POW! Buchardt S400 MKII vs. KEF LS50 Meta

[@Diatonic5th]

The sticky pads are "Moongel Resonance Pads". They're very cheap and easy to find. We drummers use them to reduce ring on drum heads.

[@madsbuchardt7845]

these are in fact from the company Skygel in Germany. but they are quite possibly pretty similar 👌

[@tomf1dublin1]

Used to do same with blu Tack a long time ago

[@31cify]

Oh hey! "We drummers use them to reduce ring on drum heads". Beautiful.

[@DrOz-007]

Been using them to clean my styli for many years.

[@ThePresleyelvis]

@@madsbuchardt7845 Please would you help us understand how such a wobbly stand doesn't interfear with a perfect impulse response from a speaker that for generations was successfully put on spikes to get a very stable stance. so much effort goes into a perfect impulse response, why leave it up to random movement?

[@luke9822]

Something I really appreciate about your videos is the extensive amount of b-roll of the close-up details of the speakers. It lets me get a better "feel" for the speaker and instills more confidence that I know what it would look like in my home. Manufacturers typically do a terrible job of providing macro shots in normal lighting, so having your up close and personal shots is super helpful towards the cause of decision making.

[@spencerjones2035]

Not only is the content of your reviews interesting and well thought-through, the quality has to be the best I've seen in the industry. Keep up the great work!

[@clercfred]

I am surprised you did not get tempted by adding the KC62 to the LS50 in the comparison! I’d love to know how it changes the comparison. Thanks for the great videos as always!

[@nwestmoreland1]

Great review and comparison. Love that Mads Buchardt is young and passionate about delivering the best quality product for a great price, awesome trial period and really nice warranty. Looking forward to seeing more cool products from his and his team.

[@izismael5075]

Would love to see your comparison between the S400 MKII and the A500. May I suggest the following methodology. Keep the overall cost the same for each configuration. A500 should include the Primare SC15. Total cost is Euro 4,350. Take the retail value of any amp & pre-amp you use and halve it to approximate direct to consumer pricing. Limit the total cost of speakers and gear to Euro 4,350. Or simply use the retail value of whatever gear you use but limit it to the same cap of Euro 4,350. What do you think of this suggestion?

[@dennisheadley4408]

Considering the price, I think a comparison between the Kef R3 would be interesting. I always enjoy your reviews.

[@mikebooth8858]

Yes, I was thinking the same way.

[@matsudakodo]

Most people who heard the original S400 preferred it over the R3, I can only imagine the outcome would be similar. That is, without EQ.

[@asmokanu]

Its very controversial topic - r3 vs ls50. Usually r3 preferred if played loud, but it provides way more even and deep bass in all situations (including single and dual subs setups), imho. I own both r3 and ls50, and i think r3 is better all-around speaker. Im really curious in s400 mk2 vs r3 comparison.

[@asmokanu]

BTW kef r3 weighs twice as much as buchardt s400, so basically way way better cabinet.

[@sukruyildizel422]

@@V1ralB1ack would you buy Kef R5 or Q750 for a living room for music and cinema?

[@madsbuchardt7845]

one thing to be aware of, is that the particular pair of Rosewood S400 mk2 John have here, is an early prototype, so it does have some smaller quality issues which our protection speakers do not have.

[@DarkoAudio]

I wish I'd known this before, Mads as I don't review prototype versions.

[@justlookingaround9834]

From the video though, the veneer looked very nice.

[@nyxsplitter7168]

Very interested in comparison between s400mk2 and A500! Another great review,thanks John.

[@robotescurob4324]

The Tranquility Bass recommendation was so good that I had no other option than ordering the Buchardts. Can't wait to listen to them on the new system.

[@Sonicspeed3000]

I have read that the interface that exists between the loudspeaker and the stand is also important because it effects the speakers' resonant signature. You can also go for Blu Tack and stick it at each corner of the speaker stand.

[@lpspinners8736]

I absolutely love audio product comparison videos and I think many other audiophiles and enthusiasts do also!

