In this review, we will be comparing Sonus faber Duetto and A500, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Sonus Faber 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 Sonus faber Duetto and Buchardt A500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Sonus faber Duetto Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 700-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Paper-Pulp Woofer
- 37-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 192 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Built-in 5.0 Bluetooth
- App Control Feature
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 342.0" x 8.3125" x 11.0625"( 342.0 x 212.0 x 281.0mm )
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
- No Bluetooth
- 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 Sonus faber Duetto 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 Sonus faber Duetto 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 |
Sonus faber Duetto |
Buchardt A500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
0.74-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
Sonus faber Duetto features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Paper-Pulp Woofer . 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
Sonus faber Duetto has a frequency range of 37-30k 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 Sonus faber Duetto's min frequency of 37Hz.
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.
Sonus faber Duetto Port
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 Sonus faber Duetto's and Buchardt A500's external dimensions. Sonus faber Duetto has external dimensions of 342.0 x 212.0 x 281.0mm ( 13.4375inch x 8.3125inch x 11.0625inch ) whereas Buchardt A500 has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) .
Buchardt A500 is 32mm narrower and 1mm less deeper than Sonus faber Duetto but it is also 23mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sonus faber Duetto and Buchardt A500 in scale.
Comparison image of Sonus faber Duetto 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 Sonus faber Duetto is approximately 595.7cm2 / 92.3inch2 and base area of the Buchardt A500 is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2. The Sonus faber Duetto requires 18% more surface area than the A500 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Sonus faber Duetto and Buchardt A500 on a Media Console
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Duetto?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonus faber Duetto:
2 Wireless powered speakers2 GrillesTwo 6.5-feet AC power cordsRemote controlQuick Start GuideSafety Instructions