Elac Beats Buchardt at almost half the Price? Elac Uni Ref vs Buchardt S400 ii vs GoldenEar BRX

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0:00 Start
1:05 Elac Specs
3:10 GoldenEar Specs
4:29 Buchardt Specs
5:35 Looks and Build
6:37 Soundstage and Imagining
8:30 Bass
11:04 Midrange
13:38 Treble
15:56 Final Thoughts
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Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ - Crystal Clear and Punchy emotiva.com?aff=9
Elac Debut b5.2 - Neutral amzn.to/2WPNQxw
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JBL Stage A130 - Neutral/Great All Arounder at $179 the best value amzn.to/3t7gOHe
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Klipsch RP600M - Neutral amzn.to/3pBoXCf (This speaker’s price can fluctuate between $440-630 which is really dumb)
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Q Acoustics 3030i - Neutral with Punch - amzn.to/2OQkpLo
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SMSL SA300 $140 amzn.to/3u83oLs
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SVS SB1000 Pro bit.ly/3scmwsc

[@cheapaudioman]

Elac Unifi Reference howl.me/chwA3L2iOyl --GoldenEar BRX howl.me/chue1NAd1TC ----Buchardt S400 ii bit.ly/3z0yMl4 ------------------------------------------------------------------www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman -------Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF -----Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt ----Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH ---amzn.to/3GkNaop ---CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K --apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P --massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5 --Amazon Unlimited Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9

[@centralscrutinizer9591]

What about the Buchardt S300's........I am wanting me those?

[@rmzidann]

I lucked out, got a pair of walnut color, B-stock, Unifi Reference speaker directly from Elac for $600

[@ginom407]

Love me a Saturday Speaker Shootout!!! Welcome Back Rickety Table!!! We missed you... Thanks Randy 👍

[@phantif4621]

Breakfast is done, dishes are nearly sorted..A Saturday Morning Shootout is exactly what I need right now. Great content, keep up the fantastic work!

[@neps4th]

I'm still very pleased with my UB52's. Considering they are rated at 6ohm and dip below 4 ohms they never had any problems driven by a pair of Aegirs in differential configuration. I have also tried several other pairs of amps in differential mode driving the Elacs (Nakamichi,Threshold, tubes) with the Freya+.(use XLR to RCA adapters fitted to amplifier end of XLR cables)

[@JohnScheppler]

Love Saturday Speaker Shootouts and these are all winners 🏆

[@DrGoodfit412]

Thanks still buying the Buchardt! Can’t wait to have that speaker

[@shaner3d]

Awesome!!! Man I’ve been missing these. Glad to see the shootout back!

[@chrismauger9285]

Thanks for the informative speaker shootout. Great to hear your take on these speakers. I have the fyne audio f301 speakers and am blown away by their cost to performance ratio. I keep checking to see if the subwoofer is still on.

[@ivanmelkner7704]

Hello Randy. Love Elac Unifi Reference, they just need power. Using 2 IOTAVX PA3s . Really good with low volume. Here in Slovakia Elac €848 so great value.

[@wardprocter2371]

Would love to hear your thoughts on how the Lintons compare to these. No shortage of great speakers for Saturday Shoot-outs these days. Thanks for sharing your time with us Randy!

[@knobbshots]

Thanks Randy, cleared up some things. Informative as always.

[@drewpknutz1410]

I didn't realize how fatiguing my Klipsch rp6000fs were until I got those Elacs, and the soundstage is great!

[@intrinsicfreedom]

I actually damaged my ears (at very modest volumes) with a set of RP280's, the forerunner to the RP8000. I listened too much to that harsh tweeter for about a year and developed tinnitus. I''ve since moved to a soft dome and all the fatigue has dropped away. The tinnitus comes and goes, but I never had it before the RP280's.

[@juanmillaruelo7647]

I found the Klipsch rp8000f unbearable. Beamy, honky highs, boomy bass. I didn't have the heart to tell the owner. I just left the listening room as soon as I possibly could. A true "Abu Ghraib" experience. ;-) (Seems as if Klipsch is reviewing their sound. Their latest gear is actually much more balanced)

[@tailgator5483]

It's a win for the table for not collapsing. Well done.

[@raymoore8435]

Man I love these comparison videos !

