Canton Townus 30 white (pack of 2)

In 2021, Canton rethought its mid-range offering with the Townus series, which takes over from the Chrono and Chrono SL. The Townus 30, the bookshelf speaker in the range, inherits the brand’s in-house technologies while adopting a more contemporary design. Its positioning puts it one step below the Vento 30, from which it borrows certain components.

A cabinet designed as much for acoustics as for aesthetics

The Townus 30 has unusual proportions for a compact speaker: fairly narrow at the front (21 cm), it stretches back to 28 cm in depth. This choice reduces unwanted reflections on the front baffle and frees up internal volume for the low end. The generously rounded edges help limit diffraction at the edges of the baffle, a classic but effective approach.

Weighing in at 8.1 kg, the speaker is anything but lightweight. The cabinet, reinforced with internal bracing, is available in high-gloss black lacquer, satin white lacquer, or real walnut veneer. The drivers are rear-mounted, so no screws are visible on the front. Precision-machined aluminum rings surround each transducer, a finish Canton calls “Seamless Diamond Cut.” The oval fabric grille, held in place by magnets, can be removed effortlessly.

On the back, a single-wiring terminal accepts cables up to 10 mm² in cross-section or banana plugs. Gold-plated connectors with fine threading ensure stable long-term clamping. The tubular rear-firing bass-reflex port requires a minimum distance from the wall: around fifteen centimeters is enough to avoid an excessive boost in the lower frequencies.

Titanium cone and ceramic dome: in-house technologies

Canton designs and manufactures its own transducers. The Townus 30 is fitted with a 174 mm woofer/midrange featuring a titanium cone and a “Wave Sicke” multi-fold surround. This geometry allows for long excursion while limiting distortion at high levels. The brand’s patented DC (Dispersion Control) technology helps maintain low-frequency control by preventing the cone from bottoming out on demanding signals.

The 25 mm tweeter uses an aluminum-oxide ceramic dome, a rigid yet lightweight material. A short waveguide improves coupling with the air and broadens horizontal dispersion. Canton claims a frequency response extending up to 40 kHz, offering headroom for high‑resolution audio files. The crossover point between the two drivers is set at 3000 Hz.

On paper, the response goes down to 38 Hz (−3 dB), a respectable figure for a cabinet of this size. Rated power is 90 W, with 140 W music power. Impedance varies between 4 and 8 ohms depending on frequency, so an amplifier stable with low-impedance loads will be a good match.

A sonic character focused on musicality

Several comparative listening sessions place the Townus 30 on the musical rather than analytical side of the spectrum. The bass surprises with its fullness and depth, unusual for this format. The higher-priced Vento 30 offers more finesse in detail retrieval and higher resolution, but the Townus is appealing for its balance and lack of listening fatigue during long sessions.

The soundstage spreads widely between the speakers. Generous horizontal dispersion allows for slightly off-axis listening without any major loss of imaging. The treble, a bit less incisive than on the Vento, avoids any harshness on poorly mastered recordings.

In terms of power, the Townus 30 needs an amplifier capable of delivering ample current. A modest amp will work, but a more robust unit will better reveal the speaker’s dynamic capabilities. In a home cinema setup, it pairs with the Townus 90 floorstanders, the Townus 50 center, and the Townus Sub 12 subwoofer, all sharing the same titanium and ceramic drivers.

Available finishes and versions

Three finishes are available: high-gloss black, satin white, and walnut. The walnut version comes at a higher price. Each finish is supplied with the same black fabric grille.

Canton also offers an active version of this range under the name Smart Townus 2. It includes built-in amplification and wireless connectivity but uses a different tweeter (aluminum-magnesium instead of ceramic) and a slightly smaller woofer (15 cm instead of 17 cm).

Technical specifications

Speaker configuration

• Tweeter
  • Number: 1
  • Diameter: 25 mm
  • Material: ceramic
• Mid / bass driver
  • Number: 1
  • Diameter: 174 mm
  • Material: titanium

Acoustic design

• Type: 2-way bookshelf speaker
• Enclosure: bass-reflex with passive radiator
• Passive radiator orientation: rear (backfire)

Performance

• Nominal power: 90 W
• Music power: 140 W
• Frequency response: 38 Hz – 40000 Hz
• Crossover frequency: 3000 Hz
• Impedance: 4 to 8 ohms

Dimensions and weight

• Dimensions (W x H x D): 21 × 36 × 28 cm
• Weight: 8.1 kg