In this review, we will be comparing VELA BS 403 and P300, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from ELAC and Buchardt.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC VELA BS 403 and Buchardt P300 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC VELA BS 403 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " handmade JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter Tweeter
- 6" Aluminum/Paper Woofer
- 41-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-100watts
- Weight:7.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 361.0" x 7-1/2" x 9-3/8"( 361.0 x 191.0 x 239.0mm )
Buchardt P300 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 0.74" aluminum waveguide Tweeter
- 6" paper Woofer
- 37-40k HZ Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50 - 200watts
- Weight:6.30kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 365.0" x 7" x 11"( 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm )
What size room are the ELAC VELA BS 403 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* |
ELAC VELA BS 403 |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC VELA BS 403 and Buchardt P300 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 VELA BS 403 and P300 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
ELAC VELA BS 403 |
Buchardt P300 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
0.74-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
VELA BS 403 features a " handmade JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter Tweeter and 1 x 6" Aluminum/Paper Woofer . 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
VELA BS 403 has a frequency range of 41-50k Hz whereas P300 has a frequency range of 37-40k HZ. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the P300 can go slightly deeper then the VELA BS 403's min frequency of 41Hz.
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
VELA BS 403 and P300 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 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 VELA BS 403 and the VELA BS 403 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. 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.
VELA BS 403 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas VELA BS 403 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the P300.
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 ELAC VELA BS 403's and Buchardt P300's external dimensions. ELAC VELA BS 403 has external dimensions of 361.0 x 191.0 x 239.0mm ( 24-28inch x 7-1/2inch x 9-3/8inch ) whereas Buchardt P300 has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) .
ELAC VELA BS 403 is 4mm shorter and 41mm less deeper than Buchardt P300 but it is also 11mm wider.
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 ELAC VELA BS 403 is approximately 456.5cm2 / 70.8inch2 and base area of the Buchardt P300 is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2. The VELA BS 403 requires 9% less surface area than the P300 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.