[@jalexander510]

Love it! Awesome as usual. Love how you left in "am I pitting out?" LOL. "Ah, Little bit..." Feels like something I'd say too. That's why I bought 3 Pelonis fans so far. They are amazing! Of course I used your associate link for them. I reccomend!

[@ericmann1781]

Those Buchardt and Goldenear models are two speakers I really want to have a listen to, same with a Dyneaudio Evoke 10 or 20 and an EVO-4.2. I just got into audio in 2020 and I was lucky that my first real quality speakers (imo) was the UBR62 I bought from someone in early 2021 for $1000 cad, they sounded a little light on the bass with the IOTAVX stack but were really brought to life with a Rotel 1590+1582 MKII. Only speakers I like more so far are the Triangle Comete.

[@JBSCHAFFNER]

Love my Elacs, the Unifi 2.0 Center channel is amazing btw because of the concentric speaker

[@BericBuilds]

Excellent video! Currently modifying Martin Logan Motion I5 to fit Focal Access A1 6.5" mids, just finishing painting the grill housing now

[@feronous8207]

I got the ELAC for 1000 New on amazon when they launched! sound great BUT the treble was slightly better on my Emotiva b1+...still great speaker

[@Brian_Romska]

"Am I pitting out? Ya a little bit." That was my favorite part...

[@Grassy_Gnoll]

I have the original Uni-fi towers. The magic of the concentric driver can't be overstated, IMHO. The vocal imaging is so realistic, it's like being there. Of course, the room plays a big part in this. We recently moved, and it's as if half the magic disappeared.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Vocals are 🔥

[@mndlessdrwer]

I've got some KEF iQ90 and, yeah, concentric coaxial drivers are difficult to compete against when it comes to mids and treble coherency and projection. Get them positioned right and you get some of the most perfect center imaging.

[@darthdurkelthewise320]

Great comparison here as I’m currently taking a hard look at the ELAC and the Buchardt MKII. I think so much here depends on preference. It’s hard not to love that Zebra Wood MKII on the website ($2,700 ouch!) if you’re a sucker for wood like me. However, no doubt that ELAC is the best value here for what you get with that concentric driver and overall performance. Buchardt seems like the Audi to ELAC’s VW… One thing to mention here which I believe is a big factor is that Buchardt has a 10 year warranty so big props to them for supporting that boutique 6lb crossover! You can also try them out for 45 days and they’ll handle shipping back if you don’t. Although Crutchfield will do basically the same thing.

[@westcoast708]

Buchardt is the better chioce as I own them and absolutely love them worth every penny they will be the last speakers u will buy .

[@NemoPropaganda]

For me the S400 MKII is the pinnacle of value and I prefer it over everything else I own. Then again value is relative. Back in the day my Emotiva XRM 4.1 ($200) were the pinnacle of value :).

[@thedatajanitor9537]

I have the s400 m2 and won't be returning them. I'm not driving them with much, the nad c700 and nothing else and they sound insane. Their sound is hard to beat. What they can do with Nora Jone's voice is something I've only seen (heard) from B&W 802 series. I had the Elac's and Polk R200. I don't think anything beats the Polks at $800.

[@Superman54]

in terms of soundstage and imaging?

[@mndlessdrwer]

Not a huge fan of B&W stuff, as I find them a bit to treble heavy for my ears, but if your speakers sound great to you then that's all that really matters. Glad you found some speakers that really do it for you.

[@kohnfutner9637]

Those Polk must be special. Everyone seems to think they are superbulous. Superman asks a good question. ☝️

[@stevezeidman7224]

This was a really good video. Your analysis of the three speakers gave me a real idea of how they’d sound. I’ve spent 2k on speakers I hated. It’s a real sinking feeling. Then, in order to move them you take a bath. It’s great to hear there’s a great speaker at $1200.

[@Stan_the_Belgian]

What did you buy?

[@Jon-nz3dm]

Are you using any objective data to help inform you? If you can see the frequency response of a speaker you like and get an idea of what you want, this can be very helpful. Subjective only reviews are very unhelpful sometimes, especially when you get such conflicting reports.

[@stevezeidman7224]

I bought Revel Concerta 2 F36 towers. I blame no one but myself. They were so forward it was ear bleeding. There were few written or KZbin reviews other than a CNET written review by Guttenberg. I bought them on reputation. I lost out plain and simple.

