Kanto UKI review: Small footprint with a wide and clear soundstage

Nov 21, 2025

Back in 2023, I reviewed my first set of Kanto speakers, and they were fantastic. Now, in 2025, I have the Kanto UKI desktop speakers on my desk to have a listen to. I first heard of Kanto back in 2019 when I reviewed the Kanto SYD. That speaker now sits in my in-laws house, and they use it daily. So it’s not a stretch to admit that I am a fan of Kanto sound and Kanto devices. From the ORA to the REN, this company has consistently made some banger audio equipment.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Kanto’s ORA line of desktop reference speakers; they are fabulous. But not everyone will be agreeable with the price tag. So enter Kanto UKI. These little dudes come in with a small footprint lighter price tag, all while providing a nice, wide, and clear soundstage. Let’s get into this review.

The Quick Take

This is a fairly straightforward quick take. The Kanto UKI are excellent desktop speakers that do not take up much space on your desk. They sound great for the size they are, and they have plenty of connection options. Audiophiles may not get along with these, as support for codecs like aptX and LDAC isn’t here. But these aren’t trying to be audiophile speakers. These are tiny workhorses, and they are excellent.

Score and Bottom Line

he bottom line on the Kanto UKI, as with anything, is that these will not be for everyone. But I do think average users who want excellent non-audiophile desktop sound will love them. Audiophiles looking for special audio codec support will likely need to step up to a more expensive Kanto speaker. Hey, if you want audiophile quality, dig into your audiophile wallet. Here are my key takeaways, both good and bad, of the Kanto UKI.

What’s great about the Kanto UKI?
- Ultra-Compact Design: They are tiny little guys with an interesting shape that makes them stand out. The size and form factor are ideal for tight desktop spaces, dorm rooms, or minimalist setups where larger speakers won’t fit.
- Sound Quality: Spacious, detailed, and punchy, delivering a soundstage that does not reflect the size of these enclosures.
- Excellent Connectivity: Strong array of inputs for an entry-level speaker, including
  - USB-C for a high-quality digital connection to a PC or laptop
  - RCA for compatibility with traditional gear, including turntables (must have a built-in pre-amp).
  - Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless streaming.
  - Subwoofer output (pre-out) to easily add a powered subwoofer for more bass depth.
  - Includes a handy 3.5mm headphone jack on the front of the active speaker.
- Design and Build: They come in a nice choice of colors (like sage, cornflower, black, and white) and have a surprisingly robust build quality.
- Affordability: Affordable, budget-friendly entry point into better quality desktop audio.
What needs some work or might be an issue for some users?
- Limited Codec Support: The Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity currently supports SBC and AAC codecs but lacks support for higher-quality codecs (like aptX or LDAC), which some audiophiles might not like.
- Bass Chops: Bass enthusiasts who need those rumbling low frequencies (especially for larger rooms) will need to purchase an external subwoofer to achieve that level of bass.

Overall, the Kanto UKI isn’t an audiophile-level desktop speaker set. But it is pretty damn good for the size and price point. You can still enjoy music and movies with these speakers; you’re just not going to get that extra level that audiophile-centric speakers can provide. For most users, these speakers will be an upgrade over laptop or monitor speakers.

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Kanto UKI Specifications

Drivers
- ¾” Silk Dome Tweeters
- 3” Paper Cone Woofers
Audio
- Class D Bi-amplified
- 100 W Peak Power (50 W Total RMS)
- 9 W RMS per tweeter
- 16 W RMS per Woofer
- Automatic 100 Hz High/Low-Pass Filter
- Frequency Response 80 Hz – 22 kHz
Inputs
- RCA Line-Level
- USB-C (16 bit/48 kHz)
- Bluetooth® 5.3
Outputs
- Subwoofer Out
- 3.5mm Headphone Out
Weights and Measurements
- Dimensions (each speaker): 4.4” W x 4.3” D x 6.5” H (11.2 x 11 x 16.5 cm)
- Net Weight (active): 2.2 lb (1 kg)
- Net Weight (passive): 1.9 lb (0.9 kg)
- ¼”-20 threaded rear & bottom mounting hole
Colors
- Black
- White
- Pumice
- Cornflower
- Sage

What’s in the Box?

Kanto UKI
4-pin Speaker Connector (6’)
Power Cord
8 x Rubber Feet
Manual

Design

Kanto UKI review: Small footprint with a wide and clear soundstage

The design of the Kanto UKI speakers is similar but different from ORA and REN. The shape is interesting with a sort of rounded and bubbled rectangle look. I dig it. The drivers are on the front, there are no speaker grilles, and the main speaker has the power/source button, headphone jack, and LED on the front. Here’s what to expect from the front and back of the Kanto UKI speakers.

