German speaker maker Canton was founded in 1972, deriving its name by combining the Latin word cantare (to sing) and the German word ton (musical tone). Nowhere is the company's dedication to exceptional music reproduction more evident than its Reference line, which is topped by the flagship Reference 1.2 DC.

The Reference 1.2 DC is a 3½-way, bass-reflex design with a down-firing port suspended above the integrated base, which makes placement more flexible than rear-firing ports. Also, the base is isolated from the cabinet by shock absorbers designed to minimize energy transfer to the floor. A single 1-inch aluminum-ceramic dome tweeter is flanked by twin 7-inch, triple-curved aluminum midranges, and the low frequencies are handled by two 12-inch aluminum woofers, resulting in an amazing specified frequency response from 18Hz to 40kHz.

As with many high-end speakers, the Reference 1.2 DC provides connection terminals that allow bi-amping and bi-wiring. Also on the rear panel are two controls that independently boost or cut the highs and mids by 1.5dB to tune the speakers for various acoustic environments.

At $35,000/pair, the Reference 1.2 DC isn't for everyone. But for those who can afford it, Canton's flagship should sing a noble song.