In this review, we will be comparing S400 MKII and Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Buchardt and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Buchardt S400 MKII and GoldenEar Aon 3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Buchardt S400 MKII Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 0.74" aluminum waveguide Tweeter
- 6" paper Woofer
- 33-40k HZ Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:7.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 365.0" x 7" x 11"( 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm )
GoldenEar Aon 3 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " Folded Ribbon Tweeter
- 7" Polypropylene Woofer
- 38-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:10-250watts
- Weight:6.82kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 356.0" x 9" x 11-1/16"( 356.0 x 229.0 x 281.0mm )
What size room are the Buchardt S400 MKII and GoldenEar Aon 3 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 |
GoldenEar Aon 3 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Buchardt S400 MKII and GoldenEar Aon 3 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
Both S400 MKII and Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Buchardt S400 MKII |
GoldenEar Aon 3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.74-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 7-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 Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 7" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
S400 MKII has a frequency range of 33-40k HZ whereas Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor has a frequency range of 38-35k 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 Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor's min frequency of 38Hz.
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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
S400 MKII is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the S400 MKII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. S400 MKII sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Aon 3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Buchardt S400 MKII, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
S400 MKII can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S400 MKII has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
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 S400 MKII's and GoldenEar Aon 3'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 GoldenEar Aon 3 has external dimensions of 356.0 x 229.0 x 281.0mm ( 14 x 9 x 11-1/16inch) .
Buchardt S400 MKII is 49mm narrower and 1mm less deeper than GoldenEar Aon 3 but it is also 9mm 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 GoldenEar Aon 3 is approximately 643.5cm2 / 99.7inch2. The S400 MKII requires 22% less surface area than the Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.