In this review, we will be comparing A10 and The Nines, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Buchardt and Klipsch. 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 Klipsch The Nines first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Buchardt A10 | Klipsch The Nines |
|---|
| Brand | Buchardt
Denmark · founded 2014 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 200-watt RMS | 240-watt RMS (480-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.74" Dome with waveguide | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" paper | 8" Fiber-composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-40k Hz | 34-25k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192kHZ | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | No | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| App control | — | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 6.80kg / 15lbs | 12.25kg / 27lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.6" x 7" x 9.65"
370 x 180.0 x 245.0mm | 19.375" x 9.5625" x 15.6875"
493.0 x 243.0 x 399.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both A10 and The Nines are 2-way speakers.
Buchardt A10Klipsch The Nines
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Buchardt A10 |
Klipsch The Nines |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.74-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-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 Nines features a 1" Titanium Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 8" Fiber-composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
A10 has a frequency range of 28-40k Hz whereas The Nines has a frequency range of 34-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the A10 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to The Nines's min frequency of 34Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. 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 The Nines has a rear firing ports. Buchardt A10's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Klipsch The Nines with its rear-firing port.
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 A10's and Klipsch The Nines's external dimensions. Buchardt A10 has external dimensions of 370 x 180.0 x 245.0mm (14.6 x 7 x 11inch) whereas Klipsch The Nines has external dimensions of 493.0 x 243.0 x 399.0mm (19.375inch x 9.5625inch x 15.6875inch).
Klipsch The Nines is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 63mm wider, 123mm taller and 154mm deeper than Buchardt A10.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Klipsch The Nines needs about 120% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch The Nines is 154mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch The Nines is 123mm 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 Klipsch The Nines is approximately 969.6cm2 / 150.3inch2. The A10 requires 55% less surface area than The Nines 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 Klipsch The Nines weighs 12.25kg / 27lbs. This makes The Nines 80% heavier than the A10.
Here is a comparison of how A10 and The Nines's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Klipsch The Nines?
Here are the items that come with The Nines:
- Powered speaker (Primary)
- Passive speaker (Secondary)
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 13-feet Proprietary speaker cable
- 6.5-feet Proprietary extension cable
- 58-inch HDMI cable
- 5-feet USB-B to USB-A cable
- Remote control
- 2 AAA batteries
- Instruction Booklet
- Need Help? Card
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
370mm
vs
493mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
441cm2
vs
969cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 USB Port |
Service Only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 XLR Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via XLR input |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Price per pair* |
1499USD
vs
3950USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 Phono Input |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your turntable directly |
 Digital Input |
Optical, HDMI
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
 HDMI Input |
ARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
| General |
Buchardt A10 |
Klipsch The Nines |
| Brand |
Buchardt |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
28-40k Hz |
34-25k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
240-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
480-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192kHZ |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper |
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
0.74" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome with waveguide |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
370.0mm (14.6") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
243.0mm (9.6") |
| Depth |
245.0mm (9.6") |
399.0mm (15.7") |
| Weight |
6.80kg (15lbs) |
12.25kg (27lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Solid wood |
MDF with genuine wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black,White, Walnut, Oak, Ash |
Black,Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
XLR |
3.5mm |
| USB Port |
Service Only |
USB-B |
| Phone Input |
No |
Yes |
| Subwoofer Output |
n/a |
mono-RCA |
| Digital Input |
No |
Optical, HDMI |
| HDMI Input |
No |
ARC |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |
1 Year |
These sit in different price classes - Buchardt A10 costs roughly 2.6x what Klipsch The Nines does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Buchardt A10 digs deeper - 28Hz against 34Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Built-in power | evenly matched | Similar onboard amplification (200W vs 240W RMS). |
| Connections | B | Buchardt A10 adds Wi-Fi; Klipsch The Nines adds Bluetooth, HDMI, phono and digital inputs. |
| Size | depends | Buchardt A10 is easier to place; Klipsch The Nines is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | B | Klipsch The Nines: a sub output. |
| Price | B | Klipsch The Nines is cheaper - $1,499 against $3,950, about 62% less; arguably a different class. |
A Buchardt A10 B Klipsch The Nines
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?
Klipsch The Nines has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 34Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch The Nines much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch The Nines has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Buchardt A10 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.