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.
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.
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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
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
3590USD
vs
3850USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 XLR Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via XLR input |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
| Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
365mm
vs
452mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
504cm2 (180x280mm)
vs
795cm2 (286x278mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 USB Port |
Service Only
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
| General |
Genelec G Five |
Buchardt A500 |
| Brand |
Genelec |
Buchardt |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
34-20k Hz |
25-40k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
270-watt RMS |
450-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
1320-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
N/A |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
N/A |
192kHZ |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cone |
paper |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
0.74" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
aluminum waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
3000Hz |
150Hz and 1800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
100 hours |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
452.0mm (17.8") |
365.0mm (14.4") |
| Width |
286.0mm (11.3") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Weight |
12.70kg (27.9lbs) |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
Aluminum |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
White,Black |
Black, White, Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA,XLR |
XLR |
| USB Port |
No |
Service Only |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Digital Input |
No |
No |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |