In this review, we will be comparing Genelec G Five and A500, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Genelec and Buchardt. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Genelec G Five and Buchardt A500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Genelec G Five Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 270-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 8" Cone Woofer
- 34-20k Hz Frequency Response
- N/A Max Depth / N/A Max Sample Rate
- Weight:12.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 452.0" x 11 1/4" x 10 15/16"( 452 x 286 x 278 mm )
Buchardt A500 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 450-watt RMS( 1320-watt Peak) Integrated Amplifier
- 0.74" aluminum waveguide Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 6" paper Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 25-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 192kHZ Max Sample Rate
- Weight:9.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 365.0" x 7" x 11"( 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Genelec G Five and Buchardt A500 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Genelec G Five is a 2-way design whereas the A500 is a 3-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.
| Driver |
Genelec G Five |
Buchardt A500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.74-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Genelec G Five features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz. On the other hand, the A500 features a 0.74" fine weave soft fabric textile aluminum waveguide Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 1 x 6" paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 150Hz and 1800Hz.
Frequency Response
Genelec G Five has a frequency range of 34-20k Hz whereas A500 has a frequency range of 25-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the A500 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Genelec G Five's min frequency of 34Hz.
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.
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 Genelec G Five's and Buchardt A500's external dimensions. Genelec G Five has external dimensions of 452 x 286 x 278 mm ( 17 13/16 x 11 1/4 x 10 15/16) whereas Buchardt A500 has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) .
Buchardt A500 is 106mm narrower and 87mm shorter than Genelec G Five but it is also 2mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Genelec G Five and Buchardt A500 in scale.
Comparison image of Genelec G Five and Buchardt A500 Size and External Dimensions
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 Genelec G Five is approximately 795.1cm2 / 123.2inch2 and base area of the Buchardt A500 is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2. The Genelec G Five requires 58% more surface area than the A500 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Genelec G Five weighs 12.70kg / 27.9lbs and the Buchardt A500 weighs 9.00kg / 19.8lbs. This makes the Genelec G Five 41% heavier than the A500.
Here is a comparison of how Genelec G Five and A500's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Genelec G Five?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Genelec G Five:
Genelec G Five 2-Way Powered Bookshelf Speaker (Polar White, Single)Iso-Pod Stand5.9-feet Power Cable