[@fcamiola]

@@stevezeidman7224 Me too man. I returned Focal Chora 826. The first night they were great, then when my wife and I spun Joni's Blue (on vinyl), her voice was going through us and I knew right away I made the wrong choice. Luckily Crutchfield has a great 60 day return policy. I just ordered new speakers and I'm excited about that! Cheers

[@dwindeyer]

@@Jon-nz3dm Almost no consumer speaker brand produces technical data that gives you a good idea of what a speaker really sounds like. You only find it on professional loudspeakers where it's part of the system deliverable and that spatial data is required to make sales. For consumer brands, accurate technical data doesn't help sales. Consumers by and large don't know what to do with it.

[@tycheesey]

I will confirm, sometimes I don't know if my surrounds are on or off when using my unifi reference LCR. Phenomenal soundstage.

[@whiskeyweekly7533]

Woah! I saw Randy and then I looked at the prices and thought....dat ain't no cheap audio tho. Love the video. I love the energy too!!

[@ChicagoRob2]

Listening to Randy makes me very happy.

[@peterbaugh51]

Totally agree the Elacs do surround effects. They are creepy sometimes. I had 5 B&W's with digital surround system. Big bucks. But now am happy with 2 Elac DBR62's, towed in for movies, with a hybred tube amp. When testing ATMOS DEMOS on youtube, closing eyes, you really hear the 3D surround sound but with incredible music clarity. Elacs fool me every day with sounds I think are outside the room, far away from the speakers! Creepy almost. Love the setup. Movie vocals are great if the mix is like THX certified audio. Visitors ask 1. "Do you have surround?" And 2. "Where are the speakers?". No joke. You must hear it to believe it.

[@peterbaugh51]

Yes they also ask where the Sub is...

[@AudioExplorer]

Thinking about the Buchart from your description of detailed bass. That would be great for jazz upright bass that can become lost in “boomier” speakers. Will put them on the audition list. 👍

[@mootsym]

Love your content. I'd love to sit down and hear these in person, along with the Kef LS50 and R3 and just hear the differences. I know I like great sound, appreciate a great mix and the nuances of music, have some 64 Audio IEMs, but I've never really been in the presence of top tier equipment like this. So I wouldn't really know what I prefer as far as bass detail and a warmer sound, vs a little less bass detail and more clarity in the mids and treble with a wider soundstage. And then you get into how each of these would sound with a SB-1000 or 3000. Then you get into what amp and preamp and DAC etc etc. Makes me just want to go with an all-in-one like the active Buchardts... they already have the amp matched with the speaker, plus the various master tunings to try. It at least gives me more options sonically. My only concern is if something on the amp goes.. if it'll be that much more of an issue to fix or have fixed.

[@Nick-sk1qp]

Excellent review Randy, very informative and technical review of three really good speakers!

[@elbebe1000]

Great review and explained in clear way

[@noname-uo6hp]

fantastic video Randy!

[@stephenstevens6573]

Outstanding review, Randy!

[@Simon_Hawkshaw]

Great review and start to my day. With these prices, could you perhaps review the Elac Carina BS 243.4?

[@BatteryAz1z]

Listening to this on my Unifi Refs 😀

[@felipencl]

I´ve had the unifi reference for 1.5 year. I was previously considering selling and moving to the Buchardts, but I realized I might actually prefer these Elacs, as I really enjoy it´s spectacular midrange and other qualities. I initially ran them with a Loxjie A30. I upgraded to Roksan Attessa Streaming Amplifier and added a selaed subwoofer (Kef Kube 12b) over 6 months ago. That improved what I already liked about the sound. Magical midrange, great imaging and soundstage. Additional "slam" and body to the sound. The subwoofer reinforced the lows and blended very well. Next I intend to somewhat accoustically treat my listenning space. Also, going forward, perhaps just a little bit more "air"/transients would be nice to have. Maybe by using external dac/streamer.

[@bradpetersen92126]

So I grabbed a ☕️ and sat down to hear this shootout, and when it was all said and done, I wondered something. Are the speakers you review, like all three of these, new in out of the box, or have they been subjected to a decent break in period? Thanks for doing what you do and always putting a smile on my face. 😊

[@bjwal6]

Perfect comparison, great work!

[@gillian_seed8358]

I really wanna upgrade from my Debut 2.0 b6.2 to the unifi reference

[@audiovideo1979]

I have had the BRX for a week and love them so far

[@healthynutster]

Agreed…I’m also a BRX owner and with proper setup, these are amazing on multiple levels.

[@sirdenaort856]

Hi Randy ! We love you here in France !!

[@davideberhardt1361]

I need the food stamps level cheap audio dude, man sounds professional therefore expensive

[@thepickyaudiophile]

Hey Randy, nice comparison. What amp(s) did you use? I found my gen. 1 needed the right amp and then it sounded pretty glorious 😀

[@colekyler002]

Awesome video - One of your best sir!

[@Abakaschi]

Excellent comparison. Love my Saturday morning so far.. on my 2nd cup of coffee. ;) How do those compare to the Polk Legend L200 & Wharfedale EVO 4.2?

[@Foxrock321]

Ha ha the grills on the Buckhart look like stoplights, great video Today ..love the Saturday shootout

[@sambarone981]

Love, love, love a good ol’ triple S from the CAM!

[@kohnfutner9637]

This is a hell of a comparison video honestly. I've heard a lot of hype about the goldenear brx and the Buchardt. From the video demoes, I haven't been very impressed with the goldenear. They sound too bassy but maybe better in person in the right sized room.

[@DeMorcan]

I liked the Buchard S400 II althought I had to get higer stands to line up the the tweeters as the bass was on top. Once I got them set up right. I loved then. I am thinking she it setup my stem again of getting thier amp to go with them. I heard them with the amp and it brongs mreo detail and liveliness to the top end with a nice deep soundstage. Of course that is my ears that likes a deep sound stage, slightly warm sound with tight bass. Although with some songs there were not as dynamic as other speakers. Not sure if a the right DAC can add this,

[@johan5660]

Great review. I hope you can do a shoot out for tower speakers. Elac unifi reference UFR52 vs KLH Kendall vs Polk R600

[@bentonpatrick24]

Thanks! Hey Randy, love the video. Have you ever heard of linkwitz designs? I had built a pair of lxminis awhile ago and I absolutely adore them.

[@ZanderLexx]

OMG ! This must be the next step for 2.0 speaker setup. You are right , we really need a center speaker for 2.0. So I wonder if there is already, or we can create (for movies) a 2.1C design where .1C stands for center in a 2.0 setup.

[@matsudakodo]

That would be 3.0...lol

[@jeffjefferson7384]

Love the Shootout vids

[@jim010109]

At 6 Ohms and 85 Db, will most AVR'S be able to drive the Elacs? Awesome review. Knowing my luck, with a wobbly table like that, one of those would have ended up in the floor. LOL

[@mndlessdrwer]

I need to hear the Buchardt and Elac Uni-fi Reference. I have heard the GoldenEar BRX and they do sound great, but they do kinda need a sub compared to the others. Probably would be acceptable without, but ymmv. Personally, I'm a fair bit more interested in the ELAC due to the concentric coaxial mid+tweeter. A solid 3-way will almost always offer better clarity in the mids while it reaches the depths of it's bass extension. Once again, ymmv. I heard some Dali Oberon 3 with no sub and they got impressively deep without losing clarity in the mids. So, general rule but not absolute.

[@wegardfjeld3789]

If you have a good amp the buchs is in a different league. But elacs good value for money. Tried both and kept Buchs. Midrange and low end is no competition. Upper range it's a matter of preference where buchs gives a deeper softer soundstage

[@jaysaudiolab]

Good speakers. Maybe i should consider bringing one of these and showcase them on my channel...my subscribers would definitely be shocked!

[@felipencl]

I own UBR62 and really like them. The midrange is really special. Really very good speakers in general. I like to see speaker reviews and I've seen a lot of praise for the Buchardt S400 MKII. Because of all the praise and the price difference, I got the impression that they were a clear improvement over the UBR62. Now I'm thinking their performance is pretty close and some might actually prefer UBR62.

[@NightFlight1973]

Yep, I went up to the UBR62 within the Andrew Jones line, but I ended up settling with the DBR-62. Note the crossover in the UBR62 is NO JOKE. Good job! Unfortunately I found what I believe possibly to to be a design fault in the Elac Uni-Fi concentric drivers (before all the hoopla on ASR), so I didn't keep them for that reason, that and they just were not to my taste. Eventually I got the FOMO itch and sold the DBR-62. I regretted that move right away. To not move in a backward direction I'm auditioning the DFR-52, which I find are somewhere between the UBR62 and the DBR-62 in terms of FR. I got the DFR-52 cheap by calling around to different Elac dealers. The DFR-52 didn't really move well, so they were happy to just get rid of their NOS. They're not a 100hrs broken in and sound really good so far. They might be keepers, which is something I've never done before! lol

[@wegardfjeld3789]

Buchs are a good bit clearer, tighter and have better soundstage. Tried both and elacs good for the money but Randy needs a trip to the ear doctor now 😂.

[@mrtreeleaf]

@@wegardfjeld3789 i tried both also. they are pretty close. buchardt wins in detail and bass. Agree that they are cleaner and tighter and technically the better speaker. elac wins in imaging though. at the end of the day i chose the elac because personally i found the buchardt fatiguing for me for whatever reason. maybe it was my room but then again i tried two different rooms. the elac i really could listen to all day.

[@edwardgoettl72]

Towards a new table! Great shootout.

[@JTB--]

or a book to put under the wobbly leg

[@jetfansuperd]

@@JTB-- Some restaurants seem to use napkins lol

[@JTB--]

@@jetfansuperd Drink coasters would work too

[@Steve-no2hh]

You're all thinking of stable tables on uneven floors. Obv, you folks dont have the sort of wobbly old table he seems to have, with play-n-sway which will not go away, however many napkins or coasters you lay beneath.

[@cheapaudioman]

Ed, you're the best!

[@xokamikyox]

Hey Randy, have you checked out the Elac Carinas? I think you'll like them. They're similar to how you describe the Golden Ear BRX mixed with the Elac Uni-Fi References. Great video and cheers!

[@ec6843]

I had the floor standers (B247 or whatever). I returned them after a couple days. In my room, they were way too boomy with the bass and the treble was decent, but not remarkable. Also, they were way too tall and the tweeter was a good 8 to 10 inches above my ear in normal (for most people) seating position. I have no idea what Elac was thinking when they designed the speaker to be so damn tall. Seems to be a design fail. Thank goodness for easy return policies these days.

[@xokamikyox]

@@ec6843 I have the bookshelfs on stands and the bass is clear but I wouldn't call it boomy. So I'm glad I didn't go with the floor standing speakers. Mine also sounded better after about a week. At first they were faint in the mids and the highs were harsh but it evened out.

[@6643bear]

Hi Randy , another great review, some other reviews on here saying similar to kef r3 meta . Regards mark

[@threeberryswi]

Cheap Man, I look forward to your videos. Top notch, entertainment and advice, thanks. I do have a question. I have been looking into buying a new stereo system and when it comes to speakers, I have ran into a wall. I have been looking at both the Elac Reference and the Buchardt S400 with a lean towards the Unifi Reference but I also am looking at the Tekton Lore and Uruz speakers that run in the 1000 To 3000 dollar range. Do you have an thoughts on these speakers and how they compare to the Unifi Reference?

[@phonatic]

I got the the Burchardt's two months ago and eventually decided to return them in favor of keeping my Wharfedale Diamond 225. The S400 MK II mid-range wasn't really convincing to me, too recessed. After all, it's indeed a matter of taste.

[@twistyflorahifiaudio8741]

The WD 225 is an absolute gem

[@nate_8403]

someone else commented the midrange was to forward

[@phonatic]

@@nate_8403 My observation was, that the S400 MK II are much more sensitive to placement than they are being advertised.

[@westcoast708]

Randy, enjoy the channel as Always, but for me, the Buchardts r the best speakers I honestly have ever heard and now own in my house ..

[@psyphonyxaudio]

Great speakers. All of them for each flavour.

[@kevincorr2985]

I have had piano gloss black speakers twice. First NHT towers then later Quad 11L Classic. Never again. I now only buy wood or wood grain speakers. That also eliminates the Kef LS50 meta.

[@DmitriWeissman]

I'm watching videos on this channel from time to time and find them interesting and informative. But today, I was really triggered ... However great a pair of speakers would be, adding center, sub/subs , surround and height makes day and night difference with multichannel recordings (movies or music). Even going from 5.2.2 to 7.2.2 makes a very noticeable difference. Just to make clear, this comes from personal experience. My LS50 Meta are very good at producing stereo image (sound stage), but it is nowhere near the proper multichannel (not upscaled) recordings payed on all speakers in the system.

