{"title":"home-audio-speakers-computer-speakers","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"kanto-uki-compact-desktop-speakers-vdx3rq","title":"Kanto UKI Compact Desktop Speakers","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eWhen Technology Listens\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eEvery detail of Uki is designed to feel human. Its gentle curves and tactile finish bring a sense of calm to your workspace, while recycled flecks embedded in the cabinet make every pair unique.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eTaking a different approach from the hard edges and metallic trims of ordinary desktop speakers, Uki finds inspiration in the timeless artistry of hand-crafted pottery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eDesigned for the Daylist\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eWhile most desktop speakers chase sharp, gamer-oriented intensity, Uki takes a gentler approach. Tuned for balance and clarity without harshness, it delivers sound that feels as natural as it looks — comfortable, fatigue-free, and perfect for all-day listening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eBi-Amplified Sound\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eUki delivers 100 watts of bi-amplified power through its 3” woofers and ¾” silk-dome tweeters, producing smooth mids, open highs, and fatigue-free detail.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eClever Cabinetry\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eA rigid, injection-molded cabinet made from partially recycled materials gives Uki its distinctive flecked texture — no two are alike. The softened profile minimizes resonance and simplifies the manufacturing process, uniting sustainable design with acoustic precision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eSmart Sub Integration\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eFor deeper, more balanced performance, Uki automatically redirects frequencies below 100 Hz to a connected subwoofer, freeing its drivers to focus on the mid and high range. The result: tighter bass, cleaner transients, and full-range sound with minimal distortion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eEveryday Ease\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eUki keeps control intuitive and within reach. A quick switch flips speaker orientation so volume and headphone access are always close at hand, while the front-mounted dial lets you adjust volume, change inputs, and power on or off — all in one smooth motion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eWireless is Wellness\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eDesigned for effortless connection, Bluetooth 5.3 lets your music move with you - from desk to living room, morning to night. Experience clear, reliable sound wherever the day takes you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eYour WFH Companion\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eConnect to your PC or Mac effortlessly via USB-C for a superior digital audio connection. This direct, bit-perfect input bypasses your device's built-in sound card, ensuring you experience the clearest, most detailed sound quality instantly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eEscape into Vinyl\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eEquipped with a versatile RCA input, UKI connects seamlessly to modern preamplified turntables for pure, detailed playback that captures the warmth and character of vinyl.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kanto","offers":[{"title":"Onyx","offer_id":45319516356631,"sku":"KANTO:UKIDMBO","price":40.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Chalk","offer_id":45319516389399,"sku":"KANTO:UKIDMWC","price":40.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Pumice","offer_id":45319516422167,"sku":"KANTO:UKIDSBB","price":40.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cornflower","offer_id":45319516454935,"sku":"KANTO:UKIDSBU","price":40.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Sage","offer_id":45319516487703,"sku":"KANTO:UKIDSBN","price":40.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/0639\/6439\/files\/ytkbxdnx58y4_cdbf91c9-6026-45ba-8b5d-437757cdc187.jpg?v=1784651327"},{"product_id":"kanto-ora4-powered-reference-desktop-speakers-pair-2v6mx0","title":"Kanto ORA4 Powered Reference Desktop Speakers - Pair","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003ePro Sound\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eIf your speakers aren’t neutral, you’re not hearing what the artist intended. Delivering 140 W of DSP-tuned, bi-amplified Class-D power, ORA4 produces studio-grade sound with deep, authoritative bass from its 4” woofers. Accurate enough to work as a studio monitor and refined enough for HiFi use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eJack of All Trades\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eEqual parts bookshelf speaker, studio monitor, and computer speaker. ORA4 feels equally at home in virtually any scenario and is perfectly sized for any stand mount or desktop setup. Great sound in a compact package for gamers, creators, musicians, and audiophiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eModern Connections\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eTo cover your digital and analog needs, ORA4 offers three inputs - USB-C for flawless sound from your PC or Mac, Bluetooth 5.0 for pairing with your phone or smart home device, and RCA for your analog gear. An endless amount of audio sources work with ORA4 from the past, present, or future.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eSubwoofer Integration\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eYou don’t have to sacrifice fidelity for lowend grunt. When a subwoofer is connected, a crossover network activates automatically, allowing ORA4 to concentrate on vocals and high frequencies. By offloading bass, ORA4 can play louder with less distortion improving overall sound quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003eMounting Options\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eTwo 1\/4”-20 threaded inserts located at the rear, and bottom, of each speaker let you secure ORA4 to any compatible speaker mount or bracket. Whether you want to free up space by mounting them on a wall, or simply find the perfect spot in your room, you have the flexibility to place them wherever works best.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003ch2 class=\"subhead margin\"\u003ePixel Perfect\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003ePlacing a magnet beside your tube TV is a surefire way distort picture quality and lower its HP. ORA4’s woofers are magnetically shielded allowing you to place them beside your CRT or PVM without any worries. The RCA input gives you a direct connection to hear your favourite retro soundtracks in all their glory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kanto","offers":[{"title":"Matte Black","offer_id":45319913046039,"sku":"KANTO:ORA-4-MB","price":67.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Matte White","offer_id":45319913078807,"sku":"KANTO:ORA-4-MW","price":67.