In this review, we will be comparing F502S and Model Five, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F502S and KLH Model Five first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F502S | KLH Model Five |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" | 10" Pulp-Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-34k Hz | 42-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 180 W watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.49kg / 62.7lbs | 20.00kg / 44lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.8" x 11.8" x 15"
1112.5 x 299.7 x 381.0mm | 34-1/4" x 13-3/4" x 13"
870.0 x 350.0 x 330.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F502S 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* |
Fyne Audio F502S |
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 F502S and Model Five are 3-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F502SKLH 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 |
Fyne Audio F502S |
KLH Model Five |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 8-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
F502S features a " Tweeter and x 8" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz, 1700 Hz. 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
F502S has a frequency range of 30-34k Hz whereas Model Five has a frequency range of 42-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the F502S can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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
F502S 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. F502S 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.
Model Five can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas F502S has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Model Five.
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
F502S features Binding post type posts and Model Five has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers 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 Fyne Audio F502S's and KLH Model Five's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F502S has external dimensions of 1112.5 x 299.7 x 381.0mm (43.8 x 11.8 x 15inch) 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 242.5mm shorter and 51mm less deeper than Fyne Audio F502S but it is also 50.3mm wider.
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. Fyne Audio F502S is 51mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F502S is 243mm 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 Fyne Audio F502S is approximately 1141.9cm2 / 177.0inch2 and base area of the KLH Model Five is approximately 1155.0cm2 / 179.0inch2. The F502S requires 1% less surface area than the Model Five 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 Fyne Audio F502S weighs 28.49kg / 62.7lbs and the KLH Model Five weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs. This makes the F502S 42% heavier than the Model Five.
Here is a comparison of how F502S 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
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
34k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1141cm2
vs
1155cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
870mm
vs
1112mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2500USD
vs
3499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Fyne Audio F502S |
KLH Model Five |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30 - 180 W watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-34k Hz |
42-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Pulp-Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz, 1700 Hz |
380Hz and 2850Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1112.5mm (43.8") |
870.0mm (34.3") |
| Width |
299.7mm (11.8") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Depth |
381.0mm (15") |
330.0mm (13") |
| Weight |
28.49kg (62.7lbs) |
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 |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
10 Years |
A generation apart: Fyne Audio F502S 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 | A | Fyne Audio F502S digs deeper - 30Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Fyne Audio F502S is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (180W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | KLH Model Five is easier to place; Fyne Audio F502S is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Ported vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Price | B | KLH Model Five is cheaper - $2,500 against $3,499, about 29% less. |
A Fyne Audio F502S 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?
The usual trade-off: Fyne Audio F502S measures better, KLH Model Five costs about about 40% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KLH Model Five much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Fyne Audio F502S 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.