In this review, we will be comparing A500 and Sony Signature Series SA-Z1, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Buchardt and Sony. 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 Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 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 )
Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 212-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 0.75, 0.5 (2)" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 4" Woofer
- 51-100k Hz Frequency Response
- 32-bit Max Depth / 768 Hz Max Sample Rate
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 209.5" x 7.875" x 12.875"( 209.5 x 200.0 x 327.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Buchardt A500 and Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that A500 is a 3-way design whereas the Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 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 |
Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.74-inch
|
0.75, 0.5 (2)-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
2 x 4-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 Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 features a 0.75, 0.5 (2)" Titanium Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 4" Woofer .
Frequency Response
A500 has a frequency range of 25-40k Hz whereas Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 has a frequency range of 51-100k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the A500 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Sony Signature Series SA-Z1's min frequency of 51Hz.
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
Sony Signature Series SA-Z1
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Sony Signature Series SA-Z1
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 Sony Signature Series SA-Z1's external dimensions. Buchardt A500 has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) whereas Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 has external dimensions of 209.5 x 200.0 x 327.0mm ( 8.25 x 7.875 x 12.875inch) .
Buchardt A500 is 20mm narrower and 47mm less deeper than Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 but it is also 155.5mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Buchardt A500 and Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 in scale.
Comparison image of Buchardt A500 and Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 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 Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 is approximately 654.0cm2 / 101.4inch2. The A500 requires 23% less surface area than the Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 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 Sony Signature Series SA-Z1 on a Media Console
What's in the Box of Sony Signature Series SA-Z1?
Here are the items that come with the Sony Signature Series SA-Z1:
2 Desktop monitor speakers2 AC power cordsDigital sync cableWalkman cableUSB-C to USB-B cableRemote control2 AAA batteriesInstruction Manual
Driver Setup 
Woofer Size 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
USB Port 
Subwoofer Output 
High Frequency Response 
Handheld Remote 
Height 
3.5mm Connection 
RCA Connection 
XLR Connection 
Digital Input