I love my model 5’s! Have owned for a year now and the magic has not worn off. I’ll still be surprised by certain recordings and what these speakers can do with them. I have done in home demos with a Yamaha AS-1100, Marantz 40n, and Leak Stereo 130. VASTLY different sound with each of those amps, so i think you really nailed it on that point. Shockingly, what sounds best to my ear is my trusty (and budget friendly) Yamaha AS-501. Smooth & balanced without sacrificing too much on excitement when the music calls for it.
As someone who owns a pair, I would say use that knob on the back and burn those suckers in. When I first hooked them up I was worried that the high end would not work for me.When you are ready for more, toe them in and / or use the treble knob. "Break-In Period: The KLH Model Five loudspeaker will sound great right out-of-the-box. But since a new speaker include many moving parts, these parts need time to adjust to one another and therefore some amount of "break-in" is required. In order for the loudspeaker to sound its best, KLH recommends the speaker to be played at a moderate volume for at least 8 hours prior to any critical listening. - KLH" As far as the low end "The KLH Model Five loudspeaker is tuned for 6" to 24" off the back wall and at least 24" from the corner of the listening room. For an otherwise neutral listening room, this should be considered the best starting position when first setting up the loudspeakers. - KLH" Hope this helps someone. Oh and I used the L.O.T.S. method from New Record day. Thats what really took it to the next level.
It's good to see the comeback of the bigger box 3-way speaker with several manufacturers returning them to their line-up. They were the 'normal speaker' around the '70s when I got into audio. I had a pair of Electro Research 310s that I later sold to a friend and he recently told me he still uses them and they still sound great.
Just goes to show, we have all these fancy enclosures designed to wave out the highs and minimize diffraction of the mids and turns out all you needed was..
Jeez I remember in the late 70's and 80's when you could buy a quality pair like these from any of the big names for around $155 to $300 each or thereabouts, hell I paid $385.00 on sale for a new pair of Pioneer HPM 100's on sale which I still have and sound good as day one, and those bastards are HEAVY and welll made-!! - I also have two pair of 300 watt Cerwin Vega LS-12, 12" three way speakers that are absolute BEASTS and need no subwoofer - however they do need a strong amp able to handle their 6 ohm woofers to get the most out of them but wow have they ever been great sounding and power handling speakers.
Really enjoyed review! I’ve had my Model 5’s for about 4 months now and still love listening to them everyday. I’m not an audiophile by any means, but these just sound great to me. Instead of a cup of coffee though, I make an Old Fashioned when I listen to these bad boys ☕️🥃
@@Staybrown11 Audiolab 6000a Play (got it for the 6000a price 🤷🏻♂️). Go to bottle is Wild Turkey 101. Great flavor, proof, and price. Feeling fancier, going with Knob Creek 12 or New Riff Single Barrel bourbon 🥃
I think I'm a man of a certain age that remembers my parent's friends who could afford high end audio in the early 80s when speakers of this type were the norm. Those systems had a very clean sound that is hard to replicate. They just sounded 'smoother' than some of the modern gear.
Exactly. The modern Polk tower speakers are too bright sounding. IMO. That's why I'm leaning toward the KLH Model 5. I remember friends' HI-FI systems from the ’70s. They had a balanced sound.
I, too, remember this time! And I am looking for it again. Most of the modern gear that I have listened to has left me wanting.. I listen to it and think that sounds OK but not like the big full range speakers we listened to as kids.
I think that Henry Kloss would like them. R.I.P., Henry - and thanks for everything! On the power thing, my old KLH Model 35 system came with the KLH 6s. It had 20w RMS. It was more than adequate. It was played LOUD when asked. While I’m sure that the new 5s are a bit less sensitive, I would bet that 20w would suffice.
Had these for 8months now. Just like described in the video, the 5's can do magical things. Love them with any type of music. Sounds like real music. 👌✌
My Model 5's are keepers, they are not going anywhere. And Randy is spot on with his transparency remark and equipment choice. I played around with some different gear, and found they sounded different with each equipment change. I find Clas A/B preamp and amps play the best to my ear. I am using the Ares II, along with the Denafrips Hades and Thallo amps with the Node 2021. Not experiencing anything hot or spicy in regards to mids or highs. Randy was spot on with his review.
I would think this would be considered an acoustic suspension design. The original KLH brand was acoustic suspension. The founder of KLH had been employed at Acoustic Research in Boston. The original speaker of this type was the AR-1W and the AR-3. This design was a break through allowing for bass down to 30 Hz in a very small (at the time) box. 1.7 cubic foot. The down side is they require more amplifier power, but with the power available now it is no issue.
Was really bouncing between these and the Lintons based on reviews and got the Lintons. I initially preferred the angled stands of the model 5 but these rosewood Lintons look and sound amazing.
Erin explains it nicely in his video. The 5's sholud be placed near the wall, and Lintons pulled into space to achiv best performance. After that, it's only personal preference as both speakers are great value for money.
i love the sound of my KLH model 5. Paired it w/ McIntosh MA 252 hybrid integ amp. sources- Project RP 5.1se w/ smith otello MC ( project tube box S2 phono pre amp), CD player-MC 7008 & Music streamer-Cambridge CX v2.
Did not even know the McIntosh MA 252 even existed, spent the last two hours reading about it after your comment. It looks amazing! And I bet it sounds amazing as well. I've been looking at Vincent since they offer hybrid designs but something tells me I need to add this unit to the list! I bet the warmth of this amp paired with the clarity and revealing nature of the KLH is fantastic. Btw I also own the Model 5 and that's why I've been on a journey over the last year for an amp that will do it more justice.
These really are magic. Few other speakers can achieve the clarity and detail they do, while still having such a natural, musical, and dynamic presentation. You might try the Model 3 for a cheaper speaker that can come close what they can do. As for the Lintons, I don't think they can compare. They lack the clarity and dynamics that these have.
@@cheapaudioman No, they're a 2 way, but Andrew and Kristi compared them very favorably to these, and some of the guys at Just Audio actually like the 3 better
I bought the 3’s and have no regrets. Even though this guy is talking about the 5’s he basically just described my 3’s. My space is about 11 x 17 I’m driving them with a bryston 4b
Thanks Randy, good to see you review this speaker. This sounds like a speaker that could be a good endgame speaker for someone in the 2k-4k market. Since I am not in that market, I will appreciate them from afar and wish those that are good listening.
Sooner or later, they end up on the used market for a good price. Until then, speaker designing is an option with today's computer programs and even plans available online. You can get a lot of return on investment there, especially if you build the cabinets of large speakers and don't have to pay for shipping. Make them double wall and fill it with sand, or use constrained layer dampening from nuclear submarine technology. You can probably get pretty close for $500-$700, I'd imagine.
I've always preferred sealed speakers. The bass always sounds right, and the setup is no fuss. A three-way done right (whatever that means) will usually sound better than a two-way. I haven't heard the KLH, paper mid, and woofer, check that. The Aluminum dome tweeter is a cringe moment for me. According to the reviews, KLH nailed it. When Cheapaudioman says a $2600.00 speaker sounds great, that puts the crown on it.
Sealed are better. The question comes in at small driver size, where many people prefer a bass boost. But for large drivers, the coherent bass output of a speaker NOT changing over the frequency range (as ported do) sounds more like actual music every time. If you have room for an 8" woofer, sealed is a strong recommendation. 6" is more subjective, but 6" with passive radiator (a sealed variant) is finding its way into more and more high-end (like the $30,000 PSAudio F-30's). Sealed just sounds better, provided the bass frequencies are sufficiently represented.
Great review Randy !! I compared these with The Lintons at a dealer. For my taste Model 5’s were the clear winner. Look forward to hearing your thoughts if you compare the two.
I bought a pair of the Model 5s a few months ago, and I could not agree more with everything in this review! I run the vintage looking speakers using some vintage gear, a Hafler DH-200 amp (I built from the kit back in the day...) and the Halfer DH-101 preamp. The Model 5s are just a joy to listen to, and I can listen to them for extended periods of time without any "listening fatigue." When I bought these, I went into the store to listen to some KEF LS50 metas, thinking that was what I was going to buy based on reviews. But when I heard the KLHs, for my preferences, there wasn't any contest. They aren't cheap, true. But I see these as a long-term investment that I hope to be enjoying for a decade or more.
I said on some other reviewer's review that for me, the Wharfedales curb-stomp the KLHs in the Looks Dept. but . . . those black KLHs look really nice. Especially with their grills on.
I've noticed the same about sealed box speakers. Diff amps make a huge difference in how they sound. One of my favorite combos is HK 430 (25wpc) with some Boston Acoustics A150s. Will bring a tear to eye ....it sounds so good.
