Klipsch and McLaren Team up With Three News Headphones

Next week signals the start of the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Of course, this means that many makers in the premium hifi space, including Klipsch, are kicking it off with a bang. Today, Klipsch announced that a flurry of new products in a collaboration with performance automaker McLaren.

It might seem odd at first glance that an audio company is launching a product offering with a car manufacturer, but look beneath the surface and it begins to make sense.

Last month, Klipsch and McLaren jointly announced that the audio brand would be crowned as automaker’s official “portable audio partner” for its Formula 1 team. Naturally, the brands launching a number of joint products starts to appeal to those familiar with either brand – and let’s face it, just like McLarens, hifi audio doesn’t always come cheap.

There will be three initial products launched under the collaboration, all colored with a splash of McLaren’s signature Papaya Orange:

• Klipsch x McLaren T10 wireless earphones
• Klipsch x McLaren T5 Sport wireless earphones
• Klipsch x McLaren Over-Ear ANC headphones

First up is the Klipsch x McLaren T10 True Wireless smart earphones. These in-ear headphones are simply a rehashed version of the company’s standard T10 True Wireless (which uses artificial intelligence to understand certain gesture controls) to signify the collaboration. Klipsch says that the McLaren edition of the T10 will launch in Fall 2020 and be avaialble for $999 – a $350 premium over its standard T10.

If that price tag is too much to stomach, consider the Klipsch x McLaren T5 Sport True Wireless earphones for $249. As above, these are a variation of the standard T5 which are aimed at being your gym companion. They’re said to be IP67 rated for dust and waterproofing, as well as be designed with “no-budge ear wings” to keep them planted while you work out.

Internals on both of the above are based on the Image X10i in-ears, a decade-old design that still proves to be fan favorite.

Lastly, if IEMs aren’t your thing, perhaps consider the Klipsch x McLaren Over-Ear Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) headphones. These over-ear headphones are expected to compete in the same segment as the Bose QC 35 and upcoming Sony WH-1000XM4 (which we also expect to see announced in the coming days). Klipsch says that their offering will have around 30 hours of battery life and a “transparency” mode. Expect to pay $549 for the over-ears.