Klipsch The Fives Review: Versatile Powered Speakers, Now Replaced by The Fives II

Klipsch The Fives Powered Hi-Fi Bookshelf Speakers are a stereo pair built to replace a soundbar and a separate amplifier at once. They connect to a TV over HDMI ARC, take a turntable through a built-in phono stage, and add Bluetooth, optical, USB and a subwoofer output. Reviewers at What Hi-Fi? and Sound & Vision liked their punchy, detailed sound.

They are also the outgoing model. Klipsch launched The Fives II in 2026 with Wi-Fi streaming and Dolby Atmos decoding, so buy the originals only at a clear discount. Skip them if you sit far away and play loud: Erin’s Audio Corner measured a limiter that trims bass as volume rises.

ArmorSound did not test The Fives. This research review draws on Klipsch’s spec sheet, manual and product page, reviews from What Hi-Fi? and Sound & Vision, Erin’s Audio Corner’s Klippel measurements, and launch coverage of The Fives II.

Where to buy

Our verdict

Klipsch The Fives

Best for: TV plus turntable in one system

Drivers

1-inch horn tweeter, 4.5-inch woofer

Power

160W total system

Frequency response

50 Hz–25 kHz

Inputs

HDMI ARC, phono/line, optical, USB, 3.5mm, Bluetooth

Sub out

Mono RCA line level

• HDMI ARC with CEC for one-remote TV control
• Built-in phono stage with ground terminal
• aptX HD and AAC Bluetooth plus USB audio
• Subwoofer output with app-based sub volume

• Measured limiter trims bass at high volume
• No Wi-Fi streaming; replaced by The Fives II
• Treble can sound bright to some listeners

Watch for: Switch on the bass cut mode if they sound boomy; Erin’s Audio Corner measured the default profile as bass-heavy.

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What are the Klipsch The Fives key specs?

Figures are from Klipsch’s spec sheet. A previous version of this page described 5.25-inch woofers; that size belongs to The Fives II. The originals use 4.5-inch woofers. It also said there was no companion app with EQ. Klipsch’s product page lists Klipsch Connect app support with a 3-band EQ, subwoofer volume and speaker placement controls, after a one-time firmware update.

How do Klipsch The Fives sound in reviews and measurements?

What Hi-Fi? found The Fives punchy, with a good level of detail, good stereo imaging when placed carefully on solid supports, and a consistent character across TV, turntable, laptop and phone sources. Its reservations were tonal: it wanted a more even frequency balance and better treble refinement, saying some frequencies “stick out in an almost arbitrary fashion.”

Sound & Vision praised the rich, powerful bass and said most owners would probably ignore the subwoofer output.

Erin’s Audio Corner measured the speakers on a Klippel Near-Field Scanner and adds useful detail:

• Use bass cut mode. The default “flat” DSP profile measured bass-heavy. A “bass cut” mode added by firmware measured flatter, and the reviewer preferred it by a wide margin.
• A gentle treble lift. Output rises about 3 dB from 2 kHz to 12 kHz, which can read as slightly bright and sibilant on some tracks.
• A bass limiter. Above roughly 86 dB at 1 meter, the speakers cut bass and midrange while treble keeps rising. The reviewer suggested 2–3 meters as a practical maximum listening distance.

Spinorama’s analysis of the same data puts the −3 dB point at about 59 Hz in bass cut mode. Klipsch’s Dynamic Bass EQ adds bass at low volume to compensate, which Klipsch rates as extending to 46 Hz at 35% volume.

Can Klipsch The Fives connect to a TV, turntable and other sources?

The primary speaker holds all the inputs and the two top-mounted dials for volume and source, which Sound & Vision noted sit on the right speaker. Klipsch includes an HDMI cable, a USB A-to-B cable, a 4-meter speaker cable to the secondary speaker, and a remote.

• TV. HDMI ARC with CEC means one cable and volume control from the TV remote. Optical is the fallback for older TVs.
• Turntable. Set the RCA input’s switch to Phono for a deck without a preamp, and connect the ground wire to the screw terminal. Use Line if the turntable has its own preamp.
• Computer. The USB input accepts audio up to 192 kHz/24-bit, per Klipsch.
• Phone. Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD and AAC. iPhones will use AAC.

Klipsch’s manual describes Dynamic Bass EQ as loudness correction that adjusts bass as volume changes, and recommends turning the source’s own volume to maximum for best results. You can disable it by holding a button for 3 seconds if you prefer fixed tuning.

