Canton Reference 7K
German manufacturer Canton Elektronik has a strong presence in Europe, but distribution of its loudspeakers in the US has been sporadic. Consequently, the most recent review in Stereophile of a Canton speaker, the Reference 3.2 DC, was in 2010.1 When we heard, last December, that Bluebird Music would be bringing Canton back to North America, we were eager to review a Canton loudspeaker. Balancing performance and price, we selected the Reference 7K, which costs $6995/pair.
Description
The Reference 7K is a handsome three-way tower, 1m tall and finished in high-gloss lacquer—black lacquer in the case of the review samples. The enclosure is formed from several layers of wood glued together with heat and pressure to achieve a stiff, well-damped structure. The sidewalls curve gently toward the rear, and the box is held clear of its baseplate by two vertical supports that Canton calls “Bass-Guides,” forming a 1" rectangular opening that runs from front to back. The port that loads the two woofers fires downward into this space. The baseplate is supported by four adjustable feet.
The Reference 7K’s 7" woofers feature ceramic-tungsten cones terminated in an unusual double-roll rubber sur-round, which Canton says allows the drive-units to achieve high output with low distortion. The woofers cross over at 220Hz to the 7" midrange unit, which looks similar to the woofers, with an anodized ceramic-tungsten
