08/22/2026
So I love this picture. It says so much. Ask yourself in any Theater where do the speakers go? Do they stand in the front of the screen? Do they go below the screen like most center speakers end up? The answer is almost always no. They go behind the screen. This is why even with lcd displays approaching 120" we always recommend a perforated screen just like the real Theaters do. It's more believable, vocals and spatial cues are preserved. In a word it's just "perfect" to have the speakers behind the screen. You can't do that with a giant LCD screen in the way. This picture is part of Klipsch long and proud history! Let's hope they keep making history for years to come1
80 years of iconic Klipsch images | Cinema, 2005 – Klipsch creative director George Harris views a large behind-the-screen cinema speaker system designed by Roy Delgado. Captured by photographer Gary Sparks at Malco’s 14-screen Paradiso Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee, it was one of only two houses in the world to serve as a technological prototype for presenting a new surround sound concept developed by Tomlinson Holman – best known for his work with George Lucas and their development of THX®. To achieve the needed level of performance, Malco chose a series of Klipsch Professional stage and screen loudspeakers. The 10.2 system utilized eight Klipsch KPT- MCM Grand loudspeakers (the world’s first fully horn-loaded, THX® approved, four-way cinema sound system), while dozens of KPT- 1201, KPT-250, and KI-362 speakers handled the surround effects. With over 60,000 watts of power, the audio system could deliver immense sound pressure and extend as low as 17Hz.
“This large format auditorium has a sound system that is the strongest, most dynamic of any commercial theater venue in the world,” said Mike Thomson, Malco ’s vice president of operations and technology. “I prefer Klipsch because they are considerably more efficient than the competition without the sacrificing frequency response.”
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