In this review, we will be comparing 4329P and A500, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from JBL 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 JBL 4329P 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 JBL 4329P 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 4329P 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 |
JBL 4329P |
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
|
4329P features a 1" Teonex Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 8" cast-frame paper-cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1675 Hz. 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
4329P has a frequency range of 28-25 kHz whereas A500 has a frequency range of 25-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the A500 can go slightly deeper then the 4329P's min frequency of 28Hz.
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 JBL 4329P's and Buchardt A500's external dimensions. JBL 4329P has external dimensions of 515.5mm x 320mm x 322.4mm ( 20.3125inch x 12.625inch x 12.75inch ) whereas Buchardt A500 has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) .
JBL 4329P is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 140mm wider, 150mm taller and 42mm deeper than Buchardt A500.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL 4329P and Buchardt A500 in scale.
Comparison image of JBL 4329P 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 JBL 4329P is approximately 1030.4cm2 / 159.7inch2 and base area of the Buchardt A500 is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2. The 4329P requires 104% 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 JBL 4329P weighs 14.70kg / 32.3lbs and the Buchardt A500 weighs 9.00kg / 19.8lbs. This makes the 4329P 63% heavier than the A500.
Here is a comparison of how 4329P 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 JBL 4329P?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 4329P:
2 Powered speakers2 GrillesTwo 69-inch AC power cords10-feet CAT5e cableRemote control2 AAA batteries8 Self-adhesive feetOwner-feets ManualImportant Safety Instructions
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 App-Based Control |
Apple iOS, Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 USB Port |
USB-B
vs
No
|
USB port adds flexibility |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 Digital Input |
Optical
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
| Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
365mm
vs
515mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
504cm2 (180x280mm)
vs
1030cm2 (320x322mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3850USD
vs
4500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 XLR Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via XLR input |
| General |
JBL 4329P |
Buchardt A500 |
| Brand |
JBL |
Buchardt |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
28-25 kHz |
25-40k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
600-watt RMS |
450-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
1320-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192kHz |
192kHZ |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
cast-frame paper-cone |
paper |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
0.74" |
| Tweeter Type |
Horn-Loaded |
aluminum waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1675 Hz |
150Hz and 1800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
100 hours |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
515.0mm (20.3") |
365.0mm (14.4") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
322.0mm (12.7") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Weight |
14.70kg (32.3lbs) |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
3/4-inch MDF with real wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Satin Walnut, Black Walnut |
Black, White, Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm |
XLR |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
Service Only |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
mono-RCA |
n/a |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
No |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5yr drivers/2 yr amp |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
5yr drivers/2 yr amp |
10 years on speakers / 2 years on electronics (4 years if registered) |