In this review, we will be comparing Ai41 and The Fives, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Fluance and Klipsch. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fluance Ai41 and Klipsch The Fives first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Fluance Ai41 and Klipsch The Fives compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Ai41 and The Fives are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Fluance Ai41 |
Klipsch The Fives |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
Ai41 features a 1" Silk Neodymium Ferrofluid Cooled Soft Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite Woofer . On the other hand, the The Fives features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Fiber-composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
Ai41 has a frequency range of 35-20k Hz whereas The Fives has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Ai41 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the The Fives's min frequency of 50Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Ai41 and The Fives have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Fluance Ai41's and Klipsch The Fives's external dimensions. Fluance Ai41 has external dimensions of 27.7 x 16.5 x 19.3 cm ( 10.9 x 6.5 x 7.6 inches) whereas Klipsch The Fives has external dimensions of 314.3 x 165.1 x 282.6mm ( 12.375 x 6.5 x 11.125inch) .
Klipsch The Fives is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 0.099999999999994mm wider, 37.3mm taller and 89.6mm deeper than Fluance Ai41.
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 Fluance Ai41 is approximately 318.0cm2 / 49.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch The Fives is approximately 466.6cm2 / 72.3inch2. The Ai41 requires 32% less surface area than the The Fives which gives it a small advantage 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 Fluance Ai41 weighs 3.37kg / 7.4lbs and the Klipsch The Fives weighs 4.85kg / 10.7lbs. This makes the The Fives 44% heavier than the Ai41.
Here is a comparison of how Ai41 and The Fives's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Fluance Ai41?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ai41:
Ai41 Powered Bookshelf Speakers (pair)Remote Control1x CR2032 Battery6ft Power Cable8ft 18 Gauge Speaker WireQuick Start GuideFluance CatalogLifetime Customer Support2 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
What's in the Box of Klipsch The Fives?
Here are the items that come with the The Fives:
Powered speaker (right) Passive speaker (left) 6-inch AC power cord 13-feet Proprietary speaker cable 58-inch HDMI cable 59-inch USB-A to USB-B cable Remote control 2 AAA batteries Instruction Booklet Need Help? card
 Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
277mm
vs
314mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
318cm2 (165x193mm)
vs
466cm2 (165x282mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
249USD
vs
969USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 Phono Input |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your turntable directly |
 HDMI Input |
ARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
| General |
Fluance Ai41 |
Klipsch The Fives |
| Brand |
Fluance |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
35-20k Hz |
50-25k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
90-watt RMS |
160-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
320-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
16-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
48 kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
4.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven, Glass Fiber Composite |
Fiber-composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft Dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
277.0mm (10.9") |
314.3mm (12.4") |
| Width |
165.0mm (6.5") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
193.0mm (7.6") |
282.6mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
3.37kg (7.4lbs) |
4.85kg (10.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF wood |
MDF with genuine wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash,Lucky Bamboo,White Walnut, Natural Walnut |
Black,Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA |
3.5mm |
| USB Port |
No |
USB-B |
| Phone Input |
No |
Yes |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
mono-RCA |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
Optical, HDMI |
| HDMI Input |
No |
ARC |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
|
1 Year |