Stereo - Amazing audiophile speaker for a good price? Buchardt S300 MK2 review

Link to website www.buchardtau...
This is the MK2 version.
There are amazing bookshelf speakers with very deep and rich bass. Very reasonably priced @ $1200 US for an audiophile level speaker.
One of the best speaker in it's price range I have tried.
I have included remarks how this compare to the KEF LS50

[@nicholascremato]

Everything you have described about this speaker is exactly what I am looking for in a speaker. It's about the music. It's not a microscope into recordings which can be fatiguing and unrealistic. Some speakers make me sing along and I really want to hear the 400. I have kept my car for 20 years because of the 8 channel audio system which is the best I have heard in a car!

[@taylorwood4404]

I’ve had the S300’s for a little over three years and still love them.

[@richardriley4415]

Excellent review. This is the kind of info that prospective buyers need.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks Richard, appreciate it.

[@BronsonOsborne]

i heard that richard your videos are very good aswell

[@chgofirefighter]

Indeed, excellent review and extremely none bias or judgemental review. Very solid and geared to the so called "budget conscious" consumer. Great stuff keep them coming!

[@opiestanborough4774]

im gonna try em, thx

[@xapaga1]

Yeah, I wanted this sort of no nonsense review. I really wanna give it (actually either S300 Mark II or S400 Mark II) a try once my wretched currency (i.e. the yen) emerges against the strong Euro.

[@mrpositronia]

Congratulations! Hopefully, more companies will send you products to review.

[@decoryder]

Thomas, you're a gift to youtube, and budding audiophiles. Thank you for all your work!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thank you!

[@bkatbamna]

Great review. Thanks for talking about not stiffing companies that have generous trial policies.

[@Mymindisablank]

I have a pair. I'm very happy with them. As a bookshelf i find the bass response to be quite impressive. I think they punch above their weight for the price. And as Mads the owner of the business said they do have to bed in and they really get much better.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yes, I agree.

[@accrobody256]

My budget offert me multimedia bookshelf speakers ' Edifier R2000DB ' for 250$ its hard to believe the quality i have. Thank for your expertise

[@nicholascremato]

When this company builds a floor stander they are going to be killer!

[@timschutte8310]

nicholascremato , your not kidding. I caint wait but I will have to take out a second mortgage for Christ sake

[@Velvet_Torpedo]

Your bang on with your cost/ distribution analogy. Sooo much more value when buying direct, Its why reviews like this are so helpful! Congrats on your first "free" review!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Fortunately it was a good pair of speaker that I can give a good review.

[@antonchigurh4125]

New sub. I have been watching all your older videos and have been really enjoying the content you produce. Keep up the good work!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Welcome !

[@393strokedcoupe]

I absolutely love the way you structure your reviews. You give a real world honest insight of the products you listen to. The added opinions you get from your friends whom have, what I consider ludicrous systems, helps round out (along with you) what is a sum total of very experienced listeners. You bring advice and opinion that even the most inexperienced person can understand.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, my reviews are just like talking to a friend. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@EnerGeezerSquirrel]

Another excellent recording to demonstrate good bottom end is Brian Bromberg's "WOOD" or "WOOD II"

[@sowinism]

Hi THomas. You are the best reviewer in recent years , your reviews are accurate and sincere. I live in Taiwan and these audio equipment are much more expensive compare to US and Canada. Therefore your review are very useful , Hope you keep doing these. Cheers My speaker is Kharma and driven by Goldmund electronic , Source are using Aurender and VPI TT.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for the amazing complement. You have some serious gear there! I always wanted to go to Taiwan, I heard the food there is amazing.

[@DC-js4gk]

Aren't Usher from Taiwan?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I remember seeing a chinese video on Usher and it was from Taiwan.

[@amb3cog]

Just have to comment before I even watch. Congratulations on doing your first official review my man. And I'm very interested in their speakers. Especially the one they have with the big conical waveguide that almost looks like two woofers from a distance. I'm so excited to watch this one. Thanks man.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yeah, the S400, will be getting one of those too some day to review.