Solid review Randy. You pulling your son in to listen brought warmth to my heart. Reminds me of my dad saying "come here and listen to this". It was always Genesis or Alan Parsons. Those moments are some of my most treasured memories, even if I couldn't stand listening to genesis back then! I wonder if the KLH model 3's (the little brother of these) fit the bill for a more affordable alternative. Side note, would you consider reviewing the SoundArtist SC8B's? Best, Kelly
Good review Randy. I still would choose the Wharfedale Lintons. I like the slightly bigger midrange and the lower price. The 8” bass driver is good enough for me as I run subs in my stereo rig. It’s so subjective. I simply love the sound of the Lintons. Love to hear your thoughts on the two compared directly. I feel others would too. I’ve seen some reviews comparing the KLH 5’s head to head w/the Lintons, and it seems people are split after hearing both. I’d be surprised if there was a clear winner. I imagine there would be some things one liked better on the 5’s and some things one preferred on the Lintons. I like the stands for the 5’s.
@Fisher Man I picked up a very nice pair of original Fortes from CL had the crossovers recapped just because of their age and I’m cranking them as we speak!!
the KLH midrange , yes it is smaller 4 inches , but unlike the original Model5 1969 which had 2 midrange speakers , The motor assembly is huge , a huge magnet , smaller size promotes better dispersion, Linton is really laid back sound
Thanks for this review. It really filled in for a number of other reviews of this speaker, adding a good deal about how to evaluate this speaker regardless of the dollar amount of a system. You downplay yourself at times, but you also keeping adding more and more value to what you comment upon. Well done.
Hey Randy, I really like your reviews from this era. My system was built with yours and a few other’s reviews and I’m really pleased with the result. Keep up the good work!
I auditioned this and the Linton both in my living room. Went with these, just worked better in my space. I got the black grills as the sorta greenish linen ones, just weren't doin it for me lol. They are heavy as hell, and slippery.
I love my Model 5's also. Great sound on music and movies and everything I throw at it. I was lucky to get mine on sale for $950 each (1900 total) before the price increase. They remind me of my JBL L100s from back in the 80s (LOVED those!) and always put a smile on my face.
@@tkusterb Great to hear. You're giving them a nice amount of power. I'm enjoying mine with a really clean 50 wpc A/B integrated amp, but I'm about to swap that with something more robust and see how the Model 5's respond. Should be interesting.
My 5’s are paired with the Pioneer SA9100 in 1972 when KLH was made in Cambridge Mass which speaks a lot for the original being replicated again. Always loved its sound and also what Pioneer did with the SA9100 and with the paired tuner TX9100. Had the Pioneer set restored by a wizard Tony B whose YT channel is Xraytonyb and all the tlc he provides in his work as well as his channel. Sorry I’m old school and took a while to get into DAC with Oppo. Cheers 😬
Hi Randy just wondering when you say nothing at half the price gets to 80% are you including kits? I have a chance of buying a pair of upper spec’d CSS Critons made up for £1,000 what do you think sonically amp murex Brooklyn
You're the first reviewer to emphasize how these change on amp pairing. It's true, they are picky. Yes, they'll play with 40 watts but you really want a high powered amp or something very linear. I have the pma 1700ne hooked up to mine and it's an excellent combo. The bass is sumptuous. The IOTAVX stack is also a great budget pairing.
I've been looking for a nice integrated to pair with my Model 5's and was wondering about the PMA 1700ne. Currently I have a little chinese tube pre in front of a 300 watt per channel XTZ Edge A-300 power amp that sounds really good but wanted to consolidate the frankenstein setup into a nice integrated and was considering the PMA 1700ne as well as the Marantz Model 30 and possibly one of the Rotel offerings.
@@robertgruber982 I can easily recommend the combo. The sound is very punchy with a lot of drive and somewhat energetic. It also scales the soundstage up a bit. Everything sounds a tad bigger with the Denon.
I never had a chance to demo these, but your review is consistent with the raves that these received almost anywhere. The only thing I heard in a similar price/style category are the Lintons, which I liked quite a bit for the price. Would love to see you do a comparison review of the two.
Don't believe everything you read, I would say the 5's are better if you lack space, much better bass control but if you got the space go for the lintons. I demo'd both at home and preferred the more focused sound of the 5's. But that's just preference you may prefer the Lintons.
@@Desanusor I’ve demoed both the Linton’s and the Model 5’s and I personally preferred the Model 5’s sound, but they’re admittedly much more expensive. The Model 5’s are more clear sounding. To be sure though, the Linton’s are less fatiguing and might be better for all day listening.
@@Koba123 The fatigue issue may be the electronics, in my case the DAC. Going to the Ares II cured my "fatigue", the Model 5's were the icing on the cake. Listening to them now. And that is one thing Randy stated, that I have not heard any reviewer state that matches my experience, these speakers are extremely transparent in regards to the electronics you throw at them. I have solid state preamps and class D amps here along with Class A/B. The A/B sounds the best, at least to my ear, zero fatigue. I'm using all Denafrips, Ares II, Iris DDC and their Hades and Thallo amps.
Years ago, a friend brought me 2 KLH cabinets, 4 feet tall, 2, 12" woofers in each. Have no idea what they cost new, but his ex had kicked both woofers, so I re-coned em, and have used them for the last 10 years with my pioneer receiver. Honestly not an audiophile, just want it loud without distortion.
"Air Suspension" = sealed box. Bass Reflex is ported OR has a passive radiator. In either case there is a second vibrating member that is tuned to the free air resonance of the woofer.
Really good to see more traditional speakers even in young millennials home ( I have 4). They all have Klipsch heritage hand me downs but I have heard these KLH and was very impressed with their attributes. Another great great review that puts me right there with you , has really become your signature!! Also noticed all the shout outs from other reviewers.. congratulations on the new review and your continued success!! You are now my favorite when u post a new review!!
Im gonna compare these to my $5 garage sale find Infinity Reference Five speakers (from 1990). Both are sealed 3 way speakers with 10" woofers and 90db sensitivity. Main difference is ribbon tweeter on the infinity vs titanium dome tweeter on the KLH
the price is the same for each set - 5k 2500 + 2000 + 450 2500 + 2500 With the Buchardt you need to pay for the stands but you can get a discount on the amp In truth the speakers have a generally different sound profile. Some like one more than the other.
I bought these about a year ago. I would say that these are pretty damned good, and much of what this guy says is pretty close. Especially with the amplifiers. I have a Sunfire limited edition cinema grand. It has 400 watts per channel so I had to be a little careful not to overdrive these. Also they just didn't sound great with this amp. Sometimes they sounded great, but I just didn't get a good soundstage with it. Plus the tweeters could sound really harsh with it. I traded out to a couple of Marantz MA-500 mono blocks. Made in the late 80's to early 90's. Much better!! They have 125 watts per channel, and 175 watts 4 ohm. In my opinion more than enough power. Honestly about the bass. I am a bit of a bass head so at least in my room it just wasn't enough. Mid bass is fairly good, and has become better over time. Plus with my set up I cannot move my speakers far enough back to take advantage of the wall reinforcement. I have mine 15" from the wall behind them. Here's my last observation, and I think it's a very important one. I never ever believed the hype about speaker break in, but in this case it's true. When I first bought these I ended up turning the level adjustment for the high end on the back of the speakers all the way to low. It's been a bit over a year and now they are on high, which is considered nominal by the manufacturer. I am not saying that on certain recordings the high end is always smooth, but it's way better than it was.
The standard for impedance is to have it go up or down by 20% but a 6ohm speaker going down by 40% (3.7ohm), seems quite messed up, specially for this kinda price of speakers.
Just listened to these the other day at dB audio in Chicago. I really enjoyed them and would love to demo them at home. What got me was the sound stage and imaging. Really really nice! The sealed box sound was a nice change from what I have at home also
'Tango in the Night' is another awesome song to listen to with these speakers. I have them powered by a Doge 10 MK3 tube amp, and they are certainly very capable and thoroughly enjoyable to listen to.
I can't do sealed enclosures, they lack the warm low energetic bass of a well designed ported cab. But for nerds who get hung up on accuracy, perhaps this is for them?
Nice review. I have had tons of speakers and have settled with pair of massive Tannoys Ardens (you should try them) and a more civil three way. JBL 110. 10 inch bass driver, 5 inch midrange and a one inch high frequency driver. I haven’t heard anything better until I went 200 liter cabinets. 10 or 12 inch three way speaker from JBL, KLH or Klipsch can be special :)
Glad you are reviewing some not so cheap speakers. These were on my list but now at $2500, I don't know. So the Linton didn't match the magic of these in your space?
