[ajzepp]

Hey guys...

I've been debating on whether to post this, but since it's been a while that I've contributed to the Cheap and Cheerful Circle, figured I'd give it a go.

So I've been wanting to add some inexpensive speakers to the bedroom tv for a while...it's often the most comfortable place to watch a movie with the lady friend and the dogs, because we're often both so tired, and the tv sound just wasn't cutting it. I already have a fair bit of money tied up in gear, so wanted something...well...cheap and cheerful.

I made the mistake of going on Massdrop at the suggestion of a fellow AC'er a while back, and every so often I check out what's new. These Kanto speakers came up and the functionality really impressed me. Not only did the speakers get decent marks for sound (based on my online research and Amazon reviews) but they're powered (class D, which I've really come to like), they are bluetooth ready...they have a built-in dac and can accept an optical input...they have an RCA input...a sub-out jack...and they even come with a remote. That's a whole lot of function in a pair of speakers! Given the Massdrop price, it was a no-brainer.

Overally I'm very happy with this purchase. The sound is actually quite full. They have quite a large sound stage even with less than ideal placement (flanking the display, sitting on the surface of the shelf/bookcase), they have decent low end extension for a pair of monitors, and overall the sound is pretty good. Although I can't say that I would recommend them if you're ONLY focused on a pair of monitors for the sound alone, if you are in need of functionality AND good sound, these are really a great buy.

I also added the subwoofer, mainly because it was a good group buy price, and I think for the money it's a solid buy, as well. For not much more something like an Outlaw M8 would be my choice, but the Kanto Sub8 is a good little sub if you can get it for under two bills. Very nice looking.

[S Clark]

Link?

[ajzepp]

http://www.kantoliving.com/product/yu5/

[Doublej]

How little did you snag them for?

[ajzepp]

Looks like they are already back on Massdrop since they were so popular

https://www.massdrop.com/buy/kanto-yu5-speaker-system?referer=2VQB9C&mode=guest_open&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Audiophile%20A%20Product%20Announcement%202015-10-05&utm_term=Community%20-%20Audiophile%20-%20MAU%20%28Active%29

[kbuzz3]

how do they look on a desktop? too large?  Wish they were the Yu2 the smaller model.

[megabigeye]

Nice!

My girlfriend and I were thinking of getting these as a belated wedding gift for some friends, but ultimately we couldn't make up our minds.

I'm wondering what functions you've used?  Bluetooth?  DAC?  Specifically, how do voices in movies sound with the DAC?  I originally had the idea of getting them speakers or a soundbar when we were watching a movie and kept having to turn the volume up during dialog and down again during action/soundtrack.
Also, do you know if you can use a universal remote with these?
Finally, how easy are these to set up?  I mean, if you were a complete neophyte to audio would they be easy?  The couple in question would probably be more interested in the ease and aesthetic of a soundbar, but we couldn't find anything that looked satisfactory.

Thanks!

PS-- yes, I do realize that you're original post was from nearly a month ago.  Just hoping that you happen to see this.

PPS-- Also, sorry for the barrage of questions!  I just got excited to see somebody that has experience with these and may have gotten a little carried away. 

[ajzepp]

Hey guys...

Kbuzz: That's hard to answer. I think they're quite nice looking, but they're not really small. They're pretty typical of an average monitor speaker in terms of size. I personally wouldn't feel they were too big for a desktop, but then again they're not small like Audioengine A2s (speakers I previously owned).

Mega: I think these would make a great gift, personally. To reiterate what I said in my previous post, if ultimate sound quality for the money is the goal, these are not the best option. They sound quite good at this price point, but the value is in the ridiculous amount of functionality AND the class D amplification. That being said, I use them mainly with a toslink cable coming from my panasonic plasma (still can't believe there are no damn RCA outputs on this display!!) and into the Kantos...so yes, I use the digital input and and internal DAC all the time. I have also tested out the other inputs to make sure they worked, and they all went off without a hitch. The blutooth doesn't sound as good as the digital or RCA inputs, but I'm assuming that's true of any blutooth connection (this is my first time really using blutooth for audio, so not much of a frame of reference). The RCA inputs work great...I ran a mini-to-RCA cable from my iPhone/Oppo HA-2 into the Kantos.