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/0639\/6439\/files\/21pqh2q2hiwh_20a8aa24-59eb-4bf7-ab5b-6e7f05c10461.jpg?v=1784654387"},{"product_id":"kanto-ora-powered-reference-desktop-speakers-pair-in1iir","title":"Kanto ORA Powered Reference Desktop Speakers - Pair","description":"\u003cdiv data-content-type=\"html\" data-appearance=\"default\" data-element=\"main\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/kanto-yu2-powered-desktop-speakers\"\u003eKanto YU2 powered desktop speakers\u003c\/a\u003e have been a go-to pick the last few years for many people who want improved sound quality from their computer without taking up much real estate on their desk. In fact, we have consistently awarded the YU2 as one of the best computer speakers year after year. Its bigger brothers, the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/kanto-yu4-powered-desktop-speakers\"\u003eYU4\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/kanto-yu6-powered-bookshelf-speakers\"\u003eYU6\u003c\/a\u003e, are great editions to the line for someone who wants a little more sound. But time and time again, we see people eyeing the YU2 due to how well it can produce sound for its exceptionally compact size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDue to its popularity over the last eight years, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/kanto\"\u003eKanto\u003c\/a\u003e has listened to its customers and created a brand new version that is similar to the YU2 with all the upgrades we’ve been asking for. Introducing the Kanto Ora. The perfect \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/home-audio\/speakers\"\u003espeaker\u003c\/a\u003e for gamers, creators, and musicians looking for a speaker that bridges the gap between your built-in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/home-audio\/speakers\/computer-speakers\"\u003ecomputer speakers\u003c\/a\u003e and large studio-grade monitors yet still gives you that audiophile-approved sound without taking over your entire desktop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, while the YU2’s aren’t going anywhere, the new ORA’s will be a direct step up in features, technology, and sound quality. We’ll discuss the differences between ORA and the YU2 to help you decide if you should upgrade from the YU2’s or if you should spend a few extra bucks for the new ORA’s if you’re in the market for some desktop speakers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/media\/wysiwyg\/ORA_Front.jpg\" alt=\"Kanto ORA Powered Reference Desktop Speakers\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe new ORAs may be inexpensive, but they don’t feel or look like it! They come in a sleek matte black finish and compared to the YU2 speakers, they have a new and improved waveguide for the tweeter and an updated woofer below. The matte black finish is extremely appealing, and we love that it will fit in with just about any decor. However, one thing we love about Kanto speakers in general is their fun color options like white, black, walnut, bamboo, and more. We see how many creators will love the matte black, clean finish on the ORA’s but some people love to have their speakers stand out on their desks, so we would love to see Kanto add more options in the future.\u003c\/p\u003e   \n    \n\u003cp\u003eKanto has also added a small volume knob to the bottom right of the main speaker for quick access to volume control and input switching. This is a massively welcomed feature that we wished the YU2 had, so we were thrilled to see it on the new ORA speaker. No longer are the days of reaching around to the back of the speaker to adjust the volume control and fumbling around to fine-tune it. The new knob feels very nice and I love that when you are connected via Bluetooth and turn up the volume, it shows it on your phone as well. You can also enter pairing mode by just pressing in the knob. Having this knob at just an arms reach at your desk proved extremely convenient during our testing.\u003c\/p\u003e    \n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/media\/wysiwyg\/22-DSC06624.jpg\" alt=\"Front view of Kanto ORA Desktop Speaker on a stand\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half col_last\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/media\/wysiwyg\/Kanto-ORA_SP9_InteractionClose.jpg\" alt=\"Hand turning knob on the front of a Kanto ORA desktop speaker\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey’ve also created a new small LED indicator light as well. The YU2 has something like a miniature bulb that would emit light and, when in a dark setting, could be somewhat distracting. The new ORA has a small pinhole-sized opening where the light emits from so that it’s easy to see at a glance but not overly distracting. This light makes it easy to see what mode it’s in too. When you press the knob, it will blink blue and goes into Bluetooth pairing mode. When connected, it will be solid blue. Again, seeing this at a quick glance helps you determine the status of your speaker instead of playing a guessing game with pressing and holding multiple buttons like some Bluetooth speakers do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs we mentioned, the tweeter now sits in a waveguide that is slightly recessed and allows a little more control over the directivity of the sound. We also think it elevates the overall look and design of the speaker, mirroring what more expensive studio monitors often look like. It is still a ¾” silk dome tweeter, but the woofer has been upgraded from a 3” composite material used in the YU2 to a 3” paper cone woofer which provides a more natural sound. They’ve also removed the center dome and thinned out the surround of the woofer for an overall cleaner and improved style. Little features like this upgrade the overall look of this speaker and make it look like a true luxury speaker in a miniature size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe entire speaker unit is similar in size to the YU2 at 3.9” wide, 5.6” deep, and an inch taller at 6.9”. And what’s really incredible is they each only weigh 2.2 lbs. This makes them small and light enough that you could throw them in your backpack and bring them to a friend's for an impromptu recording session and use them as your studio monitors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \n\u003cp\u003eWhen you spin ORA around, you have a larger bass port compared to the YU2 at the top and all your connections on the main speaker. There is a simple Bluetooth 5.0 pair button, a USB-C input, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/home-audio\/speakers\/subwoofers\"\u003esubwoofer\u003c\/a\u003e out, RCA inputs, your power connection, and speaker out connection to connect the other speaker. And speaking of connecting to the other speaker, they have now included a speaker wire interconnect cable to connect the speakers together instead of the speaker wire that you have to tighten onto the YU2 speaker terminals. This makes it extremely easy to connect up and even break them down to take them on the go and then get back up and running quickly. Compared to the YU2, you are missing the 3.5mm aux input on the ORA’s but to us, we don’t see many people needing one for most use cases these will be used in. In addition, they also have a ¼”-20 threaded insert on the back of each speaker for you to mount on a wall or ceiling with a compatible speaker mount.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \n\u003cp\u003eKanto also includes small, self-adhesive rubber feet that you can place on the bottom if you wish to sit these directly on your desk. But we highly recommend you add on their \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/kanto\/kanto-s2-desktop-speaker-stands\"\u003espeaker stands\u003c\/a\u003e, specifically made to fit ORA. They have some that are \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/kanto\/kanto-s2-desktop-speaker-stands\"\u003esuper low profile and slightly tip the speakers up\u003c\/a\u003e towards your ears and have some foam padding that will add further isolation. Next, they have ones that raise the speaker up about 3 inches to be closer to the ear level for a better performance.\u003c\/p\u003e \n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/media\/wysiwyg\/48-DSC06654.jpg\" alt=\"Back view of Kanto ORA Desktop Speakers\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n    \n\u003cp\u003eWith USB-C becoming so popular, we were really excited to see this on the back, making it much easier to connect to our computer or laptop. In addition, that subwoofer out lets you pair up with any subwoofer but matches perfectly with the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/kanto-sub8v-powered-subwoofer\"\u003eKanto SUB8V,\u003c\/a\u003e a very powerful, compact sub. What’s really cool about this connection is that the ORA’s crossover network automatically kicks in and crosses the sound over at 100Hz to a sub when it is connected, letting the ORA focus on vocals and high frequencies while the sub handles the low-end duties. This allows the ORAs to play even louder without distortion since it can focus on those mid and high frequencies alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \n\u003cp\u003eThe ORAs provide 100 watts of peak power and 50 watts RMS of DSP-tuned, bi-amplified Class D power that gets shockingly loud and low for their very small size. Most entry-level powered speakers use just one amp that drives everything inside one speaker box and use passive crossovers to route the signal to each driver, which means they have to use devices to passively filter the sound out. When you have a separate amplifier for each speaker driver, as these Kanto-powered speakers do, you can use an active electronic crossover which is far more efficient. The ORAs also utilize digital signal processing, or DSP, to perfectly set up for the specific drivers to extract the very best performance from the speaker.\u003c\/p\u003e \n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is just something about an active speaker where you have a separate amplifier for each speaker driver that brings the sound to life and lets you hear all the details, especially when it comes to recording music or editing videos. Another cool feature is the RCA inputs that let you hook up legacy gaming systems or other analog gear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/media\/wysiwyg\/Kanto-ORA_Gaming_Lifestyle.jpg\" alt=\"Kanto ORA desktop speakers with a gaming set up\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half col_last\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/media\/wysiwyg\/Kanto-ORA_S2_Gaming_Close.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of Kanto ORA desktop speaker with gaming set up\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n  \u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe set the ORAs up at a typical desk setup in our office that we use for video editing, casual music listening, and general use like watching YouTube videos. The setup was super simple as we used a USB-C to USB-C cable to plug into our MacBook Pro, and it instantly recognized it, and we were up and running.\u003c\/p\u003e \n\n\u003cp\u003eImmediately, we noticed how much the bass performance had improved over the YU2 speakers. We turned them up pretty loud, and they went shockingly low without distortion. Add in the Kanto sub, and not only did our entire setup sound more dynamic, but it improved the mids and highs dramatically due to the sub handling the entire low end. And we love the fact that it automatically crosses the sound over with a subwoofer, so it’s truly just plug-and-play without any worries of having to set anything up.\u003c\/p\u003e \n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we listened to music with the ORAs, they had great clarity and precision in the high frequencies. The mids were well-balanced, and the vocals sounded extremely realistic. And this proved important when it came to video editing or even producing music. Hearing the instruments and voices how they were recorded is important so you can accurately adjust them to your liking. We must admit that using these as reference monitors with how small they are made us skeptical of their quality. But we were pleasantly surprised and extremely happy with their performance.\u003c\/p\u003e \n\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s also great to have options of stands that match perfectly. We really liked the stands that raise these up closer to your ear height for a better listening experience. And the volume control knob made volume adjustments super easy with a knob on the front of the speaker. Overall, the ORAs were easy to use, sounded fantastic, extremely compact, and proved to be perfect for a desktop setup without taking up too much space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/media\/wysiwyg\/13-DSC06615.jpg\" alt=\"Laptop computer with Kanto ORA desktop speakers\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re looking for a pair of desktop speakers that are compact and easy to use, you have to seriously consider the Kanto ORAs. Add one of their speaker stands and a Kanto subwoofer, and you have yourself an insanely good desktop sound system for a very affordable price. We highly recommend the ORA’s as some simple and great-sounding computer speakers that won’t take up much room but sound way better than the speakers built into your computer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe’re here to help!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have more questions about the Kanto ORAs or any other audio or video gear, reach out to our team of experts or stop by one of our award-winning showrooms, and we‘d be happy to help you!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAudio Advice has been in the industry since 1978, and throughout the years, we’ve developed a team of professionals who live and breathe all things audio and video. We spend countless hours testing and reviewing every product we sell to ensure it meets our extremely high-quality standards. With our state-of-the-art home theater audio lab, we can become product experts and provide our customers with in-depth, honest feedback.\u003c\/p\u003e \n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you buy from Audio Advice, you’re buying from a trusted seller since 1978. We offer \u003cstrong\u003eFree Shipping, Free Returns, Lifetime Expert Support\u003c\/strong\u003e, and our \u003cstrong\u003ePrice Guarantee\u003c\/strong\u003e. We look forward to serving you!\u003c\/p\u003e \n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kanto","offers":[{"title":"Matte Pink","offer_id":45319914881047,"sku":"KANTO:ORA-MP","price":52.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Matte White","offer_id":45319914913815,"sku":"KANTO:ORA-MW","price":52.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Matte Black","offer_id":45319914946583,"sku":"KANTO:ORA-MB","price":52.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/0639\/6439\/files\/hhm8lwatdsz7_77c357b6-6d1a-4c84-ae09-b39ceb48ab48.jpg?v=1784654409"},{"product_id":"kanto-yu2-powered-desktop-speakers-pair-z1xecr","title":"Kanto YU2 Powered Desktop Speakers - Pair","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDesign\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Kanto YU2 is the smallest speaker in the family of compact YU speakers. The YU2 uses a 3” composite material woofer and a ¾” silk dome tweeter. The YU2 is available in a variety of colors, including bamboo, gloss black, gloss white, matte black, and finally matte white. We don’t think you will have any trouble finding one that fits your style!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe YU2 makes a perfect desktop speaker. On the back, you’ll find a mini-plug aux input, and a USB input to handle the USB out from a computer or laptop. It comes with the cables and speaker wire, so setup is a breeze.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis has a small DAC (digital to analog) converter built-in, which converts the signal to analog and passes it directly onto the built-in amp. This is a very clean and simple signal path.