In this review, we will be comparing S400 MKII and P300, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Buchardt.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Buchardt S400 MKII and Buchardt P300 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Buchardt S400 MKII | Buchardt P300 |
|---|
| Brand | Buchardt
Denmark · founded 2014 | Buchardt
Denmark · founded 2014 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.74" aluminum waveguide | 0.74" aluminum waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" paper | 6" paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-40k Hz | 37-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-200 watts | 50 - 200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.50kg / 16.5lbs | 6.30kg / 13.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.4" x 7" x 11"
365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm | 14.4" x 7" x 11"
365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm |
|---|
S400 MKII and P300 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 P300 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 P300 |
| 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 P300 are 2-way speakers.
Buchardt S400 MKIIBuchardt P300
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 P300 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.74-inch
|
0.74-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6-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 P300 features a 0.74" Custom fine weave soft fabric textile with CDC aluminum waveguide aluminum waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 6" paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
S400 MKII has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz whereas P300 has a frequency range of 37-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the S400 MKII can go slightly deeper then the P300's min frequency of 37Hz.
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 P300 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S400 MKII sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the P300's is at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Buchardt S400 MKII a more sensitive speaker compared to Buchardt P300, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though S400 MKII is rated 40-200 watts and P300 50 - 200 watts.
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 P300'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 P300 has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm (14.4 x 7 x 11inch).
In this case, we can see that Buchardt S400 MKII and Buchardt P300 have the exact same height, width and thickness.
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.
Near-identical footprints.
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 P300 is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2.
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 P300 weighs 6.30kg / 13.9lbs. This makes the S400 MKII 19% heavier than the P300.
Here is a comparison of how S400 MKII and P300's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1450USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Buchardt S400 MKII |
Buchardt P300 |
| Brand |
Buchardt |
Buchardt |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
50 - 200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-40k Hz |
37-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper |
paper |
| Tweeter Size |
0.74" |
0.74" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminum waveguide |
aluminum waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1800Hz |
2900Hz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
365.0mm (14.4") |
365.0mm (14.4") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
280.0mm (11") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Weight |
7.50kg (16.5lbs) |
6.30kg (13.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Finish |
n/a |
15mm Fiberboard HMR.E2 Moisture-proof with internal bracing |
| Available Colors |
Black, White, Walnut, Rosewood, Light Oak |
Black, White, Peach, Ocean, Olive |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 years |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
10 years |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |
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 37Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Buchardt S400 MKII is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | Buchardt P300 is cheaper - $1,450 against $2,200, about 34% less. |
A Buchardt S400 MKII B Buchardt P300
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 S400 MKII measures better, Buchardt P300 costs about about 52% 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 your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Buchardt S400 MKII is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $750 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.