Kanto YU2 Powered 2 Channel Stereo Computer Speakers W/Built-in USB DAC - Walnut

I'm running my YU2s with an an Audioengine S8 sub (crossed over at 80Hz). I'm mostly going to talk about how these are with a sub as I really don't find the YU2s adequate without one. If you want anything close to full ranged sound, you're going to need a sub. Out of the box, even with the sub, the YU2s have a tinny sound that is desperately in need of mid-bass boost. This is pretty normal as we're working with some pretty small 3" drivers. Fortunately this is easily taken care of with Equalizer APO (Windows) and the Peace UI for APO. This is a powerful PC EQ for audiophile use. I know there are Mac alternatives though I don't know them by name. Learn how to use these tools to avoid clipping and you can make a really squeeze performance out of your speakers. Don't let that inital tinny sound fool you, these speakers are capable of much much more. The YU2s are capable of putting out respectable and great sounding mid-bass for their size. They aren't going to replicate what larger drivers can, it's that simple. But are they great for gaming and music on a PC? Will they impress you with what they can do for their size? Absolutely. My last PC setup was a set of Klipsch Promedia 2.1. This setup is definitely a large improvement over that. The YU2's top end is detailed and clean. Nice sparkly highs, clear vocals and punchy mid-bass after tuning out the system. If you want a sub with your system for gaming, movies and music, I do recommend the Audioengine S8. I chose this to pair with the YU2 specifically because it is a ported sub with a small footprint and a good sized woofer for a small office room. If you want your explosions to go "BOOM" you need a port for the added bass extension. This particular sub handles music great too. If you're not into games or movies, you may want to try Kanto's SUB8 instead which is sealed. A sealed sub will provide an arguably tighter punch, but will be lacking for games and movies. I personally like the versatility of the long throw ported S8. Build quality and looks of the YU2 are fantastic on the enclosure, tweeter, driver, backplate and knobs. I got the flat white which is just perfect looking for me. Beautiful and quality finish. I did knock a star off on build quality due to a pretty garbage mini-jack cord that shipped with the system. It was flimsy and caused a really loud buzzing sound when moving the wires due to a bad wire connection near the connector. They should choose something with more reinforcement for a mini-jack. This was the only weak-point as the speaker wire, RCAs and power cord were fine. I chose to use a mini-jack instead of the USB as I want to use my keyboard to change volume. Sounds great this way. No complaints, no hiss, no hum, even with no music playing and the volume set to max. Very clean sound. Cord length is plenty long so getting the wires to the left speaker was not a problem. My PC hangs under the desk on the right, and the main speaker connections are on the left speaker. If your setup is similar, worry not. I got them with the matching stands which I do recommend. If you don't get stands, they do come with some felt stick on discs you can place on the bottom. The stands will angle the speakers to ear level, improving clarity. Worth it. The 5 star sound rating I chose takes their size into account. These are great for 3" computer speakers. If you are space limited on your computer desk, you're going to be hard pressed to do better at this price point. Their obvious competitor, the Audioengine A2+, is more expensive, and from what I've read, they can have a hiss and come more overly pre-colored from a sound signature standpoint. The A2+ has a 60watt peak, compared to the YU2's 100watt peak. The A2+ seems over-priced to me for being more or less the same thing and less powerful. Overall very happy with the purchase. Great speaker at a great price. -- Tweaked out the profile and I'm even more happy with these speakers. Attached image shows my Equalizer APO YU2 settings with the Audioengine S8. If I have one major complaint about the YU2 at this point it's the lack of a high-pass filter for use with a sub. If you try to achieve any really loud volumes the speakers distort. If they had added a high-pass filter these could achieve a clearer sound with less distortion by sending the low frequencies to the sub. Still goes plenty loud, so not a huge deal, but certainly a missed opportunity by Kanto.