I do end up raising/lowering the volume with movies, but I think that's more because the darn audio engineers go nuts with the sound effects...but the vocals and overall sound is MUCH cleaner and enveloping with these speakers vs just the tv alone...and to me, that's the greatest application for them...turning a display with boring sound into something more dynamic and engaging. I'm not sure about a universal remote, to be honest. The remote it comes with works great, though. I still can't believe they came with a damn remote!!!! lol  And yes, set up could NOT be easier...all the functionality is integrated into the speaker housing...all you do is connect one wire between the speakers, and then input whatever source you want to input, and then turn 'em on. It literally couldn't be easier. The sound is enjoyable, just not audiophile quality. But seriously, you cannot beat the value of these things...blutooth, dac, optical input, rca input, remote, amp...it's crazy. Build quality is solid, as well. If there is a better option out there that does all of this for the money, I don't know what it is.

Also, even though I have a monster sub that obliterates everything else on earth (well, not really...but it's nice lol), I really do like the little Kanto sub to pair with these. Again, it's just one cable, because the damn speakers also have a sub-out jack (lol). Just set the crossover point to around 50-60hz and adjust the sub volume to blend, and you're golden. Set it and forget it. It offers a pretty nice little kick. Massdrop usually has both at the same time, and you can get them all for a steal. I could have been very happy with just the speakers, though. They throw a nice soundstage and even have some decent bass.

I really, really love this ensemble.

[JLM]

Looks like one of the most flexible powered/active monitors available in this price range.  I've been researching this product niche for awhile.  Other promising products I've found in the $300-600 range include Adam F5, Focal Alpha 50, JBL LSR305, Paradigm A2, and Vanatoo Transparent One.  Going beyond starts to get into studio monitors that typically have a dry/analytical wart seeking nature that can fatigue, but are what are used to make the recordings we all love.

Recommend trying IsoAcoustic stands.

[megabigeye]

ajzepp,
Thanks for the detailed reply!
Ultimate sound reproduction isn't a real concern since the couple in question aren't audiophiles.  Currently they watch TV just using the built-in speakers and use some sort of portable Bluetooth speaker when they want to listen to music.  So I thought, why not kill two birds with one stone?
It's good to know that it's easy to set up; that's one of the main reasons I thought they might prefer a soundbar.
It's a little bit too bad that you still have to raise and lower the volume, but maybe you're right and it is the sound engineering.
Universal remote compatibility is probably a non-issue either way, as they don't currently have one.  But they do have remotes for DVDs, TV and cable box already, so I thought adding a fourth might make it all a jumble.  Mostly I was thinking down the road for them.
We're not thinking of getting them the sub.  They live in a fairly small NYC apartment and I don't think they would miss it...  unless you think it's entirely deficient without it?

Thanks again for your detailed reply, and I'm glad to hear that you like the speakers so much!

JLM,
I also looked at the Vanatoo and JBL, but the inclusion of DAC, Bluetooth, and remote on the Kantos just makes them vastly simpler to use and set up.  And those are all features that I don't think our friends would be willing to do without.


  I think we may end up going ahead and getting these...  or maybe checking out one of the smaller models.

[ajzepp]

Mega: I didn't hook up the sub for the first couple weeks (I was too lazy to change a few things around to make room for it lol), and I think the little Kantos sound pretty full for monitors. I could have been very happy just running them alone. The sub-out jack is nice in case someone wants to add one later down the road.

PS: To give you guys an idea of the sound, the Kantos remind me a lot of JBLs...I know JBL makes a lot of speakers, but these Kantos sound very similar to that JBL house sound (generally speaking).

[srb]

For those that want a "one box" solution, the exact same configuration is available as the SYD6.

It sounds better than most soundbars in its price range (with 2 x 5.25" woofers and 2 x 1" silk dome tweeters + 40W rms per channel that's not too surprising), but placement may present more of a challenge for some installations as it's 7.3" high and 8.8" deep.

 

[megabigeye]

Great!  Thanks for the info, ajzepp.  Good to know.
An ex-girlfriend had a pair of JBL bookshelf speakers...  If only I could remember how they sounded!

srb, yeah, I looked at that a while ago but kind of figured that it might be difficult to place, like you said.  Somewhere I wrote down what sort of TV they have, so I'll look that up and see if it looks like it would interfere with the IR receiver...  Not to mention what sort of space they have in front of the TV.

There's also the Grandstand, but the only review I can find makes it seem pretty mediocre.

PS, sorry for hijacking this thread.