✅ *MISSION: **bit.ly/3Sj8LEH** • SVS **bit.ly/3t1HxqB** • KLIPSCH: **amzn.to/3WxzAr4* ✅ *U-TURN: **bit.ly/3sLvwpo** • ELAC: **bit.ly/3FEyDXI* ✅ *QUESTIONS? CLICK ❤THANKS to highlight your question & support the channel!* ✅ *IF IT’S IN THE VIDEO, IT’S IN THE DESX ☝CLICK “MORE”* ✅ *RULES: NO OUTSIDE LINKS OR PERSONAL INFO. PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC AND BE RESPECTFUL*
Great video as usual but The keyword in the video- flexibility. For the streaming lovers and speaker wire haters 😂 Unfortunately, I am a passive fan, I equate them to soundbars or primary lifestyle options as opposed to hi fi. HDMI is something they really need to work on, seen and heard many issues with connectivity and reliability in powered speakers. but for a pair of Fives in Australia which retail past $1100, you can buy a decent AVR and a pair of great passive speakers across the range that hit high volumes well. Also… have to say it: A pair of Sonos speakers. 😂
I've owned the Fives for over a year now, and my grills still look great. I do agree that you need to tone down the bass on the Fives for a more natural sound.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews After installing the app, the subwoofer output of the Fives seemed to be greatly increased, so I had to readjust all my bass settings again.
I’ve had mine for about a year also, and I also say the grills are fine. Maybe Andrew and Kristi had an early review unit that had the issue that was later resolved with mass shipments? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I wonder the same thing. I’ve had mine for 16 months and they still look great. I use them in my office at work and they’re great for that, especially at the price I paid. I tend to prefer a more neutral sound so I might really like the new SVS speakers, but adjusted The Fives are pretty good. And their flexibility and value are fantastic.
Been testing the SVS speakers and am amazed by the sound: transparent, dynamic, balanced and detailed. You can feel the hits on the snare, the fingers on the frets, detailed bass, and they have a real punch when the music wants to punch. I keep turning them up waiting for them to break up and distort, but nyet -comrade, nyet. So impressed. In person they are a gravitationally dense box with a tidy bevelled front, and a flawless finish. At worst they are inoffensive. Not sure on the strong reaction, but I hope it doesn't dissuade people from trying them out - beauty is as beauty does.
After doing some research I ended up with the Kanto YU-6's for our small living room. So far so good! Build quality and look is excellent (matte white), sound is good, features/connectivity is fantastic (can add a sub when the time is right), and my partner likes that we got rid of the giant receiver... All in all a good side-grade!!
Lovely video! I would love to see a round two where you get into the next price tier with existing offerings from Kef, Q Acoustics, Bouchart, Dynaudio represented.
I get the biggest kick out of the contrast between these two. Andrew choses his words so cautiously and speaks with a grace comparable to a fine ballet dancer. Krissy (SP) has all the grace of a long haul truck driver who won't waste anyones time with unnecessary words, or PC. Nice balance guys.
Fabulously cut vid, Andrew. Yours and Kristi's commitment to refinement is paying off, it's noticed, it's impressive. Super taught and well executed vid.
I've had the Fives as my home office speakers for about 6 months and I LOVE them. I road-tested a few others (none of the others in your review though) and the Fives came out winners by a mile.
Great video as always. I own the Fives and read on the Klipsch owners forum that the speaker grill fabric is thermoplastic that shrinks when heated (you can make the fabric taut again by applying gentle heat with a blow dryer). I keep the grills off so hasn't been an issue for me.
I’m surprised that the Kanto YU6 was not in this lineup. I bought mine partly based on a recommendation from you and I absolutely love them. Excellent build quality, sound, and looks. The subwoofer is also great. Love them for movies as well as music
They were discussed and Kristi heavily vouched for them. Same as you I purchased them off Andrews previous review and I’m still loving them. The energy their sound brings is just so fun!
The fives , subwoofer out feature. Hdmi with cec and arc, and phono in. Great product for the money. Seems more flexible and better option than most soundbars. Thanks your channel.
I just bought the fives after a-b testing with similar options. As a matter of fact: just by today, I put their box in the cellar, because I finally made a choice. That said - I wouldn’t have chosen them, if it weren’t for the App. Bass was much to bloated and treble was off, as well. Other ones, I tested were much better with percussion and/or imaging and instrument separation. And with some more complex tracks, the Klipsch seem to brake down, a little - even at low-er volumes. But and that’s a big B: They just sound phenomenal with voices, are easy to live with (after adjustment), very flexible, and can play many genres of music in an equal fashion. And tuned in, they project a large stage with clear centered voice without any harshness. Therefore, they can do movies, podcasts, vinyl, Bluetooth in a pleasing way without any problems. Yes, they won’t detail much and on some tracks, I still miss some refinement. But that’s what I have my Headphones for. And though I do plan on getting a more refined setup, they would still fit well in the office/gaming room.
Fives are working great for my desktop setup. The app took ages to arive in a usable form. It was fun to install, something like from fantastic mister fox playing cricket complexity levels. When adjusted via app fives are actual pretty good.
I also tried the KEF LSX2 in my 15' x 12' office space and decided they weren't for me for the same reasons you mentioned. Having previously used Kanto YU4 in a desktop setup I decided to try the Kanto TUK. Mine are connected to a Kanto SUB8 and I enjoy them very much. For context, the source is a MacBook via an iFi Audio Zen DAC. For me it's an excellent combination. Another significant factor is that in my opinion both Kanto and iFi Audio deliver exceptionally good customer support and service.
Love, love, love my Fives. It's just fun to hear that much sound coming from such small cabinets / boxes. ;-) For a little powered speaker, they do everything I need for my office and turntable. I very rarely ever think, "man... I should hook up a sub to these". Just super happy with how they sound and all the options for connections they offer. I like the way that the Missions look and I'd love to give them a listen sometime, but overall, I'm extremely happy with The Fives. Always fun to hear your opinions on stuff like this. Thanks for all you both do!
Of all these speakers I’d pick the Missions. They’re very pretty (to my eyes anyway) and have all the connectivity I’d look for. I first got a pair of Quad 9Active speakers (second hand) a couple of years back, and very much enjoyed them as near-field desktop speakers on my computer. I’ve recently upgraded to Quad 9AS speakers, with far more input options, better amplification and DAC too, and this plays out in the sound which is substantially better than the 9Active pair. So, that pair of Missions would be a serious contender if I were to change them again. And to think that only a few years ago I was a thoroughly separates only kinda guy.
I really enjoyed the side by side comparisons today. For me, it’s the Missions. They ooze the cool factor. But I’ve already got my Q Acoustics M20 HD powered speakers. So I’m content.😮
Think it's a value question at this point. Which at fives are cheapest. However you can make your own stereo 2.0 system with KEF q150 and an Aiyama D03 for a similar cost
I’ve had my fives for awhile now and I’ve really loved them for my office/spare room. Paired with my LG C1 in there and a sub it was life changing at the time lol (was my first oled). Idk if the grills on the black ones (which I got for like 475🎉) are different but they’ve been fine so far for me over about a year or so. And now that the app is here for them it’s been like hearing them for the first time again!
