Packaging, Design & Build Quality
In the box, two protective bags cover and protect the speakers. Also included is a user manual and eight self-adhesive rubber feet that attach to the bottom of each speaker cabinet to help absorb resonances.
The YU Passive series is available in two color options. Our test units arrived in matte vinyl black finish— but a vinyl white finish is also available. When we removed them from their protective bags, we noticed the simple, modern look of the YU Passives. Both models feature rounded corners — there are no logos, branding, or insignia on the speakers — giving the YU Passive series an understated, minimalistic look that will blend in with any room’s style and decor. In fact, they could actually disappear entirely into the background if you really wanted them to.
The build quality is quite impressive, especially at these price points. Designed in Kanto’s Coquitlam, British Columbia headquarters in a suburb of Vancouver, the YU Passive series is constructed from solid MDF cabinets that feel sturdy, and well-braced. Each YU Passive 4” weighs 5 ½ pounds. Both models feature a bottom-mounted ¼-inch-20 threaded hole to securely bolt each cabinet to compatible Kanto speaker stands — and this will further reduce resonances through coupling. The YU Passive 4” is 2-inches shorter than the YU Passive 5.25”, and is 5 ½-inches across by 7 ½-inches deep — making a pair of YU Passive 4” speakers a more compact option for desktop and tabletops where space is limited.
Grilles do not attach to the front of the speaker cabinets, and this gives the YU Passive series a nice, clean professional studio monitor look with a view of the woofer and the tweeter. The YU Passive 4” consists of a 4-inch Kevlar® woofer — but both models are complemented with the same 1-inch silk dome tweeter. Both models also feature a tuned bass port on the back of each cabinet to produce tight bass with low distortion, and high-quality Knurled speaker binding posts that connect with an integrated amplifier or a home theater receiver.
Due to their compact sizes, we see the YU Passive speakers working great on a desktop with a dedicated DAC/amp combo or with a two-channel listening station and a turntable. You could even use the YU Passive 4” in a two-channel setup to enhance your TV’s sound by connecting them to an integrated amp.