The KLH Kendalls, at 40% less money, will give you 80-90% of what the Model 5's give you! Please review them sometime. With their value, you will love them!
I think Acoustic Suspension are the words you're looking for. Infinite baffle doesn't have sides or a back. I have a pair these and I agree with Randy (and everyone else - they're fantastic). I also have Cornwall IVs which are my primary and with those it's just more of the same... Lots more.
They need and like juice. But still play well with my Denafrips Thallo, 120w at 8 and 200w at 4 ohm... I have the XTZ Edge A2-400, and it takes the 5's to another level. My Emotiva sit gen XPA2 does the same, huge soundstage... I need to break that beast back out, damn it is heavy.
I’m tired of 6” two way standmounts, and skinny floorstanders that are just standmounts with a couple of extra woofers. They all sound the same really, small and dull. Wide baffles, large woofers and dedicated midrange drivers to get the crossover points away from the vocal range is what you want if you’re into rocking out or pumping up the jam.
Same for me. Was using a small BasX emotive amp I had laying around first and I wasn’t really that impressed. I got the Vidar and everything really opened up. Sounded like a different speaker.
With a lot of power, there is not a better way to listen to music than CD>floor speakers (JBL, CV, KLH, etc), especially with a 12-15” driver. But with a weak amp, they can be incredibly boring.
As we start downsizing our house (3500 sq/ ft) for retirement next year I’ve auditioned a few pairs of new speakers all with bass ports. Subjectively found all lacking in clarity and soundstage compared to my current lineup of restored AR3 and CS-99A. Both air suspension. Yeah bass seems to be more apparent in the new ones but I don’t listen to bass heavy music. I’ll find room for the the current ones when we move.
great review! you did listen (some time ago, though) to the Klipsch Heresy IV. how does the KLH compares to the Heresy? at the end of your review you mention you still haven't found a speaker that could do 80% of the KLH. wonder if the Heresy's being more expensive...are they any better??
For the price of the retro model 5’s I’d rather have the original model 5’s which can be had for around $400 bucks for a really nice pair. Mine were about $300 several years ago and another $200 to get them in perfect condition. Sounds incredible with my Marantz 2270.
That was when the KLH brand was owned by some other outfit, you would know the name. The KLH of today is a completely different animal. The company is now owned by some past Klipsch executives who resurrected the brand. Night and day, and they did an outstanding job. Their customer service is second to none.
How does KLH Model 5 compare with the Arendal THX S? I know they are different types of speakers but it would be nice to know which of them perform better for you?
Sealed woofers are objectively better (Yes, objectively, not subjectively.) 1) Ported bass has a sharp roll off. This roll off is unnatural to music. 2) Sealed extent lower than ported, with more accurate roll off. And MOST importantly: 3) GROUP DELAY Port output varies over different frequencies, (spreading out response lines like a horses tail), providing a mash-up of incongruent responses. This sounds unnatural yes, but really messes with lower midrange often turning it into mudrange. Sealed provides consistent group delay and phase angle. And it most certainly is audible. Imaging and soundstage are superior. So is tonal accuracy. This is why the best efforts at true audio performance, like the B+W Nautilis, are sealed. The SUBJECTIVE part comes in when space considerations and driver size are limited. Many people will be happier with a ported (AKA "Boom Box") design when the drivers are 4" or 5". However, 6" to 7" is really a transition point. 6 1/2" woofers can do very well sealed, providing people with a more subjective choice. Some people prefer the boosted low frequency curve of ported, and are willing to overlook group delay errors and frequency-dependant response smearing in the bass. At 8" it's really tending toward sealed, although there are very good ported designs here also. And at 10"-12" most people (speaker designers) consider it a design error NOT to consider a sealed enclosure. There are always trade offs, and not all drivers are compliant for sealed boxes, so need the back pressure reduced. Some amplifiers do too. And ported may mate better to the midrange driver. But in general, a 3-way system with a large (8" or more) driver, will do better all around with a sealed configuration. The exception to this being Transmission Lines. But TS are difficult to design (there's no simple computer program) and so are expensive, such that they are out of reach for most people. They do have better group delay and midrange than a ported, although not as good as sealed. The character of the bass is often subjectively better than the others. And they're not far behind sealed in actual acoustic performance. It's unfortunate more TS speakers aren't on market. This is one case where subjective preference may outweigh objective, and be quite satisfying. But overall, i think you may be interested in reevaluating your sealed vs. ported bias. Many of the things you mentioned you liked are the direct result (or at least directly correlated) with sealed speakers. (We all have bias, it's not a criticism. I enjoy your videos, btw. Entertaining and honest).
@@johnm3544 My personal preference for subs is sealed or isobaric, push-pull. 2 drivers in opposition, so their rear wave cancels. No cone reflections from the backwave coming out through the speaker cone after a delay, being reflected off the box walls. This seems to get rid of a lot of problems, including some box coloration resonances. Also, even 2 drivers wired in parallel in phase, on the same plane, has benefits: sealed woofers tend to have more excursion travel than ported, which may add distortion and take longer to get back to the starting position. Using 2 woofers cuts this excursion distance in half, so each driver moves half the distance, but the combined distance is the same. The result is generally lower distortion and faster response times. 2 woofers in a sealed enclosure may well beat 1 in a ported, (oftentimes even if the two drivers are individually less expensive than the one ported driver.) But with subs, there is a rather limited frequency response, not many octaves covered. So there, a ported sub may not have the same drawbacks as ported woofers. If there is less spectrum, the group delay is less of an issue. With active EQ like "servo woofers" (where the amp is doing a negative feedback cycle to bring undesirable cone movement under control), you could do ported or even open baffle. Sealed with driver excursion EQ is another option, but like many artificial changes to xmax of woofer travel, it can and does add distortion. There certainly are drawbacks to electronically extending the driver movements, however. It's not all roses, and many feel the trade-off isn't worth the gains provided good quality woofers are used. It may end up simply creating different problems, trading one set for another. LDC-7 (loudspeaker design cookbook 7th edition) went into isobaric woofers a bit, as i recall. A second woofer inside the box that nobody sees is not exactly a selling point for most consumers, so that's going to be a DIY in many cases. 2x the drivers just to get a cleaner backwave and damp the reflections and cabinet vibrations, but you can't "see" the value in the sales brochure. There are so many factors involved with matching subs to main channel speakers (many having to do with the speakers themselves), plus room gain and interactions, plus room EQ and DSP options... that i would hesitate to say one option is definitively "best" for subs. I personally do prefer sealed subs, especially when adding them to sealed speakers. It's like a 1st order crossover in a way, because they have shallow roll off slopes compared to the sharp knee of ported. I find them easier to blend together. Personal preferences vary greatly, however, and the human hearing isn't so sensitive at 20Hz-40Hz as it is at 1500Hz-3000Hz: each is one octave in range, but it's a rather different result. 60Hz and up is human voice. Few people know male fundamental frequency can be 60Hz, but it can. Overtones at higher frequencies are more sensitive. My focus, therefore, would be getting the bass "right" from 60Hz up through midrange. However you can best blend your subs with your speakers into your room, after that, is probably best. (I know that's not a much of a definitive answer, but it's getting into the "it depends" territory.)
I’ve tried that pairing but switched out to a vintage Sansui Au 555, it gave a much bigger soundstage and things sounded more 3 Dimensional. The Rega Brio is definitely no slouch and I love that amplifier but I preferred it on my B&W CM5s than on the KLH5s.
The frequency attenuator on the back is to help the speaker not be so hot on the top end many people have compared the lintons and the KLH Model 5 and they've liked the linton's better but the lintons are actually less money without the stands I bought a pair of Lintons for $1200 without the stands which I thought were just ugly and Im not buying anything I dont like. Now I bought my Lintons in the Open Box section at Crutchfield and they were without the stands and I really saved a bunch and they came as flawlwss. They're phenomenal for that price I mean I'm just blown away never heard the KLH, I almost bought them but then I didn't so can't wait to hear your comparison of the two. Andrew and his wife have reviewed both and wished Linton had sent them much earlier because they felt the Linton's actually were slightly better then the KLH Model fives. Just Saying! Thanks for the review.........
These must have a very special purpose built woofer because I have not found another 10" woofer designed for a sealed enclosure that can go as low as this one and still be 88db@ 1W/1M The closest I can get is about 44Hz in a 1.85 ft3 box.
