Short answer: the ELAC VELA BS 403 for better sound quality, the Buchardt S400 MKII for the lower price. The ELAC VELA BS 403 ranks #29 of 84 bookshelf speakers at $2899. The Buchardt S400 MKII ranks #48 at $2400, $499 cheaper.
What the ELAC VELA BS 403 offers: JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter pairs with a 6” aluminum/paper sandwich woofer for extended, well-controlled bass - Erin measured usable in-room extension to about 50 Hz, deeper than JBL’s competing L52 Classic despite lacking that… Watch for: Deliberate dip-and-peak voicing in the crossover region around 2 kHz reduces attack and clarity in the mids and highs - intentional per ELAC’s design, but not to Erin’s personal preference.
What the Buchardt S400 MKII offers: 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… Watch for: 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.
Buy the ELAC VELA BS 403 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Buchardt S400 MKII if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| ELAC VELA BS 403 | Buchardt S400 MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,899 | $2400 |
| Ranked | #29 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #48 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter, 6" aluminum/paper sandwich cone woofer | 6.5" aluminum cone woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Dimensions | 14-3/16"H x 7-1/2"W x 9-3/8"D | 14.4"H x 7"W x 11"D (365.8 x 177.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Weight | 15.7 lbs each | 16.5 lbs / 7.5 kg each |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.2 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.3dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 84.7dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Frequency Response | 41Hz - 50kHz (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Recommended Power | up to 100W RMS | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 59Hz (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 59Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46Hz (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.4kHz | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
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The Two Speakers In Full
ELAC VELA BS 403: $2,899 Amazon
Pros: JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter pairs with a 6” aluminum/paper sandwich woofer for extended, well-controlled bass - Erin measured usable in-room extension to about 50 Hz, deeper than JBL’s competing L52 Classic despite lacking that speaker’s mild upper-bass bump. Compression stays within about 1 dB above 100 Hz up to 102 dB, on the better side of normal for a bookshelf this size, indicating good dynamic and transient capability. Wide, spacious soundstage radiation. Overall neutral voicing that Erin called “a really good speaker,” from the looks to the sound.
Cons: Deliberate dip-and-peak voicing in the crossover region around 2 kHz reduces attack and clarity in the mids and highs - intentional per ELAC’s design, but not to Erin’s personal preference. Lower measured sensitivity (84.3 dB) means it wants more amplifier power than average to reach the same levels. Multitone distortion roughly triples, from about 1% to 3%, between 88 dB and 96 dB output, so it’s happiest at moderate listening levels. A minor distortion bump shows up around 800 Hz in the data, though Erin didn’t hear it.
Full ELAC VELA BS 403 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46Hz (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 59Hz (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.4kHz |
| Dimensions | 14-3/16"H x 7-1/2"W x 9-3/8"D |
| Drivers | JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter, 6" aluminum/paper sandwich cone woofer |
| Frequency Response | 41Hz - 50kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.2 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | up to 100W RMS |
| Sensitivity | 84.3dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 15.7 lbs each |
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Buchardt S400 MKII: $2400 Buchardtaudio
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.
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.
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) |
| 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) |
| Weight | 16.5 lbs / 7.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
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