[@MaxPower-zp7wy]

My little Yamaha NX-N500 are over 7 years old now and are still working flawlessly for such a small powered active all in one network system with a lot of complicated components. I mostly stream Qobuz through the MusicCast software. Everything from 44.1Khz - 192Khz 24bit, 384Khz 32bit through usb. MQA, DSD 5.6+ 192Khz optical to my TV. Ethernet LAN, Wireless 802.11N 2.4Ghz, DLNA, UPnP, NAS, Bluetooth AptX, Apple Airplay. Optical, USB, 3.5mm AUX. TuneIN Internet Radio, Napster, Deezer, Pandora, Tidal, Qobuz, SiriusXM. There is sufficient weight in mine showing frequencies from 40KHz down to 35 cycle at volume. They are rythmic, expressive, detailed, balanced, transparent, lots of clarity too. Timing and drive, punch are great. Although I love these little Yamaha I am looking extremely hard at a new All in One system such as Dali Oberon 7C, B&W Duo Formation, Elac Navi ARB-51, or the Buchardt A500. These new speakers I decide to go for will be for a lot more Hi Res listening music. I still use my Yamaha as my main speakers, but they also drive my TV sound for KZbin and Amazon Movies. You can't go wrong with the little Yamaha's for £600 for a set it and forget it hifi do it all system.

[@dhruvmeena96]

hey darko, it sits above the tweeter, so that the polar response goes up, like speaker is firing up, and it was 5 degree tilted baffle(speaker mounted area) so that they can linearize the vertical off axis response also about the smaller tweeter wider dispersion, measure the speaker diaphragm diameter : then find frequency of the wavelength(diameter) on online calculator and you will find certain frequency, and that frequency is beaming frequency so bigger diameter means bigger wavelength which equates to lower frequency where speaker start beaming, so smaller tweeter means smaller dia, which is smaller wavelength or higher frequency where speaker gonna beam also, buchardt can cross lower as the waveguide acts as horn, boosting mids in tweeter, allowing it to measure like bigger driver, so you have low distortion in lower region of tweeter due to waveguide, it helps in crossing it lower I do a lot of DIY and with waveguide, I can sometime cross nearby 1kHz (with expensive tweeter) and about KEF, old coaxial design with perfect horizontal and vertical polar dispersion watching your content for pretty long period of time and appreciate the subjective analysis of speaker and the experience you get out of it

[@DarkoAudio]

Thanks for your technical contribution, dhruv. Appreciate it!

[@sasagpopovic]

Thanks for the great comparison! More comparisons like this are welcome :) It would be interesting to see how these two speakers in a system WITH A SUB would compare. I love all camera shots, angles and compositions. Beautiful esthetics!

[@KillerAssassin07]

Yep main reason I am going with KEFs is I have access to employee discounts from a distributor. The discount I have access to is about cost + 5% markup this is nearly 50% off of MSRP price. Gives you a unique perspective of how much KEF sells them to distributors for and how much dealer markups are.

[@Michael-xz1nk]

I’d go with KEF’s too as looks matter….I also own the KEF’s and love ‘em!

[@liquicitizendirk2147]

Jeez, that's steep. Lucky you can get them for those prices.

[@Michael-xz1nk]

From what I know, US dealers pay $900 - $980, pending volume ordered + shipping for the $1,500 Meta’s.

[@Michael-xz1nk]

Few dealers, especially the smaller ones, are getting wealthy off the audio biz, trust me….

[@andrewbrazier9664]

In Uk 🇬🇧 often the best way of purchasing a premium set of loudspeakers 🔊 is as part of an amplifier package deal 👍🙂

[@mintchocchap]

Nice video John. After watching your ‘Giant Killer’ video, I was interested to see how the Buckhardts compared to my LS50 Metas (with KC62 sub)… interesting the KEFs suit a smaller room, which I have (4.6m x 3.5m). Fun fact: the Metas are cat friendly - bolting the metas to the Kef stands has been a life saver (esp. with Atabites filler). Cheers 👍🏻

[@What_If_We_Tried]

"Cat friendly", oh that's important for me. I have 3 of them. No floor standers for me. LOL

[@User_not_found_403]

Minor correction - your S400 IIs are actually in the Rosewood finish, not Walnut.

[@markjeroendurr2626]

Bluetack is also useful and it keeps the speakers in place on the stand without wobbling.

[@patrickcoleman5525]

So the Kef LS50 meta sell for £899, the Buchardt S400 mk2 for £1795- not the fairest of comparisons.

[@OtisIndustrial]

I am curious to hear the comparison between the A500 and S400 MKII. I have the exact MKII model you reviewed on order, just waiting to get them in a month or so. I have considered the Key LS50 Meta many times also. Cheers John, thanks for the review.

[@justlookingaround9834]

Stick with the 400mkll the 500’s are just a constant worry that they will turn into a brick with any update.

[@smaarmy]

@@justlookingaround9834 nonsense.

[@clarencehoover6748]

My personal experience is the waveguide nature of the woofer cone is very audible in the character of the tone coming from the KEF Meta’s tweeter. I could pick that out in a blind test all day long.

[@aeonikus1]

Side by side are great way to better understand how a given speakers perform. So, more of this, please :)

[@fmixCookie]

YESS we want S400mkii & A500 side by side comparison!!! 😁

[@brintamatic]

The video quality is CRISPY now! Great upgrade!

[@teslakiteable]

Someone needs to send Darko a pair of Ascend Acoustics which, together with the S400s and R3s, seem to be the hottest contenders in the 2000 USD range

[@glennwatkins8290]

I'd throw in the Philharmonic BMRs to that group, which I think edge out the Ascends by a hair.

[@teslakiteable]

@@glennwatkins8290 Yeah I’ve heard that the BMR driver really fills out the mid range and that ‘disconnect’ between the RAALs and woofer

[@KopfKino901]

I was about to comment and ask you how they fare against the A500, and you start mentioning a potential comparison coming. I hope you find the time for it, I'm super curious about Buchardt

[@kobymile5453]

Thanks for this video. Since KEFs are cheaper in both the active and passive versions, I would consider KC62 part of the KEF equation. So the burning question is whether the A500 is good or KEF LS50W 2 + KC62 is, given that both cost the same. In some parts of the world, it is not as easy to import Buchardt speakers.

[@gcsoundscape]

The Buchardt veneer sure looks like Rosewood vs walnut. I’m waiting for a pair in rosewood now.

[@robertyork4041]

$400+ for stands made from cut down broom handles painted with undercoat! Life is full of compromises - I'm happy to concede that the larger S400 II speakers might produce a larger and warmer sound than the LS50 Metas (as will a lot of other larger, higher priced speakers, including from Kef); however, I prefer the size and style of the Kefs and their output is more than good enough for my circumstances (room size, furnishings, budget etc)...not forgetting to mention my age and lifestyle compromised auditory range! :)

[@WondrousMindTrick]

It's solid oak but I agree, overpriced.

[@andrewlucan9017]

Pretty cheap undercoat as well by the looks of it. Or maybe they forgot to put on the finishing coat 😁

[@RajGheevarghese]

You guided me to new(to me) good music. Good music makes my heart smile and my soul dance. For this I'm truly grateful. Thanks mate.

[@gregstevenson7401]

I would love to see a comparison to the A500. I am forcing myself to wait to buy the A500 and that itch ain't gonna scratch itself.

[@kencoleman5686]

A better comparison would be between the Buchardt S400 mkII and the Kef R3 since they are much more comparable pricewise and what most people within a specific budget would be choosing between. Also, I have a friend who purchased the S400mkII with walnut and I bought the white finish. I think the white finish is beautiful and more comparable to the KEF in quality.

[@matsudakodo]

I think you made the right choice

[@flowstatelabs]

Have u heard the r3 meta vs your 400s?

[@gueroblanco]

I absolutely love this video, thanks John.

[@DimRoditis]

Thanks for your efforts and time. You have become a reference point.

[@brianh2476]

Thanks for this review john. I look forward to the Mk2 vs the A500.

[@vmpty]

Active speakers yes! Looking forward. Don't have time and resources to hunt for amps until I find the right synergy.

[@ibassnote]

You may note that these 400’s are not amplified. The Buchardt A500’s are and are highly recommended. I needed a all-in-one solution and the A500’s are excellent active speakers.

[@wty1313]

Does the score change if a subwoofer is added to the Kef? With the price difference, adding a good compact sub could come in at the same price or less.

[@wty1313]

@@mpi5850 Yeah - and you will have more placement flexibility as well, Being able to put the Kef where it's best and the sub where it's best.

[@martinaston1715]

Keg has 2 x matching subs both go to 14HZ depends on your room size..

[@sharunmathew4825]

Kef ls 50 with k62 subwoofer good

[@peymey]

JL audio D108 is great

[@RiseFall123]

I actually have 2 KC62 subs with the Metas, but still curious to listen the S400 Mk2.

[@svetozarangelov8590]

i like that you consistently show comparisons with techno... you're maybe one of the few!

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Darko John Darko ! Hey buddy it's the Bargainphile , I like the use of damping between the speaker and stand , but i want you to try something else Get you some Easyliner cabneit liner its made out of Polypropylene . then measure your top plate of the stand the speaker sets on and cut the easyliner to the same size then place the easyliner on top of plate and then the speaker of course . works great and cheap . this helps to ground vibrations very well and keeps the standmount speaker more sturdy from falling off 😆 Member since 30 k !! Thanks Darko ! on a side note love the door stoppers of 7lbs setting on top of my Burson Composer Dac 😆

[@comitatoutentitrn9921]

Dear Darko, first of all thanx for your review: side-by-side comparisons are a very good idea! But I'm a little surprised about this comparison because of the different price tag, above of all if we consider the selling policy of Buchardt: 1300 euros vs 2000 (but could be 3000 or 3500 !) is not fair 😉 Could be a more interesting and honest comparison between Buchardt and Dynaudio Special 40 or Sonus Faber Sonetto II or B&W 705 S3 or JBL4309 etc. who are more or less in the same price range considering Buchardt could value 3000/3500 euros if sold through traditional system.

[@ldol23]

John, please, please, please make a review of Buchardt A700s - especially now, that you have KEF LS60s. If you could make a comparison - even better! These are my two targeted sets but there hardly is anything on the net about A700 so I don't know how it compares to A500 that you liked so much. I currently have LS50Wireless first edition and I'm starting to feel this audio uneasiness. Thanks!

[@gg0297]

Yes, I really like comparisons like this one! Keep them coming. ☺️👍

[@roddersh5396]

Tip on the gel pads, an equivalent earthquake resistant gel pad cost like 3 euros for a pack of 4 here in HK from a Japanese household shop. Not as squishy as the ones John has but very similar in clear blue or white. You can probably find it online.

[@andrewlucan9017]

Another highly effective and low cost method is to use 2 squash balls which have been cut in half under each speaker. Completely decouples the speaker from the stand

[@IrenESorius]

Thank you ever so much John and Olof,, 👍‍‍😎👍‍‍

[@sasagpopovic]

This is vote for comparison between the A500 and S400 MK2. This is also a big like and thanks for this video :)

[@darkroom8317]

Direct sales of KEF could be viewed as low as 6 or 700 euros! That goes to show the material & labor cost of a lot of top named bookshelf speakers are not that expensive… interesting.

[@tripleM42]

Very interested in a comparison between the S400 Mk II and the A500s!

[@gokhanersan8561]

More s400 mkii comparisons please. A lot of audiophiles are crossing their fingers to see if they can save 1.5-2K on their way to “mid-fi heaven” with these speakers.

[@alessandrosuppini943]

Yes please, do the comparison between S400 and A500 🤩

[@krutonton]

A500 vs S400Mk II comparison please! I'm sure a lot of potential buyer will consider between the two.

[@bbb-ri4vs]

love your videos, audio take and aesthetic...your b-roll is on point as well! thank you

[@markphaneuf4653]

Great video. I for one would greatly appreciate the S400 A500 side by side comparison.

[@1st2mind]

Great video and expected outcome. But one should also take into consideration, that as the S400 is about 50% more expensive, these speakers are not at all in the same class. Put the S400 up against a 3.000,- € speaker and expect similar result. The LS50 Meta remains the very best speaker in it’s class :)

[@erics.4113]

@@mpi5850 maybe not clobber, but on paper it looks compelling if it manages to combine all the best elements of both speakers. Question is what's the timeline for kef release? Seems possible that they could drop some time late this year as they have been clearing out r3 with sales for some time.

[@koszyklbn]

I love that blue color! I hope next trend in speakers will be more colors.

[@robbie00001]

Think those little pads are probably Moongel damper pads cost abot €10 for a pack of 6. People use it to clean their styli too!!

[@chartliner]

Why didn't you run the Kef subwoofer too which then would have been more comparable since the Buchardt has a passive radiator that helps it go down to 30 hertz vs. the Kef's which are missing below mid 40's?

[@dahi1602]

Yes please do the buchardt comparison

[@Foxrock321]

I have found the rosewood stands at various heights from Monoprice are a great value, easy to assemble, spikes included

[@michaellong9039]

I would assume that using a hi-pass of 90 hz for the Metas, and then bringing the KC62 in around 55 hz would free up the Metas, possibly opening up the soundstage and allowing you to still have all the transparency? But the price comparison might not be ideal. Maybe!

[@nathanielFalck]

I had the LS50s (not the metas) with a sub, and now have these Buchardts. The sub was needed and helped a lot, but the differences in body, warmth, and ability to fill a larger room still were there. Use the LS50s now in nearfield in my office and love them.

[@RiseFall123]

@@nathanielFalck In 20m2 room, should work better the LS50 or the S400?

[@StefanUrkel]

@@nathanielFalck I also have ls50 meta and even tried genelec 8361a, both detailed amd revealing but I am not moved by them and also miss immersion. Do you think thr s400 mk2 would better deliver in those areas? Also considering klh model 5.

[@paulkhoo2402]

Hello John, would be interesting to do a side by side with the P300...S400 vs P300

[@webfrasse]

Hi! Would like to see a review of the Buchardt amplifier, i150. Providing sub integration with room correction etc. Sounds like a winner to me...

[@CaveyMoth]

I sit close AF to my LS50 Wireless II. I like the resulting 360 degree headphone-esque soundstage.

[@justlookingaround9834]

Thank you, as always I really enjoy your work.

[@markcarrington8565]

Isolating speakers from stands has been a thing for decades. Doing it with spikes prevents the speakers from moving at all. Your gel pads allow movement. My experience has been that allowing speakers to move reduces the detail retrieval and softens the bass. Others swear by wobbly stands. I can only suggest you give them a go without your wibbly wobbly bits and see for yourself.

[@KingOath]

Instead of buying expensive, rigid stands then adding decoupling pads, you can just use cheap stands that are very slightly wobbly. My steel stands were something like $50 for the pair and everything I put on them sounds excellent. If the stand wobble has a resonance it would be way below the frequency range in music, it’s perfect to decouple the speakers from the stands and the floor

[@anarchodandyist]

Speaker wobble. Another good vid John.

[@deevnn]

I am interested in your tentative buchardt s400 MKll vs the A500. Thanks.

[@jinvid]

0:47 Love how they were staring eachother down like it was Fight Night! Great job John! Always love your work!

[@jinvid]

OMG! I got a Darko Heart!! Thank you so much!

