WIIRed review finds Klipsch The Fives II excel in music but lag in cinema immersion
The 2026 update to Klipsch’s popular bookshelf speakers brings Dolby Atmos and Wi-Fi, yet a WIRED assessment suggests they remain better suited for high-fidelity music than for delivering theatre-grade surround sound.
WIRED has published a comprehensive review of the Klipsch The Fives II bookshelf speakers, released in 2026, positioning the updated model as a premium choice for music enthusiasts while noting significant limitations in immersive home cinema performance. The review highlights that while the speakers deliver superior clarity and warmth for audio playback, they fail to match the immersive, theatre-shaking surround sound capabilities of dedicated soundbars when used for movies and video games.
The 2026 iteration introduces substantial hardware upgrades over the original 2020 model, including new internal electronics, Wi-Fi connectivity, and Dolby Atmos support via a new HDMI eARC 2.1 port. The primary speaker, which houses the electronics, weighs 18.2 pounds, while the secondary speaker weighs 15.5 pounds. Both units feature woofers constructed using Klipsch’s proprietary Jet Cerametallic method, designed to produce accurate sound within a compact 12.9-inch frame.
Connectivity options are extensive, supporting optical cable, HDMI eARC, USB-C, USB-A for device charging, RCA phono/analog, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. The addition of Wi-Fi enables high-resolution streaming through Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay 2, and Google Cast, allowing playback to continue even if the source device is powered off. The control interface has shifted from the original’s large dial to a button system where LED colours indicate the active port, such as orange for USB-C and purple for optical.
In testing, the speakers demonstrated strong performance with high-resolution music services. The reviewer noted that acoustic guitars sounded fuller and warmer compared to the previous model, and the speakers competed with premium alternatives like the Cambridge Audio Evo One in reproducing complex sonic textures. The Klipsch Connect app facilitates equalisation adjustments and includes a lip-sync correction setting for HDMI connections, which the review found effective in aligning audio and video during film playback.
Despite these advancements, the review concludes that the Fives II are less effective than dedicated soundbars for delivering powerful, room-shaking effects. While Dolby Atmos support made battle scenes in films sound convincing, the speakers struggled to replicate the immersive spatial audio provided by systems like the Focal Mu-so Hekla soundbar, particularly in video games where directional audio is critical. The pair is priced at less than $1,500, a notable increase from the original model’s $800 price tag, with matching stands available separately for approximately $229.