[@wheelbasemedia5814]

I bought a set of Evo 4.2's, which was a mistake since I'm always moving around the room and they don't like that (and they don't play very loud before the bass starts falling apart). I replaced them with some UBR 62's, which are much less fussy/directional (and play louder) but the midrange is super laid back. The snare drums in some tunes is so far in the background, it's nearly absent. Not sure what to try next. Thinking of building some CSS Criton 1TDX or buying a pair of old B&W Nautilus 805's. Suggestions?

[@MrEvhel83]

Good video :) Randy you should review the AUDIOVECTOR QR1 :)

[@KR2XD]

Crutchfield has free speaker stands with the Elac speakers now. It is an incredible deal.

[@keithbill310]

Great review

[@calvincurry8496]

Randy the Buchardt s400 2 s vs the Philharmonic BMR monitor s $1700 vs the BRX would be a fun Versus. Love your channel

[@ufarkingicehole]

Just need to compare the polk r200 (and CSS tdx upgraded) to these and life will be complete

[@jonuiuc]

Oh yeah nuthin better than a good ole' Saturday Speaker Shootout.

[@kamadeva1]

Isn't Back to Black Amy Winehouse? Back in Black? I'm losing it, man. Can' keep track! Good video as always.

[@imranmukhtar6292]

Hi! I've just subscribed your channel after watching 2 of your magnificent videos. I request you to make "comparison" review to name the best all-in-one budget and high end products. I wonder, what would be the outcome when you'll do it.

[@felipedantas4666]

Speaker shootout - Great. Great approach. Reviewing more expensive gear for those who can, but always considering you value bias approach. Based on your comments, I believe that to my reality the Elac is the way to go. Good overall speaker and more linear. I cannot try and buy gear so I believe that the "warm side of neutral" whatever that is is the way for me to go. Randy, could not find a way to send this message directly, but......I could possibly be wrong, but going through you patreon's subscription options something looked weird when comparing the gold VIP tier and the "you should not have tier". Unless you are willing to have 45min/month worth of 1:1, maybe the 30min 1:1 after 1 month, should replace 15 min1:1 after two months. Best regards Felipe

[@cheapaudioman]

Thanks for the heads up. I’ll take a look at it. Also consider the Elac Uni 2.0. Probably the best value. Not as romantic as the ref though.

[@fedenovo1]

Allways great content. You’re funny man😄! Great caracter.

[@jesuscostantino2925]

Yay! Old school cheapaudioman!

[@kirkaparty4143]

Great comparison. The Buchardt scales up very well. Used it with a friends Luxman for a period and wow. To get the best out of the Buchardt it helps to spend some money on the amplification.

[@thepickyaudiophile]

Agree. I run it with 4K amp an am not sorry 😃

[@denizekintanrsever4749]

@@thepickyaudiophile What amp (and preamp if you did) did you pair them with?

[@thepickyaudiophile]

@@denizekintanrsever4749 Rega Aethos. After trying my MK1 with a few other amps (Sugden class A/B, Nad M3, Exposure 2520) it really was a game changer. I like to listen fairly low and that is no longer a problem IMO. It also happens to also make my B&W 805 sing. To be clear I have yet to try the MKII. As with any amp your mileage may very, but I have heard other MK1 owners talking about it being a special match.

[@denizekintanrsever4749]

@@thepickyaudiophile thank you, appreciate the reply. I’m going to set up a system from scratch. I’m willing to go for the S400 mk ii. I’m torn as far as the amp/preamp goes. Had my eyes on the 20w Decware tube amp. I have a small space and don’t need to crank it up all the way but still don’t feel fully confident a low power amp will be a good match. I liked the Schiit gear (freya+ and amp combo) but a hard pick especially given how hard it is to audition these days

[@thepickyaudiophile]

