Klipsch CDT-3650-C II In-Ceiling Speaker

The Klipsch CDT-3650-C II is the smallest, more affordable speaker in the CDT lineup. In this review, it performed higher than we expected with punchy sound and resolute detail. Despite its lower price than the 3750 this is very easy to recommend to our readers. Klipsch is known for making fantastic home audio systems and for those wanting to benefit from a ceiling speaker's discreet and unobtrusive nature. These offer many advantages over the past budget models we have tested.

Specifications

Frequency Response: 63Hz-23KHz ± 3dB Sensitivity 93dB @ 2.83V / 1m

Impedance: 8 ohms

Recommended Power: 100 W

High Frequency Driver: 1” (2.54cm) Aluminum diaphragm

Mid & Low Frequency Driver: 6.5" (16.51cm) cone woofer

Diameter: 9.5"

Installation Information: Cutout Diameter - 8.3" / Mounting Depth - 4.5" / Weight - 6.8 lbs.

Build Quality

We already installed and tested the larger CDT-5800 and the build quality was noted to be one of the best in class. The CDT-3650-CII is simply a miniaturized version with almost identical construction.

The speaker is mounted on a high-quality ABS frame that uses a compression fit for installation. It is weight-bearing but not brittle so I foresee no long-term issues with the chassis.

The outer grill is magnetic so you can access the speaker easily once installed in case you wish to make adjustments to the direction of the tweeter or woofer. The grill is plain white and can be painted to color match a room.

Both the 6.5-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter pivot in the frame to allow accurate positioning of the drivers to suit the room you are in. This goes some way to offset the sound planning issues found in static fixed ceiling speakers. Sound does not need to travel straight down and can be balanced or controlled to work optimally in a room using more than one speaker.

The back side has no casing as you would expect from a flush-mounted speaker but Klipsch has kept coils and capacitors neatly mounted on the back end of the frame where you can connect your cables as well as make some adjustments to the treble.

Having done hundreds of installs you can tell a cheap from a premium ceiling speaker and these definitely feel like a quality product. The materials used are of high quality and the finishing is among the best I have seen.

Styling

Styling is subjective but what is there really to say about a speaker that is mounted into a wall or ceiling? Here Klipsch kept everything simple and I love that they didn’t feel a need to put a logo on the speaker grill. If for some reason you do choose to use the 3650 naked then they have that beautiful Klipsch signature bronze color.

Sound

Sound is refined and controlled. It doesn’t have too much coloration and has an overall natural presentation. It gets very loud without distortion and offers a nice balance of clarity and detail. I think that detail is slightly above normal for this category, especially in the upper midrange where there is an emphasis. This leads the sound to be energetic and clear.

The bass is adequate but pairing with a subwoofer will do wonders even if such a speaker is not optimal in this use case. The base can be described as punch fast and fairly detailed but it lacks the true sub-bass response that you will find in floor-standing speakers combined with dedicated subwoofers.

The midrange surprisingly isn’t colored. I say surprisingly because that’s what I found when testing the 5800 with some warmth. In that regard, I would say the 3650 are colder and more analytical. This was beneficial for stringed instruments and female vocals that had zero muddiness to them but perhaps male vocals would benefit from more weight and gravitas.

The highs were excellent, again the 5800 were more rolled off but here they were clear and distinct leading me to think if I was choosing the speakers for classical or Jazz I may purchase the 3650 over the 5800… controversial I’m sure.

Spacing and soundstage, of course, will depend on room planning and materials. The Klipsch can take advantage of a good setup but you need to find a balance between sound and

Final Words

The Klipsch CDT-3650-C II does stand out as better speaker than most entry-level monitors and sounds fantastic. Build quality is also excellent. The real competition for them is going to be within Klipsch’s own lineup. Prices (shown in the links here) are very tight between the different models. Spending a few dollars more can get you a better speaker but I think, having tested multiple in the range, they differentiate themselves. This is a very good speaker in its own regard, offering neutral tuning and remaining distortion-free even with excess volume input.

Official Website: www.klipsch.com/products/cdt-3650-c-ii