There is no Wi-Fi, so no AirPlay, Chromecast or multiroom. That is the biggest change in The Fives II.

Where should I place Klipsch The Fives: TV console, shelf or desk?

At 12 inches tall and 9.25 inches deep, The Fives fit a TV console or bookshelf more naturally than a desk. Sound & Vision ran them 4 feet apart on a dresser in an 11 x 13-foot bedroom and about 9 feet apart, 4 feet off the floor and toed in, in a 12 x 25-foot living room.

Three practical points from the reviews:

• Watch the back wall. The port fires out of the back. What Hi-Fi? notes that bass can get boomy near a rear wall, which is when the bass cut setting helps.
• Use solid supports. What Hi-Fi? found imaging good only with careful positioning on a solid surface.
• Keep the sofa close. Because of the limiter Erin’s Audio Corner measured, a seat within 2–3 meters gets the most balanced sound at movie volume.

On a desk they work, but they are large for nearfield listening. The Onkyo GX-10DB offers the same phono-plus-optical idea at desk size.

Should I add a subwoofer to Klipsch The Fives?

A sub makes particular sense here. When the limiter trims the speakers’ bass at movie volume, a sub keeps the low end in place. The Fives have a mono RCA line-level sub output, and Klipsch’s app adds a subwoofer volume control.

Klipsch does not publish a crossover point for the sub output or say whether the speakers are filtered when a sub is connected. Set the sub’s own low-pass control; around 60 Hz is a sensible start given the measured −3 dB point near 59 Hz, then adjust by ear.

• Audioengine S8: a compact 8-inch cube; plug The Fives’ sub out into its left RCA input.
• Polk PSW10: a budget 10-inch option for a living room.
• Klipsch R-100SW: more output and a matching Klipsch look for larger rooms.

Wireless soundbar subs will not connect. The Sonos Sub 4 and Bose Bass Module 700 only pair with their own brands’ products.

What changed between The Fives and The Fives II?

Klipsch announced The Fives II at CES 2026 with electronics engineered by sister brand Onkyo. audioXpress reported a $1,399.99-per-pair launch price and spring 2026 availability. Here is what changed, per Klipsch’s spec sheets:

Both keep a phono stage and a subwoofer output. Dirac Live room correction, a headline feature of the new range, is included only on the larger Sevens II and Nines II, according to audioXpress. If you want streaming and a TV hub, The Fives II is the upgrade. If you mainly want HDMI ARC, a phono stage and good stereo, a discounted original still does the job. For portable speakers, read about the Sony SRS-XG500 boombox and the waterproof Sony ULT Field 5.

Who should buy Klipsch The Fives, and who should skip them?

Buy The Fives if:

• You want stereo speakers instead of a soundbar, with TV volume on the TV remote.
• You have a turntable without a built-in preamp.
• Your room is small to medium and you sit within about 3 meters.
• You find them clearly discounted now that The Fives II is out.

Skip them if:

• You want AirPlay, Chromecast or multiroom streaming.
• You sit far from the TV and like movies loud.
• You are sensitive to bright treble.
• You need a compact desk pair.

What alternatives to Klipsch The Fives should I look at?

Klipsch The Fives II. The direct successor, with Wi-Fi streaming, Dolby Atmos decoding and HDMI 2.1 pass-through, at a much higher launch price.

KEF LSX II. Smaller speakers with Wi-Fi streaming, HDMI ARC and a sub output whose crossover you set in KEF’s app (a 50–120 Hz high-pass for the speakers). No phono stage. See our KEF LSX II review.

Audioengine HD6. Larger 5.5-inch woofers and a warmer sound by reviewers’ accounts, but no HDMI, USB or phono stage. A music-first choice. See our Audioengine HD6 review.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Klipsch: The Fives product page
• Klipsch: The Fives spec sheet v06 (PDF)
• Klipsch: The Fives owner’s manual v06 (PDF)
• What Hi-Fi?: Klipsch The Fives review
• Sound & Vision: Klipsch The Fives powered speaker system review
• Erin’s Audio Corner: Klipsch The Fives measurements and review
• Spinorama: Klipsch The Fives data analysis (Erin’s Audio Corner measurements)
• Klipsch: The Fives II spec sheet (PDF)
• audioXpress: Klipsch next-generation powered speakers at CES 2026
• KEF: LSX II user manual (PDF)