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  1. Home
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  3. Q Acoustics Q Active 200 vs Klipsch The Fives

Q Acoustics Q Active 200 vs Klipsch The Fives Comparison

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Q Acoustics Q Active 200

Powered Bookshelf | 46-20k Hz

Q Acoustics Q Active 200 System
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Klipsch The Fives

Powered Bookshelf | 50-25k Hz

Klipsch The Fives
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Q Acoustics Q Active 200 Q Acoustics Q Active...
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Klipsch The Fives Klipsch The Fives
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Q Acoustics Q Active...
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Klipsch The Fives
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Q Acoustics Q Active 200 vs Klipsch The Fives Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Active 200 and The Fives, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Q Acoustics 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 Q Acoustics Q Active 200 and Klipsch The Fives first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsQ Acoustics Q Active 200Klipsch The Fives
BrandQ Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006
Klipsch
United States · founded 1946
Design2-way2-way
Built-in amplifier100-watt RMS (280-watt peak)160-watt RMS (320-watt peak)
Tweeter—1" Tractrix Horn
Midrange2 x 2-1/4"—
Woofer4.5"4.5" Fiber-composite
Frequency response46-20k Hz50-25k Hz
Max depth / sample rate24-bit / 96 kHz24-bit / 192 kHz
BluetoothBuilt-in 4.1Built-in 5.0
App controlYesYes
Weight7.50kg / 16.5lbs4.85kg / 10.7lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)11-3/16" x 6-3/4" x 11-7/16"
285.0 x 172.0 x 291.0mm
12.375" x 6.5" x 11.125"
314.3 x 165.1 x 282.6mm

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.


Drivers

Both Active 200 and The Fives are 2-way speakers.

Woofer - 4.5 inch
Q Acoustics Q Active 200
Tweeter - 1 inchWoofer - 4.5 inch
Klipsch The Fives

TweeterWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver Q Acoustics Q Active 200 Klipsch The Fives
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter -inch 1-inch
Midrange 2 x 2-1/4-inch -
Woofer 1 x 4.5-inch 1 x 4.5-inch

Active 200 features a " Tweeter, a 2-1/4" Midrange and 1 x 4.5" Woofer. On the other hand, The Fives features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Fiber-composite Woofer.

Frequency Response

Active 200 has a frequency range of 46-20k Hz whereas The Fives has a frequency range of 50-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the Active 200 can go slightly deeper then 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

Active 200
The Fives
Min
Average
Median

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 Active 200 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

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 Q Acoustics Q Active 200's and Klipsch The Fives's external dimensions. Q Acoustics Q Active 200 has external dimensions of 285.0 x 172.0 x 291.0mm (11-3/16 x 6-3/4 x 11-7/16inch) 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 6.9mm narrower and 8.4mm less deeper than Q Acoustics Q Active 200 but it is also 29.3mm taller.

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 Q Acoustics Q Active 200 is approximately 500.5cm2 / 77.6inch2 and base area of the Klipsch The Fives is approximately 466.6cm2 / 72.3inch2. The Active 200 requires 7% more surface area than The Fives 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 Q Acoustics Q Active 200 weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs and the Klipsch The Fives weighs 4.85kg / 10.7lbs. This makes the Active 200 55% heavier than The Fives.

Here is a comparison of how Active 200 and The Fives's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Q Acoustics Q Active 200
Klipsch The Fives
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Q Acoustics Q Active 200?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Active 200:
  • 2 Powered speakers
  • Two 6-feet AC power cords
  • 2 Foam port plugs
  • Important Safety Informtion and Warnings Wireless hub
  • USB/AC power adapter with US connector
  • EU/UK/AU AC adapter plugs
  • 40-inch USB-C to USB-A cable
  • 5-inch HDMI cable
  • Remote control
  • 2 AAA batteries
  • Quick Start Guide

What's in the Box of Klipsch The Fives?

Here are the items that come with 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


Reasons to choose Q Acoustics Q Active 200 System over Klipsch The Fives

Low Frequency Response 46 Hz vs 50 Hz Generates deeper bass
Height 285mm vs 314mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Ethernet Connection Yes vs No High quality streaming over Ethernet
USB Port Update only vs No USB port adds flexibility

Reasons to choose Klipsch The Fives over Q Acoustics Q Active 200 System

High Frequency Response 25k Hz vs 20k Hz Generates higher frequency
Base Surface Area 466cm2 vs 500cm2 Takes less floor space
Price per pair* 969USD vs 2098USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
3.5mm Connection Yes vs No Connection via 3.5mm AUX input

Q Acoustics Q Active 200 vs Klipsch The Fives Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General Q Acoustics Q Active 200 System Klipsch The Fives
Brand Q Acoustics Klipsch
Speaker Type Powered stereo speakers Powered Stereo Speakers
Frequency Response 46-20k Hz 50-25k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous) 100-watt RMS 160-watt RMS
Watts Peak (Max) 280-watt RMS 320-watt RMS
Max Bit Depth 24-bit 24-bit
Max Sample Rate 96 kHz 192 kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 1 1
Woofer Size 4.5" 4.5"
Woofer Composition Fiber-composite
Tweeter Size - 1"
Tweeter Type n/a Tractrix Horn
Aimable Tweeter No No
Midrange Driver 2-1/4" No
Firing Direction rear rear
Physical Specs
Height 285.0mm (11.2") 314.3mm (12.4")
Width 172.0mm (6.8") 165.1mm (6.5")
Depth 291.0mm (11.5") 282.6mm (11.1")
Weight 7.50kg (16.5lbs) 4.85kg (10.7lbs)
Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
Finish n/a MDF with genuine wood veneer
Available Colors Black, White Black,Walnut
Mounting Bracket No No
Grille n/a Yes
Moisture Resistancy No No
Connections
Aux Inputs No 3.5mm
USB Port Update only USB-B
Phone Input Yes Yes
Subwoofer Output mono-RCA mono-RCA
Digital Input Optical Optical, HDMI
HDMI Input ARC ARC
Headphone Jack No No
Ethernet Port Yes No
Other
Parts Warranty 2 Years 1 Year
Labor Warranty 2 Years 1 Year

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - Q Acoustics Q Active 200 costs roughly 2.2x what Klipsch The Fives does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

AreaBetterWhy
BassAQ Acoustics Q Active 200 digs deeper - 46Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Built-in powerBKlipsch The Fives has the bigger amplifier (160W vs 100W RMS).
ConnectionsAQ Acoustics Q Active 200 adds Wi-Fi and streaming.
SizedependsSimilar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit.
ExpandabilitydependsQ Acoustics Q Active 200: a sub output; Klipsch The Fives: a sub output.
PriceBKlipsch The Fives is cheaper - $969 against $2,098, about 54% less; arguably a different class.

A Q Acoustics Q Active 200  B Klipsch The Fives
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?

Q Acoustics Q Active 200 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 117% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Klipsch The Fives looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Q Acoustics Q Active 200 appeals to you. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $1,129 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.


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