One of the best speaker comparison videos I've seen. Really clear explanations of the different frequency areas and what they mean in terms of vocals and instruments. And I haven't been rickrolled for a long time. Well done.

What I REALLY liked about this video was Ron defining his “subjective” descriptive adjectives using the “objective” frequency and waterfall graphs data. Once you know the code it becomes CLEAR, or maybe not-- if you get the pun. . Good work.

I own quite a few speaker systems, from Magnepans to the Model 5's, Keffs to the BRX and even the odd Duevel's, and I've heard the speakers in this review. I also have a dedicated listening room with several amps and sources. I'll get right to it: NO, the BRX and S400 can't compete with the model 5. It's an utterly silly comparison because the Model 5 creates a much bigger sound and weight presentation. Go listen to Magnapen .7's (got a nice pair here) and now listen to the 3.7i's. While there's a family resemblance in sound signature, the larger panels create a far larger (and often more realistic) soundstage. Between my BRX and the Model 5's it's a NIGHT AND DAY difference. Small speakers, even great ones, will always sound like small speakers. That goes for my superb Merlin TSM's as well as the highly resolving Revel 126be's, which are in a class above everything here, but not always the best speaker for the job. S400's and BRX pretty much demand a subwoofer of reasonable quality, while the Model 5 can actually do a solid job on their own. Put on an orchestral piece and this becomes ultra clear. These are all good speakers not that far apart in price, but the Model 5's are just too different to be in this comparison. My Kef R3's would be a stronger way to go. If you have the room volume to support the Model 5's, an audiophile will likely be happier with them over a small monitor. In a smaller room, smaller stand mounts are often superior. The room is the most important speaker.

Nice work Ron . Your beginning to present yourself as a real pro 👍 By the way, loved the ending 😂😂😂

Dude, you are getting to be truly informative. Nice work. Facts leading to conclusions is pretty sweet.

Really nice breakdown Ron. I knew you were going to wimp out at the end! 😂

This was great Ron. Love the Sound shed name you went with; certainly your vibe.

Made that simple and very understandable! Nice job!

Measurements are important keep 'em coming.

My winner out of the three: the KHL model 5.

Best ending to a video, ever. Props

Great Video Ron! Keep up the Great Work!!!

New Record Day speaker shootout, YES!

Brilliant final thoughts!! Bravo!

Well damnit - you’re starting to sound like you know what you’re doing bro! Well done. Awesome review.

Appreciate the explanation on how you use measurements to compare speakers and sound signatures. Bumps in frequency are there for old-school concert goers that need a boost in those areas :)

I cannot wait to see the buildout and development of the 'Sound Shed'

Very Great review Ron. I Loved your breakdown of the three and their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Excellent comparison!!! From what I understood, at this price point it’s all about compromises. I love my Model 5, but I do wish they did do a little more of the disappearing act. But that the comprises between close to wall and away from the wall….never going to give you up Model 5s 😅😅😅

Being a retired radio engineer I am puzzled over the issue of using sand cast resistors in crossovers. I realise sand cast resistors are wire wound and will have much higher inductance than a simple carbon resistor. However, the inductance is far too low to have any effect at audio frequencies. Only at radio frequencies would their inductance come into play. I have used sand cast resistors in audio power amplifiers I have built as emitter or source ballast and never had a problem. The 250W/channel mosfet power amplifiers I have designed sound just as good as the Tannoy SR840 power amplifier despite me employing sand cast resistors.

I love the ending of this video!!!🤣🤣🤣

very interesting comparison and different conclusion to Sean (of zero fidelity) regarding the Model 5 and the Buchardts. Lived with both pairs of speakers for a month and ended keeping the Model 5 instead of the buchardts. in my bigger room, the model 5 gives a fuller presentation and to my ears are more dynamic than the Buchardts. Coming from classical and jazz music (what i do), dynamics are essential. i love a sound that does not sound compressed or restrained on any way. I wish the Model 5 were a tad less bright and had the warmness of the Buchardt, but depth, dynamics and tone (i definitely liked more the tone in the Model 5 than the Buchardts), the Model 5s are the ones. I ended returning the Buchardts as good as they were.... have not heard the golden ear, and no urge to upgrade (for now).

