In this review, we will be comparing A10 and A500, two Powered Bookshelf speakers by Buchardt 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 A10 and Buchardt A500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
A10 and A500 are members of Buchardt's Active series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Buchardt A10 and Buchardt A500 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 A10 is a 2-way design whereas the A500 is a 3-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 A10 |
Buchardt A500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.74-inch
|
0.74-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
A10 features a 0.74" Aluminum Dome with waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
A10 has a frequency range of 28-40k Hz whereas A500 has a frequency range of 25-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the A500 can go slightly deeper then the A10's min frequency of 28Hz.
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 A10's and Buchardt A500's external dimensions. Buchardt A10 has external dimensions of 370 x 180.0 x 245.0mm ( 14.6 x 7 x 11inch) whereas Buchardt A500 has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) .
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 A10 is approximately 441.0cm2 / 68.4inch2 and base area of the Buchardt A500 is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2. The A10 requires 13% less surface area than the A500 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 A10 weighs 6.80kg / 15lbs and the Buchardt A500 weighs 9.00kg / 19.8lbs. This makes the A500 32% heavier than the A10.
Here is a comparison of how A10 and A500's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Base Surface Area |
441cm2 (180x245mm)
vs
504cm2 (180x280mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 USB Port |
Service Only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 XLR Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via XLR input |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
| Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
365mm
vs
370mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
3850USD
vs
3950USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| USB Port |
Service Only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
| XLR Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via XLR input |
| General |
Buchardt A10 |
Buchardt A500 |
| Brand |
Buchardt |
Buchardt |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
28-40k Hz |
25-40k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
450-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
1320-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192kHZ |
192kHZ |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper |
paper |
| Tweeter Size |
0.74" |
0.74" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome with waveguide |
aluminum waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
150Hz and 1800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
100 hours |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
370.0mm (14.6") |
365.0mm (14.4") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
245.0mm (9.6") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Weight |
6.80kg (15lbs) |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
Solid wood |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black,White, Walnut, Oak, Ash |
Black, White, Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
XLR |
XLR |
| USB Port |
Service Only |
Service Only |
| Phone Input |
No |
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) |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |