Klipsch The Fives Powered Bookshelf Speakers (Matte Black)

**UPDATE Aug 2021 Just wanted to add that I had ordered three pairs of these and amazingly TWO pairs had a bad tweeter. It doesn't change any of the review (one pair was an accurate tester to arrive at all my audio observations). It's not an Amazon issue since one affected pair was purchased elsewhere. As unlikely as this problem might be, I do recommend L/R channel testing your pair, preferably with a mono sound source or album (beach boys, Pet sounds, duh). One of those pair also had a bad Aux input, so check all of your inputs as well. If you were to be unlucky enough to have any flaws, simply test it thoroughly before the return window, then return and keep the faith with getting a new pair. Don't bother with contacting Klipsch, they're a bit of a nightmare. ---Original Review--- I've purchased a couple sets of these. I've even gone the refurbished route, which is fine and worth the savings. Though that might be unnecessary due to somewhat frequent sales on these of late. ($700 new). However, If refurbished (or new), you might look for tightly stretched screens with the linen and square (non warped) speaker box construction. Even then, it might be acceptable with minor imperfections. A fair amount of info on these speaker already, so I'll try to keep it abbreviated and specific: - You buy the FIVES and spend maybe a little more $$ vs its competitors for: Legit great sound (Klipsch tuning), Powered speakers and relatively SMALL footprint, Good looks - Great sound overall. Insane bass capabilities but not the tightest bass for speakers of this type. Still sounds good though when dialed in (Flat bass setting for music is preferred) - I like the sound signature. It's somewhat unique with an excellent phantom center channel. Some tone controls can further help dial in personal preferences, however. Top line observation is that the sound is a little "forward" in the mids, this being noticed on vocals the most. Although I think this tuning does indeed help with TV watching and dialogue, it compliments most music for sure. I use the Fives for 90% music and don't feel like it compromises anything there despite it competing with sound bars. - With the firmware update, you now get three bass cut options. Easily toggled via the remote. (edit: app with EQ settings is now available; I don't use this..) - Definitely update the firmware. You'll need formatted usb flash drive. - The newly installed bass cut option is the "flattest" option the Fives deliver. And is completely needed in certain conditions and/or for certain tastes. - The remote is an underrated feature of these. Ergonomic, simple, and USEFUL. Operates the bass cut options as mentioned and bass level/volume for a subwoofer (extremely useful with a sub) - Do you need a sub? No. If space, adding cost, and bass hunger are all a factor, then these already have you covered. - BUT a sub can do two things: boost the overall sound quality by freeing up the drivers, and allow for increased volume. This is a bonus and a luxury but still is a noticeable audiophile-centric improvement. - I've been testing these with TWO subs (8" jamo) and its even better. You'll just need a coaxial Y splitter. Works great. (This pairing outperforms a single 10" jamo sub IMO, for example). These are not high super quality subs but still provide improvement. - If you're using a desktop/computer setup for listening, you're able to use the USB connection. It's easy and great. And frees up your headphone jack. - BUT you have two other options to affect sound quality that aren't so obvious to most. This relates to the DAC in your system. The first option is to bypass the FIVES' DAC with your desktop's DAC. You do this by skipping the USB input and instead use the phono/line in RCA to 3.5mm jack into your computer's headphone jack. Depending on your system, you're likely to get a subtle to very noticeable sound upgrade. Zero reviews speak about this, but effect is real. The DAC bypass scenario is just a theory, but something changes. The idea being that your computer has a slightly better DAC than the FIVES (which is part of the FIVES' package that your paying for...) The second option is to go even further and skip your computer's DAC with some sort of outboard DAC. I'm using a Focusrite Clarett for example (the Clarett connected to the Mac via USB, the FIVES connected to the Clarett via headphone out into the FIVES RCA line in). - I'm also running a Fosi Q4 from my MacBook. This also adds TONE controls which is very welcome. - I'm also running a Helm Auto Bolt DAC