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you are unfamiliar with connecting up via USB, it is a great way to port sound from your computer to an audio system. Your computer will send a pure digital signal out of its USB connection, while the other end plugs into the back of the Kanto YU2.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/kanto-yu2-ba_1_1.jpg\" alt=\"Front view of a pair of Kantu YU2 powered speakers with Bamboo finish available at audioadvice.com.\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half col_last\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/kanto-yu2-ba_alt1_1_1.jpg\" alt=\"Rear view of a pair of Kanto YU2 Powered Speakers in Bamboo finish available at audioadvice.com.\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStanding alone, the YU2 produces a very nice warm sound, but as you would expect, due to the small size, it is lacking in bass. Luckily, the YU2 has a subwoofer out, allowing you to add one of the Kanto subwoofers (the SUB6 is only $249) to fill out the bottom end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you plop these on your desk as an upgrade to your built-in computer speakers or something from a big box store, however, you should undoubtedly notice a huge improvement -- even without the sub.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll and all, for a little over $200 a pair, this is a great little speaker value to improve your computer sound or to connect up to a turntable with a phono stage built-in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSilk Dome Tweeters\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYU2 features 3\/4\" silk dome tweeters to deliver clear crisp highs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComposite Drivers\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 3\" composite drivers provide distortion-free, mid-range and bass tones - surprising performance for such a small speaker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eInputs \u0026amp; Outputs\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUse the AUX input with the included Kanto 3.5mm cable to connect any device with a headphone jack to your YU2. Lighten the load on your computer's CPU by connecting directly to YU2's built-in DAC via a USB cable for a fully digital, high-quality audio connection. If you want a little more kick, connect a powered subwoofer to the SUB OUT port.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRear Bass Port\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYU2 has a rear bass port that has been carefully designed and tuned to eliminate port turbulence while extending bass response.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKnurled Binding Posts\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe speaker connection from left to right uses high-quality knurled binding posts. This standardized wiring system allows you to trim the included premium speaker wire to the desired length or purchase longer lengths for more versatility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAccessible Volume Knob\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTucked neatly out of the way at the top of your active speaker, the smoothly rotating knob doubles as a power switch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kanto","offers":[{"title":"Bamboo","offer_id":45319918223383,"sku":"KANTO:YU2-BA","price":37.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gloss Red","offer_id":45319918256151,"sku":"KANTO:YU2-RED","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gloss Teal","offer_id":45319918288919,"sku":"KANTO:YU2-GT","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Matte Black","offer_id":45319918321687,"sku":"KANTO:YU2-MB","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Matte Gray","offer_id":45319918354455,"sku":"KANTO:YU2-MG","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Matte White","offer_id":45319918387223,"sku":"KANTO:YU2-MW","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Walnut","offer_id":45319918419991,"sku":"KANTO:YU2-WAL","price":49.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/0639\/6439\/files\/ij483ynas5db_3fd29ea8-2a08-4477-85cd-8eceb0372ec2.jpg?v=1784654439"},{"product_id":"kanto-yu4-powered-desktop-speakers-pair-kbr982","title":"Kanto YU4 Powered Desktop Speakers - Pair","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDesign\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe YU4 has all of the same great finish options you get on the \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/kanto-yu2-powered-desktop-speakers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eYU2\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. There's a modern Matte White or Black finish. A more natural Bamboo or Walnut color option is also available. While all of the finishes just look fantastic, our favorite is the new high-performance Red finish. The Red reminds us of a high-end sports car \u0026amp; this exciting look definitely matches the high-performance sound!\u003cstrong\u003e Red is only available exclusively at Audio Advice. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have room for this slightly larger speaker on your desk or wherever it is going, it is well worth the extra $110 compared to the slightly smaller YU2. When you move up one level to the Kanto YU4, you also get tons more features!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe YU4 has both larger speaker drivers and a beefier amplifier. Kanto changes to a 1” silk dome tweeter and upgrades to a 4” Kevlar driver. Like the YU2, the YU4 is ported on the back for an improved bass response. It does drop the USB computer connection, but what you get in return is very impressive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe YU4 has 2 sets of optical inputs, two sets of AUX inputs (one of which you can change to an MM phono input), a subwoofer out, and best of all, Bluetooth streaming. You will also get a nice remote control and a spare USB power charging port on the back. For quick volume adjustments, there is a little round volume knob located on the front side, as compared to the back on the YU2.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Kanto-YU4.jpg\" alt=\"Front view of a pair of Kantu YU4 powered speakers with walnut finish.\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half col_last\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Kanto-YU4-2.jpg\" alt=\"Rear view of a pair of Kanto YU4 Powered Speakers in Walnut finish.\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe YU4 has 2 sets of optical inputs, two sets of AUX inputs (one of which you can change to an MM phono input), a subwoofer out, and best of all, Bluetooth streaming. You will also get a nice remote control and a spare USB power charging port on the back. For quick volume adjustments, there is a little round volume knob located on the front side, as compared to the back on the YU2.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are lots of bookshelf speakers in the $300 price range that sound as good as the YU4, but here is the kicker -- they don’t have a built-in amplifier!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot only is the YU4 a great desktop speaker system, but you can pair them with a turntable for a simple starter vinyl playback rig. Having the built-in phono preamp is a feature we love, as many beginners don’t want to contend with having an extra component. Their midrange sounds very rich and the 1” silk dome tweeter gives them a very smooth sound, which is perfect for showing off your vinyl!