In this review, we will be comparing 4305P and The Fives, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from JBL 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 JBL 4305P and Klipsch The Fives first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL 4305P | Klipsch The Fives |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 300-watt RMS | 160-watt RMS (320-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Pulp | 4.5" Fiber-composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-25k Hz | 50-25k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192kHz | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.1 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| App control | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 6.60kg / 14.5lbs | 4.85kg / 10.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.3125" x 8.3125" x 8-3/4"
336 x 210 x 223 mm | 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 4305P and The Fives are 2-way speakers.
JBL 4305PKlipsch 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 |
JBL 4305P |
Klipsch The Fives |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
4305P features a 1" Teonex Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz. On the other hand, The Fives features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Fiber-composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
4305P has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz whereas The Fives has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the 4305P 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
4305P has a front firing port whereas The Fives has a rear firing ports. JBL 4305P's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Klipsch The Fives with its rear-firing port.
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 JBL 4305P's and Klipsch The Fives's external dimensions. JBL 4305P has external dimensions of 336 x 210 x 223 mm (13.3125 x 8.3125 x 8-3/4 inch) 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 44.9mm narrower and 21.7mm shorter than JBL 4305P but it is also 59.6mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL 4305P and Klipsch The Fives in scale.
Comparison image of JBL 4305P and Klipsch The Fives Size and External Dimensions
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 JBL 4305P is approximately 468.3cm2 / 72.6inch2 and base area of the Klipsch The Fives is approximately 466.6cm2 / 72.3inch2. The 4305P requires 0% more surface area than The Fives which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of JBL 4305P and Klipsch The Fives on a Media Console
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 JBL 4305P weighs 6.60kg / 14.5lbs and the Klipsch The Fives weighs 4.85kg / 10.7lbs. This makes the 4305P 36% heavier than The Fives.
Here is a comparison of how 4305P 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 JBL 4305P?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 4305P:
- 2 Powered speakers
- 2 Grilles
- Two 69-inch AC power cords
- 10-feet CAT5e cable
- Remote control
- 2 AAA batteries
- 8 Self-adhesive feet
- Owner-feets Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
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 |
5.25 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 Height |
314mm
vs
336mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
466cm2
vs
468cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
969USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Phono Input |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your turntable directly |
 HDMI Input |
ARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
| General |
JBL 4305P |
Klipsch The Fives |
| Brand |
JBL |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
45-25k Hz |
50-25k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
160-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
320-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
4.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pulp |
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Horn-Loaded |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1750 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
336.0mm (13.2") |
314.3mm (12.4") |
| Width |
210.0mm (8.3") |
165.1mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
223.0mm (8.8") |
282.6mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
6.60kg (14.5lbs) |
4.85kg (10.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
3/4-inch MDF with real wood veneer |
MDF with genuine wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Satin Walnut, Black Walnut |
Black,Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm |
3.5mm |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
USB-B |
| Phone Input |
No |
Yes |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
mono-RCA |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
Optical, HDMI |
| HDMI Input |
No |
ARC |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5yr drivers/2 yr amp |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
5yr drivers/2 yr amp |
1 Year |
These sit in different price classes - JBL 4305P costs roughly 2.3x what Klipsch The Fives 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 | JBL 4305P digs deeper - 45Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Built-in power | A | JBL 4305P has the bigger amplifier (300W vs 160W RMS). |
| Connections | depends | JBL 4305P adds Wi-Fi and streaming; Klipsch The Fives adds HDMI and phono. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL 4305P: a sub output; Klipsch The Fives: a sub output. JBL 4305P sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Klipsch The Fives is cheaper - $969 against $2,200, about 56% less; arguably a different class. |
A JBL 4305P 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?
The usual trade-off: JBL 4305P measures better, Klipsch The Fives costs about about 127% 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 50Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch The Fives much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $1,231 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.