Short answer: the Buchardt A700. It ranks #8 of 15 powered floorstanding speakers by sound quality (rated 4.5/5) at $6,600 and is still sold new; the B&O Beolab20 ranks #12 (rated 3.5/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
The Buchardt A700 is the better-sounding option. Active floorstanding speakers with highly accurate sound, low distortion and a cardioid mode for placement near a wall. The catch: Standard-mode bass crosses -3dB around 51Hz but continues to -6dB around 26Hz; it is not flat to the deepest advertised frequencies.
The B&O Beolab20 is the deeper-bass choice. Active floorstanding speakers with bass deep enough to skip a subwoofer and placement settings for free, wall or corner use. Its bass reaches about 20Hz before falling 3dB, against 51Hz for the Buchardt A700. The tradeoff: A 4.88 ideal-subwoofer preference score shows that deep bass does not compensate for the tonal flaws.
Buy the Buchardt A700. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the B&O Beolab20 is discontinued.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
Measured Differences
- Bass depth: the B&O Beolab20 reaches 20 Hz (3 dB down) against 51 Hz for the Buchardt A700, more than an octave deeper. Low bass that the other only hints at comes through with real weight.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Buchardt A700 | B&O Beolab20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6,600 per pair | $15,000 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #8 of 15 in Large Size Powered Floorstanding Speakers | #12 of 15 in Large Size Powered Floorstanding Speakers |
| Drivers | 3/4” tweeter with waveguide, 6” midwoofer, 2x 6” front woofers, 2x 6” rear woofers | 10” driver woofer, 5” driver midrange, 0.75” Acoustic Lens tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 600W total (4x150W amplifier channels per speaker) | 640W (160W tweeter + 160W midrange + 320W dual woofer) |
| Dimensions | 40”H x 7”W x 11”D | 15.5”W x 32.3”H x 12”D (393.7 x 820.4 x 304.8 mm) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 20Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 22Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | <20Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Inputs | RCA, Optical, Platin wireless hub (streaming) | PowerLink (RJ45), RCA, TOSLINK optical, WiSA wireless |
| DSP | Yes (multiple selectable Master Tuning profiles via USB, plus room/manual EQ via Platin hub app) | Yes (Digital Sound Engine) |
| App | Yes (with Platin hub) | Yes (B&O app) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.60 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.72 | - |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | Yes | Yes |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Weight | 61.7 lbs (28 kg) each | 39.7 lbs (18 kg) each |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Frequency Response | 19Hz - 29kHz (+/-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 19.5Hz - 23.6kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | - | Yes (Room adaptation: Free/Wall/Corner) |
| Outputs | - | PowerLink, TOSLINK |
| Wi-Fi | - | Yes (WiSA) |
| Maximum SPL | - | 108dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Buchardt A700: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner.
- B&O Beolab20: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Audio Science Review Bang & Olufsen.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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