In this review, we will be comparing Reference 9 2023 and Evoke 30, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Canton and Dynaudio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Canton Reference 9 2023 and Dynaudio Evoke 10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Canton Reference 9 2023 | Dynaudio Evoke 10 |
|---|
| Brand | Canton
Germany · founded 1972 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1.1" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 5.5" Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-40k Hz | 47-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 84 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 125-220 watts | up to 160 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.14kg / 39.9lbs | 6.70kg / 14.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17.7" x 10.2" x 15.4"
449.6 x 259.1 x 391.2mm | 12.4" x 7.1" x 10.5"
315.0 x 180.0 x 266.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Canton Reference 9 2023 and Dynaudio Evoke 10 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 9 2023 |
Dynaudio Evoke 10 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Poor |
(* 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 9 2023 and Evoke 30 are 2-way speakers.
Canton Reference 9 2023Dynaudio Evoke 10
TweeterWoofer
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 9 2023 |
Dynaudio Evoke 10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
Reference 9 2023 features a 1" Aluminum ceramic oxyd Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the Evoke 30 features a 1.1" Cerotar with Hexis Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1400Hz.
Frequency Response
Reference 9 2023 has a frequency range of 25-40k Hz whereas Evoke 30 has a frequency range of 47-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Reference 9 2023 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Evoke 30's min frequency of 47Hz.
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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Reference 9 2023 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Evoke 30 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Reference 9 2023 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Reference 9 2023 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Evoke 30's is rated at 84 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Canton Reference 9 2023 a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Evoke 10, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 9 2023 can handle a max power of 220 watts RMS, whereas Evoke 30 has a max power handling value of 160 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the Reference 9 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 9 2023 features Binding post type posts and Evoke 30 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Dynaudio Evoke 10's Binding post terminals
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 9 2023's and Dynaudio Evoke 10's external dimensions. Canton Reference 9 2023 has external dimensions of 449.6 x 259.1 x 391.2mm (17.7 x 10.2 x 15.4inch) whereas Dynaudio Evoke 10 has external dimensions of 315.0 x 180.0 x 266.0mm (12.4 x 7.1 x 10.5inch).
Canton Reference 9 2023 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 79.1mm wider, 134.6mm taller and 125.2mm deeper than Dynaudio Evoke 10.
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 9 2023 needs about 112% more floor or shelf area. Canton Reference 9 2023 is 125mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Canton Reference 9 2023 is 135mm 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 9 2023 is approximately 1013.6cm2 / 157.1inch2 and base area of the Dynaudio Evoke 10 is approximately 478.8cm2 / 74.2inch2. The Reference 9 2023 requires 112% more surface area than the Evoke 30 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 Canton Reference 9 2023 weighs 18.14kg / 39.9lbs and the Dynaudio Evoke 10 weighs 6.70kg / 14.7lbs. This makes the Reference 9 2023 171% heavier than the Evoke 30.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 9 2023 and Evoke 30's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Dynaudio Evoke 10?
Here are the items that come with the Evoke 30:
 Max Input Power |
220 watts
vs
160 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
84 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
47 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
315mm
vs
449mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
478cm2
vs
1013cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3398USD
vs
6300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Canton Reference 9 2023 |
Dynaudio Evoke 10 |
| Brand |
Canton |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
125-220 watts |
up to 160 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
84 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-40k Hz |
47-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
1 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
1400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
449.6mm (17.7") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Width |
259.1mm (10.2") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
391.2mm (15.4") |
266.0mm (10.5") |
| Weight |
18.14kg (39.9lbs) |
6.70kg (14.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
These sit in different price classes - Canton Reference 9 2023 costs roughly 1.9x what Dynaudio Evoke 10 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 | A | Canton Reference 9 2023 digs deeper - 25Hz against 47Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Canton Reference 9 2023 is more sensitive (87dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Dynaudio Evoke 10 is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Canton Reference 9 2023 takes more power (220W vs 160W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Evoke 10 is easier to place; Canton Reference 9 2023 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Dynaudio Evoke 10 is cheaper - $3,398 against $6,300, about 46% less; arguably a different class. |
A Canton Reference 9 2023 B Dynaudio Evoke 10
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: Canton Reference 9 2023 measures better, Dynaudio Evoke 10 costs about about 85% 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 47Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Dynaudio Evoke 10 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Canton Reference 9 2023 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Dynaudio Evoke 10 for a mid-size room and a large room.
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.