Kanto ORA
The ORA turns a crowded desk into a remarkably refined nearfield system, pairing precise imaging, clear vocals and a neutral tonal balance with surprising bass weight. SoundStage Solo praised its clarity, drive and openness, while Audioholics found its compact active design exceptionally well balanced. USB-C, RCA, Bluetooth and smart sub integration make it an agile desktop standout.
WATT RECOMMENDS
Save your favorites. Compare them anytime.
Create a free HiFi Hub account to save products to your Wishlist and compare your favorites side by side.
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
89/100
Build Quality
85/100
Value for Money
93/100
Pros
Exceptionally precise nearfield imaging, stereo separation and soundstage depth for such compact speakers.
Clear, balanced and detailed presentation with immediate vocals and smooth, non-fatiguing treble.
Versatile connectivity and automatic 100Hz subwoofer crossover provide an easy upgrade path to fuller-range sound.
Cons
Deep bass and ultimate dynamic impact are limited without a subwoofer; bass can compress when played hard.
The plastic cabinets are well made but can feel less premium than the performance suggests.
WATT RECOMMENDS
Save your favorites. Compare them anytime.
Create a free HiFi Hub account to save products to your Wishlist and compare your favorites side by side.
What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 89/100
The ORA is consistently praised as a neutral, clear and remarkably full-sounding nearfield speaker for its extremely compact dimensions. It excels at imaging, tonal balance and detail, while its deepest bass and ultimate dynamic headroom remain naturally limited without a subwoofer.
Bass
88/100
Reviewers were repeatedly surprised by the amount of bass from the 3-inch woofer, with Home Theater Review even hearing the physical vibration of a dub bassline. Deep-bass output is still limited: hi-fi+ calls it more an impression than reality, while Audioholics notes bass compression when played hard without a subwoofer.
Mid
89/100
Vocals are described as immediate, clean and clear, with SoundStage Solo praising Greg Lake's presence and Future Audiophile finding fine vocal nuances easy to follow. The presentation is not overly forward, though Joe N Tell heard slight vocal modulation when the small woofer is handling demanding bass at the same time.
Treble
90/100
The top end is widely characterized as smooth, crisp and well resolved rather than artificially hyped. SoundStage Solo highlighted realistic decay on delicate nylon-string guitar, while Joe N Tell specifically found the response free of excessive brightness.
Soundstage Imaging
92/100
Imaging is a standout strength in the nearfield. Multiple reviewers praise precise instrument placement, excellent stereo separation and a surprisingly wide, deep sound field, although speaker height and spacing materially improve the result.
Dynamics
87/100
For desktop speakers, the ORA plays louder and with more control than its size suggests; SoundStage Solo found it held together even at maximum volume, and Cheap Audio Man reported no audible distortion at high nearfield levels. A subwoofer broadens its dynamic impact, and reviewers agree larger, pricier active speakers retain greater headroom and range.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
85/100
Reviewers describe the compact enclosures as well made, neatly finished and suitably premium in feel for desktop use. The cabinet material is less luxurious than it may initially appear, however: hi-fi+ found the plastic enclosure well executed but still somewhat plasticky.
Value for Money
93/100
At $349.99, the ORA attracts unusually strong value praise for a compact active desktop system. hi-fi+ calls it a near-perfect desktop sweet spot and says it offers a lot of fun for the money, while Audioholics describes it as outstanding sound per square inch; the main caveat is that adding a subwoofer substantially raises the total system cost.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
No forum mentions found yet
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 70 Hz – 22 kHz
- Inputs
- RCA Line-Level USB-C (24 bit/96 kHz) Bluetooth® 5.0
- OUTPUTS
- Subwoofer
- WHAT'S IN THE BOX
- 4-pin Speaker Connector (6’) Power Cord 8 x Rubber Feet Manual
- WEIGHTS & MEASUREMENTS
- Dimensions (each speaker) 3.9” W x 5.6” D x 6.9” H (10 x 14.1 x 17.5 cm) Net Weight (active): 2.1 lb (1 kg) Net Weight (passive): 2.1 lb (1 kg) ¼”-20 threaded rear mounting hole
Manufacturer's Description — Kanto
REFERENCE DESKTOP SPEAKERS
Everything a desktop speaker should be.