I wonder why the edifier s3000 wasn't included in this price range. I get that there is only so many spots. But no doubt the s3000 should be considered in this group
Nice comps. I have a set up of powered Mackie MR624 connected with Bluesound Node. Great powerful sound for medium and large size rooms (in plain black only), and can add subs for upgrade. This was by far better then the Fives in the medium/large room.
I have the Mackie MR824's for my desk and they sound incredible off of the Shiit Audio DAC and Loki, I have The Fives on a TV and they sound great as well.
I have had my eye on the Fives for about two years now. I wanted to move beyond the soundbar/subwoofer setup that I had but didn't have the $$ to invest in a Marantz or Onkyo surround system. So I was like, ok, what is the best 2.1 I can get that won't break my wallet, and all my "research' kept leading me back to the Fives. But at just under $1K, it was a bit pricey, still just a want, not a need, and Klipsch seemed to put everything on sale but the speakers I wanted. Until about 10 days ago, when they listed the Fives at about 54% off Black Friday and I impulsively jumped on it. I was curious to see if they lived up to the hype, and I am happy to say they do. They are a bass lovers dream out of the box, you cannot believe the bass that comes out of these little things and the DSP balances voice with ambient noise very well IMO. I snagged these for just under 5 bills, and for that price, they crush the competition.
Recently got the SVS Prime Pros with a 300 Micro sub and the combo is stunning. That little sub is shockingly good, and when blended properly to where it seems like everything is coming from the speakers… my goodness, it is a wonderful sound reproduction. I was initially interested in the Klipsch’s because of the automatic high pass filter to the main speakers when a sub is connected, so they can open up the mids more without having to fight for the low end. SVS includes that feature as well, and their app for managing every aspect of the sub is extremely convenient, so they knocked it out of the park for what I wanted. Not to mention the HDMI eArc! Perfect for a soundbar use case. Also, the 6 preset buttons on the front and the remote are a hilariously innovative feature. You can match them to any Spotify playlist, or a podcast, etc.. just like an old school radio, how cool is that?! Agreed, wish they came in a wood finish, but I went with the white for now and am enjoying that look. And I also grabbed the wireless adapter they sell for the sub, that made placement a breeze like I’ve never experienced. Thanks for another fun video from you two! Keep it going.
Do these control easily with arc-cec and TV remote(power and volume)? Looking for a seamless soundbar replacement. Do voice and action sounds mix well.... Or do you constantly need to increase and decrease volume depending on scenes?
Nice job! I really enjoyed watching this one. I did not know that the Klipsch app was finally working. I bought a pair of the Fives after your original review. I have done 3 things to them which, for me, vastly improved them IMO. First I added a decent Klipsch sub. I don’t remember the model number but I got it on sale for $5-600. Then I put foam plugs in the ports. I did this because I wanted more flexibility in the positioning. I personally think they sound better regardless but maybe I have just gotten used to the sound. The 3rd thing is that I used a heat gun or hair dryer on the grilles about a year or so ago. They have stayed tight. Having covered a fabric airplane earlier in my life the normal procedure there is to apply the fabric and then use heat to shrink it. I also worked in a cotton mill when I was a student. I ran a giant oven that took huge rolls of dyed cloth and ran it through a water/chemical bath and then through a 400 degree oven for about 125 feet. This is how they make “preshrunk” fabric. I misted the grille cloth lightly with water and then used either my heat gun or a hair dryer (I don’t remember which) on them until they were tight and dry. This took less than 5 minutes in total. I used a spray bottle with super fine mist. I doubt the water is even necessary. Anyway for me the Fives have been great. I saw them a couple of days ago at Costco for $449 in black. I almost bought them for my son.
Bluesound software sucks!!! Just terrible! Luckily I got my NAD Master 10 at a steal of $500. But I'll never pay full price for anything with Bluesound built in.
Great video as always. My pick is the PSB AM3 I picked up a pair at 25%off. Here in Canada they retail for $699. I use them on my desktop and they sound great. They have a remote, Bluetooth, usb and aux input, tone controls, phono preamp and a sub. I’m a larger space they will need a sub. The AM5 is there bigger brother for $999 CAD.
I was thinking about buying the Klipsch five for my TV (instead of a soundbar). I have a stereo set to listen music, so the fives would be just for TV. But, I have read/red a lot of comments in the internet about some heavy issues regarding mentioned Klipsch fives (e.g. app is not stable, updates don't work fine, the fives turn off from time to time, etc.). To many such comments from clients to think the Problem does not exist.
I use Emotiva Stealth 6s (active powered) for our living room system (along with dual 10" sealed box subs). In my office I've got Emotiva Airmotiv 5s. Love both systems.
We do. To be honest, I forgot all about them. I still think they are really good but they are dumb powered speakers and practically impossible to find anymore which makes it difficult to continue to take them seriously.
I recently picked up the 5's for a soundbar replacement and I can say that if you add a subwoofer, even a fairly cheap one, they sound completely different and can for sure scale to large rooms. I use mine in my livingroom which is fairly large (18x30) and has 2 story vaulted ceilings and they can get very, very loud without distortion, but only when using a subwoofer. The active cross-over is really doing a great job in them. I totally agree about the new app, night and day better than the old version and the 3 band eq in that app might have a lot to do with them sounding better in my room than before.
Do these control easily with arc-cec and TV remote(power and volume)? Looking for a seamless soundbar replacement. Do voice and action sounds mix well.... Or do you constantly need to increase and decrease volume depending on scenes?
The past year I tried KEFs LS50W, Dali, Edifiers, ELACs, Genelec, ADAMS, TANNOY GOLD and still haven’t been able to find a more impressive (sonically) powered speaker than the B&W Formation Duos. I was totally floored when I heard concert piano performance though them. It’s a shame they didn’t make the video. Not only their soundstage and clarity is sublime but also frequency wise are a complete speaker system negating the need for a sub. Having said that, I need to check those MISSION speakers. Note: thank you on the quick impression of the new LSX speakers at the end, glad I am not alone on how unimpressive they sound.
I can believe that of the B&W Formation DUO but they are a stereo audio solution only. They are not for watching a film or connecting a computer and watching video on it. They will not scale up as part of a surround sound system. The Genelec and Adams will and mix and match smaller speakers for rears with more bass from front speakers. In B&W Formation series you can use the Formation Flex for stereo and then use them as rear speakers to the Formation Bar and Bass with the Formation Audio hub for more inputs.
@@geraldmcmullon2465 who says you cannot use them as computer speakers? They can connect to any device with Bluetooth connection (iPhone, iPad, TV, laptop etc), I know someone that uses them as computer speakers and apparently they’re awesome. As far as the ADAM and GENELECs I demoed the new A series and 8030s respectively and I wasn’t much impressed, especially for the genelecs. I assume the 83xx series is the one to go for but they are ridiculously expensive. But those are the ones most recordings studios use.
@@gpapa31 B&W Formation Duo, according to B&W when I asked, do not sync for watching videos on a computer or to a TV. For audio only that is not a problem. All Bluetooth is lossy. The difference between listening to the same source over wireless and Bluetooth is very noticeable. It may not matter if your source is MP3 or AAC but on WAVE and Flac I would not choose Bluetooth if I had a different lossless choice. I did not try out the Formation Duo further because they will not work in a surround sound system.
@@geraldmcmullon2465 the surround system issue you’re right, it doesn’t work as I was also told by the guy at the store where I demoed them. But computer and TV is not the case, they do work with no sync issues. I am on a FB B&W groups and there are a few people who use them as a stereo system with their TVs with zero issues as they claim and they love them. The guy I spoke to a few weeks ago he is using them as laptop speakers, and again according to him, they perform splendidly.
Thanks for the review. I wish you had explained how these are cabled up. Some of the wireless speakers require a cable from one speaker to the other, do all of these?
Are all the speakers with HDMI input arc(cec) compatible with volume and power control? I read that it's a pain to manually switch these on and off and can lead to longevity issues if not
I know reviewers generally don’t want to “waste time” on a negative review, but your mentions in this video of the LSX ii and another recent video of the Sonus Faber Omnia as two products you had on but chose not to review because you didn’t like them that much is, to me, very informative. Personally I’d be very interested to hear about products you don’t elect to do full reviews on regularly as a datapoint even if it doesn’t have all the information contained in a full review. Keep up the great work you two!
had the opportuntiy to listen to the fives and personally i was surprised by the output and bass for their size. would love to see you guys review the 7's and the new 9's
Enjoyed the video but I think if I was in the market for basically a near field speaker/monitor I would probably look at some Pro Audio gear...Kali Audio, Dynaudio, Adams, even the JBL. You can get powered monitors from all those brands that measure well, don't look too bad, some have DSP and are pretty cheap. Just my opinion anyway.
I think SVS has an important feature none of the others have: streaming with the big 3 - Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Airplay. No need to buy an expensive BluesoundNode which is overpriced and doesn't include Chromecast which is quite valuable to Android users.
i may have simply skipped over it but my only feedback would be that it would have been nice to know a bit more about that display on the SVSs. i can just open a new tab and go to the manufacturer's website, but still, it looked like a distinguishing feature worth mentioning.
Its an oled display that can be always on, dimmed or off. I have this pair and keep mine off. It will turn on when displaying any changes which is what I prefer.
I totally agree with you Andrew with the Klipsch grills. I bought a pair and they looked like the skin of an octogenarian, saggy and wrinkled. I probably got a B-stock pair from Costco because the sound was just as nice as the grills. I am so glad Costco let me return them. I currently have two home theatre systems set up in my home with Klipsch speakers and love their sound, but obviously I got a bad sounding pair of 5's with crappy grills. This experience does not diminish my enthusiasm for the Klipsch(s) that I have, but leads me to suspect the quality control of the 5's.
Thanks for this evaluation of powered loudspeaker models. I bought my first powered speakers 20 years ago and I have enjoyed them so much that I doubt I would ever go back to using passive speakers again. Many people seem to be unaware that there are several advantages to internally amped loudspeaker designs. This is unfortunate, because when manufacturers produce high-quality active speakers, buyers often ignore them, which results in the discontinuation of those models and discourages audio companies from creating in that format. Personally speaking, I don't care what an active speaker looks like as long as it is well-built, reliable, provides the features I want, produces accurate sound, and is priced within my budget.
I'm really digging the look of Missions. The darker "wood" reminds me of my dad's first A/V rack, whose paper did eventually start to peel off the MDF, aided in part by my tiny toddler hands. Not sure which one I would choose though. The SVS is probably the most practical choice, because with a surround receiver with preamp outs they could be used in conjection with their many passive brethren, giving you something of an upgrade path.
Side Comment: Andrew, your wife seems to have been involved in your online audio reviews for a lot longer than on video. Glad that you included her. PS couples who play together stay together.
Thanks for the video, i appreciated the heads up competition as a "new video style". I really liked the look of the fives until i saw them in person at costco and saw that the fit and finish looks cheap. The missions are the ones in the review that im the most intrigued by, especially at the reduced price. Ive never liked the sound signature of SVS speakers (i do like their subs). I think at the full price of the missions i would do a pair of Dynaudio LYD paired with something like a bluesound node or an AudioEngine B-fi. The LYDs are spectacular but have really limited connectivity options. With a B-fi they are around 1700$ which makes them far more $$ than anything in this competition. I think it would be cool to see you do a near field studio monitor comparison, i bet alot of your viewers use that type of speaker for listing to a desktop pc, which makes HDMI, Bluetooth, etc moot in many cases. Dynaudio, M-Audio, AudioEngine, yamaha, all make intriguing choices in that type of product and it would be cool to see how you think they compare to your YU6 that youve lived with for so long.
I’ve had the black Fives for over a year a year and the grills are perfect. The weave is different from the wood grain version. I love them for tv but honestly, not for some music. Jazz and melodic like Asgeir they’re fantastic. I don’t use a sub with them and have no idea how they put out so much clean bass.
Had my black Fives for awhile and am overall satisfied. The grills are different/better than the wood grain, but yes, the sound is far too bass heavy. They also have trouble delivering their best sound at lower volumes. Only minor complaint is the app constantly reconnecting/updating status, but otherwise very competent 😎👍
Do these control easily with arc-cec and TV remote(power and volume)? Looking for a seamless soundbar replacement. Do voice and action sounds mix well.... Or do you constantly need to increase and decrease volume depending on scenes?
I’m really sold on the klipsch BUT what if I was willing to add a sub would that benefit them nearly as much as say the missions? Ultimately between them with a sun what’s your thoughts?
If you only care about sound quality on and off axis, the Kali IN-5 would be my choice, or the IN-8, and they play fairly loud with low enough distortion that most could build a home theater around them and some subwoofers. No app control and modern conveniences though, just great design from the ports to the woofer to the amps to the DSP for placement correction, and finally the coaxial driver that is unheard of in a 3 way monitor at that price point.
Yeah be awesome if he'd review these and the LP6s. Pretty sure the LP6 would outperform most of these at $400 and the IN5 would be far better for $700.
Really enjoy the passive XL8 amzn.to/2ZSnahy from Fluance - still a fantastic bargain but as for the powered version they released not too long ago, we did not feel the same. As for AE, it's been too long since I've heard anything from thing which is why they were not included.
I must commend you on reading and responding to the comments each week. The amount of repeat comments and questions, mostly regarding things that were covered in the video must be incredibly frustrating. I could not do it.
Just received The Fives and the grill cloth is loose out of the box. Sale price still worth it even if I have to rework the grills. Also I was shocked that they are still shipping ancient firmware that required an annoying two step upgrade with a USB flash drive and a special upgrade app.
Hello you two! Thank you for your good work! Where would you place the Tannoy Gold 5 in this ranking? Are they still your desktop favourites? I'm thinking about buying them for that very purpose. Thanks for your help!
We still think they are really good but they are dumb powered speakers (less versatile) and practically impossible to find anymore which makes it difficult to continue to take them seriously.
Glad the YU6 got an honourable mention ...as picked up a set two weeks ago.. Setting up a home office currently with a vinyl focussed bookshelf system. Sounds good .....but looking to add a sub for added punch
Hi there! Very nice comparison (and not only the technical stats)! I own a pair of Elac Connex and have to say that the craftmanship is much better than described in your review. Not only is the housing well made, even the grilles look sophisticated when you pull them off. The remote is by no means cheap (very clicky buttons!! 👍) but is a little too light in my opinion. What the reviewer meant could be that those speakers look relatvely boring compared to the other. The flexibility is great (you can even adjust left/right side for the master speaker). And the XBass feature is not just a gimmiky feature. You have to press the xbass button 2-3 sec to avtivate it. After that you can choose between 2 settings by normally pressing the xbass button. When your connex stand free you can activate xbass for example. Another great feature is that those boxes automatically turn on when you chose bluetooth over your smartphone or turn on your TV (even on optical out!). They also turn of when there is no connection. To the sound: Those little powerhouses have a very linear full bodied non fatiguing sound that you can listen to them the whole day! Their sound characteristics is much "bigger" than the small measurement would make us believe (!!!). ps. other than on Elacs tech specs(!!!) those speakers have aptX HD !!! And the Elac Debut 10.2 subwoofer is on the way 😁
Great rundown as always! My pick is Kef LS50 wireless 2! It's a little crazy that it isn't in contention since I think the original LS50w was one of the original champions for the segment and the new model markedly improved the sound, usability and connectivity.
I guess the target are speakers for stereo only, connected to computer, TV or just streaming. Any with analogue inputs that don't convert to digital for DSP will allow easy connection to watch video. DSP+DAC all add a lag and many don't reduce that to a watchable level. Bluetooth may have a lag as well. Powered reduce the number of boxes and cables in a set up like this unless you start to add components all trying to plug into the main speaker (Toslink, coaxial, RCA, HDMI) then you get a tangle of cables hence the audio hubs of the Mission, B&W Formation and Buchardts.
Though I haven't compared directly I'd guess the Kali LP6 would likely outperform all of these for less than any of them at $400/pair. The Kali IN5/8 would likely destroy them at $700-800. Would be great if you @andrewrobinson could review either or both though. Either way keep up the phenomenal work/videos!👏
I would like to mention, does anyone notice how speaker brands can add hdmi to powered speakers but integrated amplifiers from reputable brands don’t? 😢
I am over 70 years old and would like to be able to listen to my CD collection. If I were to get the Klipsch Fives, with their more numerous connectivity options then the other powered speakers, what kind of a CD player could I get to connect to the Klipsch Fives?
That was a super fun review! For desktop use, I would go with the Ethos all the way. So gorgeous! I was half-expecting Terry Ellis of Pursuit Perfect System to pop-in when I heard the chapter transition sound bite 😊
I just ordered Mission LX Connect System after watching you video !!! You guys said its scalable. Can you please elaborate on what you mean by that. Also I was wondering if I can add more wireless speakers to connect HUB. not for a surround effect. Wont it be cool if stereo sound is coming from behind also. Is it a dumb ides?
I like you channel. However, this comparison was disappointing. Klipsch The Fives are discontinued and many more relevant models are missing, e.g. Audioengine HD4, Audio Pro A26/A28, Q Acoustics M20. I realize that you included only the ones that could have been sent to you, but in preparation for such a comparison perhaps more effort could have been done to obtain more complete and relevant list.
I'm glad you reviewed them in stereo pairs. Too many reviewers subjectively evaluate only a single speaker and I ask... was I absent for some "back to mono" movement?
✅ *MISSION: **bit.ly/3Sj8LEH** • SVS **bit.ly/3t1HxqB** • KLIPSCH: **amzn.to/3WxzAr4*
✅ *U-TURN: **bit.ly/3sLvwpo** • ELAC: **bit.ly/3FEyDXI*
✅ *QUESTIONS? CLICK ❤THANKS to highlight your question & support the channel!*
✅ *IF IT’S IN THE VIDEO, IT’S IN THE DESX ☝CLICK “MORE”*
✅ *RULES: NO OUTSIDE LINKS OR PERSONAL INFO. PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC AND BE RESPECTFUL*
Great video as usual but The keyword in the video- flexibility. For the streaming lovers and speaker wire haters 😂
Unfortunately, I am a passive fan, I equate them to soundbars or primary lifestyle options as opposed to hi fi.
HDMI is something they really need to work on, seen and heard many issues with connectivity and reliability in powered speakers. but for a pair of Fives in Australia which retail past $1100, you can buy a decent AVR and a pair of great passive speakers across the range that hit high volumes well.
Also… have to say it:
A pair of Sonos speakers.
😂
BREAKING THE RULES …just this one time
ELEANOR FREYJA…. just born at 3:50 pm 😁💚💚💚
@@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461 Forgive me, but are you sharing a recent birth?
@@andrewrobinsonreviews YES💚
@@andrewrobinsonreviews YES …at 3:30 pm … our first grandchild …a girl
ELEANORE FREAJA 🤱
I've owned the Fives for over a year now, and my grills still look great. I do agree that you need to tone down the bass on the Fives for a more natural sound.
But the App now working (it didn't at the time of our initial review) makes the Fives SOOOO much easier to live with!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews After installing the app, the subwoofer output of the Fives seemed to be greatly increased, so I had to readjust all my bass settings again.
I have had mine for 6 months with no issues from the grilles either.
I’ve had mine for about a year also, and I also say the grills are fine. Maybe Andrew and Kristi had an early review unit that had the issue that was later resolved with mass shipments? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I wonder the same thing. I’ve had mine for 16 months and they still look great. I use them in my office at work and they’re great for that, especially at the price I paid. I tend to prefer a more neutral sound so I might really like the new SVS speakers, but adjusted The Fives are pretty good. And their flexibility and value are fantastic.
Been testing the SVS speakers and am amazed by the sound: transparent, dynamic, balanced and detailed. You can feel the hits on the snare, the fingers on the frets, detailed bass, and they have a real punch when the music wants to punch. I keep turning them up waiting for them to break up and distort, but nyet -comrade, nyet. So impressed.
In person they are a gravitationally dense box with a tidy bevelled front, and a flawless finish. At worst they are inoffensive. Not sure on the strong reaction, but I hope it doesn't dissuade people from trying them out - beauty is as beauty does.
After doing some research I ended up with the Kanto YU-6's for our small living room. So far so good! Build quality and look is excellent (matte white), sound is good, features/connectivity is fantastic (can add a sub when the time is right), and my partner likes that we got rid of the giant receiver... All in all a good side-grade!!
