Klipsch The Fives Hi-Fi Bookshelf speaker Matte Black

Klipsch The Fives Matte Black — Powered Bookshelf Speakers With True Hi-Fi Sound

The Klipsch The Fives Matte Black is a powered 2-way bookshelf speaker system engineered to replace a soundbar, a desktop rig and a turntable setup in a single pair of cabinets. A 4.5-inch midwoofer pairs with a 1-inch dome tweeter on Klipsch's proprietary TRACTRIX horn for a wide, room-filling soundstage. Built-in amplification and 192 kHz/24-bit decoding remove the need for a separate receiver. The Fives are the right choice for listeners who want true stereo separation from a single HDMI cable to the TV.

What Sets The Fives Apart In The Powered Speaker Category

The Fives are the first powered monitors on the market to include HDMI-ARC, pulling discrete 2-channel audio directly from a TV without an AV receiver. A built-in phono preamp with a grounding post accepts a turntable directly, while Bluetooth 5 handles wireless streaming from phones and computers. The cabinet is handcrafted with real wood finishes and metal top-mounted controls, and removable magnetic grilles let owners switch between a clean baffle and a vintage tweed look.

Driver Technology And Acoustic Performance

Klipsch's Reference horn-loaded technology shapes the high-frequency output for high efficiency and controlled directivity, so the speakers play louder with less amplifier power than typical bookshelf designs. Built-in dynamic bass equalisation keeps the low end balanced at any listening level, while the dedicated subwoofer output lets listeners add a sub for full-range home theatre.

• Midwoofer: 114 mm (4.5") long-throw driver handling mids and bass down to a usable F3 of 57 Hz
• Tweeter: 25 mm (1") aluminium dome on a Klipsch TRACTRIX horn waveguide for controlled dispersion
• 192 kHz / 24-bit decoding handles high-resolution audio tracks from USB and digital sources without compression

Connectivity Options For TV, Turntable And Streaming

The rear panel delivers every input a modern listener needs. HDMI-ARC pulls TV audio in a single cable, the phono stage with grounding post accepts a turntable without an external preamp, and Bluetooth 5 streams from any modern phone, tablet or computer. A dedicated subwoofer RCA output integrates cleanly with any powered sub.

• HDMI-ARC: 1 input — first powered monitor with direct TV connection for discrete 2-channel playback
• Wireless: Bluetooth 5 for cable-free streaming from phones, tablets and computers
• Wired inputs cover USB, optical Toslink, analog RCA, 3.5 mm aux and a phono stage with grounding post

Cabinet Design And User Control

The enclosure is handcrafted with real wood finishes and finished in matte black for a low-reflection look that suits modern interiors. Removable magnetic grilles let owners swap between a clean driver face and a vintage-style cloth cover. The Klipsch Connect App adds a 3-band EQ, subwoofer volume and speaker placement control, plus over-the-air firmware updates.

• Cabinet Finish: Matte Black real wood with metal top-mounted source and volume controls
• DSP Modes: Dynamic Bass EQ, Flat, Bass Cut — Bass Cut added via firmware for tighter low end
• The Klipsch Connect App adds 3-band EQ, subwoofer volume, speaker placement control and OTA firmware updates

Who Should Choose The Klipsch The Fives Matte Black

Listeners who want a true 2-channel stereo alternative to a soundbar without buying a separate amplifier will find their match here. HDMI-ARC makes them a natural fit for TV audio where a full AV receiver would be overkill. Vinyl owners get a built-in phono stage with a grounding post, so a turntable plugs straight into the back panel. The compact footprint and matte black finish suit smaller desks, sideboards and media consoles where towers would dominate. Reviewers note the built-in limiter becomes audible above roughly 86 dB at one metre, so the Fives work best at near-to-midfield listening distances. The Klipsch The Fives Matte Black is the right choice for listeners who want HDMI-ARC, phono and Bluetooth in a single powered pair.

Klipsch And The Heritage Of Horn-Loaded Hi-Fi

Klipsch was founded in 1946 by Paul W. Klipsch in Hope, Arkansas, with the goal of bringing live-music dynamics into the home through horn-loaded speaker technology. The Fives carry that heritage into the modern powered-speaker category, pairing the brand's proprietary TRACTRIX horn geometry with built-in amplification and DSP. The Matte Black finish joins the original Walnut option to give the Heritage-inspired design a more contemporary look.