The Klipsch The Fives are quite large bookshelf speaker systems measuring 304.8 mm in height, 165.1 mm in width, and 234.9 mm in depth. The main speaker weighs five and a half kilograms, while the additional speaker is slightly lighter at 4.8 kilograms. Like most wireless bookshelf systems, the main speaker houses all the electronics, while the second is simply a passive speaker. However, unlike some systems, you can choose whether the main speaker is on the left or right, using a switch on the back panel, making placement more flexible.
Features:
- Drivers: 1 tweeter with titanium dome, 1 inch (25.4 mm) diameter, Tractrix horn, 1 low-frequency driver, 5½ inch (11.43 cm) diameter
- Frequency range: 50 Hz to 25 kHz
- Sensitivity: 109 dB
- RMS power: 160 W (2 x 80 W - low: 60 W / high: 20 W)
- Peak power: 320 W
- Bluetooth 5.0, approximate range 10m
- Additional input: 3.5 mm mini-jack
- Switchable line/phono preamp input: 2 x RCA
- Audio USB port (type B)
- Optical digital audio input
- HDMI ARC input
This two-way speaker system includes a 4.5-inch woofer with a composite fiber cone with a large excursion, close to a 5-inch size to give the speakers their name "The Fives". A 1-inch titanium vented LTS (Linear Travel Suspension) tweeter with a 90 x 90 degree Tractrix horn is derived from the famous Reference Premiere series. The rear-ported Tractrix cabinet is made of durable MDF with natural wood veneer. Additionally, the speakers come with a stylish cloth cover with magnetic grille.
Custom-built amplifiers deliver a total of 160 W power (320 W peak), with each low-frequency driver receiving 60 W and each high-frequency driver receiving 20 W from their own separate amplifier circuits. The maximum output signal is 109 dB at 1 meter distance from the stereo pair, with a frequency response from 50 Hz to 25 kHz and low-frequency extension down to 46 Hz at 35% volume.
One interesting feature is the dynamic low-frequency equalizer, commonly found only in AV receivers. Essentially, the low-frequency level relative to the entire spectrum adjusts depending on your overall level set - the lower the level, the more bass is boosted to adapt to how the human ear perceives different frequencies at different levels. This feature can be disabled using the included remote control.
In addition to analog and digital inputs, the Klipsch The Fives speaker also has a built-in USB DAC, allowing you to connect a computer. The DAC supports the majority of audio formats, including WAV, WMA, MP3, and FLAC up to 24 bit/192 kHz. It operates asynchronously, meaning it uses its own clock for complete bypassing of the computer's sound scheme, providing more accurate decoding and reducing jitter. With a Mac, the Klipsch The Fives speaker can be used as a USB DAC as soon as it is connected to a computer. However, for Windows PCs, specific drivers need to be downloaded from the Klipsch website.
The free Klipsch Connect app for iOS and Android offers another way to control some of the company's products, including Klipsch The Fives. The current version only provides setup procedures, firmware updates, and product registration. The app offers a brief guide with videos, mostly an extended version of the printed manual.
The Klipsch The Fives feature a Bluetooth 5.0 receiver, allowing you to stream music from a smartphone, tablet, DAP, or even a computer. The transmission range is about 10 meters, giving you enough flexibility to move from room to room with your smartphone in your pocket without interrupting the music. However, the receiver is only compatible with the SBC codec. Despite the limited transfer speed of 320 kbit, we found that the sound via Bluetooth was clear and detailed enough to enjoy music streaming services like Deezer and Spotify.
Package includes:
- Speakers - 2 pieces
- Cable to connect the right speaker to left speaker (4 wires, length 4 meters)
- 3.5 mm mini-jack cable
- USB cable (A type connector to B type connector)
- HDMI cable
- Remote control
- Power cord
- Documentation.