In this review, we will be comparing Nostala LB12 and Model Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Emotiva and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Emotiva Nostala LB12 and KLH Model Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Emotiva Nostala LB12 | KLH Model Five |
|---|
| Brand | Emotiva
United States · founded 2003 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Paper | 10" Pulp-Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-32k Hz | 42-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100-350 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 32.20kg / 70.8lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 30" x 15-1/2" x 14-1/2"
762.0 x 394.0 x 368.0mm | 34-1/4" x 13-3/4" x 13"
870.0 x 350.0 x 330.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Emotiva Nostala LB12 and KLH Model Five speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
KLH Model Five |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Nostala LB12 and Model Five are 3-way speakers.
Emotiva Nostala LB12KLH Model Five
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
KLH Model Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
Nostala LB12 features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 200Hz and 2000Hz. On the other hand, the Model Five features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 10" Pulp-Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz and 2850Hz.
Frequency Response
Nostala LB12 has a frequency range of 40-32k Hz whereas Model Five has a frequency range of 42-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Nostala LB12 can go slightly deeper then the Model Five's min frequency of 42Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Nostala LB12 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Model Five which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Nostala LB12 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Model Five's is rated at 90.5 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Nostala LB12 can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Model Five has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Nostala LB12.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Nostala LB12 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Model Five has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Model Five's Binding post terminals
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Emotiva Nostala LB12's and KLH Model Five's external dimensions. Emotiva Nostala LB12 has external dimensions of 762.0 x 394.0 x 368.0mm (30 x 15-1/2 x 14-1/2inch) whereas KLH Model Five has external dimensions of 870.0 x 350.0 x 330.0mm (34-1/4 x 13-3/4 x 13inch).
KLH Model Five is 44mm narrower and 38mm less deeper than Emotiva Nostala LB12 but it is also 108mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Emotiva Nostala LB12 needs about 26% more floor or shelf area. Emotiva Nostala LB12 is 38mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. KLH Model Five is 108mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Emotiva Nostala LB12 is approximately 1449.9cm2 / 224.7inch2 and base area of the KLH Model Five is approximately 1155.0cm2 / 179.0inch2. The Nostala LB12 requires 26% more surface area than the Model Five which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Emotiva Nostala LB12 weighs 32.20kg / 70.8lbs and the KLH Model Five weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs. This makes the Nostala LB12 61% heavier than the Model Five.
Here is a comparison of how Nostala LB12 and Model Five's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Model Five?
Here are the items that come with the Model Five:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Riser base
- Grille
- Owners Manual
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
762mm
vs
870mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1155cm2
vs
1449cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2500USD
vs
3299USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Emotiva Nostala LB12 |
KLH Model Five |
| Brand |
Emotiva |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
100-350 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-32k Hz |
42-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Pulp-Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
200Hz and 2000Hz |
380Hz and 2850Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
762.0mm (30") |
870.0mm (34.3") |
| Width |
394.0mm (15.5") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Depth |
368.0mm (14.5") |
330.0mm (13") |
| Weight |
32.20kg (70.8lbs) |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
English Walnut, West African Mahogany |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
A generation apart: Emotiva Nostala LB12 is the newer design, against a 2018 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (40Hz vs 42Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Emotiva Nostala LB12 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Emotiva Nostala LB12 takes more power (350W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | A | Emotiva Nostala LB12: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | KLH Model Five is cheaper - $2,500 against $3,299, about 24% less. |
A Emotiva Nostala LB12 B KLH Model Five
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Emotiva Nostala LB12 leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. KLH Model Five is the one to take if it does not. Match it to your room: we rate Emotiva Nostala LB12 the better fit for a very large room, and KLH Model Five for a mid-size room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.