Klipsch The Nines II Hi-Fi Bookshelf speaker Walnut

Klipsch The Nines II Walnut — Horn-Loaded Power with HDMI 2.1 and Dolby Atmos

The Klipsch The Nines II Walnut powered bookshelf speakers bring the company's 80-year horn-loaded heritage into a modern, all-in-one stereo system. Each cabinet houses a 1-inch titanium LTS vented tweeter mated to a square Tractrix horn and an 8-inch spun-copper Cerametallic woofer, driven by bi-amped Class D amplification engineered in collaboration with Onkyo. With HDMI 2.1 in/out, Dolby Atmos decoding, Dirac Live room correction, and a full streaming platform built in, the pair replaces a traditional receiver-and-speaker stack while delivering the dynamic, room-filling sound Klipsch is known for.

What Sets The Nines II Apart

Two design choices make this pair stand out in the powered-speaker category. The new one-piece BMC (bulk molding compound) baffle is denser and more rigid than the previous generation, with curved edges that widen the soundstage and reduce diffraction for cleaner off-axis response. Inside, an AVR-style electronics package from Onkyo enables HDMI 2.1 passthrough with eARC, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X decoding, and studio-grade balanced XLR inputs — features rarely combined in a single stereo speaker pair.

Drivers and Acoustic Design — Horn-Loaded Efficiency

Klipsch's horn-loaded tweeter design is the heart of the acoustic package, and it shapes how the speaker projects sound into a room. The 90° × 90° Tractrix horn aims high-frequency energy directly at the listener, reducing reflections and boosting dynamics, while the vented titanium LTS diaphragm lowers distortion for detailed, fatigue-free treble.

• Tweeter: 1" titanium LTS vented diaphragm in a 90° × 90° Tractrix horn — focused dispersion and low distortion for articulate highs
• Woofer: 8" spun-copper Cerametallic cone with rubber surround — rigid yet lightweight for high-output, accurate bass
• Baffle: One-piece BMC baffle with curved edges — reduces unwanted resonance and widens the soundstage
• Port: Rear-firing Tractrix port — matched to the cabinet for cleaner, more powerful low-frequency output

Electronics and Amplification — Onkyo-Engineered Power

The internal electronics are what allow this pair to operate without any external amplifier or AV receiver. Bi-amped Class D amplification drives the woofer and tweeter independently, while a 24-bit/96kHz DAC handles HDMI, USB, optical, coaxial, and network sources at full resolution when the speakers are wired together.

• Amplification: Bi-amped Class D, designed by Onkyo — separate ultra-low-noise amps for woofer and tweeter
• DAC: 24-bit / 96 kHz (wired), 24-bit / 48 kHz (wireless) — high-resolution playback from digital sources
• Room Correction: Dirac Live (Limited Bandwidth, 20–500 Hz) — included calibration mic and Klipsch Connect Plus app tune the sound to your room
• Dynamic Bass EQ: Loudness-compensated bass adjustment — maintains low-end impact at any listening level

Connectivity and Streaming — The Hub of Your Setup

Connectivity is where the second-generation design moves furthest beyond a traditional bookshelf speaker. HDMI 2.1 with eARC handles uncompressed Dolby Atmos from a TV while passing 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz video to the display, and a second HDMI input accepts a disc player or game console. Wireless options cover nearly every modern streaming standard.

• HDMI: HDMI 2.1 eARC out + HDMI 2.1 in (8K/60, 4K/120, HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, ALLM, VRR) — single-cable TV connection with full gaming support
• Wireless: Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 802.11ac dual-band, Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect
• Wired Inputs: USB-C, USB-A, optical, coaxial, RCA line, RCA phono (MM), balanced XLR — turntable, computer, CD player, and studio gear all supported
• Subwoofer Output: Mono RCA — add a powered sub for extended low end

Who The Nines II Are For

The Klipsch The Nines II Walnut is the right choice for listeners who want a single pair of speakers to anchor both a music system and a TV setup without adding a separate AV receiver. Gamers benefit from HDMI 2.1 features like 4K/120, ALLM, and VRR, while movie fans get Dolby Atmos and DTS:X with virtual height channels from a two-speaker layout. Vinyl owners can plug a turntable directly into the built-in phono stage, and apartment dwellers get a complete streaming hub with AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and native Spotify, Tidal, and Qobuz support.

Klipsch — 80 Years of American Hi-Fi

Klipsch has been designing and building loudspeakers in the United States since founder Paul W. Klipsch established the company in 1946. The Nines II continue that lineage, combining the brand's signature horn-loaded efficiency with modern electronics developed in partnership with Onkyo. The series has earned recognition including the TWICE VIP Award and a "Best of CES 2026" mention from eCoustics, reflecting Klipsch's effort to bring high-efficiency, dynamic sound into the all-in-one powered-speaker category.