Sounds like you have an indoor pool in your listening shed. Fancy!

People who have not heard of Fritz speakers should really take a look. He’s been doing it for 40 years, his craftsmanship and ear are superlative and he never gets a lot of play because he doesn’t do marketing or advertising. You should audition some!

Ron, I enjoy your observations but since I am coming from a classical background I want to throw out criteria someone like me might have. In my estimation, one of the things your review does not fully address is the following: which renders the of instruments within an ensemble more Identifiable (one critera) vs. which is closer to origninal tone and timber of the instruments involved. The KLH voicing creates slight differences that clarify grouped instruments. The Buchard homogenizes these voices so timbres are closer to each other. Play CD 459685-2, Home for Christmas Anne Sofie von Otter. Listen to organ: you should be able to identify the unique timbre of it. When the Violin dips into the low register, the effects (dovetails) should be clear.

I am looking at the 400s. Nothing in the video has destuated me. They came out either on top or second place in every category. Great the way you divided it up into bandwidths and describe the instruments and voices that are found within each of them. Female voices being so important to me is a top reason I like what you said about the 400s

Great comparison. I would have liked to see the Linton in this shootout. I can verify that most of what we perceive as high frequencies come in at less than 8Khz as that’s as high as I can hear - period. High levels at 6-8Khz is just super grating. Higher than that is just “air”. I’d like to see more women being used to audition as they can hear higher that we can. Love my Buchardt S300s. Mads knows how to design a speaker that at least I like.

great video, Ron! Speaker shootout, baby!

Love the format of this shootout, Ron! Getting to learn about how measurements can help explain the voicing of speakers *almost* beats out sound clips for me. Almost. 😏 But I think something might have gone wrong with editing the video because just before you say which one is your favorite it cut over to some cheesy 80s music. 🤔 Might want to check that out and reupload. Thanks!

Another great video Ron! Off topic for this one, but I built the upgraded XL-S Encore last winter after watching your videos and wasn’t disappointed! Great speaker! I’m doing another winter speaker build and want your input on my choice. I’m going with the NX Studio or the CSS TD1-X? I would greatly appreciate your recommendation! Thanks!

Love the ending, absolutly appropriate. I own the "5's" and am delighted with them. Subjectively, in my view, they do not need a sub. And I own a sub and use it in an alternate system.

🤗😎👋 RON …HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR CHANNEL 😊💚💚💚

with an ending to die for!

Well, i always find it very interesting with this kind of somewhat professional measurements of the speakers microphone measured output. But after all these years… For me, the only thing that really counts, in the end: Do your complete music playing system: Rock, blues, soul and funk your entire heart and soul? Do you smile? Do you happily continue to play music the entire all night long? Does it make you toetap? Do you simply have to do the funky headbob to the beat? 🙂 Well? Do ya? Punk! 🙂🤚

Great review !! Did you ever test the Dynuadiio Heritage specials ?

Good analysis. I wish you had more speakers to compare like the UBR62, EVO 4.2, CSS 1TDX, Polk RP200, 706 S2 and Quad S2 . That KLH should be compared to floorstanding speakers.

Nice, very good detailed comparison. Can I ask did you paired the klh with the hegel h390?

Man I think I have always used the word "Soundstage" the way you are using "Imaging" and vice versa. Soundstage I always thought described the SIZE of the sound's stage. And Imaging referred to the disappearing act, the close you eyes 3d placement tricks. I know for sure the Model 5 has the largest soundstage, it sounds immense, other reviewers commented on it and use this language to describe it. I'm sure the other two bookshelves have much nicer imaging since their baffles are so much smaller.

i ALWAYS enjoy your videos but man that rick roll made me start dying laughing hahahah, made my day. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤘🤘🤘🤘

Of course, the GE BRX smash in the high end; look at the AMT (Ribbon) tweeter.. :) 💪💪💪💪

Ron, with the 400mkII, did you experiment with the“crossing the streams” Speaker placement? If so, did it prove to work as well as it did with the original s400s?