I don't want to bore with self concentration, but I think it's a necessary evil in this case. While reading this review, it's important to note that I'm very obsessive person. My personality just sort of grabs hold to something, and can't let go. In my case, that very thing is music. I own a total of 6 audio systems and 3 Bluetooth speakers: all of which I did very serious research on before purchase. I would consider myself something of an audio head who certainly has a very trained ear. I love and listen to all types of music, which allows me to give this a more objective review. Ill begin with telling you to buy this product. It has far more strengths than weaknesses: the determining factor of any purchase. Out of the box, the speaker presentation is glorious. Extremely high quality of materials and great attention to detail. They're easy to set up, and easy to use. I will say, in person these speakers are very small. I was really shocked by the size upon opening. Nonetheless, build is flawless. As for the sound, it's easy to distinguish what these are good at. And that certainly isn't every genre. They are some of the most clear speakers I've ever listened to, however. They offer such a wide and sparkling treble that every time I turn them on, I smile. The mid-range is equally as clear, but is on the thinner side of high quality products. Considering the price, I am still extremely impressed with its presence. The bass is, as in other reviews, certainly a bit over-driven. It's very clean and well rounded at most suitable volumes however, and should keep a general audience happy if you're dealing with a quiet environment. So what genres are these best for and what can I expect? Upon purchase you can expect loud, high quality, hair raising sound that will put a smile on most faces. You should be able to enjoy most genres of music without any sort of uncertainty. In my opinion, I believe the speakers excel most in classical, jazz, and string/acoustic based music. They are decent for rock/pop and edm. Keep in mind they provided great definition of sound for all of these genres. I found them to struggle with hip hop/ rap most. They don't feel dominant and "in your face" enough to pull it off in a way that makes you feel alive. Don't get me wrong, they still sound defined and well rounded, but it's easy to feel the lack of power and punch in the low end. And that's why we can all thank Kanto for providing a sub out port. Let's wrap it up. Great set of speakers, easily one of my favorite audio purchases. It must be the treble: so sparkly. Hope this short review helps!

I've only had these for a few days now, but WOW! These speakers are pretty loud and sound so good. I had some old crappy speakers that I was replacing with my new computer system. I purchased a cheap bluetooth speaker made in China for around $40. That thing was the biggest piece of crap. I returned that and got these Kanto YU2 speakers. I followed the reviews of others and took a chance on these. They really do sound amazing. I've played several genres of music like Rock, Reggae, Country, Pop, Electronica, Blues, and Jazz. These speakers are a great balance of mids and highs and moderate bass. The bass is not deep and low and not to be expected, however they do boom and will vibrate your desk. It's enough bass for me as you're sitting 20 to 24 inches from the speakers. Volume: This is a bit tricky for me to figure out. I've tried turning up the volume on the speaker and controlling volume through the apps like spotify, youtube, and the computer, but it's too loud. So I've dialed back the volume to about half way on the speakers and then controlling volume through the computer, youtube, spotify, etc. That seems to be better. Value: Are there better speakers for the money? Maybe, I'm not sure. Are they worth the money? I think they are slightly overpriced, but you get what you pay for. Construction: Top notch! These little speakers are amazing being so small. I got the Walnut version and I love them. They seem like solid wood as they do have some weight to them. The color is not as dark as pictured and I just love them over black or white or red or even bamboo. Dislikes: The blue light is annoying. They do not turn off when the computer goes to sleep or turn off the computer, so they are always on unless you turn them off manually. They have their own power. No grill cover. Would have been nice to have a grill as an option. Likes: Size, construction, choice of colors, built-in DAC, sound, value, quality, USB. Run these via USB vs 3.5mm jack. You can even get an EQ app to set your desired sound settings to your liking. Highly recommend these! I don't think you'll be disappointed but rather surprised.

TLDR: Elegant small design with good yet slightly muddy sound. No auto on/off is a miss though. Compared to the Edifier M60s and NZXT Relay speakers these are the better option in my opinion. The Edifier and NZXT speakers came off very tinny while the Kanto YU2 did not. Despite the fact the Kanto YU2 sounded far better than both those options in my opinion, it did have a very noticeable con. The mids and lows came off fairly muddy. I mainly used these for games, music and movies on my PC set up. Sounds such as cannon fire, foot steps and speech all sounded a bit muffled, almost like it was being subdued or under water. At first it wasn't an issue but as I frequently switch between speakers and headphones it became more apparent since my headphones didn't have this muddy effect. Other users said their speakers became much better after using an EQ software but honestly I dislike downloading third party programs and running the risk of causing issues to my PC. It's unfortunate Kanto doesn't provide their own EQ software. If it weren't for that subdued sound and lack of a standby mode these would be 5 stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Kanto YU2 Are Excellent – Audioengine A2+ Were a Big Disappointment The first desktop speakers I purchased were the Audioengine A2+, and honestly, they were very disappointing. Flat sound, weak bass, and nowhere near what I expected for the price — I returned them. I then bought the Kanto YU2, and the difference was immediate. The sound is clear, detailed, and well balanced, especially for nearfield desktop listening. Bass is tight (not muddy), mids are clean, and highs are crisp without being harsh. The built-in USB DAC sounds great straight from a computer. Build quality is solid and they look great on a desk. I liked them so much that I bought a second pair. The Kanto YU2 are a keeper. Highly recommended.