[@amb3cog]

@@ThomasAndStereo Nice! I still haven't been able to watch this one. I got 3 minutes in, and had to shut it off. I'm at work now. Hopefully it will slow down at some point, and I can finish it. Zero Fidelity really liked these too. I'm planning on grabbing some new speakers in the near future, like within the year hopefully. And I'm looking to spend around $700-$1200 say. But it all depends of course. I'm really interested in the Tekton Mini Lore/Lore Reference/Lore line. Maybe even the one they have that is a Lore with the ribbon tweeter that costs $1200. But I recently tried small bookshelf speakers (NEAR 15M with a 6. 5 inch woofer) for the first time, and was amazed by them. So these really interest me too. It's just hard to drop that kind of cash without being able to try them in my room first. I mean they let you, but you have to pay return shipping. And sometimes a stocking fee, or whatever. But either way. Once my system is set the way I want it. I'm buying some new speakers. I don't need the best, but I want everything to be correct. No loose ends so to speak. And all my used speakers are at least fairly old, and have at least one issue. And I want something modern anyway. And I was thinking about some Elac, or Polk just to hold me over. But I decided I should just use the speakers I have for now. I have a few pairs, so that's a good thing. This way I can spend the money finishing my system instead. It really starts to add up. I do digital. So I've got to buy a bunch of stuff just for my source (transport, USB cables, DAC, network etc.), then you've got the Pre, the amp, the cables. I want to do room correction. So there's software, and maybe a MiniDSP. Then tubes for my DAC, and Pre. I keep spending, and don't feel very close to the end yet. But it already sounds great to me as it is, and it's fun having something to look forward to. Okay back to work. Thanks Thomas. I'll probably write something after I've finally viewed it. Have a great night.

[@venturarodriguezvallejo1567]

Yes. That very model has intrigued me instantly. I remember have seen such a configuration in quite older speakers, many years ago. It would be great having a review from Thomas about it.

[@amb3cog]

@@venturarodriguezvallejo1567 Same here. I've seen it before too, and it instantly got my attention. Conical waveguides/horns are supposed to have a really nice sound. And obviously they should have great dispersion by design. I can't remember the name of it, although it will come to me eventually, but there's a speaker that gets great ratings. It's an open baffle. 2 15's, and a big huge conical horn/compression driver. People clone it often too. And it's very upgradeable also. I briefly considered trying to build my own version, and decided against it. Only because my room is too small for it. But I still hope to build/buy one someday. Ever since then though, I've been very intrigued by conical tweeter designs. Because from what I read at the time. They're apparently very nice. And it's an old fashioned design. Like the original horns. What's cool also. Is, the bigger you go, the lower you can cross them over, if the actual tweeter allows it. So it's possible to have a big one of these go down to say 250hz with a compression driver that goes that low, and they did make one at the time I read about this. Maybe 12 to 15 months ago. I don't know about you, but the idea of a 2 way with a 15" woofer that's crossed over at 250hz (no beaming) sounds pretty cool to me. I'm sure there's more to it, but it's very intriguing either way.

[@venturarodriguezvallejo1567]

@@amb3cog Thank you so much for the information. I didn't imagine a horned tweeter could go down to 250 Hz, but as you say, if it can do it, the woofer can be quite a big one, for sure, leaving the tweeter to be almost a full range driver. In addition, the fact they are concentric must add coherence to imaging and stability of sounstage, I guess. Regards.

[@edgarf7335]

Your effort is greatly appreciated. Your fellow audiophile friends network is outstanding. Different environments, different equipment and different tastes really helps shows the context of things. Especially so with the honest opinion of your friend "if i can only live with one pair of speakers at home which will it be?" Don't worry about the length of the video. Encore!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for taking the time to write this. I put my friend to work for this video! Glad people appreciate it.

[@barfy362]

believe it or not this is one of my favorite looking speakers.

[@jeanm289]

Your the best reviewer! You say what you think, no bullshit and no sugarcoating. We need more people like you especially in this industry with lots of snake oil. Keep up the good work and will always be watching your videos!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, appreciate it!

[@manFromPeterborough]

Just like Ian Lee (HiViNYWS) who reviews phono carts

[@adeelcyril3339]

I like your transparency with your reviews. No fluff you give a great back story... appreciate!

[@JustinLoving]

Great job. The only downside I’ve found is that they tend to suffer from compression at higher SPLs. More power seems to help.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I just realized I never try pushing the volume on these. Thanks for the feedback, loved your reviews on them.

[@commanderrussels2612]

I've never heard these, but that might be the amp struggling rather than the speaker. These are a pretty tough load at 4-ohms. What kind of amp were you using?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

He made a video on it, go check it out!

[@jogmas12]

Justin Loving well every speaker is a compromise except when u Get into the true high end u you pay hundreds of thousands of dollars. So i think the cheap elac b6 2.0 may blow these away based on how well they work that compromise. Call it "more bang for the buck".

[@timschutte8310]

Justin Loving , that's your amp running out of steam, at the top end of it's performance. most high quality speakers can take double what their rated at as long as it is high current CLEAN POWER , CLEAN I SAY !!!!!

