Air Motion Transformer tweeters have spent most of their life in the upper reaches of passive loudspeaker ranges, where the price of admission tends to start with a comma. Kanto Audio has just moved one into a powered bookshelf pair that costs $999.99 for two. The Canadian brand launched two models together — the Tuk Grand and a second-generation Tuk — and both went on sale in North America on 8 September 2026.
These are not a replacement and a survivor. They arrived as a pair of models at two prices, sharing an architecture and separated mainly by how much cabinet and how much woofer you get.
The shared architecture
Both speakers are designed in Canada and built around the same four ingredients: a 28mm x 35mm Air Motion Transformer tweeter, an aluminium concave-cone woofer, Class-D amplification and DSP. Hifi Pig describes the AMT as a revised design intended to deliver smoother highs and more detail than the unit it succeeds.
The second-generation Tuk gets a more thorough reworking than a driver swap. Per Hifi Pig, the cabinet is larger than before, the tweeter sits in a combing waveguide said to widen dispersion, and Kanto has developed a new DSP profile for it.
Neither source is a review, and no listening impressions exist for either model in the material we consulted. What follows is the specification as announced.
Tuk Grand
- Woofer: 6-inch aluminium concave cone
- Stated frequency response: 40Hz–22kHz
- Cabinet: hand-built, with increased internal volume
- Amplifier power: 160W RMS / 320W peak — a figure given by Wifi Hifi Magazine only; Hifi Pig's specification list does not state it
- Dimensions: 21.8 x 29.5 x 35cm
- Weight: 15.1kg
- Finishes: Matte Black, Matte White, Matte Walnut
A stated 40Hz low-end limit from a 6-inch driver in a powered box is the headline number here, and it is the clearest technical separation between the two models. Whether that extension is usable in a given room is, as always, a question of placement rather than a claim anyone can settle from a spec sheet.
Tuk (2nd Generation)
- Woofer: 5.25-inch aluminium concave cone
- Stated frequency response: 50Hz–22kHz
- Amplifier power: 130W RMS / 260W peak
- Dimensions: 18.4 x 25.4 x 30.5cm
- Weight: 10.8kg
- Finishes: five in total — Matte Black, Matte White, Matte Walnut, Matte Burl and Gloss Butter
The smaller model is roughly 4.5cm narrower, 4cm shallower and 4.5cm shorter than the Grand, and a little over 4kg lighter per speaker. It also has the broader finish palette of the two, with Matte Burl and Gloss Butter exclusive to it.
Connectivity
Both models carry an identical input set, and it is a fairly complete one for a desk or a small room:
- Two RCA line-level inputs
- Optical TOSLINK
- USB-C, which also provides a charging output
- Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive, AAC and SBC
- A subwoofer output with selectable high/low-pass filtering at 80Hz
Two analogue inputs is more generous than the single pair that powered speakers at this size often offer, and the filtered subwoofer output — rather than a straight full-range line-out — means the mains can be relieved of low bass rather than simply doubled up on. The sources list these inputs and no others; note in particular that neither mentions HDMI ARC.
The original Tuk was sold with some features not named in the list above. Neither source consulted says anything about whether those features carry over, so we are not going to characterise them either way. What can be said is that the inputs listed above are the ones stated for the second-generation model.
Prices and availability
Kanto announced prices in five currencies, per pair:
| Tuk Grand | Tuk 2nd Gen | |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $999.99 | $899.99 |
| CAD | $1,199.99 | $1,099.99 |
| GBP | £799.99 | £699.99 |
| EUR | €899.99 | €799.99 |
| AUD | $1,549.99 | $1,499.99 |
Both sources give 8 September 2026 as the North American on-sale date, and both specify North America even while quoting sterling, euro and Australian dollar pricing. We are reporting it exactly that way: there is no stated UK, EU or Australian on-sale date in the material we read.
Worth noting is how narrow the gap is. In US dollars the Grand asks $100 more than the second-generation Tuk; in Australian dollars the difference shrinks to $50. For that, buyers get the larger woofer, the hand-built cabinet with more internal volume, the extra 10Hz of stated bass extension and the higher power figure — against a smaller choice of finishes and an extra 4kg per speaker to find space and support for.
No review of either model exists in the sources consulted, so treat the frequency response, power and dispersion claims as manufacturer statements until measurements and listening reports appear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Kanto Tuk Grand and the second-generation Tuk?
The Kanto Tuk Grand uses a 6-inch aluminium concave woofer in a hand-built cabinet with increased internal volume, and a stated 40Hz–22kHz response. The second-generation Kanto Tuk uses a 5.25-inch woofer, 130W RMS / 260W peak, and a stated 50Hz–22kHz response. Both share a 28mm x 35mm AMT tweeter, Class-D amplification and DSP.
How much do the Kanto Tuk Grand and Tuk 2nd Generation cost?
Kanto announced the Tuk Grand at $999.99 USD, $1,199.99 CAD, £799.99, €899.99 and $1,549.99 AUD per pair. The second-generation Kanto Tuk is $899.99 USD, $1,099.99 CAD, £699.99, €799.99 and $1,499.99 AUD per pair. Both went on sale in North America on 8 September 2026.
What inputs do the new Kanto Tuk speakers have?
Both the Kanto Tuk Grand and the second-generation Tuk carry two RCA line-level inputs, optical TOSLINK, USB-C with a charging output, and Bluetooth 5.4 supporting aptX Adaptive, AAC and SBC. Each also has a subwoofer output with selectable high/low-pass filtering at 80Hz. HDMI ARC is not listed.
What finishes are the Kanto Tuk Grand and Tuk available in?
The Kanto Tuk Grand is offered in three finishes: Matte Black, Matte White and Matte Walnut. The second-generation Kanto Tuk is offered in five: Matte Black, Matte White, Matte Walnut, Matte Burl and Gloss Butter, with Matte Burl and Gloss Butter unique to the smaller model.
What amplifier power do the Kanto Tuk Grand and Tuk 2nd Generation produce?
The second-generation Kanto Tuk is rated at 130W RMS and 260W peak. The Kanto Tuk Grand is listed at 160W RMS and 320W peak, a figure published by Wifi Hifi Magazine; Hifi Pig's specification list for the Tuk Grand does not state amplifier power. Both models use Class-D amplification with DSP.
This article was written by an AI system from Into The HiFi AI Desk, generated from the following sources, with no human editing pass before publication: Hifi Pig — Kanto Tuk Grand And Kanto Tuk 2nd Generation Powered Speakers, Wifi Hifi Magazine — Kanto Audio Launches Tuk Grand and the Tuk 2nd-Gen.
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