[@nacarp2000]

Somehow I've never heard "Keith Don't Go" before! Must add it to my records to take to shows now 😜 Yes, I did play DSotM once, I bought the 30th edition vinyl at the show in S.F. and an exhibitor wanted to put it on, so we did, and the room filled up to the brim! 🙂

[@murraywebster1228]

Direct selling is great for the consumer apart from not having a brick and mortar place to go and check them out with different amps etc. But on the other hand you have 45 day check at home and hearing in your own room….horses for courses, but saving 40% is a very big argument…..especially these days when you have people like yourself giving honest and unbiased reviews, which I think you do, many don’t unfortunately. Keep up the good work and I’ll stay a believer, Gruß aus Hannover btw 😎

[@franciskwok3515]

Yes, John, comparisons of the Buchardt MkII with other speakers would be grand. Would a sub be superfluous with the MkII?

[@aussierob7177]

I am using the KEF Metas with 2 SVS Subwoofers driven by an Audiolab Preamplifier and a slightly "warm" sounding Rotel 200 watt per channel Power amplifier in a room 26 x 15 x 8 feet, and i can get very loud undistorted sound with this combination.

[@brankocernik8384]

You can also use blu tac , does the same job !!!

[@theaudioman4446]

You can actually decouple speakers very well with supermarket bought jelly cubes. The bigger they are the heavier they can go, I'm just not sure about them possibly melting in hot conditions so it may be a good idea to put them loosely into some sealed plastic bags! I'm my experience (as a result of the quasi decoupling) you get a lot less bass, but the stereo image becomes deeper

[@MikeYoungeasytravel]

Hey John, What about that Lyngdorf TDAI 3400 on your shelf? Why don’t you use it to demo speakers?

[@DarkoAudio]

I do. I'm just not ready to talk about it yet.

[@tedjensen8841]

Great way to start a Sunday, thanks for the great video.

[@midnightsocean2689]

I always tell people about that. Quality is how much you are getting for the money. The more middle men and extra features the product has, the less quality you will end up with. This is why I would take the Buchardt over the KEF. This is why when I WAS in the market for a new pair of speakers, I bought a pair of Fibhorns. Like Buchardt, they also sell direct to the consumer, so more of your money is going into product, not pork.

[@TrashfordKent]

You must of had fun reviewing these with tranquillity bass, definitely some 90's World Music vibe going on there. I totally get where you're coming from with these speakers as a consequence. It's only just made me aware how important that part of the review process is in conveying the performance. Also i get to listen to new music :)

[@JohnTwo1]

Perhaps a more apt comparison would be against the KEF R3.

[@prickly-pear]

or the Amphion.

[@LutherusPandragon]

Our local dealer in Munich had 2 weeks ago crazy sell, ls50 metas with stands and audioquest cables where for 1000€

[@ervinpoljak8332]

I definetly like this video ! Thank you

[@JF-qb2zj]

The sticky moongel is also known for being used to cleaning turntable stylus . Drop your needle onto moongel and lift it back up, done

[@planetag310]

I'd love it if you could compare the MKIIs with the Ascend Sierra 2-EX and Salk Silk monitors.

[@60zeller]

Shipping included! Not free shipping

[@ElCid_86]

Isn’t the R3 Meta a better match to the S400? Interested in your thoughts on the comparison of them. Thank for the channel!

[@willblomker1393]

Thank you for the comparison and for highlighting the sales difference. More direct sales to the people! Speaking of which, will you review the Canton Vento bookshelf speaker? I mean, you’re right there in Germany…

[@DarkoAudio]

Sorry, no plans to review Canton.

[@willblomker1393]

@@DarkoAudio Ok, thank you for your response. I like your approach to high end audio and appreciate the efforts you put in to your videos. That’s a lot of work. It’s interesting there aren’t more Canton reviews out there. Maybe everyone knows something I don’t? Ha

[@aceofspades6667]

I'd love a pair of these but it's just a bit too much $$$ for my current budget. I'm also saving up for KLH 7's coming to market later this year.

[@piepflitze788]

Olaf, thank you for recommending Tranquility Bass!

[@bollingbryant]

Good job on this review!