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRemarkable Sound\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnclosed in handcrafted cabinets, YU4's 1\" silk dome tweeters and 4\" Kevlar drivers deliver crisp highs and wonderfully balanced mid-range, faithfully reproducing all your favorite tunes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBluetooth APTX\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilt-in Bluetooth with Qualcomm aptX technology lets you enjoy high-quality streaming from the palm of your hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePhono Preamp\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEquipped with an integrated phono preamp, YU4 can be easily connected to any vintage or modern-day turntable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSignal Detection\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYU4 features automatic standby and power-up modes, helping to conserve power when you're gone and ensuring you never miss a beat when the music starts playing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRemote Control\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith volume, input, tone, and balance controls, as well as playback options when using Bluetooth, the YU4 remote gives you full control over your audio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSimple Interface\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYU4's user-friendly interface features a single knob. Simply rotate for volume, push in to cycle through the five inputs, or push and hold to activate and deactivate standby mode.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kanto","offers":[{"title":"Bamboo","offer_id":45319939260439,"sku":"KANTO:YU4-BA","price":57.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gloss Black","offer_id":45319939293207,"sku":"KANTO:YU4-GB","price":49.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gloss Red","offer_id":45319939325975,"sku":"KANTO:YU4-Red","price":64.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gloss Teal","offer_id":45319939391511,"sku":"KANTO:YU4-GT","price":49.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Gloss White","offer_id":45319939489815,"sku":"KANTO:YU4-GW","price":49.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Matte Black","offer_id":45319939588119,"sku":"KANTO:YU4-MB","price":72.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Matte Gray","offer_id":45319939686423,"sku":"KANTO:YU4-MG","price":49.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Matte White","offer_id":45319939751959,"sku":"KANTO:YU4-MW","price":72.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Walnut","offer_id":45319939850263,"sku":"KANTO:YU4-WAL","price":79.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/0639\/6439\/files\/s73tbyg63q58_3c365b27-e9df-4e9b-8834-0ef2941d7aa0.jpg?v=1784654760"},{"product_id":"kanto-yu-powered-desktop-speakers-5rnml9","title":"Kanto YU Powered Desktop Speakers","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCompany \u0026amp; Product Overview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Audio Advice team was wandering the halls of CES back in 2016 on the lookout for great-sounding audio products we might not be aware of. We glanced in a small room and saw all of these brightly colored speakers and almost kept walking. But those colors drew us in and boy are we glad we went in for a listen. The \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/home-audio\/speakers\/powered-speakers.html?brand=239\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eKanto speakers\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e we heard were their new \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/videos-reviews\/kanto-yu2-yu4-yu6-speaker-comparison\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eYU series\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e which had a very warm and musical sound to our ears, plus the fact they had a built-in phono preamp made our vinyl loving side smile.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDavid Reid founded Kanto and came to market in 2007 with a pretty cool docking station for the iPod. Growing up, David was always around music as his father was a pretty hardcore audiophile. He experienced what it was like to be on the quest for great sound which led him to become an audio hobbyist and tinkerer as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter Kanto won several awards for their dock, David followed his passion for audio and came out with a line of affordable powered speakers. \u003cstrong\u003eOne really smart move on their part was recognizing the market for small, powered speakers span all kinds of customers, so rather than offering only a couple of finishes like most companies, they came out with a huge variety of vibrant colors that could fit into many different environments.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKanto’s \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/kanto-yu2-powered-desktop-speakers.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eYU2\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/kanto-yu4-powered-desktop-speakers.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eYU4\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/kanto-yu6-powered-bookshelf-speakers.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eYU6\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e have been extremely popular at Audio Advice with their multiple input choices and great sound. In mid-2019, \u003cstrong\u003eKanto had the idea of taking their very popular YU4 model and offering what we like to call a “Henry Ford” version. They felt not everyone needed all of the inputs and color choices, so why not make something more basic to let music lovers on a tight budget get into really great sound.\u003c\/strong\u003e The Kanto YU is the new model that fulfills their goal and is the subject of today’s review.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike the YU4, the YU is a compact speaker. \u003cstrong\u003eIt is designed to be an all-in-one speaker where the only thing you’ll need is an audio source to start playing some tunes.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhysically the YU is about 9” tall, 5 ½” wide, and 7 ½’ deep. \u003cstrong\u003eWhile not tiny, the YU will easily fit on a bookcase or desktop.\u003c\/strong\u003e Unlike the other Kanto’s, the YU is available in one finish, basic black.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Kanto speakers are designed in Canada and made in China to pretty exacting standards.\u003cstrong\u003e Build quality is first-rate and especially good considering their budget price.\u003c\/strong\u003e And with Kanto being a Canadian company, they have not been it with any tariffs, so the YU is a very good value at its price of $249\/pr.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kanto_yu_froncomputer.jpg\" alt=\"Front view of a pair of Kantu YU powered speakers with Matte Black finish.\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the front of the YU, you’ll find a round knob that serves as a source selector and volume control. You just click it to flip between Bluetooth and the analog inputs, turn it for volume, or push and hold to power the speaker on\/off. In addition to this, \u003cstrong\u003ethe YU comes with a full-function remote control. We really like the fact it has bass, treble, and balance settings on it in addition to what you would normally expect.\u003c\/strong\u003e Kanto even gives you a reset button for each setting to take it back to neutral.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe amplifier and inputs are housed in one speaker that you’ll connect up to the other one using the supplied speaker cable. \u003cstrong\u003eTo meet Kanto’s goal of a budget YU4, they eliminated the digital inputs and phono preamp.