from my Android phone - All of the above DAC options are different (and only being used one at a time) and I won't go into it, but they all add a VERY noticeable sound upgrade ($55, $100, $450) - If this sounds interesting to you, and you want a rec, then I STRONGLY recommend the Fosi Q4 (the Aiyima A-2 is identical and cheaper). All in all, it's by far the best option: the tone controls are what makes it S tier to any other affordable DAC - The Fives' DSP is killer and also part of what you're paying for with these versus say other powered speakers with lesser DSP or passive speakers and amp with no DSP. (DSP in this case mostly modulates the bass at low volumes making the music sound more full at lower volumes. A "Joe and Tell" review on YouTube mentions the high frequencies aren't modified by DSP which he suggests it might benefit from, but I have no problem with highs at lower volumes) - I don't believe the DSP works with the sub plugged in? - The Fives look good with and without the grills. I think the grills should come taught to maximize their good looks. They click on and off easily via magnets which is perfect bc they deserve to alternate. Slight, slight boost in clarity with the grills off. - All listening as described has been via some version of hard wired, line-in listening. Bluetooth, isn't being used but I'm still happy to have it built in. - If using as desktop/near field speakers, prop them up (the tweeter) to or slightly above ear level. The difference is huge. Shoot for the same in a room situation. - Using HDMI Arc for TV listening works well and is nice to control volume via TV remote. The speed at which the volume goes up or down via my TV remote is pretty slow vs the TV's default volume. Slightly annoying actually, but is fine. Plus you can still use the Fives' remote which toggles volume faster.

This is the best bookshelf speaker I have heard under $1K. Sound is big and it rival my B&W floor standing speaker. The Bass can fill pretty large room and have spare. No need for Sub, I was fooled into thiking my Sub woofer was on, and then I realize, I did not even hook the sub at all. I thought there is no way, the fives sound as "big" as my floor standing speaker with Sub. The bass is thuderous, not in a bloated way, but its a quality type bass, like a well tune sub. Now the fives will sound very boomy if your room is small and you place it next to the wall. And since I bought it for my small room, I have to block the back port. I have tried several type of material for blocking and find that the soft foam (egg crate foam) works really well. I have tried roll up towel, Socks, Paper towel, Soft tissue etc. Here the tip. You can actually set the bass level according to your preference. Cut foam into a wedge so it fits exactly. I cut several sizes to set different bass level. 1) Fully block with foam - the bass is pretty tight, all boom gone, even if I stick my head to the corner of my room, the boom is gone. The bass is now on par with my my B&W speaker and also a little more bass than Audio Monitor 5. The bass quality on the fives is still better even with the foam. Now there is a bass cancel switch on the remote but it kills too much bass IMO. The foam block still allows some air to pass and it does not affect the low end.- just remove the "double bass" reflecting from the wall. 2) Foam with 1 pinky finger hole, the bass is slightly stronger, there is a slight boom. It still sound like a sub is running but very well control. 3) Foam with 2 finger hole - the boom is back. Still reduce but way better. Now I am only refering to small room and the fives is next to the wall. If I "free" my fives to a bigger space, high ceiling etc. There is no need for the foam. I think this is where the fives should really be. The sound is grand.. For the top end, the clarity and smoothness is superb. I would describe this as a very romantic sound with slightly forward vocal focus. Its like playing a trumpet in a underground subway rather than a control treated studio (well I am using anology, the difference of course is not that great but u get the idea). Since I love Jazz to death, the vocal, bass, clarity, soundstage combo is just grand. yes, it sound grand. It will not sound like a computer speaker, it sound like a floor standing speaker with a well tune subs. As the top end is sibilance free, I tend to turn up the volume more. The Dyanamic EQ work very well, this tech has been around and some will call it night mode. The bass will increase as the volume goes softer. I do appreciate the increase in bass WITHOUT the increase in treble (most night mode speakers do that) and then it sounded very V shape and even at low volume, all I hear is tizzy and bass, the vocal get recessed, I am glad the fives does not do that. Some had pointed it out the treble should also increase when bass increase to balance things out. Well.. I hope they will provide e an app for EQ in the future. But then, I can always adjust the EQ on my phone. For now, the treble is just right. Its warm, smooth and has superb clarity. Pls dun confuse clarity means brighter treble. the fives is not bright at all, yet the clarity is as good as a brighter monitor like the AE5+. the 3 sec hold button on the sub button cancel a big chunk of bass. Once the bass is cancel, it will sound like a Audio Engine 5. Not a bad thing but I luv bass. Some people say this is a more accurate sound. Well, even if you cancel the bass, this monitor is still not accurate enough for studio mixes. Its a high quality "fun" speaker. It may not be accurate, but its very musical... I have alot of fun with it. Connection is great, one of the main reason I bought the fives is the HDMI input for TV (remenber to set your TV output to PCM. Also note that connecting with a Chrome cast direct to HDMI will not work = no sound. I also connect the Echo dot with the line in and it can now play Amazon HD music and stream radio station. For a higher quality, the echo link can connect digital to the fives (well u will need $199 for the echo link). Due to its small size and pretty light weight - I tend to take the fives all over the place. I can take it to my friend place or office and its like bringing my floor standing speaker with the sub on my back pack. That is real fun... Alright - for those who does not want the big bass and not play with foam, the 2nd best will be Edifier s3000 pro and Swan M300 in terms of power speaker with big bass. They all have similar bass power but IMO I think the fives is still way ahead (just love that big warm romatic sound of the fives). Now the S3000 pro does have DSP built in with several mode including the dynamic mode (which now has increase bass with increase treble) and the Swan M300 is an old school style with knobs control to turn the bass/treble up and down. Do bear in mind, reducing the bass to solve the boom is not solving it, its getting rid of the bass. U will still need the foam to maintain the bass on the front but reduce the bass reflect from the wall. Either that or get a front port. Problem solved. Summary - For those who wants a small package with big sound. THIS is it. It fits on your desk, sound like a floor standing speaker and does it without amplifer. It also has the option to stream hi res lossless ($30 for chromcast) and connect usb to your laptop as it has a DAC on board. If you looking for "flat" sound, this is not an accurate monitor for your mixes. Closest you can get is to turn off the sub (3sec hold button on remote) and even that its not close to neutral (whatever neutral means to u when recording/mixing). But heck its of alot of fun. I can have it on my kitchen in the morning and bedroom at night. It super portable, its only 1 plug - that the power plug. update: 3/26/21. I am so impress with the fives that I bought the REL T5i Subwoofer. I bought the T5i for to control the bass boom in a small room. I am surprise that the fives goes up another level. 1）When connecting to the subs, the bass from 75hz and below is cutoff. This cutoff broght alot of clarity to the treble. 2) With the REL Subsoofer, the bass now has alot more texture and its really fast. The REL blended so well with the fives that I cant really tell that the bass is coming from the sub. Bass is dead center. 3) All the bass boom is gone - Even in the back of the wall or corner of the room, the bass is very even and well control. 4) Bass punch hard and fast. very well define and bass notes can be heard with great clarity. Overall, the addition of the subs makes the fives sound 3x more expensive than it really was. I dare say, it will rival a B&W 705 S2 and in fact the bass punch above the B&W as the REL added more depth, and bass more define. Some reviewer say that adding any subs will still be better than no subs. This is wrong. Adding a cheap subs will make the fives sound worse. The bass is loose, muddy and not define. I would rather not have it at all. If you are looking for a sub to pair with the fives, the REL T5i is the best. Do not get the REL Tzero mk 3, I have that too and its not strong enough to pair with the fives. Also get a subs that is seal for music. A ported subs will not be as tight and fast as a seal subs.

Where can I even start with these speakers… First a little about my audio background: I do consider myself a bit of an audiophile - however, as I have lived in a smaller apartment for quite some time , I mostly enjoyed music through high quality headphones. Some of my favorite headphones include the HD 650, Audeze mm-500s, and Hifiman Ananda - for reference. Headphones are great for listening enjoyment but most suffer from some small issues, like a pretty significant bass roll off for open back headphones, and a somewhat lacking soundstage when compared to real speakers. This is the reason I owned 3 nice pairs, as each offered something a little bit different. Jump to today, and I am now thankful to be a homeowner. I was looking to dip my toes into a speaker system, and discovered the fives by Klipsch. It’s hard to get an idea of how speakers will sound watching reviews, but everyone seemed to rave about how dynamic these speakers are especially considering the size. I was intrigued, and for 399 a pair I could not pass them up, and figured if I did not like them I would just return them. First of all, the reviews were not wrong - these things are bassy , but maybe not 100% in the best way. Out of the box they were fun, but boomy and sloppy in the lower frequencies. First thing I did was update the firmware via USB and mess with the settings. The speakers to me sounded the best with the flat EQ, and -3 DB on the bass with dynamic bass off. However, with these settings a noticeable roll off occurs under 50hz. I was very satisfied with the sound despite this. They are very clear and resolving without being fatiguing, with very full colorful mids (best way I can describe it.) the sound was fantastic, but this system really needed a sub to shine. I went with the SVS SB-1000 pro sub, which was almost twice the cost of the speakers - but 1000% worth it. With the mix and phase accurately adjusted and the sub properly placed after doing a sub crawl (google this if you’re unfamiliar, I highly recommend doing it) these speakers are just incredible- in fact this is the best audio quality I have ever heard out of any system full stop. Details are so clear and everything has a sparkle and shine to it, where as mids are full of life - vocals really shine through each mix, and the clean as life bass from the sealed sub really ties it all together to make this system punchy and insanely satisfying to listen to. TLDR: Buy these speakers, but set them up properly with a quality sealed subwoofer for pure audio bliss. Also, still working on cable management- as you can see from the pictures.

Its good but buggy. I've been using it for some time already and this is an upgrade from Klipsch 51, and Presonus Eris 5.5xt which I own, I bundled this with Klipsch 120sw subwoofer and to be honest its everything you need as bookshelf speakers, it has bluetooth, remote, rca, USB and optical inputs so from interface perspective your safe. The phone application is good, not the best but it provides some features like basic 3 level equalizer which is not at all enough for high end speakers, but its there. Listening experience been extreme, its either extreme good or some times high frequencies is all over the place. Im not saying its bad, but im expecting at this price range that speakers must be balanced. Nothing that external equalizer cant fix, so basically you need to run them through equalizer to be able to deal with some music tracks. Loudness is great and it fills medium room easily with lots of vibes and colorful music. Cons, USB input is horrible, it comes with very short USB cable and cant extend it, when I did using powered USB extender or USB hub the speakers suffered extremely with packet loss, disconnections and all problems and there is no fix even after updating the firmware. This is a deal breaker for me since I like to run my audio to pc using USB cable however im limited to very short cable USB B which is ancient type of connection and not good for high quality audio. Phone application is basic, I wish it can have some updates, and would like to see audio streaming, however these speakers don't support it. Overall they are good set of bookshelf and im happy using it, however if it wasn't for international shipping I would replace them to different set of speakers with more modern feature and more tweaked for music.

I am quite impressed with these speakers. They can be configured to 24 bit 192000hz for Studio Quality Audio. Out of the box, and when I first connected them to my computer, I needed to change the default setting from a much lower bitrate. Next, I needed to dial in the EQ a little as I found the standard settings to be a tad flat and the highs were off. The firmware upgrade process to unlock the ability to control settings via bluetooth was a bit wonky. I had to connect a flash drive to the speakers to get the backup going. I am not taking a star for this becase it is clear that the folks at Klipsh have put in a significant amount of effort thought and documentation into the process, and I was done in 10 or so minutes. Once I tweaked the EQ and the position settings (my speakers are in corners) the sound just opened up and I honestly cannot find much fault with the sound overall. The build quality is excellent and is reflective of devices in this price range. Little things like faux cork on the bottom of the speakers and the overall finish of the dials and the color of the wood... even magnetic speaker covers to make it seamless and easy to take them off... its all very well put together. I hope that these speakers will last a very long time. I have more inputs than I can really use at present - but it helps future proof them so I can adapt them to a wide variety of uses. I may opt to add in a subwoofer down the road - but for now, the sound is amazing! My only minor gripe is that the the remote is a bit ugly, and the ergonomics make it feel uncomfortable in my hand. This is more a personal prefrence that I I would have liked something more rounded vs the sharp angles on this. That, and the fact that it is an IR remote, and not a RF remote are really the only things I can find to dislike about this set. These are things I can live with in light of the amazing sound that they produce. Well done Klipsh.

