Model Five Floorstanding Speaker

Great job KLH! I'm reviewing the KLH Kendall speakers I purchased from Crutchfield. What attracted me originally to the Kendall's was the richness of the cabinets and the overall appearance. I know this sounds like I don't have 45 years of experience when it comes to playing music but I really didn't want my speaker cabinets to be overstated. In fact, I have a dedicated listening room with some really good equipment (Krell, Sansui, Luxman, B&O, Linn) to name a few, and I didn't want my speakers to stand out, I really prefer the quietness of the look. The specs are good so I ordered my new Kendall's. I'm always amazed at how efficient and knowledgeable the great people at Crutchfield are because once again my Kendall's arrived in a few short days. (Thank You!) I'm a person who prefers to listen to the music rather than the gear which brings me back to the Kendall's. Honestly let's forget for a moment about how much, or how little these speakers cost and just focus on the outcome I wanted which is a great tonal listening experience across different genres. The fullness of the sound reminds me of my big Klipsch speakers but a smaller presence (physically) which is a good thing. And the detail of the music is on parr with speakers that are much larger and more costly. I described the sound as a very honest sound. If you have vintage gear to the latest greatest money can buy, I don't believe the Kendall's will be robbing you of great sound and the performance is well above its price point.

I ordered my Model Fives on March 5th (after an unsolicited phone call from Dave Kelly - yes that Dave Kelly). The first speaker arrived on March 19th. The second one arrived the next day. The pair were purchased directly from the KLH website and shipped by UPS. I had also ordered the optional black speaker grills to replace the default linen ones. UPS had determined that the black grills could be improved upon by introducing a 120-degree break in them. KLH Customer Service immediately replaced the damaged grills and all was set right. A customer service experience tells one a great deal about the company and how their clients are considered. Initially these events can be disappointing, but they can also be enlightening.

Once the speakers were wired into the system, I understood that my conversation with Dave Kelly (Why me ? Your guess will be as good as mine) and all of my reading of available technical material and comparison tests had been validated.

I listen primarily to classical and jazz and the dynamics and clarity are spot on. The base is solid and the highs are crisp. The overall sound reproduction lives up to KLH's reputation. As I continue to play them the tone become richer and smoother. I'd recommend the KLH Model Fives to anyone interested in an intelligent listening experience. This level of performance combined with 21st century engineering, classic product design, a 10-year warranty and a fair market product price point create an irresistible package.

During the six weeks I've had my Model Fives I have been discovering and enjoying musical details and textures on my classical, jazz, and rock CDs that were muted or missing on my previous "pretty-good" English speakers. The KLHs have renewed my appreciation for recordings I haven't played in years, and have motivated me to acquire highly-rated new and remastered ones so I can appreciate state-of-the-art as well as vintage sound.



Properly placed, the Fives make themselves "invisible" by creating a wide, deep sound stage that locates every performer in space, just as they would have been in the studio or live venue, and instruments and singers sound like they are in the room. Because my listening space has a high ceiling, hardwood floors, and large curtain-less windows, I have set the "Mid-Hi Level Switch" to the "Lo" setting which balances the sound nicely, and replaces the "edginess" of the violins in some of the earliest digital (DDD) orchestral and chamber music recordings with a sweeter tone.



The 10-inch woofer provides a realistic level of bass, although to accentuate the bottom octave on some recordings I'll be interested in auditioning the new 13-inch subwoofer that KLH is developing to match the updated versions of their legendary Model Seven and Model Twelve speakers, as well as the Model Fives.



Regarding their looks, the Fives are located in our main entertaining room, an area which my partner puts a lot of skill and taste into decorating. She was not enthused at the prospect of a couple of tower speakers in that space, but likes the size and timeless style of the Model Fives very well, as do I. With their impressive musicality and attractive appearance the Model Fives meet the needs of this household without reservation or compromise.

Everything exceeded expectations. Great sound, great look, great shipping experience. Very happy!

Powerful Perfection- I've finally purchased my first pair of "real" speakers - not skinny towers or bookshelf speakers that sound fine, but ones to please audiophile ears. These Model 5s not only look amazing, but sound fantastic, too. A huge, well rounded sound that can handle significant volume, deep bass, and subtle details. From acoustic to classical, Cat Stevens to Foo Fighters, these babies deliver the goods. Don't hesitate. Worth every penny...