\u003c\/strong\u003e You do get an analog input, a subwoofer output, and most importantly for the majority of people, \u003cstrong\u003ethey come with Bluetooth® 4.2 with Qualcomm® aptX™. This is a high-resolution type of Bluetooth that will give you the best sound when streaming from your smartphone.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe speaker components used in the YU are one reason it sounds so good for the money. \u003cstrong\u003eYou’ll get speaker drivers typical of high-performance speakers. The tweeter is a 1” silk dome type and the 4” woofer is made of Kevlar.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo increase efficiency, the YU, like all of the Kanto YU models, has a rear-firing port.\u003c\/strong\u003e This is pretty common on most powered speakers. It does mean that where you place them can impact the sound a bit. \u003cstrong\u003eWe would not recommend putting any rear-ported speaker right against a wall or in a corner as they will get a little boomy.\u003c\/strong\u003e Move them a bit out into the room and you’ll be pleased with the sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe YU has an internal amplifier to power the speaker components.\u003c\/strong\u003e This type of design has a huge advantage in that the designer of the amp knows precisely what type of load the amp is going to be seeing. \u003cstrong\u003eWith this knowledge, the amplifier can be made to be a perfect match for the speakers.\u003c\/strong\u003e Every penny spent on the amp design goes into driving the speakers well rather than planning for any type of speaker situation on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo us,\u003cstrong\u003e it looks like Kanto did a great job of trimming down the YU4 to give people its same great sound with just the loss of the phono and optical inputs\u003c\/strong\u003e (and of course the multitude of color choices too).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kanto_yu_back.jpg\" alt=\"Rear view of Kantu YU powered speakers inputs with Matte Black finish.\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe tried the YU on both some desktop stands and on some speaker stands for a more serious evaluation. For most people, they will probably wind up flat on a tabletop or on the stands. \u003cstrong\u003eWe do recommend (and this holds true for any desktop speaker) that you invest a bit more in a nice pair of desk stands. They will angle the speaker up, but more importantly reduce the interaction of the speaker and your desk, which in our opinion, opens up the midrange.\u003c\/strong\u003e You may wonder why this happens. Flat on a desktop the bass gets a little boomy, which to our ears, muddies up the midrange.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBluetooth connection was quick and easy for us, so we had music playing in a matter of seconds.\u003c\/strong\u003e If you have been doing the audio hobby as long as we have, you may remember a popular speaker from about 4 decades ago. This little speaker turned the audio world on its ear for how good it sounded for so little money. That speaker was the Radio Shack Minimus 7. It was just such a good value. Sitting and listening to the YU reminded us of that speaker! \u003cstrong\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"\/kanto-yu4-powered-desktop-speakers.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eYU4\u003c\/a\u003e, which sounds identical to the YU has always been one of our favorite little powered speakers, but when you get that sound for under $250\/pr you are really getting something special.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe silk dome tweeter Kanto uses is just that, silky smooth. \u003cstrong\u003eFor its small cabinet size, the YU also produces pretty decent bass, although it is by no means the amount of bass energy you will get out of a larger cabinet with a bigger woofer.\u003c\/strong\u003e If you push the YU hard, the bass does get a little boomy compared to bigger speakers, but every speaker of this size we have heard does this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat the YU does very well is present a big soundstage that allows you to separate out all the individual instruments and performers.\u003c\/strong\u003e They do this especially well on floor stands. Another thing that struck us is how pleasant they are to listen to at low volume levels. For a lot of people, we see them being used this way for background music while working at your desk. \u003cstrong\u003eThe sound is very smooth and sweet so you’ll be able to play them for hours without getting any fatigue.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you do get a recording with accented bass that may be too much or one lacking in bass, this is where the tone controls on the remote will come in really handy. \u003cstrong\u003eThe fact you can fine-tune the YU to your music and\/or room is pretty amazing in the price range.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt sounds to us that Kanto made the decision to go for a pure, smooth sound, rather than create something capable of filling a big room with loud sound that might not be as pure.\u003c\/strong\u003e Within their limits, these are great-sounding little speakers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/kanto_yu_stands_1.jpg\" alt=\"Kanto YU Powered Speakers in Matte Black on Kanto speaker stands and connected to a computer.\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is hard to find a decent bookshelf speaker these days for under $250\/pr, much less one that has amplifiers built-in. \u003cstrong\u003eDon’t get us wrong, the YU is not the end-all to speakers, but for the money, it is one heck of a performer.\u003c\/strong\u003e If you are just starting to put together your first audio system and are on a budget, these must be on your list. Or if you want to improve your computer sound, they will be great there as well. Also, if you need a phono preamp and\/or optical inputs, the YU4 will give you these options for a few more dollars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kanto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45319995949079,"sku":"KANTO:YU","price":52.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/0639\/6439\/files\/pp9k4laj1e21_9cdbbda1-6812-49bb-9636-09fb85392c0e.jpg?v=1784655974"},{"product_id":"peachtree-m-base-desktop-speaker-stands-met3sm","title":"Peachtree M Base Desktop Speaker Stands","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Peachtree Audio M BASE is a heavy rubber base that provides acoustic isolation for any speaker on a desktop or bookshelf. On the desktop, the M BASE angles your speakers upward at the ideal angle for best sound and stereo imaging. The M BASE is a perfect match for Peachtree's M24 and M25 powered speakers!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Peachtree","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45320006434839,"sku":"PT:MBASE","price":5.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/0639\/6439\/files\/9aovjrd19dfi_99201615-2687-4ecd-bbae-da0391ab5bcf.jpg?v=1784656165"},{"product_id":"kef-lsx-ii-wireless-hifi-speakers-tx8kfn","title":"KEF LSX II Wireless HiFi Speakers","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are a lot of great powered wireless speakers on the market, but we have to say, the KEF LSX II All-In-One Speaker gets you into the world of true high fidelity with a sound that betters most amp \u0026amp; speaker combinations at this price point. They have the look and feel of a true luxury product with a design, fit, and finish you’d expect on multi-thousand dollar speakers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"KEF LSX II\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/kef_lsxii_lineup.