CANTON A45 45th Anniversary Limited Edition Speaker

S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
I’m selling my practically brand new Vento Reference .2 right here in the classifieds. Fantastic. And probably the best bookshelf speakers in my opinion. I’m trying to thin my stash out and after all the purchase chose the Focal Aria 926 tower.
How did the Focal Aria 926 compare to the Dynaudio x44? Or did you keep both in different rooms?
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
I'm debating on pulling the trigger on the 820.2 or going all in with the A45 BS (which is supposed to be very close to their Reference 9k offering - same drivers, different box). I really shouldn't be shopping for more speakers, but I'm super curious to hear the Canton ceramic tweeter and see how it compares to my MB Quart VS05's.
Where are you located?
I do not see the A45 bs available in the US!
How much are they going for?
My best insight on these (Vento 820.2) speakers (and the tweeter in particular) is they have amazingly smooth drivers!
Looking for things which you may not like (from a critical perspective):
1) They do incorporate a fairly aggressive wave-guide. I do not generally find it offensive; however, if I A-B it directly against a Philharmonic Audio BMR, the openness of the BMR (which, by design has the best off-axis FR I know of) is more often preferred! Just so you understand what I am talking about, here is the graph of the BMR's frequency response. Red is On-Axis, Blue is 30 degrees Off-Axis, and Green is a whopping 80 degrees Off-Axis and it is still tracking right around +/- 3dB across the bandwith!

Like I say, this openness is generally preferred; however, there were still certain sounds where the Cantons nailed the sound over the BMR's to my ear - this was trumpets and trombone. My simple mind thinks maybe it is because the wave guide better represents the dispersion of the bell of a trumpet or trombone, which are largely directional. Woodwinds such as sax sound better on the BMR's. Even though a sax has a bell, the sound is dominantly coming out of the first open hole along the sax body and does not have the directional aspect of a horn/bell like the trumpet where all sound goes out of the bell. I play sax in a couple of Jazz bands, so I know the acoustic sound of these horns well enough to have confidence in my assessment. I don't know if I am correct in attributing it to the wave guide/dispersion, but it seems reasonable. Instruments such as strings (violins, etc) and piano that tend to radiate in all directions thrive from the dispersion of the BMR. That said, we are not talking huge differences. There were many places where it took quite a bit of critical listening to reach these generalized conclusions. Interestingly, I liked the character of symphonic chimes better on the Canton, but a cymbal crash was preferred from the BMR.
2) The Canton has what I would consider a well executed "bass hump". It is common for a bookshelf speaker to over emphasize mid-bass to compensate for not having lower-bass. While it is an infringement on the accuracy of the speaker, I, personally accept this as the lesser of evils (since it is done well - it smoothly increases and rolls off on the bottom without abrupt "steps") - without a sub, I'd rather have the extra "faux" bass. I have heard other speakers with a bass hump that was horrid due to poor execution!
This would be a bad speaker to add a sub to if you will not use bass-management to high-pass the speakers and get rid of the hump which is not desirable once the sub is in play.
However, with a standard AVR type control of bass (high passing the Cantons),the bass hump is eliminated, allowing the AVR a flat FR to work with.

To be clear, the Cantons are among my favorite speakers (especially for the $600 I paid for them, although I consider them a very good buy at their current price of $720). I am critiquing them using the BMR's because that is the least expensive speaker ($1350) that I know of which is decisively better than the Canton to my ear. Honestly, I suspect the MB Quart to fall short unless you are especially sensitive to the wave guide. As I said in another thread, the tweeter of the Vento is pretty special (to my ear)!

Of course, the A45 BS does use Canton's better (best?) drivers than the Vento, so you should expect improvements over the Vento!
 
Last edited:
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
Where are you located?
I do not see the A45 bs available in the US!
How much are they going for?
My best insight on these (Vento 820.2) speakers (and the tweeter in particular) is they have amazingly smooth drivers!
Looking for things which you may not like (from a critical perspective):
1) They do incorporate a fairly aggressive wave-guide. I do not generally find it offensive; however, if I A-B it directly against a Philharmonic Audio BMR, the openness of the BMR (which, by design has the best off-axis FR I know of) is more often preferred! Just so you understand what I am talking about, here is the graph of the BMR's frequency response. Red is On-Axis, Blue is 30 degrees Off-Axis, and Green is a whopping 80 degrees Off-Axis and it is still tracking right around +/- 3dB across the bandwith!

Like I say, this openness is generally preferred; however, there were still certain sounds where the Cantons nailed the sound over the BMR's to my ear - this was trumpets and trombone. My simple mind thinks maybe it is because the wave guide better represents the dispersion of the bell of a trumpet or trombone, which are largely directional. Woodwinds such as sax sound better on the BMR's. Even though a sax has a bell, the sound is dominantly coming out of the first open hole along the sax body and does not have the directional aspect of a horn/bell like the trumpet where all sound goes out of the bell. I play sax in a couple of Jazz bands, so I know the acoustic sound of these horns well enough to have confidence in my assessment. I don't know if I am correct in attributing it to the wave guide/dispersion, but it seems reasonable. Instruments such as strings (violins, etc) and piano that tend to radiate in all directions thrive from the dispersion of the BMR. That said, we are not talking huge differences. There were many places where it took quite a bit of critical listening to reach these generalized conclusions. Interestingly, I liked the character of symphonic chimes better on the Canton, but a cymbal crash was preferred from the BMR.
2) The Canton has what I would consider a well executed "bass hump". It is common for a bookshelf speaker to over emphasize mid-bass to compensate for not having lower-bass. While it is an infringement on the accuracy of the speaker, I, personally accept this as the lesser of evils (since it is done well - it smoothly increases and rolls off on the bottom without abrupt "steps") - without a sub, I'd rather have the extra "faux" bass. I have heard other speakers with a bass hump that was horrid due to poor execution!
This would be a bad speaker to add a sub to if you will not use bass-management to high-pass the speakers and get rid of the hump which is not desirable once the sub is in play.
However, with a standard AVR type control of bass (high passing the Cantons),the bass hump is eliminated, allowing the AVR a flat FR to work with.

To be clear, the Cantons are among my favorite speakers (especially for the $600 I paid for them, although I consider them a very good but at their current price of $720). I am critiquing them using the BMR's because that is the least expensive speaker ($1350) that I know of which is decisively better than the Canton to my ear. Honestly, I suspect the MB Quart to fall short unless you are especially sensitive to the wave guide. As I said in another thread, the tweeter of the Vento is pretty special (to my ear)!

Of course, the A45 BS does use Canton's better (best?) drivers than the Vento, so you should expect improvements over the Vento!
I wonder how the Canton 820.2 would compare to the mini Phil.
 
ematthews

ematthews

Audioholic General
How did the Focal Aria 926 compare to the Dynaudio x44? Or did you keep both in different rooms?
I kept both. Both are fantastic. I enjoy the sound of the Focal more. Hard to explain why. The just sound more exciting. And... In this room. The 926 have better bass. I have found that front ported speakers sound better in this room.
 
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
I kept both. Both are fantastic. I enjoy the sound of the Focal more. Hard to explain why. The just sound more exciting. And... In this room. The 926 have better bass. I have found that front ported speakers sound better in this room.
Do you use a sub with the Focal? And is it a theater setup or just 2 speakers?
 
ematthews

ematthews

Audioholic General
Do you use a sub with the Focal? And is it a theater setup or just 2 speakers?
No sub. 2 channel set up. Running a Yamaha A-S1100 on the Focals and it sounds better than anything I’ve had or currently own. I only run a sub when I use my smaller Kef LS50’s.
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
I wonder how the Canton 820.2 would compare to the mini Phil.
Good question!
I think most of the comments relative to the wave guide would stick (except the difference might not be so pronounced).
I have learned from comparing the AA's (1st generation BR-1 kit based, not Pioneer) that Dennis makes the most out of the components he selects and it beat well reviewed speakers at over twice the cost! I am inclined to believe with the same excellent RAAL tweeter as the BMR, the mini-monitor would be fair competition and likely beat the Vento within the limits of it's smaller woofer to put out SPL at low frequency. Add a sub to both and it would reduce any edge the Vento might still be hanging on by! Not sure if the mini-monitor mid-woof would be capable of the detail of the Canton mid-woof or not.
 
