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Kanto’s Ora4 desktop speakers drive more bass, more power

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Kanto Ora4 Reference Speakers in black.
Kanto

Canadian audio company Kanto has a new option if you’re looking for powered desktop or bookshelf speakers with better bass response. Its Ora4 Reference Speakers are similar to its Kanto Ora model — which we consider to be some of the best desktop speakers you can buy —  but with larger woofers and more power. They’re available starting November 1 for $400 in either matte white or matte black, from Amazon and several other retailers.

The Ora4 are only slightly larger than the Ora (4.7 x 6.7 x 8.3 inches versus 3.9 x 5.6 x 6.9 inches) but they weigh nearly twice as much (4.3 pounds versus 2.1), which should give you an indication that there’s a lot more going on inside.

Kanto Ora4 Reference Speakers in white.
Kanto

The difference is the amplification and drivers. The Ora4’s bi-amplified drivers are fed by two class D amps: 12 watts per tweeter and 23 watts per woofer, for 70 watts of total power (RMS). That’s 40% more power than the Ora’s 50-watt total.

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While the 3/4-inch silk dome tweeters remain the same as the Ora, the woofers are now bigger (4-inch versus 3-inch) and are made from magnetically shielded aluminum instead of paper.

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This is what accounts for the Ora4’s deeper bass. Kanto says the Ora4 has a frequency response of 60Hz-22kHz (10Hz lower than the Ora), and the company has set the automatic crossover at 80Hz when you connect a wired subwoofer.

Kanto Ora4 Reference Speakers in black.
Kanto

Speaking of wired connections, the Ora4 repeats the Ora’s formula: on the back of the powered satellite, you’ll find a USB-C port for PC audio, a stereo RCA connection for analog sources, and a subwoofer output. There’s also a Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connection for streaming audio with AAC and SBC codec support.

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What you won’t see is the Ora4’s hidden spec improvement. Its USB-C input is now compatible with digital sources up to 24-bit/96kHz for lossless, hi-res audio. The original Ora is limited to CD quality 16-bit/48kHz.

At $400, the Ora4 are only $50 more than their smaller, less powerful Ora siblings, which may make them very attractive for those who need just a little more punch in their desktop setup for monitoring and mixing music.

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Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen is a contributing editor to Digital Trends' Audio/Video section, where he obsesses over the latest wireless…
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