These are some of the products that truly stood out to me last year! Fun Fact: This video was meant to be super short. Leave it to me to take a simple premise and morph it into a nearly 18-minute ramble. Ah well. Tis' easy to wax poetic about gear that I feel is awesome.
Hi Sean, do you have any opinions on the quality and sound of XiangSheng DAC-05BII? I know it’s an unknown company and there is virtually no resale possibilities, but it looks really good on paper. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks! 🙏🏼
@@jeffreypicciolo7706 Hey, Jeffrey. I believe that should be sufficient if they’re not set up in a huge space. Mine are hooked up to a Cambridge CXA60 and I’m getting enough volume out of them for my liking. I just wanna add that it’s certainly true that these speakers are truly a joy to listen to. I’ve read some not so positive comments about them but I personally really love them, even if my living room isn’t exactly ideal when it comes to acoustics.
@@jeffreypicciolo7706 Brother, give these Model 5's some juice, they gobble it up! I'm using the XTZ A2-400 class D, and the soundstage is just NUTS! Go watch Jay's iyagi video on these, the Debak video, where he sends them out to be tested. Everything he stated is true, the HUGE soundstage and the fact that it is 3 dimensional in the sound, to the point you have to look over your shoulder or to your left or right to see what the hell was that! It was the speakers! I tore out a 5.2 system, and replaced with these two KLH speakers, a Cambridge Audio CXN v2 network streamer/DAC/Preamp along with the XTZ amp, blows that old 5 speaker SVS Ultra package, powered by two Emotiva XPA amplifiers out of the water. There is no comparison. And this is just two channels!
I value your comparisons of components. Knowing that the Luxman does not deliver twice or more the performance of the Unison Research Unico Primo is valuable information. That’s the kind of information I’m looking for. Keep up the great work!
I don't have the opportunity to Demo anything where i live....I count on videos like this from reviewers I trust. The KLH M5s are amazing. Thanks!!!!!!
Khruangbin on vinyl ftw! I've been enjoying the KLH Model Fives since April, in part thanks to your review. While I never seem to stay completely satisfied with any speaker forever, these are great for just enjoying most genres of music in a refreshingly uncomplicated way. Your review was very accurate. Keep up the good work.
I had carried a Unico Primo in my luggage from a trip to Hong Kong. Worth all the luggage space. Kept the Primo for over 10 years and it never missed a beat. It sounded good with all the speakers I threw at it, except for the LS50.
I was lucky enough to score one of the Primos when they were $2k. I love this thing. I replaced the 12ax7 with a PS Vane tube and also got a RCA NOS black plate and they both make stunning music. For more energy, a Gold Lion Genelex will be your deal. I am totally happy and can't imagine selling this any time soon. It is magical with my Dynaudio Special 40s and the CSS Audio Criton 1TDX speakers not to mention JBL 1600 HDI speakers. I directly compared it to a Vincent SV237 integrated priced at $2800. No contest. The Vincent hacked the spacial and holographic qualities and while had some warmth, changing the tube, which is a pain in the ass, didn't do all that much to change the sound. The Primo it is very responsive to tube rolling to pick your flavor. Thank You Shawn, or Sean or...just thanks.
I loved it right out of the box myself, but it truly is a sexy sound. Do you know what the stock tube is? I'm tempted to buy a bunch and keep them around for replacement time. I beat the price increase by weeks myself.
@@kamadeva1 I thought I replied once but here goes again. The stock tube just says it was made in Russia. If you like the stock tube you might like the Gold Lion Gelelex tube or Electro Harmonix. Just a reminder always turn the amp off before changing tubes and better yet, take out the power cord. I speak from experience.
Thanks Sean. his is a wonderful "best of 2021" list. You're full length reviews of those speakers last year put them all at the top of my "wanna" list. I did pick up a pair of the Polk R200s when they were on sale for black Friday. I'm using them with a pair of the older REL T/5i subs that I already owned. Happy. I'll confess that my other favorite thing about your best of list is that it's not full of DACs and streamers and processing apps. Thumbs up to old school hifi. 👍
Based on your enthusiasm, as well as many other reviewers, I decided to pick up a pair of these for the bedroom. When they arrived I decided to run them in the living room for a while. After a month I brought my JBL studio 590's back into the living room. Three days later I brought the Model 5's back out. The 590's are too big for the bedroom, but there's no way I'm taking the 5's out of my main listening room. At 60 years old this is likely my last set of speakers, unless I buy a second pair for the bedroom.
Hi Sean. Man oh man you hit the nail on the head with 'frustration!'. It's sure true for me. On one hand things are better than they've ever been with all the affordable equipment and all the accessibility to great reviewers on youtube. On the other, it can be fatiguing wading through all of it and trying to distill it all down to what's right for you - not even touching on trying to get the 'perfect' setup (which of course probably does not exist). It's one of the reasons I'm still listening to a 40 year-old pair of Polk Monitor 5b's. I love 'em.
Good to see you back. I have the new S400’s (only took 3.5 months to get them) and they are indeed great but that lack of midbass hump did give me slight pause, but the enhanced dynamics and realistic vocals made me an immediate fan. I had auditioned the KLHs but the upward firing position and the shortness of my room stopped me.
@@charlesclifton1006 Very good for both, but not for high volume listening. I had the mki’s and they really didn’t come alive until about 75dB but these are enjoyable lower than that. I don’t listen at whisper-quiet levels but these are good there as well. Desktop? No. In a dorm in a room next to others? No.
Sean, I just ordered a pair of the KLH Model 5... I am salivating for their arrival! Found them on sale, demos, $1899, in walnut... If anyone is interested, Audio Advisor may have one more pair of the walnut, and they did have the Mahogany in stock for the same price. Call them, ask for Jay, tell him I sent you. ;-)
@@Jay-fk9wm I finally got them up and running... OMG! I'm using the Cambridge Audio CXN v2 network Streamer/DAC/Preamp with the XTZ Edge A2-400 amplifier, and the sound is AMAZING! I can see why these reviewers are keeping them, the soundstage these create is mind blowing to say the least. I caught myself a number of times snapping my head to see what the hell was that coming from behind or to my left or right, that is how large and encompassing the soundstage is. It is downright 3 dimensional. They love power too, the more juice the better, and the larger and more filling the soundstage. If you run these on anything less than 200 wpc, you are really missing out on the true potential and sound quality of these incredible speakers. These are staying, the only possible replacement would be the Model 9 when they come out. But right now, I see no need to go that route.
