Skip to main content

Klipsch Image S3m Review

Image used with permission by copyright holder
Klipsch Image S3m
MSRP $49.99
“Unless you like your cymbals super spicy, and sibilants with a serpentine flare, we recommend you keep on looking. We will too.”
Pros
  • Good clarity and instrumental separation
  • Decent low end power
  • Cool, comfortable design
Cons
  • Extremely sharp upper register
  • Anemic midrange

Say you’re headed out on a trip, but you’ve lost the headphones that came with your phone (or maybe you just can’t stand them any more) and those throw-away ‘buds you picked up at the airport last trip…well, you probably threw them away. You need something that’s inexpensive and sounds decent. What do you do?

Recommended Videos

Klipsch hopes you’ll pass by a gazillion other earbud choices and pick up its latest model, the S3M. Convenient, conservatively stylish, and priced right (at $50) the S3M are an enticing choice from a company that knows good sound. But do Klipsch’s bottom-barrel earbuds sound any better than the pair you bought (and subsequently threw away) the last time you were jet-setting? We recently went ears-on with the S3M to find out.

Out of the box

Removing the S3M from their packaging takes mere seconds – handy if you wind up grabbing up a set while dashing across the terminal to catch your flight. Inside you’ll find a small travel case made of black canvas with two more sizes of eartips and a small clip hiding inside.

Features and design

The S3M have a funky yet understated style paired with a vivid color scheme. We received a set in deep blue, but they also come in a host of other colors including white, red, jade, and black. The glossy buds are shaped into cones cut at a 45 degree angle at the top. The S3M are monogrammed with a small Klipsch logo on the side, with L and R indicators hiding on the underside of each. Pulling away one of the silicone tips reveals a tiny plastic extension about the size of a pen tip. Inside rest 5.8mm dynamic drivers, which are among the smallest we’ve come across.

The rubberized cable extending from each earbud provides another set of stereo indicators, but these, too, are a chore to find. Fortunately, the earbuds’ sharp angles provide an easy guide once you know which way they fit. Another clue is provided by the single-button control microphone which resides about six inches below the right earpiece.

Comfort

We’re pleased to say that the S3M are one of the most comfy sets of in-ears we’ve auditioned in a long while. The hard angle of the driver arms seemed perfectly tailored to our ears and the silicone eartips felt silky smooth. Our only gripe: The tips stick out quite a way from our ear cavity – even a mild gust of wind had them whistling obtrusively.

Audio performance

Klipsch markets the S3M as designed specifically for use with a mobile device (which seems a little obvious). Accordingly, we tested the set by listening to a wide variety of music through an iPhone 5.

The tiny S3M delivered a light and occasionally brilliant burst of clarity, outlining lots of detail for such inexpensive earbuds. They also did an admirable job of delineating individual instruments. Unfortunately, they did so by carving out a massive swath of the midrange and upper bass regions. Even more troubling was the S3M’s sharp display of sibilance from vocals and the upper tier of instrumentation, creating a harsh clip to the sound that was difficult to withstand on many of the tracks we listened to.

… listening to artists as varied as Elliott Smith and Bob Marley, vocals continually had a sharp bite…

After an initial slap to the face by searing percussion and vocals from Pearl Jam’s “Comatose” and Ryan Adams’ “Magnolia Mountain”, we gave the headset a good 10 hours of break-in time, which seemed to slightly tame the S3M’s cellophane crackle. Still, listening to artists as varied as Elliott Smith and Bob Marley, vocals continually had a sharp bite, not only on the usual danger zone consonants, but also in the thinly drawn sustain of the tone. Snare came through with flat, papery snaps that sounded almost toyish, and upper frequency percussion like crash cymbals and cowbells were often painful, forcing us to lower the volume as if backing away from a roaring flame.

The S3M fared best when we fed the headset older recordings, or those recorded in the classic rock style, with layers of tape saturation and darker overall coloring. Tracks from 70’s folk artists like James Taylor and the rich recordings from Nickel Creek’s eponymous album were much smoother, and even pleasant, though we still found the midrange a bit dainty for our taste. However, brighter recordings like Van Halen’s “Girl Gone Bad” started out hot, and when the vocals and crash cymbals came together during the first verse, high frequency chaos ensued.

Klipsch S3 review cable tipAs we listened on, we noticed some decent force in the very lowest registers, adding a good pump to kick drums and bass. But the power didn’t extend very far, so toms and other instruments that rely on lower midrange warmth were often hung out to dry, showing a pale reflection of their inherent sound. And always, the thin blade of the ‘S’ consonant seemed to cut through with blitzkrieg force.

