Kanto iPair 5v2 Sound System 2010 - Black Gloss

Kanto AV Systems manufactures exceptional powered audio speakers for consumers demanding a break from mediocrity. Kanto is committed to delivering products that combine superior performance, elegance, craftsmanship and value. The iPair 5v2 delivers all that and more in a powerful, hand crafted, feature-rich set of studio monitor inspired speakers. One speaker had a minor dent that was professionally repaired... shown in photos. Ships own original box. I appreciate good sound quality and these have been exceptionally good speakers for me.

Review: Great-sounding, good-looking speakers!
"First impression: wow, this box is heavy! Open it up and you get the cables (1/4" speaker-to-speaker, mini-to-stereo RCA, S-video), remote, several ipod-itouch-iphone adapters, and the speakers themselves - glossy, smooth, black, hefty. "Hand-built, special acoustic wood cabinets, bulletproof kevlar woofers, natural silk tweeters" - they'd probably be good to hide behind in case of a gunfight. And a set of foam stickers for the speaker bottoms. And a thin manual that was short on information.

Setup is easy - plug in the power cable, then hook up the speakers. If you have an iPhone, the adapters are probably too small for it - it plugs in and balances OK without them anyway. When I played some music, it sounded great to me, but then I don't consider myself an audiophile.

I plugged in my TV output via the RCA jacks. There was a noticeable humming. I dialed down the volume dial a bit, then upped the TV output, and it was much less noticeable. Maybe better cables would help (I used a set that was on hand, since no RCA/RCA cables were included.) But the sound quality was noticeable. Compared to dialing up the bass on the TV and playing it through my Sony TV's speakers, the unaltered bass setting on the speakers gave easily noticeable results. (You can change bass and treble settings using the remote.) Although it's a little more trouble to use these speakers (see below), it's hard to imagine going back to using the TV's speakers for any movie watching.

Includes a remote that can control the volume, song playback, bass/treble, and input.
Overall, these are some great-sounding and classy-looking speakers. May want to find some stand for them if used for TV, though. I used them as a computer desktop sound system... sounded great!"

Review: I was suprisingly blown away!
"When I was given the opportunity to get a set of these Kanto speakers I didn't really have much of an expectation. I had never heard of Kanto before and I wasn't 100% sold on the idea of traditional bookshelf speakers with an iPod dock built in. To me, it removes the portability factor that you get with other docks I've used. When the speakers were delivered and unpacked, I was shocked how heavy they are. These are not cheaply made speakers. The black is nice and I was impressed with the overal build and weight that these things pack.

I quickly began the setup of these speakers in my living room (I wasn't sure where these would end up at this point). The setup is simple. Plug in the one powered speaker to a wall plug and then connect the second speker to the first with the included cable (which is a high qaulity audio cable that you would find on professional music equipment or even things like electronic drums, etc..).

I didn't have my iPod readily available so I decided to try my iPhone. The speaker box does not have the iPhone listed as a supported device but I gave it a try anyway. After the several "this device is not supported" warnings that popped up on my iPhone, I was treated to a shockingly great sound coming out of the speakers. Running Pandora over my iPhone (connected to my Wi-Fi) the music playing sounded like it was coming out of my home theater system. Clear mid and high ends and deep bass....and I hadn't even played with any of the settings yet.

The included mini-remote has many buttons on it that are easy to use. I started playing with the bass and treble settings and I couldn't believe the range these little speakers have. In most cases with other devices, I find I have to turn the bass to maximum settings in order to get any low end. With these speakers, I had to turn it DOWN! The sounds was not muddy but just a bit too much.

You can control just about everything from the remote...volume, levels, next song, etc.. There are controls on the back of the main speaker as well that lets you adjust volume. The speaker volume button had me scratching my head for a few minutes as it doesn't follow a 1-10 scale but rather turns continuously. If you are using the remote, it overrides the speaker volume knob from what I can tell. The continuous turn knob, while weird, gives you unlimited ability to find the right level of volume. A lot of devices can go from being too soft to too lound by just adjusting one click. These speakers have a more precise measure so you can ease into it. Very nice!

The speakers also come with RCA connectors and a standard composite audio cable that you can use to hook up to other devices such as a receiver/amplifier, iPad, computer, etc.

My previous concern about bookshelf speakers was quickly thrown aside when I realized that this is a benefit. Having true stereo sound and the ability to separate the speakers apart makes it sound more natural like I am using my regular home stereo system.

Overall, I am very happy with these speakers. The price seems right for what you get. You can spend a lot more than this for a pair of regular bookshelf speakers and NOT get the connectivity. If you are also looking for an iPod dock and don't care about portability, give these a try."

Technical Specifications

Audio Inputs:
• Left and right line-in RCA
• 3.5mm (1/8") Auxiliary mini-audio jack

Outputs:
• Auxiliary AC power
• S-Video output — View video and photoson your TV

IR Wireless Remote:
• Controls iPod click wheel functionalityControl Functions
• Volume, treble, bass and mute
• Input mode select: iPod, RCA or Auxiliary(3.5mm mini-audio jack)
• Instant repeat and shuffl e mode

Rear Panel Controls:
• Master volume• Input mode select

Drivers:
• Woofer: 5" magnetically shielded Kevlarcone
• Tweeter: 1" magnetically shielded naturalsilk dome
• Input impedance: 10K ohms unbalanced

Audio Specifications:
• Frequency Response: 55Hz-20KHz• S/N Ratio: >90dB (typical, A-weighted)• Dynamic Power: 25 watts RMS 4 Ω perchannel @ 0.5% THD+N• Bass refl ex port enhances bass response

Size and Weight:
• Height: 27.2 cm (10.5")
• Width: 19 cm (7.5")• Depth: 20 cm (8")
• Weight: 10.5 kg (23 lbs)

Color:
• Black, White & Silver