In this review, we will be comparing Reference 5 2023 and Reference 2 2023, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Canton.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Canton Reference 5 2023 and Canton Reference 2 2023 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Canton Reference 5 2023 | Canton Reference 2 2023 |
|---|
| Brand | Canton
Germany · founded 1972 | Canton
Germany · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.85" | 6.85" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.66" Black ceramic tungsten | 2 x 8.62" Black ceramic tungsten |
|---|
| Frequency response | 21-40k Hz | 19-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 200-370 watts | 370-630 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.92kg / 79lbs | 61.69kg / 135.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40" x 11.8" x 18"
1016.0 x 299.7 x 457.2mm | 45.6" x 13.7" x 20.9"
1158.2 x 348.0 x 530.9mm |
|---|
What size room are the Canton Reference 5 2023 and Canton Reference 2 2023 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Canton Reference 5 2023 |
Canton Reference 2 2023 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Reference 5 2023 and Reference 2 2023 are 3-way speakers.
Canton Reference 5 2023Canton Reference 2 2023
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Canton Reference 5 2023 |
Canton Reference 2 2023 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.85-inch |
1 x 6.85-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.66-inch
|
2 x 8.62-inch
|
Reference 5 2023 features a 1" Aluminum oxyd ceramic Tweeter, a 6.85" Midrange and 2 x 8.66" Black ceramic tungsten Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 170 / 3000 Hz. On the other hand, the Reference 2 2023 features a 1" Aluminum oxyd ceramic Tweeter, a 6.85" Midrange and 2 x 8.62" Black ceramic tungsten Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 160 / 3000 Hz.
Frequency Response
Reference 5 2023 has a frequency range of 21-40k Hz whereas Reference 2 2023 has a frequency range of 19-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the Reference 2 2023 can go slightly deeper then the Reference 5 2023's min frequency of 21Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
Reference 5 2023 and Reference 2 2023 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Reference 5 2023 and the Reference 5 2023 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Reference 2 2023 can handle a max power of 630 watts RMS, whereas Reference 5 2023 has a max power handling value of 370 watts RMS, 260 watts less than the Reference 2 2023.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Reference 5 2023 features Binding post type posts and Reference 2 2023 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Canton Reference 5 2023's and Canton Reference 2 2023's external dimensions. Canton Reference 5 2023 has external dimensions of 1016.0 x 299.7 x 457.2mm (40 x 11.8 x 18inch) whereas Canton Reference 2 2023 has external dimensions of 1158.2 x 348.0 x 530.9mm (45.6 x 13.7 x 20.9inch).
Canton Reference 2 2023 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 48.3mm wider, 142.2mm taller and 73.7mm deeper than Canton Reference 5 2023.
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.
Canton Reference 2 2023 needs about 35% more floor or shelf area. Canton Reference 2 2023 is 74mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Canton Reference 2 2023 is 142mm 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 Canton Reference 5 2023 is approximately 1370.2cm2 / 212.4inch2 and base area of the Canton Reference 2 2023 is approximately 1847.5cm2 / 286.4inch2. The Reference 5 2023 requires 26% less surface area than the Reference 2 2023 which gives it a small advantage 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 Canton Reference 5 2023 weighs 35.92kg / 79lbs and the Canton Reference 2 2023 weighs 61.69kg / 135.7lbs. This makes the Reference 2 2023 72% heavier than the Reference 5 2023.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 5 2023 and Reference 2 2023's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Woofer Size |
8.66 inches
vs
8.62 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1016mm
vs
1158mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1370cm2
vs
1847cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
13000USD
vs
23000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
630 watts
vs
370 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
21 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Canton Reference 5 2023 |
Canton Reference 2 2023 |
| Brand |
Canton |
Canton |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
200-370 watts |
370-630 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
21-40k Hz |
19-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.66" |
8.62" |
| Woofer Composition |
Black ceramic tungsten |
Black ceramic tungsten |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.85" |
6.85" |
| Crossover Frequency |
170 / 3000 Hz |
160 / 3000 Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1016.0mm (40") |
1158.2mm (45.6") |
| Width |
299.7mm (11.8") |
348.0mm (13.7") |
| Depth |
457.2mm (18") |
530.9mm (20.9") |
| Weight |
35.92kg (79lbs) |
61.69kg (135.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
These sit in different price classes - Canton Reference 2 2023 costs roughly 1.8x what Canton Reference 5 2023 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (21Hz vs 19Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Canton Reference 2 2023 takes more power (630W vs 370W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Canton Reference 5 2023 is easier to place; Canton Reference 2 2023 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Canton Reference 5 2023 is cheaper - $13,000 against $23,000, about 43% less; arguably a different class. |
A Canton Reference 5 2023 B Canton Reference 2 2023
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?
Canton Reference 2 2023 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 77% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Canton Reference 5 2023 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Canton Reference 2 2023 appeals to you. Match it to your room: we rate Canton Reference 5 2023 the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and Canton Reference 2 2023 for a large room and a very large room. In a large or open-plan room, Canton Reference 2 2023 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Canton Reference 5 2023 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.