@@michaelwright1602 You mean the upcoming Model 7, surely. And yea Holographic capabilities is what makes them so special, almost replaces the need for Rearspeakers entirely. These must be insane with a pair of Subwoofers in Home Cinema.
Hi Sean! It was great seeing the Unico again. Love the minimalist aesthetic. Love the depth of the Buchardt cabinet. Wish that there was a place near me where I could audition the KLH. Really enjoyed the video!
@@ZeroFidelity I know you don't know us and we really don't know you, but there are a lot of people out here that think about you and are sending good thoughts and prayers your way. I'd actually started to worry a bit when I hadn't seen anything from you in awhile. For what it is worth, we are behind you.
Keeping it simple with high value will help reduce all the frustration out there. Many of us just want to enjoy the music and not overthink the gear, which is a means to an end. Good job!
Welcome back sir Hope you and the family are doing better. Interesting review especially after you mentioned how many fine-tune their systems to where they hate actually listening to music 🎶😉🎶
Agree re: the Unison Research - I actually preferred it in my set-up to the Luxman 505. The one amp that beat both (and which I still have) is yet another under-appreciated integrated - the Belles Aria. No bling - just effortless, liquid sound (one reviewer described its signature as "tubes with grunt"...apt, in my estimation). It's one to check out given your taste in speakers...70 WPC but plays like more than that (I preferred it to several Hegel models that outpowered the Belles). Also built like a tank, has an excellent head amp, and a very good MM phono stage. At that price point it's hard to beat.
Nice! Belles is a blast from the past. I remember owning one of their amps back when I was a baby-audiophile. Those were some good times. Belles. Blue Circle Audio. Monarchy Audio. At least Belles is still kickin'! Thanks for taking me back down memory lane. Maybe I'll revisit em' at some point.
@@ZeroFidelity Yes, Mr. B. is still doin' it. ;) I actually much prefer his newer lines to his older gear, although "new" is a relative term...they are definitely smartly engineered minimalist old school analogue machines (he also makes Aria separates and a new Aria Signature integrated, which is supposed to be sublime). There's a Hi Fi Choice review floating out there that sums up the Aria pretty nicely, but little else in the way of formal reviews (though lots of customer raves). Couple that with the fact that David doesn't really advertise and you have a painfully under-appreciated piece (reminds me of Quicksilver Audio in that regard...sales built entirely WOM to keep pricing in check). To be clear, I have no affiliation - I just appreciate quality equipment when I hear it. ;) Keep up the great work, and stay safe!
@@MD-cn1nt I was planning to get the Belles Aria Signature. Can you pls let me know which speakers you are using with the Aria as some user reviews on Audiogon say that the sound signature is a bit on the bright side due to which I have held back. Thank you.
I bought a pair of KLH Model 5's based largely on your original review. I love them. They fill my modest living room with great sound in both music and home theater. But, BOY are they divisive to critics. I was shocked that Steve Guttenberg wouldn't even review them because he disliked them so much. He never explained his position clearly, but I wonder what was going on there?
Congrats! As for Steve: There were some things going on that compromised his ability to fairly assess the product. It's best to just leave it as is. We don't all experience stuff the same way. Maybe he'll give the upcoming Model 7's a fair shake later down the road.
@@ZeroFidelity I like Steve Guttenberg. I subscribe to his channel as well as yours. I'm an engineer and a music lover. I don't agree with anything either of you say or anyone else for that matter. I have to judge for myself. The new KLH model 5 is like practically everything this industry sells today is IMO a poor value for money. The original model 5 was IMO a better speaker and a better value. The acoustic suspension design for technical reasons is as I see it the best woofer/enclosure design when properly executed. It is not merely a sealed box, there's much more to it. This one according to Atkinson's measurements is slightly underdamped with a Q of probably about 1.0 as seen in the hump at around 42 hz, apparently its resonant frequency. Ideal is 0.707. The original had a 12 inch woofer that was on a par with AR3 and AR3a. It was a better woofer than the 12" woofer used in KLH model 6. The tonal balance can easily be manipulated using a graphic equalizer, something audiophiles shun but I find indispensable. Unlike ported speakers that fall off at 24 db per octave acoustic suspension speakers fall off below resonance at 12 db per octave. In this case an equalizer can remove the hump of about 7 db at 42 hz and increase the output below 42 hz extending it to below 30 hz without distortion within its limits. The treble can also be corrected but the two nasty resonant peaks at 18.7 and 23.7 khz Atkinson points out cannot be gotten rid of. This is typical of metal dome tweeters. Henry Kloss went through hundreds of tweeter designs before he chose the one that appeared in so many of his speakers including models 5, 6, 12, and 17. Here are the measurements for what it's worth. As an engineer measurements are the first thing I look at even though the methodologies are legacies from about 80 years ago and are of very limited value. By contrast for me the verbal reviews are of no value at all. www.stereophile.com/content/klh-model-five-loudspeaker-measurements
I got the KLHs but i don't think I have space to really get the best of them. Unfortunately, I'll be returning them. For now Big box speakers aren't working for me.
@@dynodin81 believe it or not I'm sorry to hear that. A lot of people who reviewed them seemed to like them including Sean and Thomas. I never heard them myself and probably never will. My days of shopping and listening to the latest and greatest are a long distant memory. When you find what you're looking for you stop looking. For me DIY was much more fun. Being an engineer I could go down my own path.