I am no professional sound engineer, but I have always appreciated good sound and I know it when I hear it. And to me that standard was set a long time ago by a little company you might have heard of -- Miller and Kreisel. My father bought one of their first consumer offerings back in the late 80's. A pair of SB1 satellites and a 12" powered subwoofer. I inherited them from him when he died. My life has changed in such a way that having a big room with a great sound system was simply not possible. So, the SB1's got sold and I had sound through the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX Certified Computer Speaker System (Black) computer setup for years. Anyone who's owned those knows that they are a nightmare of shoddy connections and the 2 sets I had for each of my computers finally were unacceptable -- blown subwoofers, faulty satellite connections. Good sound, but ultimately flimsy. And considering how much better these YU2's sound, insanely overpriced. I did a bunch of research and finally settled on a pair of these and the matching 6" Sub for one computer and a pair of the Kanto YU3GT Powered Bookshelf Speakers, Gloss Teal for the other (mine) with an Acoustic Audio PSW-8 300 Watt 8-Inch Down Firing Powered Subwoofer (Black) . These YU2's are simply fantastic, clear, crisp highs, powerful mids and tight bass. I've played everything from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens to From the Choirgirl Hotel to King Thrak Crimson to Goat Rodeo Sessions and was blown away by how well everything came alive. These are speakers so good they will reveal every mistake in the recording. And will likely make me reassess what in my library is not worth my time because of them in the future. It's like I'm getting to rediscover the music I've bought in the last ten years I thought I knew backwards and forwards. The YU3's are, of course, even better with deeper low end response and slightly wider dynamic range. But that's a different review. That's the first half of the story. The second half is about Kanto Living themselves. So, those YU3's I mentioned. Well, I bought those (supposedly) lightly used on Ebay. I got a good (but not great) price on them. They arrived I opened the box and the speakers were just thrown in their willy nilly. That was my first clue. The YU2's had arrived from Amazon two days earlier (new) and I knew that Kanto did a good job packaging them. So, something was not right. I picked up the remote and it rattled. Clue #2. Then I picked up the passive satellite. It also rattled. Clue #3. Now, I have a 9 year old. So the idea of something getting put down the bass port in the back was not out of the question. So I opened the speaker up and looked inside. And I saw a copper induction coil laying loose. Not good. I hooked everything up and the passive tweeter made noise but not the 4" woofer. Now, I know this isn't a tough repair but in no way is that acceptable condition for something that was supposed to be in 'Like New' condition. I contacted ebay, put in a dispute and fully expected to get my money back. Somehow to the customer support person 'Used (Like New)" Condition and "damaged with light scuffing but tested to work well" equals accurately described by the seller for the price paid. Not in my universe and not when I paid $210 for them and they list $289. Now, had the seller put them up for $100, I would have been hey, "Caveat Emptor" but not for that price. That's a price that says, these speakers work. Needless to say I'm just a little torqued off. So, I put in a dispute with PayPal (still pending) and have my fingers crossed. Next I called Kanto on the off chance they would be able to help me. I didn't expect much more than a very polite (their Canadian), "Sucks to be you, man." To my complete astonishment within 24 hours they had a solution for me. Even though I didn't buy these speakers from them and the damage was not covered by the warranty they sold me a refurbished replacement and a new remote for the cost of shipping ($25). Now, if that's not customer service I don't know what is. (Thanks Jason, you rock my man.) So, long story short, this is a quality company that respects their customers. They make an excellent product which they stand behind. I can't comment on how well they compare to other speakers in their price range, but given how good they sound, I sincerely doubt I will have a reason to find out anytime soon. And that counts for more than just a few dollars in my book. It doesn't hurt that their speakers are so good I'm happily re-engaging with my music library at an emotional level I haven't been able to in a loooong time. I'm seriously considering putting together a system based around their Kanto BENORG 5-inch Passive Coaxial Speakers - Pair (Orange Matte) and a SMSL SMSL MINI5 50W2 TDA7492 Digital Amplifier & Headphone with Power Adapter (Black) for my computer and moving the YU3's to the living room for bluetooth sound.

