Klipsch Museum of Audio History

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

1995 – HOME THEATER AND ARCHITECTURAL SPEAKERS

As the 5.1 surround sound format achieves popularity for watching movies at home, powered subwoofers and center speakers are introduced – driving Klipsch to become renowned for home theater. The company embraces the residential contracting market by launching highly efficient architectural and all-weather speakers for whole-home and multi-channel applications. Today, with continued technological and acoustic advancements, Klipsch is a leader with large product assortments in both categories.

05/28/2026

80 years of iconic Klipsch images | Hollywood Bowl, 1978 – In the summer of 1978, Klipsch outfitted the Hollywood Bowl venue with the relatively new MCM concert series, including stage monitors. This was the first large-scale event for Klipsch Industrial (professional) products. The band, Keepin’ Them off the Streets, was to be featured in the 1979 Robert Altman movie, A Perfect Couple, starring Paul Dooley and Marta Heflin. The audience was invited to a free concert to get a large crowd for the filming. Klipsch products and logos are seen throughout the concert and Klipsch is in the credits, although misspelled. Klipsch personnel on hand included Gary Gillum (chief engineer and photographer of this image captured during setup) and Spedo Kokinos (sales representative). Gary recalls: “The sound was exceptional. That evening when the music started, a county sound marshal arrived with his SPL meter and checked levels at the back. It was too loud, and he had them pull it down. I thought it was OK.” Yet another instance of ‘Pissing off the Neighbors’.

Join Klipsch and the Klipsch Museum of Audio History all year long as we bring you a weekly feature: 80 Years of iconic Images celebrating Klipsch history and innovation.

05/19/2026

Okay FB collective. Can you help identify this Klipsch employee from 1980? We will use this great image by Gary Gillum in a future publication (among many others) and would like to name the individuals. Does anyone know who this person is?

05/15/2026

1985 – FORTE: FORTIFIED WITH FIDELITY

First introduced in 1985, the Klipsch Forte loudspeaker became one of the company’s most successful products by combining cutting-edge acoustic engineering with handcrafted American craftsmanship. Driven by founder Paul W. Klipsch and chief engineer Gary Gillum, the Forte was designed to deliver deep bass, precise imaging, and high efficiency from a compact cabinet using innovations like passive radiators, horn-loaded drivers, and carefully tuned crossover networks. Its affordable high-end performance earned rave reviews and massive demand, leading to around-the-clock production in Hope, Arkansas. In the late 1980s, a new generation of Klipsch engineers, including Roy Delgado and Jim Hunter, refined the design further with Tractrix horn technology and other acoustic breakthroughs, resulting in the acclaimed Forte II. After years of enduring popularity among music lovers, the Forte III debuted in 2017, blending modern cinema-derived technologies with the original speaker’s signature dynamic sound.

05/15/2026

Vintage Klipsch, and Klipsch tshirt spotted.

Hi folks, here’s another Hi-Fi Hall of Fame “Celebrity System”. This time, we’re looking at the actor Elijah Wood, who is most famous for his role in the “The Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy.

He has a passion for high quality sound which is more than a hobby; he is an avid record collector and formerly ran his own independent label, Simian Records. He and his fellow DJ Zach Cowie own a few superb Hi-Fi systems, often using high end vacuum tube powered electronics.

We have a few photos of Elijah at home with equipment from Cary Audio, Klipsch, Technics, Pioneer, and Sansui.

To see more of Elijah’s Hi-Fi systems, just follow this link: hifihalloffame.com/celebrity-systems/elijah-wood/

05/14/2026

80 years of iconic Klipsch images | Klipschirts, 1975 – After years of Paul W. Klipsch handing out bu****it buttons, in 1975 the famous T-shirt debuted. Featuring a mysterious PWK image with dark sunglasses and the word “Klipschirt” on the front, and an attributed “Bullsh*t” word balloon on the back, this legendary yellow pocketless tee made waves in the audio industry. Each employee received one for a photo shoot in front of the Hope, Arkansas shipping dock. Although some wore it backwards, only Klipsch president Bob Moers turned his back to the camera in this image captured by Clyde Davis. Soon after, a University of Arkansas student was kicked out of class for wearing the controversial shirt. Klipsch & Associates paid for his legal counsel.

Join Klipsch and the Klipsch Museum of Audio History all year long as we bring you a weekly feature: 80 Years of iconic Images celebrating Klipsch history and innovation.

04/27/2026

04/24/2026

1977 – PROFESSIONAL SOUND

Continued explorations into highly efficient horn-loaded designs and their potential applications led Klipsch & Associates to start producing large venue loudspeakers in 1977. Its professional speaker line was augmented with the 500-pound MCM series – designed for touring/live sound and cinema. The MCM series cemented Klipsch’s long-standing commitment to the professional and custom audio installation industries with dependable, great sounding, American-made products. Today, powerful and precise Klipsch commercial loudspeakers are found behind the screen in the finest immersive cinemas and rocking venues around the world.

04/23/2026

80 years of iconic Klipsch images | Retail Sticker, 1970s – In the mid 1970s the post-psychedelic hifi scene became known as a bastion of counterculture behavior, with its messages of social transformation and institutional skepticism. Music led the way with experimental sounds of protest and contemplation, and high-quality recordings were available from artists around the world. Somewhat as a reaction to the overt consumerism of the 1960s, customers now wanted to feel like they were a part of something magical, exclusive, and real – and the hifi shop was just such a place. Almost like a secret club, audio enthusiasts would gather to listen to new music, talk about gear, and let the world drift away. This black and white 9” x 9” sticker was supplied to authorized resellers of Klipsch products to display in their showroom window, proclaiming to “all who know” that this is a Klipsch joint, and you can experience great sound here.

Join Klipsch and the Klipsch Museum of Audio History all year long as we bring you a weekly feature: 80 Years of iconic Images celebrating Klipsch history and innovation.