Canton Ergo RC-L specifications

Category : Speakers

Brand : Canton

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Tech nical data

Special equipment

Here is an assignment of the controllable control units to the corresponding Canton models:

Further models of the same series:

Previous model:

Successor model: without

Manufacturer : Canton
Model: Ergo RC-L
Years of construction: 1998 - 2000 (available as discontinued model until 2008)
Manufactured in: Germany
Color: Beech, cherry, ash black
Dimensions: 260 x 1100 x 347 mm (W x H x D)
Weight: approx. 32 kg
Discontinued model price: 680,- per pair

Type of construction: 3-way, bass reflex, floorstanding speaker
Chassis:
- Woofer: 2x 220 mm
- Midrange: 1x 180 mm
- Tweeter: 1x 25 mm aluminum-manganese dome
Load capacity (nominal/musical b.): 200 / 350 Watts
Efficiency: 89.7 dB/1W/1m
Frequency response: 18 - 30,000 Hz
Transition ranges: 300 / 3,500 Hz
Impedance: 4 ohms (4-8 Ohm s Factory specification is contrary to the standard, the standard does not know from-to values)

Midrange driver: 1x 180 mm
Tweeter: 1x 25 mm aluminum-manganese dome

Control unit with power supply 'Canton Control Unit' (black box) for equalization of bass and treble; is looped in between preamplifier and power amplifier. Bass and treble can also be adjusted in 5 steps each (-2,-1,0,+1,+2) be regulated. When operating without a control unit, the crossover would theoretically have to be adjusted to compensate for the built-in frequency response influences in the bass and treble and to obtain a linear frequency response.
Connection panel of the control unit with 4 connections Main in/out - Tape in/out
The control unit of the RC-L has the number 4040 and is precisely matched to the loudspeaker. The predecessor SC-L can thus also be operated as an exception (although there was also a very rare own controllable control unit for the SC-L). However, the unit is not intended for the RC-S or RC-K. These each have their own control units that are precisely matched to these. It is simply a shame that you can use the control units with each other or, worse, operate them advantageously with other loudspeakers. When operating with external speakers, even the amplifier can be overwhelmed very quickly (clipping, distortions).

Fonissimo RC: RC 2 (4050)
Ergo SC-L:

Ergo RC-L: RC 1 (4040): approx. 25 Hz (-3 dB) according to Stereoplay 01/1998 p. 12
Ergo RC-S: RC 3 (4774): approx. 30 Hz (-3 dB) according to Stereoplay 12/1998 p. 20
Ergo RC-K: RC 4 (5196): approx. 40 Hz (-3 dB) according to Stereoplay 09/2000

It should better be operated only in sufficiently damped rooms with at least 20m2 (better 40m2); too bass-heavy in smaller rooms. The bass frequency goes from (-3dB) to 25Hz. In addition, the position of the LS should not be too close to the corner of the room. Even resonating floors such as parquet do not suit the speaker, as they like to be stimulated by the powerful low frequency range. Decoupling can help, but concrete floors with carpet are preferable.
The RC-L is very low-impedance in the bass range, which means that you need very load-stable and powerful amplifiers that have the necessary damping factor to unlock the RC-L's full potential.
As with the other RC models (exception: RC-A), the RC-L achieves its full sound and frequency range only in conjunction with the associated control unit (black box), which is switched between the preamp and the power amplifier and linearizes the frequency response, compensates for errors in the frequency response and lowers the bass range so that the speaker also reaches the specified lower cutoff frequency. Without a control unit, the entire sound spectrum of the RC-L is far from being achieved. Unfortunately, since about 2005, with a few exceptions (e.g. Onkyo A-9000R or possibly AV receivers), there are no longer any separated receivers / amplifiers (pre-out and main-in), and analog looping using a tape monitor is no longer possible with modern integrated amplifiers / receivers. Nowadays, the unit can only be looped in between the pre / power amplifier or a receiver / amplifier can be separated. This is the only way to play digital sources perfectly (of course, you can always use the unit analog. Connect the source and amplifier/receiver, i.e. RCA cables from the source to the unit and from the unit to the amplifier/receiver). Unfortunately, the use of these speakers is very limited nowadays. With Control Unit, the RC-L sound "full-bodied", analytical and with a wide stage (less in depth) when set up correctly and with load-stable amplifiers... does not require a subwoofer. Without a control unit, however, I would prefer their Ergo counterpart 102.

Ergo RC-K
Ergo RC-S

Ergo SC-L

Picture: Canton Ergo RC-L :

Comparison test in Stereoplay 1/1998: "What the Canton Ergo RCL Was able to provide low bass, that was unparalleled in the test field (Cabasse Brick 500, ESS ES 261, Heco Metron 1000 , Linn AV 5140, Tannoy DB 500). The testers also rarely hear such a deep and at the same time such a level-fixed lower frequency range. By no means did the Canton sound like a wheelie bin, but it sounded perfectly balanced and with little discoloration. (...) The Canton Ergo RCL sounded so strong that one has to wonder rightly why a loudspeaker like this one or, for example, the Elac CL 202, which also comes from Germany, is actually never called high-end." - Sound rating: very good, 23 points / Price-performance: outstanding / stereoplay highlight

Canton Ergo RC-L