The Package

The Klipsch Images ship in a very fancy double box for protection. The main package on the picture above looks very nice. One of the first things you notice once you get them is how small and good looking they are. On the back of the package there is a small introduction to the Images along with a list of what the bundle includes. Once you get the box opened, all sorts of goodies drop out. With these earphones you get a small manual. If you are a first time in-ears user this can be a life saver. If you have a good idea about how an IEM works and functions you do not really need it since its target audience is first time users.


Inside the carrying pouch there is a smaller box. The two cases are great because you can use one while you are on the move and another for safe transportation while you are not using them. They both look great and feel protective, of course they are not nearly as durable as a Pelican case.


The bundle you get with the Image is a bit over the top. With each set you get three different sized single flange tips and two double flanges. The special thing about the so called "Contour Ear Gels" is the fact that they are oval and not round. This should help to make insertion easier, and the seal tighter without being uncomfortable.


Compared to a CD the Klipsch Images are absolutely tiny. I have seen a lot of IEMs, but this is definitely the smallest I have ever laid eyes on.

Closer Examination

The Image earphones certainly look very exclusive. The enclosure material is actually aluminum despite the more or less copper like finish. It is evident that the build quality of these in-ears matches the price. The finish is immaculate I could not find a single flaw or manufacturing error.

That Klipsch has put a lot of work into the design of these earphones is pretty easy to spot. They look way better than any other in-ear I have ever seen. I never thought I would say this about an in-ear, but these look cool and stylish - definitely not your usual dorky looking 'phones. The design is not something Klipsch boasts about on their webpage even though the name suggests that this is a pair of earphones for the fashion conscious audience.

Another little detail is that the construction is made in aluminum and rubber. Take for example the ear piece: the body of the in-ear is done in aluminum and the cable entry is done in rubber to help alleviate a lot of small problems. This type of construction is extremely durable and works well in real life. It seems to me like Klipsch has put a lot of effort into understanding the small problems earphone users encounter on a daily basis and tried to fix them by some small simple solutions.


On the back side of the Images there is a small Klipsch "wing logo". Otherwise there are very few details on these in-ears. Underneath the body of the earphone a small letter is placed so that you can easily identify which earphone goes where. The little letter is relatively easy to spot compared to that on a number of other earphones I have reviewed. The barrel like design of the ear piece is nice and makes them easy to handle. The barrel is straight right until the rubber part of the body starts. The rubber part of the body ensures that there is minimal stress on the cable while the earphones are in use. This should both help the comfort and durability of the cable and possibly reduce the amount of microphonic noise being transmitted from the cable to the ear piece. The need to control microphonics is critical for an earphone in this class with a semi hard cable that runs straight down from your ear.


The body of this in-ear looks pretty cool and really simple. These earphones look so pretty sitting there on your desk, it's too bad you cannot see much of them once inserted.


The sleek looking almost perfect cylindrical design of the Images is very clean to look at. The fact that they are so small and straight makes insertion a pretty easy task. Both the shape of the earphones and the contour ear gels make inserting and pulling them out really easy.


Installing and removing tips on the Images is pretty easy. They just slot on like any normal IEM. The orientation of the oval shaped tips is easy to spot due to both a small grove in the tip and a small metallic colored line on top of the canal part on the ear piece.


The oval shaped contour ear gels look pretty much the same as the ones you would normally get with a new pair of in-ears. The only difference I could find besides the oval shape was that they are slightly more textured than normal tips and are more solid towards the center of the tip.


The tips included with the Images are some of Klipsch's special designed "Contour Ear Gels". At first when I heard the name I thought, oh well yet another marketing gimmick on the Hi-Fi market, but much to my surprise they actually work really well. After using the ear gels for a week I am convinced that Klipsch has struck gold with that design. For me they are definitely the next best thing compared to Comply foam tips, when it comes to both comfort and ease of insertion. Besides that the contour gels are way more durable than the Comply foamies.


The big carrying case is pretty nice. It is ideal if you plan on towing them around with your luggage or in a carry bag. In most cases the small pouch is enough to keep them out of harm’s way.


The cable on the Images is a high quality one. The coating is a bit stiffer than what you would find on a Westone earphone. The cable is about as stiff as that on my Sleek-Audio SA6s, however, the Klipsch one is a little bit slimmer. The Y-split and adjuster is actually made of the same kind of rubber as the cable entries on the ear pieces.


The mini-jack on the Images is iPhone compatible despite the rather odd design. The leech like bent shape looks very strange. It is actually quite durable and constructed primarily in rubber and of course metal.


The Klipsch Image come with both a 1/8" to 1/4" and a stereo-to-mono adapter for use on airplanes. You pretty much get every little accessory that matters apart from a shirt clip. The cleaning tool is a nice thing to have since it makes cleaning the tunnel part of the in-ear so much easier.