[@jasonong23c]

Good review. It showed that you have good insight in speakers

[@xiatian80]

Look forward to the S400 review

[@grandpixel]

"if you believe in cables"

[@benkrake3678]

Talk as long as you have to, there’s more to speakers and audio in general than most people may think! 🙂

[@johanekelof2971]

Got those speakers myself 2 weeks ago. I'm deeply impressed by how they sound. The bass is phenomenal.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yes, apparently, they get better as you break them in.

[@BWWGL9]

Thomas your "Always wright up front and in your face" Details, Facts, and Experienced Opinion(s)... you don't beat us to death with Charts and Graphs! Real world Review(s). Been into Stereo sense 1975, graduate in to High End 1980 or so. People have asked me well how do you know if it's good enough, I tell them,,, if you going to lissen to 1 or 2 track at 10 A.M and you still listening at 2 PM, well the writing is in the wall.... that High End Stereo, that has captured you and held onto you!! If you lessen to 1 Track and need a few Aspirin, that's not High End Stereo that "NOSIE". Keep up the EXCELLENT REVIEWS.. Thanks Thomas

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, yes at the end of the day, all measurement means nothing. It is just you and the system. Do you enjoy it or not. If yes, then nothing else matters.

[@Smood47]

Thomas another piece of advice. We have speed up abilities. We like listening to you anyway. Don't cut your videos short anymore. Speak your mind. I can listen to you the whole day as I to my work! We appreciate you. Longer more thoughtful content packed videos = better.

[@andrewcrain5461]

Thomas great job brother and I'm glad to see that your being noticed and your getting some company to demo some of there Gear.... Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think you will do a great job and you have good Equipment to get the job done also

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Appreciate it!

[@DrYaooo]

Can't wait for the kef ls50w review since they are on my wishlist. These buchardts also look great, but I want to go for active speakers. I wonder if Buchardt will one day go active

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Soon, soon. It's very interesting speaker to talk about too the KEF LS50w

[@1968krug]

ok, so I was going to ask you what I should look at with my upgrade, you answered the question for me beautifully

[@nicholascremato]

I love that boxy black look!!!!!

[@Mixing_It_Up]

Thomas, I just found your channel, just started this review and, yes, most of us audiophiles are happy to listen to someone talk about speakers for 30 mins. :D Keep up the great work! Now, on to the review....

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Welcome to my channel :)

[@stevekim8748]

I will seriously consider these speakers. Despite what some people say, I enjoy your speaker demonstrations which help me to get approximate ideas on the sound characteristics of the equipment.

[@kgtaillon27]

Nice review! I build a lot of speakers and I use the driver manufacturer that these speakers use for drivers. They are amazing for the price. I noticed that Buchardt s300 uses the poly cone woofer. The manufacturer also makes aluminum and a new ceramic coated aluminum woofer based on the motor structure of the poly drivers. I feel they are more dynamic and have better detail. The tweeters from this line are also amazing. This manufacturer also has a line of drivers one step up from these. Much more money but only a little step up in sound quality Keep up the good work.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Nice, I would like to build speakers one day too, best performance for the money if done right. Thanks for commenting.

[@kgtaillon27]

Looks like the S400 uses the aluminum woofer. I never heard of the Buchardt brand before but I like their pick of drivers and attention to detail. Thanks again.

[@glenneben6163]

就讓我是第一個comment中文的人，不懂有沒有其他人打過，我來自馬來西亞。 喜歡你的真實監聽和報告，非常有用。真實和比較準確不偏向好與坏。 多加油先這樣。希望如果有一天能試一試ATC SCM7 V3。 等你下個影片~

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks a lot, although I can read and write chinese, I don't know how to type in chinese! My dad is actually from Malaysia , Tawau, Sabah too. I was just there the beginning of this year. I had the best cake there! Hopefully, I will try a pair of ATC too one day.

[@glenneben6163]

OMG my fren, you are sabahan, so u know hakka? I'm from sabah KK , crazy man, If one day you come back please find me here, we got HiFi kaki here, you can come and listen :)

[@ThomasAndStereo]

yes i speak hakka too. sabah kk have some nice beach and good beef noodles.who knows,i might one drop by one day!

[@xMoac]

Excellent video, I will be saving this video for when I will be buying speakers for the living room. Great quality at an accessible price point and honest marketing are very much appreciated. If I had not already bought the Kef LSX I would be most likely now be listening to these.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

The LSX is quite interesting, I wonder how they compare to the LS50w. I have the LS50w and it's quite good.

