The Klipsch Cinema 800 is a simple 3.1 setup. Unlike the Klipsch Cinema 600, it supports Dolby Atmos content, though it has to downmix it to stereo to play it. Its neutral, balanced sound profile makes it suitable for listening to many different types of audio content. You can also upgrade it to a 5.1 setup by purchasing a separate set of satellites from the manufacturer. Unfortunately, its surround and Atmos performances aren't very impressive.
Note: The results in this review represent the third model that we purchased from the manufacturer. For the first bar we tested, the tweeter blew during our stereo dynamics sweeps, though this shouldn't affect most users since these tests are designed to stress the bar. For the second model we purchased, sound played out of the sub but not out of the bar, meaning we couldn't test it.
Update 10/19/2021: We updated the design photo for this soundbar for clarity.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is great for mixed usage. It has a neutral, balanced sound profile well-suited to many different types of audio content, from bass-heavy music genres to dialogue-centric TV shows. There's a unique adjustable dialogue enhancement feature, as well as a graphic EQ and presets to help you customize its sound. Unfortunately, its surround and Atmos performances aren't very impressive.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is excellent for dialogue-heavy content like TV shows or podcasts. Its discrete center channel can accurately localize voices to a pinpoint location in the sound image, and its neutral sound profile reproduces dialogue clearly and accurately. There's even a dialogue enhancement feature, and you can choose between three different levels based on how loud you want voices to be.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is great for music. This soundbar has a very neutral, balanced sound profile suitable for lots of different music genres. Thanks to its dedicated sub, it can reproduce an accurate, thumpy low-bass for fans of bass-heavy genres like EDM. There are lots of sound enhancement features available, including a graphic EQ and presets. Unfortunately, it doesn't get as loud as some of the other bars we've tested.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is good for movies. Its neutral sound profile can reproduce clear, detailed dialogue, as well as the low thump and rumble in action-packed scenes. It can play surround and Atmos content, but unfortunately, it has to downmix it into stereo to play it. As a result, it doesn't sound as immersive, and sound seems like it's just coming from speakers placed in front of you.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is mostly made of plastic, and the top, front, and part of the bottom of the bar are covered with fabric. It has a similar design to the Klipsch Cinema 700, but the plastic horns at the end of the bar are visible.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has a fair build quality. The bar is mostly made of plastic, though it doesn't feel very premium. The bar's fabric covering seems like it could rip or collect dust easily, too. On the right side of the bar, there's a removable panel that lets you access the USB ports for servicing the bar and connecting additional speakers. That said, the sub is mostly made of wood, which feels pretty solid.
Note: The results in this review represent the third model that we purchased from the manufacturer. For the first bar we tested, the tweeter blew during our stereo dynamics sweeps, though this shouldn't affect most users since these tests are designed to stress the bar. For the second model we purchased, sound played out of the sub, but not out of the bar.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has an excellent stereo frequency response. Its neutral, balanced sound profile is suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. It can reproduce the deep thump and rumble in the low-bass accurately. In our subjective listening tests, we noticed that it sounds pretty neutral with a touch of extra brightness. There's also a some sound enhancement features to help you customize its sound, including a graphic EQ.
During our calibration tests, we found that with its subwoofer set to '-3', the overall stereo frequency performance isn't better than its default settings. Therefore, if you prefer a more neutral sound profile, we recommend putting the sub at its default setting of '0'.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has a good stereo soundstage. The soundstage is perceived to be as wide as the bar itself, though it doesn't have any tricks to make it seem wider than that. However, it has good focus, so objects like voices seem to come from an accurate, pinpoint location in the sound image.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has a very good stereo dynamics performance. It gets fairly loud, but not as loud as the Klipsch Cinema 600. That said, there isn't a lot of compression when you push it to max volume, which is good.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has a good stereo THD performance. At a normal listening volume, distortion falls within good limits, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction. While there's a slight jump in THD at max volume, this shouldn't be too noticeable with real-life content.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has an impressive center channel performance. Its discrete center helps to more accurately localize voices to a pinpoint location in the sound image. Also, its frequency response is neutral in the mid-range, where most vocals are reproduced. As a result, dialogue is clear and detailed, though higher frequencies can also be alternately harsh or dull due to the uneven treble.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has a poor surround performance. This 3.1 setup has to downmix surround content into stereo to play it, which doesn't sound as immersive. Sound seems like it's coming from in front of you rather than from speakers placed all around you.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has a poor Atmos performance. It has to downmix Atmos content into stereo to play it, which isn't very immersive-sounding. In our subjective listening tests, we noticed that the soundstage was wide, but its height didn't extend overhead.
