Canton GLE Speakers Tout Aluminum Cones

Canton Electronics' new line GLE series of home audio/home theater speakers sport aluminum bass and midrange drivers and other advances from the company's high-end lines.

Germany’s Canton Electronics has introducedits new GLE series of speakers for home audio and home theater use, incorporating a number of features from the company’s higher-end offerings in a lineup with a more consumer-friendly price tag.

“The GLE series is a remarkable lineup,” said Paul Madsen, President of Canton USA. “Through the careful application of the most effective new technologies developed for the flagship speaker lines, Canton’s engineers have managed to deliver performance that comes surprisingly close to our higher-end speakers at a fraction of the cost. Additionally, we’ve added two new options to the range of finishes from the classic LE series, making them easier than ever to match any decor.”

The new GLE speakers ditch the polypropylene cones from the company’s previous GL series in favor of aluminum bass and midrange drivers found in the company’s higher-end lines, along with more powerful magnets to drive the new diaphragms, heavier cast baskets, and vented voice coils to improve heat dissipation. Canton, which is also one of only a handful of companies to produce workable metal dome tweeters for home audio use, has also tweaked the GLE’s silk dome tweeter, improving its accuracy and including a more-powerful motor structure. The company also reworked the crossovers in the GLE speaker line, and modified the enclosures to offer narrower front baffles.

The GLE line features the GLE 401, 402, 403, 405, 407, and 409. The 409s and 407s are floor-standing loudspeakers: the 409s sports a three-way bass reflex design with two 8-inch woofers, a 7-inch midrange speaker, and a 1-inch silk dome tweeter 9and go for $1,299 a pair), while the 407s use a pair of 7-inch cones with a 2½ way crossover design (which pumps midrange frequencies to the top cone for better off-axis dispersion) and go for $999 a pair. Meanwhile, the GLE 405 CM sports two six-inch aluminum cones and a 2½ way crossover, and can be used either as a horizontal center channel or for front or rear channels in a home theater. Th 405s run $449 each.

If you’re looking for more-compact designs for mounting on shelves or optional stands, the GLE 403 offers a 7-inch woofer paired with a 1-inch tweeter in a front-ported cabinet, while the GLE 402 sports a 6-inch woofer and a rear port. The 403s run $599 a pair, while the 402 s are $499 a pair. Finally, the tiny GLE 401 offers the same 6-inch driver as the 402, but in a slim, sealed 3.5-inch deep cabinet ideal for wall-mounting. The 401s carry a suggested price of $479 per pair.

The entire GLE line is available in single-color black or silver finishes, as well as in beech or walnut cabinets with a silver front baffle or a cherry with a graphite front baffle.