[@xMoac]

Thomas & Stereo would love to hear your take on the LSX and how well it compares to the LS50W. Given the LSX costs half the price, how close is it? The appeal to me with the LSX is that it can be a gateway to hifi. I had never considered spending anywhere near 1300 Euro (price of LSX) on speakers before, but now that I have and use the Kef LSX (as Pc speakers) I could see myself buying something even bigger for the living room. They are , to me , at a price point and performance where I can easily see why audiophiles exist. They have widened my horizon and I now listen for quality sound. (Ofc I am aware that there are steps of quality above the LSX , at a larger price point)

[@ThomasAndStereo]

The LS50w is a popular speaker, perhaps you can find one to listen to at the stores?

[@akilghosh]

Lol.. I never seen a more honest reviewer... Literally. Liked and subbed.

[@harryme472]

Good review . It`s nice to have a good perspective . You haven`t forgotten the people with cheaper , and more basic vintage gear , which can still sound nice.

[@markboyd934]

I think you do an amazing job at reviewing. Your such a natural and easy to listen to. Plus, it doesn't hurt that you bring a tremendous amount of knowledge with you. I do like the fact that you also consult with your mastermind group to validate your conclusions. Great job Thomas! BTW this is the first time I have commented on a KZbin video...your reviews are that good.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks Mark, I feel honoured. I really enjoy making these kind of video and hearing from my viewers. Thanks again.

[@markboyd934]

Thomas & Stereo Elac B6.2 or Buchardt 300??

[@stephencosta6814]

I believe I already left a comment Thomas but I'll say it again I love you reviews you are so honest and real and trustworthy I would take your advice anytime of the day please keep up the good work we really need you out there PS I would love to be one of your friends you come to my house and we listen together..

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks Steve! Where are you located?

[@stephencosta6814]

@@ThomasAndStereo Fort Lauderdale Florida

[@edjackson4389]

I've always gotten better bass with sealed speakers when they have a lot of depth to the cabinet like that. Probably part of the reason these are so good. Great video!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

These speaker are not sealed but from my own personal experience, when I sealed off the port, bass is more tight and defined. I do however lose punch. THanks for the feedback.

[@catified2081]

Congratulations, great review but please don't sell out. Your integratiy as a reviewer is worth more then the components they send you.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for the reminder. I actually have a chance to get review samples from a big company and i have debating for months if I wanted to for this reason you brought up.

[@dchron8565]

Excellent video! So, a genuine follow-up question: Could you explain why this would give you pause?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I was transparent at the beginning of the video that I wanted to help out a company as long as I believe in the product. So, given I believe it, I asked everyone to help out in promoting this video. A simple asking to like the video is not enough because EVERY youtube video ask you to like their video. I pause to explain my reasoning and also the 'what's in it for you' motivation for people to do it. I know people will understand and it is a reasonable ask. It worked and the likes I have on this video is the highest out of all my video and the video reached 10k viewers in a day. There is no other hidden agenda, i just wanted more people to know there is such an option out there for those shopping for one.

[@everestcomputer]

all you have to do is be firm with them that you will review the same as you always have, good or bad and never sign an nda.

[@JasonLeaman]

The drivers in those speakers are Sb-Acoustics :)

[@tapemaster8252]

Their technology is very similar to Definitive Technology monitor series, bass hitting at 33hz is incredible, great video

[@ThomasAndStereo]

It's hard to believe in a bookshelf, although i never measured it, it does go very low, indistinguishable compare to my floor standing speakers.

[@HPMIKE55]

@Thomas & Stereo Great job bro thanks!

[@stephencosta6814]

You're the best I love you as a reviewer you are so honest and I really value your opinion and I think you're very knowledgeable about the subject matter and you have a great friends to hear from and get their opinion on it all together a very well trusted review keep up the good work

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks Steve, appreciate the support.

[@davis1058able]

You've got me thinking bout delving back into audio. Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in! I'm using paradigm phathom v3's I'm setting up a listening room upstairs in cave. Have paradigm stuido 80's in my den home theater set up.

[@Enemji]

I checked out the Buchardt s300, and the one thing that stood out were the cabinet dimensions. The size of the speaker is almost equal to the Bose Acoustimass subwoofer at 330mm depth. Amongst other things, I am sure that is what is leading to the better bass performance of the S300. Just my 2 cents.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

That would make sense, the big cabinet definitely helps.

[@RedSinter]

Thomas your examination of its ability tells me it is,if I had the space for them I would be happy. However, l do not which is fine. It does however, give me hope, hope that I may find a speaker close in a smaller form factor that fits my particular needs. Thx

[@jupitorsaturn8533]

I’m enjoying your reviews, particularly the comparisons. I found myself rushing to read the text before they went away, however. Please leave up longer. Thanks.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks. I made it shorter on purpose because you can pause the video to read it if you want to read it or just let it run if you don't.

[@tedtimmis8135]

Very interesting and intelligent review. Keep them coming!

[@roverrich]

Solid review and very insightful comments. Glad I found your channel.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Welcome to my channel.

[@arnairbalkhobar2929]

I just subscribed.. This is quite a meaty review 😊 Thank you sir

[@brydon10]

Great review. Who doesn't like bass? Everyone should like this speaker!

[@Simon-dn9kv]

Did I just spot a Voxativ speaker in the video? Can't wait to hear a review. I read that these are incredibly easy to drive.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

No, that is the Omega TS2R, same idea I guess, super efficient and great with tube amps.

[@andya2665]

This is affordable high-end audio. I am very interested in these. I might just buy them sight unheard!

[@sidvicious3129]

I'm glad you were sent a set of speakers, Thomas you are working hard and your channel is growing. I am currently testing two phono preamps, one came today a newer model Simaudio Moon 310lp and a Audio Alchemy PPA-1, which arrives on Thursday, let the shoot out began in a more budget orientated phono preamp category. Great way to promote the channel and are you going to do sound clips from those speakers.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Hey Sid, great to hear from you. I also wanted to try the Moon 310 LP phono preamp, let me know how it sounds. I will do a sound clip but I wanted to upload something comparing speakers. I actually did a massive 7+ speaker recording all with the same setup from my budget Sony speaker all the way to my Canton, maybe I will upload that instead. Else I will upload something within a week i guess.

[@volume1able]

Watching from Thailand

[@cnhhnc]

Hi Thomas, Thanks for your reply. I ended up deleting the original post because I felt it was too long and perhaps too critical! That was an interesting comment from the manufacturer that musicians are more taken with these then the average audiophile or listener. That is a positive. Thanks!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Ah, no worries.

[@billwillard9410]

Very good review, I like hearing your impressions on products and how they compare with other products you’ve listened to. I especially like how changing around components makes/ doesn’t make a difference, and how they sound vs. higher end products. I never consider your reviews too long or rambling; PS Audio’s podcast answer questions but sometimes it takes a while for him to get there, and since they sell equipment, I expect some bias in their recommendations. Stay independent so you can be truthful with your reviews!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for the feedback. Appreciate it.

[@johndangelo3989]

Hi Joe, Thanks for a very interesting review! There was a video later that showed you unpacking items that looked like covers for the tweeter and woofer. Too bad you didn’t fit them on, if they were covers. Thanks again! Hi again, I found out that the S400 has the covers, not the S300’s so they have to stay uncovered. Thanks again!

[@scottlowell493]

NHT makes several speakers starting with the superzero that sound and measures very well. All under a grand. The zero and one do not try to make more bass than they should. The mids and treble are excellent.

[@scottlowell493]

In full disclosure: speakers like the NHT super one stand as my reference for sub $400 a pair speakers.

[@elieg.8920]

I have the NHT C3 and to me they kind of sound boring, however i only paired them with a Denon X1500, with a vintage Marantz in sounded a litttle better but still its a neutral good speaker but not very musical based on my view(2years of use)

[@YaSureSir]

Tom, the face of the 3 amigos super review crew. Well done!

[@audioeeze8396]

Great review! 30 minutes wouldn't have bothered me.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks! I wasn't sure so I cut off 2 or 3 topic but will know better next time.

[@audioeeze8396]

I enjoy your honest reviews, and the details that I learn from them. Nothing here is boring for me. Thank you for your videos.

[@joentell]

Very interesting speakers by Buchardt. I haven't heard them myself, but I think their approach is smart. They went with a larger/deeper enclosure to extend the bass. To me, extended bass response, while remaining flat, really adds a sense of depth to the speaker throughout the entire frequency band. For example, if you were to cut off some of your best speakers at 80hz, they probably won't be even close to as impressive. I like what they've done here and would love to hear them in person. I like your videos Thomas, but as you might be able to tell from my videos, I'm more of a budget audio enthusiast. Would love to have you on one of my podcasts sometime to maybe talk about our different viewpoints. Maybe we can collab on a video sometime.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Sure! but i suck when I am live :) Thanks for the comment, really appreciate it. Your channel is amazing! I just took a quick look and will check it out later, you can really talk man!

[@michaelwright1602]

I'm lusting for the S400... I just picked up the SVS Ultra bookshelf, the sound is amazing... I was in the Buchardt shopping cart the other day, almost pulled the trigger... But, these SVS speakers are honestly pretty hard to beat for the money. And I have the matching center for the movies... We shall see.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Keep in mind the S400 will sound drastically different. The S300 will sound closer to the SVS but smoother. If you are happy with the SVS, then I don't see why you would want to change. What is missing in your system?The Buchardt are fantastic but you need the frontend too.