Lovely video! I would love to see a round two where you get into the next price tier with existing offerings from Kef, Q Acoustics, Bouchart, Dynaudio represented.
I get the biggest kick out of the contrast between these two. Andrew choses his words so cautiously and speaks with a grace comparable to a fine ballet dancer.
Krissy (SP) has all the grace of a long haul truck driver who won't waste anyones time with unnecessary words, or PC.
Nice balance guys.
Fabulously cut vid, Andrew. Yours and Kristi's commitment to refinement is paying off, it's noticed, it's impressive. Super taught and well executed vid.
Thanks so much!
I've had the Fives as my home office speakers for about 6 months and I LOVE them. I road-tested a few others (none of the others in your review though) and the Fives came out winners by a mile.
Great video as always. I own the Fives and read on the Klipsch owners forum that the speaker grill fabric is thermoplastic that shrinks when heated (you can make the fabric taut again by applying gentle heat with a blow dryer). I keep the grills off so hasn't been an issue for me.
I’m surprised that the Kanto YU6 was not in this lineup. I bought mine partly based on a recommendation from you and I absolutely love them. Excellent build quality, sound, and looks. The subwoofer is also great. Love them for movies as well as music
They were discussed and Kristi heavily vouched for them. Same as you I purchased them off Andrews previous review and I’m still loving them. The energy their sound brings is just so fun!
The fives , subwoofer out feature.
Hdmi with cec and arc, and phono in.
Great product for the money.
Seems more flexible and better option than most soundbars.
Thanks your channel.
I just bought the fives after a-b testing with similar options. As a matter of fact: just by today, I put their box in the cellar, because I finally made a choice.
That said - I wouldn’t have chosen them, if it weren’t for the App. Bass was much to bloated and treble was off, as well.
Other ones, I tested were much better with percussion and/or imaging and instrument separation. And with some more complex tracks, the Klipsch seem to brake down, a little - even at low-er volumes.
But and that’s a big B:
They just sound phenomenal with voices, are easy to live with (after adjustment), very flexible, and can play many genres of music in an equal fashion. And tuned in, they project a large stage with clear centered voice without any harshness.
Therefore, they can do movies, podcasts, vinyl, Bluetooth in a pleasing way without any problems.
Yes, they won’t detail much and on some tracks, I still miss some refinement. But that’s what I have my Headphones for. And though I do plan on getting a more refined setup, they would still fit well in the office/gaming room.
I will say it’s nice to see hdmi becoming the norm in the powered speaker market
@Andrew Robinson which would you pick? The Elac Debut ConneX or Kanto Yu4? Or if anyone else is reading this, what would be your pick and why?
A sub and a fixed app, really helped the Fives. I've had them for over two years now and I love them.
Fives are working great for my desktop setup. The app took ages to arive in a usable form. It was fun to install, something like from fantastic mister fox playing cricket complexity levels. When adjusted via app fives are actual pretty good.
Updating the speakers to use the new App was admittedly stupid, yes. But I agree, now that they have an App that works, they may be even better!
I also tried the KEF LSX2 in my 15' x 12' office space and decided they weren't for me for the same reasons you mentioned. Having previously used Kanto YU4 in a desktop setup I decided to try the Kanto TUK. Mine are connected to a Kanto SUB8 and I enjoy them very much. For context, the source is a MacBook via an iFi Audio Zen DAC. For me it's an excellent combination. Another significant factor is that in my opinion both Kanto and iFi Audio deliver exceptionally good customer support and service.
The Audioengine A5s are excellent, quite a bit of detail. They are $400.
Love, love, love my Fives. It's just fun to hear that much sound coming from such small cabinets / boxes. ;-) For a little powered speaker, they do everything I need for my office and turntable. I very rarely ever think, "man... I should hook up a sub to these". Just super happy with how they sound and all the options for connections they offer. I like the way that the Missions look and I'd love to give them a listen sometime, but overall, I'm extremely happy with The Fives. Always fun to hear your opinions on stuff like this. Thanks for all you both do!
I own the MISSION and they are amazing! Buy them and never look back.
What do you think about edifier speaker?
Of all these speakers I’d pick the Missions. They’re very pretty (to my eyes anyway) and have all the connectivity I’d look for. I first got a pair of Quad 9Active speakers (second hand) a couple of years back, and very much enjoyed them as near-field desktop speakers on my computer. I’ve recently upgraded to Quad 9AS speakers, with far more input options, better amplification and DAC too, and this plays out in the sound which is substantially better than the 9Active pair. So, that pair of Missions would be a serious contender if I were to change them again.
And to think that only a few years ago I was a thoroughly separates only kinda guy.
I really enjoyed the side by side comparisons today. For me, it’s the Missions. They ooze the cool factor. But I’ve already got my Q Acoustics M20 HD powered speakers. So I’m content.😮
Thanks.. but since there is no overall winner..I'm still confused as to which one to get!
Think it's a value question at this point. Which at fives are cheapest. However you can make your own stereo 2.0 system with KEF q150 and an Aiyama D03 for a similar cost
the mission for kristi and secretly the svs for andy
Very happy to see this review 👍🏼 only wish Swan was included. Thx guys ✊🏽
I’ve had my fives for awhile now and I’ve really loved them for my office/spare room. Paired with my LG C1 in there and a sub it was life changing at the time lol (was my first oled). Idk if the grills on the black ones (which I got for like 475🎉) are different but they’ve been fine so far for me over about a year or so. And now that the app is here for them it’s been like hearing them for the first time again!
I wonder why the edifier s3000 wasn't included in this price range. I get that there is only so many spots. But no doubt the s3000 should be considered in this group
Nice comps. I have a set up of powered Mackie MR624 connected with Bluesound Node. Great powerful sound for medium and large size rooms (in plain black only), and can add subs for upgrade. This was by far better then the Fives in the medium/large room.
I have the Mackie MR824's for my desk and they sound incredible off of the Shiit Audio DAC and Loki, I have The Fives on a TV and they sound great as well.
I have had my eye on the Fives for about two years now. I wanted to move beyond the soundbar/subwoofer setup that I had but didn't have the $$ to invest in a Marantz or Onkyo surround system. So I was like, ok, what is the best 2.1 I can get that won't break my wallet, and all my "research' kept leading me back to the Fives. But at just under $1K, it was a bit pricey, still just a want, not a need, and Klipsch seemed to put everything on sale but the speakers I wanted. Until about 10 days ago, when they listed the Fives at about 54% off Black Friday and I impulsively jumped on it. I was curious to see if they lived up to the hype, and I am happy to say they do. They are a bass lovers dream out of the box, you cannot believe the bass that comes out of these little things and the DSP balances voice with ambient noise very well IMO. I snagged these for just under 5 bills, and for that price, they crush the competition.
Do you think a sub will add a lot to these?