Dang! That KLH reminds me of my old accoustic suspension/ Yamaha NS-690's., with the exception of the grill, the woofer 12", the midrange dome , .75" tweeter and wonderful cabinet finish over heavy particle board.... Oh yea and the price... ($775.00 per pr.) OK, so there is very little to compare the two...... so what?
Hallo Randy, eine sehr gute Vorstellung der neuen KLH Boxen.Klassiches Arrangement der Chassis Anordnung, 20-25cm Bass ,10cm Mitteltöner ,und 2,5cm Hochtöner regelbar, geschlossenes Gehäuse.Damit macht man nichts verkehrt und es klappt Klanglich immer weil jedes Chassis seine eigenes Frequenzband optimal ausspielen kann.Diese Bauweise hat sich schon vor 50-60 Jahren bewehrt. liebe Grüße aus Duisburg/Germany Helmut
Please help. Just got these for my living room. I don't find them as present as my kef q150s (they are in my bedroom). I play a lot of dance music. Should i add a subwoofer or just return them for KEF P950s?
They look like my old AR-58's that have a 12" woofer rather than a 10". I have never felt the need to buy something else in the last 30+ years since I bought them new for $800 a pair. I have had to refoam the woofers twice, and the midrange once, but that was easy to do. I am sure those that own these "5's" will love them.
One of the better reviews of this speaker. With explanation in different music styles. Excellent use of switching up amps. I love to check speakers out with Faith no More albums The Real Thing . Track - woodpecker from mars and war pig. Nowadays with Bluetooth you can really freak out a stereo section at best buy.
Sealed speakers? These in my world have always been called "Acoustic Suspension" speakers. The air pressure inside pushes back against the back of the woofer for support. Much more to it than that though. The 5's are nice.
Straightforward and comprehensive…and you always get us chuckling! What you pointed out differently than others..that they very much take on the characteristics of the equipment ahead of them. That was helpful, and makes me want to consider these down the road 🙏🏼👍🏼
Base at 42 Hz sounds pretty limited. I guess putting against the wall helped. But you really didn't talk about how it might not dig down deep enough for some of us two channel listeners
@@Staybrown11 frequencies between 30 and 120 Hz take up a good deal of the mix in pop rock and roll type music like Abbey Road even at relatively low volumes like 70 db. It would be great if we could listen to all these different speakers in our own homes ABing against what we have.
@@Staybrown11That's true. Before I got an opportunity to audition some totem tribes in the area, I was about to pull the trigger on a pair of speakers bought direct from the manufacturer with a 30-day return. Thing is I would not want to have another set of speakers at the same time to AB due to the initial outlay of funds. And I would like to get it right the first time. I may still audition those speakers if the totem tribes don't do it for me
Acoustic suspension speakers drop off smoothly in the bass region where ported versions drop like a stone. Also, the lowest bass energy in bass reflex speakers is “one note” port boom. If not tuned perfectly, it stinks. There is a reason why Edgar Vilchur and Henry Kloss made scads of money with the first mass produced acoustic suspension loudspeakers - Acoustic Research (AR). They made less distortion and had more real bass than the prevalent open baffle stuff then.
WAAAIT the whole issue of box versus open baffle is room loading - and hey once you load the room IE run enough volume, lwith Cornwalls or Bozaks or JBLs, now your woofer being boxed IE baffled might be a help. High end you need, time alignment IE placement (and as always choice of driver, crossover type & parts) and I imagine you do want baffle below a tweeter to avoid floor reflections. Other question would be coaxial driver versus d'Appolito/mtm.
Thanks for the review. I have a 70's Harmon Kardon 930, 45 watts per channel, bi-amp. Any thoughts on what the model 5's would sound like powered with the HK?
Its about time we started seeing some with THREE WAY SPEAKERS. The price on these is insanely high, I have two well made Cerwin Vega 300 watt 12" three way LS-12's that will kick the crap out of these and they cost WAY less. I bought mine when speaker prices were still normal, I paid $179 each for my Cerwin Vegas years ago and they are still playing like brand new. I never have liked two way speakers, always a hole in the middle no matter what they claim to do to them and youre right this style in three way are WAY better than two ways which by the way also cost WAY too much for what they are. KLH used to be affordable now they have went way up in price, hopefully in quality as well.
Yeah, in 1973 I had Jensen 3 ways, with 12" woofers and level controls for midrange and for the tweeters. Loved those things! Gave them to my, then girlfriend, when I got my first pair of Maggies 8 years later.
Glad I am a pack rat as far as audio gear goes. I semi retired 2 years ago at age 55 and am having a blast playing with my old gear mixed with some great new stuff. Seriously still considering buying these now that the price has dropped. The overly spicy highs is the only thing keeping me away.@@markwagner1997
@@stingdragon17 Andrew Robinson reviewed the 3s. My take is that they are very much in the same vein as the Smaller Advent - strong bass, but needs to be placed more carefully than the 5. I’m starting to think I’d like a pair of Dynaco A25s. 🙂 As far as the 5s go, they are probably more like the original KLH 5 than the Advents. The latter had deeper bass than either the KLH 5 or 6. I owned both the KLH 6 and New Advent Loudspeaker. I loved them both madly.
@@billd9667 I had large Advents,but doubled for each side. My younger self like that they had a big soundstage and played loud. Can't remember any other sonic characteristics!
I've been listening to Tool for 10 years but just listened to Chocolate Chip Trip for the first time today. Holy Schiit Audio! I only remember a couple groups with drums so center stage. Santana Abraxas and Adam Ant.
I love my model 5’s! Have owned for a year now and the magic has not worn off. I’ll still be surprised by certain recordings and what these speakers can do with them.
I have done in home demos with a Yamaha AS-1100, Marantz 40n, and Leak Stereo 130.
VASTLY different sound with each of those amps, so i think you really nailed it on that point.
Shockingly, what sounds best to my ear is my trusty (and budget friendly) Yamaha AS-501. Smooth & balanced without sacrificing too much on excitement when the music calls for it.
Very nice. I bought a used a-s801 on Facebook marketplace. I think it’s perfect. The tone controls are great.
As someone who owns a pair, I would say use that knob on the back and burn those suckers in. When I first hooked them up I was worried that the high end would not work for me.When you are ready for more, toe them in and / or use the treble knob.
"Break-In Period: The KLH Model Five loudspeaker will sound great right out-of-the-box. But since a new speaker include many moving parts, these parts need time to adjust to one another and therefore some amount of "break-in" is required. In order for the loudspeaker to sound its best, KLH recommends the speaker to be played at a moderate volume for at least 8 hours prior to any critical listening. - KLH"
As far as the low end
"The KLH Model Five loudspeaker is tuned for 6" to 24" off the back wall and at least 24" from the corner of the listening room. For an otherwise neutral listening room, this should be considered the best starting position when first setting up the loudspeakers. - KLH"
Hope this helps someone.
Oh and I used the L.O.T.S. method from New Record day. Thats what really took it to the next level.
It's good to see the comeback of the bigger box 3-way speaker with several manufacturers returning them to their line-up. They were the 'normal speaker' around the '70s when I got into audio. I had a pair of Electro Research 310s that I later sold to a friend and he recently told me he still uses them and they still sound great.
Indeed. I have a couple pair, both with 15" woofers. One sealed and one front ported.
So true, by the time these came around, I had already built my own.
Just goes to show, we have all these fancy enclosures designed to wave out the highs and minimize diffraction of the mids and turns out all you needed was..
agreed. I also prefer sealed vs ported..
Jeez I remember in the late 70's and 80's when you could buy a quality pair like these from any of the big names for around $155 to $300 each or thereabouts, hell I paid $385.00 on sale for a new pair of Pioneer HPM 100's on sale which I still have and sound good as day one, and those bastards are HEAVY and welll made-!! - I also have two pair of 300 watt Cerwin Vega LS-12, 12" three way speakers that are absolute BEASTS and need no subwoofer - however they do need a strong amp able to handle their 6 ohm woofers to get the most out of them but wow have they ever been great sounding and power handling speakers.
Really enjoyed review! I’ve had my Model 5’s for about 4 months now and still love listening to them everyday. I’m not an audiophile by any means, but these just sound great to me. Instead of a cup of coffee though, I make an Old Fashioned when I listen to these bad boys ☕️🥃
What amplifier are you using? Also what whiskey 🥃? 😂😂
@@Staybrown11 Audiolab 6000a Play (got it for the 6000a price 🤷🏻♂️). Go to bottle is Wild Turkey 101. Great flavor, proof, and price. Feeling fancier, going with Knob Creek 12 or New Riff Single Barrel bourbon 🥃
@@steve69chevy I’m actually in Southern California
Old Fashioned: whiskey, bitters, & sugar 👌🏻
Wisconsin Old Fashioned: muddled orange slices and maraschino cherries w/ Brandy, bitters, & sugar 👌🏻👌🏻
I think I'm a man of a certain age that remembers my parent's friends who could afford high end audio in the early 80s when speakers of this type were the norm. Those systems had a very clean sound that is hard to replicate. They just sounded 'smoother' than some of the modern gear.
