The Arcona MKII SD Family at a Glance
Gauder Akustik has built the Arcona line around a small set of engineering ideas carried across every model, so choosing between them is really about scale and room rather than a change in character. The signature feature is the ultra-steep, symmetrical crossover, with slopes reaching around 50dB per octave. That approach keeps each driver working only in the band it handles best, which helps the XPulse cone bass and midrange drivers integrate cleanly with the silk soft-dome tweeter.
Specifications compared
| Specification | Arcona 40 | Arcona 60 MKII SD | Arcona 80 MKII SD | Arcona 100 MKII SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | — | Passive floorstanding loudspeaker | — | — |
| Design | Closed 2-way shelf/compact loudspeaker; 2-way monitor/shelf speaker with closed, acoustically optimized enclosure | 2 1/2-way floorstanding loudspeaker (manufacturer); 2,5-Wege-Bassreflex with downward-ventilated, acoustically optimized bass reflex cabinet, bass/midrange driver in closed design | 2.5-way passive floorstanding loudspeaker | 3-way floorstanding loudspeaker with double bass; downward-vented, acoustically optimized bass reflex enclosure, bass/midrange driver in closed design |
| Driver Configuration | — | XPulse cone bass and midrange drivers with a silk soft-dome tweeter | Two XPulse cone bass/mid drivers, one soft-dome tweeter | Two XPulse bass drivers, one XPulse midrange driver and an ultra-light soft-dome tweeter |
| Tweeter | Ultra-light soft-dome tweeter (the 'SD' suffix denotes the soft-dome variant; it replaced the earlier Accuton ceramic tweeter of the MKII 'K' version and is a direct drop-in with no crossover change) | Ultra-light soft-dome tweeter ('SD'). Bliesma-sourced soft dome; the dome is pressed and resin-stiffened then cut centrically and the surround bonded on separately, so the surround has no folds. Moving mass is about half that of the ceramic tweeter it replaced, with a slightly stronger magnet drive. | — | — |
| Crossover | Symmetrical crossover equipped with Mundorf components, 50 dB/octave slope | Symmetrical crossover equipped with Mundorf components, 50 dB/octave slope | Gauder ultra-steep symmetrical crossover | Symmetrical crossover equipped with Mundorf components, 50 dB/octave slope |
| Frequency Response | — | — | About 32Hz to 45kHz | — |
| Nominal Impedance | 4 Ohm | 4 Ohm | About 4 ohm | 4 Ohm |
| Sensitivity | — | — | About 87dB (2.83V/1m) | — |
| Cabinet | Drop-shaped teardrop cross-section, 22mm MDF | Drop-shaped (teardrop cross-section), 22mm MDF | Drop-shaped enclosure with downfiring rear bass reflex port | Drop-shaped (teardrop cross-section) 22mm MDF |
| Finishes | Available in black and white piano lacquer | Klavierlack schwarz, weiss (black and white piano lacquer) | — | Klavierlack in Schwarz und Weiss (black and white piano lacquer) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 21 x 36 x 33 cm (8.3 x 14.2 x 13.0 in) | 18 x 99 x 28 cm (7.1 x 39.0 x 11.0 in) | — | 21 x 114 x 39 cm (8.3 x 44.9 x 15.4 in) |
| Weight | 12 kg (26.5 lb) - manufacturer states 12 kg | 18 kg (39.7 lb) - manufacturer states 18 kg | — | 29 kg (63.9 lb) - manufacturer states 29 kg |
| Amplification | Passive, requires a separate amplifier | Requires a separate amplifier (passive design) | Passive; requires a separate amplifier | Requires a separate amplifier (passive design) |
| Bass Adjustment | Adjustable bass extension | — | — | Adjustable bass extension |
| Bass Crossover Frequency | — | — | — | Bass crossover at circa 130 Hz (where a classic 3-way would be nearer 400 Hz) - per the AUDIO 01/2021 review hosted by Gauder |
| Bass Extension | Variable bass extension, between 30 Hz and 60 Hz | Variable bass extension, between 30 Hz and 60 Hz; switchable via a jumper at the terminal, and fine-adjustable via plug-in modules | — | Bass Extension system raises the deep bass between 30 Hz and 60 Hz by 4 dB (Dr. Roland Gauder, in the manufacturer-hosted AUDIO interview) |
| Bass/Mid Driver | Black XPulse bass/midrange driver | — | — | — |
| Bass/Mid Drivers | — | Black XPulse bass/midrange drivers | — | — |
| Country of Origin | — | Made in Germany | — | Made in Germany |
| Measured by AUDIO magazine | — | Untere Grenzfrequenz 38/34 Hz (-3/-6 dB); Wirkungsgrad 78 dB/2 V; impedance swings from 15 to 4.4 Ohm between 70 and 120 Hz; needs about 75 W (4 Ohm) to reach maximum bass level. AUDIO-Kennzahl 81, Klangurteil 100 Punkte. (third-party, NOT a manufacturer spec) | — | 2 Ohm Minimalimpedanz at a Wirkungsgrad of 78 dBSPL/2 V; maximum level 95 dBSPL. AUDIO-Kennzahl 83, Klangurteil 102 Punkte. (third-party, NOT a manufacturer spec) |
| Origin | Made in Germany | Made in Germany | Made in Germany | Made in Germany |
| Power Handling | 100 W | 130 W | Up to about 170W | 270 W |
| Product Line | — | Arcona MKII SD | — | — |
| Range | Arcona MKII SD | — | — | — |
| Stands | Matching Arcona 40 aluminum stands | — | — | — |
| Terminals | WBT NextGen connection terminals | WBT NextGen connection terminals | WBT-Nextgen | WBT NextGen connection terminals |
| Warranty | — | Garantiezeit 10 Jahre (10 years) | — | Garantiezeit 10 Jahre (10 years) |
The rest of the recipe is shared too: a drop-shaped (teardrop cross-section) cabinet built from 22mm MDF, high quality WBT-Nextgen terminals, and construction that is made in Germany. Every one of these floorstanders is a passive design, meaning each requires a separate amplifier. What differs as you move up the range is physical presence, bass capability, and how much room these speakers can convincingly fill.