- Bluetooth 5.0
- USB-C
- RCA (Line-Level)
Learn more
Everything a desktop speaker should be.
- Compact Size
- Reference Quality Sound
- Perfectly Controlled Power
Small size - Big sound.
ORA takes up 20% of the volume of a 5” studio monitor and is small enough to place sideways under a monitor giving you great sound without dominating your space.
Bi-Amplification
ORA’s tweeters and woofers are driven by separate amplifiers allowing them to focus on a specific frequency band without wasting power.
DSP Tuned
Tuned for the studio but exciting enough for everyday use with surprisingly deep bass and little fatigue over long listening sessions – the best of both worlds.
CREATOR
Let your story be heard.
ORA’s DSP tuning provides reference sound for accurate monitoring of dialogue. Add in their compact and portable size and you’ve got the ability to create content on the go.
GAMER
The ultimate cheat code.
Setting ORA up is as easy as plugging them into the wall and connecting to your PC via USB-C. ORA’s deep bass and accurate highs immerse you in new worlds and give you the competitive edge. Magnetically shielded woofers allow ORA to be used beside CRT TVs and PVMs.
MUSICIAN
Master your art.
ORA accurately reproduces the natural timbre of instruments and vocals letting artists trust that what they are hearing is a true representation of their vision. ORA delivers near studio-grade sound at cost lower than studio monitors and an audio interface.
Let your story be heard.
ORA’s DSP tuning provides reference sound for accurate monitoring of dialogue. Add in their compact and portable size and you’ve got the ability to create content on the go.
The ultimate cheat code.
Setting ORA up is as easy as plugging them into the wall and connecting to your PC via USB-C. ORA’s deep bass and accurate highs immerse you in new worlds and give you the competitive edge. Magnetically shielded woofers allow ORA to be used beside CRT TVs and PVMs.
Master your art.
ORA accurately reproduces the natural timbre of instruments and vocals letting artists trust that what they are hearing is a true representation of their vision. ORA delivers near grade-grade sound at cost lower than studio monitors and an audio interface.
Focus on the important stuff.
A crossover network automatically kicks in when a subwoofer is connected sending all frequencies above 100 Hz to the speakers and below to the sub.
This allows ORA to focus on the mid and high frequencies, playing louder with less distortion.
The perfect pairing.
ORA looks great, and sounds even better, when paired with any one of Kanto’s speaker stands. From the classic angled S2, elevated SE2, or pedestal style SP9, we have a solution for your setup.
Silk Dome Tweeters
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
ora, desktop speaker, powered desktop speaker, s2, se2, sp9, reference desktop speakers
MAKERS REJOICE!
We’ve supplied a 3D model to assist with designing accessories for ORA. Print your own brackets, carrying cases, or anything else you can think of.
Check out the model on thingiverse or printables
ORA Reference Desktop Speakers by Kanto is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Electronics Expo
Just Audio
B&H
Sound Waves
Audio Advice
Turntable Lab
Abt Electronics
ListenUp
World Wide Stereo
Gramophone
Micro Center
Amazon US
Memory Express
Audio Video Unlimited
Atlas AVU
Best Buy
Bay Bloor Radio
Amazon CA
Verified Dealers
Online Dealers
All Dealers
Zoom out the map to see more dealers
Authorized dealers for Kanto ORA
- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- Abt Electronics — online and in-store — Glenview, Illinois, United States (website)
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Adorama — in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Alpha Stereo — in-store — Plattsburgh, New York, United States (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Apos Audio — online and in-store — Oakland, California, United States (website)
- Art et son — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Audio Advice — online and in-store — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (website)
- Audio Affair — online and in-store — Deritend, England, United Kingdom (website)
and 53 more verified dealers