Review: Klipsch Flexus Core 200 Soundbar

Klipsch’s new Flexus Core 200 is the most powerful and cinematic soundbar I’ve heard at its price. While many of the best soundbars aim to be everything to everyone, Klipsch and its partner Onkyo buckled down to create a simple and skillful Dolby Atmos bar that melds Klipsch sonics with Onkyo electronics for knockout value.

There is a catch, of course. While the Flexus mimics other “modular” soundbar systems, letting you add components like satellite surround speakers and/or a burly subwoofer for a fee, the system omits advancements like auto-calibration to tune to your room, or Wi-Fi support to stream audio from services like Spotify Connect or AirPlay. This limits both the convenience and the quality of streaming music.

That doesn’t mean the Flexus is stuck in the past. You’ll get a modern app that connects over Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) for adjusting EQ and other settings, matched by traditional home theater trappings not found in rivals, like MDF components and a subwoofer out to let you connect any powered sub. However you accessorize, the Flexus Core 200 lives up to its name with fantastic baseline performance that lets you build as you go.

Full Bar

Compared to the growing class of “fun size” Atmos soundbars like the Sonos Beam and Bose Smart Soundbar 600, the Core 200’s massive size is almost startling. Stretching 44 inches across and just over 3 inches high, it looks more like Sony’s $1,000 HT-A5000 than most rivals in its class. Its height also makes it a potential obstacle for those with shorter TVs.

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

It’s got a kick of extra style, trading the usual plastic topside for MDF veneer, flanked on each side by 2.25-inch up-firing drivers designed to bounce sound off your ceiling for 3D sound. Also up top are dual up-firing 4-inch woofers that work in tandem to reproduce remarkably potent bass, again recalling pricier systems like the A5000 or the tubular Sonos Arc.

The Flexus offers fewer speaker channels than those pricier bars, with a more reserved 3.1.2-channel configuration that eschews any side-firing drivers. This limits its ability to throw sound off your walls for more convincing surround sound effects, but Klipsch’s audio prowess still manages to extract fantastic sound out of its minimalist setup.

The bar’s front-firing speakers are cleverly proportioned, including dual 2.25-inch drivers and a ¾-inch tweeter for the center channel and a 2.25-inch driver stretched out to the edges to expand the soundstage. A full-size LED display completes the design, making it easy to check inputs and adjust settings.

Dual Control

Speaking of adjustments, you’ll get nearly everything you need between the Klipsch Connect app and the dedicated remote, though you may need to bounce between each as you set things up. Either option provides control over basics like volume, inputs, and sound modes, including a Night Mode for softening the mood and dedicated Movie and Music modes.

The app adds access to a three-band EQ and control for the surround sound speakers if you choose to add on to the system. Oddly, you’ve got to grab the remote to raise the height channels for bigger overhead effects, and neither option can raise the center channel volume. Instead, you’ll find a three-level dialog enhancement feature. It works pretty well to pump up dialog in a pinch, but I’d still like to see a center-channel control for balancing between the subtler and more bombastic moments, as I occasionally had to ride the volume to balance things.

Connecting the sub and/or the Flex Core 100 satellite speakers wirelessly requires plugging in the dedicated dongle included in their packaging. I added both components toward the end of my evaluation and found the process simple and stable. HDMI CEC, the system that lets the bar follow TV remote commands, was also rock solid over multiple days of testing.

This hasn’t always been my experience with Klipsch soundbars, which may be why the Flexus system utilized the “decades of proven manufacturing and tech prowess” of Klipsch’s sister brand Onkyo for the Flexus build. Whatever the case, the Core 200 worked flawlessly during my evaluation.

Flagship Sound

I was slightly underwhelmed for the first day or so with the Flexus Core 200. Then I checked the price. Given its size and overall punch, I truly thought it would land somewhere in the $1,000 range. At $500, this thing is a steal of a deal, providing clear and elegant dialog, a sweeping and expansive soundstage, and modest but effective overhead effects—especially once you ramp up the height-channel volume a bit.

What really hit home was the Core 200’s bass response, which punches way above what I’ve come to expect from similarly priced soundbars. The bar may not be quite as nimble and immersive as Bose’s Smart Soundbar 600, but it shellacs the 600 in the bass department, throwing down big and brawny punch for everything from kick drums and 808 grooves to freight trains and explosions.

Even setting aside the bass, the Flexus Core 200 just sounds full-bodied all the way to the midrange, without getting incoherent or overly boomy in the more nuanced moments. Thanks to its trio of dedicated drivers at the center position, it’s skilled at reproducing nuanced dialog. The side drivers are also effective at kicking out the soundstage well beyond the bar’s already sizable 44-inch frame. Every so often the dialog felt slightly overpowered, which is why a center-channel control would come in handy, but this was relatively rare in my testing.

There’s a synergy when it comes to the overall tone, with every speaker working together to blend gracefully across registers, from the low bass up to the sparkly treble. Perhaps that’s why Klipsch didn’t feel the need to add an auto-calibration system that adjusts to your room; the speakers are well-tuned enough to sound good in multiple settings. I took the bar into my bedroom for a spell and found it pushing bigger but not overwhelming bass, as well as more immersive Atmos effects.

In either room, the Flexus Core 200 stepped up well for Dolby Atmos films and TV. While it doesn’t rain down from above with the visceral expanse of flagship single-bar systems like the Sonos Arc, it gets closer than you’d expect for around half the price. From splashy ocean scenes in nature docs to explosive MCU adventures, you’ll be pulled into the action with full-throttle punch.

Connecting the $250 Flexus surround speakers ups the ante. The speakers are small and a little on the spritely side, but they do a good job blending with the rest of the system. The app makes it easy to adjust them to your listening position on the fly, and once again the system feels more than the sum of its parts or its price.

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

I enjoyed the sub, which naturally adds more power and thunder, but given how well the bar does on its own it almost seemed like overkill in my small TV room. It gets a little boomy, which could be due to its automated crossover setting. I wouldn’t expect a soundbar to include a manual crossover, but it would have helped for my room. Interestingly, I liked it best with music, especially once I turned it down toward the lowest setting, adding some subtle gravitas. You may be fine without it, or you can try adding your own new or used sub thanks to Klipsch’s inviting inclusion of an analog connection.

My only real complaint about the Core 200 is the music streaming quality. It sounds good over Bluetooth, but it doesn’t quite match up with the clarity and detail you get from the bar’s wired inputs. Streaming over Wi-Fi is just inherently cleaner. The lack of a stereo-only mode also means your music is always sent through all speakers, which can limit some transparency in the soundstage.

It still sounds quite good for music streaming, and the lack of Wi-Fi isn’t enough to throw me off the Flexus Core 200, even if it’s a bit less convenient when you’re using your phone for other tasks. On top of that, I generally prefer a home theater setup with no way to invade my privacy, so I don't really mind skipping the smart features you'll get from Bose or Sonos bars.

The Flexus Core 200 is a different take on the $500 standalone soundbar that puts performance out front, but then Klipsch has always trod its own path. If you’re looking for the most thrilling punch and immersion you can squeeze out of a single soundbar without spending a ton, this bar is a sweet buy.