@@markfischer3626 For what it's worth, I recall the engineer for the Model 5 telling me that Stereophile's measurements were questionable at best, and that what Soundstage published was closer to being on the nose. I also recall the Model 5 being his first stab at an acoustic suspension design. Either way, I can appreciate an engineer who attempts to reserve judgement until first-hand experience has been acquired. I wish more individuals in the same profession adhered to the same common-sense tenets. And yep, whatever resonant peaks the phase plug over a metal dome has left behind are basically impossible to tame. Dome driver manufacturers aim for resonance to occur well beyond the threshold of human hearing, but I found that it all amounts to a similar real-world listening experience.
More speaker manufacturers need to offer acoustic suspension products. That’s why the 5 isn’t boomy and the bass rolls off slowly and smoothly. What was old is new again. It’s very hard to make a good vented speaker properly (Polk does a good job in the R series). It’s less hard to design a sealed speaker if the Q is right - just match speaker volume and damping to the driver (assuming that the driver is done right). I’ve always preferred acoustic suspension, but they are rare these days, probably because manufacturers want to offer the lowest bass they can wring out of a design. Trouble is that vented speakers have at least two issues - phase discrepancy between the bass driver and port and mushy bass from the port, partly due to the former and partly due to the fact that the port output is one-note. Great choices, Sean - and Happy New Year!
Nothing better than a sealed box. When I heard that it was sealed, and the glowing reviews, it was a no brainer to order a pair. Should be here in a few days. Ported speakers and subs in my house always sound boomy, it is the room, not a lot I can do with it. When I replaced the ported SVS subs with a pair of the SB3000, night and day, and really solved many issues. I cannot wait to pair the KLH's up to these.
@@michaelwright1602 Of course any sub will more seamlessly blend with a sealed box main speaker. Tho if you’re planning on using a sub with a ported speaker anyway, you can always seal a ported design with the supplied foam bung. A (clean!) sweat sock works just as well, too 😮.
Sean, I really want to thank you! I bought the Luxman SQ-N150 (10 Watt/Ch Tube Integrated Amp) and the Triangle Genese Trio Speakers this year. This is an awesome combination. I love both of them and am thoroughly enjoying my system now! thanks again!
I’m happy for you Sean when you talk about the way the Model 5s make you feel. Haven’t had an opportunity to listen to them yet but I hope I’m able to soon
Wow, good to see you again Sean, and as always you hit bulls eye What we need guys: sit down and enjoy the music with a super chilled beer 🍺 Are you thinking Buchardt A500 or A700 next? Looks insane 😍🤩
Weirdly, Steve Guttenberg didn’t even publish a review of the KLH Model 5 because he hated them so much, but every other review I’ve seen is complementary. I wish I could hear them for myself
"Frustrating system matching process, leading you down the road to a super resolving system on which you can no longer enjoy music that you used to love" 100% absolute agree, years of youtube-driven audio nervosa with constant gear changes has driven me to a super analytical system that I can't kick back and just enjoy music on. I'm all in it for the gear now, music is more annoying that joyful. I'm just listening for flaws in the recordings and/or equipment.
Good review. I would love to hear All three of those speakers. Will definitely make an effort to find somewhere to listen to them. Also the Italian amplifier sounds intriguing. I like a product that’s got some staying power. Good choices.
Let's hope more and more hi-fi equipment will look like the timeless immortal era of the 60's 70's and 80's this is not "vintage" this is BEAUTIFUL STYLE.
big +++ to the retro look of the electronics in the background. Mid '70's look. ahhh. ( I just got an Outlaw Receiver > with KEF Meta's , + Def tech Sub )
@ Baron of Grey Matter I’ve got a Yamaha A-S2200 and currently have the KLH Kendall’s. I wonder how much better the Model 5’s would be with my 2200 than my Kendall’s are??
Glad to hear the KLM Model 5's tickled your pickle so. I to am shopping the 5's, Lintons, Zu DW, and Tekton Uruz. I know you're not a vinyl head but between the Lintons and 5's which do you think played better with a vinyl sound signature? I won't ask about the zus and tektons because we've been down that road before. Also thinking about getting the Iota VX stack to go with it or perhaps tubes.
I'm not sure about the ZU's or the Tektons, but I know both the Lintons and Model 5's will suit vinyl just fine. If you want a slightly more open, resolving, and layered sound, go for KLH. If you want a more rolled off and dark sound, go Linton. Iotavx stack will work fine with both, but I'd try the SA3 by itself first before committing to the stack.
@@ZeroFidelity how is the harbeth sh5 plus stand compare to the klh and linton, for classic rock (don't like bright and over open sound , i have slight sensitivity to high treble, intend to drive them with naim SN3)
Going on a few moths with the KLH Model 5's. The game changer with these speakers was the addition of the Denafrips Ares II DAC, soon to be a Pontus II... I liked the Ares II so much, I bought their Iris DDC, the Hades pre and Thallo amp. Go see Jay's review on those, they really are, "Tuberlicious", and daily "Eargasms" are now the norm, as the speakers and gear breaks in... Just incredible old school 60's, 70's beautiful analog sound.
I purchased the S400 ii after your initial review, matched it with Outlaw RR2160 (better then the IOTAVS stack, which I sold) and Bluesound Node, a great system for $3500. Hope you can review the Outlaw RR2160.
I am so happy to see you getting around again. I hope everyone is healing. I would, appreciate your advice very much. As a retiree trying to build my last affordable reference system, I placed a reserve order for the Model 5s the day after your review. They will replace old KEF Q9s I bought ages ago. All my other gear went to the previous loves in my life. Now I just want to make love to my own ears. Not easy as a former opera singer who knows how many of the people on the recordings personally. I own a Simaudio i-3 amp and their first CD, the CD-1. What DAC will do the KLH's justice. My partner did not like the glare of a Sabre DAC I tried. I have a Musician Draco R-2R here, and need help to make a decision. It is musical,but it sounds like you are out in the theater rather than in the 8th to 10th row. Transients come out sparingly except at higher volumes with this DAC and these speakers. Warmth is there more than transparency. I am freaking out and want a new DAC to remain near 1K, so I can afford the Model 5s. Help!! I do not have much time before I have to return this DAC for something else. Any ideas would mean a lot to me. In the middle of this pandemic, shopping is a Herculean challenge. I trust your ears and treasure every one of your videos.