@@denizekintanrsever4749 I hear ya! Really hard to know what amps will work with which speakers, especially at low volume. I only tried a few low wattage amps and they died under the weight of my Nautilus 805’s. On the other hand the Exposure 2510 (70 watts, damping factor under 50) drove them really well compared to other high wattage amps like the Nad M3 and Hegel H190. We are fortunate to still have dealers around and the Aethos is one of the pieces auditioned and bought from new (well ex dem). In general I keep a list of the gear I’d like to try, get a feeling for used prices over time and then try to have the patience to buy at the right price (can re-sell at low to no loss). Works for someone is super picky, a cheap skate and who gets stressed out over the work/family/short home trials balance 😃 My wife thinks I’m insane though. Curious to learn what you end up with 😊

[@NoExceptionsGuy]

Great comparison! Could you please review the Elac Carinas? 😀

[@mgaming7]

I am down to 3 speakers (for now). Maggy LRS+ (new ones), Elac Uni Ref, and the KLH Model 5. I have a 60wpc Dual Mono Amp (110wpc into 4ohm)... I don't play Loud. So these shootouts are great. Maybe I will find a 3rd speaker that isn't over $2k

[@tycheesey]

I'm using an emotiva basx a7 to drive my Uni-Fi Reference LCR and it is more than enough power. (125 watts at 4 ohms per channel). Cleaner and stronger sounding than my x3700h Denon AVR.

[@2kdesignstudios72]

Best wishes for your search. I'd throw Wharfedale 4.2 in the mix. I'd love to hear what you decide/decided.

[@Hansimullerboy]

Great video…;-)! I will buy the Buchardts for sure. The seem like my kind of loudspeaker.

[@kevinweber5129]

Would love a comparison between the Elacs and the Kef ls50 Meta and Kef R3 as they are all concentric.

[@bobygonzales6043]

Some time ago, while watching your videos, I bought an Elac Reference, sold it quickly and returned to Dali Oberon 3. Dali sounded better with every band, every note.

[@johnnixon2504]

Some iron chef intro energy there.

[@badgermike1231]

Ribbon tweeters are like bow ties for speakers, aesthetically speaking. I don't know why I bothered saying that.

[@NosEL34]

😂

[@the14u36]

Newform Research rule that world

[@brandonbrodbeck6688]

I remember buying my speakers that I have now. The guy asked me if I wanted to listen to the golden ear and having heard them like 3 years prior I told him no don't even turn them on i don't have 4k to burn right now please don't ruin these other speakers I'm about to buy by showing me those glorious golden ears

[@robh9079]

For Buchardt money you could get Elac + a sub! - How about that for a review idea; comparing pricier bookies with a similarly priced combo of bookies+sub...

[@normanham6142]

How would you compare the Lintons to these three?

[@jeffsloane8628]

Nicely done sir. Thumbs up. If you call "Back In Black", "Back To Black" one more time, I'm gunna cut up your "Matellica" posters. 🙂

[@randybehenna3081]

Good Saturday morning Randy hope all is well with you and the viewer

[@jerryc9803]

If indeed you are looking for tremendous value in speakers I enthusiastically recommend you take a look at the LSA signature 50 stand mount speakers from Underwood Hi-Fi. They sell for $599.99 + shipping, and they will blow away the Elac. I have been in this hobby since 1964, and have just about heard them all, having said that the LSA 50 Signatures are amazing at their price point,

[@intenttoinjure]

Wow those look awesome!

[@jerryc9803]

I was blown away by these speakers. I paid the intro. price of $499.00+ shipping. I figured at that price.......Anyway I set them up, and knew right out of the box they were something special. The bass response was better than my GoldenEar 7s tower speakers. The mids & highs were clear, and never caused any hearing fatigue.

[@JerryWDaviscom]

well done. Elac. But what about Elac VS Emotiva T-2? Keep whittling away at the good 2-ways.

[@jcphenry]

With the S400 MkII it seems Buchardt is taking a page from Amphion's design board by moving the crossover frequency downward from ~3000 - 3500Hz in the original to 1800Hz where the transition is apparently less noticeable and improving the clarity of the bass.

[@cbayardelle]

Love you’re reviews, can you compare the magnepan lrs to speakers the same price

[@Herbert_Knavs]

Thank you Randy.

[@engineer4862]

Thanks for the review. How do you find UBR62s in low level listening? Also, which AVR did you pair them while watching movies? What do you think of pairing them with Denon x3800h, especially in terms of getting the sound they are designed for in both high and low levels?

[@xxsauron007xx]

Well now I am even more happy I got the elacs new for 750€