Short answer: the Adam Audio T8V. It ranks #25 of 40 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $349.99; the Klipsch The Nines ranks #28 and costs $1349.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Adam Audio T8V: Quite balanced and neutral, very close to the Yamaha HS8. The tradeoff: A crossover-region notch around 4.6kHz where tweeter and woofer interact, and a hole in the vertical response below the tweeter axis - keep the tweeter at or above ear height.
On the Klipsch The Nines side: Erin calls these his favorite Klipsch speaker he has heard. Set against that: The app’s flat setting leaves the treble elevated, and Erin preferred a -2dB tweeter trim.
Buy the Adam Audio T8V. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Klipsch The Nines and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Adam Audio T8V | Klipsch The Nines | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $349.99 | $1,349.99 |
| Ranked | #25 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #28 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 45Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 15.8"H x 9.8"W x 13.2"D (401.3 x 248.9 x 335.3 mm) | 19.13"H x 9.5"W x 13.38"D |
| Frequency Response | 33Hz - 25kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 34Hz - 25kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR, RCA | HDMI ARC, Bluetooth 5.0, phono/line RCA, 3.5mm, USB, optical |
| Weight | 21.6 lbs / 9.8 kg | 28.4 lbs primary, 27.0 lbs secondary |
| Drivers | 8" (203mm) woofer | 8" high-excursion fiber-composite woofer, 1" titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix horn |
| App | No | Klipsch Connect (bass/mid/treble EQ) |
| Bluetooth | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | - |
| DSP | No | - |
| Output Power | 90w Per Speaker | 240W total (480W peak; 100W LF + 20W HF per powered speaker) |
| Sensitivity | - | 82.5dB (measured at 0.30V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Max SPL | - | 115dB at 1m (stereo pair, manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | rear-ported bass reflex |
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- Adam Audio T7V vs Klipsch The Sevens
- Adam Audio T7V vs APS Klasik 2020
- Kali Audio LP-6 V2 vs Klipsch The Nines
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The Two Speakers In Full
Adam Audio T8V: $349.99 Amazon
Pros: Quite balanced and neutral, very close to the Yamaha HS8. Deeper bass than the HS8
Cons: A crossover-region notch around 4.6kHz where tweeter and woofer interact, and a hole in the vertical response below the tweeter axis - keep the tweeter at or above ear height. Distortion is well controlled at 86dB SPL but gets messier at 96dB.
Full Adam Audio T8V review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 45Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 15.8"H x 9.8"W x 13.2"D (401.3 x 248.9 x 335.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 8" (203mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 33Hz - 25kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR, RCA |
| Output Power | 90w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 21.6 lbs / 9.8 kg |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Klipsch The Nines: $1,349.99 Sweetwater
Pros: Erin calls these his favorite Klipsch speaker he has heard. With the tweeter trim set to -2dB, the listening-window response stays within roughly +/-1.5dB from 40Hz to just above 10kHz, and they produced genuinely powerful bass that reached about 30Hz in his room. The 8-inch woofer remains below 3% THD from 30Hz upward at 96dB/1m; compression is well controlled through about 90dB, and its limiter was not a concern at realistic listening levels. Exceptional all-in-one connectivity includes HDMI ARC, phono, USB, optical, Bluetooth, analog inputs and a subwoofer output; the Klipsch Connect app supplies useful bass/mid/treble adjustment.
Cons: The app’s flat setting leaves the treble elevated, and Erin preferred a -2dB tweeter trim. There is a likely tweeter/waveguide breakup feature around 16kHz, though he did not hear it. Horizontal coverage is narrow (about +/-30 degrees), prioritizing a focused image over room involvement; listeners who prefer a wider soundstage may not like that trade-off. Ear height matters: he recommends the reference plane between woofer and tweeter rather than directly on tweeter axis. The speaker begins limiting above roughly 90dB/1m, and the two cabinets still require a physical inter-speaker cable.
Full Klipsch The Nines review and specifications →
| App | Klipsch Connect (bass/mid/treble EQ) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 19.13"H x 9.5"W x 13.38"D |
| Drivers | 8" high-excursion fiber-composite woofer, 1" titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix horn |
| Frequency Response | 34Hz - 25kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | HDMI ARC, Bluetooth 5.0, phono/line RCA, 3.5mm, USB, optical |
| Max SPL | 115dB at 1m (stereo pair, manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 240W total (480W peak; 100W LF + 20W HF per powered speaker) |
| Sensitivity | 82.5dB (measured at 0.30V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 28.4 lbs primary, 27.0 lbs secondary |
| Woofer Cabinet | rear-ported bass reflex |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch The Nines vs Kali Audio LP-6
- Klipsch The Nines vs Adam Audio T7V
- Klipsch The Nines vs JBL 308P MKII
- Klipsch The Nines vs Edifier R2850DB
- Klipsch The Nines vs Yamaha HS8
- Klipsch The Nines vs Focal Twin6 Be
- Klipsch The Nines vs Kali Audio LP-8
- Klipsch The Nines vs Presonus Eris Studio 8
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