With many companies on the market producing high-quality speakers, finding the right one for your needs can be difficult. The Kanto YU4 and Audioengine A2+ are great desktop speaker tables with nearly the same size and remarkable audio performance. But which between the two should you consider?
This article will look at an in-depth comparison of these two speakers to help you make an informed buying decision.
However, if you are in a hurry and can’t go through our complete guide, here is our overview of the comparison for these two products.
Consider the Kanto YU4 if you want a medium-sized bookshelf speaker that comes with a variety of input and color options. This speaker uses a 4″ drive that gives an exceptional sound performance, although they may lack sub-bass.
On the other hand, you should choose the Audioengine A2+ if you are after a budget-friendly speaker that delivers the best sound for small spaces. It has a built-in amplifier and wireless system, making it an excellent fit for playing from digital or analog sources.
Kanto YU4
Kantu YU4 is a speaker set produced by Kanto Living, renowned for its high-end desktop speaker lineup. These speakers have a versatile design that can fit perfectly in multiple scenarios and fit well on bookshelves.
Pros:
- It has an aesthetically pleasing design
- Features excellent wireless connectivity
- You can choose from a variety of finish options
- Built using high-quality MDF
Cons:
- The sub-bass is a little bit lacking
- For a speaker of this price point, there might be a bit of a compromise when it comes to the audio
Audioengine A2+
The Audioengine 2+ speakers are made by Audioengine, a company making high-quality and powered speakers at reasonable prices since 2005. The Audioengine 2+ wireless speaker system delivers a rich frequency response and solid connectivity.
Pros:
- The speakers feature impressive sound quality for their size and price
- Allows you to enjoy accurate high-frequency sounds
- The package comes with a powerful amplifier
- The setup process is quick and easy
- Available at a very reasonably price
- Comes with flexible inputs for digital and analog sources
Cons:
- There’s not much bass going for it
- It lacks a remote control and DSI stand
- You have to make sure the speakers are elevated
Detailed Comparison
Overall Design and Build Quality
- Kanto YU4
At first glance, the Kanto YU4 is visually appealing thanks to its sleek, simple, and clean design. It has a perfect blend of high build quality and a simple design, making it an excellent choice for anyone that wants a functional yet elegant speaker set.
This unit features cabinets made of MDF, and the MDF casing ensures audio performance. Each speaker is equipped with a 1″ silk dome tweeter for high-end and robust Kevlar drivers for exceptional middle and low performance.
Kanto YU4 is available in several color options: matte black, matte white, matte grey, gloss black, gloss white, gloss red, and glossy teal. Hence, it should be easy finding the most suitable unit for your home décor.
One of the speakers has a power button on the bottom, right side, larger than most models. Overall, this speaker set is well built with a clean and straightforward design.
- Audioengine A2+
However, it is slightly smaller than the Kanto YU4, making it ideal for use as a computer speaker or in smaller rooms. Nevertheless, this unit does not compromise on functionality as it features a well-built custom amplifier, an 18mm cabinet, bass ports, and drivers.
The amplifier has a class A/B analog monoblock design that guarantees quality audio and better flexibility. Also, this model omits front grills, leaving the ¾ inch silk dome tweeters exposed. The tweeters have an edge-driven design that provides a smooth response.
Compared to most wireless speaker sets, these two speakers are stereo power and need a connection. The left speaker needs AC power, and the right speaker connects to the left speaker through a standard. For this reason, you will need to do some cabling.
Like the Kanto YU4, you have the option to choose from three color options for the Audioengine A2+ speakers, including Hi-Gloss white, Hi-Gloss red, and Satin Black.
Performance
- Kanto YU4
The Kanto YU4 speakers deliver a relatively flat sound but with more treble and bass than what the Audioengine A2+ delivers. The cabinets in these speakers work with other components to deliver impressive lows and mids for their size. The highs on this speaker are also warm and full and can enhance your listening experience.
Better yet, these speakers deliver a punch that is more common in 4″ drivers. Plus, you won’t struggle to listen since the Kanto YU4 speakers ensure a high level of clarity and crispness for stringed instrument-heavy music and vocals.
However, a weakness of these speakers is the limited Bluetooth range. This is because Kanto YU4 speakers come with an internal antenna, limiting the Bluetooth range to small rooms.
