In this review, we will be comparing YU and SS-CS5, two Bookshelf speakers from Kanto and Sony. The main difference between these two speakers is that the Kanto YU is a Powered speaker which means that it has a built-in amplifier inside the speaker body so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp whereas the Sony SS-CS5 is a Passive speaker so has to be matched with an amplifier to get any sound from it.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Kanto YU and Sony SS-CS5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Kanto YU Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 70-watt RMS( 140-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 4" Kevlar Woofer
- 60-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 192 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in 4.2 Bluetooth
- Weight:2.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 220.0" x 5.5" x 7.5"( 220.0 x 140.0 x 190.0mm )
Sony SS-CS5 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 0.75" Super Tweeter
- 5.25" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer
- 53-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:4.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 335.0" x 7.0" x 8.6"( 335.0 x 178.0 x 220.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Kanto YU and Sony SS-CS5 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that YU 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.
| Driver |
Kanto YU |
Sony SS-CS5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Super Tweeter
|
- |
0.75-inch |
|
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 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 has a frequency range of 60-20k Hz whereas SS-CS5 has a frequency range of 53-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 53Hz, the SS-CS5 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 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
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 Sony SS-CS5'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 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 38mm wider, 115mm taller and 30mm deeper than Kanto YU.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Kanto YU and Sony SS-CS5 in scale.
Comparison image of Kanto YU 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 is approximately 266.0cm2 / 41.2inch2 and base area of the Sony SS-CS5 is approximately 391.6cm2 / 60.7inch2. The YU requires 32% less surface area than the SS-CS5 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 Sony SS-CS5 on a Media Console
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