In this review, we will be comparing The Fives and A5+ Wireless, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Klipsch and Audioengine. 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 Klipsch The Fives and Audioengine A5+ Wireless first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch The Fives | Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 160-watt RMS (320-watt peak) | 100-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Tractrix Horn | 0.75" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4.5" Fiber-composite | 5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-25k Hz | 50-22k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 24-bit / 44.1 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 4.0 |
|---|
| App control | Yes | — |
|---|
| Weight | 4.85kg / 10.7lbs | 4.40kg / 9.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.375" x 6.5" x 11.125"
314.3 x 165.1 x 282.6mm | 10.875" x 7.1875" x 9.75"
276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6mm |
|---|
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 The Fives and A5+ Wireless are 2-way speakers.
Klipsch The FivesAudioengine A5+ Wireless
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Klipsch The Fives |
Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
The Fives features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Fiber-composite Woofer. On the other hand, the A5+ Wireless features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
The Fives has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz whereas A5+ Wireless has a frequency range of 50-22k Hz.
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
Both The Fives and A5+ Wireless have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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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 The Fives's and Audioengine A5+ Wireless's external dimensions. Klipsch The Fives has external dimensions of 314.3 x 165.1 x 282.6mm (12.375 x 6.5 x 11.125inch) whereas Audioengine A5+ Wireless has external dimensions of 276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6mm (10.875 x 7.1875 x 9.75inch).
Audioengine A5+ Wireless is 38.1mm shorter and 35mm less deeper than Klipsch The Fives but it is also 17.5mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch The Fives and Audioengine A5+ Wireless in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch The Fives and Audioengine A5+ Wireless 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 The Fives is approximately 466.6cm2 / 72.3inch2 and base area of the Audioengine A5+ Wireless is approximately 452.1cm2 / 70.1inch2. The Fives requires 3% more surface area than the A5+ Wireless which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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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 Klipsch The Fives and Audioengine A5+ Wireless 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 Klipsch The Fives weighs 4.85kg / 10.7lbs and the Audioengine A5+ Wireless weighs 4.40kg / 9.7lbs. This makes The Fives 10% heavier than the A5+ Wireless.
Here is a comparison of how The Fives and A5+ Wireless's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Klipsch The Fives?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of Audioengine A5+ Wireless?
Here are the items that come with the A5+ Wireless:
- Powered left speaker
- Passive right speaker
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Remote control (with installed CR2025 battery)
- Antenna
- 12.5-feet Length of 16 gauge speaker wire
- 6.5-feet Stereo minijack cable
- 6-feet Stereo RCA cable
- Cloth drawstring cable bag
- 2 Cloth drawstring speaker bags
- Setup guide
- Audioengine product brochure
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 Phono Input |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your turntable directly |
 Digital Input |
Optical, HDMI
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
 HDMI Input |
ARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
 Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
276mm
vs
314mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
452cm2
vs
466cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
969USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
| General |
Klipsch The Fives |
Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Audioengine |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
50-25k Hz |
50-22k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
160-watt RMS |
100-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
320-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
44.1 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiber-composite |
Kevlar |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
0.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
314.3mm (12.4") |
276.2mm (10.9") |
| Width |
165.1mm (6.5") |
182.6mm (7.2") |
| Depth |
282.6mm (11.1") |
247.6mm (9.7") |
| Weight |
4.85kg (10.7lbs) |
4.40kg (9.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF with genuine wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black,Walnut |
Black, Bamboo, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm |
3.5mm, RCA |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
No |
| Phone Input |
Yes |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
Optical, HDMI |
No |
| HDMI Input |
ARC |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Klipsch The Fives costs roughly 1.9x what Audioengine A5+ Wireless 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 |
evenly matched |
Much the same reach (50Hz vs 50Hz). |
| Built-in power |
A |
Klipsch The Fives has the bigger amplifier (160W vs 100W RMS). |
| Connections |
A |
Klipsch The Fives adds HDMI, phono and digital inputs. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
depends |
Klipsch The Fives: a sub output; Audioengine A5+ Wireless: a sub output. Audioengine A5+ Wireless sits in a wider range (6 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
B |
Audioengine A5+ Wireless is cheaper - $499 against $969, about 49% less; arguably a different class. |
A Klipsch The Fives
B Audioengine A5+ Wireless
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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: Klipsch The Fives measures better, Audioengine A5+ Wireless costs about 49% 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. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $470 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.