Update 11/29/2021: The updated Klipsch Connect app adds some additional sound enhancement features, including a graphic EQ and presets as well as bass and treble adjustments. We've updated our results accordingly.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has a fair selection of sound enhancement features. There's a 3-band graphic EQ to help you customize its sound, as well as three EQ presets: 'Standard', 'Dialogue', and 'Night'. The 'Dialogue' mode lets you cycle through three different levels, meaning you can control the volume of the dialogue in your audio. The 'Night' preset disables the subwoofer and reduces the dynamic range, which is useful if you want to watch TV at night.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has some physical inputs. You can connect it to your TV via HDMI ARC and Optical Audio In, and there are even two Full HDMI In ports if you want to use it as a hub between different devices. There's also an Ethernet port to connect it to your network, as well as a Sub Out port.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has amazing audio format support via ARC. It supports Dolby Digital, which is the most common surround sound format. It can also play some lossless and object-based surround sound formats like Dolby Atmos, and it has eARC support. However, it doesn't support DTS content.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 has excellent audio format support via Full HDMI In. It can playback common surround sound formats like Dolby Digital as well as some lossless and object-based formats like Dolby Atmos. That said, it doesn't support DTS.
Via Optical, this soundbar supports Dolby Digital content. You can find this surround sound format on many Blu-rays and streaming platforms.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 soundbar has an excellent latency performance. It has fairly low latency via ARC and Optical, so the audio you hear should sync with the video you see. That said, over Full HDMI In, you may notice that the visuals seem to come before the sound. That said, some apps and TVs compensate for latency differently, so your real-world experience can vary.
Update 01/11/2022: The updated Klipsch Connect app also adds support for Wi-Fi connectivity.
Update 11/29/2021:The updated Klipsch Connect app adds Chromecast built-in support. We've updated the text accordingly.
You can only playback audio from your mobile device wirelessly to the bar via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Chromecast built-in.
Update 01/11/2022: We can confirm that this soundbar supports Dolby Vision Passthrough.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 can passthrough some of the highest bandwidth signals. Also, it supports Dolby Vision Passthrough.
The remote has a similar design to that of the Klipsch Cinema 600. It lets you control all the bar's features, including the volume and the inputs.
The manufacturer says that the Klipsch Cinema 800 supports voice assistants if you connect it to a voice-assistant enabled device that supports Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. However, you need to purchase a third-party device to use this feature.
Update 11/29/2021: The updated Klipsch Connect app adds some additional sound enhancement features, including a 3-band graphic EQ and presets as well as bass and treble adjustments. We've updated the text accordingly.
The Klipsch Connect app acts as a remote and lets you control some of the soundbar's settings. You can access a 3-band graphic EQ as well as EQ presets to customize its sound, and you can turn night mode on and off. It also lets you use the virtual remote to control the bar, and you can even switch inputs. It lets you connect to Google Cast, although you need to connect it via the Google Home app first. However, you still need to use the remote for some functions, like the virtual surround feature.
The Klipsch 800 is available in Black, and you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across another version of this soundbar, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is a simple 3.1 setup. Its build quality isn't the most impressive, and it has to downmix surround content into stereo to play it. However, out-of-the-box, it offers a neutral sound profile suitable for many different types of audio content. Unlike many other 3.1 setups, it can even play Atmos content.
See our recommendations for the best soundbars, the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, and the best soundbars with a subwoofer.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Sonos Arc or the Klipsch Cinema 800. The Sonos is a 5.0.2 setup that's better built. It has better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. There's even a room correction feature and built-in voice assistant support, which the Klipsch lacks. However, the Klipsch comes with a dedicated sub that can reproduce a thumpier low-bass out-of-the-box. It also has two Full HDMI In ports, meaning you can use it for high-quality passthrough.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the JBL Bar 9.1 or the Klipsch Cinema 800. If you mostly listen to dialogue-centric content like TV shows, the Klipsch is a solid choice. It comes with a dialogue enhancement feature, unlike the JBL, and it also reproduces a more extended low-bass. However, the JBL is a bit more versatile. It's better built with discrete satellites, and it has better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. Unlike the Klipsch, it supports DTS content, too.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is better than the Klipsch Bar 48. The Cinema 800 supports Dolby Atmos content, unlike the Bar 48. The Cinema 800 also has a better soundstage and a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box. However, the Bar 48 is better built.
The Samsung HW-Q950A is better than the Klipsch Cinema 800. The Samsung is a better built 11.1.4 setup with discrete satellites. It gets louder, and it has better surround and Atmos performances. It even comes with more sound enhancement features, such as room correction. Unlike the Klipsch, it has DTS support and built-in voice assistant capabilities.
The Bose Smart Soundbar 900 with Speakers + Bass Module is better than the Klipsch Cinema 800. The Bose is a better built 5.1.2 setup with discrete satellites. It has much better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. There are more sound enhancement features, including room correction. However, unlike the Klipsch, it doesn't have a Full HDMI In port for 4k passthrough.
The Samsung HW-Q800A is better than the Klipsch Cinema 800. The Samsung is a better built 3.1.2 setup with a better Atmos performance. Unlike the Klipsch, it also has built-in voice assistant capabilities and DTS support.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is better than the Klipsch Cinema 600. The 800 is a 3.1 setup that supports Dolby Atmos content. Unlike the 600, it also comes with two Full HDMI In ports, which you can use for high-quality passthrough.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Klipsch Cinema 800 or the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 900. The Klipsch is a 3.1 setup that comes with a dedicated subwoofer. It can reproduce a more extended low-bass, and unlike the Bose, it has a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough. That said, the 5.0.2 Bose is better built with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. It also has built-in voice assistant capabilities, and you can even upgrade it with a sub and satellites.
