Kanto ORA - They're Good! And I Have Data to Back it Up! Unboxing | Review | Measurements

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[@69Muscle]

Just bought a pair. the reviews are solid. I'm very impressed....so far.

[@lmf22]

Nice review! Thanks for doing the measurements. It's nice to see a flat frequency response. I got these a couple of days ago and they sound amazing. I'm using the low profile stand (the elevated stands don't work for my setup because the tweeters are pointed to low). I think it's great for gaming, background music while I work, and just everyday computing stuffs.

[@puddleduckist]

They look nice and seem like they will sound good for a desktop setup. I have the kanto tuks for my pc set up, definitely much larger and sound fantastic, using the kanto stands as well, kanto makes nice stuff!!!🎉🎉

[@JetSe77er]

Great review, thanks Joe!

[@morten1]

Just got mine I was doubtful by how lightweight they are, but the build and size is perfect, and the sound is good enough. Not "fat" sounding like bigger speakers, but very good for the size, defined, crisp and clear and the bass is OK for this size I enjoy using and looking at these speakers

[@Jupiterape]

I would also like to know how they compare to the yu4

[@maddoxwilson76]

This! I'm super interested in the Ora's but want white, so the YU4 is more appealing to me

[@user-fl2ym8tm1m]

beavis: me2

[@AllenDiese3]

@@Jupiterape do you any feedback comparing Ora vs Yu4 ? Thx 😁

[@jedics1]

Shame they didn't do them in white...Especially as they sell a sub in that colour.

[@joeyrhodes2996]

Great review!!!

[@joentell]

Thanks!

[@JASONJAMESMARTIN]

Well I loved them just wanted some more low end so I purchased a sub I purchased the Martin Logan 400 sub but I almost feel like they sound better without the sub I've been messing with it for about a day now I'm wondering if I should return the Martin Logan and purchase the sub 8 if it will pair better if there's some magic sauce that these were meant to pair with that sub in particular.

[@blunaish]

These are a great choice for a Crt as they are magnetically shielded unlike the majority of new speakers these days.

[@quikspecv4d]

I’d be interested in seeing how they compare to the Swan OS-10. No sub out on the Swan though but they only cost $99. I think they sound pretty good

[@JASONJAMESMARTIN]

Thanks!

[@ajlee6318]

Thanks for the great reviews. How is the sound quality compared to the Yu 4?

[@redmoogle]

Finally something to upgrade my Edifier 1280Ts for desktop PC use. Need something without hiss and not too gigantic that actually sounds good.

[@Kampfus]

How is the upgrade? Worth it?

[@JeffJacquesmd]

I tried these side by side with the Swan OS10s. The former were returned and the latter are in my listening room, hooked up to my Geshello JNOG (AKM) and Leak CD Transport. Beautiful stuff

[@JASONJAMESMARTIN]

you returned the Kanto?

[@calvinchann1996]

I have the iLoud Micros and he FiiO SP3’s available to me. These are interesting. Did you only try them in USB or also via the RCA connection?

[@AaronFigFront]

I wonder how they compare to a pair of b&o emerge or just the default speaker that comes with the studio display. BTW, not expecting Halsey to appear, love it.

[@irwanchel]

Kanto Ora or Elac Connex DCB41?

[@ubacow7109]

iloud also made a new line of nearfield monitors and they seem really good too!

[@AlexanderZinzer]

I emailed Kanto yesterday and the Ora4 have been delayed (U.S.) until September / October. Do you think you'll get a pair in for review? Been waiting since CES to get one of these pair for my office desk. Very casual use, but I prefer the updated sub out implementation compared to the YU4. Worried the Ora might be a bit too small and don't quite like the look of the Vanatoo T0. Ora4 seemed like a solid hold out.

[@MrMilanina]

What is the name of the taller stands, please?

[@nshandy]

How do these compare to the Vanatoo Transparent Zero? They are about the same price, and you spoke highly about those too.

[@joentell]

It's been a while since I've heard the T0's. The T-zeros are significantly larger and so they do have more bass. These are good if a small size and accurate sound is your top priority.

[@perryvanderknaap4089]

Would these start-up automatically when you start up your PC? Or do you have to physically switch on something on the speakers? I would much prefer the former. If not, would it be possible to activate them by switching on/off the extension cord that powers the speaker's adapter, i.e. can that be done without damage to the speakers?

[@kookiethebear]

If they are plugged in, they are powered. If the audio input is connected to your PC, it will receive the signal when sent. In short, when your PC plays audio, so too will the speakers...as long as they are set as the default audio device.

[@odebroqueville]

Great review, thank you. Curious what your choice would be btwn the Ruark MR1 MKII and the Kanto Ora. The Ruark are actually about $100 more. At $350, the Kanto Ora are not cheap!

[@joentell]

I haven't reviewed the Ruark. I don't think they were available here in the US. Maybe they are now.

[@maherkotob]

I am considering using the Ora on my Mac Studio but mainly for videoconferencing (zoom, teams …etc.) and then for watching KZbin videos, so what are your thoughts about these speakers for vocals?

[@joentell]

I think they will be good for that use case.

[@crm484]

I am torn between Klipsch R-41 PM or Kanto Ora. There Will be a sub. Usage Will be for gaming and movies in a smaller office. Any advice?

[@Questions4ALL]

which one would you choose YU4 or the Ora for gaming on ps5 with a monitor how good are the tuks and would you spend the money for the tusk so are you getting you're money worth just for gaming on a console and PC usages. or is the yu 4 or yu6 good enough

[@joentell]

I like the ORA over the rest of the Kanto stuff when it comes to tonality. The build and fit/finish on the older stuff is nicer though. Kanto TUK has more bass than you might expect, but not as neutral of a speaker.

[@champipy]

Is this any better than "iLoud Micro Monitors"?

[@user-fl2ym8tm1m]

hi guys, anyone can help me choose should I go for Kanto yu4 or Kanto ora? Desktop setup, I need it for gaming but mainly for watching yt courses/webinars so e-learning. I am more leaning towards yu4 because of the design, the size is not a problem since I have a large desk

[@tug_r]

May have missed it, but how are these being differentiated from the YU2s?

[@carll2222]

I have the YU2's. The biggest feature imho on the new ORA is that when a subwoofer is connected via the SUB-out, the ORA's automatically apply a 100hz High Pass Filter. Most of the frequency spectrum below 100Hz is sent to the subwoofer and almost all of the frequencies above 100HZ is left for the two ORA's to reproduce. The theory is that this allows them to play louder and cleaner and maybe with a subwoofer connected, on Fast Cars, there would not be that fluctuation in her voice. It also looks like the amplification has been updated in the ORA's with their FOUR wire connectivity as the YU2's have TWO wires only from the master to slave speaker, implying there is NOT amplification/DSP being applied specific to either the tweeter and/or mid-woof drivers. YU2's have standard speaker posts for interconnect. YU2's also have the old style USB Printer port form factor for connecting to your PC.

[@maherkotob]

Hi Joe, nice review for the Ora. Since you used a MacBook to test, were you able to control the volume on the Ora using the keyboard volume controls? I am asking this because if you connect an external monitor with built in speakers (usb-c) to Mac, you cannot use the keyboard buttons to control volume.

[@joentell]

I can't remember if you can, but the volume knob on the front makes that easy. Also, you can use a program like SoundSource or MultiSoundChanger to control the volume on any device.

[@saddam08]

I saw somewhere you can control volume with keyboard keys, also turning knob affect system volume.

[@RiazUK78]

Excellent review Joe! I am looking to purchase some desktop speakers, and after your review, these fit the bill perfectly. I have a SMSL SU-9 DAC. Is it worth connecting my MacBook to the SU-9 DAC via USB cable and then RCA connectors from the SU-9 to the ORA's? Surely the DAC in the SU-9 is going to better than the DAC in the ORA's and improve the sound somewhat or am I being too optimistic?

[@joentell]

I'm not the guy who will say I can hear differences in DAC's. I'm happy if my device has a good one just for peace of mind, but I wouldn't worry about it. I think using good EQ to account for reflections at your desk is much more significant and noticeable.

[@RiazUK78]

hey @@joentell and everyone - I purchased thee ORA's over the weekend and did some testing connected with and without the SMSL SU9 DAC (paired with Q Acoustics 3060S sub). Firstly, with a USB cable from my iPad, USB Camera Adapter and Tidal Hi Res I found the sound exceptional. These speakers are truly amazing and the fidelity/detail in the music to my ears was unbelievable. I am in a small room for my set up so didn't need to turn them up loud. Then I connected the DAC (USB in, XLR-RCA out to Ora's). The sound came out a lot more energetic with no loss in fidelity. Again, the performance blew my mind. Really impressive with and without the DAC. To my ears, the DAC makes a 5-10% difference (to mainly hip-hop, house and rock music), just enough for me to justify keeping the DAC in the chain. Hope this helps music lovers and thanks again Joe, keep up the amazing work!

[@JASONJAMESMARTIN]

Just bought these. I think they are amazing. I plan on getting a sub not sure if should just get kanto Sub 8 or ?. Also do they get any louder with the sub..for when Im away from my desk?

[@joentell]

A sub should allow these to play a bit louder. I'm about to review the Kali Audio sub. They make great stuff, so that might be worth looking into.

[@JASONJAMESMARTIN]

What do you think of pairing these with the Monolith THX 8 sub. instead of the kanto sub 8? Is the Monolith a tight sub fo music too@@joentell

[@mikeandrade9824]

how do they sound for non high res music? are they too revealing for low res tracks?

[@joentell]

I think they don't reveal anything that isn't already there. They won't mask any issues. I prefer it that way. I can listen to highly compressed music and still enjoy it.

[@vakker2074]

Hey brother. I need a quick and honest answer. I have to choose between kali lp unf vs kanto ora. Which speakers will be a better choice for PC? Mixed use, multimedia, music, gaming. What would you recommend?

[@joentell]

I'm testing the LP-UNF. They're damn good. Significantly larger though

[@audiosmackdown]

$320 and change on Amazon, seems a little high, but I do like a 100 hz cutoff if you hook up the subwoofer

[@joentell]

I agree. If they're ever on sale, I think it's an easy recommendation.

[@jonny4036]

@@joentell Showing at all retailers now at $349 as pre-order price. Seems pretty pricy unless you really want something this small.

[@shrugalic]

I listened to a lot of music today, on both the Kanto ORAs, as well as Kali Audio LP6v2. The latter sound better IMO, but it's rather unfair because they are so very much larger (and I did have a sub connected to the Kalis). For their size, the Kantos sound great, and with a surprising amount of bass. I wonder how the new Kali Audio LP-UNF would fare, compared to both of them.

[@joentell]

Agree. I should have the new Kali's in soon

[@andrewhadjioannou1587]

How do these compare to the apple homepods? I was about to get they but saw your review. I also saw your kanto tuk review from back in in the day.

[@joentell]

I think they're very different products. HomePod has a lot of bass and it's made for streaming musing from an Apple devices. These are made to listen mostly at desk, and the accuracy is very good if you're making music or if you want accurate playback.

[@andrewhadjioannou1587]

@@joentell if you had to pick kanto tuk vs a pair of home pods? Wife wants homepods I’m eyeing the kanto tuk. Btw we are huge fans of your videos.

[@SpinneretteAlex]

How do these compare to the yu4 or yu6?

[@user-fl2ym8tm1m]

have you find out

[@shrugalic]

Cheers Joe! If you'll indulge me, I have a question, after some background/intro: I'm currently using a pair of Kali LP6v2 connected to a Kali WS6-2 subwoofer via XLR cables. The subwoofer is connected to a Sennheiser GSX1000 USB Sound "card" via a mini jack to RCA cable, which in turn is connected to a Windows 10 PC with USB. They sound great when watching a movie or listening to music, but as soon as a game starts (and I assume the game's audio engine kicks in), there's a rather noticeable noise floor of crackling, hissing, chirping and other distracting noises. It reminds me of coil whine, but amplified by the speakers. The speakers are on their lowest volume, and volume on my USB sound card is at 100% always. The other way round the speakers hiss even when not in-game (such as when speakers are on their reference 12 o'clock setting and USB sound card is around 25%, which is roughly the same volume as with USB volume at 100% and speakers at the lowest audible setting, knob at roughly 8 o-clock). I'd really like to get rid of this issue, or (if unsolveable) am considering a different pair of speakers for gaming purposes, such as these Kanto ORAs, and move the Kalis to my Mac - no games there, so they sound great (though noise-free also only if Mac volume is at 100% and speakers at lowest possible setting; or when connected to a CalDigit TS4 instead of the Mac directly). I read the older Kalis such as the LP6v1 have a hiss all the time. The v2 behaving differently in game is something I haven't read anything about anywhere. The 2 games I played and experienced it recently are Final Fantasy 14 and Baldur's Gate 3. A free benchmark such as 3DMark (I tried Solar Bay and Time Spy) or the Unigine Superposition in "Game" mode reproduces this issue easily as well (Alt + F4 to exit that BTW). I suspect it might be an issue with game audio engines in general, not sure. So now I wonder if these or any other speakers here would have a similar issue. The Teufel (German brand) speakers I previously used did not have this issue. Have you ever experienced something like this, and or have any ideas or insights? If I could get rid of the noise with the Kalis I'd love to continue using them for gaming. Thanks!

[@john2335]

Might be the sound card misbehaving. Also could try skipping the sub and using a good cable straight to the lp6 from a dac.

[@shrugalic]

The only DAC I have is the Sennheiser GSX 1000 USB thingie. If I connect the LP6v2 to that directly, and enable their RCA ports, the noise is still present, when a game is running (it's still fine on the desktop, no issues there). When I connect either the sub or the speakers to the mainboard directly, things get considerably worse, even when on the desktop, let alone in game. Meanwhile I tried running Baldur's Gate 3 on the Mac, and when the sub is connected to the TS4 Thunderbolt dock's mini jack, there is no noise at all, just crisp sound. When it's connected to the Mac directly, there is some noise. This leads me to believe that the cables (mini-jack to RCA, and two XLR cables) are fine, in isolation. When connected to the PC mainboard or the Sennheiser GSX 1000 they become more or less noise - but only in game. Because the noise seems to depend on the thing shown on screen, it reminds me a lot of video card coil whine. I wonder if that the video card (watercooled RTX 4090) somehow "pollutes" the audio signal. Edit: This seems to have some merit, because I can reproduce the noise by running Furmark (a video card stress tester), which does not do any audio. Edit 2: This seems to be it. I found a thread on the [h]ardforum titled "3080ti - Unbearable coil whine through speakers", and his example video sounds exactly like mine. So it is indeed the video card polluting everything, and what can help is using a DAC connected optically (toslink) with a separate power connection to the DAC. My DAC is powered from the PC via USB, so it picks up all the noise...

[@shrugalic]

OK, so 2 things happened: I received the Kanto ORAs. They sound pretty good, and interestingly do not suffer from the coil whine. Neither when connected to the PC via USB, nor when connected to the DAC (with minijack to RCA, and the DAC connected to the PC via USB). This is the very same DAC that would propagate massive coil whine to the Kali Audio speakers. I wonder what makes this difference. The other thing that happened is that I also received a very simple Digital to Analog Audio converter. My mainboard also has an optical out, which I connected to this new simple DAC, and that in turn to the Kali Audio sub with a RCA-to-RCA cable. No coil whine in game with this setup either.

[@john2335]

@@shrugalic interesting... So basically it's the gpu spewing garbage all over the place 😎

[@shrugalic]

OK, I tried something else: I got an SMSL M300SE DAC. Because the other cables didn't arrive just yet, I connected it to the PC with USB, and the two speakers with XLR. The sub is not connected for now (need 2 more XLR cables for that). To my surprise, I get no coil whine through the speakers in game either.

[@BobIGomez]

Ordered the ORA's last night from B&H for $349.99. I did notice your on-screen comment about the price. Have to say that most of the competition seem outdated. I guess I should have watched the whole video before I ordered since I went with the higher se2 stand. Actually, I find that much content is rather bass heavy to my ears. These will replace my Altec Lansing satellite with sub that is over 20 years old. Hopefully these will be ok as is, since I am trying to reduce clutter & simplify, but I can still add the sub latter. thanks☮

[@Blk380]

How have you liked the ORAs?

[@BobIGomez]

@@Blk380 I ordered the Sub8 about a week after ORA'S arrived. Maybe the Ora's needed more break in time? Most any Music sounded quite good however speech in many KZbin videos had un-natural characteristics. They would tend to sound muffled & lacking clarity. With some tweaking the Ora's with the sub8 did help considerably. The stands are nice however the speakers can easily tip off when moving & cleaning.

[@Blk380]

@@BobIGomez That’s good to know, I was looking at the sub8 as well. Did you have a previous set of speakers to compare them to? I’ve only used headphones in the past so I’m going in blind.

[@BobIGomez]

@@Blk380 besides the Altec Lansing speakers which included a sub 20yrs ago, I have M&K speakers with a Velodyne 8 active 10 passive sub. Also using Sundara headphones by hifi man

[@tessie4204]

These speakers needs the Kanto sub8!

[@Tealc2323]

vs iLoud Micro Monitors?

[@joentell]

I've never reviewed those.

[@azmiamin4801]

How about reviewing the Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2?

[@joentell]

They don't have those here in the US

[@siddr3153]

Would be great if you could review it! I’d be happy to ship them out to you from the UK

[@ryanschipp8513]

How do they compare to the Monoprice mm-5r's that are at $235 right now?

[@joentell]

These are more accurate

[@ryanschipp8513]

@@joentell OK. But at $235 safe to say the Monoprice are a better value? Overall bass, output, remote, more inputs.....

[@joentell]

@@ryanschipp8513 I still like these better personally. You have to look at what's important to you. I like accuracy and the small size of these. The MM5-R's might have more bass.

[@fatboyvin]

kanto yu + sub8 or kanto ora + sub8 for a desktop setting?

[@joentell]

You should buy these if you're looking to save desk space.

[@fatboyvin]

I currently have wharfedale diamond 12.2 connected to quad vena/smsl a300/smsl da9 amp and smsl su-1 dac with polk hts 12 subwoofer as a desktop system(connected to pc), will it be a downgrade or sidegrade getting the kanto ora with kanto sub8 for the same desktop setting? Also what is your thought on kali lp-unf vs kanto ora? Anyone pls, I am very tempted to try out these little speakers

[@joentell]

I think this would be a downgrade possibly. It's just that the Wharfedales are larger and will naturally have more bass. Integrating a sub properly is not an easy task without DSP. I think the LP-UNF would be an upgrade because they're also larger, have more bass, and are more accurate. Look out for a future review.

[@fatboyvin]

@@joentell thanks for the prompt response, indeed the diamond 12.2 are quite good for midfield listening, but for nearfield listening at a desk(at lower volumes) I am not exactly satisfied.

[@Inkytactic]

damm these speakers are nutty

[@BoRerunn]

Deviant speakers are on the horizon

[@josephstark4944]

I had to replace a MacBook (built in speakers and mic) with a Mac Mini for work. My work requires me to be on lots of zoom calls. I have an external mic and webcam now. But I need speakers. I also would like this to be my office Hifi system. Would you run these Kanto’s or go with something else? The simplicity of these is very attractive. USB C, DSP, automatic high pass filter etc. I do have a 6’ wide desk with lots of room though. My office Hifi system is currently Emotiva B1+, Cambridge AXR100 amp, SMSL DAC, WiiM Pro, and a Pinnacle Baby Boomer sub. I have multiple SMSL, topping, and Loxjie amp/dacs in the closet as well. Should I repurpose the B1+, sub and one of the China Dac/amps for desktop use? Or will I be happy with the Kanto’s? I also have budget to step it up.

[@joentell]

Thank you for your support! I think these are great for a desk setup. Their size is significantly smaller than any bookshelf speaker. This might be a consideration if desk space is important to you. Your other system will have more bass. You may want to consider using those as speakers to relax and enjoy your music when you aren't working. The volume control and simplicity makes it obvious that these are designed for a desktop environment.

[@josephstark4944]

@@joentell Ty sir. I think the volume control is definitely one of the major selling points. Is that not normal in other powered speakers? I’m also considering the Vanatoo Encore or PSB Alpha AM5’s. Both have DSP, and automatically high pass the sub when connected, similar to the Ora’s. If I could get the Kali audio speakers to work seamlessly with volume controls I think I would probably give those a shot.

[@joentell]

@@josephstark4944 those are probably good also. These are tiny. That's really the key. Build quality will probably be lower than the others you mentioned.

[@keithjohnson2863]

I suggest using the USB-A port on the Mac mini for audio. To my ears it was less noisy than the Thunderbird ports.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

For this type of application the Edifier MR4s can't be beat for the price to performance ratio imo

[@joentell]

Mmmmmm, I've reviewed the MR4's. They were not close to this accurate.

[@redmoogle]

@@joentell They're like a third of the price though, are these 3x more accurate? That's always a question for desktop speakers, especially primarily used for gaming and movie/show/sports viewing which doesn't really go high res.

[@tharveytucker1]

The audioengine a2+ are $100 cheaper and sound probably just as good.

[@BullyCanadian]

I have the audioengine hd3 and recently got the Ora’s. The audioengines are not as good.

[@tharveytucker1]

@@BullyCanadian from the reviews I’d side with the HD3’s. Wider frequency range and the ability to handle higher res audio. And like with a2+, the HD3 ‘s are cheaper than the Ora’s. But it really comes down to preference. I don’t use powered speakers much besides the Bluetooth UE Hyperboom out of sheer convenience- I typically use my passive speakers with my turntable. I have a diy subwoofer and I happen to love my Q Acoustics 3030i’s. I’m told they suck from so many people online. I love them. And preference is all that matters. I also use a standalone EQ which audiophiles hate- still don’t care. lol

[@NeapolitanApe]

Audio engine is mad overrated

[@tharveytucker1]

@@NeapolitanApe as a whole? Def. Price wise here? Nope

[@SuperMatrix59]

Not woth 349 plus tax. Paper cone not worth it maybe with a sub. I wouldn't but them

[@playmoreguitar5393]

For the price... I would expect nothing else but brilliant... 😵‍💫

[@Academicidiot]

How are they as basic tv speakers over a soundbar?

[@keithjohnson2863]

I would not consider these a sound bar replacement since they do not have optical or ARC inputs. So, unless your TV has a USB port that can be used for audio output, your only options for connectivity are Bluetooth or analog. For $350 it's a big whiff from Kanto to not include at least an optical input.