KLH Audio Model Five

During the six weeks I’ve had my Model Fives I have been discovering and enjoying musical details and textures on my classical, jazz, and rock CDs that were muted or missing on my previous “pretty-good” English speakers. The KLHs have renewed my appreciation for recordings I haven’t played in years, and have motivated me to acquire highly-rated new and remastered ones so I can appreciate state-of-the-art as well as vintage sound.

Properly placed, the Fives make themselves “invisible” by creating a wide, deep sound stage that locates every performer in space, just as they would have been in the studio or live venue, and instruments and singers sound like they are in the room. Because my listening space has a high ceiling, hardwood floors, and large curtain-less windows, I have set the “Mid-Hi Level Switch” to the “Lo” setting which balances the sound nicely, and replaces the “edginess” of the violins in some of the earliest digital (DDD) orchestral and chamber music recordings with a sweeter tone.

The 10-inch woofer provides a realistic level of bass, although to accentuate the bottom octave on some recordings I’ll be interested in auditioning the new 13-inch subwoofer that KLH is developing to match the updated versions of their legendary Model Seven and Model Twelve speakers, as well as the Model Fives.

Regarding their looks, the Fives are located in our main entertaining room, an area which my partner puts a lot of skill and taste into decorating. She was not enthused at the prospect of a couple of tower speakers in that space, but likes the size and timeless style of the Model Fives very well, as do I. With their impressive musicality and attractive appearance the Model Fives meet the needs of this household without reservation or compromise.

Everything exceeded expectations. Great sound, great look, great shipping experience. Very happy!

Powerful Perfection- I’ve finally purchased my first pair of “real” speakers – not skinny towers or bookshelf speakers that sound fine, but ones to please audiophile ears. These Model 5s not only look amazing, but sound fantastic, too. A huge, well rounded sound that can handle significant volume, deep bass, and subtle details. From acoustic to classical, Cat Stevens to Foo Fighters, these babies deliver the goods. Don’t hesitate. Worth every penny…

Yes I have these literally 2′ to 3′ in front of my face at my desk. Mainly because I have no space in my office/bedroom. I’m breaking these in from 50 to 500 hours as some have suggested. What paper cones do, and JBL uses them almost exclusively, is for purity of tone. Why use synthetic but some like that muddy sound for a more relaxing experience. This speaker separates everything and with the air suspension design I think it’s more nimble and less boomy bass. It’s a rock and roll east coast sound in the bas department however it’s well defined like most modern speakers and monitors provide. It’s a hybrid old school with a touch of modern refinement. I wonder because all the original reviews said these were $2,000 retail so why are they all now $2,500? That’s a massive jump. I bought mine like new used likely tested and returned but I couldn’t tell they had ever been opened. Someone literally stated that without 500 hours of breakin you wouldn’t even know how they sound. Well if they get better that’s awesome. You have to admit that after a while boomy bass is the most annoying thing on the planet. It’s fun for a moment but gets old fast. Accurate bass is really pleasing for hours or listening. Smooth, clean, toneful an accurate. This can do both but it’s not going to rattle the windows. I listen to music as I work near my face so my head is almost inside the 10″ cone but also at low volume most of the time. It’s really nice but might be even better back about 8′. I probably have the largest desktop speakers in history with these. I only have an Ican pre-amp and main amp Cambridge 80 watts. I can switch to tube inside the Ican if I want a little less clean energy but it seems to prefer clean solid state energy. Many people have commented concerning which amp but I don’t have an amp collection. 80 Watts seems to drive it fine.

Super Happy with KLH Model Five
I liked these speakers initially, but after 3 weeks I’m growing to love them. Maybe they are breaking in or maybe I’m becoming more attuned to their sound. I wanted something new and different after many years with the same stereo system, and I did a lot of research, prioritizing budget, room size and sound. Along with the KLH Model 5, I got a Rotel 1572 MkII integrated amp and an iFi Zen Stream. I listen primarily to jazz (all kinds), guitar-centric rock (Eric Johnson, SRV, Jan Akkerman, Steve Morse…) and classical, and I’m finding that these speakers do all of those well. They’re perfect for jazz – great detail, open sound stage and tight, clean bass. Of course, the Rotel and Zen Stream are part of the equation. My listening is mainly at low to moderate volume levels, but they sound really good at high volume. Depending on musical taste, some people might want to use a sub-woofer, but I prefer the bass as is. It’s difficult to pick the perfect system without hearing it in person – I’m old enough to remember when there were many good hi-fi stores in my area, now it’s down to 2 that I know of, and they cater mainly to custom home theater setups for wealthy people. The helpful folks at Crutchfield are about the next best option to having a good brick & mortar store in your area.
Pros: Clean, detailed, spacious sound. Tight, accurate bass, detailed midrange and treble. Sounds good at all volume levels (with my amp).
Cons: For me, none.

I saw and heard the early generation of KLH speakers as a college student in the early 70’s who could only set goals to eventually own a pair for myself. After marriage, kids, and clawing my way up to middle management, my time finally came! My KLH 5’s need no justification to my retired friends with big opinions and hearing aids! Even THEY get it!

When I saw the Walnut with Linen Grill combination it was love at first sight! I spent a month reading every review I could and more importantly the youtube reviews. I must have replayed each 10 times comparing and contrasting what each reviewer said about them. Since I got back into vinyl 7 years ago I have been slowly improving and updating my system within in a reasonable cost. Currently have at upgraded Thorens TD 160 Mk II with Jelco 750 arm, Mcintosh MA 252 and was running Klipsh Chorus II. I love the Klipsch but in my new room they were too large and frankly dated looking with Oak. I love the dynamic energy that the Klipsch produce…that “live” feeling. The Model 5 remind me of that! I tried 2 different towers (Wharfedale, Monitor Silver) and both were warm mids with very clear highs, but the Model 5 is more dynamic and the bass is so tight and controlled. If you are bass head you’ll probably want a sub, but I love the realism. They absolutely nailed the Mid Century vibe and I love just looking at them.

My last set of speakers!
Sounds great out of the box! Very clean. As the speaks start to break-in, the sound becomes fuller. I can listen to these speaker forever.

Non Audio Guy Review
Admittedly, I’m not an audiophile (or is it audiofile?), but I love listening to music, live shows, and technology. I have vinyl from the 80’s (hair metal anyone?) and a desire to listen to some analog since almost all of my music is now compressed iTunes music streaming through my house and vehicle. I bought the KHL Model Fives because I read/watched a number of solid reviews and quite honestly, they look like speakers I’d want in my home versus the plastic spaceships that I know sound amazing, but look horrible. These speakers certainly hit the aesthetic I wanted and the sound is warm and inviting in comparison to the sound I get from my streaming music catalog. I do need more time and a deeper vinyl catalog to give these speakers the full run, but so far, so good. Now, do I need a sub-wolfer? Oh no, I’m becoming that guy.

Pros: Sound amazing. Look even better.

Cons: Not free.