@@ZeroFidelity it only converts PCM (pulse code modulation) digital at sampling frequencies of 44.1K, 48K, 88.2K, and 96K. No insane 192K. No DSD. No MQA decoding. What does one then do for Hi-Res sources, which are becoming more plentiful over time. I do not want MQA decoding anyway. I want a DAC with the timbre being close to normal. If I play Jazz at the Pawnshop, I can afford to miss when the mic is dropped on the piano top, but want to sound like I am in the front part of the bar not the back end. Transients should not be volume-dependent. Did you ever compare this to Dynafrips Ares II for an example?
@@ZeroFidelity then I need upsampling in my cd to play Flac and to do any hi res.. or it makes no sound what so ever? Do you know the Musician Draco? NOS not good - oversampling ok just less transients and darker. Border Patrol is not going to play DSD either? Coach me a little pretty please.
Thanks Sean, shipping cost $100 for return of the Buchardt speakers...I paid it a year ago...wasn't my cup of tea...went through some Dali's now on my way to pick up a pair of older vintage Spendor S100...hope I can be done now... it can get exhausting and expensive when not even getting back half the price you pay for new stuff...😜
Loved your "rant" about letting it be about the music and just enjoying listening. I know the "audiophile" bug is strong, but it must be about the music first.
I recently bought what I thought were going to be my end game speakers and found it to be better than my current speakers in every respect but still found the difference totally underwhelming regardless. I think I'm going to step away from this hobby for a while and just enjoy what I have.
First! Thanks to you and other RUclips reviewers I took the plunge and bought the KLH Model 5s and I couldn’t be happier! Robust sound combined with beautiful aesthetics at a great price! Best set of speakers I’ve ever owned. Thank you very much! I love your channel, man! Awesome down to earth honest reviews. I hope the best for you and your family this 2022!
And to think the KLH Model Five is tonally a flat neutral speaker! You can see the measurements on the Sound Stage Network as measured at the NRC. Though for the now increased price of $2500 for the KLH you'd be much better off getting the Arendal 1723 THX Monitors. Better bass extension, premium build quality, amazing clarity, massive sound sage and epic dynamics. KLH Model 5 are certainly good speakers though!
Sean, you managed to compare the Lintons to the Model Fives? I thought you said during a live stream you didn't have access to the Lintons and that you probably never do a review on them?
Hey Alex. Odds are I was referring to another product. I've spent time with the Lintons and shouldn't have too many difficulties bringing in a pair for an official review. Whether I will do the latter or not depends on how much free time and space I have!
The best speakers I've ever had the pleasure of listening to was VAF i93 MK3 SE. I still haven't hurd anything else out there that can match them for its price. But VAF aren't cheap $12.000 to $22000 with VAF electronic crossover a pair and weigh 100kg each but worth every penny of it. Absolutely amazing sound.
Ok… 25 minutes after this,video is online, almost 700 views. Let’s say this video was awaited ! Great work as always. Thank you Sean.
we've been waiting for Sean to post for a month now... I missed his last two livestreams to glad to see this.
These are some of the products that truly stood out to me last year! Fun Fact: This video was meant to be super short. Leave it to me to take a simple premise and morph it into a nearly 18-minute ramble. Ah well. Tis' easy to wax poetic about gear that I feel is awesome.
No worries we love it!! I just want to see you review some Heco Aurora speakers
TBH I like it Sean.. just let the content take it where it goes... if it's 5 min or if it's 20 min then so be it.
Glad you're back
I actually prefer your longer videos. I’m interested in your subjective opinions on gear. Great job as always, Sean.
Hi Sean, do you have any opinions on the quality and sound of XiangSheng DAC-05BII? I know it’s an unknown company and there is virtually no resale possibilities, but it looks really good on paper. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks! 🙏🏼
I am absolutely loving my Model 5s. Your review was actually the first one I saw if I remember correctly and one of the reasons I decided to get them.
Jay, I just bought a pair as well. Congrats, What amp will you be using? I plan to use an NAD326BEE 50/watts, and hope that is sufficient.
@@jeffreypicciolo7706 Hey, Jeffrey. I believe that should be sufficient if they’re not set up in a huge space. Mine are hooked up to a Cambridge CXA60 and I’m getting enough volume out of them for my liking. I just wanna add that it’s certainly true that these speakers are truly a joy to listen to. I’ve read some not so positive comments about them but I personally really love them, even if my living room isn’t exactly ideal when it comes to acoustics.
@@jeffreypicciolo7706 Brother, give these Model 5's some juice, they gobble it up! I'm using the XTZ A2-400 class D, and the soundstage is just NUTS! Go watch Jay's iyagi video on these, the Debak video, where he sends them out to be tested. Everything he stated is true, the HUGE soundstage and the fact that it is 3 dimensional in the sound, to the point you have to look over your shoulder or to your left or right to see what the hell was that! It was the speakers! I tore out a 5.2 system, and replaced with these two KLH speakers, a Cambridge Audio CXN v2 network streamer/DAC/Preamp along with the XTZ amp, blows that old 5 speaker SVS Ultra package, powered by two Emotiva XPA amplifiers out of the water. There is no comparison. And this is just two channels!
You gotta admit Sean, Zeos put Buchart on the map with the S300s. They weren’t even for sale in USA when he reviewed them
Sean, your reviews are the most thoughtful and descriptive I've seen.
You have been greatly missed sir! Hoping you stay well and continue to make more great reviews. Peace.
Sean- Thank you for your honest and straight forward reviews . You are very articulate which I love. Thank you again for all your help and hard work
Thanks Sean, nice to hear from you again…
Thanks, my friend, also want to wish you a Happy New Year!
Happy to see you back!!
Good to see you back Sean! Will you be doing a similar video on your top 3 amps? Thanks for all your excellent reviews! 👏
Sean, where were !! Between all your Colleagues, I really prefer you and your analyses and critiques !!
