A Respected Hi-Fi Company’s New Desktop Speakers Are Refreshingly Affordable

According to the brand, the speakers are ideal for those just getting into hi-fi.

Green desktop speaker with a rounded rectangular shape and black speaker cones, placed on a black angled stand on a wooden desk. Nearby are a black keyboard, a black coffee cup, a white container holding pencils and pens, and the base of a monitor stand.

Published September 22, 2025

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Updated September 25, 2025

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Kanto Audio already makes some of our favorite powered desktop speaker systems in its Ora, Ren and Tuk lines, which range from $300 to $900.

Now the Canadian hi-fi manufacturer is introducing a smaller, more affordable powered speaker system to its ranks. First announced earlier this year at CES 2025, Kanto Audio’s UKI is finally about to hit shelves.

Kanto Audio UKI

Minimalist modern workspace with a white desk featuring a large ultrawide monitor on a stand, two black speakers, a black mouse, and a black coffee mug. To the right of the desk is a black mesh ergonomic office chair and a green table lamp. A green potted plant is positioned behind the lamp. On the left side, black wall-mounted shelves hold decorative items including two vases, a small potted plant, stacked books, and a model car. A small black subwoofer sits on the floor under the desk. The room has light wood flooring and a neutral color palette. — The UKI is the brand’s smallest and most affordable powered speaker system.

Let’s get something out of the way — Kanto Audio’s UKI is a very compact powered speaker system. Each speaker stands just 6.5-inches tall, making it just a little bit longer than the length of an iPhone.

Each speaker packs a 1/4-inch silk dome tweeter and a 3-inch concave cone mid/bass driver. At the time of writing, Kanto Audio hasn’t released the system’s full tech specs, but claims that they deliver “exceptional sound clarity in a small, budget-friendly [package].”

All the connections are housed in the primary speaker.

Kanto Audio

Despite its diminutive size, the UKI promises to be a pretty versatile powered speaker system. It features USB-C input for easy desktop use. Its RCA inputs mean you can even hook it up to a turntable (with a built-in preamp) or a larger hi-fi system. And it supports Bluetooth for the times when you just want to stream music from your smartphone.

Additionally, there’s a front headphone jack for a more private listening session. There’s even a subwoofer output for those who want to build out their little hi-fi system and add more bass.

Three compact speakers stacked vertically, with the top speaker in white, the middle speaker in light green, and the bottom speaker in black, all set against a gradient green background. Each speaker features a tweeter and a woofer, with a small control knob on the lower right corner. — The Kanto Audio UKI will be available in four finishes, including black, white, sage and cobalt (not pictured above).

Finally, Kanto Audio is making these little speakers fun by offering them in cobalt (blue) and sage (green) finishes, as well as the standard black and white options.

The brand says that it’ll also sell stands for the UKI speakers, which you can see in several of the above photos.

Two green Kanto Uki speakers with a speckled finish are shown. The front speaker features a tweeter, a woofer, a volume knob, and a headphone jack. The rear speaker displays various input ports including RCA, USB, power, and subwoofer connections, along with the Kanto Uki branding. The speakers have a rounded, compact design. — Kanto Audio UKI in sage.

Price and availability

When Kanto Audio first announced the UKI earlier this year, the system was priced at $199 … however, as has become the case with a lot of products this year, the brand has apparently increased the price.

The UKI will cost $269, which, although a steep increase over the originally announced price, makes it Kanto Audio’s most affordable powered speaker system.

The speakers will be available for purchase starting in November.

A pair of compact, rounded rectangular speakers in a speckled light blue color. Each speaker has a black circular woofer and a smaller black tweeter above it. The left speaker features a small black volume knob and a headphone jack on the front lower left side. The design is minimalist and modern.

Kanto Audio UKI

$269 at Kanto Audio

About the Author:

Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. As a Tech Staff Writer, he tracks everything in the consumer tech space, from headphones to smartphones, wearables to home theater systems. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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