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
Good question!
I think most of the comments relative to the wave guide would stick (except the difference might not be so pronounced).
I have learned from comparing the AA's (1st generation BR-1 kit based, not Pioneer) that Dennis makes the most out of the components he selects and it beat well reviewed speakers at over twice the cost! I am inclined to believe with the same excellent RAAL tweeter as the BMR, the mini-monitor would be fair competition and likely beat the Vento within the limits of it's smaller woofer to put out SPL at low frequency. Add a sub to both and it would reduce any edge the Vento might still be hanging on by! Not sure if the mini-monitor mid-woof would be capable of the detail of the Canton mid-woof or not.
Yes that is what worried me on the mini Phil, the woofer is only 5 in.
 
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
No sub. 2 channel set up. Running a Yamaha A-S1100 on the Focals and it sounds better than anything I’ve had or currently own. I only run a sub when I use my smaller Kef LS50’s.
I’m very curious to audition them for home theater use but also the Canton 890.2 as well or even the current 2018 model. My upgrade of my theater room got delayed a bit but it’s still happening. (NHL Seattle team was announced but will be Fall 2021, instead of 2020 so TV room will definitely be updated for hockey viewing) :)

I love my Canton 820.2 in my bedroom 2.1. I have a Yamaha RX-A770 with the crossover at 80 hz to my Rythmik L12 sub. I added a Sony x700 UHD player as well. :)
 
Last edited:
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
I’m very curious to audition them for home theater use but also the Canton 890.2 as well or even the current 2018 model. My upgrade of my theater room got delayed a bit but it’s still happening. (NHL Seattle team was announced but will be Fall 2021, instead of 2020 so TV room will definitely be updated for hockey viewing) :)

I love my Canton 820.2 in my bedroom 2.1. I have a Yamaha RX-A770 with the crossover at 80 hz to my Rythmik L12 sub. I added a Sony x700 UHD player as well. :)
I've ordered the new Canton Vento 886.2 floor standers just released to replace my smallish Canton Vento 870.2 floor standers that I've had since they where released. I guess that the successors to Vento 870.2, 880.2 and 896.2 will drop in price in US when the new .2 series becomes available.

Reviews of Canton speakers are not so easy to get so below are some measurement from review that I bought. I post just the measurement as the full review is not covered by any "fair use".

The usual Canton official specs with respect to FR is just rubbish, and Vento speakers dips below 4 Ohms.

canton_vento_890_2.png
canton_vento_896.png
canton_vento_886.png

canton_vento_870_2.png
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
The Canton's look like good speakers generally but their naming scheme isn't very intuitive. They should make their model numbers correlate better with the speaker type.
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
The Canton's look like good speakers generally but their naming scheme isn't very intuitive. They should make their model numbers correlate better with the speaker type.
Yeah :) And when you visit the canton.de there is more information in German than in English, in particular for discontinued models. Info about the A45 speakers are only on the German part in the "ONLINE EXKLUSIV" section.
 
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
Yeah :) And when you visit the canton.de there is more information in German than in English, in particular for discontinued models. Info about the A45 speakers are only on the German part in the "ONLINE EXKLUSIV" section.
Doesn’t your browser translate the pages on websites to English?
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
Canton Reference was refreshed in 2015 so there may be a few more years before next refresh.

Here is a measurement for the current Canton Reference 9K bookshelf speaker from another review I've bought. These looks nice but I wanted floor standers and those are too expensive for me, even though I live in EU and can get better prices.


canton_reference_9k.png
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
Doesn’t your browser translate the pages on websites to English?
I've not set to auto translate, but I can read a little German and I can see that Google translate can have funny translations ;-)
 
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
I've not set to auto translate, but I can read a little German and I can see that Google translate can have funny translations ;-)
I use the Microsoft translator app on my Safari browser on my iPhone and iPad . Does that one translate funny too?
 
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
I've not tried the Microsoft translator. Thanks for the tip!
Ya it looks like it is just as funny with translations though. I am seeing what you mean on the Canton de site. :)
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
There is German magazine that also makes a recording of loudspeakers as part of the review and those recordings are available on the site LowBeats Klang Orakel They use the same variation of music in each recording in order to let the listener compare.

Among the recordings are Canton Vento, KEF, B&W, and several more.
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top