Canton DM55 2.1 Virtual Surround System - Silver Glass

Product Information

Another 'fix' was to go to the actual bluray player settings and set the Dolby Digital and DTS to 'downmix PCM' but from what I understand this converts the multi channel into a stereo channel which is less than ideal. I saw the speaker at a trade show in September and was impressed – although it’s always difficult to judge in a noisy environment. Canton are entering a busy field of portable Bluetooth speakers, at many different price points. Overview Canton Musicbox XS Your music or TV is controlled via a free app on your computer, smartphone or tablet. From the app you can choose what music you want to play in a variety of ways. Numerous streaming services such as Spotify or Deezer can be accessed as well as internet radio stations or your iTunes (or equivalent) music library. You can stream music directly from your smartphone or tablet – but really you’re better off using your device as a controller. TV is just another source you can choose from the app: Selecting TV source from Sonos app For its size, it’s capable of a large, expansive sound, which will put the performance of your TV’s speakers to shame. Its impressive low-end provides punch to action scenes, not to mention the fact it doubles as a pretty ballsy Bluetooth speaker. On the question of which is 'best' way to connect, it's impossible for Canton to give general advice on this, as there are too many possible permutations of TV/player/set-top box etc. Again, it comes down to personal preference: if you think it sounds better connected from player to DM50, go for it! Others may prefer to route all inputs via their TV, with a single lead going to the Canton.

The Canton DM55 remains an impeccably built soundbase. The structure is sturdy, and feels even classier than before thanks to that sleek glass top. The sense of luxury continues on the inside. The DM55 uses six drivers – two tweeters,two midrange and two subwoofers, size unspecified – which is a more sophisticated configuration thanmost soundbases.They’re driven bya 200W amplifier. Beautifully built, sounds gorgeous, and its more affordable than before whats not to love?" What Hi-Fi Sound & Vision Award Winner 2015 Other connections include digital optical and coaxial, Ethernet, sub-out and an analogue line input. For wireless connections there’s Bluetooth (3.0 and aptX) and Wi-Fi (2.4GHz and 5GHz). Just to clarify, will the Canton output the same surround 'effects' regardless of whether it recieves a 2 channel signal from the TV optical out or a 5.1 signal via the coaxial? I'm getting the impression that there will be some difference and there does seem to be some audible difference when I switch between the TV and DVD inputs, mainly the dialogue appears more central and clear when using a dirict coaxial connection from the bluray player as opposed to going through the TV.

Conclusion

As TVs get thinner, the laws of physics dictate that sound quality must get worse! There’s simply no room for decent speakers. Hence the rise in popularity of sound bars and bases. The difference between them is simply that sound bars usually sit in front of the TV whereas sound bases normally sit underneath the TV. However both have options for positioning them elsewhere. In my opinion the Canton DM60 is one of the best sound bases that you can get if you want something that’s small and sleek, but still sounds fantastic whether its watching TV or listening to music, but why not pop in to your local Richer Sounds location to hear this brilliant sound base for yourself?

Another option not officially supported by Sonos, is to connect all your devices via their optical output to an optical switch. This can be advantageous since some TVs don’t pass through exactly what they are sent. For example they may downsample 5.1 Dolby Digital to stereo. If you only have a Sky box connected to your TV, I’d connect directly from the Sky box to the Playbar to ensure any 5.1 content is played correctly. An Eco mode automatically shuts the unit down if a signal isn’t detected for an hour (although it’s disabled if auto power is activated). Canton DM55 – Setup & Operation Connections are surprisingly plentiful. HDMI connections tally at 4: one HDMI-out and three HDMI-ins all capable of 3D and 4K HDR passthrough, with support for HDCP 2.2 and CEC control. The HDMI-out is ARC connection and the port needed for connection to a TV.Thanks to both of you fro taking the time to help me with some of my issues, I look forward to any more comments or advice you may have. Unlike the flimsy credit-card types we see a lot with rivals, Canton supplies a chunky and solid remote with clearly-labelled buttons that make it intuitive to use. Canton can do no wrong when it comes to their DM range, with both the DM50 and DM55 being highly rated and even winning awards for their design and sound. It’s been three years since the release of the DM55, so now is as good a time as any to bring a new base into the world and hopefully add to the long list of Canton’s success. I would appreciate a response from Canton if you can get one though, as I'd like to know how they would suggest configuring things. With its custom-fit design, the Canton Digital Movie 55 is optimized for use with various TV models. Its sleek and compact form factor makes it ideal for placement beneath or alongside a television, while its premium build quality ensures long-term reliability and durability.

The top surface is reflective and glossy and can attract smudges, but these can be easily wiped off with a cloth. The front grille covers most of the fascia, with the Canton logo in the centre sitting just beneath an LED display. Text on the screen is clearly visible from normal sitting distances, and there’s a green/red light that indicates the soundbar’s status. The 6 driver DM55 is the smallest of a range of soundbases from Canton, an established and well respected German brand. The 55 stands for 55cm (width). They also do a DM75 (8 drivers ) and DM100 (10 drivers) at 75cm and 100cm wide respectively with higher specs. Re the downmixed PCM performance: have you tried switching the Canton to stereo mode when using that? You may prefer it, as it'll be cutting out any 'surround' processing.The DM 55 goes further still by offering a powerful and extended bass response. Twin, downward firing 100mm woofer cones give this sound base depth and high volume dynamics that even other soundbars and sound bases struggle to match. This sound base gives you the sort of powerful, dynamic sound that you'd usually only expect from a separate amp and speaker system. For even more bass, simply connect up a sub via the dedicated output. Resist the urge to push the bass level up to 3 and you’ll enjoy seamless, non-directional bass that doesn’t sound boomy. Its natural agility and seamless integration keeps your eyes on the action, not the bass controls. What’s more, although I’m not sure about Canton’s quoted 60W output, the output is very impressive before even considering its size. It’s not as loud as the Sonos Play:1 but significantly louder than say the Braven 705. And I couldn’t hear much distortion even approaching full volume.

The DM5 is fairly straightforward in its functionality – there aren’t a whole load of options you need to work through to get it sounding its best. However, as I mentioned, there are some hidden extended menus that are worth exploring. However audio quality via Bluetooth streaming is remarkably good through the DM55. It’s a lot better than I was expecting and streaming Deezer from my iPhone sounded great. Conclusion It streams via WiFi which means there is no downsampling. So it plays exactly what it’s sent, from compressed MP3 files, to uncompressed audio files like FLAC or Apple Lossless. Most soundbars are looking at ways of getting height channels/virtual surround sound into their latest bars. If a more conventional performance is what you’re looking for then this Canton delivers that well. You shouldn’t buy the Canton Smart Soundbar 9 if…Treble and bass EQ controls are there for the tweaking, but I couldn’t achieve a happy balance that was better than them in neutral. A touch more bite to the treble wouldn’t go amiss, though. The soundbar is equipped with two mid-range drivers, two tweeter drivers, and two woofer drivers. The tweeter drivers have a diameter of 1 inch (19mm), while the mid-range drivers measure 2 inches (50mm) in diameter. The woofer drivers have a diameter of 4 inches (100mm). These drivers work in harmony to reproduce clear highs, detailed mid-tones, and deep bass frequencies. The 9 driver Sonos Playbar is part of a complete wireless music system and can link wirelessly with all the other components in the Sonos range , including powered speakers like the Sonos Play:1 and wireless receivers like the Connect:Amp, that will turn a set of passive speakers into a streaming HiFi system.