In this review, we will be comparing Ai61 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 Ai61 and Klipsch The Fives first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance Ai61 | Klipsch The Fives |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 120-watt RMS | 160-watt RMS (320-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft Dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite | 4.5" Fiber-composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-20k Hz | 50-25k Hz |
|---|
| Power range | up to 120 watts | — |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 16-bit / 48 kHz | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| App control | — | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 5.96kg / 13.1lbs | 4.85kg / 10.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.1" x 7.8" x 9.2"
33.3 x 19.8 x 23.4 cm | 12.375" x 6.5" x 11.125"
314.3 x 165.1 x 282.6mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Ai61 and The Fives are 2-way speakers.
Fluance Ai61Klipsch The Fives
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fluance Ai61 |
Klipsch The Fives |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
Ai61 features a 1" Silk Neodymium Ferrofluid Cooled Soft Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite Woofer. On the other hand, The Fives features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Fiber-composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Ai61 has a frequency range of 32-20k Hz whereas The Fives has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the Ai61 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to The Fives's min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Ai61 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
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 Fluance Ai61's and Klipsch The Fives's external dimensions. Fluance Ai61 has external dimensions of 33.3 x 19.8 x 23.4 cm (13.1 x 7.8 x 9.2 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 32.9mm narrower and 18.7mm shorter than Fluance Ai61 but it is also 48.6mm deeper.
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.
Near-identical footprints. Klipsch The Fives is 49mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fluance Ai61 is 19mm 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 Fluance Ai61 is approximately 463.0cm2 / 71.8inch2 and base area of the Klipsch The Fives is approximately 466.6cm2 / 72.3inch2. The Ai61 requires 1% less surface area than 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 Ai61 weighs 5.96kg / 13.1lbs and the Klipsch The Fives weighs 4.85kg / 10.7lbs. This makes the Ai61 23% heavier than The Fives.
Here is a comparison of how Ai61 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 Ai61?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ai61:
- Ai61 Powered Bookshelf Speakers (pair)
- Remote Control
- 1x CR2032 Battery
- 6ft Power Cable
- 8ft 18 Gauge Speaker Wire
- Quick Start Guide
- Fluance Catalog
- Lifetime Customer Support
- 2 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
What's in the Box of Klipsch The Fives?
Here are the items that come with 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 |
6.5 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
463cm2
vs
466cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
969USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 USB Port |
USB-C
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 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 |
 Height |
314mm
vs
333mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
|
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 Ai61 |
Klipsch The Fives |
| Brand |
Fluance |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
32-20k Hz |
50-25k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
120-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 |
6.5" |
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 |
333.0mm (13.1") |
314.3mm (12.4") |
| Width |
198.0mm (7.8") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
234.0mm (9.2") |
282.6mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
5.96kg (13.1lbs) |
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 |
USB-C |
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 |
These sit in different price classes - Klipsch The Fives costs roughly 3.2x what Fluance Ai61 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Fluance Ai61 digs deeper - 32Hz against 50Hz. |
| Built-in power | B | Klipsch The Fives has the bigger amplifier (160W vs 120W RMS). |
| Connections | B | Klipsch The Fives adds HDMI and phono. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Fluance Ai61: a sub output; Klipsch The Fives: a sub output. |
| Price | A | Fluance Ai61 is cheaper - $299 against $969, about 69% less; arguably a different class. |
A Fluance Ai61 B Klipsch The Fives
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?
Klipsch The Fives is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 3.2x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Fluance Ai61 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Klipsch The Fives appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $670 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.