In this review, we will be comparing ORA4 and ORA, two Powered Bookshelf speakers by 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 Kanto ORA4 and Kanto ORA first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Kanto ORA4 | Kanto ORA |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 70-watt RMS (140-watt peak) | 50-watt RMS (100-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.75" Soft-Dome | 0.75" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4" Aluminum | 3" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-22k Hz | 70-22k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 96 kHz | 24-bit / 96 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| Weight | 1.80kg / 4lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8.3" x 4.7" x 7.2"
210.82 x 119.38 x 182.88mm | 6.9375" x 3.9375" x 7.4375"
177.0 x 101.0 x 189.0mm |
|---|
ORA4 and ORA are members of Kanto's ORA series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Kanto ORA Series
History
|
Model |
Body |
Frequency |
Watts RMS | Max Depth / Sample Rate | Woofer |
 |
Kanto ORA
|
Bookshelf |
70-22k Hz |
50-watt | 24-bit/96 kHzΩ |
1 x 3"
|
 |
Kanto ORA4
|
Bookshelf |
60-22k Hz |
70-watt | 24-bit/96 kHzΩ |
1 x 4"
|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both ORA4 and ORA are 2-way speakers.
Kanto ORA4Kanto 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 |
Kanto ORA4 |
Kanto ORA |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.75-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4-inch
|
1 x 3-inch
|
ORA4 features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Aluminum Woofer. On the other hand, the ORA features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 3" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
ORA4 has a frequency range of 60-22k Hz whereas ORA has a frequency range of 70-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the ORA4 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 ORA4 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 Kanto ORA4's and Kanto ORA's external dimensions. Kanto ORA4 has external dimensions of 210.82 x 119.38 x 182.88mm (8.3inch x 4.7inch x 7.2inch) whereas Kanto ORA has external dimensions of 177.0 x 101.0 x 189.0mm (6.94inch x 3.94inch x 7.5inch).
Kanto ORA is 18mm narrower and 34mm shorter than Kanto ORA4 but it is also 6mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Kanto ORA4 and Kanto ORA in scale.
Comparison image of Kanto ORA4 and Kanto ORA Size and External Dimensions
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 Kanto ORA4 is approximately 217.8cm2 / 33.8inch2 and base area of the Kanto ORA is approximately 190.9cm2 / 29.6inch2. The ORA4 requires 14% more surface area than the ORA which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Kanto ORA4 and Kanto ORA on a Media Console
What's in the Box of Kanto ORA4?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of ORA4:
- 4-pin Speaker Connector (6’)
- Power Cord
- 8 x Rubber Feet
- Quick Start Guide
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