"Kanto's YU2 desktop speakers are a great gift for $190" by Cameron Faulkner

jaydiaz2013

Dec 3

The Kanto YU2 speaker sits on top of a desk while an artist composes sounds with an electronic instrument. — *The Kanto YU2 desktop speakers come in multiple color schemes. You also have the option between a glossy or matte finish.* | Image Credit: Kanto

With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and all of Cyber Week behind us, it's time to let off the gas a little. These deals are going to be a little different. For the main pick of today's roundup, I found a significant deal on a pair of Kanto's YU2 minimalist desktop speakers that I own and enjoy. I was disappointed not to find any Black Friday deals on them, but thankfully, they're available for a good price right now.

Amazon, Walmart, Adorama, and Target are offering sets in multiple color schemes for $190, a big price drop from their usual $270 price. There are countless desktop speaker options, but this particular unit fits the bill for me with its low-profile design, great sound, and USB DAC. The speakers connect to each other with standard speaker wire, and as far as other ports go, there's a 3.5mm auxiliary input, as well as an output in case you want to expand with Kanto's equally fetching subwoofer. Here's a page that lists the specs.

Speaking of speakers, Sonos is having another one of its sale events on some refurbished audio gear. To set expectations, these aren't the lowest-ever prices we've seen, but they're still pretty good if you were hoping to gift some Sonos stuff. Its first-generation Beam soundbar from 2018 in the deep gray color scheme is $239, which is an $80 price reduction from the usual price this refurbished product sells for. It lacks Dolby Atmos support found in the second-gen model, but hey, that newer Beam costs $200 more than this one.

To provide some surround sound support, you can get the Sonos One SL (similar to the second-generation model, but without a microphone for voice controls) for $119, which is $80 less than the new price.

I mentioned that these were smaller discounts than we've seen in the past, but they can sure add up if you're building up a new audio setup at home.

I need only one thing to put me to sleep, no matter what time it is: my white noise fan. The particular model that I use and really enjoy is discounted (via Slickdeals), so I figured I'd share the good news. The LectroFan white noise machine in white or black (the black color won't ship until mid-January, but the white one is available now) is about $30 at Amazon, down from about $50. It includes a power cable that ends in a USB-A port, so you can power it with a computer, or by supplying your own USB wall wart.

This is another product category that's filled with many, many options, but this one stood out during my search because it offers non-looping sounds and it can get loud with surprisingly deep sound. I can't guarantee that it'll satisfy all sleepers who need noise to fall asleep, but it has certainly helped me throughout the years. I've brought it on every vacation domestically and abroad and it has survived for about five years so far.

Here are a few loose ends

We're not sure how long this will remain in stock, but you can get the disc-based version of Sony's PS5 console at GameStop in refur bished condition for $459 ($40 off). Keep in mind that it only includes a 30-day warranty, which is far less than the one-year warranty that each new PS5 comes with by default. Paying GameStop $54.99 for a one-year warranty basically negates the price difference between this and a new model, which can readily purchase through Sony itself.
If you're reading this Sunday, December 4th (or if you remember to come back) Target will reactivate that amazing Black Friday deal on the second-generation AirPods Pro, dropping from $229.99 to $199.
Check out this flash sale on downloadable songs for Beat Saber, the fun rhythm game that comes included with new Meta Quest 2 headsets. This promo that sets any song at half-price ends December 6th.