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Recommended Component 2022 - StereophileReintroducing the Legendary Three-way, 10” Acoustic Suspension LoudspeakerThe legendary KLH Model Five was first introduced in 1968 and served as the heart and soul of KLH’s success throughout the late 1960’s and 1970’s. At its core was the acoustic suspension design that dominated the loudspeaker industry for decades and made the Model Five one of the best-selling loudspeakers of its era. In 2021, KLH reintroduced the Model Five, building on the original acoustic suspension design and using the most advanced loudspeaker technology available today. The Model Five has a 1" Aluminum dome tweeter with soft rubber suspension, a 4" pulp-paper cone midrange with reverse roll rubber suspension, and a 10" pulp-paper cone low frequency driver with reverse roll rubber suspension and a 2" diameter flat-wire voice coil. A pair of steel riser stands is included for optimum sound from your Model Fives. "The KLH M5s are intoxication kings, urging me to hear my most beloved vinyl via its big personality and well-scaled dimensionality," raves Ken Micallef in Stereophile, which honored the Model Five with its coveted "Recommended Component" status. KLH And Model Five HistoryKLH Audio was established in 1957 by Henry Kloss, Malcolm Low & Josef Hofmann. Henry Kloss first made his name as part of Acoustic Research with the introduction of the AR-1 and its patented acoustic suspension system that revolutionized the high-fidelity industry. Henry Kloss later left Acoustic Research to start KLH, and immediately began marketing his own acoustic suspension loudspeaker designs. The original KLH Model Five loudspeaker was first introduced in 1968, and was one of the best-selling speakers throughout the late1960’s and early 70’s. KLH re-issued the famous Model Five during the spring of 2021. This new three-way loudspeaker features updated cosmetics, as well as all the major advancements in transducer design that have occurred over the last 50 years. But the original acoustic suspension philosophy, cabinet construction and size all remain intact, thus maintaining the performance and appeal the loudspeaker enjoyed when it was first introduced. Acoustic SuspensionFirst introduced in 1954, the acoustic suspension principle has long been regarded as onethe most accurate of all the loudspeaker designs available. Edgar Villchur and Henry Kloss worked together to bring the original AR-1, and several later models, including the well known AR-3, to market. Several brands, including KLH, would adopt the acoustic suspension principle and use it in their loudspeakers designs for many years to come. This design principle dominated the speaker market well into the 1970’s. In an acoustic suspension design, the volume of air inside the enclosure serves as a cushion of air, or air spring, to provide a restoring force for the woofer cone. The air inside the enclosure essentially becomes the dominant part of the woofer’s suspension. Since the volume of air inside the enclosure is more linear than the mechanical parts of the woofer’s suspension, this enables the woofer’s diaphragm to move in a more linear fashion. This enables the driver to operate at higher excursions with less distortion than more traditional bass-reflex type systems. Acoustic suspension systems are regarded all over the world for their greater accuracy, tighter bass transients and exceptional bass resolution and texture. Dedicated Midrange DriverThe KLH Model Five is a three-way design featuring a dedicated midrange driver housed in its own internal enclosure. It’s the midrange driver’s responsibility to handle the most significant, middle part, of the audio spectrum. This portion of the audio band contains the vocal and musical instrument fundamentals which are most familiar to the human ear – and where accuracy, or inaccuracies, are most easily detected. In a three-way design, having a dedicated midrange means the driver can be optimized for this specific use, since it doesn’t have the additional burden of reproducing lower & higher frequencies in the audio band. This results in truly remarkable clarity of vocals and instruments with less distortion. Model Five Upgraded FeaturesFor easy integration in your listening room, a three-position acoustic balance control helps to tailor the loudspeaker’s output for the most difficult acoustic environments. Each speaker includes its own 5˚ slant riser base made of powder coated 14-gauge steel, and this riser base contributes to the superior sound quality of the Model Five. >/p> The custom KLH cabinetry features a structurally reinforced 3/4” MDF enclosure and a low-profile magnetically attached grille. A thirteen-component crossover network uses high quality iron-core inductors and Mylar capacitors. A Note About SustainabilityJust like the original, the new Model Five doesn’t utilize a lot of plastic material in its construction. Where possible, KLH has elected to use more responsible materials, resulting in a product that is more in-line with modern sensitivities. Riser Stands IncludedIncluded with each KLH Model Five is a 5-degree slant riser base made from 14-gauge steel. The riser base’s upward angular stance ensures the sound is directed accurately toward the listener, while the steel construction guarantees it to be a solid and non-resonant speaker base. KLH Model Five
KLH Model Five
"...I also found that the speakers could place vocal and instrument images accurately within the soundstage, and that they could also convey a good sense of acoustic space, left to right and front to back." "All told, KLH’s Model Five might look retro, but its natural, clear, detailed sound is thoroughly up-to-date." "...the Model Five sounds fantastic and is competitive with speakers up to and somewhat beyond its price." "...I have nothing but praise for the clarity of the midrange, the robustness of the middle and upper bass, and the voicing across the entire frequency range." "This is a case where old school and cutting edge have combined to create something that’s truly special—and at a very reasonable price." - Doug Schneider, SoundStage! Network, December 1, 2021 "The new, re-imagined KLH Model Five represents an exceptional update to an iconic speaker design." "You won't find audiophiles either clinking our glasses or holding our noses over acoustic suspension. It's simply a valid design choice, enhanced in this case by a bit of nostalgia." "... if you want to hear all the detail present in well-produced music, along with fulfilling, dynamic performance across the full frequency range, you won't be disappointed." - Thomas J. Norton, Sound & Vision, October 20, 2021 2022 Recommended Components - Stereophile"The M5s let me hear all the differences between amplifiers and recordings via its clean treble, open midrange, and controlled, authoritative bass. The M5 was a forensic instrument when needed and an audiophile speaker capable of reproducing rich, true-to-the-source sounds when desired. For not a lot of money. The KLH M5s are intoxication kings, urging me to hear my most beloved vinyl via its big personality and well-scaled dimensionality." - Ken Micallef, Stereophile, September 24, 2021 "To my ears, the new KLH Model Five sounds extraordinary. Its detail retrieval and soundstaging are on a par with some of the best standmount speakers I've heard. It images effortlessly, creating an immersive listening experience." "Frequency balance was smooth and even from top to bottom, with no nasty peaks where the drive units cross over. Yet despite its fine tonality, there was plenty of clarity in the midrange and treble which added so much life and energy to whatever I was listening to. Vocal and instrumental clarity was such that I felt really connected with the music." "Treble reproduction is surprisingly good. Unlike many, this aluminum dome tweeter isn't too forward and complements the rest of the speaker's sound beautifully. Highs are silky and gentle, ensuring that you hear all the music's upper harmonics in an impressively distortion-free way." "Many listeners will find it a match made in heaven because regardless of musical genre, it sounds fun. It delivers memorable experiences when all too often speakers can sound rather matter-of-fact. Its classic looks are also a serious plus, as far as I'm concerned. The styling channels an entirely different era in loudspeaker design, even if the engineering is a modern take on it. Overall then, highly recommended and catch it if you can." - Mike Perez, StereoNET, August 22, 2021
Model Five video from KLH Audio on Vimeo. |
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