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Buchardt S400 MKII's vs Tyler Acoustics/GR-Research T1 Studio Monitors

Hello, I am in the market for new bookshelf monitors and had these two on my radar.  Both seem to offer a lot of value are within a few hundred USD of each other in price. 

I wanted to see how you guys would think about the purchase if it were you and also knowing that listening before purchasing is not likely.  I understand there are many other speakers to consider but these are the ones I am asking for your thoughts on.  

The rest of my system is a Denafrips Ares II DAC + Denafrips IRIS DDC, Allo USBridge Signature Streamer w/Shanti Power Supply, Paraound A21+ Amp and Schiit Freya+ Preamp.

I think I would be happy with both and below are initial thoughts on each:

Buchardt S400 MKII's

Pros
- Great warranty (10 years) and an awesome 45-day trial (return shipping is only $50 USD)
- Upgraded crossover and enclosure over the original which was very popular
- Well reviewed already and more balanced than the original version (which I am looking for compared to the more V-shaped sound of the original)
- Large customer base worldwide which for gives a little reassurance compared to a lesser known company
- Look great and multiple finish options as well as many matching stand options
- Possible higher resale value as Buchardt is now a mainstream brand

Tyler Acoustics T1 Studio Monitors

Pros
- Designed with Danny at GR-Research who I really like and trust (see his new YouTube video on this speaker for reference - I have always wanted to support Danny but not much time for DIY these days)
- Ty at Tyler Acoustics is known for making some of the best enclosures around (this is probably where I think the value is off the charts on this speaker)
- Top quality parts used in every aspect of the speaker
- Love the idea of supporting a local US-based small companies (Ty essentially is a one-man shop and most know about GR-Research already)
- I like the look and how the unique enclosure is built for better sound (rounded front baffle, offset tweeter, angled front baffle) much like the Buchardt (both also have passive radiators in the rear)
- Ty does offer returns but at a significantly higher cost than Buchardt (totally understandable for a small shop)
deftechfan
mspot
115 posts
 

How are the Buchardts for nearfield listening? Like 1.2m from listening position.

I wonder if the new Mk2 is really ok to be placed close to the wall as advertised on their page, compared to the mk1.

Keep in mind that the mk2 has only been sent to a few reviewers but it is still on preorder for regular customers, so you won't find real feedback on it yet.

I have the S400 mk1 Signature Edition. Actually Buchardt used the same statement about wall placement for both mk1 and mk2. The passive radiator is better for close wall placement than ported designs, but there is no getting around it — the wall will reinforce the bass. Buchardt recommends using equalization to reduce the bass if it becomes too much when close to the wall.

I have tried my S400 in nearfield (1.3m) and it works okay but not ideal. The sound is better at 2m and above, probably because it needs the distance for driver blending.

 

 

wein07
2 posts
 

Thanks a lot for the info! Really appreciate it

mbuster25
1 posts
 

I have S400 MK2 driven by Hegel H95.  I really like the speakers.  But i would not recommend these for nearfield, in fact some reviewers said MK2 is not good nearfield, and worse than the S400 MK1 nearfield. 

I place them about 3m apart and listen 3m away.  And i put them close to the back wall to get a little more bass.The MK2 does not have the bass hump the MK1 does.

deftechfan OP
3 posts
 

I believe I remember Zero Fidelity (Sean Fowler’s YouTube review channel) mentions needing some distance in both the review of the original and MK2. If I were looking at near field, I would try to audition the KEF LS50’s. 

nfalck
2 posts
 

I have the S400 mkII driven by a Cambridge Audio power amp and Anthem STR preamp. I've got mine placed about 12-18 inches from the wall, which gives me a satisfying boost in the bass area. I don't honestly hear a night and day difference with them placed 6 inches from the wall either, although more is better.

One thing about these is that they do incredibly well with DSP if you want to adjust the tone. In my room they had a dip at around 1200 Hz and it robbed the treble of some presence and detail, DSP'd that right out and now the treble performance is shockingly close to my Kef LS50s (and everything else is much better).

 

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