In this review, we will be comparing Mackie CR3-XBT and The Fives, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Mackie and 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 Mackie CR3-XBT and Klipsch The Fives 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 Mackie CR3-XBT and Klipsch The Fives 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
Both Mackie CR3-XBT and The Fives are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Mackie CR3-XBT |
Klipsch The Fives |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 3-inch
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
Mackie CR3-XBT features a 0.75" Silk Dome Tweeter and 1 x 3" Polypropylene Woofer . On the other hand, the The Fives features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Fiber-composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
Mackie CR3-XBT has a frequency range of 80-20k Hz whereas The Fives has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the The Fives can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Mackie CR3-XBT's min frequency of 80Hz.
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 Mackie CR3-XBT and The Fives 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 Mackie CR3-XBT's and Klipsch The Fives's external dimensions. Mackie CR3-XBT has external dimensions of 206.4 x 139.7 x 190.5mm ( 8.125 x 5.5 x 7.5inch) whereas Klipsch The Fives has external dimensions of 314.3 x 165.1 x 282.6mm ( 12.375 x 6.5 x 11.125inch) .
Klipsch The Fives is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25.4mm wider, 107.9mm taller and 92.1mm deeper than Mackie CR3-XBT.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Mackie CR3-XBT and Klipsch The Fives in scale.
Comparison image of Mackie CR3-XBT and Klipsch The Fives 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 Mackie CR3-XBT is approximately 266.1cm2 / 41.2inch2 and base area of the Klipsch The Fives is approximately 466.6cm2 / 72.3inch2. The Mackie CR3-XBT requires 43% less surface area than the The Fives which gives it a small advantage 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 Mackie CR3-XBT and Klipsch The Fives on a Media Console
What's in the Box of Mackie CR3-XBT?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Mackie CR3-XBT:
Powered monitor w/ attached 5.5-feet power cord (C7 unpolarized)Passive monitor6.5-feet Speaker wire5-feet Stereo mini to RCA cableQuick Start Guide
What's in the Box of Klipsch The Fives?
Here are the items that come with the 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