Recently got the SVS Prime Pros with a 300 Micro sub and the combo is stunning. That little sub is shockingly good, and when blended properly to where it seems like everything is coming from the speakers… my goodness, it is a wonderful sound reproduction.
I was initially interested in the Klipsch’s because of the automatic high pass filter to the main speakers when a sub is connected, so they can open up the mids more without having to fight for the low end. SVS includes that feature as well, and their app for managing every aspect of the sub is extremely convenient, so they knocked it out of the park for what I wanted. Not to mention the HDMI eArc! Perfect for a soundbar use case.
Also, the 6 preset buttons on the front and the remote are a hilariously innovative feature. You can match them to any Spotify playlist, or a podcast, etc.. just like an old school radio, how cool is that?!
Agreed, wish they came in a wood finish, but I went with the white for now and am enjoying that look. And I also grabbed the wireless adapter they sell for the sub, that made placement a breeze like I’ve never experienced. Thanks for another fun video from you two! Keep it going.
Do these control easily with arc-cec and TV remote(power and volume)? Looking for a seamless soundbar replacement. Do voice and action sounds mix well.... Or do you constantly need to increase and decrease volume depending on scenes?
Nice job! I really enjoyed watching this one. I did not know that the Klipsch app was finally working. I bought a pair of the Fives after your original review. I have done 3 things to them which, for me, vastly improved them IMO. First I added a decent Klipsch sub. I don’t remember the model number but I got it on sale for $5-600. Then I put foam plugs in the ports. I did this because I wanted more flexibility in the positioning. I personally think they sound better regardless but maybe I have just gotten used to the sound. The 3rd thing is that I used a heat gun or hair dryer on the grilles about a year or so ago. They have stayed tight. Having covered a fabric airplane earlier in my life the normal procedure there is to apply the fabric and then use heat to shrink it. I also worked in a cotton mill when I was a student. I ran a giant oven that took huge rolls of dyed cloth and ran it through a water/chemical bath and then through a 400 degree oven for about 125 feet. This is how they make “preshrunk” fabric. I misted the grille cloth lightly with water and then used either my heat gun or a hair dryer (I don’t remember which) on them until they were tight and dry. This took less than 5 minutes in total. I used a spray bottle with super fine mist. I doubt the water is even necessary. Anyway for me the Fives have been great. I saw them a couple of days ago at Costco for $449 in black. I almost bought them for my son.
I'd go with a Bluesound NODE & a pair of ADAM Audio T8V 8-inch Active Spkrs for ~ $1,200. !!!
Bluesound software sucks!!! Just terrible! Luckily I got my NAD Master 10 at a steal of $500. But I'll never pay full price for anything with Bluesound built in.
I've been catching up with previous posted videos. You guys consistently put out great content!
Great video as always. My pick is the PSB AM3 I picked up a pair at 25%off. Here in Canada they retail for $699. I use them on my desktop and they sound great. They have a remote, Bluetooth, usb and aux input, tone controls, phono preamp and a sub. I’m a larger space they will need a sub. The AM5 is there bigger brother for $999 CAD.
I'd like to see a video on Genelec and Neumann studio monitors. Yes, they are marketed for studios, but they can equally be used for HIFI.
I was thinking about buying the Klipsch five for my TV (instead of a soundbar). I have a stereo set to listen music, so the fives would be just for TV. But, I have read/red a lot of comments in the internet about some heavy issues regarding mentioned Klipsch fives (e.g. app is not stable, updates don't work fine, the fives turn off from time to time, etc.). To many such comments from clients to think the Problem does not exist.
I use Emotiva Stealth 6s (active powered) for our living room system (along with dual 10" sealed box subs). In my office I've got Emotiva Airmotiv 5s. Love both systems.
I bet my money on the Acoustic Energy AE1's Active for ultimate sound quality. However, they will cost more than any of these but worth every penny!
Hi Andrew, in your opinion, how do these compare with a pair of Tannoy Gold 7? Are you still using those (the Gold 5s) as your desktop speakers?
Hi Guys. Great review. Wondering how would the Q Acoustics M20 compare against this lineup?
We have not heard the M20s.
Do you guys still have the Tannoy Gold? And how do they compare? (I know connectivity is limited but so is U-Turn's)
We do. To be honest, I forgot all about them. I still think they are really good but they are dumb powered speakers and practically impossible to find anymore which makes it difficult to continue to take them seriously.
I recently picked up the 5's for a soundbar replacement and I can say that if you add a subwoofer, even a fairly cheap one, they sound completely different and can for sure scale to large rooms. I use mine in my livingroom which is fairly large (18x30) and has 2 story vaulted ceilings and they can get very, very loud without distortion, but only when using a subwoofer. The active cross-over is really doing a great job in them. I totally agree about the new app, night and day better than the old version and the 3 band eq in that app might have a lot to do with them sounding better in my room than before.
Do these control easily with arc-cec and TV remote(power and volume)? Looking for a seamless soundbar replacement. Do voice and action sounds mix well.... Or do you constantly need to increase and decrease volume depending on scenes?
I miss some names like the Kanto TUK, Tannoy's, Edifier... but afterall great vid. Thanks for giving some love to the powered sector of this hobby.
I liked my Kanto YU6's so much I bought the TUK's. I'd like to hear his comparison/thoughts to the TUK's
The past year I tried KEFs LS50W, Dali, Edifiers, ELACs, Genelec, ADAMS, TANNOY GOLD and still haven’t been able to find a more impressive (sonically) powered speaker than the B&W Formation Duos. I was totally floored when I heard concert piano performance though them. It’s a shame they didn’t make the video.
Not only their soundstage and clarity is sublime but also frequency wise are a complete speaker system negating the need for a sub. Having said that, I need to check those MISSION speakers.
Note: thank you on the quick impression of the new LSX speakers at the end, glad I am not alone on how unimpressive they sound.
I can believe that of the B&W Formation DUO but they are a stereo audio solution only. They are not for watching a film or connecting a computer and watching video on it. They will not scale up as part of a surround sound system. The Genelec and Adams will and mix and match smaller speakers for rears with more bass from front speakers.
In B&W Formation series you can use the Formation Flex for stereo and then use them as rear speakers to the Formation Bar and Bass with the Formation Audio hub for more inputs.
@@geraldmcmullon2465 who says you cannot use them as computer speakers? They can connect to any device with Bluetooth connection (iPhone, iPad, TV, laptop etc), I know someone that uses them as computer speakers and apparently they’re awesome. As far as the ADAM and GENELECs I demoed the new A series and 8030s respectively and I wasn’t much impressed, especially for the genelecs. I assume the 83xx series is the one to go for but they are ridiculously expensive. But those are the ones most recordings studios use.
@@gpapa31 B&W Formation Duo, according to B&W when I asked, do not sync for watching videos on a computer or to a TV. For audio only that is not a problem. All Bluetooth is lossy. The difference between listening to the same source over wireless and Bluetooth is very noticeable. It may not matter if your source is MP3 or AAC but on WAVE and Flac I would not choose Bluetooth if I had a different lossless choice. I did not try out the Formation Duo further because they will not work in a surround sound system.
@@geraldmcmullon2465 the surround system issue you’re right, it doesn’t work as I was also told by the guy at the store where I demoed them. But computer and TV is not the case, they do work with no sync issues. I am on a FB B&W groups and there are a few people who use them as a stereo system with their TVs with zero issues as they claim and they love them. The guy I spoke to a few weeks ago he is using them as laptop speakers, and again according to him, they perform splendidly.
@@gpapa31 To work with a computer or TV is that over Bluetooth or alternative like Ethernet or HDMI input?
Just stopped by to drop a liked. I'm good with my JBL Professional 305P MkII's. Price to performance is unmatched. BYOD and that's fine with me
Any way we can get a review of the Edifier S3000 Pro or comparison to this group?
Thanks for the review. I wish you had explained how these are cabled up. Some of the wireless speakers require a cable from one speaker to the other, do all of these?
What about the Edifier S3000pro?
Are all the speakers with HDMI input arc(cec) compatible with volume and power control? I read that it's a pain to manually switch these on and off and can lead to longevity issues if not
I know reviewers generally don’t want to “waste time” on a negative review, but your mentions in this video of the LSX ii and another recent video of the Sonus Faber Omnia as two products you had on but chose not to review because you didn’t like them that much is, to me, very informative. Personally I’d be very interested to hear about products you don’t elect to do full reviews on regularly as a datapoint even if it doesn’t have all the information contained in a full review. Keep up the great work you two!
had the opportuntiy to listen to the fives and personally i was surprised by the output and bass for their size. would love to see you guys review the 7's and the new 9's
I'l keep my original KEF LSX. They are in the same price category, are well designed and sound great
Original Vanatoo powered speakers from years ago is still my first choice.
Would be nice to see the T1E reviewed.
Enjoyed the video but I think if I was in the market for basically a near field speaker/monitor I would probably look at some Pro Audio gear...Kali Audio, Dynaudio, Adams, even the JBL. You can get powered monitors from all those brands that measure well, don't look too bad, some have DSP and are pretty cheap. Just my opinion anyway.
I think SVS has an important feature none of the others have: streaming with the big 3 - Chromecast, Spotify Connect and Airplay. No need to buy an expensive BluesoundNode which is overpriced and doesn't include Chromecast which is quite valuable to Android users.
i may have simply skipped over it but my only feedback would be that it would have been nice to know a bit more about that display on the SVSs. i can just open a new tab and go to the manufacturer's website, but still, it looked like a distinguishing feature worth mentioning.
Its an oled display that can be always on, dimmed or off. I have this pair and keep mine off. It will turn on when displaying any changes which is what I prefer.
@@MrBananers thank you!
I totally agree with you Andrew with the Klipsch grills. I bought a pair and they looked like the skin of an octogenarian, saggy and wrinkled. I probably got a B-stock pair from Costco because the sound was just as nice as the grills. I am so glad Costco let me return them. I currently have two home theatre systems set up in my home with Klipsch speakers and love their sound, but obviously I got a bad sounding pair of 5's with crappy grills. This experience does not diminish my enthusiasm for the Klipsch(s) that I have, but leads me to suspect the quality control of the 5's.
I like this format and would like a kef vs q acoustic powered shoot out.
Thanks for this evaluation of powered loudspeaker models. I bought my first powered speakers 20 years ago and I have enjoyed them so much that I doubt I would ever go back to using passive speakers again. Many people seem to be unaware that there are several advantages to internally amped loudspeaker designs. This is unfortunate, because when manufacturers produce high-quality active speakers, buyers often ignore them, which results in the discontinuation of those models and discourages audio companies from creating in that format. Personally speaking, I don't care what an active speaker looks like as long as it is well-built, reliable, provides the features I want, produces accurate sound, and is priced within my budget.
I'm really digging the look of Missions. The darker "wood" reminds me of my dad's first A/V rack, whose paper did eventually start to peel off the MDF, aided in part by my tiny toddler hands. Not sure which one I would choose though. The SVS is probably the most practical choice, because with a surround receiver with preamp outs they could be used in conjection with their many passive brethren, giving you something of an upgrade path.
Try an Edifier S3000 Pro for the next round! These are truly incredible speakers!!!
Side Comment: Andrew, your wife seems to have been involved in your online audio reviews for a lot longer than on video. Glad that you included her. PS couples who play together stay together.
Listening on an old pair of Mission 760i, so nice to see that Mission are still delivering quality.
Have you ever done Edifier S3000 pro? I have a pair of those and I feel like I somehow cheated at life.
Thanks for the video, i appreciated the heads up competition as a "new video style". I really liked the look of the fives until i saw them in person at costco and saw that the fit and finish looks cheap. The missions are the ones in the review that im the most intrigued by, especially at the reduced price. Ive never liked the sound signature of SVS speakers (i do like their subs). I think at the full price of the missions i would do a pair of Dynaudio LYD paired with something like a bluesound node or an AudioEngine B-fi. The LYDs are spectacular but have really limited connectivity options. With a B-fi they are around 1700$ which makes them far more $$ than anything in this competition.
I think it would be cool to see you do a near field studio monitor comparison, i bet alot of your viewers use that type of speaker for listing to a desktop pc, which makes HDMI, Bluetooth, etc moot in many cases. Dynaudio, M-Audio, AudioEngine, yamaha, all make intriguing choices in that type of product and it would be cool to see how you think they compare to your YU6 that youve lived with for so long.
I’ve had the black Fives for over a year a year and the grills are perfect. The weave is different from the wood grain version. I love them for tv but honestly, not for some music. Jazz and melodic like Asgeir they’re fantastic. I don’t use a sub with them and have no idea how they put out so much clean bass.
What about Q Acoustics M20?
I've been wanting a list like this for a long time but there's never ever any good videos on them
Had my black Fives for awhile and am overall satisfied. The grills are different/better than the wood grain, but yes, the sound is far too bass heavy. They also have trouble delivering their best sound at lower volumes. Only minor complaint is the app constantly reconnecting/updating status, but otherwise very competent 😎👍
Do these control easily with arc-cec and TV remote(power and volume)? Looking for a seamless soundbar replacement. Do voice and action sounds mix well.... Or do you constantly need to increase and decrease volume depending on scenes?
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I’m really sold on the klipsch BUT what if I was willing to add a sub would that benefit them nearly as much as say the missions? Ultimately between them with a sun what’s your thoughts?
I am wondering the same thing, especially seeing that I can get the Missions for a bit cheaper than the fives.
If you only care about sound quality on and off axis, the Kali IN-5 would be my choice, or the IN-8, and they play fairly loud with low enough distortion that most could build a home theater around them and some subwoofers. No app control and modern conveniences though, just great design from the ports to the woofer to the amps to the DSP for placement correction, and finally the coaxial driver that is unheard of in a 3 way monitor at that price point.
