Short answer: the Buchardt S400 MKII. It ranks #64 of 131 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $2,400; the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 ranks #105, rated 3.0/5, and costs $2,499, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
Why pick the Buchardt S400 MKII: Two-way design with a 3/4” tweeter on a well-implemented aluminum waveguide (compression-driver style, letting the small tweeter cross unusually low at 1800Hz), a 6” SB Acoustics-style mid-woofer, and a tunable 5x8” passive radiator adjustable via rear weights. The catch: Sounds a bit bright and slightly boosted above about 7-8kHz on-axis, even with 30° of toe-out: benefits from about 1 inch of sidewall absorption at the first reflection points to tame it.
The case for the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18: Premium two-way monitor using a ScanSpeak Revelator midwoofer and ScanSpeak tweeter, drivers the reviewer has a longstanding personal fondness for. The catch: Sounds notably bright, thumpy, and fatiguing pointed directly on-axis; needs about 30° of toe-out to bring the high-frequency lift into better balance.
One note: the Buchardt S400 MKII is no longer sold new, but at #64 of 131 bookshelf speakers by sound quality it still outranks most current models, so used is worth considering.
Buy the Buchardt S400 MKII. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Buchardt S400 MKII | Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2400 per pair Discontinued | $2499 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #64 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #105 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 59Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 48Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.4”H x 7”W x 11”D (365.8 x 177.8 x 279.4 mm) | 16.9”H x 7.9”W x 16.3”D (430.0 x 200.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 4.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.7dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) | 83dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 6.5” aluminum cone woofer, 1” soft dome tweeter | 1” tweeter + 6.5” woofer |
| Weight | 16.5 lbs (7.5 kg) each | 34.2 lbs (15.5 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.38 | 4.72 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.46 | 6.34 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Buchardt S400 MKII compares with other leading options:
- KEF R3 Meta vs Buchardt S400 MKII
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs Buchardt S400 MKII
- Wharfedale Aura 2 vs Buchardt S400 MKII
- KEF R3 vs Buchardt S400 MKII
- Wharfedale Super Linton vs Buchardt S400 MKII
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The Two Speakers In Full
Buchardt S400 MKII: $2400 per pair Discontinued Buchardt Audio eBay
Newer model: the Buchardt S400 MK3. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we can’t confirm that yet.
Pros: Two-way design with a 3/4” tweeter on a well-implemented aluminum waveguide (compression-driver style, letting the small tweeter cross unusually low at 1800Hz), a 6” SB Acoustics-style mid-woofer, and a tunable 5x8” passive radiator adjustable via rear weights. Exceptionally flat on-axis linearity, within about ±2dB from 80Hz to 16kHz. Wide horizontal radiation for a waveguided design (about ±45-50°), notably broader than a comparable narrow-waveguide rival like the Klipsch Sevens (~±30°). Well-focused, precise imaging, aided by tight pair matching between the two speakers. Takes very well to EQ correction, letting listeners easily dial in the top end or add midrange fullness to taste. Bass extension reaches a genuine 50Hz in-room from a mellow, well-tuned rolloff rather than an artificially boosted one. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.7dB.
Cons: Sounds a bit bright and slightly boosted above about 7-8kHz on-axis, even with 30° of toe-out: benefits from about 1 inch of sidewall absorption at the first reflection points to tame it. A mild dullness noted especially on male vocals, alongside a small dip around 300-600Hz. Vertical positioning is critical and unusually “temperamental”: sitting even slightly toward the tweeter line causes a suckout, while sitting above it adds too much energy; not well suited to multi-height home theater seating. Distortion is fine at 86dB but runs into real issues by 96dB: not a high-output speaker. Some compression-related enhancement appears around 1.2kHz (crossover-region interaction), and the tweeter shows clear compression at 102dB. The woofer can bottom out at extreme low-frequency content played very loud; crossing to a subwoofer below 60Hz caused output problems at high volume, while 80-100Hz worked well. A subwoofer isn’t strictly required to protect the speaker at moderate listening levels (80-85dB at 3 meters), but is still recommended for genuine low-octave extension. Discontinued.
Full Buchardt S400 MKII review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 59Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14.4”H x 7”W x 11”D (365.8 x 177.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5” aluminum cone woofer, 1” soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.7dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.38 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.46 |
| Weight | 16.5 lbs (7.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Klipsch RP-600M II
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs ELAC DBR62
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Dynaudio Emit 20
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Philharmonic BMR Monitor
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Dynaudio Special Forty
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs KEF Q3 Meta
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
- See all 18 comparisons
Pylon Jasper Monitor 18: $2499 per pair Discontinued eBay
Pros: Premium two-way monitor using a ScanSpeak Revelator midwoofer and ScanSpeak tweeter, drivers the reviewer has a longstanding personal fondness for. Delivers extra mid-bass thump and attack that makes instruments “jump out,” giving an engaging, lively character at lower listening volumes. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±60-70°, right in the reviewer’s preferred range for an enveloping soundstage. Compression holds up well to about 95-96dB before real issues appear. Attractive build quality and finish options. Measured bass extension of 48Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83dB.
Cons: Sounds notably bright, thumpy, and fatiguing pointed directly on-axis; needs about 30° of toe-out to bring the high-frequency lift into better balance. A peak around 2kHz combined with a recessed midrange and a dip around 3-4kHz makes vocals sound hollow while accentuating that same 2kHz energy, especially noticeable at higher listening volumes (75-85dB). The bass bump around 100Hz measures 3-5dB, more than the reviewer’s preferred 1-2dB range, adding more mid-bass emphasis than he’d like. Even toed off-axis, the speaker still reads as bright in a typical room with sidewall reflections: the reviewer recommends adding 2-4” acoustic absorption panels at the first reflection points. The ScanSpeak Revelator woofer (an older, though well-regarded, drive unit design) carries some inherent resonance and elevated second-order distortion, independently corroborated by third-party raw driver measurements: crossing over to a subwoofer at 80Hz doesn’t fully resolve it since it’s a driver characteristic rather than a bass-loading issue. Vertical listening window is limited (about ±10-20°) due to the curved baffle, and angling your ears upward toward the tweeter rather than keeping them level with it causes a suckout in the upper-mid/tweeter region. Bass output (about 60Hz extension) noticeably drops at higher volumes due to compression. Moderate sensitivity (about 83dB) paired with a 4.4-ohm minimum impedance means a genuinely powerful amplifier is needed to avoid potential heat issues driving it hard. Discontinued.
Full Pylon Jasper Monitor 18 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 32Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 48Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 16.9”H x 7.9”W x 16.3”D (430.0 x 200.0 x 413.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 1” tweeter + 6.5” woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.72 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.34 |
| Weight | 34.2 lbs (15.5 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons