The Klipsch The Three II is a wired rectangular speaker with a stylish, vintage-inspired design. It comes with several wired input options, including Phono Pre-Amp and ground inputs which you can use to connect the speaker to a turntable. It can also get incredibly loud, so its sound can easily fill a large crowded room. However, there's some compression present at max volume, which may affect the clarity of your audio during louder listening sessions. It struggles to reproduce low-bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble in bass-heavy music like hip-hop, and there isn't a graphic EQ or presets you can use to tweak its sound to your liking. Its underemphasized mid-range can push vocals and lead instruments towards the back of the mix and make them sound muddy.
Our Verdict
The Klipsch The Three II is okay for music. This speaker can get incredibly loud, so its sound can easily fill a large crowded room. However, it struggles to reproduce low-bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble in bass-heavy music like hip-hop and EDM. The underemphasis in the mid-range can push vocals and lead instruments towards the back of the mix, making them sound muddy. Unfortunately, there isn't a graphic EQ to customize its sound to your liking.
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Gets incredibly loud.
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Struggles to reproduce low-bass.
The Klipsch The Three II is passable for videos and movies. This speaker has low latency with iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth, making it suitable for watching videos and movies; however, some apps compensate for latency differently, and your experience may differ. Unfortunately, it doesn't have great directivity, meaning that you may perceive its soundstage as narrow and directional. It also struggles to reproduce low-bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed scenes.
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Gets incredibly loud.
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Low latency with iOS and Android devices.
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No sound customization features.
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Compression present at max volume.
The Klipsch The Three II is alright for podcasts. It can get pretty loud, so its sound can easily fill a large room, though there's some compression present at max volume, so your audio may not sound as clean during louder listening sessions. The underemphasis in the mid-range can push voices and dialogue to the back of the mix and make them sound muddy. Also, it has poor directivity, so your audio may not sound clear from all angles.
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Gets incredibly loud.
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Compression present at max volume.
The Klipsch The Three II doesn't support voice assistants.
The Klipsch The Three II isn't designed for outdoor use due to its wired design.
- 6.6 Music
- 6.4 Videos/Movies
- 6.3 Podcasts
- 2.7 Voice Assistant
- 5.0 Outdoors
- Updated Oct 17, 2023: Added market comparison for the Bluesound PULSE 2i in the App box.
- Updated Sep 18, 2023: Added market comparison for the Klipsch Groove XXL in the Portability box.
- Updated Sep 14, 2023: Retested the speaker's Bluetooth range. In our initial results, we accidentally switched the measurement in feet with the measurement in meters. The Bluetooth score improves from 6.4 to 9.0.
- Updated Aug 21, 2023: Updated the Portability picture for greater clarity and consistency between reviews.
- Updated Jan 13, 2022: Retested the speaker for a power-saving feature. Changed the 'Power Saving' test result from 'N/A' to 'No' in the Battery box.
- Updated Sep 02, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Aug 31, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Aug 18, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Aug 17, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Aug 14, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- Updated Aug 11, 2021: The product has won our suggestion poll, so we'll buy and test it soon.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Klipsch The Three II comes in two color variants: 'Walnut' and 'Matte Black'. We expect both variants to perform similarly. We tested the 'Walnut' variant, you can see the label for the model we tested here.
If you come across any other variants of this speaker, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Speakers
The Klipsch The Three II is a wired speaker designed for home use. Unlike the Klipsch The One II, it features Phono Pre-Amp and ground inputs so you can connect a turntable to the speaker. It can get outstandingly loud; however, there's some compression present at max volume, so your audio may not sound as clean at louder volumes. It has an uneven sound profile that struggles to reproduce low-bass, so you can't feel the thump and rumble in bass-heavy music. Vocals and lead instruments are also muddied and pushed to the back of the mix. Unfortunately, it lacks sound customization features like a graphic EQ or presets to tweak its sound.
See our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best home speakers, and the loudest Bluetooth speakers.
The Klipsch The One II and the Klipsch The Three II are similar speakers. The One II is smaller, and its sound profile's mid-range is slightly better balanced, resulting in vocals and lead instruments that sound more present in the mix. That said, the Three II can get louder and features Phono Pre-Amp and ground inputs you can use to connect a turntable to the speaker. It also supports USB Audio, meaning you can wire your devices to the speaker via its USB-B port.
The Sonos Five is a better speaker than the Klipsch The Three II. With its Trueplay feature enabled, the Sonos can produce a more extended low-bass, meaning that you can feel the deep thump and rumble in bass-heavy music like EDM. It also offers a wider-sounding soundstage and comes with bass and treble adjustments to tweak its sound to your liking. That said, the Klipsch can get significantly louder with less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volumes. It also supports Bluetooth connectivity.
The Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM is a better speaker than the Klipsch The Three II overall. The Ultimate Ears offers a better-balanced and more neutral sound profile with its room correction feature enabled. It's also battery-powered and comes with a built-in carrying strap, making it more portable. Additionally, it's more customizable thanks to the graphic EQ and presets featured on its companion app. That said, the Klipsch can get louder than the Ultimate Ears.
The JBL Authentics 500 is better than the Klipsch The Three II. They're both retro-style home speakers, but only the JBL offers built-in voice assistant support. Its companion app gives you more customization features, too. It brings more low-bass and offers Wi-Fi connectivity, unlike the Klipsch.
The IKEA SYMFONISK Bookshelf and the Klipsch The Three II are similar speakers with different strengths. The IKEA is Wi-Fi compatible and can produce a more extended low-bass with its Trueplay feature enabled. It also comes with bass and treble adjustments to customize its sound. That said, the Klipsch can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono which is more immersive. It can also get significantly louder than the IKEA, and it supports Bluetooth connectivity.
