Klipsch, framing the moment around 80 years of brand history, used Milan Design Week 2026 for the world debut of the kO-R2 — the next limited loudspeaker in its collaboration with designer Devon Turnbull (Ojas). In an April 20, 2026 press release datelined Milan, Klipsch describes curated, appointment-only listening at the Fondazione Luigi Rovati museum from April 19 through April 26, produced with USM Modular Furniture and Karimoku, with a broader global launch in June. Visitors are explicitly invited to bring their own recordings for auditions. This article follows Klipsch’s published wording for industrial and event claims — not independent measurements.
Short version: Limited-edition kO-R2: two-way sectoral horn loudspeaker, handcrafted in Hope, Arkansas, with an Ojas-designed multisectoral horn (Ojas 1506), heavy cast aluminum construction, electrophoresis plus flat black powder coat, Baltic birch cabinetry, premium compression driver, five-step high-frequency gain attenuator, anodized aluminum binding posts, anti-vibration rubber feet, and a laser-engraved metal ID plate. 600 pairs worldwide; finishes Red Oak veneer or Hammertone Silver with a powder-coated matte-black horn. Milan window Apr 19–26; June cited for official product launch. Related Klipsch powered line context: Klipsch The Fives II, Sevens II & Nines II explained.
Milan Design Week activation
Klipsch’s release positions the kO-R2 debut as part of a design-week installation rather than a traditional trade-show booth pitch: the listening environment is the Fondazione Luigi Rovati museum, with USM Modular Furniture and Karimoku named as partners for the physical presentation. Sessions run April 19–26, are by appointment, and are described as offering advance access ahead of the speaker’s official launch in June.
The Ojas 1506 horn geometry
The centrepiece in Klipsch’s copy is the Ojas 1506 multisectoral horn: heavy cast aluminum, treated with electrophoresis and a flat black powder coat. The brand ties the exponential profile to classic Western Electric and Altec lineage — specifically calling out the multisectoral geometry of the Western Electric 25A throat expansion of the KS12025, merged with the faceted character of Altec multicellular horns. Klipsch claims the resulting square and isosceles trapezoidal mouth layout yields even frequency distribution across horizontal and vertical planes; that is design intent language, not third-party polar data.
Cabinet, hardware & finishes
Beyond the horn, Klipsch lists Baltic birch cabinetry, a premium compression driver (no part number in the release), anodized aluminum binding posts, anti-vibration rubber feet, a five-step high-frequency gain attenuator, and a laser-engraved metal ID plate. The loudspeaker is described as a two-way sectoral design built by artisans in Hope, Arkansas, in the same factory narrative Klipsch uses for its long-running Heritage manufacturing story (since 1946 in the release).
Finish options for the run are Red Oak veneer or Hammertone Silver, each paired with a powder-coated matte-black horn.
Production cap & timeline
Klipsch states outright that 600 pairs of kO-R2 will be produced worldwide. The Milan window is framed as a preview and audition phase; June is named for the official launch after Design Week. No MSRP appears in the press text we worked from — treat pricing as to be announced until Klipsch or Ojas publishes it.
What Klipsch and Turnbull said
“Working with Klipsch continues to be an exploration of how we can strip audio down to its most essential, emotional core,” said Turnbull. “With the kO-R2, we focused on creating something that feels immediate and human—where the technology disappears and the listener is left with a pure, physical connection to the music.”
“The kO-R2 represents a powerful intersection of heritage and forward-thinking design. Partnering with Devon allows us to honor Klipsch’s 80-year legacy while pushing into new creative territory—delivering a product that is as culturally relevant as it is acoustically exceptional,” said Vinny Bonacorsi, COO of Klipsch.
Both quotations are reproduced from Klipsch’s April 20, 2026 announcement.
Booking Milan listening sessions
Klipsch’s release ends with an explicit call to reserve sessions. On the live Klipsch article HTML at draft time, the reservation control resolved to a Calendly scheduling URL operated under a Premium Audio Company contact pattern. Because third-party booking tools can change, use the Reserve / scheduling control on Klipsch’s official news post as the source of truth; if you mirror a direct link, re-scrape that page before publish to confirm it still matches Klipsch’s intent.
For readers comparing mainstream Klipsch powered SKUs while waiting on kO-R2 pricing, see our Gen II powered speaker explainer.
