Klipsch, a wholly owned subsidiary of VOXX known for its high-end audio equipment, has now announced two new updates to its lineup at CES 2018. Namely, the company is updating its Heritage line, which includes two devices marketed as The Three and The One. The new versions will now feature Google’s digital A.I. helper, Google Assistant. Unfortunately, for those who may be interested in picking up a new audiophile-grade tabletop smart speaker, the wait for these is going to be a bit long. Although more information is going to be available over the course of CES and beyond, The Three won’t be released until sometime in the fall. The One, in the meantime, won’t be available until the spring of 2019.
Meanwhile, Klipsch has also revealed that nearly everything else about the two speakers will remain the same. That does make some sense since it’s generally a bad idea to try to fix something that isn’t broken and the Heritage line of speakers is already well-established as delivering exceptional sound quality. In other words, Klipsch’s Heritage Wireless The Three will be a larger, stereo tabletop smart speaker that also features an integrated subwoofer for enhanced bass. On the other hand, The One is a smaller, semi-portable tabletop speaker that features a rechargeable battery. Both will feature Bluetooth connectivity and what the company calls a “mid-century modern design,” centered around the use of real wood veneer accented by copper switches and knobs. To set them apart from previous entries aesthetically, however, both will be available with a distinctive finish.
Finally, the cost to own one of the new smart Klipsch speakers has also been officially revealed and follows pretty closely with what might be expected given their features and sound quality. Klipsch expects to sell its Heritage Wireless The Three near its suggested retail price point of $499 when it launches in the fall. The more compact Heritage Wireless The One will also be somewhat less expensive than its larger sibling, with a suggested retail price point of $349. The company may share more details on its AI efforts later this year, before The Three is commercialized.