Bookshelf Speakers — Canton Smart Vento 3 S2

The Smart Vento 3 S2 is an active wireless two-way compact speaker pair in the Vento line from Canton of Germany, supplied as a main and a secondary speaker with a remote control and 1.5 m optical, coaxial and analogue stereo cables. The S2 version brought newly developed drivers and a reworked enclosure with revised radii, gently curved side panels and lacquered surfaces, while a minimally increased depth and width give a larger internal volume that Canton used to tune more low-frequency bandwidth. In Germany the pair is listed at EUR 2,600 including VAT. The line also contains the Smart Vento 9 S2 floorstander, which carries 600 W per speaker.

Key specs that matter

The bass-midrange unit is 174 mm across with a titanium graphite cone and a wave surround of several folds, and the 25 mm dome tweeter uses aluminium oxide ceramic. The crossover point is 3,000 Hz and the quoted range runs from 25 to 30,000 Hz. Class D modules deliver 350 W to each enclosure. One speaker measures 22 x 40 x 30.7 cm and weighs 9.4 kg, and eco standby draws 0.5 W.

Engineering and use context

Canton pairs the multiple-fold surround with a light and stiff cone in the newly developed bass-midrange unit of the S2 generation. Between the two boxes the signal travels over Cantonet at 5 GHz with 24 bit processing - two channels at 96 kHz or up to eight at 48 kHz and 16 bit. Wired inputs are one XLR, one RCA, optical and coaxial S/PDIF up to 24 bit and 96 kHz, and a USB 2.0 type B port with XMOS that also works as a 24 bit and 96 kHz sound card. Bluetooth is version 3.0 with A2DP 1.2 and AVRCP 1.3 profiles, aptX and SBC codecs, plus Autoplay and Bluetooth Select functions. Outputs include coaxial S/PDIF and an RCA line for a subwoofer. The processor decodes Dolby Audio and DTS Digital Surround and offers DTS TruSurround, bass management, a voice mode, a parametric equaliser, dynamic range control and LipSync. IR learning, a sleep timer and a factory reset are in the menu. Colour choices are black or white high gloss and light or dark walnut high gloss, with a magnetic fabric cover as an option, and the active speakers carry a two-year warranty.

Pairing

A TV, CD transport, streamer, turntable preamplifier or computer can feed the pair directly. For multichannel use it can be extended to 5.1 with the Smart Connect 5.1 S2 hub.

Alternatives

The Canton Smart Townus 2 is a smaller active wireless compact model built around a 154 mm titanium bass-midrange driver.