In this review, we will be comparing YU and YU6, 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 YU and Kanto YU6 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
YU and YU6 are members of Kanto's YU Powered series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Kanto YU and Kanto YU6 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both YU and YU6 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Kanto YU |
Kanto YU6 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
YU features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Kevlar Woofer . On the other hand, the YU6 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Kevlar Woofer .
Frequency Response
YU has a frequency range of 60-20k Hz whereas YU6 has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the YU6 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the YU's min frequency of 60Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both YU and YU6 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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's and Kanto YU6's external dimensions. Kanto YU has external dimensions of 220.0 x 140.0 x 190.0mm ( 8.7 x 5.5 x 7.5inch) whereas Kanto YU6 has external dimensions of 272.0 x 175.0 x 205.0mm ( 10.7 x 6.9 x 8.1inch) .
Kanto YU6 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 35mm wider, 52mm taller and 15mm deeper than Kanto YU.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Kanto YU and Kanto YU6 in scale.
Comparison image of Kanto YU and Kanto YU6 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 is approximately 266.0cm2 / 41.2inch2 and base area of the Kanto YU6 is approximately 358.8cm2 / 55.6inch2. The YU requires 26% less surface area than the YU6 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an 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 and Kanto YU6 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 weighs 2.40kg / 5.3lbs and the Kanto YU6 weighs 4.00kg / 8.8lbs. This makes the YU6 67% heavier than the YU.
Here is a comparison of how YU and YU6's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Kanto YU?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of YU:
Remote with Batteries Power Cord Speaker Wire (16-feet) 8 x Rubber Feet Manual
What's in the Box of Kanto YU6?
Here are the items that come with the YU6:
Remote with Batteries Power Cord Speaker Wire (16′) 3.5mm Auxiliary Cable (6.5′) 8 x Rubber Feet Manual
 Height |
220mm
vs
272mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
266cm2 (140x190mm)
vs
358cm2 (175x205mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
540USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 USB Port |
Charge only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 Phono Input |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your turntable directly |
 Digital Input |
Optical (2)
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
| General |
Kanto YU |
Kanto YU6 |
| Brand |
Kanto |
Kanto |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
60-20k Hz |
50-20k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
70-watt RMS |
100-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
140-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
96 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Kevlar |
| 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 |
220.0mm (8.7") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Width |
140.0mm (5.5") |
175.0mm (6.9") |
| Depth |
190.0mm (7.5") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
2.40kg (5.3lbs) |
4.00kg (8.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
bass reflex |
bass reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA |
3.5mm, RCA |
| USB Port |
No |
Charge only |
| Phone Input |
No |
Yes |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
No |
Optical (2) |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 years |
2 Years |