The Kanto TUK is a pair of premium powered speakers which the company has given its very best to push its limits to amazing heights. With the multitude of accolades that the TUK speakers have received, we can safely say Kanto has done a great job in designing and pushing the speakers’ sonic performance. If you are planning to further enhance your listening experience by integrating a subwoofer then please continue to read on.
We will list out the best subwoofers which you can go for and match them with your Kanto TUK powered speakers. To find a matching subwoofer, we will need to learn more about the sonic prowess and merits of Kanto TUK first.
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Sound Characteristics and Merits of Kanto TUK
Unlike other Kanto powered speakers, the TUK uses AMT tweeters which supposedly provide brighter and more accurate high frequencies. The Kanto TUK is more powerful as well with up to 260 Watts of peak power coming from its Class D amplifier. Below the AMT tweeter, you will find a 5.25″ aluminum driver and a rear-firing bass port located at the back of the cabinet. The frequency response is from 50Hz to 20kHz which is impressive for a speaker of this size. Some may find the bass extension deep enough but for those who still feel that the Kanto TUK will benefit from having an active sub supplementing the lower registers then you’re in luck. The Kanto TUK comes with a dedicated subwoofer output and you can use it to connect to an active sub.
There are other notable features such as the Bluetooth (4.2) with Qualcomm aptX HD and AAC codecs, allowing us to enjoy high-quality wireless music streaming. There is also a USB DAC and a dedicated phono preamp. The phono preamplifier would be awesome for listeners who use turntables. These are great features but they are still not enough to justify the higher price point of the Kanto TUK powered speakers. The higher registers do sound more precise and detailed than the other lower-end Kanto active speaker models. Fortunately, the Kanto TUK doesn’t sound harsh when pushed but can be a bit too bright for listeners who are used to smoother sound quality. There is a high level of clarity as well.
More Details of Kanto TUK at Amazon
The clear overall sound reproduction is also partly due to the bass performance of the Kanto TUK as it is tight and agile. There is a bit of punch in its midbass and as expected it loses its prominence as it goes deeper. Sub-bass reproductions will certainly require support from an active subwoofer though especially if you are planning to watch movies using the Kanto TUK powered speakers. The added weight and depth coming from the subwoofer should help to further broaden the soundstage which we already find rather spacious for speakers of this size. The stereo imaging of the Kanto TUK is equally impressive.
The AMT tweeters of the Kanto TUK do help them to have one up over other Kanto speaker models. The Kanto TUK active speakers are capable of providing their users with rich and detailed music presentations. By adding a subwoofer into the mix, it would help deliver deeper bass frequencies and this will complete your full-range stereo sound system. The question now is how deep of the lower frequencies you need the subwoofer to produce. This will require you to work on your requirements. For instance, if you watch a lot of movies, you should get a subwoofer that could deliver sub-bass frequencies of down to 20Hz or below. Once you have gone through all possible requirements, you can start taking a look at the list of the best matching subwoofers for your Kanto TUK speakers.
Kanto TUK Specifications
- RMS Power Output: 130 Watts
- Drivers: AMT Tweeter, 5.25″ Aluminum Driver
- Frequency Response: 50Hz-20kHz
- Wireless: Bluetooth
- Audio Inputs: USB, RCA, Optical, Phono
- Audio Outputs: Subwoofer, Headphone
Best Subwoofers to match with your Kanto TUK
For listeners who are looking for a subwoofer suitable for a small room, you might want to check out Kanto SUB6. Since it is designed by the same company that made Kanto TUK, we can be assured they should have similar sound signatures and would work seamlessly together. What’s important is how compact this 6″ subwoofer is, it would fit into most small listening rooms without hassle. The frequency response is surprisingly wide for a subwoofer of this price and size, it is between 35Hz-165Hz. The peak power output of Kanto SUB6 is 200 Watts.
More Information on Kanto SUB6 on Amazon
The SVS PB-1000 Pro is one of the best entry-level ported subwoofers and will be an ideal choice for HT enthusiasts who use Kanto TUK to watch a lot of movies. PB-1000 Pro maybe just an entry-level ported sub but it is more than capable of delivering subterranean bass frequencies of below 20Hz. The price point of this SVS ported subwoofer is modestly priced as well and is worth every single penny invested into it. You can also switch to the “Sealed” operating mode for slightly tighter sub-bass performance when playing music.
More Information on SVS PB-1000 Pro on Amazon
HSU Research VTF-2 MK5 is another amazing hybrid subwoofer to go for and match it with the Kanto TUK active speakers. Like the SVS PB-1000 Pro, the VTF-2 MK5 can switch between ported and sealed operation modes. You can switch to the sealed operating mode when listening to music and ported operating mode for movies playbacks. With 1 port opened, the HSU Research VTF-2 MK5 is able to deliver low frequencies of down to 16Hz. This dual ported subwoofer is another solid performer and it is modestly priced too.
Rythmik Audio L12 is one of the best entry-level sealed subwoofers and will be a worthy match for your Kanto TUK powered bookshelf speakers. This will be a fantastic subwoofer for listeners who use TUK speakers mainly for music listening. The Rythmik Audio L12 is a fast and agile subwoofer, able to deliver tight sub-bass frequencies of below 20Hz. It will be able to keep up with the Kanto TUKs without overshadowing their sound reproduction, giving you a full-range music presentation without bloated bass.
If budget is an issue then the Polk Audio PSW10 will be an exceptional choice for you. This is an extremely highly rated ported subwoofer and will be a good match with your Kanto TUK. It has a 10″ driver with a front-firing bass port and 100 Watts of dynamic power. Even though is a budget ported subwoofer, the Polk Audio PSW10 is still able to produce quite a tight and clean bass delivery. The only qualms we have with this sub is that it doesn’t reach below 40Hz bass extension. Then again, we can’t nitpick a subwoofer with such affordable pricing.
More Information on Polk Audio PSW10 on Amazon
The Kanto SUB8 (2022) has recently been updated and will certainly be an amazing subwoofer partner for the Kanto TUK active speakers. This is an 8″ sealed subwoofer with a peak power of 300 Watts provided by its Class D amplifier. It is affordably priced and has a frequency response of 35Hz-175Hz. Since it is bigger than Kanto SUB6, and so it could move more air, giving you a more powerful bass performance. The Kanto SUB8 is still small enough to be a part of the desktop sound system. It is highly accurate and has a taut bass delivery.
More Details of Kanto SUB8 (300W) at Amazon
To Sum It Up
You can audition the subwoofers first before committing, we suggest you shortlist a few based on their price points. You can filter out the ones that do not fit your budget. To really test the limit and power of a potential sub, you can try playing these movies for subwoofer testing. If you are unable to find the one you like, you might need to audition the subwoofers which you have filtered out previously.
