In this review, we will be comparing YU6 and A5+, 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 YU6 and Audioengine A5+ first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Kanto YU6 | Audioengine A5+ |
|---|
| Brand | Kanto
Canada · founded 2007 | Audioengine
United States · founded 2005 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 100-watt RMS | 50-watt RMS (75-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 0.75" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Kevlar | 5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-20k Hz | 50-22k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 96 kHz | — |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 4.0 | No |
|---|
| Weight | 4.00kg / 8.8lbs | 4.40kg / 9.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.7" x 6.9" x 8.1"
272.0 x 175.0 x 205.0mm | 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 YU6 and A5+ are 2-way speakers.
Kanto YU6Audioengine A5+
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 YU6 |
Audioengine A5+ |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
YU6 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the A5+ features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
YU6 has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz whereas A5+ has a frequency range of 50-22k Hz.
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 YU6 and A5+ 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 YU6's and Audioengine A5+'s external dimensions. Kanto YU6 has external dimensions of 272.0 x 175.0 x 205.0mm (10.7 x 6.9 x 8.1inch) whereas Audioengine A5+ has external dimensions of 276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6mm (10.875 x 7.1888 x 9.75inch).
Audioengine A5+ is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 7.6mm wider, 4.2mm taller and 42.6mm deeper than Kanto YU6.
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+ needs about 26% more floor or shelf area. Audioengine A5+ is 43mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 YU6 is approximately 358.8cm2 / 55.6inch2 and base area of the Audioengine A5+ is approximately 452.1cm2 / 70.1inch2. The YU6 requires 21% less surface area than the A5+ 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 YU6 weighs 4.00kg / 8.8lbs and the Audioengine A5+ weighs 4.40kg / 9.7lbs. This makes the A5+ 10% heavier than the YU6.
Here is a comparison of how YU6 and A5+'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 YU6?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of YU6:
- 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+?
Here are the items that come with the A5+:
- 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
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
272mm
vs
276mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
358cm2
vs
452cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 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 |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
540USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
USB Port |
Charge only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
| General |
Kanto YU6 |
Audioengine A5+ |
| Brand |
Kanto |
Audioengine |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
50-20k Hz |
50-22k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
100-watt RMS |
50-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
75-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
n/a |
| Max Sample Rate |
96 kHz |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
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 |
272.0mm (10.7") |
276.2mm (10.9") |
| Width |
175.0mm (6.9") |
182.6mm (7.2") |
| Depth |
205.0mm (8.1") |
247.6mm (9.7") |
| Weight |
4.00kg (8.8lbs) |
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 YU6 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (50Hz vs 50Hz). |
| Built-in power | A | Kanto YU6 has the bigger amplifier (100W vs 50W RMS). |
| Connections | A | Kanto YU6 adds Bluetooth, phono and digital inputs. |
| Size | depends | Kanto YU6 is easier to place; Audioengine A5+ is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Kanto YU6: a sub output; Audioengine A5+: a sub output. Audioengine A5+ sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Audioengine A5+ is cheaper - $399 against $540, about 26% less. |
A Kanto YU6 B Audioengine A5+
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 YU6 measures better, Audioengine A5+ costs about about 35% 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. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $141 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.