[@michaelwright1602]

@@ThomasAndStereoThomas, I have to agree. I'm breaking in the SVS Ultras, added some Schiit to my system, the Loki and Freya, along with a Mani on the TT... The Schiit Freya tube preamp sounds incredible, really incredible, and I am not just saying that, I have witnesses. The Loki takes everything to a new level, seriously. Right now the battle is blending in the two SVS subs, talked to Ed Mullen today over at SVS, really helped with this setup which is a real PIA with no pass through on the Freya to my Emotiva XPA-2... I think some XLR switches will cure my issues. Sticking with the SVS Ultras, the sound is pretty darn good, REAL GOOD, at least to my ears.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

@@michaelwright1602 I agree, I have both the Schiit Freya and Loki. You have a great system, congrats! I will eventually make a video on the Freya, did some tube rolling with it and ended up with tubes from the 60s in them.

[@michaelwright1602]

@@ThomasAndStereo Really? You have these too? I stumbled upon both, Steve Guttenberg with the Loki, and I saw the Freya on the Schiit site. I figured these two units should play incredibly well together and pulled the trigger. I have been living with them both for around two weeks and am impressed to no end. The Loki is the game changer, being able to shape the sound on both vinyl and streaming music makes a world of difference, and it does. I can't wait to see you do a video on these two together, as I think quite a few folks are really missing out on something special.

[@mrmusik-hv2od]

Thanks Thomas Great job!

[@dpdp006]

Lot of good info. Like the way you describe it.

[@johnvalatos4073]

Awesome and thorough review Thomas, that's why I am giving this video a like. You should ask them if you can review the S400 with the waveguide / horn tweeter.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks John, I am listening to the S300 right now hooked up to my mcintosh mc2100 + bel canto pre-amp and I have to say, its really good. Yeah, they are sending me the S400 for review. Thanks again for the like.

[@nicholascremato]

Thomas, you are a great reviewer and a wonderful fellow!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, appreciate you taking the time to encourage me :)

[@dynodin81]

Great review, thank you for taking the time and sharing your knowledge.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

My pleasure!

[@audiodrill6362]

I saw a pair of Award winning speakers appear on Buchardt's website, that looks extremely exciting! :)

[@randyopus1]

Finally I find a sensible approach to a passionate subject. While I don't personally have the means to participate in high end audio at anything but the most basic level, I would never call anyone insane for placing a higher level of importance than I do on owning the best equipment possible. I know people who spend as much or more money on horses, race cars, aeroplanes, boats, etc., simply for the joy of owning and enjoying them; so why not on high end audio equipment - if that's what you really enjoy? I especially like many of the comments you get - they show that there are a lot of rational people involved in high end audio - they do it because they love it, not because of some form of mental deficiency. Life really is short - enjoy it while you can. Please keep up the reviews, they are a great source of practical information for all of us!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks Randy, it's weird with me, I enjoy all kind of gear. As I type, I am listening on a pair of whaferdale D225 speakers that are entry level and it's pretty good. So, there are days I play with higher end gear and days where I just use entry level gear and I enjoy both.

[@yttean98]

Buchardt is currently selling a MKII version, is this review a MKI or MKII. BTW a good review it shows when the reviewer has the experience behind what he says. This is an authoritative review because it had been reviewed by so many experienced audiophiles.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, this is the MKII version. I should have touched a bit more on the sound because it can get a bit 'glassy' on the top end when pairing with certain setup. I was cutting so much sections off trying to shrink the time that I end up missing a few important points. I guess I will touch on it in another video.

[@nicholascremato]

I am very familiar with the tweeter in this speaker and I worked with it for over 10 years. Itn is one of my favorite tweeters regardless of price. It really sings to you. My wife said if this tweeter had a good job she would have married it rather than me! How is that for a review!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

lol, your wife has a good sense of humor.

[@shardsofcontent4829]

Ordered a set a few days ago ... can’t wait 😊

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Let me know how you feel about them. I really like it. What amp?

[@NightAndDay247]

I would have really liked to see the longer version. I like your videos because we get to see systems we can aspire to, AND it’s from the point of view of someone like me. Great job. Have you thought about reviewing Electrostats? MartinLogan hybrids would be nice. I’d be curious about your thoughts.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Appreciate it. The problem with those speakers are they are a bit big and my room size is limited with my projector screen.

[@tuomasholo]

Liked and subbed. Thanks for reviewing these speakers.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Your welcome and welcome to my channel :)

[@ElevatedElements-tj8vz]

Looks like SB Acoustics drivers, you will get excellent bass with those.

[@nickreecy4229]

Fantastic review.

[@turbo5483]

I love metal dome tweeters: Boston Acoustics VR Lynnfield B&W Diamond Anthony Gallo CDT lll RAAL Ribbon Focal Beryllium - haven't heard these yet...but very soon

[@ThomasAndStereo]

There is also the Monitor Audio speakers that you can try, the gold gx series I had were very revealing.

[@madazmi]

master Thomas. you enlightened me. thank you. very informative and detailed. great tips for newbies like myself. 👍✌

[@davelee1866]

Good job Thomas.........

[@vishalrao5520]

Very informative! Congratulations on receiving requests from manufacturers and hopefully more to come. Thomas, which other audio reviewers / sites do you follow?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I actually have the opportunity to get review samples from a big company but am still debating if I want or not because I worry it will affect my objectivity :) I follow Paul McGowan, Steve Guttenberg and Zero fidelity. Zero fidelity did an amazing review on these speakers, he described it perfectly, I cannot do better so that is why I did not even bother focusing on the sound.

[@benmaguire4098]

Hey Thomas .. I Like the way you tell the truth as you see it .. as a home diy studio person .. I have been disappointed by the philosophy .. " by flat response speakers by flat response headphones .. then your mix will be changed B4 it reches the public anyway .. This I do not understand .. I do not think Abbey road .. or Royal Albert Hall think this way .. i want to hear good sound in my studio .. I already spent money buying good quality recommended .. Powered Monitors etc .. But I remember when Vinyl wa King & a good amp & spkrs were more important than wide screen t.v. .. I will look back at other reviews etc you have made .. Thank you & bye for now from Old Muso in Ye Olde Englande ( Scottish ) keep up the good work ..

[@dtv266]

I love standmount speakers.

[@aleofast8172]

That was SB Acoustics driver made by my country SB=Sinar Baja Indonesian speakers driver..

[@kvrhifi]

Excellent . Covered well all aspects and conclusions. Looking for more videos like this . Also put source of availability

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks! You can only buy them from their website www.buchardtaudio.com/

[@mika2oo1]

Looking for a review of the NAD C388 with the Buchardt S400 or Ohm Walsh Tall 1000 or 2000 speakers.

[@LQ-gaming]

I have my eyes on these babies for over one year now, and i will upgrade my Magnat Edelstein with these when i get the money !

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Never heard the Magnat but they look cool!

[@amazoidal]

The Buchardt reminds me of the SVS Ultra.

[@redalert2progames501]

hi thomas I very much enjoyed this review- my takeaway is these speakers have impressive low end and delicate top end characteristic of soft dome tweeters. I wasn't sure how purely airy/dusty you meant but my feeling is they are more airy than the average soft dome. Briefly, I have years of experience scrutinizing audio, and have hand-made cones, voicecoils and even some tweeters as a teenager. I do not have too much exposure to higher end audio, but I wanted your opinion of my system in as much as you may be familiar with the components: For my living room music / tv I use an apogee symphony mki with dynaudio lyd 8 speakers and at my computer a symphony mkii with lyd 48 speakers. prior to that I had dynaudio bm5a mkiii speakers. I think both of these speakers sound great although over time i've tended to prefer what i consider to be the more "airy" top end from the lyd 8. Sounds a little less present or even dipped in the upper mids which seems to give focus to the mid mids and low mids, which i really enjoy. There is much more midrange information overall from the lyd48, but i get fatigued and sometimes think it sounds really thin with far too forward upper mids. Also I am not a fan of too much low bass as from my experience it necessarily clouds the midrange. Any comments would be appreciated! thanks for this video!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I was looking up the Symphony as I am not familiar with them, very interesting. I did consider getting the Bm5a at one point as I have the LS50W right now and wanted to compare for the fun. I like speakers that has DSP as it makes a big difference. By looking at what you have, I think you have a very nice system especially if you like the dynaudio sound. My only experience with monitors is the LS50w and I wonder why don't company build more of them as it works very well and makes a lot of sense. That symphony thing looks amazing. Regarding your point about bass. Getting the bass right is actually, for me, the most difficult part in high end audio. You can have these vintage speakers that perform really good with the midrange for a few hundred bucks but not bass. Even in the high end audio world, bass is very difficult to get right. Not to mention it interacts with your room. However, if done right, it will not cloud the midrange and it is a level up where you get the full range experience. Having said that, these LYD48 should have great bass with it's 8 inch driver.

