In this review, we will be comparing Model Five and BP-9060, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and Definitive Technology. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Model Five and Definitive BP-9060 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KLH Model Five Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 10" Pulp-Paper Woofer
- 42-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 90.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:20.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 660.0" x 13-3/4" x 13"( 660.0 x 350.0 x 292.0mm )
Definitive BP-9060 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome Tweeter
- 4.5" Midrange
- 10" Polypropelene Woofer
- 4.5" Midrange
- 18-49k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:22.73kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1132.0" x 11-1/16" x 13-13/16"( 1132.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm )
What size room are the KLH Model Five and Definitive BP-9060 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* |
KLH Model Five |
Definitive BP-9060 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KLH Model Five and Definitive BP-9060 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Model Five and BP-9060 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
KLH Model Five |
Definitive BP-9060 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
3 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the BP-9060 features a 1" annealed aluminum dome Tweeter , a 4.5" Midrange and 1 x 10" Polypropelene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Model Five has a frequency range of 42-20k Hz whereas BP-9060 has a frequency range of 18-49k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the BP-9060 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Model Five's min frequency of 42Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
Model Five is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the BP-9060 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Model Five sensitivity is rated at 90.5 dB and the BP-9060's is rated at 92 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Definitive BP-9060 a more sensitive speaker compared to KLH Model Five, 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Model Five can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Model Five has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the BP-9060.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Model Five features 5-Way post, RCA type posts and BP-9060 has a 5-Way post, RCA type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Model Five's Binding post terminals
Definitive BP-9060's 5-Way post, RCA terminals
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 KLH Model Five's and Definitive BP-9060's external dimensions. KLH Model Five has external dimensions of 660.0 x 350.0 x 292.0mm ( 34-1/4 x 13-3/4 x 13inch) whereas Definitive BP-9060 has external dimensions of 1132.0 x 281.0 x 351.0mm ( 44-9/16 x 11-1/16 x 13-13/16inch) .
KLH Model Five is 472mm shorter and 59mm less deeper than Definitive BP-9060 but it is also 69mm wider.
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 Model Five is approximately 1022.0cm2 / 158.4inch2 and base area of the Definitive BP-9060 is approximately 986.3cm2 / 152.9inch2. The Model Five requires 4% more surface area than the BP-9060 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 KLH Model Five weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs and the Definitive BP-9060 weighs 22.73kg / 50lbs. This makes the BP-9060 14% heavier than the Model Five.
Here is a comparison of how Model Five and BP-9060'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 are included inside the box of Model Five:
Floorstanding loudspeakerRiser baseGrilleOwners Manual
What's in the Box of Definitive BP-9060?
Here are the items that come with the BP-9060:
Tower loudspeaker6.5-feet AC power cordTop-plate (installed)Stabilizer base4 Floor guides4 Carpet spikes4 Screws4 NutsOwners ManualWhat Obsession Sounds Like card