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  1. Home
  2. Powered Stereo Speakers
  3. Buchardt A700 vs ELAC Navis ARF-51

Buchardt A700 vs ELAC Navis ARF-51 Comparison

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Buchardt A700

Powered Floor-standing | 17-40k Hz

Buchardt A700
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ELAC Navis ARF-51

Powered Floor-standing | 43-28k Hz

ELAC Navis ARF-51
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Buchardt A700 Buchardt A700
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ELAC Navis ARF-51 ELAC Navis ARF-51
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Buchardt A700
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ELAC Navis ARF-51
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Buchardt A700 vs ELAC Navis ARF-51 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing A700 and Navis ARF-51, two Powered Floor-standing speakers from Buchardt and ELAC. 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 A700 and ELAC Navis ARF-51 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsBuchardt A700ELAC Navis ARF-51
BrandBuchardt
Denmark · founded 2014
ELAC
Germany · founded 1926
Design3-way3-way
Built-in amplifier600-watt RMS (1320-watt peak)300-watt RMS
Tweeter0.74" aluminum waveguide1" Soft-Dome
Midrange6"4"
Woofer4 x 6" paper5.25" Aluminum
Frequency response17-40k Hz43-28k Hz
Max depth / sample rate24-bit / 192kHZ—
BluetoothNoOptional
Weight28.00kg / 61.6lbs21.00kg / 46.2lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)39.4" x 7" x 11"
1000.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm
42.125" x 9.6875" x 11.5625"
1070.0 x 247.0 x 294.0mm

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.


Drivers

Both A700 and Navis ARF-51 are 3-way speakers.

Tweeter - 0.74 inchMidrange - 6 inchWoofer - 6 inchWoofer - 6 inchWoofer - 6 inchWoofer - 6 inch
Buchardt A700
Tweeter - 1 inchMidrange - 4 inchWoofer - 5.25 inch
ELAC Navis ARF-51

TweeterMidrangeWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver Buchardt A700 ELAC Navis ARF-51
Driver Setup 3-way 3-way
Tweeter 0.74-inch 1-inch
Midrange 1 x 6-inch 1 x 4-inch
Woofer 4 x 6-inch 1 x 5.25-inch

A700 features a 0.74" fine weave soft fabric textile aluminum waveguide Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 4 x 6" paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 100-250Hz and 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Navis ARF-51 features a 1" Fabric Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer.

Frequency Response

A700 has a frequency range of 17-40k Hz whereas Navis ARF-51 has a frequency range of 43-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 17Hz, the A700 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Navis ARF-51's min frequency of 43Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.

Low Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

A700
Navis ARF-51
Min
Average
Median

Physical Specs

The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 A700's and ELAC Navis ARF-51's external dimensions. Buchardt A700 has external dimensions of 1000.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm (40.0 x 7 x 11inch) whereas ELAC Navis ARF-51 has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 247.0 x 294.0mm (42.125 x 9.6875 x 11.5625inch).

ELAC Navis ARF-51 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 67mm wider, 70mm taller and 14mm deeper than Buchardt A700.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Buchardt A700 and ELAC Navis ARF-51 in scale.

Buchardt A700 vs ELAC Navis ARF-51 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Buchardt A700 and ELAC Navis ARF-51 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 A700 is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2 and base area of the ELAC Navis ARF-51 is approximately 726.2cm2 / 112.6inch2. The A700 requires 31% less surface area than the Navis ARF-51 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

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 A700 weighs 28.00kg / 61.6lbs and the ELAC Navis ARF-51 weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs. This makes the A700 33% heavier than the Navis ARF-51.

Here is a comparison of how A700 and Navis ARF-51's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Buchardt A700
ELAC Navis ARF-51
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of ELAC Navis ARF-51?

Here are the items that come with the Navis ARF-51:
  • Powered floorstanding loudspeaker
  • 8-feet AC power cord
  • Base plate
  • 4 Spikes
  • 4 Isolation pucks
  • 4 Screws
  • Operating Instructions


Reasons to choose Buchardt A700 over ELAC Navis ARF-51

Woofer Size 6 inches vs 5.25 inches Larger woofer
Number of Woofers 4 vs 1 More woofers
Low Frequency Response 17 Hz vs 43 Hz Generates deeper bass
High Frequency Response 40k Hz vs 38k Hz Generates higher frequency
Height 1000mm vs 1070mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area 504cm2 vs 726cm2 Takes less floor space
USB Port Service Only vs No USB port adds flexibility
XLR Connection Yes vs No Connection via XLR input
Subwoofer Output vs No Pair your speakers with external subwoofer

Reasons to choose ELAC Navis ARF-51 over Buchardt A700

Price per pair* 3798USD vs 6600USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
RCA Connection Yes vs No Connection via RCA input
XLR Connection Yes vs No Connection via XLR input

Buchardt A700 vs ELAC Navis ARF-51 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General Buchardt A700 ELAC Navis ARF-51
Brand Buchardt ELAC
Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Powered Stereo Speakers
Frequency Response 17-40k Hz 43-28k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous) 600-watt RMS 300-watt RMS
Watts Peak (Max) 1320-watt RMS n/a
Max Bit Depth 24-bit n/a
Max Sample Rate 192kHZ n/a
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 4 1
Woofer Size 6" 5.25"
Woofer Composition paper Aluminum
Tweeter Size 0.74" 1"
Tweeter Type aluminum waveguide Soft-Dome
Aimable Tweeter No No
Midrange Driver 6" 4"
Crossover Frequency 100-250Hz and 2800Hz n/a
Firing Direction n/a rear
Suggested Break-in Period 100 hours n/a
Physical Specs
Height 1000.0mm (39.4") 1070.0mm (42.1")
Width 180.0mm (7.1") 247.0mm (9.7")
Depth 280.0mm (11") 294.0mm (11.6")
Weight 28.00kg (61.6lbs) 21.00kg (46.2lbs)
Enclosure Acoustic Suspension Bass Reflex
Available Colors Black, White, Walnut n/a
Grille Yes n/a
Moisture Resistancy No No
Connections
Aux Inputs XLR XLR, RCA
USB Port Service Only No
Phone Input No No
Subwoofer Output n/a No
Digital Input No No
HDMI Input No No
Headphone Jack No No
Ethernet Port No No
Other
Parts Warranty 10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) 3 Years
Labor Warranty 10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) 3 Years

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - Buchardt A700 costs roughly 1.7x what ELAC Navis ARF-51 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

AreaBetterWhy
BassABuchardt A700 digs deeper - 17Hz against 43Hz.
Built-in powerABuchardt A700 has the bigger amplifier (600W vs 300W RMS).
ConnectionsdependsBuchardt A700 adds Wi-Fi; ELAC Navis ARF-51 adds Bluetooth.
SizedependsBuchardt A700 is easier to place; ELAC Navis ARF-51 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
CabinetdependsSealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it.
PriceBELAC Navis ARF-51 is cheaper - $3,798 against $6,600, about 42% less; arguably a different class.

A Buchardt A700  B ELAC Navis ARF-51
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

The usual trade-off: Buchardt A700 measures better, ELAC Navis ARF-51 costs about about 74% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 43Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper ELAC Navis ARF-51 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, ELAC Navis ARF-51 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Buchardt A700 is the easier speaker to get right.

And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.


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