[@redalert2progames501]

Hey Thomas! thanks for your reply. The symphony is quite fantastic sounding- in fact I can say it is easily the single best piece of audio equipment I have ever experienced personally- it is on my "wall of fame" haha. I'm not sure how it would compare to some other high end converters, but I can say that it has absolutely demolished anything else I've put it against (not terribly good stuff mind you, but modern anyway). It really brings a lot of the "joy" factor. As for the bass discussion- i've only recently begun to really take note and compare the sound of different types of rooms. So far I've noticed my favorite sounding rooms are made of all-wood. Also I like hardwood floors- even tho they are reflective I do not tend to like the sound of carpeted rooms, or even rooms with excessive sound paneling. I'm sure that makes controlling the low end even more problematic- but as i said, at the moment bass is not something I value particularly- haha, polar opposite from my days as a kid - altec lansing speakers handed down from my older brothers- 10 inch paper cones in oversized sealed boxes- those things could really kick. Woolly and warm but super low fi i suppose. The bass of the lyd48 extends to something like 30hz and I find it quite smooth down the range, but the character of it seems quite synthetic- very plastic-y. Midrange thats what I love most :P

[@elieg.8920]

Was hoping to hear a comparaison with Totem and u made one ! Not sure however i would trade the highs quality of the Totems for more bass. However since u say it sounds more convincing i guess its overall a better presentation of sound.

[@MrTruth111]

LOVE your Canton's in the back! I have the 790.2DC Karat in white.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks! I really like them.

[@TaxCattle4CorruptDeepState]

I liked the video because it's a good channel, enjoying your reviews, great work. S300s look nice to me, amazing bass, spec wise, for bookshelfs. White is the new black, that version has a little more pizzazz. 33Hz is -3dB too, not EAI whatever -10 spec where don't really tell you what the roll off is. Not sure that depth will fit on every bookshelf though.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks John. The bass are very strong on these. I even have to tell one of my subscriber to block off the port because it was too much bass for him.

[@jlrabe6241]

Excellent detailed review of what should prove to be one of the great bookshelf speakers in a long time. I splurged and purchased a pair of these from Mads Buchardt back in December, whom by the way, is such a nice and dedicated person! I have not received the speakers yet as I currently reside in Libreville, Gabon (west central Africa) and have chosen to have them shipped to France first, where I will pick them up on my next trip there. In any case, I am soooooo excited! Question to you Thomas and you all audiophiles out there: How well will these speakers match with a Peachtree Audio Nova 125 integrated (200W @ 4 Ohms, with a tube preamp), Bluesound Node 2i for Tidal, Spotify, HD tracks hi-res files, and OPPO 103 for red book CDs. My cables are all Blue Jeans Cables Belden throughout. Thanks for your input and opinions...and thanks very much Thomas! keep up the good work, I have subscribed!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Sorry for the late reply. How did it pair with your peachtree? You have a nice system btw.

[@jlrabe6241]

@@ThomasAndStereo Hi Thomas, Let me start with my sincere apologies, my reply comes a full year after yours! I'm sure you didn't miss it, but nevertheless, you and your watchers/readers deserve a proper reply. To make a long story short, I finally received the speaker and really do love them, although it took me some time to get used to its really smooth sound signature, almost somewhat muffled I thought at first. After some weeks though, the sound opened up and what glory! These are really nice speakers indeed. I listen to all types of music and they do a fantastic job with just about everything. I actually have it paired with a SVS SB-12NSD closed subwoofer, which, while it does not really need it, does make a discernible difference in the final depth and oomph of the bass, a plus in my book when properly setup. My all time favorite was a pair of the very early Magnepans (late 1970s) my father owned that were professionally setup with a Sansui amp, Garrard turntable, etc. That was in another league as far as realism and "you're there" kind of sounding system, but my current system, which by all counts is not really audiophile or anything, going thru a modest Bluesound Node 2i and Qobuz, sound just heavenly as well... Unfortunately, I now am very curious about the S400's!!! In any case, thanks very much for your thoughtful and wonderful approach to a HIFI discussion, because this is what you offer, not lessons, but a conversation about this hobby of ours... Take care!

[@dougg1075]

Great review! Love “diamond in the rough” stuff like this.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

These are definitely one of the gem.

[@wayneburger2318]

Love your open and honest review approach. Have you tested the speakers with a Tube(valve) amp if not would to a demo and let us know how that goes. Thanks Wayne.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

My friend used the Prima Luna integrated amp with it and he thought it was a great combo with it. As long you don't drive it to crazy volume. Thanks!

[@KT88gs]

The video is not too long Thomas,i like long videos,it is also very clear.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for the feedback, I guess I would not be too worry in the future when making longer videos.

[@unhygienix1970]

Going to definitely explore these more.