As far as powered speakers is concerned, Kanto YU6 and Peachtree M25 are forces to reckon with in the market and anyone would be forgiven for any uncertainty on which one to pick. Comparing these two giant brands is one of the hardest task anyone can undertake, but it must be done and at the end of the day a verdict must be given on which one is the best. If you are at that stage where you are out shopping for speakers, then this article is for you.
Read on and by the end you will have gained lots of information to help you make a well informed decision, one that you will not regret in future.
The outlook
Before diving into the technical aspects of an equipment, it is the outlook that will first draw your attention. If something looks ugly, it stands no chance no matter how great it may be when it comes to quality. Manufacturers know this concept, and that is why they put forth a lot of effort into making their products appealing, and it seems that the designers of both Kanto YU6 and Peachtree M25 went a step further to make their products absolutely attractive and suitable to their clients.
Let’s start with the Kanto YU6. They have a fairly large cabinet and come in a range of five colors. You can choose either matte white, matte black, gloss white, gloss red or bamboo. The variety of colors to choose from gives you more flexibility in choosing one that will blend with the room you intend to use the speakers in. The outlook of Kanto YU6 is elegant and aesthetically pleasing. Even if it was nonfunctional, this speaker would add a decorative appeal to your room. From the position of the knob to the arrangement of the rear controls, it is all so beautiful and if that was the only criteria to consider this would be my top pick. Unfortunately, there is more that goes into choosing a speaker above and beyond its looks.
Peachtree M25 offers much fewer options when it comes to colors. You only have two choices, either piano black or bamboo. The rear arrangement is not clean and seems jumbled up giving it an untidy look. While it is better looking than most other products in the market, it is beaten hands down by the elegant Kanto YU6.
To be honest the Kanto YU6 is better looking than the Peachtree M25. The limitation of color options makes it even worse, because at least what it misses out on looks it should have compensated for with beautiful colors. Thankfully, we are looking for more than just looks. Let’s see if the Peachtree M25 can win in other aspects.
Specifications
It cannot be emphasized enough, that the most important aspects of a powered speaker are its specifications. The price maybe cheap, the looks may be appealing but when the specifications are substandard you will be frustrated and what you saved while spending would prove to be costlier in the long run because of low quality.
The first important specification of a speaker are the drivers it uses. Drivers are simply the mechanical parts of the speaker that are responsible for producing sound. In a powered speaker these are the tweeter and the subwoofer.
The type of drivers installed in a speaker determine the sound quality and its performance in a given space. Some drivers make a speaker best for use in large rooms while others make them best for desktop small room usage.
The Kanto YU6 uses 1″ Silk Dome Tweeters and 5.25″ Kevlar® Drivers. Kevlar® is among the best drivers for powered speakers and has cut out a niche for itself for its high strength and rigidity. If a system is installed with Kevlar® Drivers, you are guaranteed that it will produce accurate sounds at all volume levels. Low quality drivers lead to a distortion of the sound when the volume is cranked up. For this reason, you can be sure that the Kanto YU6 will not give you a poor performance when you are excited while listening to your favorite music and want to boost the volume a notch higher to enjoy it to the core.
The Kanto YU6 is larger and heavier for it weighs 11.4 lb (5.2 kg) and its dimensions are 6.9” W x 8.1” D x 10.7” H (17.5 x 20.5 x 27.2 cm). the Peachtree M25 on the other hand has a smaller cabinet and is lighter in weight at 8.7 lb (3.6 kg). The size of its cabinets are 6.6” W x 8.0” D x 10.2” H (16.8 x 20.4 x 26.0 cm).
In terms of the audio specifications, the Kanto YU6 has a class D amplifier with a frequency response of 50 Hz up to 20 kHz and its peak power is 200W and the total RMS is 100 Watts and there is no much variation with the Peachtree M25.
The same goes for the inputs, they both have RCA with phono switch, optical, mini-jack AUX and Bluetooth functionality as input sources. The only difference is that Kanto YU6 has double optical inputs. These options gives you flexibility in the devices you can connect to your speaker and the mechanism. You can opt for wireless or cabled connection and can play from almost any device because of these many options.
In addition to the input, both speakers also have two outputs. The first output is for connecting to a subwoofer if you feel you need a bit more bass especially if you are using the speaker in a bigger room. The second output is a USB 5V 1A charge port. The charge output is convenient for you to recharge your devices during use incase all the outlets in your house are occupied.