The Klipsch Cinema 1200 is a better choice for movies than the Klipsch Cinema 800. The 1200 is a 5.1.4 setup with better surround and Atmos performances. It can play these formats without having to downmix them to stereo. That said, the 800 has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box. The 1200's bass-heavy sound adds a lot of extra thump and punch to your audio.
The Samsung HW-Q900A is better than the Klipsch Cinema 800. The Samsung is a 7.1.2 setup that's better built. It has better surround and Atmos performances, and it gets louder. Unlike the Klipsch, it supports DTS content and built-in voice assistant capabilities. It even has some more sound enhancement features, like room correction. However, the 3.1 Klipsch is still a solid choice for dialogue-centric content like TV shows.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer the Klipsch Cinema 800 or the Sonos Arc with Sub + One SL Speakers. The Sonos is a versatile 5.1.2 setup with discrete satellites. It's better built, and it has better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances. There are even more sound enhancement features, including room correction. That said, the 3.1 Klipsch has more bass out-of-the-box. The Klipsch is ideal for users who prefer to plug-and-play, but you can always use the Sonos' bass and treble adjustments to create a more neutral sound profile if you prefer.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is better for mixed usage than the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). The Klipsch is a 3.1 setup with a dedicated subwoofer that can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also gets louder with less compression at max volume. That said, if you prefer a smaller standalone bar, the Sonos is still a great choice. It's a better built 5.0 setup with better soundstage, surround, and Atmos performances.
The LG SP9YA is marginally better for mixed usage than the Klipsch Cinema 800. The LG is a 5.1.2 setup that's better built and offers better Atmos and surround performances. It comes with more sound enhancement features, including room correction. That said, the 3.1 Klipsch can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also has a better center channel performance.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is better than the Samsung HW-Q600A. The Klipsch has better soundstage and surround performances. It can also reproduce a more extended low-bass. That said, the 3.1.2 Samsung is better built with a better Atmos performance.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module or the Klipsch Cinema 800. The Bose is a 5.1 setup that's better built. It comes with discrete satellites, and it has better soundstage and surround performances. Unlike the Klipsch, it also has built-in voice assistant support. However, only the Klipsch supports Dolby Atmos content. It also has a Full HDMI In port for high-quality passthrough, unlike the Bose.
The Samsung HW-Q700A and the Klipsch Cinema 800 are both similar 3.1 setups. The Klipsch is able to reproduce a more extended low-bass. However, the Samsung is better built with a better Atmos performance thanks to its two up-firing drivers. It also has DTS support.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 and the Klipsch Cinema 700 are very similar soundbars. The 800 has a slightly more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, and it can reproduce a slightly more extended low-bass, which some users may prefer. Also, its plastic horns are visible, whereas they're covered by fabric on the 700. Also, the 700 has a few more EQ presets.
The Samsung HW-Q950T is better than the Klipsch Cinema 800. The Samsung is a better built 9.1.4 setup with discrete satellites. It has better surround and Atmos performances, and it gets louder. Unlike the Klipsch, it supports DTS content and built-in voice assistant capabilities. However, the 3.1 Klipsch is still a solid choice for dialogue-centric content like TV shows.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Klipsch Cinema 800 or the Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar. They're both very versatile setups, but the Sennheiser is a bit better for movies. It has better surround and Atmos performances, and unlike the Klipsch, it supports DTS content. That said, its large, heavy standalone design may not be ideal for everyone. The 3.1 Klipsch comes with a dedicated sub, and it reproduces more bass out-of-the-box. It also has a better soundstage.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is better than the Sony HT-Z9F. The Klipsch is a better-built setup that can reproduce a more extended low-bass, so you feel more thump and rumble in your audio. It also has a better soundstage performance. The Sony doesn't have to downmix surround and Atmos content into stereo to play it like the Klipsch. Instead, it uses phantom localization, which sounds a bit more clear and real.
Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Klipsch Cinema 800 or the Sony HT-A7000 with Speakers + Bass Module. The Sony is a better-built 7.1.2 setup with discrete satellites. It's better for movies, thanks to its Atmos and surround performances. Unlike the Klipsch, it also supports DTS content. That said, the Klipsch is still a really good choice for dialogue-heavy content and music. It can reproduce a more extended low-bass, and it can get louder with less compression at max volume.
The Klipsch Cinema 800 is better than the standalone Bose Smart Soundbar 700. The Klipsch comes with a dedicated sub, meaning it can reproduce a more extended low-bass. It also supports Atmos content, unlike the Bose. However, the Bose is better built with a better soundstage. It even has built-in voice assistant support. You can also upgrade it to the Bose Smart Soundbar 700 with Speakers + Bass Module for better performance.
The Vizio M Series M51a-H6 is a bit better for mixed usage than the Klipsch Cinema 800. The Vizio is a better built 5.1 setup with discrete satellites. It has better surround and Atmos performances. Unlike the Klipsch, it supports DTS content. However, the 3.1 Klipsch has a better soundstage. It can also reproduce a more extended low-bass.