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of you have probably heard of the British speaker company \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/kef\"\u003eKEF\u003c\/a\u003e, but for those of you new to audio, KEF has been around since 1961. In 1988 they developed and patented their Uni-Q driver, which was the first true coincident source driver the world had ever seen. Ever since reproduced sound was first invented, engineers have been trying to achieve the perfect speaker. Many people believe the perfect speaker would be a single sphere that produced the complete range of sound. So far, no one has invented that, but aligning the tweeter with the woofer takes you pretty close to this concept, which is why KEF was able to patent their Uni-Q technology. KEF has been improving their Uni-Q driver ever since and the LSX II is a great example of how well it can perform.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe had a blast with our evaluation units and we wanted to share with you everything we found when playing around with these great speakers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eDesign \u0026amp; Build Quality\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, the luxury experience starts right when you open the box. These have a very unique box in that once you take off the tape, the front of the box folds down and you simply slide the packing piece the speakers are in out of the box, which makes it so much easier to pull them out. KEF even has instructions to grab them from the sides so you do not accidentally damage the Uni-Q driver. This is just a first class touch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"KEF LSX II Unboxing\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/unboxing1.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_half col_last\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"KEF LSX II Unboxing\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/unboxing2.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese guys are pretty small at about 9” tall, 6” wide, and 7” deep. You’ll get 5 great finish options of gloss red, black, blue, white, a special finish called Soundwave by Terence Conran with the Uni-Q driver having a different color for each type. The fit and finish is at a luxury deluxe level — they are just beautiful!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey have a very small raised piece on the bottom with four little feet that raise them up a tiny bit off the surface. Those feet are also sticky to hold them still, which is a well known way to improve the sound of a small speaker. The idea is you don’t want a light weight small speaker to slide around when you crank things up. Audiophiles have been using blue tack on small speakers for this reason for decades. KEF also makes an \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/kef\/kef-s1-speaker-stands-for-use-with-lsx-ii-speaker-pair\"\u003eoptional floor stand\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/kef\/kef-b1-wall-bracket-for-lsx-ii\"\u003ewall bracket\u003c\/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/kef\/kef-p1-desk-pad-for-lsx-ii-pair\"\u003edesktop stand\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eFeatures \u0026amp; Technology\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rear of the LSX II has a port in the corner and a great variety of connections. You have optical in, USB C in, analog in, and HDMI Arc. There is a connection for wired ethernet and another to connect the slave speaker to the main speaker. Across the top are Bluetooth pairing, KEF wireless sub pairing, and a reset button. And there is a subwoofer — out and let us tell you — this is not your typical wireless speaker subwoofer out. More on that later…\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"KEF LSX II Back View\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/lsxii_back_white.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany computer speakers have all of the amplifiers in the main unit and connect to the second one with just a speaker cable. The LSX II takes things a step further with the amps built into each unit. There is a 70 watt amp for the woofer portion and a 30 watt amp for the tweeter. These amps are obviously fine tuned to each driver which always gives powered speakers like this a leg up. Having a separate amp for each speaker component with electronic rather than passive crossovers is a much better way to go. You normally get a much more effortless and open sound, which is certainly the case with these.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a full plethora of music streaming available with Airplay 2, Chromecast, UPnP, Roon, and Bluetooth 4.2. Built-in services include Spotify via Spotify Connect, Tidal via Tidal Connect, Amazon Music, Qobuz, Deezer, and Internet Radio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe DACs inside the LSX II are capable of accepting High Res audio up to 384kHz\/24bit. The sample rate downgrades for Optical. If you are serious about better sound quality, you should use the wired connection between the speakers as that will take you from 48k to 96k.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"KEF LSX II\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DSC00007.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe initially set these up in what would be considered a medium sized room of about 14 by 21 with 9 foot ceilings. The quick start guide tells you to download the KEF app first, but we just found them on our iPhone as a network, clicked it and they connected quickly, then we downloaded the KEF app. We then used both \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/try.qobuz.com\/society-digital-en\/?code=1212149A\u0026amp;utm_source=society\u0026amp;utm_medium=web\u0026amp;utm_campaign=society-us-digital\u0026amp;qbzs=society\u0026amp;qbzc=society-us-digital\"\u003eQobuz\u003c\/a\u003e and Tidal for streaming testing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKEF must have some serious computer engineering behind their app as it is the best we have ever seen for a wireless speaker. We don’t think you will ever want to use the little remote that comes with the speakers after seeing their app.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor starters, it is very clear and well laid out with your inputs across the top and your other streaming options logically grouped together right below. It is super easy to find music to play and KEF gives you many options on how the speakers behave. You can adjust the power saving modes, the wake up source, the LED light, and more. If you need to physically put the right primary speaker with all the connections on the left side of your room, you can flip them in the app. You also get some great volume settings that let you fine tune the way the remote or smart device works, and set a max level. They are just super flexible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"KEF LSX II on bookshelf\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/lsxii_on_shelf.