Sound Quality
As far as speakers are concerned, what you should look for is reasonably measuring speakers that are also enjoyable to listen to whether near or far at both low to moderate volume. They should also have no problem when placed near a wall. The challenge often is finding a compact sized speaker with good sound. That is not the case with Kanto YU6 and Peachtree, for they seem to strike a perfect balance between the two aspects.
No matter the kind of music you prefer, whether classical, rock, pop, blues or jazz music Kanto YU6 and Peachtree M25 will give a good output regardless of the input source. If you use USB input, Bluetooth or high resolution streaming the sound quality will still be great.
However, the bigger speaker size of the Kanto YU6 gives it an edge over the Peachtree M25. All factors remaining constant, the bigger cabinet and woofer speaker size means better sound at higher volumes and more bass.
To enhance the quality of the sound even further, Kanto YU6 offers users a unique experience, the ability to place the speakers on stands that have a rotating plate to enhance the delivery of the sound to the ears of the listener. The stands help break the low profile limitation of the speakers.
A combination of the 200 Watts D amplifiers and the silk tweeters deliver refined sound to all the corners of your room and give you an unforgettable experience every time you plug into the Kanto YU6.
Great Features
All powered speakers have the same basic components of a woofer, tweeter and input sources but there are some attributes that make one exceptional and worth buying. Here we shall consider the features that make each of the two speakers being considered today better over the other.
The Kanto YU6 components are made of specially selected materials proved and tested to be of high standards and that produce a rich sound. Consider the tweeters for instance, they are made of silk, a material that has been found to deliver exceptional results when it comes to sound transmission. Silk tweeters do not produce distorted sounds at high frequency ranges, no matter the frequency the sound will still be refined and bright.
Furthermore, the dome shape of the tweeters installed in Kanto YU6 improves the dispersion of the sound to the ears of every listener in the room regardless of their location.
Although the Peachtree M25 also has silk tweeters, it is not shaped the same way and that causes it to have less efficiency in delivering sound to the listeners in a room.
Another great feature of the Kanto YU6 is its signal detection ability such that it can automatically remain on standby when there is no signal input but will resume playing when the signal is back in range and the music continues. The signal detection feature helps in conserving power something that Peachtree M25 does not have.
Both the Kanto YU6 and Peachtree M25 speakers come with a remote that allows you to control the tone, switch sources and adjust the volume conveniently.
Pricing
The Kanto YU6 by the time of writing this article was costing $449.99 while the Peachtree M25 costs $489.00. What is shocking is that Kanto YU6 is bigger and better than Peachtree M25 yet it costs less. Without a doubt, you will get better value for your money if your purchase Kanto YU6.
What Comes With the Package?
Here is what you should expect as part of the package when you purchase the Kanto YU6:
- Remote with Batteries
- Power Cord
- Speaker Wire (16′)
- 3.5mm Auxiliary Cable (6.5′)
- 8 x Rubber Feet
- Manual
If you were to purchase the Peachtree M25, part of the package will include the following items:
- 2 speakers
- Removable grilles
- Remote
- Angled rubber stands
- AC power cable
- RCA and digital optical cable
- Speaker Cable
- User manual
- 1-year warranty.
You can clearly see that the Peachtree M25 offers you a better package and much better value for your money. The rubber stands are a nice detail by the manufacturer to add to your convenience in the use of their products and offers a very attractive offer. But do not let the cost alone sway your decision.
Which is Better?
If you have read this far, you would want to know which is better between Kanto YU6 and Peachtree M25. In all fairness with consideration of all the aspects, each speaker has its pros and cons. Peachtree M25 is a quality speaker and the package is very attractive but unfortunately it is smaller and pricier. Kanto YU6 is a big quality speaker, although it doesn’t offer much in terms of the package, it tipples the scale because of the other aspects such as the variety of colors, large cabinets and woofer and of course lower cost for a better quality.
Without beating around the bush, Kanto YU6 carries the day because of what it offers at such a price. If the Peachtree M25 was at a lower cost, it would be advisable to go for it because you get almost the same quality sound and features but its price renders it 2nd.
I hope this article was valuable to you and that you have learnt something new to make a wise purchasing decision.
