In this review, we will be comparing The Nines and Navis ARB-51, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Klipsch and ELAC. 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 Nines and ELAC Navis ARB-51 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch The Nines and ELAC Navis ARB-51 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that The Nines is a 2-way design whereas the Navis ARB-51 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Klipsch The Nines |
ELAC Navis ARB-51 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
The Nines features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 8" Fiber-composite Woofer . On the other hand, the Navis ARB-51 features a 1" Fabric Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer .
Frequency Response
The Nines has a frequency range of 34-25k Hz whereas Navis ARB-51 has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the The Nines can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Navis ARB-51's min frequency of 44Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both The Nines and Navis ARB-51 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
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 Klipsch The Nines's and ELAC Navis ARB-51's external dimensions. Klipsch The Nines has external dimensions of 493.0 x 243.0 x 399.0mm ( 19.375inch x 9.5625inch x 15.6875inch ) whereas ELAC Navis ARB-51 has external dimensions of 350.8 x 192.1 x 287.3mm ( 13.8125 x 7.5625 x 11.3125inch) .
Klipsch The Nines is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 50.9mm wider, 142.2mm taller and 111.7mm deeper than ELAC Navis ARB-51.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch The Nines and ELAC Navis ARB-51 in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch The Nines and ELAC Navis ARB-51 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 Nines is approximately 969.6cm2 / 150.3inch2 and base area of the ELAC Navis ARB-51 is approximately 551.9cm2 / 85.5inch2. The The Nines requires 76% more surface area than the Navis ARB-51 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an 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 Nines and ELAC Navis ARB-51 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 Nines weighs 12.25kg / 27lbs and the ELAC Navis ARB-51 weighs 8.10kg / 17.8lbs. This makes the The Nines 51% heavier than the Navis ARB-51.
Here is a comparison of how The Nines and Navis ARB-51'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 Nines?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of ELAC Navis ARB-51?
Here are the items that come with the Navis ARB-51:
2 Powered bookshelf loudspeakersTwo 8-feet AC power cordsOperating Instructions
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Price per pair* |
1499USD
vs
1998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 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 |
 Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA
vs
No
|
Pair your speakers with external subwoofer |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
350mm
vs
493mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
551cm2 (192x287mm)
vs
969cm2 (243x399mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 XLR Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via XLR input |
| General |
Klipsch The Nines |
ELAC Navis ARB-51 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
34-25k Hz |
44-28k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
240-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
480-watt RMS |
600-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
n/a |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Fiber-composite |
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Tractrix Horn |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
493.0mm (19.4") |
350.8mm (13.8") |
| Width |
243.0mm (9.6") |
192.1mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
399.0mm (15.7") |
287.3mm (11.3") |
| Weight |
12.25kg (27lbs) |
8.10kg (17.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF with genuine wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black,Walnut |
n/a |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm |
XLR, RCA |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
No |
| Phone Input |
Yes |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
No |
| 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 |