Buttery to my ear, took me back to the 70's...
Exactly. The modern Polk tower speakers are too bright sounding. IMO. That's why I'm leaning toward the KLH Model 5. I remember friends' HI-FI systems from the ’70s. They had a balanced sound.
I, too, remember this time! And I am looking for it again. Most of the modern gear that I have listened to has left me wanting.. I listen to it and think that sounds OK but not like the big full range speakers we listened to as kids.
I think that Henry Kloss would like them. R.I.P., Henry - and thanks for everything!
On the power thing, my old KLH Model 35 system came with the KLH 6s. It had 20w RMS. It was more than adequate. It was played LOUD when asked. While I’m sure that the new 5s are a bit less sensitive, I would bet that 20w would suffice.
Really like the evolutions to your video production and the B-roll shots in the transitions.
Had these for 8months now. Just like described in the video, the 5's can do magical things. Love them with any type of music. Sounds like real music. 👌✌
Wow! That is what I wanted to hear. What amp do you use.
@@daviddrake6875 Audia flight FL three S amp
My Model 5's are keepers, they are not going anywhere. And Randy is spot on with his transparency remark and equipment choice. I played around with some different gear, and found they sounded different with each equipment change. I find Clas A/B preamp and amps play the best to my ear. I am using the Ares II, along with the Denafrips Hades and Thallo amps with the Node 2021. Not experiencing anything hot or spicy in regards to mids or highs. Randy was spot on with his review.
I would think this would be considered an acoustic suspension design. The original KLH brand was acoustic suspension. The founder of KLH had been employed at Acoustic Research in Boston. The original speaker of this type was the AR-1W and the AR-3. This design was a break through allowing for bass down to 30 Hz in a very small (at the time) box. 1.7 cubic foot. The down side is they require more amplifier power, but with the power available now it is no issue.
Was really bouncing between these and the Lintons based on reviews and got the Lintons. I initially preferred the angled stands of the model 5 but these rosewood Lintons look and sound amazing.
Erin explains it nicely in his video. The 5's sholud be placed near the wall, and Lintons pulled into space to achiv best performance. After that, it's only personal preference as both speakers are great value for money.
I’m busy ordering custom angled stands for my Lintons.
i love the sound of my KLH model 5. Paired it w/ McIntosh MA 252 hybrid integ amp. sources- Project RP 5.1se w/ smith otello MC ( project tube box S2 phono pre amp), CD player-MC 7008 & Music streamer-Cambridge CX v2.
Did not even know the McIntosh MA 252 even existed, spent the last two hours reading about it after your comment. It looks amazing! And I bet it sounds amazing as well. I've been looking at Vincent since they offer hybrid designs but something tells me I need to add this unit to the list! I bet the warmth of this amp paired with the clarity and revealing nature of the KLH is fantastic. Btw I also own the Model 5 and that's why I've been on a journey over the last year for an amp that will do it more justice.
We have a winner here no doubt!
These really are magic. Few other speakers can achieve the clarity and detail they do, while still having such a natural, musical, and dynamic presentation. You might try the Model 3 for a cheaper speaker that can come close what they can do. As for the Lintons, I don't think they can compare. They lack the clarity and dynamics that these have.
I’m pretty sure the Model 3’s can’t have a midrange driver
@@cheapaudioman No, they're a 2 way, but Andrew and Kristi compared them very favorably to these, and some of the guys at Just Audio actually like the 3 better
I bought the 3’s and have no regrets. Even though this guy is talking about the 5’s he basically just described my 3’s. My space is about 11 x 17 I’m driving them with a bryston 4b
Thanks Randy, good to see you review this speaker. This sounds like a speaker that could be a good endgame speaker for someone in the 2k-4k market. Since I am not in that market, I will appreciate them from afar and wish those that are good listening.
Sooner or later, they end up on the used market for a good price. Until then, speaker designing is an option with today's computer programs and even plans available online. You can get a lot of return on investment there, especially if you build the cabinets of large speakers and don't have to pay for shipping. Make them double wall and fill it with sand, or use constrained layer dampening from nuclear submarine technology.
You can probably get pretty close for $500-$700, I'd imagine.
I've always preferred sealed speakers. The bass always sounds right, and the setup is no fuss. A three-way done right (whatever that means) will usually sound better than a two-way. I haven't heard the KLH, paper mid, and woofer, check that. The Aluminum dome tweeter is a cringe moment for me. According to the reviews, KLH nailed it. When Cheapaudioman says a $2600.00 speaker sounds great, that puts the crown on it.
Sealed are better. The question comes in at small driver size, where many people prefer a bass boost. But for large drivers, the coherent bass output of a speaker NOT changing over the frequency range (as ported do) sounds more like actual music every time. If you have room for an 8" woofer, sealed is a strong recommendation. 6" is more subjective, but 6" with passive radiator (a sealed variant) is finding its way into more and more high-end (like the $30,000 PSAudio F-30's).
Sealed just sounds better, provided the bass frequencies are sufficiently represented.
Great review Randy !!
I compared these with The Lintons at a dealer. For my taste Model 5’s were the clear winner. Look forward to hearing your thoughts if you compare the two.
I bought a pair of the Model 5s a few months ago, and I could not agree more with everything in this review! I run the vintage looking speakers using some vintage gear, a Hafler DH-200 amp (I built from the kit back in the day...) and the Halfer DH-101 preamp. The Model 5s are just a joy to listen to, and I can listen to them for extended periods of time without any "listening fatigue." When I bought these, I went into the store to listen to some KEF LS50 metas, thinking that was what I was going to buy based on reviews. But when I heard the KLHs, for my preferences, there wasn't any contest. They aren't cheap, true. But I see these as a long-term investment that I hope to be enjoying for a decade or more.
I sold my LS50meta's for the 'poor' man's model 5's: Lintons.
No contest here either.
I said on some other reviewer's review that for me, the Wharfedales curb-stomp the KLHs in the Looks Dept. but . . . those black KLHs look really nice. Especially with their grills on.
I've noticed the same about sealed box speakers. Diff amps make a huge difference in how they sound. One of my favorite combos is HK 430 (25wpc) with some Boston Acoustics A150s. Will bring a tear to eye ....it sounds so good.
I'd love a Linton comparison. Never heard the klh but the vocals on a Linton were like nothing I've heard before, simply superb
I agree...I have the lintons and they are fantastic!!!
I ended up going Lintons over these. Fantastic speakers.
Solid review Randy. You pulling your son in to listen brought warmth to my heart. Reminds me of my dad saying "come here and listen to this". It was always Genesis or Alan Parsons. Those moments are some of my most treasured memories, even if I couldn't stand listening to genesis back then!
I wonder if the KLH model 3's (the little brother of these) fit the bill for a more affordable alternative.
Side note, would you consider reviewing the SoundArtist SC8B's?
Best,
Kelly
Good review Randy. I still would choose the Wharfedale Lintons. I like the slightly bigger midrange and the lower price. The 8” bass driver is good enough for me as I run subs in my stereo rig. It’s so subjective. I simply love the sound of the Lintons. Love to hear your thoughts on the two compared directly. I feel others would too. I’ve seen some reviews comparing the KLH 5’s head to head w/the Lintons, and it seems people are split after hearing both. I’d be surprised if there was a clear winner. I imagine there would be some things one liked better on the 5’s and some things one preferred on the Lintons. I like the stands for the 5’s.
@Fisher Man
I picked up a very nice pair of original Fortes from CL had the crossovers recapped just because of their age and I’m cranking them as we speak!!
the KLH midrange , yes it is smaller 4 inches , but unlike the original Model5 1969 which had 2 midrange speakers , The motor assembly is huge , a huge magnet , smaller size promotes better dispersion, Linton is really laid back sound
Oh the difference in sound with various electronics is spot on
Thanks for this review. It really filled in for a number of other reviews of this speaker, adding a good deal about how to evaluate this speaker regardless of the dollar amount of a system. You downplay yourself at times, but you also keeping adding more and more value to what you comment upon. Well done.
Hey Randy, I really like your reviews from this era. My system was built with yours and a few other’s reviews and I’m really pleased with the result. Keep up the good work!
I have 'em...just breathtaking. Driving them with 50/watts a side NAD. They just are so musical.