S400 it is!

You have to listen carefully but at the end, right after saying "The one and the only", he does say "Buchardt".

Hey Ron. Great video once again. What amp did you use primarily for the comparison….or was it a few amps? Thanks

SUBSCRIBED!

Been waiting to hear your Model 5 thoughts. I adore my 5's! Going to guess you left the knob on "HI" or the "flat" position for the measurements? I keep mine on "Lo" which sounds balanced in my room.

So with brx they won 2 of the catogories and theyre priced the lowest. I picked them up with a supersub xxl im pumped im going from svs prime wireless pro and forcrfield 40 to that system with svs soundbase pro as a amp and hdmi for t.v. pumped to hear the difference.

Thanks for the video. I would like to know, how does model five work with Kinki EX-M1+? Thank you

NRD... I'm never gonna give you up!

Klh model 7s will be 🔥

Please do a review of the KLH 3

On-axis measurements are only a fraction of the story. CEA/CTA 2034 is the most comprehensive measurement up to date. Tonality is changed by the off-axis sounds so it depends also on directivity of the speaker. Thus Buchardt has totaly different sound because of a narrower directivity of the waveguide. See more on erin's audio corner.

Now that I've lived with the KLH Model 5's for over a year, I'm seriously thinking of switching either to the Buchardt S400 MKII's or the Dynaudio Special 40's. There is just something missing in the Model 5's sound that (in my listening space anyway) I need to solve. I'm not sure exactly what category or bandwidth that falls in, but it's something lacking. Maybe it's because my listening room is only 11ft x 12ft or that the room acoustics are not the best. It also could be the match with my integrated amp, which is the Luxman 505 UXII.

I just realized I can watch this on my computer, using nvidia broadcast to remove your room. Holy crap Ron, that’s the only way this is going to happen 🙀

but in spite of all the graphs and readings, in a blind test doesn't it come to what sound you like more and the type of kinds of music and system matching?

I have brx golden ears with kr kt88 power tubes in a rogue Cronus 2 with head quasar phono and hana cartridge fluance rt85 with spacer for vta adjustment for hana el with amperex nos upgrade 12au7 and boogie boy medical grade amperex ax12 in front drivers just love it to death I found a really good deal on Harbeth 30.2 anniversary I wanted your opinion on weather I will like the change? Or if I will love it more than the brx open sound stage and such .? Wanted your idea on that?

Actually, I immediately saw the BBC dip with the Model 5.

I can tell you know what you're doing, because you've got a nice reverb! :-)

I find it really funny how people buy speakers based on graphs and "talks" from hosts and audio gurus... It is like driving a car blind folded , based on someone's tale about that road and some graphs...

Thanks for another great review. I recently purchased the Model 5's and am happy with them. My decision came down to the Buchardt S400 mkll and the KLH Model 5's, and I chose the Model 5's. The problem here is that I wasn't able to actually hear either speaker before I made the purchase because no hifi store in my area carries them. I had to make my choice based on what I read or listening to reviews. I will say that I wish my Model 5's were just a tad warmer sounding, but that might be do to the integrated amp I have matched it with (the Luxman 505UXll). After listening to your review, maybe the Buchardt S400mkll would have been a better match. However, I'm sure there are some adjustments I could make in room correction that could help that issue.

"The sound shed". Hot. It's where one goes to shed sound.

Wondering if that big waveguide affects the soundstage and ability to disappear on the S400. I found the OG model to be fairly easy to locate compared to many other speakers I’ve owned.

Don't punk out, Ron...we value your opinion!

Ron, do you realize you ended the video without your pick? Otherwise great video.

His beard has come a long quite nice.