It is good to see that you are feeling better.
Great to see you back.
I value your comparisons of components. Knowing that the Luxman does not deliver twice or more the performance of the Unison Research Unico Primo is valuable information. That’s the kind of information I’m looking for.
Keep up the great work!
I don't have the opportunity to Demo anything where i live....I count on videos like this from reviewers I trust. The KLH M5s are amazing. Thanks!!!!!!
Khruangbin on vinyl ftw! I've been enjoying the KLH Model Fives since April, in part thanks to your review. While I never seem to stay completely satisfied with any speaker forever, these are great for just enjoying most genres of music in a refreshingly uncomplicated way. Your review was very accurate. Keep up the good work.
I’m thinking about getting KLH 5’s as I want to stop analyzing my music and just enjoy listening again 😁
I had carried a Unico Primo in my luggage from a trip to Hong Kong. Worth all the luggage space. Kept the Primo for over 10 years and it never missed a beat. It sounded good with all the speakers I threw at it, except for the LS50.
I was lucky enough to score one of the Primos when they were $2k. I love this thing. I replaced the 12ax7 with a PS Vane tube and also got a RCA NOS black plate and they both make stunning music. For more energy, a Gold Lion Genelex will be your deal. I am totally happy and can't imagine selling this any time soon. It is magical with my Dynaudio Special 40s and the CSS Audio Criton 1TDX speakers not to mention JBL 1600 HDI speakers. I directly compared it to a Vincent SV237 integrated priced at $2800. No contest. The Vincent hacked the spacial and holographic qualities and while had some warmth, changing the tube, which is a pain in the ass, didn't do all that much to change the sound. The Primo it is very responsive to tube rolling to pick your flavor. Thank You Shawn, or Sean or...just thanks.
I loved it right out of the box myself, but it truly is a sexy sound. Do you know what the stock tube is? I'm tempted to buy a bunch and keep them around for replacement time. I beat the price increase by weeks myself.
@@kamadeva1 I thought I replied once but here goes again. The stock tube just says it was made in Russia. If you like the stock tube you might like the Gold Lion Gelelex tube or Electro Harmonix. Just a reminder always turn the amp off before changing tubes and better yet, take out the power cord. I speak from experience.
Thanks Sean. his is a wonderful "best of 2021" list. You're full length reviews of those speakers last year put them all at the top of my "wanna" list. I did pick up a pair of the Polk R200s when they were on sale for black Friday. I'm using them with a pair of the older REL T/5i subs that I already owned. Happy.
I'll confess that my other favorite thing about your best of list is that it's not full of DACs and streamers and processing apps. Thumbs up to old school hifi. 👍
Based on your enthusiasm, as well as many other reviewers, I decided to pick up a pair of these for the bedroom. When they arrived I decided to run them in the living room for a while. After a month I brought my JBL studio 590's back into the living room. Three days later I brought the Model 5's back out. The 590's are too big for the bedroom, but there's no way I'm taking the 5's out of my main listening room. At 60 years old this is likely my last set of speakers, unless I buy a second pair for the bedroom.
Hi Sean. Man oh man you hit the nail on the head with 'frustration!'. It's sure true for me. On one hand things are better than they've ever been with all the affordable equipment and all the accessibility to great reviewers on youtube. On the other, it can be fatiguing wading through all of it and trying to distill it all down to what's right for you - not even touching on trying to get the 'perfect' setup (which of course probably does not exist). It's one of the reasons I'm still listening to a 40 year-old pair of Polk Monitor 5b's. I love 'em.
Good to see you're well enough to do videos again. You were missed. Stay well.
Love your videos Sean. Doesn't really matter whether your videos are late or infrequent so long as you show up and talk about 'all things audio'.
I appreciate the thumbs up on the polks probably my next purchase
Nice. Good to have you back.
Welcome back mate ❤️
Welcome back!!! Missed your videos and live streams Sean.
The return of the King 🥳
Hi Sean, great to see that your back.
Good to see you back. I have the new S400’s (only took 3.5 months to get them) and they are indeed great but that lack of midbass hump did give me slight pause, but the enhanced dynamics and realistic vocals made me an immediate fan. I had auditioned the KLHs but the upward firing position and the shortness of my room stopped me.
Any thoughts on low to mid level listening?
@@charlesclifton1006 Very good for both, but not for high volume listening. I had the mki’s and they really didn’t come alive until about 75dB but these are enjoyable lower than that. I don’t listen at whisper-quiet levels but these are good there as well. Desktop? No. In a dorm in a room next to others? No.
Hey, your back! Looking forward for more reviews, great start for 2022.
Great video. I'm not even in the market for anything right now and I still watched and enjoyed it.
Welcome back Sean, we missed your candid reviews.
Better late than NEVER... has a different meaning these days. Thanks !! Good to see you back
Hey ! Good to see you again. Great list !
Sean, I just ordered a pair of the KLH Model 5... I am salivating for their arrival! Found them on sale, demos, $1899, in walnut... If anyone is interested, Audio Advisor may have one more pair of the walnut, and they did have the Mahogany in stock for the same price. Call them, ask for Jay, tell him I sent you. ;-)
Was that the Raleigh or Charlotte location?
Ohhh you’re gonna have so much fun with them.
@@daviddunwoody1979 Grand Rapids MI...
@@Jay-fk9wm I finally got them up and running... OMG! I'm using the Cambridge Audio CXN v2 network Streamer/DAC/Preamp with the XTZ Edge A2-400 amplifier, and the sound is AMAZING!
I can see why these reviewers are keeping them, the soundstage these create is mind blowing to say the least.
I caught myself a number of times snapping my head to see what the hell was that coming from behind or to my left or right, that is how large and encompassing the soundstage is. It is downright 3 dimensional.
They love power too, the more juice the better, and the larger and more filling the soundstage. If you run these on anything less than 200 wpc, you are really missing out on the true potential and sound quality of these incredible speakers. These are staying, the only possible replacement would be the Model 9 when they come out. But right now, I see no need to go that route.
