Are Canton subwoofers good? (Buy Or Avoid?)
The American subwoofer market is dominated by brands like Rockford, Rockville, and Dual Electronics. But there is another one steadily penetrating the North American audio accessory market. This is Canton subwoofers. Are they another fluke, or are they a brand you should try out?
Canton subwoofers delicately mix sturdiness and innovation in their subwoofer design. This brand is best renowned for the bass reflex technology its subs are decked with. This ensures these woofers deliver accurate mechanical performance, with well-optimized surround allowing for higher excursions. Canton subwoofers’ downfire passive radiators notably contribute to the deep bass these subs treat listeners to. Overall, while Canton subwoofers are not the loudest we have seen, they work excellently when delivering accurate hi-fi frequencies.
Just as you can’t judge a book by the cover, you can authoritatively decide (whether or not) to buy Canton subwoofers from the above summary. There are more delicate details you need to be informed on. This includes the power, frequency, durability, versatility, and sound quality of Canton subwoofers.
Who Produces Canton Subwoofers, and Where?
Let us start by stating that Canton is not an American-made brand. Canton is a German audio manufacturer.
This brand had its early beginning in 1972 when four German sound engineers brought their brains together. Since then, Canton has aggressively grown, becoming the family-run business it is today, with more than 280 speaker models in the market.
Canton subs’ components are designed and manufactured in Canton’s factories, located in Niederlauken, Germany.
The factory exclusively handles every production stage, from concept design to final product testing.
Power
The power range varied across the Canton subwoofer models we came across. Take, for example, the Canton Sub 1500.
It had a power capacity of 500/750watts. It was different for the Canton Power Sub 12. Precisely, the latter had a 200/380 watts range.
While we initially felt this active module’s power was deficient, the sub proved us wrong when it got to work. The module (with a 380watt power rating) energetically drove the woofer chassis, bringing out rich bass.
The Canton Power Sub 10 had an even lower power rating. This guy could deliver 330watts.
But there was even more on the table.
Canton smashed us with its traditional autobahn cruisers. These components were powerful enough and protected from surge-inspired short circuits with soft clippers.
Versatility
We find it necessary to applaud Canton subwoofers’ broad range of applications. We have been afflicted with subwoofer brands who forcefully stamped features on us, caring so little about how we integrated them into our existing musical stack.
Therefore, we were delighted with how flexible Canton subwoofers are. A lot of the features on Canton subwoofers were adjustable.
This cuts across the phase limiter, volume, and cross-frequency. Such flexibility was vital to optimizing the phase response of these subs.
Ultimately, this meant that regardless of the size of the room, the direction we placed the speaker, or even the presence of obstructive surfaces (or even surfaces that reflected the sounds), the Canton subs worked just fine.
Consequently, we were entertained with consistent hi-fi delivery, with the environment where the subwoofers were deployed causing minimal interference.
Frequency range
Yes, we mentioned how adjustable the frequency range of Canton subwoofers was. Understandably, the range differed across the model in the examination.
One of the most popular subs in Canton’s lineup, the Vento Sub 12, had a crossover frequency range of 50-120Hz.
The Canton Sub1500 could go as low as 18Hz. However, the crossover frequency response oscillated between 55Hz and 200Hz.
Next, the Power Sub 10 had a frequency response range of 22Hz to 200Hz. Its crossover frequency range comes closely, from 50Hz to 200Hz.
Sound quality
You will agree that sound delivery is one of the most critical determinants of a subwoofer’s worthiness. Canton didn’t let us down in this department.
There are two core technologies Canton dazzled us with when it comes to the accuracy of its high-fidelity production. These are its wave surround technology and the bass reflex principle.
Of course, we will tell you about them.
Canton has a custom wave surround technology – which it has patented, by the way. Canton operates a multi-curved wave design.
Courtesy of this feature, Canton subwoofers beat a lot of the woofers in the market at suppressing distortions and handling longer excursions.
We can’t gush enough about Canton’s bass reflex and radiators. A bulk of the woofers this manufacturer has boasts this technology.
Here, rather than going with the traditional bass reflex tube, which we see in many subs, Canton took the innovative route of deploying a downfire passive radiator.
Thus, these subwoofers delivered incredibly precise bass.
Each of Canton’s woofers further has selective technologies that enhance the sound quality. For example, the Power Sub 12 leverages premium titanium woofer chassis.
This chassis design goes a long way in enhancing the woofers’ capacity to process impulses associated with low-frequency signals.
The Power Sub 8 is another subwoofer where Canton is exquisitely furnished with a unique room compensation circuit.
This feature delivers a 3-phase adjustment process when the frequencies drop to low levels. This means that you are not losing the bass depth, nor is its accuracy distorted.
Durability
If there is anything you can’t doubt in German products, it is longevity. Canton subs are sturdy and wouldn’t complain if manhandled.
Take the Canton AS22 subwoofer, for example. This is not the biggest subwoofer you can get on the market, but it is pretty sturdy for its size.
Its built ensures it handles the roughest vibrations when the volumes are raised. Furthermore, this woofer is safely girded in an MDF enclosure.
But there is one feature we really liked in the Canton AS 22 (regarding durability). It was the way its bass-reflex ports were positioned and girded.
For this sub, the said port comes on the faceplate, enjoying the protection of a dedicated metal grill. The latter is beneficial when things go wrong for the diffuser.
The Vento Sub12 is another longevity-optimized subwoofer in Canton’s collection. The former is fitted with Canton’s renowned SC technology. This is a game-changer when it comes to protecting the subwoofer from overloads.
Price
We admire how Canton graded its subwoofers. If you have got a deep pocket and are ready to spend a fortune on a premium subwoofer, Canton has got models for you.
If you are lower on budget and are better suited to spending less (while missing out on some premium features), Canton has also got you covered.
Generally, Canton subwoofer prices ranged from $460 to over $2000. At the time of putting this guide together, the Sub 601 was the cheapest we saw on Canton’s offering.
This guy goes for a modest $479. There are other mid-tier Canton subwoofers like the Sub 12 and Smart Sub 8.
Smart Sub 8 goes for $649, while the Power Sub 12 could be yours for $780.
The Sub1500R is one of the most expensive we saw from Canton. This subwoofer could set you back by a whopping $2,500.
Do Canton subwoofers have warranty cover?
Yes, Canton subwoofers come with warranty packages. Canton gives you a 24-month warranty cover for any subwoofer you get from it.
Effective from the date of purchase, this warranty covers damages to your subwoofer from manufacturing errors or defects arising from the wrong choice of materials in design.
As you would understand, this warranty can’t be transferred. It is exclusive to the first-time buyer of the Canton subwoofer. And also, you can only enjoy this warranty if you purchased your subwoofer directly from an authorized Canton dealer.
Resources
Canton subwoofer official site
Advice on Canton Sub600, yay or nay