In this review, we will be comparing HD5 and ORA, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Audioengine and Kanto. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Audioengine HD5 and Kanto ORA first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Audioengine HD5 | Kanto ORA |
|---|
| Brand | Audioengine
United States · founded 2005 | Kanto
Canada · founded 2007 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 100-watt RMS (150-watt peak) | 50-watt RMS (100-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.75" Soft-Dome | 0.75" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Aramid | 3" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-22k Hz | 70-22k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 24-bit / 96 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| Weight | 5.70kg / 12.5lbs | 1.00kg / 2.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.125" x 7.1875" x 10.4375"
283.0 x 183.0 x 266.0mm | 6.9375" x 3.9375" x 7.4375"
177.0 x 101.0 x 189.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both HD5 and ORA are 2-way speakers.
Audioengine HD5Kanto ORA
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Audioengine HD5 |
Kanto ORA |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 3-inch
|
HD5 features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Aramid Woofer. On the other hand, the ORA features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 3" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
HD5 has a frequency range of 55-22k Hz whereas ORA has a frequency range of 70-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the HD5 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ORA's min frequency of 70Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HD5 and ORA have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Audioengine HD5's and Kanto ORA's external dimensions. Audioengine HD5 has external dimensions of 283.0 x 183.0 x 266.0mm (11.125inch x 7.1875inch x 10.4375inch) whereas Kanto ORA has external dimensions of 177.0 x 101.0 x 189.0mm (6.94inch x 3.94inch x 7.5inch).
Audioengine HD5 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 82mm wider, 106mm taller and 77mm deeper than Kanto ORA.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Audioengine HD5 needs about 155% more floor or shelf area. Audioengine HD5 is 77mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Audioengine HD5 is 106mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Audioengine HD5 is approximately 486.8cm2 / 75.5inch2 and base area of the Kanto ORA is approximately 190.9cm2 / 29.6inch2. The HD5 requires 155% more surface area than the ORA which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Audioengine HD5 weighs 5.70kg / 12.5lbs and the Kanto ORA weighs 1.00kg / 2.2lbs. This makes the HD5 470% heavier than the ORA.
Here is a comparison of how HD5 and ORA's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Audioengine HD5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of HD5:
- Powered speaker
- Passive speaker
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Remote control (CR2025 battery installed)
- Bluetooth antenna
- 13-feet Speaker cable (banana connectors on each end)
- 5-feet Stereo minijack cable
- 6-feet Stereo RCA cable
- 2 Microfiber speaker bags
- MIcrofiber cable bag
- Quickstart Guide
- Brochure
What's in the Box of Kanto ORA?
Here are the items that come with the ORA:
- Powered speaker
- Passive speaker
- AC power adapter (attached 58
 Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
3 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
70 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 Digital Input |
Optical
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
 Height |
177mm
vs
283mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
190cm2
vs
486cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
349USD
vs
549USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 USB Port |
USB-C
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
|
RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
| General |
Audioengine HD5 |
Kanto ORA |
| Brand |
Audioengine |
Kanto |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
55-22k Hz |
70-22k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
100-watt RMS |
50-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
150-watt RMS |
100-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
96 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
3" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aramid |
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
0.75" |
0.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
283.0mm (11.1") |
177.0mm (7") |
| Width |
183.0mm (7.2") |
101.0mm (4") |
| Depth |
266.0mm (10.5") |
189.0mm (7.4") |
| Weight |
5.70kg (12.5lbs) |
1.00kg (2.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black,Walnut,White |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
No |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA,3.5mm |
RCA |
| USB Port |
No |
USB-C |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Stereo RCA |
mono-RCA |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
No |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
A generation apart: Kanto ORA is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Audioengine HD5 digs deeper - 55Hz against 70Hz. |
| Built-in power | A | Audioengine HD5 has the bigger amplifier (100W vs 50W RMS). |
| Connections | A | Audioengine HD5 adds digital inputs. |
| Size | depends | Kanto ORA is easier to place; Audioengine HD5 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Audioengine HD5: a sub output; Kanto ORA: a sub output. |
| Price | B | Kanto ORA is cheaper - $349 against $549, about 36% less. |
A Audioengine HD5 B Kanto ORA
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Audioengine HD5 measures better, Kanto ORA costs about about 57% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 70Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Kanto ORA much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Audioengine HD5 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Kanto ORA is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.