Floorstanding loudspeakers — KHL Model Five

The Model Five is a three-way acoustic suspension loudspeaker from KLH Audio, designed by Kerry Geist and inspired by the brand's mid-century cabinets. It stands on a metal-frame slant riser base included in the box, which lifts it to floorstanding height and tilts the baffle back. KLH sells it at USD 2,999.98 per pair with a choice of three real wood veneers - Nordic Noir, English Walnut and West African Mahogany.

Key specs that matter

A 10-inch pulp-paper woofer, a 4-inch pulp-paper midrange and a 1-inch aluminium-dome tweeter share the work. Crossover points sit at 380 Hz and 2,850 Hz, both second-order. Frequency response is 42 Hz to 20 kHz within 3 dB, extending to 32 Hz at -10 dB. Sensitivity is quoted as 90.5 dB in-room and 87.5 dB free-field at 2.83 V and 1 m. Nominal impedance is 6 ohm with a minimum of 3.5 ohm at 140 Hz. Power handling is 200 W, with 800 W peak. With the riser the speaker measures 87 x 35 x 33 cm (height, width, depth) and weighs 23.6 kg, while the bare cabinet is 66 x 35 x 29 cm and 20 kg.

Engineering and use context

This sealed box relies on the trapped air behind the woofer cone as a spring, so there is no port and the rear of the cabinet sits nearer a rear wall with fewer problems than a ported box. The box is built from structurally reinforced 19 mm MDF, and the midrange and woofer sit in non-resonant die-cast aluminium frames, while the tweeter has a die-cast aluminium faceplate. The crossover is a thirteen-component network built with Mylar capacitors and iron-core inductors. The drivers themselves are pulp-paper cones for the low and middle bands, a material KLH has used since its early models, paired with an aluminium dome at the top. A three-position switch attenuates the mid and high frequency drivers to suit the listening space. A low-profile grille attaches with magnets, and interchangeable fabric covers are supplied, so the look can change without new hardware.

Pairing

With a low impedance minimum in the upper bass, the chosen amplifier needs to be comfortable with 4 ohm loads and supply current there, even though the in-room sensitivity lets moderate power reach useful levels. Solid-state integrateds and receivers rated for 4 ohm operation are the safest match, and the riser raises the tweeter closer to seated ear height. For rooms around 20 m2 the sealed bass generally avoids the need for a subwoofer.

Alternatives

The KLH Model Seven is the larger acoustic suspension tower from the brand, using a 13-inch woofer and 5-inch midrange in a cabinet 104 cm tall on its riser.