Yeah be awesome if he'd review these and the LP6s. Pretty sure the LP6 would outperform most of these at $400 and the IN5 would be far better for $700.
Your thoughts on Fluance or Audioengine?
Really enjoy the passive XL8 amzn.to/2ZSnahy from Fluance - still a fantastic bargain but as for the powered version they released not too long ago, we did not feel the same. As for AE, it's been too long since I've heard anything from thing which is why they were not included.
The Fives app doesn't save EQ adjustments once I switch the speakers off. So that's a major annoyance for an otherwise amazing pair of bookshelves.
I must commend you on reading and responding to the comments each week. The amount of repeat comments and questions, mostly regarding things that were covered in the video must be incredibly frustrating. I could not do it.
When reviewing these five powered speakers, did any of them have a low level Hess when powered on?
Is Klipsh the 5 better than r51pm??
I used to have the r51pm and YES they are far better especially with a subwoofer
Just received The Fives and the grill cloth is loose out of the box. Sale price still worth it even if I have to rework the grills. Also I was shocked that they are still shipping ancient firmware that required an annoying two step upgrade with a USB flash drive and a special upgrade app.
The review I didn’t know I needed.
Hello you two! Thank you for your good work! Where would you place the Tannoy Gold 5 in this ranking? Are they still your desktop favourites? I'm thinking about buying them for that very purpose. Thanks for your help!
We still think they are really good but they are dumb powered speakers (less versatile) and practically impossible to find anymore which makes it difficult to continue to take them seriously.
They're readily available at Sweetwater
Glad the YU6 got an honourable mention ...as picked up a set two weeks ago.. Setting up a home office currently with a vinyl focussed bookshelf system. Sounds good .....but looking to add a sub for added punch
Hi there!
Very nice comparison (and not only the technical stats)!
I own a pair of Elac Connex and have to say that the craftmanship is much better than described in your review. Not only is the housing well made, even the grilles look sophisticated when you pull them off. The remote is by no means cheap (very clicky buttons!! 👍) but is a little too light in my opinion.
What the reviewer meant could be that those speakers look relatvely boring compared to the other.
The flexibility is great (you can even adjust left/right side for the master speaker). And the XBass feature is not just a gimmiky feature. You have to press the xbass button 2-3 sec to avtivate it. After that you can choose between 2 settings by normally pressing the xbass button. When your connex stand free you can activate xbass for example.
Another great feature is that those boxes automatically turn on when you chose bluetooth over your smartphone or turn on your TV (even on optical out!). They also turn of when there is no connection.
To the sound: Those little powerhouses have a very linear full bodied non fatiguing sound that you can listen to them the whole day!
Their sound characteristics is much "bigger" than the small measurement would make us believe (!!!).
ps. other than on Elacs tech specs(!!!) those speakers have aptX HD !!! And the Elac Debut 10.2 subwoofer is on the way 😁
yeah kristi vouched for the elacs on their build quality and eARC is a wonderful thing
Great rundown as always! My pick is Kef LS50 wireless 2!
It's a little crazy that it isn't in contention since I think the original LS50w was one of the original champions for the segment and the new model markedly improved the sound, usability and connectivity.
I am tossing back and forth from those SVS Pro’s and the LSX 2 for my desk.
SVS has a new model Pro 2’s
Go with SVS.
Heyyyy! Close to 300k subs! Well done you two! What a great community you’ve created! Congrats!!!
Thanks so much!!
In Thailand
Klipsch distrubutor add profit cost up to 40-50%
The Fives price up to $800-1000
so sad
Why Kef LS50 Wireless 2 were not included in the comparison?
$$$
The point of this speaker category is to avoid connecting them to an AV Receiver, or simply to add versatility?
I guess the target are speakers for stereo only, connected to computer, TV or just streaming. Any with analogue inputs that don't convert to digital for DSP will allow easy connection to watch video. DSP+DAC all add a lag and many don't reduce that to a watchable level. Bluetooth may have a lag as well. Powered reduce the number of boxes and cables in a set up like this unless you start to add components all trying to plug into the main speaker (Toslink, coaxial, RCA, HDMI) then you get a tangle of cables hence the audio hubs of the Mission, B&W Formation and Buchardts.
Which has the better or decent phono stage?! Thanks for the video!
Eagerly Waiting for Beosound Theatre soundbar review 🐱
What do you recommend for classical
Music, opera and symphonic music lovers like me? I listen to vynils lots of jazz and soundtracks also
Though I haven't compared directly I'd guess the Kali LP6 would likely outperform all of these for less than any of them at $400/pair. The Kali IN5/8 would likely destroy them at $700-800. Would be great if you @andrewrobinson could review either or both though. Either way keep up the phenomenal work/videos!👏
Hmm. Surprised that Acoustic Energy AE1 was not among those under test.
In terms of sound, it’s better than all these speakers!
Why wasn’t included? Cause the list would be a mile long and the video would never get done
Hey guys, the Devialet Mania, the first portable speaker from Devialet, has been launched. Can you get your hands on it by any chance?
Great niche to review and relevant. I too, would go with the Mission speakers for sure but on sale.
I would like to mention, does anyone notice how speaker brands can add hdmi to powered speakers but integrated amplifiers from reputable brands don’t? 😢
I am over 70 years old and would like to be able to listen to my CD collection. If I were to get the Klipsch Fives, with their more numerous connectivity options then the other powered speakers, what kind of a CD player could I get to connect to the Klipsch Fives?
Adcom GCD-575 with a couple of tweaks and Wow!
That was a super fun review! For desktop use, I would go with the Ethos all the way. So gorgeous! I was half-expecting Terry Ellis of Pursuit Perfect System to pop-in when I heard the chapter transition sound bite 😊
I just ordered Mission LX Connect System after watching you video !!!
You guys said its scalable. Can you please elaborate on what you mean by that.
Also I was wondering if I can add more wireless speakers to connect HUB. not for a surround effect. Wont it be cool if stereo sound is coming from behind also. Is it a dumb ides?
Can you tell me if the speakers are HDMI CEC compatible with power and volume controlled all in one with tv remote?
@@IThinkNowListenUp no idea...i just used with USB to PC and phone bluetooth
Hi. Thanks for the review. I may have missed it but are any of these speakers not manufactured in China please?
I like you channel. However, this comparison was disappointing. Klipsch The Fives are discontinued and many more relevant models are missing, e.g. Audioengine HD4, Audio Pro A26/A28, Q Acoustics M20. I realize that you included only the ones that could have been sent to you, but in preparation for such a comparison perhaps more effort could have been done to obtain more complete and relevant list.
The Mission’s are also not available on the Amazon link posted with this video. VERY unfortunate.
You can still buy the fives on Amazon...
@@scottmackey4182 yes they are. Literally just checked. Same with the other link for Crutchfield...
@@chrisy4011 you can stil buy them in many store even here in Holland
I'm glad you reviewed them in stereo pairs. Too many reviewers subjectively evaluate only a single speaker and I ask... was I absent for some "back to mono" movement?