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Polk ES15 vs Kanto YU Passive 4-inch Comparison

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Polk ES15

Passive Bookshelf | 44-40k Hz

Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15
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Kanto YU Passive 4-inch

Passive Bookshelf | 60-20k Hz

Kanto YU Passive 4-inch
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Polk ES15 Polk ES15
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Kanto YU Passive 4-inch Kanto YU Passive 4-i...
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Polk ES15
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Kanto YU Passive 4-i...
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Polk ES15 vs Kanto YU Passive 4-inch Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing ES15 and YU Passive 4-inch, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Polk Audio and Kanto.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Polk ES15 and Kanto YU Passive 4-inch first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Polk ES15 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
  • 44-40k Hz Frequency Response
  • 85 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:20-100watts
  • Weight:5.91kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 307.0" x 7-9/16" x 10-3/16"( 307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm )

Kanto YU Passive 4-inch Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 4" Kevlar Woofer
  • 60-20k Hz Frequency Response
  • 86 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 4ohms
  • Weight:2.50kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 220.0" x 5.5" x 7.5"( 220.0 x 140.0 x 190.0mm )

What size room are the Polk ES15 and Kanto YU Passive 4-inch 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* Polk ES15 Kanto YU Passive 4-inch
Near-field Average Good
Small Room Good Good
Mid-size Room Average Average
Large Room Poor Poor
Very Large Room Bad No way

(* 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk ES15 and Kanto YU Passive 4-inch compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both ES15 and YU Passive 4-inch are 2-way speakers.

Driver Polk ES15 Kanto YU Passive 4-inch
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 5.25-inch 1 x 4-inch

ES15 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the YU Passive 4-inch features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Kevlar Woofer .

Frequency Response

ES15 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz whereas YU Passive 4-inch has a frequency range of 60-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the ES15 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the YU Passive 4-inch'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

ES15
YU Passive 4-inch
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Polk ES15
Kanto YU Passive 4-inch
Min
Average
Max

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.

Impedance and Sensitivity

ES15 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the YU Passive 4-inch which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the YU Passive 4-inch can provide this impedance level.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. ES15 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the YU Passive 4-inch's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Kanto YU Passive 4-inch a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk ES15, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

ES15
YU Passive 4-inch
Min
Average
Max

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

ES15 features post type posts and YU Passive 4-inch has a post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Polk ES15 Terminals
Polk ES15's 5-Way post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both ES15 and YU Passive 4-inch 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.

Polk ES15  Port
Polk ES15 Power Port Port

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 Polk ES15's and Kanto YU Passive 4-inch's external dimensions. Polk ES15 has external dimensions of 307.0 x 193.0 x 259.0mm ( 12-1/16 x 7-9/16 x 10-3/16inch) whereas Kanto YU Passive 4-inch has external dimensions of 220.0 x 140.0 x 190.0mm ( 8.7 x 5.5 x 7.5inch) .

Polk ES15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 53mm wider, 87mm taller and 69mm deeper than Kanto YU Passive 4-inch.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk ES15 and Kanto YU Passive 4-inch in scale.

Polk ES15 vs Kanto YU Passive 4-inch Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Polk ES15 and Kanto YU Passive 4-inch 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 Polk ES15 is approximately 499.9cm2 / 77.5inch2 and base area of the Kanto YU Passive 4-inch is approximately 266.0cm2 / 41.2inch2. The ES15 requires 88% more surface area than the YU Passive 4-inch which gives it a small disadvantage 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:

Polk ES15 vs Kanto YU Passive 4-inch Size Comparison on a Media Console
Size Comparison image of Polk ES15 and Kanto YU Passive 4-inch 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 Polk ES15 weighs 5.91kg / 13lbs and the Kanto YU Passive 4-inch weighs 2.50kg / 5.5lbs. This makes the ES15 136% heavier than the YU Passive 4-inch.

Here is a comparison of how ES15 and YU Passive 4-inch's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Polk ES15
Kanto YU Passive 4-inch
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Polk ES15?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of ES15:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grille (attached)
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Wall-mount template
  • Owners Manual
  • Online Product Registration
  • What's in the Box of Kanto YU Passive 4-inch?

    Here are the items that come with the YU Passive 4-inch:
  • 8 x Rubber Feet
  • Manual

  • Reasons to choose Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 over Kanto YU Passive 4-inch
    Max Input Power 100 watts vs 70 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Nominal Impedance 8 ohms vs 4 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
    Woofer Size 5.25 inches vs 4 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 44 Hz vs 60 Hz Generates deeper bass
    High Frequency Response 40k Hz vs 20k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Mounting Bracket Yes vs No Allows mounting on walls

    Reasons to choose Kanto YU Passive 4-inch over Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15

    Sensitivity 86 dB vs 85 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Height 220mm vs 307mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 266cm2 vs 499cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 200USD vs 299USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Polk ES15 vs Kanto YU Passive 4-inch Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Polk Audio Signature Elite ES15 Kanto YU Passive 4-inch
    Brand Polk Audio Kanto
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Bookshelf speakers
    Sensitivity 85 dB 86 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 4 ohms
    Frequency Response 44-40k Hz 60-20k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 1
    Woofer Size 5.25" 4"
    Woofer Composition Mica-reinforced polypropylene Kevlar
    Woofer Surround Material Butyl rubber n/a
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Soft-Dome Soft-Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver No No
    Crossover Frequency 2500Hz n/a
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 307.0mm (12.1") 220.0mm (8.7")
    Width 193.0mm (7.6") 140.0mm (5.5")
    Depth 259.0mm (10.2") 190.0mm (7.5")
    Weight 5.91kg (13lbs) 2.50kg (5.5lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex bass reflex
    Finish MDF, Wood-grain vinyl n/a
    Available Colors Black,White,Walnut Black,White
    Mounting Bracket Keyhole No
    Recommended Stand Height 24-28" n/a
    Grille Yes n/a
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No n/a
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 2 years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 2 years

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