Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones (review)

McLaren
9.2

The Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones are one of a group of three true wireless earphones recently released by Klipsch. They’re the top-of-the-range set and have one unique inclusion.

Review: Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones

  • Australian Website here.
  • Manual or Support pages here (links near bottom of page).
  • Price: A$499
  • From: Legitimate Klipsch retailers.
  • Warranty: 12 months
  • Country of Manufacture: China
  • About: Klipsch is a US loudspeaker company, established way back in 1946. Voxx International, a US company, that owns lots of audio equipment brands also now owns Klipsch.

About the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones

If you like, you can go read about the somewhat lower-cost Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport earphones here, and you’ll have a very good idea what these earphones are about. But before I get into the differences, let me describe the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones briefly.

McLaren
  • Two earphones, one charge case.
  • Unusually, the charge case completely seals up. It’s IP67 waterproof rated … and it floats.
  • The earphones are also IP67 rated. (IP67 means up to one metre of immersion for up to half an hour.)
  • The USB Type-C charge port is under the lid, so it’s also protected from water.
  • But, also unusually, the case supports Qi wireless charging, which is highly convenient.
  • The buds are rated at 8 hours of battery life, with three full recharges in the case.
  • The buds are fitted with fins to lock them securely into your ears. Three sizes are provided.
  • There are six sizes of silicone tips provided, plus one set using memory foam. The tips clip on to the buds, rather than merely stretch over the acoustic outlet.
  • The buds support Bluetooth 5.0, AAC and aptX.
  • A transparency mode lets you hear the rest of the world with a touch of a button.
McLaren

And what’s different about them?

The Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones cost $50 more than the regular ones. Why?

Well, they differ in a number of ways. As the name suggests, Klipsch is an “official audio partner” of the McLaren F1 racing team. So these earphones get the McLaren colour treatment. Well, they principally get highlights in McLaren orange to the main black colouring. The interior of the charge case, and a band around the seal, are orange, as are all the silicone tips (the fins and memory foam tips are black). In the box you get a nice colourful little booklet extolling the collaboration between Klipsch and McLaren, plus four Klipsch and McLaren-themed stickers.

But most importantly and most usefully, you get a neat little wireless charge pad. Klipsch rates this at 10 watts output, so its good enough for a regular phone as well. But they have not bundled a power adaptor, so to get that kind of power you’ll need a two-amp power adaptor. I’ve got an iPhone charging on it as I’m writing.

In use

In every other way these earphones are identical to the other models. Including in range – a very solid 25 metres – and the tendency of the fins to slip down the body of the buds, inhibiting clean placement of them into the case.

The sound was identical, also, to that of the lower-cost model. Again I found it best to push the bass level right up in the free Klipsch Connect app. But this time I improved the bass a little by using the memory foam tips. These provided a better seal in my ears, and that always helps the bass.

In short, they made for a fine listen.

Gadgetguy’s Take – the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones are a nice upgrade

That’s largely thanks to the charging pad, but the colour scheme really is quite bold and interesting too.

Features
9.4
Value for money
9
Performance
9.2
Ease of use
9.2
Design
9.4
Positives
Wireless charging
Charge pad included
Waterproof
Long battery life
Negatives
Fins can slip, leading to connection problems in the case until they’re readjusted
9.2