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  1. Home
  2. Powered Stereo Speakers
  3. Sonos Five vs Kanto YU6

Sonos Five vs Kanto YU6 Comparison

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Sonos Five

Powered Bookshelf |

Sonos Five
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Kanto YU6

Powered Bookshelf | 50-20k Hz

Kanto YU6
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Sonos Five Sonos Five
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Kanto YU6 Kanto YU6
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Sonos Five
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Kanto YU6
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Sonos Five vs Kanto YU6 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Five and YU6, 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 YU6 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsSonos FiveKanto YU6
BrandSonos
United States · founded 2002
Kanto
Canada · founded 2007
Design2-way2-way
Built-in amplifierYes100-watt RMS
Tweeter3 x 0.8" Dome1" Soft-Dome
Woofer3 x 2.75" Cone5.25" Kevlar
Frequency response—50-20k Hz
Max depth / sample rate16-bit / 44.1kHz24-bit / 96 kHz
BluetoothNoBuilt-in 4.0
App controlYes—
Weight6.40kg / 14.1lbs4.00kg / 8.8lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)7.9375" x 14.3125" x 6.875"
201.6 x 363.5 x 174.6mm
10.7" x 6.9" x 8.1"
272.0 x 175.0 x 205.0mm

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.


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


Drivers

Both Five and YU6 are 2-way speakers.

Woofer - 2.75 inchWoofer - 2.75 inchWoofer - 2.75 inch
Sonos Five
Tweeter - 1 inchWoofer - 5.25 inch
Kanto YU6

TweeterWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver Sonos Five Kanto YU6
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 3 x 0.8-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 3 x 2.75-inch 1 x 5.25-inch

Five features a 3 x 0.8" Dome Tweeter and 3 x 2.75" Cone Woofer. On the other hand, the YU6 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Kevlar Woofer.

Frequency Response

Five has a frequency range of whereas YU6 has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of Hz, the Five can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the YU6's min frequency of 50Hz.

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

Five
YU6
Min
Average
Median

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Five has a front firing port whereas YU6 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 YU6 with its rear-firing port.

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 Sonos Five's and Kanto YU6'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 YU6 has external dimensions of 272.0 x 175.0 x 205.0mm (10.7 x 6.9 x 8.1inch).

Sonos Five is 70.4mm shorter and 30.4mm less deeper than Kanto YU6 but it is also 188.5mm 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 YU6 is approximately 358.8cm2 / 55.6inch2. The Five requires 77% more surface area than the YU6 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 YU6 weighs 4.00kg / 8.8lbs. This makes the Five 60% heavier than the YU6.

Here is a comparison of how Five and YU6's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Sonos Five
Kanto YU6
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Sonos Five?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Five:
  • Wireless audio speaker
  • 6.5-feet AC power cord
  • Quickstart Guide
  • Important Safety Information

What's in the Box of Kanto YU6?

Here are the items that come with the YU6:
  • Remote with Batteries
  • Power Cord
  • Speaker Wire (16′)
  • 3.5mm Auxiliary Cable (6.5′)
  • 8 x Rubber Feet
  • Manual


Reasons to choose Sonos Five over Kanto YU6

Number of Woofers 3 vs 1 More woofers
Low Frequency Response Hz vs 50 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 272mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Ethernet Connection Yes vs No High quality streaming over Ethernet

Reasons to choose Kanto YU6 over Sonos Five

Woofer Size 5.25 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 358cm2 vs 634cm2 Takes less floor space
Price per pair* 540USD vs 1098USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
RCA Connection Yes vs No Connection via RCA input
Phono Input Yes vs No Connect your turntable directly
Digital Input Optical (2) vs No Connect digital inputs directly

Sonos Five vs Kanto YU6 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sonos Five Kanto YU6
Brand Sonos Kanto
Speaker Type Powered Stereo Speakers Powered Stereo Speakers
Frequency Response 50-20k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous) n/a 100-watt RMS
Max Bit Depth 16-bit 24-bit
Max Sample Rate 44.1kHz 96 kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 3 1
Woofer Size 2.75" 5.25"
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") 272.0mm (10.7")
Width 363.5mm (14.3") 175.0mm (6.9")
Depth 174.6mm (6.9") 205.0mm (8.1")
Weight 6.40kg (14.1lbs) 4.00kg (8.8lbs)
Enclosure Bass Reflex bass reflex
Mounting Bracket No No
Moisture Resistancy No No
Connections
Aux Inputs 3.5mm 3.5mm, RCA
USB Port No Charge only
Phone Input No Yes
Subwoofer Output Optional Wireless Wired
Digital Input No Optical (2)
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

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - Sonos Five costs roughly 2x what Kanto YU6 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

AreaBetterWhy
ConnectionsBSonos Five adds Wi-Fi and streaming; Kanto YU6 adds Bluetooth, phono and digital inputs.
SizedependsKanto YU6 is easier to place; Sonos Five is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
ExpandabilitydependsSonos Five: a sub output; Kanto YU6: a sub output.
PriceBKanto YU6 is cheaper - $540 against $1,098, about 51% less; arguably a different class.

A Sonos Five  B Kanto YU6
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 YU6 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $558 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.


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