Short answer: the Genelec 8040B. It ranks #9 of 31 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $2350; the Buchardt A10 ranks #17 and costs $4300, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Genelec 8040B offers: Based on their smaller speaker’s performance against others, I’m ranking this accordingly. Watch for: Very expensive
What the Buchardt A10 offers: A 6.5” Purifi extended-stroke midwoofer (ultra-low distortion) crosses to a 19mm aluminum dome tweeter on an aluminum waveguide, in a two-way sealed enclosure with dedicated 150W midwoofer and 50W tweeter amplification. Watch for: Because it’s a constant-directivity design with a rising on-axis treble response, pointing it straight at the listener sounds noticeably bright in-room; needs about 30° of toe-out (or a high-shelf EQ cut) to sound neutral.
Buy the Genelec 8040B. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Buchardt A10 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Genelec 8040B | Buchardt A10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2350 | $4300 |
| Ranked | #9 of 31 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #17 of 31 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 14.4"H x 9.3"W x 8.8"D (365.8 x 236.2 x 223.5 mm) | 14.6"H x 7"W x 9.6"D (370.8 x 177.8 x 243.8 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 41Hz - 25kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Inputs | XLR | XLR |
| Weight | 20.7 lbs / 9.4 kg each | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Drivers | 6.5" (165mm) woofer | 6.5" PURIFI Extended Stroke Driver with Ultra Low Distortion, Custom made with triple Voice Coil woofer, 19 mm / 0.74" Resonance Free Aluminum dome with CDC aluminum waveguide tweeter |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| DSP | No | No |
| Output Power | 180w Per Speaker | 200w Per Speaker |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 21Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 30Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | sealed |
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- Genelec 8050B vs JBL 4305P
- Genelec 8040B vs HEDD Type 20 MK2
- Genelec 8040B vs Genelec 8050B
The Two Speakers In Full
Genelec 8040B: $2350 Bhphotovideo
Pros: Based on their smaller speaker’s performance against others, I’m ranking this accordingly.
Cons: Very expensive
Full Genelec 8040B review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth | No |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 14.4"H x 9.3"W x 8.8"D (365.8 x 236.2 x 223.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" (165mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 41Hz - 25kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Output Power | 180w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 20.7 lbs / 9.4 kg each |
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Buchardt A10: $4300 Buchardtaudio
Pros: A 6.5” Purifi extended-stroke midwoofer (ultra-low distortion) crosses to a 19mm aluminum dome tweeter on an aluminum waveguide, in a two-way sealed enclosure with dedicated 150W midwoofer and 50W tweeter amplification. Nine DSP “Master Tunings,” each with a standard and “relaxed” (less bass-limited) variant, give 18 total sound signatures to try without external EQ. F3 of 30Hz and F10 of 21Hz - extends genuinely low for its size, reaching into the mid-20s Hz in-room with boundary gain, without needing a subwoofer at moderate listening levels. A true constant-directivity design: on- and off-axis response track closely aside from a treble rolloff off-axis, so EQ changes behave predictably instead of fighting a mismatched direct/reflected sound the way many speakers do. Distortion stays low, not crossing the reviewer’s 3% harmonic distortion threshold until 60-70Hz even at 96dB. Tight, focused imaging aided by DSP-driven pair matching between the two speakers.
Cons: Because it’s a constant-directivity design with a rising on-axis treble response, pointing it straight at the listener sounds noticeably bright in-room; needs about 30° of toe-out (or a high-shelf EQ cut) to sound neutral. Bass is DSP-limited at higher volumes to protect the drivers - low-end impact audibly tapers off starting around 75-80dB at 10 feet, so the deep bass that’s excellent at low-to-moderate volume thins out as you turn it up. Multitone distortion becomes an issue at the 96dB/1m target output, with about 2.5dB of compression bringing effective max output closer to 94dB/1m; a dedicated low-frequency tuning or preamp-based excursion limiting is needed for loud, sustained listening. The vertical sweet spot is fairly tight at about ±15-20° above/below the tweeter/waveguide midpoint - outside that window there’s a suckout in the upper midrange where the woofer hands off to the tweeter. Adding a subwoofer crossed in at 80Hz meaningfully reduces both distortion and compression, so pairing one in is worthwhile if you want to play loud. Premium pricing for a speaker not intended for high-volume, full-range duty - best suited to small-to-medium rooms at moderate listening levels.
Full Buchardt A10 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 21Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 30Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 14.6"H x 7"W x 9.6"D (370.8 x 177.8 x 243.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" PURIFI Extended Stroke Driver with Ultra Low Distortion, Custom made with triple Voice Coil woofer, 19 mm / 0.74" Resonance Free Aluminum dome with CDC aluminum waveguide tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Output Power | 200w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | sealed |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons