In this review, we will be comparing YU Passive 5.25-inch and SS-CS5, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Kanto and Sony.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch and Sony SS-CS5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch | Sony SS-CS5 |
|---|
| Brand | Kanto
Canada · founded 2007 | Sony
Japan · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Super tweeter | — | 0.75" super tweeter |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" kevlar | 5.25" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-20k Hz | 53-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | up to 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.00kg / 8.8lbs | 4.50kg / 9.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.7" x 6.9" x 8.1"
272.0 x 175.0 x 205.0mm | 13.1" x 7.0" x 8.6"
335.0 x 178.0 x 220.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch and Sony SS-CS5 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* |
Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch |
Sony SS-CS5 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that YU Passive 5.25-inch is a 2-way design whereas the SS-CS5 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inchSony SS-CS5
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 YU Passive 5.25-inch |
Sony SS-CS5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Super Tweeter
|
- |
0.75-inch |
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
YU Passive 5.25-inch features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the SS-CS5 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 0.75" Supertweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer.
Frequency Response
YU Passive 5.25-inch has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz whereas SS-CS5 has a frequency range of 53-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the YU Passive 5.25-inch can go slightly deeper then the SS-CS5's min frequency of 53Hz.
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
YU Passive 5.25-inch and SS-CS5 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. YU Passive 5.25-inch sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the SS-CS5's is at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch a more sensitive speaker compared to Sony SS-CS5, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
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.
Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
YU Passive 5.25-inch features Post type posts and SS-CS5 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Sony SS-CS5's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both YU Passive 5.25-inch and SS-CS5 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 YU Passive 5.25-inch's and Sony SS-CS5's external dimensions. Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch has external dimensions of 272.0 x 175.0 x 205.0mm (10.7 x 6.9 x 8.1inch) whereas Sony SS-CS5 has external dimensions of 335.0 x 178.0 x 220.0mm (13.1 x 7.0 x 8.6inch).
Sony SS-CS5 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 3mm wider, 63mm taller and 15mm deeper than Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch and Sony SS-CS5 in scale.
Comparison image of Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch and Sony SS-CS5 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 YU Passive 5.25-inch is approximately 358.8cm2 / 55.6inch2 and base area of the Sony SS-CS5 is approximately 391.6cm2 / 60.7inch2. The YU Passive 5.25-inch requires 8% less surface area than the SS-CS5 which gives it a small advantage 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 YU Passive 5.25-inch and Sony SS-CS5 on a Media Console
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 Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch weighs 4.00kg / 8.8lbs and the Sony SS-CS5 weighs 4.50kg / 9.9lbs. This makes the SS-CS5 13% heavier than the YU Passive 5.25-inch.
Here is a comparison of how YU Passive 5.25-inch and SS-CS5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch
What's in the Box of Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of YU Passive 5.25-inch:
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
53 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
272mm
vs
335mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
358cm2
vs
391cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
148USD
vs
240USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch |
Sony SS-CS5 |
| Brand |
Kanto |
Sony |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-20k Hz |
53-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
kevlar |
Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
272.0mm (10.7") |
335.0mm (13.2") |
| Width |
175.0mm (6.9") |
178.0mm (7") |
| Depth |
205.0mm (8.1") |
220.0mm (8.7") |
| Weight |
4.00kg (8.8lbs) |
4.50kg (9.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black,White |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 years |
2 years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 years |
2 years |
These sit in different price classes - Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch costs roughly 1.6x what Sony SS-CS5 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 | Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch digs deeper - 50Hz against 53Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch is easier to place; Sony SS-CS5 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Sony SS-CS5 is cheaper - $148 against $240, about 38% less; arguably a different class. |
A Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch B Sony SS-CS5
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: Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch measures better, Sony SS-CS5 costs about about 62% 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 your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Kanto YU Passive 5.25-inch is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $92 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.