I bought these for the TV in my living room which hasn't been used much in the last year. A few times a month I use this TV connected to the speakers through an HDMI cable with arc. Everything worked beautifully and sounded great until about a month ago. It's a Sony smart TV with a less than 1 year old chrome cast attached. Like I said everything worked fine until a few weeks ago. I turned on the TV to play some music, the message switching to external speakers appears on the TV as usual. Then nothing but loud crackling coming from the speakers. There's an app that goes with the speakers which I setup when I got them and haven't needed to use again. I find that there is a firmware update requiring you to download to a thumbdrive and plug it in to the USB port on the speaker. And download another app. I have no idea if this has anything to do with my problem but I'm trying everything. When I opened the Klipsch app it was acting brand new, like I'd never set it up when I bought them. I did, I've opened the app a few times since but it doesn't really do a lot so I really didn't need it for anything. I've tried unplugging everything and using the speaker reset method Klipsch recommends. Still I get either silence from any other source I try or loud crackling when the TV connects to them. I really hate doing these types of updates. The speakers have more than one app, they have multiple types of wireless functionality. But they can't update firmware OTA? I'm going to try this update and app but after reading others problems online I have a feeling I'll be learning if Klipsch has customer service or not. I havent had them a year yet so they are still under warranty. It's just strange, it's like they update to some glitch firmware on their own but then why would you need to use the USB thumbdrive method? Very frustrating. It doesn't matter how good speakers sound if they break themselves with very little use. They are powered through a good surge protector as is the TV and several other things that are all working fine. I've gone through every audio option on the TV thinking that maybe it updated but no luck. So yeah, looks like their software is glitchy to the point of being inoperable. I'll update if I figure out a fix or Klipsch reaches out to send me another set. Companies shouldn't sell products like this if they can't design decent software. The hardware sounded great for what they are. But something has taken them out. Grrrrrr Update: I started a warranty ticket through the Klipsch app. They responded through email with instructions. Obviously all the turn off/turn on, unplugg for I can't remember how long. I'd ready tried all that. If that didn't work they gave instructions to refresh the firmware with a thumdrive and their firmware which I haven't tried yet. I've seen a lot of complaints with people having to do this over and over. Things like the sound stopping everytime they switch sources unless they power cycle. I'll try it because it's 2002 apparently and things can't update over the air back here. I'll let you know if I make it back to 2024 in one piece.

First of all I'm a Gen X'er here. I clearly remember the tail end of the old Stereo Wars that lasted from the mid 70's into the very early 80's. Receivers, one-uping each other with more and more powerful amplifier sections driving big speakers like those from JBL, Klipsch Heresies, and Realistic Moch One's, and so forth. Classic Rock by the likes of Van Halen, AC/DC, Queen, would be cranked up loud and proud. It was definitely a great time for audio heads and a well remembered time in my childhood. When I ordered a pair of Klipsch "The Fives" and R-100SW subwoofer, my intent was to give my PC a good upgrade from a set of Bose 2.1 computer speakers. The Bose setup sounded good. It got the job done. But for the type of music I listen to they sounded compressed and constrained. Isaac Newton was pretty much was telling me that only so much Bose techno trickery can be done with tiny 3" drivers and a 5" subwoofer. So in came my Klipsch set up. I knew I was going to get better sound with my new speakers. But what I was not expecting is the music I listen to coming to life in such a way that it warmed my heart, bringing me back to my childhood of hearing old Stereo War era systems thumping classic rock. My dream speakers back then was a big set of 15" three ways and a big receiver to drive them. Well with "The Fives" coupled with the R100SW sub, I got everything I was hoping for out of my childhood dream speakers but in a modern form factor. As a nice bonus my Klipsch setup does all of my music justice with details and a massive soundstage. My favorite aspect of my setup are the tweeters of the Five. They seem to have a tickle to them that brings so much life to music. Vocals are spot on as if singers are standing right in front of me performing. Snare