Short answer: the HEDD Type 05 A-CORE. It ranks #18 of 67 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.2/5, at $699. The Kanto YU6 ranks #29, rated 3.9/5, at $579.99, $119.01 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
What the Kanto YU6 does well: ASR’s measurements give preference scores of 4.28 standalone and 6.89 with an ideal subwoofer, stronger than several smaller lifestyle pairs. The tradeoff: Local response variation remains despite the mild overall tilt: the midrange span is 3.8dB and listening-window narrow-band deviation is 0.419.
What the HEDD Type 05 A-CORE does well: ASR’s Klippel data shows useful bass reach for this size, with -3dB around 44Hz. The tradeoff: The 2.7dB midrange span and listening-window narrow-band deviation of 0.404 trail the most linear monitors here.
Buy the HEDD Type 05 A-CORE. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $119.01 with the Kanto YU6 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Powered Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Kanto YU6 | HEDD Type 05 A-CORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $579.99 per pair | $714 per pair |
| Ranked | #29 of 67 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #18 of 67 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | 2-way active, MDF cabinet | - |
| Drivers | 1" silk dome tweeter, 5.25" Kevlar woofer | AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter, 5" Honeycomb-compound woofer |
| Dimensions | 6.9W x 8.1D x 10.7H in each | 12.1" x 7.1" x 9.6" (308 x 180 x 245 mm) each |
| Weight | 11.5 lbs (5.2 kg) (active), 8.6 lbs (3.9 kg) (passive) | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) each |
| Amplifier Power | 200W peak Class D (100W RMS total) | 200W total, bi-amped (2x100W ICEpower Class D) |
| Inputs | Bluetooth aptX, RCA phono preamp, 2x optical | RCA unbalanced, XLR/TRS combo balanced |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX | - |
| Country | Canada (design) | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.28 | 5.35 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.89 | 7.23 |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes | - |
| Outputs | Subwoofer | - |
| XLR Input | No | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | Yes |
| Optical Input | Yes | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.0 | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 43Hz - 50kHz |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 37.1Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 43.9Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| App | - | None (analog-only, no DSP) |
| EQ | - | Yes, analog High/Low shelving, ±6dB continuous |
| Maximum SPL | - | 112dB per pair at 1m (manufacturer specified) |
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- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM vs HEDD Type 05 A-CORE
Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Kanto YU6: $579.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: ASR’s measurements give preference scores of 4.28 standalone and 6.89 with an ideal subwoofer, stronger than several smaller lifestyle pairs. Phono input, optical connections and remote control make it useful for a simple multi-source system. The overall response trend is close to level rather than strongly tilted.
Cons: Local response variation remains despite the mild overall tilt: the midrange span is 3.8dB and listening-window narrow-band deviation is 0.419. Bass reaches -3dB around 75Hz, so the preference model’s 58Hz LFX value should not be quoted as full-level bass extension. A subwoofer improves bandwidth but does not remove tonal irregularities.
Full Kanto YU6 review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 200W peak Class D (100W RMS total) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes, 4.0 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, aptX |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Country | Canada (design) |
| Dimensions | 6.9W x 8.1D x 10.7H in each |
| Drivers | 1" silk dome tweeter, 5.25" Kevlar woofer |
| Enclosure | 2-way active, MDF cabinet |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | Bluetooth aptX, RCA phono preamp, 2x optical |
| Optical Input | Yes |
| Outputs | Subwoofer |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.28 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.89 |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 11.5 lbs (5.2 kg) (active), 8.6 lbs (3.9 kg) (passive) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
HEDD Type 05 A-CORE: $714 per pair B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: ASR’s Klippel data shows useful bass reach for this size, with -3dB around 44Hz. Preference scores of 5.35 standalone and 7.23 with an ideal subwoofer support it as a balanced all-round option. The AMT tweeter and analog signal path appeal to users who want a studio monitor without digital conversion or firmware dependence. Measured bass extension of 43.9Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The 2.7dB midrange span and listening-window narrow-band deviation of 0.404 trail the most linear monitors here. The response rises modestly toward the treble. The analog-only design does not provide built-in room correction or digital inputs, and published amplification power should not be read as a measured clean-output rating.
Full HEDD Type 05 A-CORE review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 200W total, bi-amped (2x100W ICEpower Class D) |
| App | None (analog-only, no DSP) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37.1Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43.9Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.1" x 7.1" x 9.6" (308 x 180 x 245 mm) each |
| Drivers | AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter, 5" Honeycomb-compound woofer |
| EQ | Yes, analog High/Low shelving, ±6dB continuous |
| Frequency Response | 43Hz - 50kHz |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | RCA unbalanced, XLR/TRS combo balanced |
| Maximum SPL | 112dB per pair at 1m (manufacturer specified) |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.35 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.23 |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) each |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs Kali Audio IN-5
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs JBL 305P MKII
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs KEF LSX II LT
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs Adam Audio T5V
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs JBL 705P
- HEDD Type 05 A-CORE vs Neumann KH80 DSP
- See all 16 comparisons