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the real magic happens when you push the little EQ button. Ask any speaker engineer what has the most impact on how their speakers will sound, and they will tell you it’s the room. But the average person setting their first pair of true high fidelity speakers normally does not have the knowledge a seasoned speaker designer might have on the things you can do with a speaker like this to vastly improve how it sounds in your room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKEF brilliantly gives you two different types of adjustment menus — normal and expert. You will need to name a profile to get started, but the first question presented is if you want normal or expert mode. In expert mode, you have access to all of the actual frequency settings to adjust the speaker. But their brilliance comes in with normal mode, where you just walk through a few questions to adjust the speaker performance to your room. As you can see from the screenshots below, it asks if the speaker is on a stand or a desk. Then you tell the speaker about the distances in relation to the room and if on a table top. Next, you’ll tell the LSX II how lively or dead your room is and the relative size of your room. For the sections people might have questions on, there is a little pop up with answers. Should you add a sub, this is also super easy. You can choose from the KEF subs or do a custom setting where you again answer some simple questions to dial things in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"KEF LSX II Screenshots\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/kef_lsxii_screenshots.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is just so cool! Through technology, KEF is enabling someone who might be a novice, but wants better sound to quickly do what could take a long time otherwise. If you are an audio geek like us, you will love the expert side, especially the subwoofer settings. You can set both high and low pass, sub polarity, and gain — very slick. And inside both settings, if you are using a KEF wireless adapter, you turn that on to account for the latency in the wireless signal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003ePerformance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe first used the normal mode to quickly set them up, then started listening. One big claim of the KEF Uni-Q driver is how evenly it disperses the sound, so even if you are sitting pretty far off-axis, you still get a great stereo image. To our ears, these speakers really showed that off. We could sit directly in front of one speaker and still hear a great stereo soundstage. But, as you might expect, when we sat dead center, it was even wider and deeper with great precision in the location of instruments.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first cut we played was Free Falling from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. You could swear from the midbass and up, we thought we were listening to a far more expensive set of speakers. Every individual instrument is totally separated from the others with an effortlessness to the sound that you get on very high-end gear. Granted, these do not go that deep in the bass, but what is there, after you fine tune them to your room, is very pleasing to the ear with great tonal quality. You can really tell these come from a speaker company who knows how to make seriously great sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe height=\"90\" width=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.qobuz.com\/track\/62242011?lang=en\u0026amp;zone=us-en\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter about two minutes, another aspect jumped out. We were tapping our toes and bobbing our heads up and down, really getting into the rhythm of the music. The more tracks we played that had a lot of swing and rhythm, the more we realized, these little speakers really get the timing right, which draws you into the music.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother cut that sounded really good was Bleed to Love Her on “The Dance” by Fleetwood Mac. This is a Lindsay Buckingham song with a lot of fast guitar. We could hear every nuance on this track. We did notice on this cut, at a higher volume level, the room was probably too big for the speakers as they were getting a tiny bit boomy on the deep bass. But boy, the guitar plucks were just spectacular.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe height=\"90\" width=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/widget.qobuz.com\/track\/2840462?lang=en\u0026amp;zone=us-en\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe then decided to connect up the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/shop-by-brand\/kef\/kef-kc62-subwoofer\"\u003eKEF KC62 sub\u003c\/a\u003e to the speakers. With this being on their list of subs in the app, you could see in expert mode where it finely tuned both the low and high pass settings. We replayed those two cuts and boy, having that bottom octave really made things come to life. As you would expect, the bass now reached deep and had far more punch, but the speakers seemed a bit more open and effortless as adding the sub took the deep bass demands off the midrange driver. When we went back to Free Falling, we felt the timing with the sub on was not quite as engaging as with it off, so we played around with it on and off and confirmed to our ears that the rhythm and pacing was better with the speaker by itself. This makes sense since without a sub we were back to a fairly perfect point source. Overall though, the benefits of the sub far outweigh this little nitpick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you also want to take your great new music speakers and improve your TV sound, the HDMI Arc connection will make that a snap. Your TV remote will take over the volume control of the speakers when you turn on your TV and it will switch instantly to that input. Even if you have an older TV without an Arc connection, you could use the optical input without the volume feature. This application is where having the sub will really make you smile as that little KC62 can do great justice to those big special effects.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_full\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"KEF LSX II on Bookshelf\" src=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvice.com\/wordpress2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/DSC00070.jpg\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col_narrow\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 class=\"hp-title\"\u003eOverall Recommendation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe do think the LSX II without the sub is best suited for small to mid sized rooms or desktop use. When you try and push them really hard, which you would need to do in a large room, you can sense a bit of strain and they just can not move enough air to fill the space. But if you add a KEF sub, that is a different story!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe really have to hand it to KEF with the new LSX II speakers. They created a speaker capable of producing absolutely amazing sound, but they also thought about how the speaker will react in a room and how to make it very simple for anyone to get the best sound possible from their speakers with very little effort. The LSX II is not inexpensive but you get a beautifully built luxury product that will give you sound like you would expect from separate components. With the option of either starting out with a sub or adding one later to turn these into a true full range speaker, they may be all many people need to enjoy music like they have never experienced before for decades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"KEF","offers":[{"title":"Carbon Black","offer_id":45320071774231,"sku":"KEF:LSXII-BLK-PR","price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cotton White","offer_id":45320071806999,"sku":"KEF:LSXII-COTTON-PR","price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Soundwave","offer_id":45320071839767,"sku":"KEF:LSXII-SOUNDWAVE-PR","price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Amber Haze","offer_id":45320071872535,"sku":"KEF:LSXII-LT-AMB","price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/0639\/6439\/files\/q6jgbn997psp_98e63213-c18f-4dd7-854e-a6d77197c33f.jpg?v=1784657607"}],"url":"https:\/\/audiodvice.shop\/collections\/home-audio-speakers-computer-speakers.oembed","provider":"Wild Fern Baby Essentials","version":"1.0","type":"link"}