@@michaelwright1602 You mean the upcoming Model 7, surely. And yea Holographic capabilities is what makes them so special, almost replaces the need for Rearspeakers entirely. These must be insane with a pair of Subwoofers in Home Cinema.
Hi Sean! It was great seeing the Unico again. Love the minimalist aesthetic. Love the depth of the Buchardt cabinet. Wish that there was a place near me where I could audition the KLH. Really enjoyed the video!
Sean, are you okay? Everything good? Can’t put my finger on it, but I’m getting a vibe that says you’re troubled.
Love and prayers going out to you
Thanks Gary. Your perception isn't wrong. Every day is a struggle here, but I'm determined to move forward!
@@ZeroFidelity I know you don't know us and we really don't know you, but there are a lot of people out here that think about you and are sending good thoughts and prayers your way. I'd actually started to worry a bit when I hadn't seen anything from you in awhile.
For what it is worth, we are behind you.
Nice to see you again Sean!
He's BACKKKKKK!!!
glad you are up and about.... & it was 4 minutes (per-item) re-revisiting your best! - thanks~
Keeping it simple with high value will help reduce all the frustration out there. Many of us just want to enjoy the music and not overthink the gear, which is a means to an end. Good job!
Welcome back sir
Hope you and the family are doing better.
Interesting review especially after you mentioned how many fine-tune their systems to where they hate actually listening to music
🎶😉🎶
Agree re: the Unison Research - I actually preferred it in my set-up to the Luxman 505. The one amp that beat both (and which I still have) is yet another under-appreciated integrated - the Belles Aria. No bling - just effortless, liquid sound (one reviewer described its signature as "tubes with grunt"...apt, in my estimation). It's one to check out given your taste in speakers...70 WPC but plays like more than that (I preferred it to several Hegel models that outpowered the Belles). Also built like a tank, has an excellent head amp, and a very good MM phono stage. At that price point it's hard to beat.
Nice! Belles is a blast from the past. I remember owning one of their amps back when I was a baby-audiophile. Those were some good times. Belles. Blue Circle Audio. Monarchy Audio. At least Belles is still kickin'! Thanks for taking me back down memory lane. Maybe I'll revisit em' at some point.
@@ZeroFidelity Yes, Mr. B. is still doin' it. ;) I actually much prefer his newer lines to his older gear, although "new" is a relative term...they are definitely smartly engineered minimalist old school analogue machines (he also makes Aria separates and a new Aria Signature integrated, which is supposed to be sublime). There's a Hi Fi Choice review floating out there that sums up the Aria pretty nicely, but little else in the way of formal reviews (though lots of customer raves). Couple that with the fact that David doesn't really advertise and you have a painfully under-appreciated piece (reminds me of Quicksilver Audio in that regard...sales built entirely WOM to keep pricing in check). To be clear, I have no affiliation - I just appreciate quality equipment when I hear it. ;) Keep up the great work, and stay safe!
Agree. I had a Belles Aria integrated before my current Kinki EX-M1.
The Aria is great.
I have been trying to get the Belles Aria for a long time in my country but is not available. It seems to be truly a superb underestimated amp.
@@MD-cn1nt I was planning to get the Belles Aria Signature. Can you pls let me know which speakers you are using with the Aria as some user reviews on Audiogon say that the sound signature is a bit on the bright side due to which I have held back. Thank you.
Welcome back man, hope you and your family are in good health now.
Good to have you back!
I bought a pair of KLH Model 5's based largely on your original review. I love them. They fill my modest living room with great sound in both music and home theater. But, BOY are they divisive to critics. I was shocked that Steve Guttenberg wouldn't even review them because he disliked them so much. He never explained his position clearly, but I wonder what was going on there?
Congrats! As for Steve: There were some things going on that compromised his ability to fairly assess the product. It's best to just leave it as is. We don't all experience stuff the same way. Maybe he'll give the upcoming Model 7's a fair shake later down the road.
@@ZeroFidelity I like Steve Guttenberg. I subscribe to his channel as well as yours. I'm an engineer and a music lover. I don't agree with anything either of you say or anyone else for that matter. I have to judge for myself. The new KLH model 5 is like practically everything this industry sells today is IMO a poor value for money. The original model 5 was IMO a better speaker and a better value.
The acoustic suspension design for technical reasons is as I see it the best woofer/enclosure design when properly executed. It is not merely a sealed box, there's much more to it. This one according to Atkinson's measurements is slightly underdamped with a Q of probably about 1.0 as seen in the hump at around 42 hz, apparently its resonant frequency. Ideal is 0.707. The original had a 12 inch woofer that was on a par with AR3 and AR3a. It was a better woofer than the 12" woofer used in KLH model 6.
The tonal balance can easily be manipulated using a graphic equalizer, something audiophiles shun but I find indispensable. Unlike ported speakers that fall off at 24 db per octave acoustic suspension speakers fall off below resonance at 12 db per octave. In this case an equalizer can remove the hump of about 7 db at 42 hz and increase the output below 42 hz extending it to below 30 hz without distortion within its limits. The treble can also be corrected but the two nasty resonant peaks at 18.7 and 23.7 khz Atkinson points out cannot be gotten rid of. This is typical of metal dome tweeters. Henry Kloss went through hundreds of tweeter designs before he chose the one that appeared in so many of his speakers including models 5, 6, 12, and 17. Here are the measurements for what it's worth. As an engineer measurements are the first thing I look at even though the methodologies are legacies from about 80 years ago and are of very limited value. By contrast for me the verbal reviews are of no value at all.
www.stereophile.com/content/klh-model-five-loudspeaker-measurements
I got the KLHs but i don't think I have space to really get the best of them.
Unfortunately, I'll be returning them. For now Big box speakers aren't working for me.
@@dynodin81 believe it or not I'm sorry to hear that. A lot of people who reviewed them seemed to like them including Sean and Thomas. I never heard them myself and probably never will. My days of shopping and listening to the latest and greatest are a long distant memory. When you find what you're looking for you stop looking. For me DIY was much more fun. Being an engineer I could go down my own path.