[@stevehuhta1876]

I recently purchased the S400 MKII’s to replace my LS50’s. It’s actually not even a fair fight honestly, the MKII are better in every area. The LS50’s are very good speakers in their own right, but are not in the same league as the MKII. I listen primarily to classical, strings, acoustic guitar, piano etc. the MKII are far more resolving, the edge of notes are better, the imaging is stellar. For the rock music enthusiasts, they would be excellent as well. When I first got them, the highs were actually brighter than the LS50’s in my listening space, Mads via the forum, told me to give them some time, they’ve since settled down and sound absolutely wonderful!

[@Hush99]

Would love to see a comparison between the 400 and 500.

[@SouthernTribe]

The black gel is called SkyGel. It's made for drummers to dampen their drums and cymbals. I use it under my speakers and it works great.

[@frederickhardman3389]

PMC recommend blu-Tack be used to de-couple/couple their bookshelves speaker to their speaker stands. No idea want impact it makes on sound quality, but it keeps the speakers on the stands.

[@RennieAsh]

Just be careful when removing them, lest you rip the vinyl/veneer off.

[@DrOz-007]

Many dealers recommended blutac decades ago. And that's what I have used ever since. Nice and secure.

[@godbelow]

I can't believe those $400 stands are just flat blank metal to rest your speaker on. All but guaranteeing scratching them, and easily sliding. The mind reels with some of these decisions.

[@Tom55data]

Did you fill the KEV stands ? - I used kitty litter. The Buchardt stands are solid wood which is resonant, just like a hollow metal tube of the KEF. Theoretically they will have a natural frequency that can affect the sound, the KEF certainly were better with filled stands. Hence the isolation, the KEF supply felt, but I imagine those gel blobs will be better.

[@Maver1ck911]

The MK2 are really edging into consideration! Any chance you may get some Amphion Argon 1 or 3S's to review in? Love the production of every video you do, thanks John.

[@jefffan171]

For anyone in the UK who want to try something very similar to the Drum stuff called Moon Gel. I use it on my drum heads to stop the resonance of the Toms and Snare and would (I guess) work much the same as you can cut it down in size.

[@mr.hansen5195]

The Buchardts are very beautiful in that veneer layout, where as the KEF's look more modern and fresh; up to date/2022-ish. I have however some difficulty in getting used to 'the leaning tower of Pisa'-look on the Buchardts... I would be very interested to hear your take on a comparison between the S400 ii's and the A500's, since my living room is design and size wise of a character where it would be nice to get rid of all 'the other black boxes' and instead go full blown on the active sound. Maybe down the road also consider a test and a comparison to one of System Audio's (another Danish loudspeaker company) active speakers - they are apparently using a similar hub as Buchardt.

[@MrRocktuga]

Great video, but you can’t hear only the Buchardt side on prices. The KEF R3 (non meta) doesn’t cost anywhere near 3.500 euros, and there are several good reasons for that. Kef doesn’t depend on third party driver manufacturers and their profit, unlike Buchardt. Kef is able to manufacture large quantities, benefiting from economies of scale, which Buchardt doesn’t. Take a look at how much it costs to build the LS50 enclosure (interestingly, is much smaller, has less drivers, and it’s still heavier in this comparison). And while Kef dealers make a cut as they should, you much more likely to negotiate a deal with them than when you’re dealing with the manufacturer. 😉 While direct to consumer manufacturers like to play the tune that “there’s no middle man”, the other side of that is that they could barely survive if they did. Maybe this S400 would cost those 3.500€ if they sold it through a dealer network, but that’s mainly because they have much higher costs on everything due to their small scale of production. This could be easily seen if Buchardt had any product to compete directly with the LS50’s, both in finish, build quality, and performance. Even if we consider that the Buchardt might be the “better” speaker in this comparison, it should, as it is more expensive than the Kef. If they had the same price, maybe we could see those real-world benefits of cutting the dealers out of the equation. Providing more performance for more money, with a less well-built enclosure doesn’t seem to be such an amazing deal. You can easily buy the LS50’s Meta for 1.100 euros in Europe currently. What’s the best deal you can get with these Buchardts? 😉