In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Dynaudio Contour 30i is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the S400 MK3 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Contour 30i and Buchardt S400 MK3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Contour 30i | Buchardt S400 MK3 |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Buchardt
Denmark · founded 2014 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" MSP | 7.5" SB Acoustics Satori Egyptian Papyrus papercone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-23k Hz | 33-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 30+ watts |
|---|
| Weight | 31.40kg / 69.1lbs | 8.50kg / 18.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-7/8" x 8-7/16" x 14-3/16"
1140.0 x 215.0 x 360.0mm | 15.4" x 7.8" x 11"
392 x 198 x 280 mm |
|---|
What size room are the Dynaudio Contour 30i and Buchardt S400 MK3 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* |
Dynaudio Contour 30i |
Buchardt S400 MK3 |
| 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Contour 30i is a 3-way design whereas the S400 MK3 is a 2-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.
Dynaudio Contour 30iBuchardt S400 MK3
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Dynaudio Contour 30i |
Buchardt S400 MK3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
1 x 7.5-inch
|
Contour 30i features a 1.1" Esotar 2i Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 7" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at (300)/2200 Hz. On the other hand, the S400 MK3 features a 1" Custom aluminum dome with neodymium motor waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 7.5" SB Acoustics Satori Egyptian Papyrus papercone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Contour 30i has a frequency range of 32-23k Hz whereas S400 MK3 has a frequency range of 33-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the Contour 30i can go slightly deeper then the S400 MK3's min frequency of 33Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Contour 30i and S400 MK3 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 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 Contour 30i and the Contour 30i can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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 Dynaudio Contour 30i's and Buchardt S400 MK3's external dimensions. Dynaudio Contour 30i has external dimensions of 1140.0 x 215.0 x 360.0mm (44-7/8 x 8-7/16 x 14-3/16inch) whereas Buchardt S400 MK3 has external dimensions of 392 x 198 x 280 mm (15.4 x 7.8 x 11 inch).
Dynaudio Contour 30i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 17mm wider, 748mm taller and 80mm deeper than Buchardt S400 MK3.
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.
Dynaudio Contour 30i needs about 40% more floor or shelf area. Dynaudio Contour 30i is 80mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Dynaudio Contour 30i is 748mm 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 Dynaudio Contour 30i is approximately 774.0cm2 / 120.0inch2 and base area of the Buchardt S400 MK3 is approximately 554.4cm2 / 85.9inch2. The Contour 30i requires 40% more surface area than the S400 MK3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.