@@markfischer3626 For what it's worth, I recall the engineer for the Model 5 telling me that Stereophile's measurements were questionable at best, and that what Soundstage published was closer to being on the nose. I also recall the Model 5 being his first stab at an acoustic suspension design. Either way, I can appreciate an engineer who attempts to reserve judgement until first-hand experience has been acquired. I wish more individuals in the same profession adhered to the same common-sense tenets. And yep, whatever resonant peaks the phase plug over a metal dome has left behind are basically impossible to tame. Dome driver manufacturers aim for resonance to occur well beyond the threshold of human hearing, but I found that it all amounts to a similar real-world listening experience.
More speaker manufacturers need to offer acoustic suspension products. That’s why the 5 isn’t boomy and the bass rolls off slowly and smoothly. What was old is new again. It’s very hard to make a good vented speaker properly (Polk does a good job in the R series). It’s less hard to design a sealed speaker if the Q is right - just match speaker volume and damping to the driver (assuming that the driver is done right). I’ve always preferred acoustic suspension, but they are rare these days, probably because manufacturers want to offer the lowest bass they can wring out of a design. Trouble is that vented speakers have at least two issues - phase discrepancy between the bass driver and port and mushy bass from the port, partly due to the former and partly due to the fact that the port output is one-note.
Great choices, Sean - and Happy New Year!
Nothing better than a sealed box. When I heard that it was sealed, and the glowing reviews, it was a no brainer to order a pair. Should be here in a few days. Ported speakers and subs in my house always sound boomy, it is the room, not a lot I can do with it. When I replaced the ported SVS subs with a pair of the SB3000, night and day, and really solved many issues. I cannot wait to pair the KLH's up to these.
@@michaelwright1602 Of course any sub will more seamlessly blend with a sealed box main speaker. Tho if you’re planning on using a sub with a ported speaker anyway, you can always seal a ported design with the supplied foam bung. A (clean!) sweat sock works just as well, too 😮.
@@daniannaci3258 Yep, sure can.
So refreshing to hear a review say what most people want to hear ie enjoy your music collection without referring to performance charts brilliant
Good to see you back mate. Happy new year and I hope everyone in your family is healthy and well
Sean, I really want to thank you! I bought the Luxman SQ-N150 (10 Watt/Ch Tube Integrated Amp) and the Triangle Genese Trio Speakers this year. This is an awesome combination.
I love both of them and am thoroughly enjoying my system now!
thanks again!
I’m happy for you Sean when you talk about the way the Model 5s make you feel. Haven’t had an opportunity to listen to them yet but I hope I’m able to soon
The hair and beard suit you well bro. Probably was born out of laziness, but it looks good.
Wow, good to see you again Sean, and as always you hit bulls eye
What we need guys: sit down and enjoy the music with a super chilled beer 🍺
Are you thinking Buchardt A500 or A700 next? Looks insane 😍🤩
Great video Sean - good to see you back! Feel well my man.
Glad you are back. Great short lists!!
I already got the KLH MODEL 5. I love em!!
What are you powering your Model 5s with?
Weirdly, Steve Guttenberg didn’t even publish a review of the KLH Model 5 because he hated them so much, but every other review I’ve seen is complementary. I wish I could hear them for myself
Hey Sean, good to see you. Hope all is well. Hope you have a good sebaticle from reviews.
"Frustrating system matching process, leading you down the road to a super resolving system on which you can no longer enjoy music that you used to love"
100% absolute agree, years of youtube-driven audio nervosa with constant gear changes has driven me to a super analytical system that I can't kick back and just enjoy music on. I'm all in it for the gear now, music is more annoying that joyful. I'm just listening for flaws in the recordings and/or equipment.
Geeze!! Such an awful place to find oneself.
Good review. I would love to hear All three of those speakers. Will definitely make an effort to find somewhere to listen to them. Also the Italian amplifier sounds intriguing. I like a product that’s got some staying power. Good choices.
Glad you seem to be feeling better.
Let's hope more and more hi-fi equipment will look like the timeless immortal era of the 60's 70's and 80's this is not "vintage" this is BEAUTIFUL STYLE.
Great you are back, thank you.
Sean and Andrew both compared the KLH and Whafedales head-to-head if I'm not mistaken and came out on opposite sides. Interesting.
big +++ to the retro look of the electronics in the background. Mid '70's look. ahhh. ( I just got an Outlaw Receiver > with KEF Meta's , + Def tech Sub )
I love that vintage look.
Hey Sean got the Yamaha AS2200 and the KLH model 5s WOW what a match thanks for the recommendation
Cheers man!
@ Baron of Grey Matter I’ve got a Yamaha A-S2200 and currently have the KLH Kendall’s. I wonder how much better the Model 5’s would be with my 2200 than my Kendall’s are??
That Texas Sun album is lit, good taste Sean
I was a bit surprised you didn't review any of the Harbeth XD models; namely the P3ESR-XD.
Thanks!
I dispointated also
Glad to hear the KLM Model 5's tickled your pickle so. I to am shopping the 5's, Lintons, Zu DW, and Tekton Uruz. I know you're not a vinyl head but between the Lintons and 5's which do you think played better with a vinyl sound signature? I won't ask about the zus and tektons because we've been down that road before. Also thinking about getting the Iota VX stack to go with it or perhaps tubes.
I'm not sure about the ZU's or the Tektons, but I know both the Lintons and Model 5's will suit vinyl just fine. If you want a slightly more open, resolving, and layered sound, go for KLH. If you want a more rolled off and dark sound, go Linton. Iotavx stack will work fine with both, but I'd try the SA3 by itself first before committing to the stack.
@@ZeroFidelity how is the harbeth sh5 plus stand compare to the klh and linton, for classic rock (don't like bright and over open sound , i have slight sensitivity to high treble, intend to drive them with naim SN3)
I love your integrated collection 😎
Thanks Sean. Great review, it makes since why you chose this selection of speakers and integrated amp.
