Kanto REN review: Theater-level sound in a bookshelf-style speaker system

The Kanto REN popped up on my radar just as I had mostly forgotten about the company. I reviewed the Kanto SYD Bluetooth speaker many years ago, and it is so good, that I still use it today. But I hadn’t heard about Kanto for many years after, that is, until they reached out and wanted me to review the Kanto ORA desktop speakers. Those speakers are also fantastic, and they are part of my permanent setup. So when the company asked if I wanted to review the Kanto REN, I first asked. What are they?

I was familiar with the company’s Bluetooth speakers and desktop speakers, but I did not know they dabbled in the home theater segment as well. So when my illustrious PR contact asked if I wanted to have a run, I said, yes. I went a little bit nutty on this review, though. I brought the entire setup with me on vacation and have this setup in a vacation rental. Let’s jump into the full review of the Kanto REN.

The Quick Take

I have reviewed a ton of soundbars and even tower speakers for home theater. But this is the first set of bookshelf style speakers made for home theater that I have reviewed. I was truly intrigued at how these would perform because I really enjoy soundbars. But I know some people are looking for something like the Kanto REN, and these bad boys will not disappoint you. Here’s the breakdown of what I liked and didn’t like.

• What I liked:
  • Easy setup, a bit more involved if you get the SX26 stands, but still easy.
  • No apps, just plug and play.
  • Very nice design and well-built.
  • Optional front screens, so you can leave them off, which I think looks better.
  • Many ways to connect, Bluetooth, HDMI, Optical, wired.
  • Really amazing stereo sound for a set of bookshelf speaker set.
  • Competes with soundbars of similar price and does a fantastic job.
• What I didn’t like:
  • These are pricey and when you add the optional stands and optional subwoofer, it gets really pricey. That said, the sound does justify the price. But you can probably find a soundbar with a subwoofer that competes with this for a slightly smaller price. The stands aren’t even needed, so that would save $299 right there.
  • No batteries included for the remote.
  • Remote is a chunky boy, slimmer next time, please.

The Kanto REN competes with soundbars of the same price point, the sound coming from this set is pretty astonishing. Adding a subwoofer would make it even better, but I did not get one of those. I really loved these speakers and highly recommend them if you’re searching for a bookshelf style home theater speaker.

Specifications

The Kanto REN has the following features and specifications:

• Drivers:
  • 1” Silk Dome Tweeters
  • 5.25” Aluminum Concave Cone
• Audio:
  • Class D200 W Peak Power (100 W Total RMS)
  • Automatic 80 Hz High/Low-Pass Filter
  • Frequency Response 50 Hz – 22 kHz
• Inputs:
  • HDMI ARC with CEC
  • USC-C (24bit/96kHz)
  • Optical (TOSLINK)
  • Bluetooth® 5.3 with AAC
  • RCA
  • 3.5 mm AUX
• Outputs:
  • Subwoofer:
    • USB Charge 5V 1A
• Weights and Measurements:
  • Dimensions (each speaker)
    • 7” W x 8.5” D x 10.9” H (17.8 x 21.5 x 27.7 cm)
• Net Weight (active): 9.9 lb (4.5 kg)
• Net Weight (passive): 8.6 lb (3.9 kg)
• ¼”-20 threaded bottom mounting hole

What’s In The Box

• Remote Control
• 2 x Magnetic Grilles
• Power Cord
• Speaker Wire
• 8 x Rubber Feet
• Quick Start Guide

Design

The design of the Kanto REN is pretty straightforward, they look like bookshelf speakers! The colorway sent to me is in black on black, and the materials used feel very premium. I don’t know the exact material used for the cabinet, it feels like a very thick and premium plastic, but I don’t know for certain. What I do know, is that it is very thick and heavy, so this is certainly not made of cheap or crappy material.

The top, bottom, and the sides of the Kanto REN don’t have much going on, other than the rubber feet you’ll have to install on the bottom. The front is where you have your actual speaker mediums, the tweeter and the speaker cones. One of the speakers also houses the power button and volume control on the front.

The backs of the Kanto REN speakers have more going on, the satellite speaker has less. Here’s what to expect there. Here you will find the speaker in set screws that you will place the supplied wires to connect the two speakers together and the subwoofer cone for that speaker.