The Models Compared
Gauder Akustik Arcona 40
The Arcona 40 sits apart from the floorstanders in this comparison because it is the stand mount member of the family, and what is listed here is actually the dedicated Arcona 40 loudspeaker stand, sold as a pair. Made of aluminum, these stands are designed for rigid floor coupling and place the speaker at the correct listening height for the best imaging. If you are drawn to the Arcona sound in a smaller footprint, this is the compact starting point, paired with its purpose built support.
Gauder Akustik Arcona 60 MKII SD
The Arcona 60 MKII SD is the entry point into the floorstanding models here, a passive design from the Arcona MKII SD product line. It uses XPulse cone bass and midrange drivers with a silk soft-dome tweeter, the ultra-steep symmetrical crossover (slopes around 50dB per octave), and the drop-shaped 22mm MDF cabinet with WBT-Nextgen terminals. Its adjustable bass extension lets you tailor low end output to the room, which makes it a flexible choice for spaces that are not especially large.
Gauder Akustik Arcona 80 MKII SD
The Arcona 80 MKII SD is a 2.5-way passive floorstander that steps up the driver count, using two XPulse cone bass/mid drivers and one soft-dome tweeter. It has a nominal impedance of about 4 ohm, sensitivity of about 87dB (2.83V/1m), a frequency range of about 32Hz to 45kHz, and power handling up to about 170W. Its drop-shaped enclosure adds a downfiring rear bass reflex port, and it keeps the Gauder ultra-steep symmetrical crossover and WBT-Nextgen terminals. This is the model with the most fully specified performance envelope in the group.
Gauder Akustik Arcona 100 MKII SD
The Arcona 100 MKII SD is the largest model in the Arcona MKII SD line, a passive floorstander built for the most substantial rooms in this comparison. It carries the same core design language, XPulse cone bass and midrange drivers with a silk soft-dome tweeter, the ultra-steep symmetrical crossover (slopes around 50dB per octave), the drop-shaped 22mm MDF cabinet, WBT-Nextgen terminals, and adjustable bass extension. If you want the biggest presentation the Arcona range offers, this is where the family tops out.
Which Should You Buy by Scenario
I have a small room or want a compact setup
Start with the Arcona 40 and its dedicated aluminum stands, since it is the stand mount option here and the stands provide rigid floor coupling at the correct listening height for imaging. It gives you Arcona voicing without committing to a large floorstanding cabinet.
I have a modest to mid sized room and want floorstanding bass I can tune
Choose the Arcona 60 MKII SD, because it is the entry floorstander here and its adjustable bass extension lets you match low end output to a room that is not especially large. You still get the drop-shaped 22mm MDF cabinet, XPulse drivers, and WBT-Nextgen terminals shared across the line.
I want the most clearly specified performance and a downfiring port
Look at the Arcona 80 MKII SD, the 2.5-way model with two XPulse bass/mid drivers, a frequency range of about 32Hz to 45kHz, sensitivity of about 87dB (2.83V/1m), and power handling up to about 170W. Its drop-shaped enclosure with a downfiring rear bass reflex port makes it a strong all rounder for medium rooms.
I have a large room and want the fullest presentation in the range
Go with the Arcona 100 MKII SD, the largest model in the Arcona MKII SD line, designed to fill the biggest spaces in this comparison. It keeps the adjustable bass extension so you can still dial in low end for the room.
I want the shared Gauder sound regardless of budget considerations
Any model here delivers the family signature, since all use the ultra-steep symmetrical crossover, XPulse cone drivers with a silk soft-dome tweeter, WBT-Nextgen terminals, and construction made in Germany. The right pick comes down to room size and how much bass scale you need rather than a difference in core design.
A Note on Matching and the Rest of the System
All of these Arcona models are passive designs, so each requires a separate amplifier. The Arcona 80 MKII SD, which has published figures, presents a nominal impedance of about 4 ohm and sensitivity of about 87dB (2.83V/1m), with power handling up to about 170W, so a stable, capable amplifier is a sensible partner. The floorstanders use drop-shaped cabinets, and the Arcona 80 MKII SD in particular has a downfiring rear bass reflex port, which rewards careful attention to placement, while the adjustable bass extension on the 60 and 100 gives you further room to fine tune the result.
Come Listen at AEA
The best way to choose between the Arcona models is to hear them, and you are welcome to visit the All Elite Audio showroom in Timonium, Maryland to do exactly that. Demo units rotate, so contact us ahead of your visit to confirm which Arcona speakers are set up for listening when you plan to come by.