In this review, we will be comparing Kendall and Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Kendall and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Kendall | ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" soft dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 3 x 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-23k Hz | 42-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 250 watts | 40-140 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm | 39-7/8" x 10-3/16" x 12-7/8"
1013.0 x 259.0 x 328.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Kendall and Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim are 3-way speakers.
KLH KendallELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KLH Kendall |
ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 5.25-inch
|
Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 3 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz whereas Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim'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
Kendall is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Kendall sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim's is rated at 85 dB. This 11 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
Kendall can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim has a max power handling value of 140 watts RMS, 110 watts less than the Kendall.
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
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 KLH Kendall's and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim's external dimensions. KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch) whereas ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim has external dimensions of 1013.0 x 259.0 x 328.0mm (39-7/8 x 10-3/16 x 12-7/8inch).
ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim is 8mm shorter and 52mm less deeper than KLH Kendall but it is also 47mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Kendall and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Kendall and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim 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 KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2 and base area of the ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim is approximately 849.5cm2 / 131.7inch2. The Kendall requires 5% less surface area than the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
What's in the Box of ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim?
Here are the items that come with the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Stabilizer-bars
- 4 Spike-feet
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Knobs
- 6 Machine screws
- 4 Hex-nuts
- Hex-key
- Operating Instructions