Short answer: the Klipsch The Nines. It ranks #28 of 40 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $1349.99; the Adam Audio S2V ranks #37 and costs $3500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
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.
What the Adam Audio S2V gets right: CEA2034 spinorama shows excellent driver blending through an imperceptible crossover between the 7” woofer and AMT tweeter, with distortion measured 70dB down at 1kHz. The catch: An intentional shelving curve creates a dip in the low bass response, roughly 200-500Hz.
Buy the Klipsch The Nines. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Adam Audio S2V and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Adam Audio S2V. It ranks near the bottom of the 40 powered bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch The Nines | Adam Audio S2V | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,349.99 | $3500 |
| Ranked | #28 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #37 of 40 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 8" high-excursion fiber-composite woofer, 1" titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix horn | 7" woofer, S-ART AMT tweeter |
| Output Power | 240W total (480W peak; 100W LF + 20W HF per powered speaker) | 350W total (300W woofer Class D, 50W tweeter Class A/B) |
| Inputs | HDMI ARC, Bluetooth 5.0, phono/line RCA, 3.5mm, USB, optical | - |
| Dimensions | 19.13"H x 9.5"W x 13.38"D | not published by manufacturer |
| Weight | 28.4 lbs primary, 27.0 lbs secondary | not published by manufacturer |
| Sensitivity | 82.5dB (measured at 0.30V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 31Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Frequency Response | 34Hz - 25kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) | 35Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max SPL | 115dB at 1m (stereo pair, manufacturer specified) | - |
| App | Klipsch Connect (bass/mid/treble EQ) | Yes |
| Woofer Cabinet | rear-ported bass reflex | - |
| EQ | - | No |
| DSP | - | Yes |
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- JBL 4329P vs Kali Audio LP-6
- Buchardt A10 vs Klipsch The Sevens
- JBL 708P vs Kali Audio LP-6
- Adam Audio S2V vs Klipsch The Sevens
- JBL 708P vs Klipsch The Nines
The Two Speakers In Full
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 |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Adam Audio S2V: $3500 Bhphotovideo
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows excellent driver blending through an imperceptible crossover between the 7” woofer and AMT tweeter, with distortion measured 70dB down at 1kHz. The 350W amplifier was the first the reviewer tested that didn’t run out of power on demand, delivering over 120dB SPL per pair.
Cons: An intentional shelving curve creates a dip in the low bass response, roughly 200-500Hz. The rotary-encoder control interface is non-intuitive, and the companion PC app requires serial-number registration with settings that only take effect after a manual “write” step that takes 5-10 seconds and produces audible ticks and pops. Expensive at $3,500 per pair.
Full Adam Audio S2V review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 62Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DSP | Yes |
| Dimensions | not published by manufacturer |
| Drivers | 7" woofer, S-ART AMT tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 350W total (300W woofer Class D, 50W tweeter Class A/B) |
| Weight | not published by manufacturer |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons