In this review, we will be comparing S400 MKII and E50-S, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Buchardt.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Buchardt S400 MKII and Buchardt E50-S first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Buchardt S400 MKII | Buchardt E50-S |
|---|
| Brand | Buchardt
Denmark · founded 2014 | Buchardt
Denmark · founded 2014 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.74" aluminum waveguide | 1" waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" paper | 7.5" Custom-made Satori TeXtreme |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-40k Hz | 38-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-200 watts | 15 - 100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.50kg / 16.5lbs | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.4" x 7" x 11"
365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm | 15.5" x 7.9" x 11.1"
395 x 200 x 284 mm |
|---|
S400 MKII and E50-S are members of Buchardt's Passive series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Buchardt Passive Series
History
What size room are the Buchardt S400 MKII and Buchardt E50-S speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Buchardt S400 MKII |
Buchardt E50-S |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both S400 MKII and E50-S are 2-way speakers.
Buchardt S400 MKIIBuchardt E50-S
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 S400 MKII |
Buchardt E50-S |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.74-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 7.5-inch
|
S400 MKII features a 0.74" fine weave soft fabric textile aluminum waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 6" paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800Hz. On the other hand, the E50-S features a 1" Custom Scanspeak textile dome waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 7.5" Custom-made Satori TeXtreme Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
S400 MKII has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz whereas E50-S has a frequency range of 38-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the S400 MKII can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the E50-S's min frequency of 38Hz.
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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
S400 MKII and E50-S have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the S400 MKII and the S400 MKII can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
S400 MKII can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas E50-S has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the S400 MKII.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
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 S400 MKII's and Buchardt E50-S's external dimensions. Buchardt S400 MKII has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm (14.4 x 7 x 11inch) whereas Buchardt E50-S has external dimensions of 395 x 200 x 284 mm (15.5 x 7.9 x 11.1 inch).
Buchardt E50-S is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 20mm wider, 30mm taller and 4mm deeper than Buchardt S400 MKII.
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.
Buchardt E50-S needs about 13% more floor or shelf area. Buchardt E50-S is 30mm 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 S400 MKII is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2 and base area of the Buchardt E50-S is approximately 568.0cm2 / 88.0inch2. The S400 MKII requires 11% less surface area than the E50-S 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 S400 MKII weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs and the Buchardt E50-S weighs 9.00kg / 19.8lbs. This makes the E50-S 20% heavier than the S400 MKII.
Here is a comparison of how S400 MKII and E50-S's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
365mm
vs
395mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
504cm2
vs
568cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2200USD
vs
4300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Woofer Size |
7.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
Buchardt S400 MKII |
Buchardt E50-S |
| Brand |
Buchardt |
Buchardt |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
15 - 100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-40k Hz |
38-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
7.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper |
Custom-made Satori TeXtreme |
| Tweeter Size |
0.74" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminum waveguide |
waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1800Hz |
2000Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
365.0mm (14.4") |
395.0mm (15.6") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
280.0mm (11") |
284.0mm (11.2") |
| Weight |
7.50kg (16.5lbs) |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
n/a |
19 & 28mm (front baffle) solid european oak |
| Available Colors |
Black, White, Walnut, Rosewood, Light Oak |
Rounded Natural Oak, Rounded Smoked Oak, Rounded Charcoal |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 years |
10 years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 years |
10 years |
Siblings in Buchardt's Passive series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Buchardt S400 MKII digs deeper - 33Hz against 38Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Buchardt S400 MKII takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | Buchardt S400 MKII is cheaper - $2,200 against $4,300, about 49% less; arguably a different class. |
A Buchardt S400 MKII B Buchardt E50-S
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?
Buchardt S400 MKII is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Buchardt E50-S if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 38Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,100 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.