Handling both instrumentation and vocals with ease, this smooth high end strongly compliments the detail-heavy lows and mids.ДЄ strong sense of depth and a cramped sense of placement combine to form a convoluted soundstage. The high end at first seems bright, but repeated listening reveals a smoother high end that expertly balances plenty of detail with a lack of piercing notes. Not a total dealbreaker, the blemished sound will only trouble the most die-hard critical listeners. Devoid of distortion, this part of the frequency range still plays host to slight compression in the lower mids. In the midrange, the sound waxes rich and full, with plenty of detail. Tight control prevents any bleeding, though the bass strikes me as just a tad bit under-powered.

Overall, a general sense of accuracy pervades this part of the frequency range. The X12i Neckband offers a decent level of detail in the low end. The slightly-older Bluetooth 4.0 protocol is decent enough, though I did run into some connectivity issues during my listening sessions. Volume is decent, and SPL seems to be around 115 dB. Total Harmonic Distortion seems very low вЂ“ probably landing around <0.2%. That being said, frequency range is leans toward more low-end detail, while impedance is probably around 23 or 32 ohms. This feature can be silenced via the use of a switch on the underside of the neckband.ДЄs you can garner from the specs, Klipsch avoids giving too much info about this headphone. KlipschвЂ™s signature oval eartips are as comfortable as ever, and the neckband rests lightly on my collarbone.Д«attery life tops out at 18 hours of continuous use (depending on playback volume, of course), and the X12i Bluetooth alsoВ sports a vibration mechanism for calls. Though flashy, the headphoneВ remainsВ a thing of taste. While lightweight, the X12i Bluetooth clearly exudes strength. The X12i Neckband Bluetooth delivers a similarly impressive aura a first glance packaged in a well-padded case, the headphone carries a micro-USB charging cable in tow, as well as a zippered carrying case and some replacement eartips. Previously, KlipschВ impressed me with the performance of the lower-end X6i neckband model.

So is it worth the cheddar, or should you sit this one out? MajorHifiВ investigates. Utilizing a snazzy neckband design, the new X12i retails for a fairly hefty $399. The good folks at Klipsch are back with another headphone, the X12i Neckband BluetoothВ вЂ“ first announced way back in September.

4.0 bluetooth neckband earbuds