Klipsch The Three Plus Review: A Loud Tabletop Stereo That Takes a Turntable

The Klipsch The Three Plus is a strong buy if you want one wood-topped box that plays loud, takes a turntable and streams from your phone without Wi-Fi setup. Skip it if you listen mostly at background levels or if the turntable is your main source, because reviewers rate its built-in phono stage as its weakest input.

TechRadar and T3 both describe an assertive, detailed and bass-forward sound, and both flag that it never quite sounds quiet. The spec sheet is generous for a tabletop speaker: 120 watts, a 2.1 driver layout, Bluetooth 5.3, an optical input that handles 24-bit/96kHz, a switchable phono/line RCA input and USB-C audio.

ArmorSound has not tested The Three Plus in person. This review is built from Klipsch's spec sheet and manual plus published reviews, and each claim below is credited.

Where to buy

Our verdict

Klipsch The Three Plus

Best for: Living rooms that mix records, TV and phone

Power

120W, 2.1 biamplified

Drivers

2 x 2.25in full-range, 5.25in woofer, 2 passive radiators

Inputs

Bluetooth 5.3, phono/line RCA, optical, USB-C

Weight

10.58 lb (4.8 kg)

Power source

AC only

• Assertive, detailed sound with strong bass, per TechRadar and T3
• Optical input handles 24-bit/96kHz
• Switchable phono/line input for turntables
• Real wood top and solid build

• Built-in phono stage is its weakest input
• Hard to play at true background levels
• No Wi-Fi, HDMI or 3.5 mm aux

Watch for: Reviewers found the phono preamp noticeably weaker than the other inputs, so vinyl-first buyers should plan on a turntable with its own preamp.

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What are the Klipsch The Three Plus key specs?

Does the Klipsch The Three Plus sound loud, forward and bass-heavy?

TechRadar calls it an "upfront and lively listen" with fairly high detail and a clear habit of attacking a song from the bottom up. Its reviewer found the bass considerable but controlled, with enough texture that it never turns into a blunt instrument. T3 describes the same character as forward, detailed and energetic, and lists "uninhibited bass response" as a drawback.

Both reviews make the same practical complaint: The Three Plus does not play quietly well. TechRadar says it sounds loud even when the volume is low, and lists background listening as a reason to avoid it. If you want a speaker that murmurs in the corner during dinner, that matters more than any spec on this page.

You can rein the low end in. T3 notes a three-band EQ and five presets in the Klipsch Connect app, and Klipsch's manual adds a Night Mode. Turning the bass down a step is a good first move in a small room or on a shelf close to a wall.

Stereo width has a ceiling. Both full-range drivers share one 14-inch cabinet, so you get a 2.1 presentation from a single box, not the spread of two speakers placed several feet apart.

How good is the Klipsch The Three Plus phono stage for a turntable?

The rear RCA input switches between line level and phono level, so a turntable without its own preamp plugs straight in. That convenience is the headline feature, and it works. The catch is quality: TechRadar found the phono input lacks the drive and detail of the other inputs and calls it a "nice to have" rather than the main event. T3 rates it "ordinary."

The fix is cheap if vinyl becomes your main source. Many turntables have a built-in preamp, and you can run those into the RCA input set to line level, which skips the internal phono stage. If you are building a record-player setup from scratch, our guide to bookshelf speakers for Crosley record players covers the other route.

What inputs does the Klipsch The Three Plus have for streaming and TV?

Klipsch's spec sheet lists an optical input that decodes up to 24-bit/96kHz, which means a TV, CD transport or streamer can feed it digitally. T3 found the sound character consistent across the optical, USB-C and Bluetooth inputs, so the choice of input comes down to convenience.

USB-C does three jobs. It plays audio from phones, thumb drives and music players, it reverse-charges a phone, and Klipsch says it can power a WiiM Mini streamer to add network streaming. That last point is the workaround for the missing Wi-Fi: there is no AirPlay, Chromecast or voice assistant built in.

