In this review, we will be comparing A500 and LS50 Wireless II, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Buchardt and KEF. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Buchardt A500 and KEF LS50 Wireless II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Buchardt A500 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 450-watt RMS( 1320-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
- 0.74" aluminum waveguide Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 6" paper Woofer
- 25-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 192kHZ Max Sample Rate
- Weight:9.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 365.0" x 7" x 11"( 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm )
KEF LS50 Wireless II Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 380-watt RMS( 760-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 45-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 32-bit Max Depth / 384 kHz Max Sample Rate
- App Control Feature
- Weight:10.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 277.8" x 7.875" x 12.6875"( 277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Buchardt A500 and KEF LS50 Wireless II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that A500 is a 3-way design whereas the LS50 Wireless II is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Buchardt A500 |
KEF LS50 Wireless II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.74-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
A500 features a 0.74" fine weave soft fabric textile aluminum waveguide Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 1 x 6" paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 150Hz and 1800Hz. On the other hand, the LS50 Wireless II features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer .
Frequency Response
A500 has a frequency range of 25-40k Hz whereas LS50 Wireless II has a frequency range of 45-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the A500 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LS50 Wireless II's min frequency of 45Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Buchardt A500's and KEF LS50 Wireless II's external dimensions. Buchardt A500 has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) whereas KEF LS50 Wireless II has external dimensions of 277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm ( 10.9375 x 7.875 x 12.6875inch) .
Buchardt A500 is 20mm narrower and 42.3mm less deeper than KEF LS50 Wireless II but it is also 87.2mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Buchardt A500 and KEF LS50 Wireless II in scale.
Comparison image of Buchardt A500 and KEF LS50 Wireless II Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Buchardt A500 is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2 and base area of the KEF LS50 Wireless II is approximately 644.6cm2 / 99.9inch2. The A500 requires 22% less surface area than the LS50 Wireless II which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Buchardt A500 and KEF LS50 Wireless II on a Media Console
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Buchardt A500 weighs 9.00kg / 19.8lbs and the KEF LS50 Wireless II weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs. This makes the LS50 Wireless II 11% heavier than the A500.
Here is a comparison of how A500 and LS50 Wireless II's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of KEF LS50 Wireless II?
Here are the items that come with the LS50 Wireless II:
2 Wireless powered speakersTwo 6.5-feet AC power cords10-feet Cat-6 interconnect speaker cableRemote control2 AAA batteries Quick Start Guide Important Safety Information Warranty Information