The back of the main speaker unit has the most going on, and here’s what to expect there, I will list these as it’s far more:

• Subwoofer input
• RCA inputs
• AUX input
• Optical input
• HDMI ARC input
• 5V/1Amp USB-A port
• USB-C port
• Set Screws Speaker Out to connect to satellite
• Power cable port
• On/Off Switch

Let me mention the SX 26 stands very fast. These are really well-made and are very heavy. Steel construction and premium materials make up these stands, and you can choose feet that work on soft flooring or hard flooring. These are fantastic stands and well worth the $299 asking price.

Overall, the Kanto REN design is traditional bookshelf style, but they look fantastic. The build quality is outstanding and all the materials used are super premium and feel spectacular.

Ease of Use/Setup

First off, thank you Kanto, for not making an app for these. I don’t mind apps, sometimes, but plug and play is the way to go for solid state speakers. Just give me the connections on the back and a flat soundstage so that the sound the movie was mixed in, comes through.

So, there is no app. That means, you simply set these speakers up where you want them, plug them into each other, plug them in to the TV, and turn them on. That is it.

The remote is straightforward, although it is a bit chunky. I love that you can cycle through the sources on the remote, so you don’t have to touch the speaker to move from one source to another. The remote also does not include batteries and I think, at this price point, batteries should be included.

I know, it’s a nitpick and batteries are a mere $4 expense, but feel that a premium product should feel premium in all ways and including batteries is part of that. It is worth mentioning that once you have the Kanto REN connected via HDMI ARC, you can use your TV remote to control them, so you don’t need the remote all the time.

The SX 26 speaker stands were straightforward to put together, though they are super heavy, and you might have someone help pick up that box. But the instructions included were simple, and it all came together, including the speakers, in 30 minutes. Overall, these speakers and stands are effortless to deal with, put together and to use.

Sound

OK, how about sound? Well, I found that the Kanto REN competes right up there with the best soundbars at this price range. It would have been nice to have a subwoofer to really get a full feel of just how good the REN can sound. But we only got the speakers for this review, I am sure adding a subwoofer would increase its ability.

Listening to music on these is fantastic, great stereo sound separation and a very nice flat soundstage. This is actually an important point. Because many users will be using these speakers with something like a turntable or other music audio source. You can split the REN’s job duties between the TV/HDMI input and something like a turntable. Though, you will need a preamp if you decide to use a turntable.

The sound for watching movies is fantastic. No, it’s not at the level of a soundbar with subwoofer and dedicated Dolby Atmos satellite speakers. But something like that will cost double or even triple what you pay here. So fantastic is in comparison to these speaker’s price point.

Watching Lord of the Rings, End Game, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, TV sitcoms, and more was very enjoyable. Certainly, a massive upgrade over the TV speakers, as those are generally very thin. There are some details you won’t get with these that you might get with a dedicated Dolby system with all the satellites. There are some nuances like arrows flying past you or planes going through the surround system.

I found that I missed these details when I started using these, but I quickly forgot about them as I enjoyed the movie. I would say, that if you already have a huge Dolby system, these may take some getting used to. But it is possible. For users who have never had superb sound. The Kanto REN speakers are a massive upgrade to any TV built-in speakers.

Overall, the Kanto REN produces a very nice flat soundstage and gives you true stereo separation thanks to the separate speakers. These are a fantastic set of speakers for the price and a worthy upgrade to any TV setup, and they can work with multiple devices with its multiple inputs.

Price/Value

The Kanto REN aren’t cheap, but you get a ton of value for the price you pay. Some users are seeking bookshelf style speakers for specific reasons, and these are perfect for those users. Or, you may just be tired of soundbars, these will tickle your fancy. Purchase the optional subwoofer with these and I am certain you will have a fantastic home theater setup.

Wrap Up

I have to admit, I wasn’t all that surprised by the sound the Kanto REN was able to achieve. The ORA speakers are the best desktop speakers I’ve used, and I even use those to edit video and watch movies. But while I was surprised, I was initially skeptical these could handle a full on movie night. Nonetheless, they did. These are really fantastic speakers for the price. They’re not surround sound, but they give you an excellent stereo experience and movies and music sound fantastic. If you’re looking for a pair of bookshelf style home theater speakers, look no further than the Kanto REN.

from: techaeris