In this review, we will be comparing Sonos 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.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonos Five and Kanto YU6 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 YU6 are 2-way speakers.
| 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
|
Sonos 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
Sonos Five has a frequency range of whereas YU6 has a frequency range of 50-20k 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 YU6's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 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
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 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 Sonos 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 Sonos Five 60% heavier than the YU6.
Here is a comparison of how Sonos Five and YU6'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 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
 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 |
| 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 (175x205mm)
vs
634cm2 (363x174mm)
|
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 |
| 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 |