In this review, we will be comparing Sonos Five and YU, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Sonos and 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 Sonos Five and Kanto YU first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonos Five and Kanto YU 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 Sonos Five and YU are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Sonos Five |
Kanto YU |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
3 x 0.8-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 2.75-inch
|
1 x 4-inch
|
Sonos Five features a 3 x 0.8" Dome Tweeter and 3 x 2.75" Cone Woofer . On the other hand, the YU features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Kevlar Woofer .
Frequency Response
Sonos Five has a frequency range of whereas YU has a frequency range of 60-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of Hz, the Sonos Five 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonos Five has a front firing port whereas YU has a rear firing ports. Sonos Five's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Kanto YU with its rear-firing 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 Sonos Five's and Kanto YU's external dimensions. Sonos Five has external dimensions of 201.6 x 363.5 x 174.6mm ( 7.9375 x 14.3125 x 6.875inch) whereas Kanto YU has external dimensions of 220.0 x 140.0 x 190.0mm ( 8.7 x 5.5 x 7.5inch) .
Sonos Five is 18.4mm shorter and 15.4mm less deeper than Kanto YU but it is also 223.5mm wider.
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 Sonos Five is approximately 634.7cm2 / 98.4inch2 and base area of the Kanto YU is approximately 266.0cm2 / 41.2inch2. The Sonos Five requires 139% more surface area than the YU which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Sonos Five weighs 6.40kg / 14.1lbs and the Kanto YU weighs 2.40kg / 5.3lbs. This makes the Sonos Five 167% heavier than the YU.
Here is a comparison of how Sonos Five and YU's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Sonos Five?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonos Five:
Wireless audio speaker 6.5-feet AC power cord Quickstart Guide Important Safety Information
What's in the Box of Kanto YU?
Here are the items that come with the YU:
Remote with Batteries Power Cord Speaker Wire (16-feet) 8 x Rubber Feet Manual
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android, Mac, Windows
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
201mm
vs
220mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
| Woofer Size |
4 inches
vs
2.75 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
20k Hz
vs
k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 Base Surface Area |
266cm2 (140x190mm)
vs
634cm2 (363x174mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
1098USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
| General |
Sonos Five |
Kanto YU |
| Brand |
Sonos |
Kanto |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
|
60-20k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
n/a |
70-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
140-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
16-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
44.1kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
2.75" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cone |
Kevlar |
| Tweeter Size |
3 x 0.8" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
201.6mm (7.9") |
220.0mm (8.7") |
| Width |
363.5mm (14.3") |
140.0mm (5.5") |
| Depth |
174.6mm (6.9") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Weight |
6.40kg (14.1lbs) |
2.40kg (5.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
bass reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm |
RCA |
| USB Port |
No |
No |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Optional Wireless |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
No |
No |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
2 years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
2 years |