Unlike the Klipsch, it has built-in voice assistant support and a room correction feature. However, the 2.1 Klipsch comes with a dedicated sub, and it's able to reproduce a more extended low-bass.
The Klipsch Cinema 600 is a better soundbar than the Klipsch Cinema 400. The 600 is a 3.1 setup, so it has a dedicated center channel that can reproduce dialogue-centric content more accurately. It also has a better soundstage performance, and it gets louder. That said, the 400 has a more balanced sound profile out-of-the-box.
Test Results
