If you are shopping the current KLH range, you are choosing between four acoustic-suspension loudspeakers that share the same design philosophy but differ in cabinet size, driver complement, and the rooms they are built to fill: the Model Three bookshelf, and the Model Four, Model Five, and Model Seven floorstanders. This guide walks through what they have in common, what makes each one distinct, and how to match the right model to your space and system.
What do all KLH loudspeakers have in common?
Every current KLH loudspeaker is a sealed-box, acoustic-suspension design, and that single decision defines the entire family sound. In an acoustic-suspension speaker the cabinet is completely sealed, so the trapped air behaves like a spring that controls the woofer's motion. The result is very tight, accurate, low-distortion bass that stays clean at high volume, with deeper extension from a smaller box than a ported design would give. The trade-off is slightly lower sensitivity, which is why these speakers reward a capable amplifier. KLH helped popularize this approach in the late 1950s, and it still defines the brand.
Beyond the sealed cabinet, the models share a consistent set of ingredients:
- Pulp-paper cones on the woofers and midranges, a light, well-damped material KLH voices for a natural, uncolored tone.
- A 1 inch aluminum dome tweeter on every model, light and rigid for extended, detailed treble.
- The Acoustic Balance Control, a 3-position high-frequency level switch that lets you raise or lower the treble in small steps to suit your room and taste. It is a KLH signature carried over from the original Model Five.
- Real-wood veneer or textured cabinets with removable magnetic grilles, and a slant-riser base on several models that tilts the speaker back slightly to time-align the drivers at ear height.
- A 10 year warranty, reflecting a brand founded in 1957 by Henry Kloss and revived today with contemporary drivers and cabinets.
Because they are voiced as a family, the models step up in scale and bass authority as you move from the Model Three to the Model Seven, while keeping the same essential character.
The KLH Range, Model by Model
What is the KLH Model Three, and who is it for?
The Model Three is KLH's acoustic-suspension bookshelf speaker, and it is for listeners who want the full KLH sound in a compact, stand or shelf-friendly form. It is a 2-way sealed design built around an 8 inch pulp-paper woofer with a reverse-roll suspension and a die-cast aluminum frame, paired with the 1 inch aluminum dome tweeter, crossing over at 1,500 Hz. Frequency response runs from 46 Hz to 20 kHz (+/-3 dB), which is genuinely full-range bass for a bookshelf thanks to that sealed 8 inch woofer.
Sensitivity is rated at 88 dB in-room (85 dB free-field) at 2.83 V and 1 m, with a 6 ohm nominal impedance (3.7 ohm minimum) and a recommended amplifier power of 30 to 150 watts. Each speaker measures 19 x 12.25 x 10.5 inches (28.25 inches tall on its slant riser base) and weighs 29 lbs (36 lbs with the riser). Finishes include English Walnut, Nordic Noir, and West African Mahogany. The Model Three suits smaller rooms, near-field listening, or anyone who wants a serious two-way that disappears into a bookshelf or stands.
What is the KLH Model Four, and who is it for?
The Model Four is a slim 3-way floorstander, and it is for listeners who want a floor-standing footprint and a dedicated midrange without a large cabinet. Moving from two ways to three, it adds a 4 inch pulp-paper midrange (with reverse-roll rubber suspension) between the 8 inch pulp-paper woofer and the 1 inch aluminum dome tweeter, with crossover points at 380 Hz and 2,500 Hz. Handing the midrange its own driver frees the woofer to focus on bass. Frequency response is 46 Hz to 20 kHz (+/-3 dB).
Sensitivity is 88 dB (2.83 V at 1 m) with a maximum SPL of 108 dB, a 6 ohm nominal impedance (3.5 ohm minimum), and power handling of 150 watts continuous and 600 watts peak. It stands 32.2 x 13 x 10.9 inches with its riser base (26 inches without), and includes 5-way gold-plated binding posts and a magnetic knit grille. Finishes are English Walnut with Stonewash grille, Black Ash with Grey grille, and White Oak with Black grille. The Model Four is a natural fit for rooms where a slim tower with three-way clarity is wanted but floor space or visual footprint is at a premium.
What is the KLH Model Five, and who is it for?
The Model Five is the modern revival of KLH's most storied floorstander, and it is for listeners who want larger-scale, deeper, more effortless sound from a classic three-way. It uses a 10 inch pulp-paper acoustic-suspension woofer, a 4 inch pulp-paper midrange, and the 1 inch aluminum dome tweeter, with crossovers at 380 Hz and 2,850 Hz. The bigger woofer pushes bass extension down to 42 Hz (+/-3 dB), lower than the Model Three or Model Four.
Sensitivity is a healthy 90.5 dB (2.83 V at 1 m, in-room), with a 6 ohm nominal impedance (3.5 ohm minimum) and a wide recommended amplifier range of 20 to 200 watts. It measures 34.25 x 13.75 x 13 inches with its riser base (26 inches without) and weighs 44 lbs each (52 lbs with the riser). Finishes are English Walnut, Nordic Noir, and West African Mahogany. The Model Five is the heritage centerpiece of the range, suited to medium and larger rooms where its 10 inch woofer and higher sensitivity can breathe.
What is the KLH Model Seven, and who is it for?
The Model Seven is KLH's flagship floorstander, and it is for listeners who want the largest scale, deepest bass, and most authoritative presentation in the current range. It is built around a single 13 inch high-displacement pulp cone woofer with a flat-wire voice coil, mounted in its own sealed sub-enclosure that isolates it from the rest of the speaker for cleaner sound. Above it sit a 5 inch pulp-paper midrange and the 1 inch aluminum dome tweeter. Frequency response reaches down to 38 Hz (+/-3 dB), the deepest in the lineup.
Sensitivity is 91 dB in-room (88 dB free-field), and it is the only current KLH model with a 4 ohm nominal impedance, which asks more current of the amplifier than the 6 ohm models. Recommended amplifier power is 20 to 250 watts (250 W RMS, 1000 W peak). It stands 41 x 18 x 12.25 inches with its riser base (36 inches without) and weighs 68 lbs each (78.8 lbs with the riser), wrapped in a removable linen magnetic grille. Finishes are English Walnut and West African Mahogany. The Model Seven is for larger rooms and systems built to do it justice.
Choosing Between the KLH Models
Bookshelf or floorstander: should I get the Model Three or a tower?
Choose the Model Three if your room is smaller or your placement calls for a compact speaker, and choose a floorstander if you have the space and want a dedicated midrange and larger scale. The Model Three is a full-range two-way with a real 8 inch woofer, so it does not feel thin, and it reaches down to 46 Hz. What the floorstanders add is a separate midrange driver (three-way design), larger or additional cabinet volume, and in the case of the Model Five and Model Seven, larger woofers with deeper bass extension. If shelf or stand mounting matters, or the room is modest, the Model Three is the natural pick. If you want a tower's presence and want to hand the midrange its own driver, step up to the Model Four, Five, or Seven.
What is the difference between the Model Four and the Model Five?
Both are 3-way sealed floorstanders with a 4 inch midrange and 1 inch aluminum dome tweeter, but the Model Four uses an 8 inch woofer in a slim cabinet, while the Model Five uses a larger 10 inch woofer in a bigger cabinet. That difference shapes everything else. The Model Five reaches deeper (42 Hz versus 46 Hz), is more sensitive (90.5 dB in-room versus 88 dB), and is physically larger and heavier (44 lbs versus a slimmer Model Four cabinet). The Model Four's advantage is its narrower, more compact footprint of 13 x 10.9 inches, which fits rooms and layouts where the wider, deeper Model Five would be a lot of speaker. Think of the Model Four as the slim-tower path and the Model Five as the larger-woofer, higher-output heritage path.
Which KLH speaker is best for a small room?
For a small room, the Model Three is usually the most natural fit, with the slim Model Four as the floor-standing alternative. The Model Three's compact bookshelf cabinet and 46 Hz extension deliver full sound without overwhelming a small space, and its sealed design keeps bass tight rather than boomy near walls. If you prefer a tower but still have limited floor area, the Model Four's slim 13 inch wide cabinet gives you three-way sound in a modest footprint. The larger 10 inch Model Five and 13 inch Model Seven are better matched to medium and larger rooms where their bigger woofers can develop properly and not overload the space.
Which KLH speaker is the flagship, and who is it for?
The Model Seven is the flagship of the current KLH range, and it is for listeners with larger rooms and capable amplification who want the deepest, most effortless presentation KLH offers. Its single 13 inch high-displacement woofer in a dedicated sealed sub-enclosure, its 5 inch midrange, and its 38 Hz bass extension set it apart from the rest of the lineup. It is also the only model with a 4 ohm nominal impedance, so it asks more current from the amplifier, and it supports up to 250 watts RMS. At 68 lbs each and 41 inches tall on its riser, it is a substantial speaker that rewards space and a robust system. If your room is small or your amplifier is modest, one of the other models will likely be a better balance.
How do I choose the right KLH speaker?
Start with your room size and available space, then match the woofer and cabinet to it, since all four models share the same acoustic-suspension character and voicing. A short way to think about it:
- Model Three: compact two-way bookshelf with an 8 inch woofer, ideal for smaller rooms, stands, or shelves where you still want full sound.
- Model Four: slim three-way floorstander with an 8 inch woofer, for those who want a tower and a dedicated midrange in a narrow footprint.
- Model Five: larger three-way floorstander with a 10 inch woofer, higher sensitivity, and deeper bass, the heritage centerpiece for medium and larger rooms.
- Model Seven: flagship three-way with a 13 inch woofer and the deepest extension, for larger rooms and capable amplification.
Because every model uses the same sealed-box engineering, the same aluminum dome tweeter, and the same Acoustic Balance Control, you can fine-tune the treble to your room on any of them, and you get the same 10 year warranty across the range. The decision comes down to how much room you have, how much bass and output you want, and whether a bookshelf or a floorstander suits your space. Match those to the model, and you will land on the right KLH.