Great loudspeakers come from all over the world and Buchardt Audio is a Danish manufacturer that has become rather popular over the past 3 years. We reviewed their S400 speakers in 2021 (which has since been updated to the S400 MKII) and we find ourselves rather intrigued by the new Buchardt Audio P300 because it appears to offer more for less money.
The P300 is a compact speaker that is designed to provide sufficient low-end frequency response without requiring the addition of a subwoofer.
In comparison to the S400 MKII, the woofer, crossover, and binding posts have been updated. Also, the cabinet waveguide and packaging haven’t changed which saved some production costs and development time — which allowed Buchardt to keep the price down.
Core Features
The Woofer: The new custom-made paper cone woofer incorporates a smaller motor and a shorter stroke design, compared to the driver used in its big brother, the S400 MKII. It still has the strong aluminum chassis of the S400 MKII to provide low compression. However, the SPL capability, sensitivity, and deep bass response are slightly less. On the other hand, the P300 provides tighter bass and improved transient response, which makes allows for more flexible room placement.
Tip: Unlike most speakers, the woofer is mounted towards the top of the speaker enclosure while the tweeter is mounted below the woofer.
The Crossover: Buchardt explained that the crossover in the P300 is not as advanced as the one in the S400 MKII, but is still superior to what you typically find in other speakers in this price range. Like with the S400 MKII, crossover parts are sourced from Jantzen Audio Denmark, such as their MOX resistors and “elecCap” capacitors.
Well-Rounded Performance: Sonically, the P300 is neutral and transparent. Also, as mentioned previously, the speaker provides deeper, and tighter bass response as well as a spacious soundstage with more depth than you would expect from its compact size.
SPL: Buchardt does admit that the S400 MKII is capable of a higher SPL level, but that the P300 is more than sufficient for most rooms and user listening needs. As a result, the P300’s capabilities and price level might be just the ticket to meeting your audio listening preferences.
Sensitivity: The sensitivity of the P300 is on the lower side (86 dB, 4 ohms) and we would suggest that 50 to 100 watts of class AB power would be a good starting point with the Buchardt Audio P300 Loudspeakers. Our previous review made it rather clear that 100 watts into 4 ohms is really needed to make these loudspeakers open up.
Flexible Placement: The P300 is not overly fussy about placement from the perspective that they don’t have to be 5 feet from the wall to open up and vanish in the room. They do benefit from some boundary reinforcement and a warmer-sounding amplifier might be preferable if the tonal balance of the Buchardt Audio P300 is similar to the rest of the range.
Specifications
Design: 2-way speaker with additional passive radiator support.
Cabinet Construction: 15mm Fiberboard HMR.E2 Moisture-proof with internal bracing.
Tweeter: (1) .74-inch custom fine weave soft fabric textile with CDC aluminum waveguide
Midrange/woofer: (1) 6-inch Paper cone.
Passive Radiator: (1) 5 x 8-inch Long stroke passive radiator.
Impedance: 4 ohms
Sensitivity: 86 dB
Frequency response: 37Hz – 40 kHz +/- 3dB (in-room)
Crossover point: 2.9 kHz
Power recommendation: 50 – 200 W
Connections: Standard 5 way binding posts.
Dimensions (HWD): 365 x 180 x 280 mm (14.4 x 7 x 11-inches)
Weight: 6.3 kg each / 14.1 kg shipped
Speaker grilles: Included
Warranty: 5 years
Colors: Peach, Olive, Ocean, White, and Black
Pricing and Availability
The Buchardt P300 speakers are priced at €1,300.00/pair until November 15, 2022 (100 pairs available). The regular price is €1,450.00. (approximately the same in U.S. dollars depending on the exchange rate). Available directly through Buchardt. Delivery begins in December 2022.
Also available, are the Buchardt S400 MKII loudspeakers priced at €2,000.00/pair (approximately the same in U.S. dollars depending on the exchange rate). Available directly through Buchardt.
Note: Tripod Stand is Optional (€450,00)
P300 vs S400 MKII Differences
Specification | P300 | S400 MKII |
Woofer | 6-inch paper cone | 6-inch linear long stroke paper cone |
Sensitivity | 86dB | 88dB |
Frequency Response +/- 3dB (in-room) | 37Hz – 40kHz | 33Hz – 40kHz |
Crossover Point | 2.9 kHz | 1.8 kHZ |
SPL (Specific dB level not provided) | Less than the S400 MKII | More than the P300 |
Power Recommendation | 50 – 200 watts | 40 – 200 watts |
Colors | Peach, Olive, Ocean, White, Black | Walnut, Rosewood, Light Oak, White, Black |
Weight | 6.3 kg each / 14.1 kg shipped | 7.5 kg each / 16.7 kg shipped |
BobDog
September 18, 2022 at 11:55 pm
Those are ‘updated’ binding posts? Seriously? I’d hate to see the ‘un-updated’ ones.
Also…. 11″ deep? Not a bookshelf speaker. A stand monitor.
Also… no shipping for three months? I like Buchardt speakers but this is a clown show.
Ian White
September 19, 2022 at 1:47 am
I agree with you about the “bookshelf” designation. 11″ is definitely a stand-mount.
The 3 month shipping time is supply chain for sure, but I wonder why announce them if they can’t be ordered and shipped within a month?
Best,
Ian White
Daniel Cuscela 1
October 29, 2022 at 1:25 am
I have just purchased the S-400mk 2’s..only 2 weeks ago.
These newer P300’s are a bit cheaper..but nice as well.
Personally, the superior crossover in the S-400 mk2 is worth the extra $..IMO.
Great sound and imaging is huge!
I dont think you can go wrong either model…..
One more Good thing super quick shipping on the S400’s……I ordered my S400 mk2’s on a Friday and they arrived to Pennsylvania in 4 days!…with stands arriving in 5 days!