Klipsch has launched a series of new true wireless earbuds to rival the Apple AirPods; the Klipsch T5 II, Klipsch T5 II Sport, and Klipsch T5 II Sport McLaren Edition, which takes its design cues from the McLaren Formula 1 racing team.
Klipsch, which is the official "portable audio partner" of the British F1 team, first announced the new earbuds at CES 2020 – and now, they're finally available to preorder.
- The best true wireless earbuds of 2020
- Read our Klipsch T5 review
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CES also saw the company unveil the incredibly pricey T10 True Wireless Earbuds, which come with a unique hinged design and are set to cost an eye-watering $649 (around £490 / AU$930).
That's far more expensive than the best true wireless earbuds of 2020, the Sony WF-1000XM3; happily, none of the Klipsch earbuds announced today will be anywhere near that costly.
Smaller and more snug
The cheapest of the new wireless earbuds, the T5 II, are the second generation of the highly-acclaimed T5 true wireless earbuds, which we awarded a coveted 4.5 out of 5 stars when we reviewed them last year.
According to Klipsch, they're "approximately 25% smaller and more closely mimic the shape of the ear" than their predecessors, which should make them feel comfortable to wear.
They also now come with six pairs of eartips as opposed to three, so you should be able to find a snug fit and good noise isolation, whatever size your ears are, while an IP67 waterproof rating means they should be suitable for use while working out.
Battery life comes in at 32 hours in total, with eight hours contained within the buds themselves – more than the original Klipsch T5, and far more than the Apple AirPods.
Klipsch says that an "all-new diaphragm with minimal thickness" is designed to "enhance clarity and improve audio quality across the entire frequency spectrum", while the T5 II's dynamic driver "combines high output neutral sound and deep bass extension".
Considering that the original Klipsch T5 sounded so good, we're excited to test their predecessors out for ourselves. They'll set you back $199 / £185 (about AU$280), and are available to preorder now.
Sporty buds
As you may have guessed from the name, the Klipsch T5 II Sport are designed with fitness in mind, with a "moisture removal system" that "ensures the earphones remain dry".
Like the T5 II, they boast an IP67 dust/waterproof rating, and come with 32 hours of battery life.
For enhanced stability while working out, you get three sets of earfins with these wireless earbuds, and they sport a watertight case, which can be charged via USB-C or with a wireless charging mat; overall, these buds look a little more rugged and fitness-focussed than the T5 II.
The T5 II Sport cost $229 / £209 (about AU$330); although if you want the McLaren edition of these buds, you'll have to shell out $249 / £259 (about AU$370).
For that, you get the buds in McLaren's signature orange and carbon fibre design, and "a serialized metal card of authenticity"; you also get a wireless charging mat thrown in.
All of the new true wireless earbuds are adjustable via the Klipsch Connect App, which comes with an equalizer, and allow you to install product updates, troubleshoot issues, and check on your battery status.
