Kanto YU Passive 4-inch Bookshelf Speaker Review

3.97 Mixed Usages
3.9 Dialogue & Vocal Accuracy:
4.1 Treble Accuracy:
3.8 Bass Accuracy:
4 Imaging & Soundstage:
4 Dynamic Range:
Release year: 2021 Rating: 4.7 Warranty: 2 years 1" silk dome tweeter 4" Kevlar woofer desktop speaker stereo speaker home theater usage: music, TV shows

If you want small passive bookshelf speakers, then Kanto YU Passive 4-inch is best for you. The speakers sound bigger than their size. It has clear highs and decent lows. Overall, they are great sounding speakers with good soundfield. Use them in small spaces and you are good to go. They will fit into the kitchen, compact living rooms or small office desks. These speakers are cheap and have their own limitations. That said, when paired with a matching amplifier they shine in compact spaces.

Our Verdict

Kanto YU Passive 4-inch is best for tight spaces. If you are looking for small speakers that sound great, then this model will serve your purpose. Kanto focuses on manufacturing good sounding speakers without breaking the bank. Since they are passive speakers, you will need an additional amplifier. If you prefer deeper bass, we suggest pairing a subwoofer via an amplifier. You are also allowed to create a home theater and use them as surrounds.

PROS
  • High quality binding posts
  • Good sound at all volumes
  • Smooth and rich highs
  • Good for music
  • Small and compact in size
CONS
  • No grilles included, the silk tweeter might get damaged
Where to buy
Amazon Buy on Amazon
Specification

GENERAL:

Speaker Type Bookshelf Speaker
Number Of Channels 2.0 way speaker
Amplification Type Passive Speaker (External Amp)
Power Source AC Powered

DRIVERS

Drive Unit 2x2
Tweeter Type Silk dome tweeters
Tweeter Size (inches) 1
Midrange Size (inches) N/A
Midrange Type N/A
Woofer Size (inches) 4
Woofer Type Kevlar® Drivers

SPECS

Power Range up to 70W
Sensitivity 86 db (2.83 V/1m)
Impedance 4 ohms
Frequency Range 60 Hz - 20 kHz
Crossover Frequencies 70Hz

CONNECTIVITY:

Speaker Wire Input: Yes
Speaker Level Input N/A
Line Level Input N/A
Digital Input (Optical) N/A
Digital Input (Coaxial) N/A
RCA Input N/A
3.5mm Stereo Analog Input N/A
Aux Input N/A
Bi-amp Input: N/A
HDMI Input N/A
USB Port N/A
Subwoofer Output

WIRELESS FEATURES

Bluetooth N/A
Wi-Fi N/A

CONNECTOR:

Connector Type Knurled Binding Post
Compatible Connector Types bare wire, pin-connectors, spade-lugs, and banana plugs (single or dual)
Speaker Wire Compatibility 16-12 gauge

AUDIO QUALITY ( TESTED )

Bass Accuracy: Good and decent bass
Dialogue & Vocal Accuracy: Clear dialogues and vocals
Treble Accuracy Smoother highs
Imaging & Soundstage: Impressive imaging and soundstage
Dynamic Range: Dynamic range of the speaker is good.
Power Handling: The speaker has good power handling and is easy to drive.
Frequency Response: It has wide frequency response.
Transient Response: Decent transient response

BUILD MATERIAL

Enclosure Ported
Finish MDF
Color Black, white

SIZE & WEIGHT

Height (inches) 8.7
Width (inches) 5.5
Depth (inches) 7.5
Weight (pounds) 5.5
Recommended Stand Height (inches) 26-32

CONTROL

Handheld Remote N/A
Control by app N/A
Amazon Alexa N/A
Google Assistant N/A

IN THE BOX

Accessories: 2 Bookshelf speakers, 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet, User Manual
User manual: Yes
Where to buy
Amazon Buy on Amazon
Details Review

Design:

Kanto YU Passive 4-inch is a small and compact speaker that has MDF body. The cabinet is well braced and feels sturdy. It is available in black and white color. While both blend in pretty well, we love the white one. The included rubber feet allow the speakers to get rid of any resonance or vibration while ensuring stability.

It doesn’t come with any grille so in case you have kids in the house, make sure the drivers are safe and sound. On the bottom of each speaker there is threaded hole so that you can screw them down to speaker stands.

Performance:

Kanto YU Passive 4-inch speaker has 1” tweeter and 4” woofer just as the name suggests. Kanto YU Passive 5.25-Inch is the bigger model and costs a bit more with 5.25” woofer driver. The highs are rich, detailed, and bright. These speakers can emit sound throughout the room. Mids are clear and musical. Bass from 4” is not room shaking but definitely improves the low ends compared to TV or computer speakers.

Woofer drivers are durable and sturdy. The low ends are boosted by a rear bass port, but this port also indicates that you need to keep some distance between the speaker and backside wall. They sound great at high volumes without showing noticeable distortion. The speakers deliver balanced, clear and pleasant sound. It has a good and decent soundstage. It is suitable for most contents but for serious movie lovers, a 2.0 system is not enough.

that you need to upgrade to home theaters and use the Kanto YU passive 4-inch as surrounds or rear speakers. If you want to place the Kanto YU Passive 4-inch speakers on speaker stands, look for Kanto S4 and SP9 desktop stands. While placing them, create an equilateral triangle leaving a gap of 8” from the rear wall. Toe-in to find the best position. You can listen to them for long hours without any ear fatiguing.

Connectivity and control:

Kanto YU Passive 4-inch speakers need to be connected to an amplifier. It has durable gold-plated binding posts that will prevent corrosion. They are compatible with DAC/amp combos as well. Then use that amp available ports to connect audio sources like TV, PC, laptop, Blu-ray player, CD player, turntable, etc. Controlling the speaker will also depend on the amplifier options.  

Use case:

Place them on tabletops, desktops or speaker stands. They are best for small rooms and near field listening. They perform well in medium-sized rooms as well. Kanto YU Passive 4-inch speaker can play music, TV shows and programs quite well. Movies are good as well but go for a 3.1 or 5.1 system for immersive experience.

Compatible Device:

Choose one from our amplifier/receiver list: Sony STR-DH190 Stereo Receiver, LOXJIE A30, Fosi Audio, Sony STR-DH590, Sprout 100, Aiyima A07, Schiit headphone DAC and amp, Audioengine N22, Cambridge Audio AXA35 Integrated Amplifier, etc. You can also choose outside this list just make sure the power and impedance specs match with the speaker.

Cost:

The Kanto YU Passive 4-inch speakers are very reasonably priced. Even after adding an amplifier and subwoofer, the total cost will be affordable.

FAQ:

Are Kanto YU Passive 4-inch speakers good as surrounds?

The Kanto YU Passive 4-inch are great as front, rear or surrounds. When used as a part of home theater, make sure to place them correctly. The general rule is the distance between the rear speakers should be longer than the front ones. Also, they should be placed slightly above ear level. As surround speakers, they deliver clear, accurate and room-filling sound.

Should I connect two subwoofers with Kanto YU Passive 4-Inch speakers?

If you are using the Kanto YU Passive 4-inch speakers as front setup, then a single subwoofer is more than enough. However, if you have a large home theater and want to create a 5.2 system where you have floorstanding speakers as fronts and YU Passive 4-inch as rear, then you can use two subwoofers. For that make sure your AV receiver has two sub out ports.  

Where to buy
Amazon Buy on Amazon

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