I auditioned this and the Linton both in my living room. Went with these, just worked better in my space. I got the black grills as the sorta greenish linen ones, just weren't doin it for me lol. They are heavy as hell, and slippery.
I love my Model 5's also. Great sound on music and movies and everything I throw at it. I was lucky to get mine on sale for $950 each (1900 total) before the price increase. They remind me of my JBL L100s from back in the 80s (LOVED those!) and always put a smile on my face.
Still loving them? What are you driving them with?
@@NeverStark Oh yes I still love them. I'm using an Emotive BasX A3 amp.
@@tkusterb Great to hear. You're giving them a nice amount of power. I'm enjoying mine with a really clean 50 wpc A/B integrated amp, but I'm about to swap that with something more robust and see how the Model 5's respond. Should be interesting.
@@NeverStark I put a single Model 3 in the center, so that Emotiva (a 3-channel amp) gives each up to 140 wpm and a nice full sound.
My 5’s are paired with the Pioneer SA9100 in 1972 when KLH was made in Cambridge Mass which speaks a lot for the original being replicated again. Always loved its sound and also what Pioneer did with the SA9100 and with the paired tuner TX9100. Had the Pioneer set restored by a wizard Tony B whose YT channel is Xraytonyb and all the tlc he provides in his work as well as his channel. Sorry I’m old school and took a while to get into DAC with Oppo. Cheers 😬
Ino you opinion, what would be the ideal room area for the KLH model 5 speakers?
Hi Randy just wondering when you say nothing at half the price gets to 80% are you including kits? I have a chance of buying a pair of upper spec’d CSS Critons made up for £1,000 what do you think sonically amp murex Brooklyn
You're the first reviewer to emphasize how these change on amp pairing. It's true, they are picky. Yes, they'll play with 40 watts but you really want a high powered amp or something very linear. I have the pma 1700ne hooked up to mine and it's an excellent combo. The bass is sumptuous. The IOTAVX stack is also a great budget pairing.
I've been looking for a nice integrated to pair with my Model 5's and was wondering about the PMA 1700ne. Currently I have a little chinese tube pre in front of a 300 watt per channel XTZ Edge A-300 power amp that sounds really good but wanted to consolidate the frankenstein setup into a nice integrated and was considering the PMA 1700ne as well as the Marantz Model 30 and possibly one of the Rotel offerings.
@@robertgruber982 I can easily recommend the combo. The sound is very punchy with a lot of drive and somewhat energetic. It also scales the soundstage up a bit. Everything sounds a tad bigger with the Denon.
Terminology: A bass reflex is not an acoustic suspension speaker. Port= bass reflex / no port= acoustic suspension.
:)
yes... I messed that up. I'm sorry.
I never had a chance to demo these, but your review is consistent with the raves that these received almost anywhere. The only thing I heard in a similar price/style category are the Lintons, which I liked quite a bit for the price. Would love to see you do a comparison review of the two.
go check erin audio corner channel the lintons seems way better !
Is that the Wharfdale Linton Heritage?
Don't believe everything you read, I would say the 5's are better if you lack space, much better bass control but if you got the space go for the lintons.
I demo'd both at home and preferred the more focused sound of the 5's. But that's just preference you may prefer the Lintons.
@@Desanusor I’ve demoed both the Linton’s and the Model 5’s and I personally preferred the Model 5’s sound, but they’re admittedly much more expensive. The Model 5’s are more clear sounding. To be sure though, the Linton’s are less fatiguing and might be better for all day listening.
@@Koba123 The fatigue issue may be the electronics, in my case the DAC. Going to the Ares II cured my "fatigue", the Model 5's were the icing on the cake. Listening to them now. And that is one thing Randy stated, that I have not heard any reviewer state that matches my experience, these speakers are extremely transparent in regards to the electronics you throw at them. I have solid state preamps and class D amps here along with Class A/B. The A/B sounds the best, at least to my ear, zero fatigue. I'm using all Denafrips, Ares II, Iris DDC and their Hades and Thallo amps.
Acoustic suspension IS sealed box. Look at the back connection panel. They do not claim to be reflex speakers.
Years ago, a friend brought me 2 KLH cabinets, 4 feet tall, 2, 12" woofers in each. Have no idea what they cost new, but his ex had kicked both woofers, so I re-coned em, and have used them for the last 10 years with my pioneer receiver. Honestly not an audiophile, just want it loud without distortion.
"Air Suspension" = sealed box. Bass Reflex is ported OR has a passive radiator. In either case there is a second vibrating member that is tuned to the free air resonance of the woofer.
Really good to see more traditional speakers even in young millennials home ( I have 4). They all have Klipsch heritage hand me downs but I have heard these KLH and was very impressed with their attributes. Another great great review that puts me right there with you , has really become your signature!! Also noticed all the shout outs from other reviewers.. congratulations on the new review and your continued success!! You are now my favorite when u post a new review!!
Im gonna compare these to my $5 garage sale find Infinity Reference Five speakers (from 1990). Both are sealed 3 way speakers with 10" woofers and 90db sensitivity. Main difference is ribbon tweeter on the infinity vs titanium dome tweeter on the KLH
Interesting to compare Buchart amp/400/stands(2k+2k+450) to Buchart amp & KLH w/stands (2k+2k)
the price is the same for each set - 5k
2500 + 2000 + 450
2500 + 2500
With the Buchardt you need to pay for the stands but you can get a discount on the amp
In truth the speakers have a generally different sound profile. Some like one more than the other.
That recurring mid-sixties north-west pacific frat-rock snippet is an excellent choice for showcasing the Model 5!
I bought these about a year ago. I would say that these are pretty damned good, and much of what this guy says is pretty close. Especially with the amplifiers. I have a Sunfire limited edition cinema grand. It has 400 watts per channel so I had to be a little careful not to overdrive these. Also they just didn't sound great with this amp. Sometimes they sounded great, but I just didn't get a good soundstage with it. Plus the tweeters could sound really harsh with it. I traded out to a couple of Marantz MA-500 mono blocks. Made in the late 80's to early 90's. Much better!! They have 125 watts per channel, and 175 watts 4 ohm. In my opinion more than enough power.
Honestly about the bass. I am a bit of a bass head so at least in my room it just wasn't enough. Mid bass is fairly good, and has become better over time. Plus with my set up I cannot move my speakers far enough back to take advantage of the wall reinforcement. I have mine 15" from the wall behind them.
Here's my last observation, and I think it's a very important one. I never ever believed the hype about speaker break in, but in this case it's true. When I first bought these I ended up turning the level adjustment for the high end on the back of the speakers all the way to low. It's been a bit over a year and now they are on high, which is considered nominal by the manufacturer. I am not saying that on certain recordings the high end is always smooth, but it's way better than it was.
The standard for impedance is to have it go up or down by 20% but a 6ohm speaker going down by 40% (3.7ohm), seems quite messed up, specially for this kinda price of speakers.
Audiophile flashlights! 👏Brilliant, 1,000,000,000 lumens with a pinky to the sky. Great review, 10" woofer sounds like a great low end.
Just listened to these the other day at dB audio in Chicago. I really enjoyed them and would love to demo them at home. What got me was the sound stage and imaging. Really really nice! The sealed box sound was a nice change from what I have at home also
And the real walnut veneer looks great too!
'Tango in the Night' is another awesome song to listen to with these speakers. I have them powered by a Doge 10 MK3 tube amp, and they are certainly very capable and thoroughly enjoyable to listen to.
I can't do sealed enclosures, they lack the warm low energetic bass of a well designed ported cab. But for nerds who get hung up on accuracy, perhaps this is for them?
Nice review. I have had tons of speakers and have settled with pair of massive Tannoys Ardens (you should try them) and a more civil three way. JBL 110. 10 inch bass driver, 5 inch midrange and a one inch high frequency driver. I haven’t heard anything better until I went 200 liter cabinets. 10 or 12 inch three way speaker from JBL, KLH or Klipsch can be special :)
These are great with the Audiolab 6000a.
Would really like the KLH 5 compare to Linton vid.
There is one available on TH-cam
Glad you are reviewing some not so cheap speakers. These were on my list but now at $2500, I don't know. So the Linton didn't match the magic of these in your space?
The KLH Kendalls, at 40% less money, will give you 80-90% of what the Model 5's give you! Please review them sometime. With their value, you will love them!
I love my Kendalls and they fit so nicely in a smaller room because they are not very wide. Oh, but the bass!
man i would love to know how they compare to the Polk R700
A few reviews out there making that comparison…
These are not bass reflex as mentioned (as this would be ported). The KLH model 5 is classed as infinite baffle (or sealed).
