Multitest bookshelf speakers – 2500 Euro – part 1

Buchardt S400MK2

We’ve had the Danish brand Buchardt on our editorial staff before during our wireless-speaker test. It left a particularly pleasant impression then. The active models sounded tight, fairly neutral and particularly well controlled. Like the active models we had in the Live Stream, here we are dealing with a two-way system with passive radiator. Right: just like the Amphion. The units, of course, are completely different. Whereas Amphion goes mainly for metal, Buchardt has chosen softer materials to build the S400MK2.

A little note on appearance: our model has a light finish in real veneer. It looks neat, but know that this does come at an additional cost.

The sound

Although the principle is the same, the sound of the Buchardt is totally different. This will not only be due to the softer materials for the untis. Tuning and cabinet construction also have a major impact on the reproduction. If we have to sum it up, the reproduction is big and generous. The placement of the artists is nice and also goes with a lot of depth in imaging. Where the Amphion plays mostly forward, Buchardt plays deeper in the image.

Tonal richness is also there. Again, a great contrast to the Amphion which, on the contrary, plays very “clean”. Buchardt adds richness. A bit of coloration? We don’t know, because the transparency is definitely there and we don’t get an immediate sense of coloration.

Again, the differences between the Pass Labs and the Nilai are significant. Again, we have a slight preference for the Nilai which shows a little more tightness. It feels more correct in this case.

Measurements Buchardt S400MK2

The measurements of the Buchardt are slightly tighter than those of the Amphion. We mean mainly the response which is slightly more neutral. Distortion is also a touch lower on average. We see the same peak at 7 kHz. Perhaps a reflection of the waveguide that can also be found in the Amphion of course. All in all, neat scores.

The impedance is on average a bit lower than the Amphion. We see 2.6 Ohms between 100 and about 500 Hz. This is still doable for many an amplifier, but is on the low side. We would not grab a tube amp with this Buchardt.

Specifications Buchardt S400MK2