Klipsch's Klipschorn speaker has been so good for so long that it now looks retro

70 years. That's how long American audio company Klipsch has been in operation, and it's also how long the Arkansas outfit has been selling its flagship Klipschorn floorstanding speakers. These gorgeous wooden structures, designed to occupy the corners of your drawing room or boudoir, are built around the patented horn-loaded speaker technology of company founder Paul W. Klipsch, which gave the company its original raison d'être.

To celebrate 70 years of continuous production of its beloved founding product, Klipsch is introducing a special edition this year, limited to just 70 pairs, made with an Australian walnut veneer. Technically, the 70th anniversary Klipschorn isn't hugely different from the regular variety, though its rear low-frequency horn has now been fully enclosed, giving you greater freedom of placement around your home. The original design relies on the walls and floor in the room around the speaker to bounce sound and thus achieve greater low-range extension and efficiency.

KLIPSCHORN 70TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

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Coming across the Klipschorn for the first time today makes it feel retro, and Klipsch does indeed illustrate its special edition with a strategically placed turntable in the picture. But this speaker is retro in the same way that Porsche's car design might be considered so: it's been impervious to change and faddish trends for decades upon decades. That's the mark of good, enduring design.

Each pair of 70th Anniversary special edition Klipschorn speakers is handmade in Hope, Arkansas, and costs $16,000.

• ViaDesignboom
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