Pretty surprising list. There doesn’t seem to be a runaway product of the year as the end-of-year lists are very diverse. Happy New Year.
Absolutely trust this guy
It is like audio shopping with a very knowledgeable friend that steers you towards what will work best in your setup.
Going on a few moths with the KLH Model 5's. The game changer with these speakers was the addition of the Denafrips Ares II DAC, soon to be a Pontus II... I liked the Ares II so much, I bought their Iris DDC, the Hades pre and Thallo amp. Go see Jay's review on those, they really are, "Tuberlicious", and daily "Eargasms" are now the norm, as the speakers and gear breaks in... Just incredible old school 60's, 70's beautiful analog sound.
I purchased the S400 ii after your initial review, matched it with Outlaw RR2160 (better then the IOTAVS stack, which I sold) and Bluesound Node, a great system for $3500. Hope you can review the Outlaw RR2160.
I love my Outlaw rr2160
Love mine too!
I am so happy to see you getting around again. I hope everyone is healing.
I would, appreciate your advice very much. As a retiree trying to build my last affordable reference system, I placed a reserve order for the Model 5s the day after your review. They will replace old KEF Q9s I bought ages ago. All my other gear went to the previous loves in my life. Now I just want to make love to my own ears. Not easy as a former opera singer who knows how many of the people on the recordings personally.
I own a Simaudio i-3 amp and their first CD, the CD-1. What DAC will do the KLH's justice. My partner did not like the glare of a Sabre DAC I tried.
I have a Musician Draco R-2R here, and need help to make a decision. It is musical,but it sounds like you are out in the theater rather than in the 8th to 10th row. Transients come out sparingly except at higher volumes with this DAC and these speakers. Warmth is there more than transparency.
I am freaking out and want a new DAC to remain near 1K, so I can afford the Model 5s. Help!! I do not have much time before I have to return this DAC for something else. Any ideas would mean a lot to me. In the middle of this pandemic, shopping is a Herculean challenge.
I trust your ears and treasure every one of your videos.
Easy: Get the Border Patrol DAC and call it a day. It's the opposite of the Sabre and will compliment those Model 5's very well.
@@ZeroFidelity it only converts PCM (pulse code modulation) digital at sampling frequencies of 44.1K, 48K, 88.2K, and 96K. No insane 192K. No DSD. No MQA decoding. What does one then do for Hi-Res sources, which are becoming more plentiful over time. I do not want MQA decoding anyway.
I want a DAC with the timbre being close to normal. If I play Jazz at the Pawnshop, I can afford to miss when the mic is dropped on the piano top, but want to sound like I am in the front part of the bar not the back end. Transients should not be volume-dependent. Did you ever compare this to Dynafrips Ares II for an example?
@@ZeroFidelity then I need upsampling in my cd to play Flac and to do any hi res.. or it makes no sound what so ever? Do you know the Musician Draco? NOS not good - oversampling ok just less transients and darker. Border Patrol is not going to play DSD either? Coach me a little pretty please.
So which one is best?
Good to see a vid from you again.
Welcome back Sean
Thanks Sean, shipping cost $100 for return of the Buchardt speakers...I paid it a year ago...wasn't my cup of tea...went through some Dali's now on my way to pick up a pair of older vintage Spendor S100...hope I can be done now... it can get exhausting and expensive when not even getting back half the price you pay for new stuff...😜
Loved your "rant" about letting it be about the music and just enjoying listening. I know the "audiophile" bug is strong, but it must be about the music first.
Love the Tennessee tophat:)
Kentucky waterfall. Kidding
I recently bought what I thought were going to be my end game speakers and found it to be better than my current speakers in every respect but still found the difference totally underwhelming regardless. I think I'm going to step away from this hobby for a while and just enjoy what I have.
Smart idea!
Hello Sean, good to see you back! Can you please make a video for more affordable(e.x from 300$ to 500$) speakers and amps?
Thank you
I'd certainly like to! I'll need to get my ears on a few more (new) components in that range before I can make a video.
Hi, I also had this one, but now the Unico 90 in the house.
A big step towards high end.
Grtz Phil
First!
Thanks to you and other RUclips reviewers I took the plunge and bought the KLH Model 5s and I couldn’t be happier! Robust sound combined with beautiful aesthetics at a great price! Best set of speakers I’ve ever owned. Thank you very much!
I love your channel, man! Awesome down to earth honest reviews. I hope the best for you and your family this 2022!
Can anybody answer this? For mid to low level listening, would either the KLH
or the Buchardts be a good choice? Thank you Sean for this posting.
And to think the KLH Model Five is tonally a flat neutral speaker! You can see the measurements on the Sound Stage Network as measured at the NRC. Though for the now increased price of $2500 for the KLH you'd be much better off getting the Arendal 1723 THX Monitors. Better bass extension, premium build quality, amazing clarity, massive sound sage and epic dynamics. KLH Model 5 are certainly good speakers though!
Hope you're feeling better!
Sean, you managed to compare the Lintons to the Model Fives? I thought you said during a live stream you didn't have access to the Lintons and that you probably never do a review on them?
Hey Alex. Odds are I was referring to another product. I've spent time with the Lintons and shouldn't have too many difficulties bringing in a pair for an official review. Whether I will do the latter or not depends on how much free time and space I have!
Welcome back!
Good seeing you again. Long is good. And I second the earlier comment: Your pick for 3 best integrated amplifiers you reviewed this past year.
Hope you can review the newly announced KLH Model 7 🙏🏻
More power to you and your channel 🥂
The best speakers I've ever had the pleasure of listening to was VAF i93 MK3 SE. I still haven't hurd anything else out there that can match them for its price. But VAF aren't cheap $12.000 to $22000 with VAF electronic crossover a pair and weigh 100kg each but worth every penny of it. Absolutely amazing sound.
He is BACK!
Excellent review, Sean. Thank you 🙏🏼
Thank you so much for your reviews.
I'm LOVING my Walnut pair of KLH Model 5's. Using an XTZ Edge A2-300 for power. Midfield (7-8 feet) listening. No sub-woofer (doesn't need one).