As for the Linton's. They should not be in the same conversation as these really good speakers.

which one is the BRX or KLH

Hilarious how you ended it

Wich was the best? Video stops before his choice

Soo , I'm still not convinced at to which to buy hmm lol Ricked me didnt work on me

Nice comparison. As for your conclusion,…

Can't really find the Buchardt S400 MkII available anywhere so I'll keep my fives. If they ruled they'd be everywhere I'd assume. I already have ribbons in my Elac Solanos. I've always wondered how many people purchase speakers based on data alone? The fives have some sort of magical hypnotic powers or perhaps it's a mixture of flat, pure, definition and sparkle all rolled up in one. True that some songs will sound good, better and best on different speakers and/or systems. The fives have to be without grilles, near the wall, on the stands or so they say to be at their best. When measurements are made how are these factory design recommendations factored in? Was it done right or wrong? I have no idea.

Didn't listen to the KLH, but I prefer the BRX over the S400s.

Great video Ron, you made me aim towards the S400 mk2. In another video you praised the Burson Timekeepers mono block, do you think they would be a great match with the S400’s ???

I think the cheap audio guy did this shootout and preferred ELAC Uni-fi reference

I can't hear above 13.5kHz due to my age. Some of the people who associate a rise in the frequency response, above 10 kHz, with "brightness", should try playing some test tones. There are lively and dark sounding speakers and headphones, that have identical frequency response curves, EQd or not.

Good one, Ron. Now, please get some walls up in that shed, it's really hard to listen to you even speak in there.

If the model 5 wasn't so damn expensive I would have a pair And I'm from Indiana they won't give a home state deal at all?

uhm ron, you must have made an editing mistake. the video ended before you shared your pick. ron?

At 15k, I doubt my 68 yr old ear drum can go the high anymore.

Measurements can be a window on performance, but, sometimes outstanding measurements will not guarantee outstanding sound. Follow the crumb path with measurements but an educated reviewer knows to disregard measurements and listen. Then if there is a question while listening, measurements can many times provide confirmation.

Gah you Rick rolled me 😄

Not feeling the “Sound Shed” moniker. The “Ohm Home” “Sonic Shanty” “Frequency Flat” “Listening Lair” are all better.

I understand that the clear winner is... Rick Astley on Buchardt s400 mk2?

👍👍🎉🎉

Why does so much of this sound like Ron reading a script written by Danny Richie of GR Research?

Sound shed seems a little echo-ey?

Was looking for info on the KLH 5 & appreciate your work, but the echo in this video was significant and was about as far from high fidelity as one can get, especially given the content is about audio speakers. You could have been offering the most awesome "sound" advice about those speakers, but your audio on the video was awful to my ears. I tapped out after 2 minutes. I get that you may have used that particular space to showcase a photo of the 3 speakers side by side, but recording 20 minutes of audio in the same echoey space just detracted from your message. It creates doubt that you're serious about the craft of Hifi when your message sounds like it's delivered from inside a tin can or an unfinished basement. Please understand that audio quality in a video is crucial to get the entirety of your message delivered effectively to your audience.

Rick Astley says????

I had the model 5 and have the S400. The 5's can't touch the 400 mk2. Sorry.

I got rid of the KLH model 5's because they were quite fatiguing, I wish I had seen your video before buying/wasting my money.

I’ve been a longtime viewer of your channel and always respected your opinion. However, I guess you don’t respect your viewers as evidenced by the ending to this video. Perhaps it was meant to be funny and you’re trying to change things up to get more viewers. Well, it didn’t work.

The one and only what? Thanks for wasting 20 minutes of my life.

Stayed neutral and gave in to the sponsors you carry.🙁

Would save some money and buy straight the Buchardt A500. The KLH looks ugly and overall problem is that they other 2 are passive. Or save some more money and bought some Genelecs or Neumanns

👎

Good lord. A subjective review and you won't even say which one is your favorite?? We already know there's no "best" speaker or perfect speaker. C'mon Ron

Get a haircut.

Neat petite classic in you're thoughts at all?

Yawwwwwwwwn!!!!!!!!!