The JBL Boombox 2 is a better speaker than the Klipsch The Three II overall. The JBL is battery-powered and has a built-in carrying handle making it more portable. It has a better-balanced sound profile that can produce a more extended low-bass than that of the Klipsch. It's also better-built, with an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. That said, the Klipsch can get louder than the JBL.
The Yamaha MusicCast 50 is a better speaker than the Klipsch The Three II overall. With its default settings enabled, the Yamaha offers a better-balanced sound profile. It also comes with a graphic EQ and presets you can use to tweak its sound. Also, you can connect it to compatible MusicCast speakers and soundbars. However, the Klipsch offers lower latency with iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth, which may come in handy if you typically like to watch movies and videos over this connection. That said, some apps compensate for latency differently, and your experience may differ.
The Klipsch Groove XXL is a more portable alternative to the Klipsch The Three II. The Groove is battery-powered, so you can take it around without worrying about plugging it into an outlet. It's not quite as well-built as the Three II, though, and it doesn't boast the same retro design. Plus, it doesn't get quite as loud.
The Bluesound PULSE 2i is better for most uses when compared with the Klipsch The Three II. The Bluesound offers Wi-Fi connectivity, unlike the Klipsch, and its companion app gives you access to lots of extra features. For example, you're able to customize its sound and connect it with other devices to spread audio throughout your home. Some may prefer the Klipsch's retro design, though.
The JBL Xtreme 3 is a slightly better speaker than the Klipsch The Three II, though, they have different strengths. The JBL is battery-powered and better built. It has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, so you can easily take it outdoors when you're on the move. It has slightly better directivity, resulting in a more open-sounding soundstage. It can also be paired to up to two devices at once, which can come in handy when you need to switch between audio sources. However, the Klipsch can get significantly louder than the JBL, with slightly less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volume levels.
The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a better speaker than the Klipsch The Three II overall. The Bose has better directivity, resulting in a wider-sounding soundstage. It offers outstanding voice assistant support with Alexa and Google Assistant built-in and can understand your commands from far and in noisy environments. It also has a better-balanced sound profile and comes with bass and treble adjustments to customize its sound to your liking. That said, the Klipsch can get louder than the Bose.
Test Results
Like the Klipsch The One II, the Klipsch The Three II is a rectangular speaker with a stylish, vintage-inspired design that can blend nicely with your home decor. It's meant to be placed horizontally and comes in two color variants: 'Walnut' and 'Matte Black'. We tested the 'Walnut' variant.
The Klipsch The Three II isn't very portable. It isn't battery-powered and needs to remain plugged into a power source to work, so you can't easily take it outdoors with you like the Klipsch Groove XXL.
The Klipsch The Three II's build quality is alright. The top and bottom of the speaker are real wood veneer, and the front and sides are covered by sturdy fabric. Its knobs are made of aluminum-like metal, though the other 'Matte Black' variant is advertised to have spun copper knobs. That said, it isn't rated for dust or water resistance, and we don't currently test for this, so it's best to avoid placing the speaker near water sources in rooms like your kitchen or bathroom.
The Klipsch The Three II's controls are easy to use. While there are a few physical controls on the speaker itself, and there aren't any physical buttons you can use to play, pause or skip your tracks, this speaker comes with a simple remote control that you can use to control all of its functions; you can find a photo of it here. On top of the speaker, there's a knob to turn the speaker on/off and another to control its volume. There's an indicator light that blinks as you modify the volume; it turns solid once you reach the speaker's minimum or maximum volume levels. However, there isn't an indicator light to inform you whether the speaker is turned on or off. You can use the input knob to switch between Bluetooth, AUX, USB, or Analog modes. To enable Bluetooth pairing mode, press and hold the input knob for three seconds.
Note: There've been reports that the speaker's volume can't be controlled using a paired phone. However, the issue never presented itself with this unit. If you own an Android device and are unable to modify its volume, you can find a possible solution in the discussions here.
- Klipsch The Three II speaker
- Remote control
- User manual
- Power cable
- USB A to USB B cable
- 3.5mm AUX cord
- 2x AAA batteries
The Klipsch The Three II has fair frequency response accuracy. It lacks some low-bass, so you can't feel the deep thump and rumble typically present in bass-heavy music like EDM. Also, the underemphasis in the mid-range can cause lead instruments and vocals to sound muddy and to be pushed towards the back of the mix. Unfortunately, there aren't any sound customization features like a graphic EQ or presets you can use to tweak its sound to your liking.
Note: Some users reported that playing back audio via wired connections provide clearer audio than playing back via Bluetooth. However, we didn't find a difference in audio playback performance after testing audio playback from its Bluetooth, USB, and AUX inputs. You can find these results here.
The Klipsch The Three II's soundstage is alright. It can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. However, it has disappointing directivity, meaning that you may perceive its soundstage as narrow or directional, and your audio may not sound as clear from all angles.
The Klipsch The Three II has impressive dynamics. It can get incredibly loud, so its sound can fill a large crowded room. That said, there's a lot of compression present at max volume, so your audio may not sound as clean and clear during louder listening sessions.
Update 01/13/2022: We retested this speaker to see if it has a power-saving feature. Since it doesn't, the test result for 'Power Saving' was changed from 'N/A' to 'No'.
Check out the Bluesound PULSE 2i for a home speaker with app compatibility.
The Klipsch The Three II has several wired inputs. There's an AUX input you can use to wire your devices to the speaker. There's a USB-B port you can use for audio playback. There's also a Phono/Line switch located on the speaker's rear, and you can connect the speaker to your turntable thanks to its Phono Pre-Amp and ground inputs.
The Klipsch The Three II offers fantastic Bluetooth connectivity options. It has low latency with iOS and Android devices, making it suitable for watching videos and movies, though some apps compensate for latency differently, so your experience may vary.