Amazing audio and flexibility in small package. These will sound perfect in a small room even without a subwoofer, especially if you're going to be sitting within 4 to 10 feet away. Placing them in large room that is bigger than 12'x12' may require a subwoofer to add extra depth and fill the room. They still pack a punch in my opinion. Pros: • They get fairly loud while still sounding good • Small footprint - excellent for small rooms • Simple design aesthetic and many color choices • Use premium materials • Can add a subwoofer if desired Cons: • Blue light on the front may be a bit bright for some • Volume knob is in the back (If using with a TV, I would set it a forget it - use your tv remote to control the volume) • No bluetooth Overall, if your looking for some small speakers that sound good, have subwoofer support, and look sleek, you will love these. I recommend picking them up on sale if you can. They can go below the $200 mark sometimes!

For starters, I own the Kanto YU5 speakers that are several years older than these YU2 models. I will be making comparisons to the features on the YU5 to this YU2 model with exception to sound quality due to the obvious size differences. The #1 issue with these speakers IMO is the volume control knob being tied to the power on/off. Nobody wants to reach around the speaker to turn a dial in order to turn it on or off. The best part of the YU5 is that it had a standby mode and a remote to turn it on/off. To be fair I haven't tried to simply leave the speaker on and step away and see if it would go into standby....but it wouldn't be the same as it turning off and not sucking power. The build quality is great on these and the shipping material is very supportive so they will arrive in great condition. The sound quality is good for the size, but it is for sure lacking in bass....but that's to be expected with the size of the units. The do offer a subout to help with this so you can't knock them for that. The overall volume is great for these, and I can easily enjoy watching videos or playing a game with them as is. I wish the USB cable was longer. It's pretty short and barley reached my USB Doc but it did reach in the end. The power brick is a HUGE let down to me. I can't understand why they couldn't have built this into the shell of the unit...but maybe it just comes down to the size of the unit...another huge plus of the YU5 was that it was built into the unit. I don't understand why $200 speakers don't have bluetooth built into them....this is a let down for the price point....Kanto could have included this and chose not to. Missed opportunity to say the least. Overall I can recommend these as they sound good and have a nice form factor on a small desk....but I'd be lying if I said there wasn't anything better out there for the same money....Look around and you might find something better for a lower price and more features....

Good furnishing. Unexpected Excellent sound quality

Öncelikle kutu içeriğinden bahsedeyim, hoparlör kablosu, usb kablosu, 3.5mm stereo kablo ve iki sevimli hoparlör. Sizi hiç uğraştırmıyorlar tak çalıştır ve dinlemeye başla cinsinden. Basları şaşırtıcı derecede iyi fakat orta ve yüksek frekanslar için aynı şeyi söyleyemeyeceğim. Zaten bu fiyata da çok bir beklentiniz olmasın. Ben sahne, kolay dinlenebilirlik, oyun ve film kullanımı için sevdim. Pasif sistemim olan Q Acoustics 3020i hoparlörlerimde artık müzik dinlemiyorum diyebilirim. Lakin olabildiğince gerçeğe yakın, referans bir ürün istiyorsanız alternatiflere bakın derim.

Impecável! Já deveria ter encomendado antes.

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TL;DR – These are great. I am very impressed with the sound for their size (they can easily go "too loud" for desktop speakers while maintaining said quality) and they look good. Prior to buying these speakers, I was using a Dell Stereo Soundbar hidden behind my monitor for minimalism, but on hot summer days with a fan or AC going, I was having trouble hearing it at max volume. I had been searching for an alternative that would give me better sound without being an eyesore and I am really happy I happened across these. I am using them through the 3.5mm AUX port plugged into my monitor with a KVM switch to my PC and Mac and they sound great on both systems out of the box without needing to futz with an EQ. I didn't have the problem another reviewer mentioned about popping when rebooting or switching between systems. They're small enough that they aren't dramatically impacting the minimalist(ish) look I'm going for with my desk and aren't a bother visually, although they're not as small as you could go, of course. I think this is a good compromise, on the balance. Big enough to get quality sound (and they go quite loud, no more risk of me not being able to hear audio over the sound of the AC), small enough that they aren't the main focal point. As someone who wouldn't describe themselves as an audiophile, I would say these are priced a bit high for what they are, but I was willing to pay the premium for the look. The stands (sold separately) are very reasonably priced and kick the look up a notch while also serving a practical purpose of directing the sound toward your head. My only criticism or suggested area for improvement is the LED indicator on the front of the left speaker – it's very bright and you have no way of controlling that. It also sticks out from body of the speaker, so you can't use something like LightDims stickers to cut the brightness. All in all, good product and if you can justify spending this amount of money on computer speakers, you likely won't regret it.