In this review, we will be comparing YU4 and A5+N, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Kanto and Audioengine. 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 YU4 and Audioengine A5+N first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Kanto YU4 | Audioengine A5+N |
|---|
| Brand | Kanto
Canada · founded 2007 | Audioengine
United States · founded 2005 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 70-watt RMS (140-watt peak) | 50-watt RMS (75-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 0.75" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4" Kevlar | 5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-20k Hz | 50-22k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 96 kHz | — |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 4.0 | No |
|---|
| Weight | 2.50kg / 5.5lbs | 4.40kg / 9.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8.7" x 5.5" x 7.5"
220.0 x 140.0 x 190.0mm | 10.875" x 7.1888" x 9.75"
276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both YU4 and A5+N are 2-way speakers.
Kanto YU4Audioengine A5+N
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 YU4 |
Audioengine A5+N |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
YU4 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the A5+N features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
YU4 has a frequency range of 60-20k Hz whereas A5+N has a frequency range of 50-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the A5+N can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the YU4's min frequency of 60Hz.
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 YU4 and A5+N 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 YU4's and Audioengine A5+N's external dimensions. Kanto YU4 has external dimensions of 220.0 x 140.0 x 190.0mm (8.7 x 5.5 x 7.5inch) whereas Audioengine A5+N has external dimensions of 276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6mm (10.875 x 7.1888 x 9.75inch).
Audioengine A5+N is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 42.6mm wider, 56.2mm taller and 57.6mm deeper than Kanto YU4.
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.
Audioengine A5+N needs about 70% more floor or shelf area. Audioengine A5+N is 58mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Audioengine A5+N is 56mm 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 Kanto YU4 is approximately 266.0cm2 / 41.2inch2 and base area of the Audioengine A5+N is approximately 452.1cm2 / 70.1inch2. The YU4 requires 41% less surface area than the A5+N which gives it a small advantage 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 Kanto YU4 weighs 2.50kg / 5.5lbs and the Audioengine A5+N weighs 4.40kg / 9.7lbs. This makes the A5+N 76% heavier than the YU4.
Here is a comparison of how YU4 and A5+N'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 YU4?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of YU4:
- Remote with Batteries
- Power Cord
- Speaker Wire (16′)
- 3.5mm Auxiliary Cable (6.5′)
- 8 x Rubber Feet
- Manual
What's in the Box of Audioengine A5+N?
Here are the items that come with the A5+N:
- Powered left speaker
- Passive right speaker
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Remote control (with installed CR2025 battery)
- 12.5-feet Length of 16 gauge speaker wire
- 6.5-feet Stereo mini-jack cable (3.5mm mini-jack on both ends)
- 6-feet Stereo RCA cable
- Cloth drawstring cable bag
- 2 Cloth drawstring speaker bags
- Setup guide
- Audioengine product brochure
 Height |
220mm
vs
276mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
266cm2
vs
452cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
450USD
vs
469USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 USB Port |
Charge only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 Phono Input |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your turntable directly |
 Digital Input |
Optical (2)
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
 Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
|
USB Port |
Charge only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
| General |
Kanto YU4 |
Audioengine A5+N |
| Brand |
Kanto |
Audioengine |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
60-20k Hz |
50-22k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
70-watt RMS |
50-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
140-watt RMS |
75-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
n/a |
| Max Sample Rate |
96 kHz |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Kevlar |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
0.75" |
| 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") |
276.2mm (10.9") |
| Width |
140.0mm (5.5") |
182.6mm (7.2") |
| Depth |
190.0mm (7.5") |
247.6mm (9.7") |
| Weight |
2.50kg (5.5lbs) |
4.40kg (9.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black, Bamboo, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm, RCA |
3.5mm, RCA |
| USB Port |
Charge only |
Charge only |
| Phone Input |
Yes |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
Optical (2) |
No |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
3 Years |
A generation apart: Kanto YU4 is the newer design, against a 2011 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Audioengine A5+N digs deeper - 50Hz against 60Hz. |
| Built-in power | A | Kanto YU4 has the bigger amplifier (70W vs 50W RMS). |
| Connections | A | Kanto YU4 adds Bluetooth, phono and digital inputs. |
| Size | depends | Kanto YU4 is easier to place; Audioengine A5+N is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Kanto YU4: a sub output; Audioengine A5+N: a sub output. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($450 vs $469 a pair). |
A Kanto YU4 B Audioengine A5+N
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?
Kanto YU4 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Audioengine A5+N has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Kanto YU4 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.