This is unlike Audioengine speakers with an external antenna that supports a Bluetooth range of more than 30 feet through the walls. This can be a problem if wireless music streaming is a priority. However, if you are willing to spend more, you can buy a Google Chromecast Audio to help solve this issue.
- Audioengine A2+
The Audioengine A2+ speakers give big sound and tight bass that can fill a room for their size. It is impressive that they deliver clear, refined, and well-defined sound that meets the audiophile standards without requiring the subwoofer.
Despite their small design, these speakers deliver an outstanding performance regardless of the type of music. Each speaker comes with a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter and aramid fiber Woofer that measures 2.75 inches. Overall, these speakers deliver 60 watts of power and a frequency range of 65Hz-22kHz.
Audioengine A2+ speakers can deliver much better sound quality than most medium-sized smart speakers, although the bass may be a little less. In this case, you may want to connect to a subwoofer or opt for bigger speakers such as the Audioengine A5+ speakers. The other trick is to place the speakers near the wall to help enhance their bass response.
These speakers especially do well in small and medium-sized rooms to give rich and vibrant audio. The midrange and treble are also impressive, and the vocals are incredibly clear and detailed. On the downside, the midrange bump is lower, and the instrument separation may not be quite notable when playing music.
Also, for these speakers to function effectively, there is a need to angle them slightly upward. Otherwise, the highs may be muted.
Connectivity
- Kanto YU4
One of the great features of the Kanto YU4 speakers is their wireless connectivity. This means that you can connect to these speakers wirelessly using different devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The other wireless connectivity option is AptX support.
Also, the left speaker has wired connectivity options, including two optical connectors, RCA connectors, and a 3.5mm auxiliary plug. Other connectivity options in this speaker include a 5V1A USB charging port, DC power connector, a ground wire post, a power switch, and a phono/line switch for using the speakers with turntables.
The sub out and speaker cable posts also allow you to connect the left speaker to the right speaker.
The right speaker doesn’t have many connection options and only includes speaker cable posts for connectivity to the left speaker.
- Audioengine A2+
The Audioengine A2+ speakers are designed with wireless capabilities and ensure maximum Bluetooth range compared to the Kanto YU4 speakers. It offers Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX support and is an excellent choice if a high-fidelity audio connection matters to you.
The rear panel of the left speaker also includes numerous connectivity options like an RCA input and output, 3.5mm aux input, power connector, and a micro USB input, with the micro USB to USB A cable packed in the box. The back panel also houses a Bluetooth pairing button for easy Bluetooth connectivity. With multiple connectivity options, you can connect these speakers to your PC, smartphone, tablet, laptop, or DAP.
The left speaker, which is the power speaker, includes the built-in woofer and feeds the right speaker, which is the passive speaker, through an included speaker wire. You will also need to screw into position the two binding posts on each speaker to connect them.
On the downside, the Audioengine A2+ speakers do not support Wi-Fi or voice assistants, which most speakers in its price range offer. However, this should not be a problem if these things are not a priority.
Additional Features
- Kanto YU4
For $499.99, this speaker set comes included with all the necessary wires with great length for easy setup. Also included in the box is a 3.5mm auxiliary cable, a connecting wire, a remote control, and little stick-on rubber feet. Kanto may also supply stands for angling speakers upwards of 16 degrees, which is useful when you want to transform the speakers into near-field devices.
- Audioengine A2+
For a price of $269, you can get other notable features with this speaker set to get value for your money. The speakers come packed in a microfiber bag that allows convenient storage. Also included is a 6.5 ft speaker wire for connecting the speakers and a 4.9 ft mini-jack cable.
The Verdict
Overall, both speakers are impressive sets of speakers for near-field listening as long as they are placed correctly. Although they are smaller, they still manage to deliver power and room-filling sound.
Nevertheless, the Kanto YU4 speakers deliver more power and come in sleek designs that complement most spaces. Although on the expensive side, these speakers are also versatile. They are an excellent choice for anyone that wants to enhance their near-listening on a desk environment.
On the other hand, the Audioengine A2+ may be ideal for you if you have a limited budget and want more sub-bass. It also has an excellent design and delivers a filling sound for small rooms of its size. If a remote is a must for you, it may not be the best option.
