Kanto ORAMB 100W Powered Reference Desktop Computer Speakers with Bluetooth 5.0 and USB-C Input | Bi-Amplified | 100 Hz Automatic Crossover | Reference Quality Sound | Pair | Black

Pros:The sound stage is one of the best Ive ever heard. Bass is spot on and the high and mid are very clear.Very good looking, amazing size for desktop use and fits under my monitors when they are up all the way on their stands.They can get very loud and do not distort their sound on nearly full volume.Cons:They like to be a bit louder than some other speakers to really shine. I think they like having a little extra power to get the drivers to where they want to be. That being said they still sound fantastic at lower volumes, they just like to be louder.I got mine for $249 USD. That is not cheap, but honestly these things are probably worth way more than that.Their material is a plastic, but it is good quality plastic.Edit: one additional con that is very minor. The volume knob spins infinitely in either direction. It has an LED that flickers when you turn it, but has no indicator that it is at minimum volume (0 sound) or max volume. This is an issue for me because I make sure my speakers are at 0 during work calls just to prevent interruptions, and there is no visual way to confirm they are muted. I would recommend the LED indicator have a different color, or have the volume knob stop turning if volume is 0.

Sounds great!The Kanto ORA speakers produce a clear and detailed sound for their size. they deliver a punchy and well-defined mid-bass, however they cannot produce deep sub-bass and will need to be paired with sub woofer if you want that. It has a neutral sound, treble is not harsh, has decent imaging and soundstage.I am paring it with my Fiio K7 desktop DAC and it sounds great. I occasionally use equalizer and it handles EQ well, to the best of my knowledge.The product is built well, has multiple connectivity (bluetooth, USB C, and RCA). It is also very easy to setup. One caveat, however, is that it might need some getting used to to change connection mode.

The Kanto ORA is a really good pair of desktop speakers. They have a pretty flat and laid-back sound. The bass with the unit itself sounds good, but it still doesn't produce much sub-bass (as expected of a speaker this size). If you don’t listen to a lot of bass-centered tracks, then you would not necessarily need a subwoofer with this. Connecting a subwoofer (I used a Kanto Sub8) activates the crossover (at 100Hz), allowing the ORA to focus its power on the mids and highs, producing a well-rounded, full-range sound.I bought this to replace my KEF Q100 + Pioneer SW-8MK2 + SMSL AD18 DAC/AMP setup, which was taking up a lot of space on my desk. Using a passive speaker also meant adding an amplifier and all the additional wires required, making the desk a mess. The ORAs are tiny in comparison and are powered, simplifying the setup considerably. One huge quality-of-life improvement for me with the ORA is that I can change its volume at the OS level (via keyboard) like an analog connection, even when connected via USB. I do this hundreds of times a day and don’t have to take my hands off the keyboard now. It is still a little confusing as the speaker volume (controlled via knob) and system volume are independent, and I am not sure how it’s affecting the subwoofer volume (it was at 50% with the SMSL, but I had to reduce it to 25% with the ORA). It took me a day or two of tinkering to get the volumes at a balanced state. @Kanto, if you are reading this, I hope you can share a guide on how to balance system, speaker, and subwoofer volumes, especially within the Kanto ecosystem.After dialing in the ORA and the Sub8, I compared it to the larger KEF system, and it was a tough one. The KEF, thanks to its coaxial drivers, sounded more magical than the Kanto. The imaging on certain tracks is out of this world, but on the flip side, they do sound thin and fatiguing with other songs (even though they are not bright speakers). The Kanto, on the other hand, sounded more laid back and neutral, which makes it a bit boring but more consistent across the range of songs I tried. At the end of the day, I prefer and am keeping the kanto setup for the desk, due to its size, laid-back neutral sound, simplicity, and other convenience features. The ORA feels well-tuned and optimized for the desk. If you want a speaker that you would like to move from the desk to the living room when needed, there are many other excellent (but larger) speakers at this price point that might serve you better. If this was priced around $249, it would have been a no-brainer recommendation.

When I first opened the box, I’ll be honest, I was underwhelmed. The speakers looked smaller than I expected, and the materials didn’t exactly scream "premium" to me. I started to question the hype.Then I plugged them in.At first, I used a basic RCA connection, and they started to grow on me. But the real magic happened when I connected via USB-C and used the built-in DAC.Holy crap.The clarity, the imaging, the detail, I was instantly pulled in. I found myself leaning forward, almost stunned, as song after song revealed layers I’d never noticed before. There’s this sense of precision without being clinical, warmth without mud, and even when there’s a lot of bass, the distortion is practically nonexistent.It genuinely feels like witchcraft.I’ve now spent over an hour playing through my playlists, and it feels like I have to re-listen to everything I love because I’m hearing things I never knew were there. I don’t throw around phrases like “game-changer” lightly, but this is that.Kanto, you absolutely nailed it. Bravo!

Took out 1 star due to quality in finish. Ordered in Moon color, but the first unit came with a noticeable scratch on the side. Ordered a replacement, but this unit also has uneven finish. Also the edges where the front panel meets the body are not smooth, almost like chips, and can be seen upon closer inspection. There's some tiny strip of rubber that overhang on the woofer, which can be trimmed easily. Just a minor complaint on the quality. If you're not as sensitive as me, or order in a darker color, it might be okay for you.The setup was easy, and it sounds balanced and clear, but I'm no audiophile. Connected thru USB as recommended by manufacturer.