drums have a nice snappy pop. Guitars feel very much at home on my setup. For classical music, my god the soundstage is absolutely massive. The only other speakers I've heard with this much soundstage are a pair of Magnapans I listened to some years ago. These little speakers helped along with a nice subwoofer definitely punch way above their weight and price point. Some Audiophiles like to complain about Klipsch speakers not having the flattest frequency response, and, yes, these speakers do have their own character. That's why I am reminded of old stereo war era gear. But I will counter that argument in that getting good audio gear is not about the flattest frequency response nor obsessing over buying the most expensive gear money can buy. Its not about paying a fortune to get some exotic speaker system with nuclear floating point gravametic enhanced holographic drivers made from rare and exotic materials from Planet Praxis. Getting a good system is all about putting together a setup that brings music to life in a way that makes YOU the listener happy. For me my Fives and Subwoofer gets the job done and are still happy enough to party on the weekend. So bottom line, if you are looking for something to help you enjoy the music you listen to and have a moderate budget, I would recommend The Five along with a decent subwoofer. They are very good at bringing life to your music and giving you the taste of the glory days of the Stereo Wars era. But if you are an Uber nit picky Audiophile looking for that absolute perfect sound, then you have a variety of choices that cost as much as a Tesla Model S Plaid or more to choose from. 5/5 stars, folks. Happy music listening, That's what being an audiophile should really be about.

This is an uncompensated review, I paid full retail for these speakers. I've had them for two days. First, I don't consider myself an audiophile, but I do enjoy occasionally turning up the volume on old rock-n-roll from vinyl, CDs, and my phone. I also was looking for better sound from my TV's factory speakers. Right out of the box these speakers amazed me (some have spoken of a break-in period, maybe they'll get even better with time). Loud (and clear) enough to easily fill my 30x40 family room, and annoy family members elsewhere in the house. Because you can connect a record player directly, I tried that first thing. (It's surprisingly amazing not to have a big receiver connecting the two.) Honestly I'm hearing distinct layers of voice and instrument I had not noticed before from 1980s vinyl. I just sat there in my chair and listened, it was that compelling (usually I work while listening). These also work great with my TV (a TCL 50-inch, 2020 model). When connected via HDMI-ARC (as if I know what that is) the speakers power up automatically when the TV is turned on, and the factory TV remote controls their sound level. I also played some tunes via Bluetooth from my phone and to my unsophisticated ear again I thought they sounded awesome. I have no idea about bit rates, etc. but there you go...awesome sound. A few other notes: I am not seeing the issue where people say you have to re-set the sound in your TV streaming app (Netflix, etc.) between episodes, in order to have sound work correctly. So far at least, mine works as expected whenever I turn it on and stream TV, even if I move from show to show. I had previously set the TCL's sound control to stereo not to "auto select" or Dolby, as I recall. I will update if I see this issue. Fit and finish of these speakers is top-notch, I got the wood-look design and they look great. I had no issues downloading the Klipsch Connect app to my Android phone or getting Bluetooth connected and into use. I was not prompted to update firmware, so maybe it's not necessary with latest units (Nov. 2020). Here are the only negatives I've encountered: $799. for two 12-inch-tall speakers seems like a lot of money (but of course there is a lot of tech and great design packed into these little boxes). The sound control when using the TV remote is a little sluggish, it lags a bit behind the button press, but it's OK, you get used to it. The bass on some tunes seems a little heavy. I have no intention of buying the separate woofer. Maybe there's a way to adjust the bass, I haven't looked into that yet as it hasn't really been a big problem. I have hardly played with speaker placement (I have them a foot from the wall behind them) which may help. Finally I will say it took Klipsch a week to send an auto-reply to my pre-purchase question at their web site (I finally went ahead after finding the info in a review elsewhere) and I still haven't heard from an actual person there so I hope their tech support is adequate if actually needed. If you can afford them, these speakers are awesome. I will update this review if I have any future problems with them.