In this review, we will be comparing A10 and Navis ARB-51, two Powered Bookshelf 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 A10 and ELAC Navis ARB-51 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Buchardt A10 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 200-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 0.74" Dome with waveguide Tweeter
- 6.5" paper Woofer
- 28-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 192kHZ Max Sample Rate
- Weight:6.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 370.0" x 7" x 9.65"( 370 x 180.0 x 245.0mm )
ELAC Navis ARB-51 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 300-watt RMS( 600-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 4" Midrange
- 44-28k Hz Frequency Response
- Weight:8.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 350.8" x 7.5625" x 11.3125"( 350.8 x 192.1 x 287.3mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Buchardt A10 and ELAC Navis ARB-51 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 Navis ARB-51 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 |
ELAC Navis ARB-51 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.74-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-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 Navis ARB-51 features a 1" Fabric Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer .
Frequency Response
A10 has a frequency range of 28-40k Hz whereas Navis ARB-51 has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the A10 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Navis ARB-51's min frequency of 44Hz.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
A10 has a front firing port whereas Navis ARB-51 has a rear firing ports. Buchardt A10's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to ELAC Navis ARB-51 with its rear-firing port.
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 ELAC Navis ARB-51's external dimensions. Buchardt A10 has external dimensions of 370 x 180.0 x 245.0mm ( 14.6 x 7 x 11inch) whereas ELAC Navis ARB-51 has external dimensions of 350.8 x 192.1 x 287.3mm ( 13.8125 x 7.5625 x 11.3125inch) .
Buchardt A10 is 12.1mm narrower and 42.3mm less deeper than ELAC Navis ARB-51 but it is also 19.2mm taller.
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 ELAC Navis ARB-51 is approximately 551.9cm2 / 85.5inch2. The A10 requires 20% less surface area than the Navis ARB-51 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.