Conclusion

There’s this persistent Goldilocks theme that plagues budget headphones: this one’s too bass-y, that one has too much bite in the treble. In our quest for value, we’re continually challenged to find a sound that’s “just right.” Unfortunately, the Klipsch S3M didn’t bust that trend for us. And that’s too bad, because the company’s Image One, S4 series and X10i remain ferocious contenders. Still, unless you like your cymbals super spicy, and sibilants with a serpentine flare, we recommend you keep on looking. We will too.

Highs

  • Good clarity and instrumental separation
  • Decent low end power
  • Cool, comfortable design

Lows

  • Extremely sharp upper register
    Anemic midrange
Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
Spotify Wrapped 2024: how to find your stats and the new Creator Wrapped
Three phone screenshots of Spotify Wrapped 2024 on a yellow background.

There's something immensely satisfying about looking at a year's worth of listening condensed down to a neatly packaged presentation. We're now able to get this from a few different streaming services -- yesterday saw the release of both Apple Music Replay 2024 and the first time Amazon has gotten into the game with Amazon Music Delivered 2024. Spotify, though, has been doing it for almost a decade, and today we get this year's iteration of Spotify Wrapped 2024. A similar program started in 2015 under the name "Year in Music," was rebranded as Wrapped in 2016, and has been going strong and growing ever since. For 2024, Spotify is adding a new way to feed you all your streaming info -- an AI podcast.

You can still get your streaming info as you have in the past, as a series of Instagram-style story cards scrolling to your favorite tunes of the year, you can also get that information presented to you by two AI-generated podcasters. The new feature, called Your Wrapped AI Podcast, is powered by Google's NotebookLM.

Read more
This IMAX Enhanced setup creates a more cinematic experience at home for the holidays
IMAX Enhanced movie watched by people at home -- cinematic experience for the holidays

Maybe you'll have a lot of downtime for the holidays, maybe you won't. But I'm willing to bet when you do have time to sit down, pick your feet up, and relax, you'll be watching some movies and shows. Perhaps by yourself, or perhaps with your family. Whatever the case, the best way to watch anything like that is through a more cinematic experience. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Booming bass, realistic visuals, immersive sensory events -- everything that makes you feel like you're there in the middle of the action.

If that sounds like something you're into, or want to achieve, have I got the perfect setup for you. If you're looking to create a more cinematic experience at home for the holidays these two IMAX Enhanced devices have you covered. That's right, they feature IMAX formats to deliver immersion like never before. It's a projector and an audio system combo that's out of this dimension.

Read more
Sit right in the middle of the action with this Sony wearable speaker, now $100 off!
The Sony Bravia Theater U Wearable TV Speaker on a table.

The best TVs of 2024 are great when it comes to picture quality, gaming optimizations, and streaming capabilities. But, because most TV designs trend toward the thin side, that doesn’t leave much room for speakers. While some folks may solve the problem of lackluster TV audio with a soundbar (and we have plenty of great soundbar deals to look through), others may prefer the wearable approach of the Sony Bravia Theater U Wearable TV Speaker. In fact, this on-your-shoulders home theater system has a great discount. When you order through Sony directly, you’ll only pay $200. At full price, this model sells for $300.Why you should buy the Sony Bravia Theater U Wearable TV SpeakerThe U Wearable TV Speaker is like a cross between a soundbar and a solid pair of headphones, minus the over-ear design. Meant to sit on your shoulders, the U Wearable uses Sony’s X-Balanced Speaker Unit to deliver highs, mids, and lows in an upward-firing fashion. It’s like having every part of a surround sound setup within arm’s reach! And while the main intent of the device is to use it in conjunction with a Sony Bravia TV, you’ll be able to pair the U Wearable to many different phones, tablets, and PCs, too. On a full charge, the U Wearable should last up to 12 hours, and Bluetooth Multipoint lets you pair the speaker to more than one device simultaneously. Should you ever venture outside with the U Wearable, its IPX4 rating should hold up against a bit of rain or sweat. There’s even a built-in microphone for taking phone calls, and the silicone neckband is comfortable for long-wear sessions. It’s hard to say how long this markdown is going to last, though Sony TV deals like this one tend to go pretty quickly. Today may end up being the best day to save this much on the Sony Bravia Theater U Wearable TV Speaker. Take $100 off this audio device while you still can, and be sure to check out some of the best TV deals we’ve been gathering, too.

Read more