I think Acoustic Suspension are the words you're looking for. Infinite baffle doesn't have sides or a back. I have a pair these and I agree with Randy (and everyone else - they're fantastic). I also have Cornwall IVs which are my primary and with those it's just more of the same... Lots more.
@@jasonhodges6113 You are correct. Thanks for the correction of the correction. :0)
You should hear them with Denafrips Pontus, Ayre K-5xeMP pre, and Pass Labs X150.5 amp. Truly, truly end game.
On the website it says that these need a 200 Watt Amp. 20 was probably a typo.
They need and like juice. But still play well with my Denafrips Thallo, 120w at 8 and 200w at 4 ohm... I have the XTZ Edge A2-400, and it takes the 5's to another level. My Emotiva sit gen XPA2 does the same, huge soundstage... I need to break that beast back out, damn it is heavy.
I’m tired of 6” two way standmounts, and skinny floorstanders that are just standmounts with a couple of extra woofers. They all sound the same really, small and dull. Wide baffles, large woofers and dedicated midrange drivers to get the crossover points away from the vocal range is what you want if you’re into rocking out or pumping up the jam.
I've got these hooked up to a Vidar and they're fantastic.
Same for me. Was using a small BasX emotive amp I had laying around first and I wasn’t really that impressed. I got the Vidar and everything really opened up. Sounded like a different speaker.
With a lot of power, there is not a better way to listen to music than CD>floor speakers (JBL, CV, KLH, etc), especially with a 12-15” driver. But with a weak amp, they can be incredibly boring.
Yep, they need juice. And like Randy said, the gear will matter. Listening to mine right now.
Higher Love...love it. Back in the High Life also, Chaman (A.K.A Cheap Áudio Man) !!
They are on SALE NOW TOO!! For 1099each till July 8th?
Did you connect these to your Akatika amp? Really curious about that pairing.
Just bought the Lintons. The Model 5 are 3 times the costs here in the Netherlands.
still happy w the Lintons?
@@andrehb yeah!!! Brake in takes a while but they are sounding better and better!
@@PascalNuman Nice! Thanks
I am looking at these speakers. Large room. High ceiling. What amp would you recommend. Awesome review.
As we start downsizing our house (3500 sq/ ft) for retirement next year I’ve auditioned a few pairs of new speakers all with bass ports. Subjectively found all lacking in clarity and soundstage compared to my current lineup of restored AR3 and CS-99A. Both air suspension. Yeah bass seems to be more apparent in the new ones but I don’t listen to bass heavy music. I’ll find room for the the current ones when we move.
great review! you did listen (some time ago, though) to the Klipsch Heresy IV. how does the KLH compares to the Heresy? at the end of your review you mention you still haven't found a speaker that could do 80% of the KLH. wonder if the Heresy's being more expensive...are they any better??
For the price of the retro model 5’s I’d rather have the original model 5’s which can be had for around $400 bucks for a really nice pair. Mine were about $300 several years ago and another $200 to get them in perfect condition. Sounds incredible with my Marantz 2270.
Thank you very much for the review. I’m just curious how they compare to Polk R
I learn from experience, bought some new KLH floor speakers 15 years ago on sale, 6 months later I sold them at a garage sale for $20. they were crap.
That was when the KLH brand was owned by some other outfit, you would know the name. The KLH of today is a completely different animal. The company is now owned by some past Klipsch executives who resurrected the brand. Night and day, and they did an outstanding job. Their customer service is second to none.
How does KLH Model 5 compare with the Arendal THX S? I know they are different types of speakers but it would be nice to know which of them perform better for you?
Sealed woofers are objectively better (Yes, objectively, not subjectively.)
1) Ported bass has a sharp roll off. This roll off is unnatural to music.
2) Sealed extent lower than ported, with more accurate roll off.
And MOST importantly:
3) GROUP DELAY
Port output varies over different frequencies, (spreading out response lines like a horses tail), providing a mash-up of incongruent responses. This sounds unnatural yes, but really messes with lower midrange often turning it into mudrange. Sealed provides consistent group delay and phase angle. And it most certainly is audible. Imaging and soundstage are superior. So is tonal accuracy. This is why the best efforts at true audio performance, like the B+W Nautilis, are sealed.
The SUBJECTIVE part comes in when space considerations and driver size are limited. Many people will be happier with a ported (AKA "Boom Box") design when the drivers are 4" or 5". However, 6" to 7" is really a transition point. 6 1/2" woofers can do very well sealed, providing people with a more subjective choice. Some people prefer the boosted low frequency curve of ported, and are willing to overlook group delay errors and frequency-dependant response smearing in the bass. At 8" it's really tending toward sealed, although there are very good ported designs here also. And at 10"-12" most people (speaker designers) consider it a design error NOT to consider a sealed enclosure.
There are always trade offs, and not all drivers are compliant for sealed boxes, so need the back pressure reduced. Some amplifiers do too. And ported may mate better to the midrange driver. But in general, a 3-way system with a large (8" or more) driver, will do better all around with a sealed configuration.
The exception to this being Transmission Lines. But TS are difficult to design (there's no simple computer program) and so are expensive, such that they are out of reach for most people. They do have better group delay and midrange than a ported, although not as good as sealed. The character of the bass is often subjectively better than the others. And they're not far behind sealed in actual acoustic performance. It's unfortunate more TS speakers aren't on market. This is one case where subjective preference may outweigh objective, and be quite satisfying.
But overall, i think you may be interested in reevaluating your sealed vs. ported bias. Many of the things you mentioned you liked are the direct result (or at least directly correlated) with sealed speakers. (We all have bias, it's not a criticism. I enjoy your videos, btw. Entertaining and honest).
@@johnm3544 My personal preference for subs is sealed or isobaric, push-pull. 2 drivers in opposition, so their rear wave cancels. No cone reflections from the backwave coming out through the speaker cone after a delay, being reflected off the box walls. This seems to get rid of a lot of problems, including some box coloration resonances.
Also, even 2 drivers wired in parallel in phase, on the same plane, has benefits: sealed woofers tend to have more excursion travel than ported, which may add distortion and take longer to get back to the starting position. Using 2 woofers cuts this excursion distance in half, so each driver moves half the distance, but the combined distance is the same. The result is generally lower distortion and faster response times. 2 woofers in a sealed enclosure may well beat 1 in a ported, (oftentimes even if the two drivers are individually less expensive than the one ported driver.)
But with subs, there is a rather limited frequency response, not many octaves covered. So there, a ported sub may not have the same drawbacks as ported woofers. If there is less spectrum, the group delay is less of an issue.
With active EQ like "servo woofers" (where the amp is doing a negative feedback cycle to bring undesirable cone movement under control), you could do ported or even open baffle. Sealed with driver excursion EQ is another option, but like many artificial changes to xmax of woofer travel, it can and does add distortion. There certainly are drawbacks to electronically extending the driver movements, however. It's not all roses, and many feel the trade-off isn't worth the gains provided good quality woofers are used. It may end up simply creating different problems, trading one set for another.
LDC-7 (loudspeaker design cookbook 7th edition) went into isobaric woofers a bit, as i recall. A second woofer inside the box that nobody sees is not exactly a selling point for most consumers, so that's going to be a DIY in many cases. 2x the drivers just to get a cleaner backwave and damp the reflections and cabinet vibrations, but you can't "see" the value in the sales brochure.
There are so many factors involved with matching subs to main channel speakers (many having to do with the speakers themselves), plus room gain and interactions, plus room EQ and DSP options... that i would hesitate to say one option is definitively "best" for subs.
I personally do prefer sealed subs, especially when adding them to sealed speakers. It's like a 1st order crossover in a way, because they have shallow roll off slopes compared to the sharp knee of ported. I find them easier to blend together. Personal preferences vary greatly, however, and the human hearing isn't so sensitive at 20Hz-40Hz as it is at 1500Hz-3000Hz: each is one octave in range, but it's a rather different result. 60Hz and up is human voice. Few people know male fundamental frequency can be 60Hz, but it can. Overtones at higher frequencies are more sensitive. My focus, therefore, would be getting the bass "right" from 60Hz up through midrange. However you can best blend your subs with your speakers into your room, after that, is probably best.
(I know that's not a much of a definitive answer, but it's getting into the "it depends" territory.)
I’ve paired my model 5s with the Rega Brio. Good pairing imo. Thx for the video review!
I’ve tried that pairing but switched out to a vintage Sansui Au 555, it gave a much bigger soundstage and things sounded more 3 Dimensional. The Rega Brio is definitely no slouch and I love that amplifier but I preferred it on my B&W CM5s than on the KLH5s.