Front Panel
- 3/4” silk dome tweeter
- 3” paper cone woofer
- Headphone Jack
- LED
  - Green – RCA
  - Yellow – USB
  - Blue – Pairing(flashing)
  - Paired (solid)
- Volume / Input Select / On / Off
Rear Panel
- Bass Reflex Port
- 1/4”-20 Mounting Hole
- Bluetooth® Pairing Button
- RCA Input
- DC Input Connection
- Speaker Out
- L/R Channel Switch
- USB Audio Input
- Subwoofer Out

Despite the size, the Kanto UKI speakers feel like a solid build, and while they are light, they feel more substantial than they look. I love the color options too. The sage color looks spectacular. Overall, I think this is a nice design and really well executed.

Ease of Use

Setting the Kanto UKI speakers up and using them is uncomplicated. Plug the speakers into each other, plug the power supply into the wall, choose which input to use, and you’re off to the races. No apps, no software, no fuss, just simplicity at its finest. The power button serves as the way to cycle through your connection options like Bluetooth, USB-C, and RCA.

Overall, these are like old-school speakers; nothing complicated here. Maybe Bluetooth is the one thing, but even that is easy to set up. Just push the Bluetooth pairing button and find them in your system’s Bluetooth settings. Things have gotten complicated over the years, and these are not complicated.

Sound Quality

The Kanto UKI speakers are small and quirky, but they sound excellent for the size of the cabinet and price point. The UKI offers exceptional sound clarity and good detail across the frequency range. Midrange and treble frequencies are well supported.

The spatial and well-defined soundstage was surprising, given how small the size of the Kanto UKI. You might have to play around with positioning to get the best sound. The optional stands are highly recommended as they help tilt the speakers up, giving you a better setup.

The Kanto UKI speakers are actually fantastic when it comes to bass, at least for my likes. It’s well controlled, but the tuning does give the overall soundstaging a warmer tone. For fans of deeper and more rumbly bass, you might not like these, or you may want to add a sub.

Overall, the soundstage on these speakers isn’t perfect, but given the price point and the size of the cabinet. I think the soundstaging is excellent. Kanto put some work into making these the best they can be for what they are. The Kanto UKI speakers sound fantastic.

Reception

The Bluetooth 5.3 reception is excellent. Nothing much to report here. Though don’t expect the sound to be as good as a wired connection, I highly suggest using the USB-C connection for the absolute best sound. I will add again, some codecs are not supported here, so hi-fi signals may not produce audiophile quality.

Price/Value

The Kanto UKI is priced at USD 269.99, and for the level of performance and sound these speakers offer. That is an excellent value. With Black Friday creeping up, you might find them on sale as well. So if you can pay less, even better.

Wrap-Up

The bottom line on the Kanto UKI, as with anything, is that these will not be for everyone. But I do think average users who want excellent non-audiophile desktop sound will love them. Audiophiles looking for special audio codec support will likely need to step up to a more expensive Kanto speaker. Hey, if you want audiophile quality, dig into your audiophile wallet. Here are my key takeaways, both good and bad, of the Kanto UKI.

What’s great about the Kanto UKI?
- Ultra-Compact Design: They are tiny little guys with an interesting shape that makes them stand out. The size and form factor are ideal for tight desktop spaces, dorm rooms, or minimalist setups where larger speakers won’t fit.
- Sound Quality: Spacious, detailed, and punchy, delivering a soundstage that does not reflect the size of these enclosures.
- Excellent Connectivity: Strong array of inputs for an entry-level speaker, including
  - USB-C for a high-quality digital connection to a PC or laptop
  - RCA for compatibility with traditional gear, including turntables (must have a built-in pre-amp).
  - Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless streaming.
  - Subwoofer output (pre-out) to easily add a powered subwoofer for more bass depth.
  - Includes a handy 3.5mm headphone jack on the front of the active speaker.
- Design and Build: They come in a nice choice of colors (like sage, cornflower, black, and white) and have a surprisingly robust build quality.
- Affordability: Affordable, budget-friendly entry point into better quality desktop audio.
What needs some work or might be an issue for some users?
- Limited Codec Support: The Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity currently supports SBC and AAC codecs but lacks support for higher-quality codecs (like aptX or LDAC), which some audiophiles might not like.
- Bass Chops: Bass enthusiasts who need those rumbling low frequencies (especially for larger rooms) will need to purchase an external subwoofer to achieve that level of bass.

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