There is no 3.5 mm aux jack, so older devices need a 3.5 mm-to-RCA cable. Bluetooth 5.3 supports SBC and AAC only, so Android users get no LDAC or aptX advantage here. Klipsch says it remembers up to eight paired devices and quotes a range of up to 40 feet.

Optical makes it usable as a TV speaker, but it is a stereo box with no center channel or dialogue mode beyond EQ. If the TV is the priority, a 5.1 system such as the JBL Bar 500 is built for that job.

How do Broadcast Mode and the Klipsch Connect app work?

Broadcast Mode lets The Three Plus send its audio to 10 or more Broadcast-enabled Klipsch speakers, including portables like the Klipsch The Detroit. TechRadar points out two limits: the signal is mono, and receiving speakers cannot pass it further, so range depends on the main unit. Klipsch's manual shows Broadcast Mode works only from the Bluetooth input, so you cannot broadcast a record from the phono input.

The app covers EQ, presets, Night Mode, a virtual remote and firmware updates. T3 calls it clean and stable but not expansive. No physical remote ships in the box; Klipsch lists only a power cord as an included accessory.

How big is the Klipsch The Three Plus and where should it go?

The top is real wood veneer in walnut or matte black, with an input button and a volume wheel on a metal strip. T3 calls the build quality "unquestionable" and the finish impeccable. All four sides are wrapped in acoustic cloth.

At roughly 14 inches wide and 10.58 pounds, it fits a credenza or a deep bookshelf. TechRadar's reviewer placed it on a rack, a bookshelf and a chest of drawers and found it happy anywhere not too boxed in. T3 adds that it wants some room at the sides. It runs only from the wall, with no battery and no water resistance rating, so keep it indoors.

Who should buy the Klipsch The Three Plus, and who should skip it?

Buy it if:

• You want one tidy box for a turntable, a TV over optical and your phone.
• You like a punchy, bass-forward sound at room-filling volume.
• You would rather skip Wi-Fi accounts and apps for everyday listening.

Skip it if:

• Vinyl is your main source and you care about phono quality.
• You mostly listen at low, background levels.
• You want real stereo width, multiroom Wi-Fi or a voice assistant.

What are the alternatives to the Klipsch The Three Plus?

Marshall Stanmore III. The style rival. Marshall lists a 50W woofer amp and two 15W tweeter amps, RCA and 3.5 mm inputs and Bluetooth 5.2, but no phono preamp or optical input. Pick it for the look and the physical bass and treble knobs, and add an external phono preamp if you play records. See our Marshall Stanmore III review.

Klipsch The Fives. The upgrade for real stereo and TV. Klipsch's spec sheet lists 160W of total system power, a phono preamp, HDMI ARC with CEC, optical, RCA and USB inputs, and a subwoofer output, spread across two separate speakers. You need space for a pair, but you get proper left/right separation. Read our Klipsch The Fives review.

Edifier R1280DB. The budget route. Edifier rates it at 42W RMS with optical, coaxial, two RCA inputs, Bluetooth and a remote, which The Three Plus lacks. There is no phono stage, so pair it with a turntable that has a built-in preamp. Our Edifier R1280DB review has the details.

If Wi-Fi streaming matters more than a phono input, TechRadar suggests the JBL Authentics 500 as a similar-minded alternative. Our JBL Authentics 200 review covers the smaller model in that family. For a party speaker, see the Monster S200, or read about the Sonos Era 100 smart speaker.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Klipsch: The Three Plus product page
• Klipsch: The Three Plus spec sheet (PDF)
• Klipsch: The Three Plus manual (PDF)
• TechRadar: Klipsch The Three Plus review
• T3: Klipsch The Three Plus review
• Marshall: Stanmore III specs
• Klipsch: The Fives spec sheet (PDF)
• Edifier: R1280DB specs