Loudspeakers

With the soundbar market dominated by affordable models designed primarily for TV audio, this offering from new Danish brand Canvas HiFi sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. And not only because of its hefty price and weight.

Canvas bills its soundbar as: “hi-fi reinvented” and intends it to serve as both a premium partner for a TV, for which HDMI eARC connectivity is provided, and as a music system. Connections include Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and DLNA for wireless streaming, plus an optical/analogue input. Roon certification is pending. All signals are passed through its DSP, which includes ‘BACCH 3D’ filtering, a crosstalk-cancellation process created by Princeton University professor Edgar Choueiri and claimed to deliver true 3D stereo imaging.

Playback, whether music or TV/movie content, is in stereo, via a front-facing driver array comprising 29mm tweeter and 165mm mid/bass pairs alongside two sizable passive radiators. Class D amplification across its four channels is rated at a total of 250W RMS.

The base level price, via Canvas’ direct sales model, gets you the soundbar, a magnetic black cloth grille and a heavyweight metal stand that doubles as a wallmount. This is to match the width of standard 55in TVs, but packages with larger grilles to match 65in, 75in and 77in screens (83in and 85in to come in 2025) – plus a stand that supports both its soundbar and your screen – are available. Custom grille colours and materials can also be had, but the cost of adding these isn’t insignificant.

The fit and finish of the black, internally braced MDF cabinet is exemplary and design touches include rear-side cable management. There’s no remote as the soundbar will respond to volume commands from a TV’s IR zapper when connected via HDMI. Input selection, volume and some other settings are controllable via a custom app for iOS and Android. This also runs a room correction system, using the in-built mic of an iOS device or an optional Zen microphone (€149) for Android.

Sound quality
Those used to the performance of a typical single-box soundbar will likely be startled by the Canvas. It delivers music with an authority and scale that’s far beyond rivals that make do with multiple, small drivers firing in all directions and its bass performance is class leading. The BACCH 3D mode, selectable from the app, proves to be a very worthwhile addition, expanding the breadth of the image in an entirely natural way. Even without this light-touch DSP, it sounds expansive and not like a ‘soundbar’ at all.

The dramatic riffs of Enslaved’s Thoughts Like Hammers showcase the excellent low-frequency ability, sounding deep, vast and rich with a gorgeous metallic sheen, while the drums are big and weighty. Yet there’s more here than just brute force. As the track segues into open-string guitar and euphoric harmonies, there’s plenty of clean detail and separation.

David Essex’s Rock On easily reveals the boost to performance of the BACCH 3D processing, not only in terms of stereo width, but in the extra presence afforded the violins and brass. For an all-round example of the Canvas’ musical appeal, however, stream The Roy Hargrove Quintet’s Strasbourg/St. Denis and enjoy the voluminous bass, textured alto sax, attacking snares and full-bodied piano.

Conclusion
While you can use the Canvas as a standalone speaker, it’s sized and specified to be installed under a TV. Do this and it will happily take on all duties, thanks to a focused, full-range, largescale sound that works brilliantly with both music and movies. This is a no-compromise design, reflected by that no-compromise price tag. MC    

DETAILS
Product: Canvas HiFi Canvas
Type: Active stereo soundbar

FEATURES
● 29mm tweeter; 2x 165mm mid/bass; 2x passive radiators
● 4x Class D amps, totalling 250W RMS
● 4x phono inputs (configurable for MM/MC loading)
● Outputs: RCA; XLR