Buchardt Audio S400 MKII
Compact yet room-filling, S400 MKII pairs deep, controlled bass with silky vocal presence and an unusually holographic soundstage. Darko Audio found its presentation warm, accurate and musically effortless, while Erin's Audio Corner confirmed broad radiation and excellent on-axis linearity. This passive-radiator stand-mount brings high-end scale and refinement to serious two-channel systems.
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Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
89/100
Build Quality
85/100
Value for Money
95/100
Pros
Deep, controlled bass gives this compact stand-mount unusually substantial low-end weight.
Silky, realistic vocal reproduction delivers an intimate and natural midrange presentation.
Broad dispersion and expansive, three-dimensional imaging create a notably immersive soundstage.
Cons
Treble energy above 8kHz can become elevated off-axis, so positioning, room treatment or EQ may be beneficial.
A subwoofer is still advisable for strong output below 40Hz and greater low-bass dynamic headroom.
Some listeners found the tonal balance and soundstage depth room-dependent, with a less involving presentation than expected.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 89/100
Reviews portray the S400 MKII as a smooth, warm-leaning yet broadly neutral stand-mount with unusually ambitious low-end reach and a notably spacious presentation. Its strongest advocates praise its realism, musical ease and holographic scale, although one review found the tonal balance less involving, with weak midrange presence, uneven treble and restrained expression.
Bass
90/100
Several reviewers were impressed by the amount of low end from this 6-inch, passive-radiator design: Darko heard prodigious bass, while HiFi Huff described it as deep, controlled, tight and tuneful. Erin found reliable in-room extension to around 50Hz but says a subwoofer is still needed for strong output below 40Hz or greater headroom; another reviewer found the bass somewhat flabby and lacking depth.
Mid
89/100
HiFi Huff repeatedly praised the midrange as silky, realistic and intimate, particularly with voices, which were said to have a natural glow without harshness. The presentation is not described as thick or full-throated, and Adrian had a sharply different experience, reporting insufficient vocal body and midrange presence.
Treble
87/100
The positive reviews describe a sweet, extended and refined top end that balances detail with a relaxed character rather than sounding analytical. There are meaningful caveats: Erin heard elevated energy above 8kHz off-axis, while Adrian found the top end alternately recessed, brittle and glary; careful positioning, room treatment or EQ may therefore be useful in some rooms.
Soundstage Imaging
91/100
Spatial performance is a recurring strength in the favorable reviews, with descriptions of a very wide, deep, three-dimensional stage and a speaker that disappears easily into the room. Erin also measured broad horizontal radiation, though Adrian heard a strong center image and convincing image size without the same depth or stage extension beyond the speaker boundaries.
Dynamics
84/100
Darko found the speakers composed at high playback levels, and HiFi Huff heard a larger sense of scale in a reference system. Erin notes that a subwoofer will help with low-bass output and dynamic range, while Adrian judged microdynamic expression mediocre and felt the speaker flattened at lower volume.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
85/100
The S400 MKII uses a moisture-resistant, internally braced 15mm HMR.E2 fiberboard cabinet, with painted or real-wood veneer finishes and included grilles. Reviewers provide little direct assessment of cabinet resonance, terminals, crossover execution or long-term durability, though the available descriptions support a purposeful, neatly specified enclosure.
Value for Money
95/100
At approximately $2,250 per pair, the S400 MKII is positioned as a premium stand-mount, but multiple reviewers strongly argue that it earns the asking price. Darko called it a giant killer that competes with speakers costing two or three times as much, while HiFi Huff called it well worth the cost and exceptionally hard to beat for the money.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
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Specifications
- Operating principle
- 2-way passive radiator system
- Tweeter
- 1 x 0,74" Custom fine weave soft fabric textile with CDC aluminum waveguide
- Mid / woofer
- 1 x 6" Linear long stroke paper cone
- Passive Radiator
- 1 x 5x8" Long stroke passive radiator
- Impedance
- 4 ohms
- Sensitivity
- 87 dB
- Frequency response
- 33 - 40.000 Hz +/- 3dB (in-room)
- Crossover point
- 1800hz
- Power recommendation
- 40 - 200 W
- Measurements
- 365 x 180 x 280 mm (14.4" x 7" x 11")
- Weight
- 7.5 kg each / 16.7 kg shipped
- Speaker grilles
- Included
- Warranty
- 5 years (10 years locked to first buyer's name)
- Cabinet
- 15mm Fiberboard HMR.E2 Moisture-proof with internal bracing. Either painted or real wood veneered.
Manufacturer's Description — Buchardt Audio
Is the S400 MKII the right one for you?
Even though the speakers share the same appearances as its predecessor, they are actually quite a different experience when you listen to them.
It is a speaker that is all about enjoying the music! Being more engaging, it lets you dive right into your favorite music collections and forgetting all about HiFi equipment for a moment. The physical appearance is both compact and elegant, yet it carries a level of bass performance you would expect from a way larger speaker.
A short summary of the individual parts:
1. Soundstage
We are experiencing both an enhanced width and especially depth, thus providing a remarkable improvement. It provides a big, spacious 3D experience, and if you close your eyes, it places you right into the concert hall at the center row! The background is very dark, and you have an amazing instrument separation within the soundstage which is highly addictive! Dynamics tend to really pop out within the soundstage as well.
It is projected differently than what you get from most speakers in this price range. We are used to getting a more forward projected soundstage that stands in front of the speakers as a wall of sound. This does not give you much depth within the soundstage and tend to limit the dynamics within the soundstage.
It brings the soundstage a bit further back, which gives much more "room" for the soundstage to unfold in terms of depth and dynamics. It can take a little while to get use too depending on what you are coming from, but it would reward you with a much more engaging experience.
2. Tweeter
Although it's the same tweeter as its predecessor, it sounds way different with the new crossover in place. We find it to be very well-balanced between detailed and relaxed. In fact, with the new version, the tweeter is one part that you will more or less forget about, in a good way.
This is partially because of a new crossover design with the use of high-end components. We did use a great amount of time reviewing different combinations of capacitors and resistors. In the end we settled with using an ultra high-end CU/paper/oil capacitor from Miflex mixed with amazing parts from Jantzen Audio Denmark namely their Cross-caps, baked air core inductors and Superres resistors. The results are an amazingly balanced and neutral presentation.
3. Midrange
The tonality and balance of how it presents human vocals is quite remarkable, and is one of the things that we have been putting a lot of attention towards in the new design. It should be pretty apparent that human voices have taking a very high priority here.
4. Bass
As all of our previous speakers, the new version is no slouch either when it comes to bass extension. The new 6" bass driver delivers very deep bass notes both defined, tight and articulate. The big, oversized air inductors in the new crossover design are also worth mentioning. The inductors are wound with thick 1,6 mm high-purity copper wire, assuring clean non-distorted sound.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Buchardt Audio S400 MKII
- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- All Elite Audio — online and in-store — Perry Hall, Maryland, United States (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
- HiFi Pilot — in-store — Eisingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (website)