Introduction
There was a time when 5.1 and 7.1 Speaker systems boasted THX certification, High wattage, and advanced speaker designs for consumers for relatively low prices. I'm not referring to your Home Theater market share, those still exist and the prices aren't low. No, I'm talking about computer speakers. Way back before Dolby True HD, and DTS Master Audio tracks were the norm, 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1 systems we run through a Computer sound card, and the market was buzzing with new systems boasting more wattage, technology, or both.
Jump 10 years or so from the heat of the speaker wars to the decline of the industry as a whole, and little remains of the past armada. There is a couple staples still present, but they need to be more then just computer speakers in order to gain any market share, which is why they double as home theater systems with built in decoders. The bulk of the market is either using high quality headphones or powered monitors, which is where we find ourselves today. I was coincidentally contacted by a good friend of mine about just such a type of speaker. He had a set of Kanto Yumi powered monitors that he wanted my feedback on. Currently, I am in a place to make noise as loud and late as I see fit, so I agreed to put them through their paces and compared them to my fond memories of my dearly departed Mackies. Note I didn't have the Mackies for a true A/B comparison, but I have enough acoustical memory to know the major differences off by heart.
Features and Specifications
Tweeter: 1 inch Silk Dome
Woofer: 5 inch Kevlar
Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms
Sensitivity 2.83V (/1w/1m): 87 dB
Amplifier Type: Class A/B
Power Output: 30 WRMS per channel
Input Sensitivity: 350 mV
Total Harmonic Distortion: < 0.7 %
Crossover System: 2 way
Crossover Frequency: 2 kHz
Frequency Range: 20Hz - 20kHz
Frequency Response: 60Hz - 20kHz +/- 6 dB
Inputs: 2 x Optical, 1 x RCA L/R, 1 x 3.5mm mini-jack AUX, 1 x Bluetooth
Outputs: 1 x Subwoofer (RCA), 1 x USB Charge 5V 1 A
Speaker Terminals: L/R Binding Posts
Input Voltage: 110V 60Hz /220V 50Hz (Manually Switchable)
Standby Power Consumption: 0.5 W
Remote: Included
Dimensions (Each Speaker): W 6.9" x H 10.7" x D 8.1" (175 x 272 x 205mm)
Net weight (Active): 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg)
Net Weight (Passive): 9.3 lbs (4.2 kg)
Gross Weight: 26.7 lbs (12.1kg) (boxed pair)
Design and Features
I'm no stranger to powered monitors. For years I had a pair of Mackie MR5 powered monitors (first generation - True Bi-amped design) as my computer speakers after selling my Logitech Z-2200 2.1 system (Lots of power, lots of bass, not enough fidelity in the mid-high due to full range speakers). The Mackies were a power house for a 5 inch powered monitor. The woofer had it's own dedicated 55 watt amp (per speaker!) and the silk dome tweeter saw 30 watts each. 85 watts a side merely feet from your face (sometimes less) was nothing short of staggering. The design featured a rear slot port large enough and tuned properly to turn a small powered speaker into a system that never once made you feel like you wanted a subwoofer. Mind you, I used this system in a house with reasonably sized rooms, but it was not afraid to dig low or loud. The Kanto Yumi also features a rear port, but it's a 2 inch flared design. Personally I didn't hear any port noise, so I won't say the slot vs round is pro or con for either system. With only 30 watts a side, the Kanto is at a clear power disadvantage. Testing will tell if that becomes apparent in spirited playback.
When it comes to looks, the Mackies are in the back of the prom, with stink fumes coming off their backs. A flat back smoothed finish has no business being in the presence of hand crafted, real bamboo cabinets. Really, these are stunning speakers to behold. The bamboo seams and joints are flawless and you never once question the "real" moniker that goes with them. You pay a premium for the bamboo finish, but I will gladly say that you're getting your monies worth. Structure wise, I can't say how well built the Kanto is compared to the Mackie. I will say the Mackies are heavier, and have identical enclosures (you can buy 1, or 5 of the same speaker). I would assume the Mackie is a step ahead as far as internal structure and design, but that will be all speculation until I see insides (I'm not taking them apart, they're not mine). Adding to the cabinets, the drivers are also much more impressive looking. Now, I say "looking" as visuals are not a be all end all for a speaker. A pretty speaker that sounds like garbage has no place within my walls, but I will give credit where credit is due, the drivers (woofers) have a very nice kevlarly carbon fiber look to them, and the clean lines and flush (almost too flush) mounted drivers have a classy look. This is important, as these speakers don't have grills. Although bolts and screws can be done in a way that doesn't detract from a clean look, covering them up consistently and cleanly is easier and makes the package look more polished. The tweeter is a silk dome unit, and it looks the part. I will say that it's anti flush mounted, in the sense that it's actually pushed into the baffle by what I can only assume is 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch. It's perfectly smooth and cleanly recessed, but I wonder what bearing that excessive amount of recession has on the sound. Unfortunately I don't have any recording equipment that isn't connected to a blood supply, but maybe one day someone will take a mic to them. The Mackie tweeter looks identical, but It's probably not. The woofer is a treated paper cone, but the sound of it was out of this world so Kevlar or not, I preferred the Mackies lower half.
When it comes to features, the Mackies and the Yumi's have their own set of skills. Being a Studio Monitor, you don't really care that much about remote controls, Bluetooth, or USB ports. The goal is precise sound, and bullet proof reliability. The Yumi's on the other hand, are loaded with just about anything you could ask for in a powered speaker system. The list includes a USB port that charges when in stand by or powered on, a subwoofer out, 2 optical inputs, RCA and 3.5 mm inputs, and bluetooth 4.0. Now I don't have any Bluetooth 4.0 devices, but I was assured that the format transmits flawlessly and works just as well as an Optical on the Yumi's. The Remote control is amazingly handy, with shelving tone controls and reset (didn't really like any settings though), Input selection, Volume, Mute, Power, Play - Pause Forward Backward track jump. The Passive speaker (right) is wired with standard speaker wire, with 5 way binding posts which makes setup very flexible, assuming you don't need the right speaker to be the one with power and source wires. Maybe a switch to flip the left and right channel would be nice for those that have VERY demanding setup restrictions (Not me though, and you can't really fault them as no one is doing this either).
Being a powered 2 speaker system, I'm going to focus my review on what these were meant, or envisioned, to contribute to the lucky person to happens to turn them on. If that wasn't clear I meant not playing War of the Worlds or any Hollywood Block Buster, sub-terrainian bass and surround sound are not what I would use these for. Music play back is the name of the game, and how these speakers fair will be judged based on certain listening material and my mood. Oh... yeah.. everything is subjected to my mood. I will also connect up my Velodyne SPL-800 to see how having a dedicated subwoofer improves the mix, as Kanto sell 2 subwoofers of their own designed to help their powered monitors out. Please note that the Kanto subwoofers are in no way comparable to my Velodyne and the enhancements I experience will not be the same if you were to use a Kanto Unit.
Part 2 Below
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