The frequency attenuator on the back is to help the speaker not be so hot on the top end many people have compared the lintons and the KLH Model 5 and they've liked the linton's better but the lintons are actually less money without the stands I bought a pair of Lintons for $1200 without the stands which I thought were just ugly and Im not buying anything I dont like. Now I bought my Lintons in the Open Box section at Crutchfield and they were without the stands and I really saved a bunch and they came as flawlwss. They're phenomenal for that price I mean I'm just blown away never heard the KLH, I almost bought them but then I didn't so can't wait to hear your comparison of the two.
Andrew and his wife have reviewed both and wished Linton had sent them much earlier because they felt the Linton's actually were slightly better then the KLH Model fives.
Just Saying!
Thanks for the review.........
These must have a very special purpose built woofer because I have not found another 10" woofer designed for a sealed enclosure that can go as low as this one and still be 88db@ 1W/1M The closest I can get is about 44Hz in a 1.85 ft3 box.
Bass reflex speakers are ported. Acoustic suspension speakers are sealed.
I really enjoyed your review. Your song choices as well - like minded musical taste. Honest review and you've helped me make my choice. Thanks!
Dang! That KLH reminds me of my old accoustic suspension/ Yamaha NS-690's., with the exception of the grill, the woofer 12", the midrange dome , .75" tweeter and wonderful cabinet finish over heavy particle board.... Oh yea and the price... ($775.00 per pr.) OK, so there is very little to compare the two...... so what?
Hallo Randy,
eine sehr gute Vorstellung der neuen KLH Boxen.Klassiches Arrangement der Chassis Anordnung, 20-25cm Bass ,10cm Mitteltöner ,und 2,5cm Hochtöner regelbar, geschlossenes Gehäuse.Damit macht man nichts verkehrt und es klappt Klanglich immer weil jedes Chassis seine eigenes Frequenzband optimal ausspielen kann.Diese Bauweise hat sich schon vor 50-60 Jahren bewehrt.
liebe Grüße aus Duisburg/Germany
Helmut
Please help. Just got these for my living room. I don't find them as present as my kef q150s (they are in my bedroom). I play a lot of dance music. Should i add a subwoofer or just return them for KEF P950s?
Thanks for another great review, amigo.
I should have jumped on these when they were $2K a pair, but alas I didn't.
These are uptown troubles.
These sure sound nice! I have an old set of klh speakers I got from costco many yrs ago. I never new klh made speakers that were this nice!!!
As much as I'd like to try these, I'll just have to settle for my vintage KLH Model 6. Possibly the best $150 I've spent in audio gear.
Wait, I thought my Model 17 speakers from 1974 was the best $100 I ever spent. Still have them. LOL
Wait I thought the $50 I spent on a sandwich from 7-11 was the best………..
Oh wait 🤔
They look like my old AR-58's that have a 12" woofer rather than a 10". I have never felt the need to buy something else in the last 30+ years since I bought them new for $800 a pair. I have had to refoam the woofers twice, and the midrange once, but that was easy to do. I am sure those that own these "5's" will love them.
One of the better reviews of this speaker. With explanation in different music styles. Excellent use of switching up amps.
I love to check speakers out with Faith no More albums The Real Thing . Track - woodpecker from mars and war pig.
Nowadays with Bluetooth you can really freak out a stereo section at best buy.
Great review amigo! I hope this means we'll be seeing more reviews of these retro 3 way floorstanders. Maybe the Magnat Transpulse 1500 next?
Sealed speakers?
These in my world have always been called "Acoustic Suspension" speakers.
The air pressure inside pushes back against the back of the woofer for support. Much more to it than that though.
The 5's are nice.
Straightforward and comprehensive…and you always get us chuckling! What you pointed out differently than others..that they very much take on the characteristics of the equipment ahead of them. That was helpful, and makes me want to consider these down the road 🙏🏼👍🏼
Anyone have experience with the vintage model 5s vs the modern design? Curious is what the big take-aways are.
Base at 42 Hz sounds pretty limited. I guess putting against the wall helped. But you really didn't talk about how it might not dig down deep enough for some of us two channel listeners
For music, they go low enough. For movies, yep you might need a sub or 2. But for most music no sub needed unless you a bass head.
@@Staybrown11 frequencies between 30 and 120 Hz take up a good deal of the mix in pop rock and roll type music like Abbey Road even at relatively low volumes like 70 db. It would be great if we could listen to all these different speakers in our own homes ABing against what we have.
@@lsaideOK the wonderful thing is we can home audition and return if we don’t like. It’s a win win for sure.
@@Staybrown11That's true. Before I got an opportunity to audition some totem tribes in the area, I was about to pull the trigger on a pair of speakers bought direct from the manufacturer with a 30-day return. Thing is I would not want to have another set of speakers at the same time to AB due to the initial outlay of funds. And I would like to get it right the first time. I may still audition those speakers if the totem tribes don't do it for me
Acoustic suspension speakers drop off smoothly in the bass region where ported versions drop like a stone. Also, the lowest bass energy in bass reflex speakers is “one note” port boom. If not tuned perfectly, it stinks. There is a reason why Edgar Vilchur and Henry Kloss made scads of money with the first mass produced acoustic suspension loudspeakers - Acoustic Research (AR). They made less distortion and had more real bass than the prevalent open baffle stuff then.
WAAAIT the whole issue of box versus open baffle is room loading - and hey once you load the room IE run enough volume, lwith Cornwalls or Bozaks or JBLs, now your woofer being boxed IE baffled might be a help.
High end you need, time alignment IE placement (and as always choice of driver, crossover type & parts) and I imagine you do want baffle below a tweeter to avoid floor reflections.
Other question would be coaxial driver versus d'Appolito/mtm.
How are they at low to extremely low volumes? A lot of very highly respected speakers need 90dB to perform their best -- I'm too old for that.
Thanks for the review. I have a 70's Harmon Kardon 930, 45 watts per channel, bi-amp. Any thoughts on what the model 5's would sound like powered with the HK?
Its about time we started seeing some with THREE WAY SPEAKERS. The price on these is insanely high, I have two well made Cerwin Vega 300 watt 12" three way LS-12's that will kick the crap out of these and they cost WAY less. I bought mine when speaker prices were still normal, I paid $179 each for my Cerwin Vegas years ago and they are still playing like brand new. I never have liked two way speakers, always a hole in the middle no matter what they claim to do to them and youre right this style in three way are WAY better than two ways which by the way also cost WAY too much for what they are. KLH used to be affordable now they have went way up in price, hopefully in quality as well.
Look like my old Jensen and Technics speakers. Love the looks.
Yeah, in 1973 I had Jensen 3 ways, with 12" woofers and level controls for midrange and for the tweeters.
Loved those things!
Gave them to my, then girlfriend, when I got my first pair of Maggies 8 years later.
Glad I am a pack rat as far as audio gear goes. I semi retired 2 years ago at age 55 and am having a blast playing with my old gear mixed with some great new stuff. Seriously still considering buying these now that the price has dropped. The overly spicy highs is the only thing keeping me away.@@markwagner1997
I'd be very interested in seeing you review the KHL Model Three. I wonder if it can pull some of the same magic tricks that its bigger brother does.
Ditto. Shades of the Smaller Advent Loudspeaker, which many preferred to its larger brother.
@@billd9667 I've got a couple of Advent speakers in my house. Love them. If these KLH are like the new day versions then I'm all in lol
@@stingdragon17 Andrew Robinson reviewed the 3s. My take is that they are very much in the same vein as the Smaller Advent - strong bass, but needs to be placed more carefully than the 5. I’m starting to think I’d like a pair of Dynaco A25s. 🙂
As far as the 5s go, they are probably more like the original KLH 5 than the Advents. The latter had deeper bass than either the KLH 5 or 6. I owned both the KLH 6 and New Advent Loudspeaker. I loved them both madly.
@@billd9667 I had large Advents,but doubled for each side. My younger self like that they had a big soundstage and played loud. Can't remember any other sonic characteristics!
What lense do you use and camera. looks good man
Bass reflex means ported. Sealed speakers are acoustic suspension designs.
Especially appreciate that you try to find the 80/20 in cheaper comparable alternatives 👍
Enter fellow KLH MOD 5 owners … what distance from front wall have you placed your speakers ( measured from front center of speaker to wall )
I drag mine out into the room.
I've been listening to Tool for 10 years but just listened to Chocolate Chip Trip for the first time today. Holy Schiit Audio! I only remember a couple groups with drums so center stage. Santana Abraxas and Adam Ant.
I am new to Tool...( am an old King Crimson fan).......and I am entranced with their song" Pnuema.".....