In this review, we will be comparing La Scala AL5 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch La Scala AL5 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch La Scala AL5 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" horn-loaded | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 15" fiber-composite cone with folded horn | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 51-20k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 105 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 100 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 91.36kg / 201lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40" x 24-1/4" x 25-5/16"
1016.0 x 616.0 x 643.0mm | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both La Scala AL5 and Kendall are 3-way speakers.
Klipsch La Scala AL5KLH Kendall
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Klipsch La Scala AL5 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 15-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
La Scala AL5 features a 1" polyimide diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 15" fiber-composite cone with folded horn Woofer. On the other hand, the Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
La Scala AL5 has a frequency range of 51-20k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the La Scala AL5's min frequency of 51Hz.
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
La Scala AL5 and Kendall have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. La Scala AL5 sensitivity is rated at 105 dB and the Kendall's is at 96 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch La Scala AL5 a more sensitive speaker compared to KLH Kendall, 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 La Scala AL5 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 150 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
Both La Scala AL5 and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or 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 Klipsch La Scala AL5's and KLH Kendall's external dimensions. Klipsch La Scala AL5 has external dimensions of 1016.0 x 616.0 x 643.0mm (40 x 24-1/4 x 25-5/16inch) whereas 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).
KLH Kendall is 404mm narrower and 263mm less deeper than Klipsch La Scala AL5 but it is also 5mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch La Scala AL5 and KLH Kendall in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch La Scala AL5 and KLH Kendall 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 Klipsch La Scala AL5 is approximately 3960.9cm2 / 613.9inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The La Scala AL5 requires 392% more surface area than the Kendall 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 Klipsch La Scala AL5 weighs 91.36kg / 201lbs and the KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the La Scala AL5 313% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how La Scala AL5 and Kendall'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 Klipsch La Scala AL5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of La Scala AL5:
- 2 Loudspeaker cabinets
- 2 Subwoofer cabinets
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Congratulations letter
- Klipsch brochure
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 Sensitivity |
105 dB
vs
96 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1016mm
vs
1021mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
51 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
3960cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
12998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Klipsch Heritage La Scala AL5 |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 100 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
105 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
51-20k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
fiber-composite cone with folded horn |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
horn-loaded |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2" |
5.25" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1016.0mm (40") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
616.0mm (24.3") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
643.0mm (25.3") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
91.36kg (201lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Woof veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
American Walnut, Black Ash, Natural Cherry |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
10 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Klipsch La Scala AL5 costs roughly 8.7x what KLH Kendall 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 | B | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 51Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Klipsch La Scala AL5 is more sensitive (105dB vs 96dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | KLH Kendall takes more power (250W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KLH Kendall is easier to place; Klipsch La Scala AL5 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | depends | Klipsch La Scala AL5: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. Klipsch La Scala AL5 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | KLH Kendall is cheaper - $1,500 against $12,998, about 88% less; arguably a different class. |
A Klipsch La Scala AL5 B KLH Kendall
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?
KLH Kendall has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 51Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch La Scala AL5 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, KLH Kendall is the easier speaker to get right.
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.