The catch
Klipsch R-50PM
Without an HDMI ARC input, the usual HDMI route for TV control is not there.
Side by side
Klipsch R-50PM vs The Fives: Fives brings TV remote control in a shallower body
Quick verdict
If several people watch TV and supported HDMI ARC control would make volume changes simpler, original The Fives is the choice, and it is 1.55 inches shallower than the R-50PM too. R-50PM fits when the system is mostly for records and USB computer audio, the larger cabinet fits and HDMI control isn't needed. A compatible MM phono setting and USB audio are on both. Fives adds neither built-in Wi-Fi streaming nor a separate RCA line input.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
The TV advantage is felt by everyone in the room
Optical TV audio works on R-50PM, but HDMI ARC and CEC are what Fives adds. Where several people watch television and none of them runs the music system, a compatible setup can turn the TV's familiar remote into the volume control. When one person mostly plays records or uses a USB computer, though, that same upgrade may do very little. Pay the premium for the routine the household shares, and do not assume HDMI helps every source.
Where this comes from
The HDMI control path is verified for a household with several users. Check how your TV and CEC behave.
The catch
Klipsch The Fives
Original Fives keeps sharing RCA phono and line, and it is not the network-streaming II model.
Klipsch R-50PM
- Why pick it
- Mostly you use records and computer audio, and HDMI TV control isn't needed.
- The 10.8-inch cabinet depth fits, and you can live with the TV’s existing optical routine.
- The catch
- Without an HDMI ARC input, the usual HDMI route for TV control is not there.
Klipsch The Fives
- Why pick it
- Other people in the household expect the TV remote to set the speaker volume.
- On shallow furniture, a 9.25-inch body is easier to place, before counting rear clearance.
- The catch
- Original Fives keeps sharing RCA phono and line, and it is not the network-streaming II model.
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What this page compares
Should TV, records and work audio go with the R-50PM or the original The Fives? The comparison covers the everyday remote routine, shallow furniture and the source limits both keep.
For a turntable, a computer and a television, these powered Klipsch pairs cover much of the same ground. What the premium really has to answer is whether HDMI control and smaller cabinets smooth out everyday hassles.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
The TV is shared and should keep its familiar remote
HDMI ARC and CEC come with Fives.
- Klipsch R-50PM
- Caution
- Klipsch The Fives
- Better fit
A TV unit with little depth
Before you allow clearance for installation, Fives is 1.55 inches shallower.
- Klipsch R-50PM
- Caution
- Klipsch The Fives
- Better fit
Records and USB computer audio, no TV involved
Both plug into those sources directly.
- Klipsch R-50PM
- Good
- Klipsch The Fives
- Good
Built-in Wi-Fi music streaming is needed
That platform is missing from both original systems.
- Klipsch R-50PM
- Not suitable
- Klipsch The Fives
- Not suitable
In practice
Differences you will notice
The TV advantage is felt by everyone in the room
Optical TV audio works on R-50PM, but HDMI ARC and CEC are what Fives adds. Where several people watch television and none of them runs the music system, a compatible setup can turn the TV's familiar remote into the volume control. When one person mostly plays records or uses a USB computer, though, that same upgrade may do very little. Pay the premium for the routine the household shares, and do not assume HDMI helps every source.
How we worked this out
The HDMI control path is verified for a household with several users. Check how your TV and CEC behave.
Furniture space can come back with the TV-focused model as well
Compared with R-50PM, Fives is 1.55 inches shallower and 2 inches shorter, so it can be the easier pair to place on a shallow television unit, despite carrying the extra TV connection. These are body dimensions only. Cables, ventilation and stable support all need space, and the depth you save is no reason to squeeze either cabinet into an enclosed shelf that does not suit it.
How we worked this out
10.8 − 9.25 = 1.55 inches of depth. 14 − 12 = 2 inches of height.
Records and a computer give you no comparable reason to upgrade
USB audio and a compatible MM turntable, via the phono setting, work on both already. So a desk that handles computer listening by day and records by night keeps both sources, and Fives is not needed for those inputs. The RCA phono/line pair is still shared, though, which means an analog-only CD player calls for an auxiliary input or some switching. What justifies Fives is TV control and physical fit. It does not fix every shortage of source inputs.
How we worked this out
Since USB and phono support are shared, the genuine HDMI advantage stands apart from source limitations that stay the same.
Option A
Klipsch, R-50PM
R-50PM
Mostly you use records and computer audio, and HDMI TV control isn't needed.
- Best for
- Mostly you use records and computer audio, and HDMI TV control isn't needed.
Facts we checked
- TV audio and control: Optical, no HDMI
- Body depth: 10.8 inches
- Body height: 14 inches
- Turntable: Shared RCA phono/line
Option B
Klipsch, The Fives
The Fives
Other people in the household expect the TV remote to set the speaker volume.
- Best for
- Other people in the household expect the TV remote to set the speaker volume.
Facts we checked
- TV audio and control: HDMI ARC with CEC plus optical
- Body depth: 9.25 inches
- Height of body: 12 inches
- Turntable: Shared RCA phono/line
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Klipsch R-50PM | Klipsch The Fives | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV audio and control | Optical, no HDMI | HDMI ARC with CEC plus optical | Volume control from the TV remote is supported on Fives. |
| Body depth | 10.8 inches | 9.25 inches | The 1.55 inches Fives saves come before cables and placement space. |
| Body height | 14 inches | 12 inches | A lower opening also suits Fives, as long as clearance allows. |
| Turntable | Shared RCA phono/line | Shared RCA phono/line | Two independent RCA source pairs are not available on either. |
| Computer | USB audio | USB-B audio | You do not need Fives to get computer audio directly. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Klipsch R-50PM
- A workaround for TV control can bring complexity on top of the speaker price.
With Klipsch The Fives
- Confirm that your TV really works with CEC. HDMI ARC helps only when the television and its settings support the routine you have in mind.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Records and USB audio are what the system is mainly for
Go with Klipsch R-50PM. If the size works, R-50PM already has the connection types required.
What is still unsolved is shared TV control or shallow furniture
Go with Klipsch The Fives. HDMI ARC and a smaller body let Fives handle both.
Decision guide
Before you buy
A pair meant mainly for music may work with the TV electrically yet still send everyone in the household reaching for another remote.
What this page can’t tell you
- No winner on measured sound quality is named. Convenience with sources and how well the body fits don't establish better acoustics.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the powered speakers we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klipsch R-50PM |
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| |
| Klipsch The Fives |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Klipsch R-50PM
Mostly you use records and computer audio, and HDMI TV control isn't needed.
The 10.8-inch cabinet depth fits, and you can live with the TV’s existing optical routine.
See price & reviews on AmazonKlipsch The Fives
Other people in the household expect the TV remote to set the speaker volume.
On shallow furniture, a 9.25-inch body is easier to place, before counting rear clearance.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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