Are The Fives the ONLY Speakers You Need? We Tested the Hype.

The hype around the Klipsch The Fives is very real. The promise is simple: one pair of small, stylish bookshelf speakers that can replace everything. Your soundbar, your old hi-fi amplifier, your desktop speakers, your phono preamp, and even your little Bluetooth speaker.

It’s a bold claim. In a world of complicated receivers and endless boxes, the idea of a single, all-in-one solution is the ultimate dream. But is it just a dream?

We decided to test the hype. We hooked The Fives up to a TV, a turntable, a laptop, and a smartphone to answer one question: Are these really the only speakers you need?

Klipsch itself calls them an “active audio system,” and looking at the back panel, you start to believe it. This is where the “all-in-one” promise begins.

The All-in-One Test: What Can You Connect?

This is the core of the test, and the Fives come out swinging. The speakers are built in a “master-slave” format, meaning one speaker (the master) holds all the brains and connections. You just plug it into the wall, connect the second speaker to it with a thick 4-pin cable, and you’re done.

Here’s what the master speaker replaces:

1. Your Soundbar: The biggest inclusion is HDMI ARC. This is the port that lets you connect your TV with a single cable, controlling the speakers’ volume with your regular TV remote.
2. Your Phono Preamp: A pair of RCA inputs with a switch for Phono (MM) means you can plug a turntable directly into the speakers. No extra box needed.
3. Your Desktop DAC: A USB audio input lets you connect a PC or Mac for high-resolution 24-bit/192 kHz sound.
4. Your Wireless Speaker: Bluetooth with aptX HD is on board for high-quality streaming from your phone.
5. Your Old-School Gear: It still has an Optical input and a 3.5mm Aux-in (mini-jack) for everything else.

There’s even a Subwoofer Out for adding a separate sub and a grounding screw for the phono stage. The only thing missing? Wi-Fi. There’s no built-in streamer, which is a pity. That’s the first small crack in the “ONLY speaker you need” promise. You’ll still need a separate streamer if you want native Spotify Connect or Tidal.

The Design Test: Will They Fit in Your Life?

Part of the “all-in-one” hype is that they should look good everywhere on a TV cabinet, on a desktop, or on proper stands. And they do.

These are small speakers, part of the same Heritage collection as their bigger brothers, The Sixes. We tested the matte black version (a walnut veneer is also available), which has this unusual, complex front panel that looks like asphalt after a fresh rain. It’s unique and feels premium.

But the best part is the controls. On top of the master speaker are two ribbed, cold-to-the-touch metal dials: one for source, one for volume. They look like they were pulled from a 1950s amplifier, and they feel fantastic. They turn with a satisfying physical massiveness, with no wobble or looseness.

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Honestly, I found myself getting off the sofa to change the volume by hand instead of using the included remote, just because it’s so satisfying. This tactile design is a huge win.

The Sound Test: Does the Hype Sound Good?

This is where the test gets serious. Do they sound like a proper hi-fi system?

Out of the box, my first impression was… bad. With the speakers placed against a wall, the bass was a muffled, overwhelming rumble. It displaced everything: vocals, cymbals, and saxophones were all buried.

This is the Dynamic Bass EQ function, which is enabled by default. It’s meant to boost lows at low volumes, but in my testing, it was just too much. Worse, you have to turn it off with the remote control every single time you power the speakers on. This is, by far, their single most annoying flaw.

But then I turned it off.

And everything changed. The hype became real. The bass immediately tightened up, the rumble was replaced by a pleasant, tactile density, and the music could finally breathe.

The Fives use a 4.5-inch composite fiber woofer and a 1-inch titanium tweeter inside the famous Klipsch Tractrix horn. This combination creates a very specific sound. It’s groovy, lively, and classic Klipsch. The horn likes to drag high-frequency details—like tiny creaks, shimmers, and samples—forward, placing them closer to the listener.

This was fantastic for movies, making the voice range incredibly clear and legible. As a soundbar replacement, The Fives are a massive upgrade, hands down.

For music, that horn requires some thought. If you point the speakers directly at your head (toe-in), those high-frequency details can become sharp. But if you place them parallel (firing straight out), the sound softens, gets more spacious, and you can enjoy the detail without it feeling aggressive.

They still have their limits. That 4.5-inch woofer isn’t the fastest, so extreme metal or fast-paced electronics can feel a bit congested. But for slower trip-hop, jazz, psychedelic rock, or just watching a blockbuster movie, they are fantastic. They diligently play bass, trying to sound like huge floor-standers, and while they can’t create that massive illusion, the low-end is seriously impressive for their size.

The Verdict: Are They the ONLY Speakers You Need?

So, did they pass the test? Almost. They are 90% of the way there.

The Klipsch The Fives are the ultimate multimedia problem-solver. They successfully and brilliantly replace a soundbar, a desktop audio system, and a basic phono setup, all in one beautiful package. The sheer number of inputs is incredible.

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If your life revolves around a TV, a turntable, and a computer, the answer is yes. This is the perfect all-in-one hub, and you will love it, provided you remember to turn that Dynamic Bass EQ off.

But they aren’t the only speaker you’ll ever need, for two reasons:

1. No Wi-Fi. The lack of a built-in streamer means you still need another box (or your phone) for true, high-quality streaming.
2. They aren’t for everyone. They have a distinct, groovy, bass-forward sound. Audiophiles who crave neutrality or lightning-fast speed for complex metal might not be satisfied.

For everyone else? The hype is justified. The Fives are a modern classic.

Pros And Cons

ADVANTAGES

• HDMI ARC connection is a game-changer
• Replaces a soundbar, desktop DAC, and phono preamp
• Incredible retro design with satisfying metal controls
• Lively, fun, and powerful sound for movies and most music
• Only requires one power outlet

FLAWS

• No network/Wi-Fi functionality (The biggest flaw in the “all-in-one” claim)
• Dynamic Bass EQ is enabled by default (and it’s bad)
• Sound can be sharp if not placed carefully
• Price

Klipsch The Fives Specifications

Feature	Specification
System Description	Powered Monitor (pair)
Frequency Response	50Hz – 25kHz
Dynamic Bass Extension	46Hz @ 35% Volume
Max Acoustic Output	109 dB (1M Stereo Pair)
Total System Power	160W Total System Power (320W Peak)
	60W per woofer (LF), 20W per tweeter (HF)
High Frequency Driver	1” (2.5cm) Titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix® horn
Low Frequency Driver	4.5” (11.43cm) high-excursion fiber-composite cone woofer
Enclosure Type	Bass-reflex via rear-firing Tractrix® port
DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter)	192kHz / 24-bit decoding (via USB & Optical)
Inputs	• HDMI-ARC with CEC • Bluetooth® 5 (with aptX-HD, aptX, AAC, SBC) • Phono/Line analog (Switchable, with ground screw) • 3.5mm analog mini-jack • USB-B (for PC/Mac) • Optical digital
Outputs	• Single RCA line-level output (for subwoofer)
Dimensions (HxWxD)	12” (304.8mm) x 6.5” (165.1mm) x 9.25” (234.95mm)
Weight	• Primary (Master) Speaker: 11.8 lbs (5.35kg) • Secondary (Slave) Speaker: 10.7 lbs (4.85kg)
Finishes	Walnut / Matte Black
Included Accessories	• Remote control (with 2 x AAA batteries) • 4-conductor speaker cable (4m) • USB Type-B to USB Type-A cable (1.5m) • HDMI Cable (1.5m) • Region-Specific power cord