In this review, we will be comparing The Fives and The Nines, two Powered Bookshelf speakers by 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 Klipsch The Fives and Klipsch The Nines first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch The Fives | Klipsch The Nines |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 160-watt RMS (320-watt peak) | 240-watt RMS (480-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Tractrix Horn | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 4.5" Fiber-composite | 8" Fiber-composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-25k Hz | 34-25k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| App control | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 4.85kg / 10.7lbs | 12.25kg / 27lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.375" x 6.5" x 11.125"
314.3 x 165.1 x 282.6mm | 19.375" x 9.5625" x 15.6875"
493.0 x 243.0 x 399.0mm |
|---|
The Fives and The Nines are members of Klipsch's Heritage Inspired series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both The Fives and The Nines are 2-way speakers.
Klipsch The FivesKlipsch The Nines
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 |
Klipsch The Nines |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
The Fives features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Fiber-composite Woofer. On the other hand, The Nines features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 8" Fiber-composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
The Fives has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz whereas The Nines has a frequency range of 34-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, The Nines 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
Both The Fives and The Nines 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.
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 Klipsch The Nines'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 Klipsch The Nines has external dimensions of 493.0 x 243.0 x 399.0mm (19.375inch x 9.5625inch x 15.6875inch).
Klipsch The Nines is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 77.9mm wider, 178.7mm taller and 116.4mm deeper than Klipsch The Fives.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch The Fives and Klipsch The Nines in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch The Fives and Klipsch The Nines 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 Klipsch The Nines is approximately 969.6cm2 / 150.3inch2. The Fives requires 52% less surface area than The Nines which gives it a small advantage 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 Klipsch The Fives and Klipsch The Nines 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 Klipsch The Nines weighs 12.25kg / 27lbs. This makes The Nines 153% heavier than The Fives.
Here is a comparison of how The Fives and The Nines'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 Klipsch The Nines?
Here are the items that come with The Nines:
- Powered speaker (Primary)
- Passive speaker (Secondary)
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 13-feet Proprietary speaker cable
- 6.5-feet Proprietary extension cable
- 58-inch HDMI cable
- 5-feet USB-B to USB-A cable
- Remote control
- 2 AAA batteries
- Instruction Booklet
- Need Help? Card
 Height |
314mm
vs
493mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
466cm2
vs
969cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
969USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
|
USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
| General |
Klipsch The Fives |
Klipsch The Nines |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
50-25k Hz |
34-25k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
160-watt RMS |
240-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
320-watt RMS |
480-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiber-composite |
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
314.3mm (12.4") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Width |
165.1mm (6.5") |
243.0mm (9.6") |
| Depth |
282.6mm (11.1") |
399.0mm (15.7") |
| Weight |
4.85kg (10.7lbs) |
12.25kg (27lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF with genuine wood veneer |
MDF with genuine wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
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 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
mono-RCA |
| Digital Input |
Optical, HDMI |
Optical, HDMI |
| HDMI Input |
ARC |
ARC |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
1 Year |
Siblings in Klipsch's Heritage Inspired series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch The Nines digs deeper - 34Hz against 50Hz. |
| Built-in power | B | Klipsch The Nines has the bigger amplifier (240W vs 160W RMS). |
| Connections | evenly matched | The same set of inputs and streaming options. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch The Fives is easier to place; Klipsch The Nines is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Klipsch The Fives: a sub output; Klipsch The Nines: a sub output. |
| Price | A | Klipsch The Fives is cheaper - $969 against $1,499, about 35% less. |
A Klipsch The Fives B Klipsch The Nines
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: Klipsch The Nines measures better, Klipsch The Fives costs about about 55% 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. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch The Nines has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Klipsch The Fives 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.