The Gauder Arcona MKII SD Range at a Glance
The Arcona MKII SD line is Gauder Akustik's expression of accessible German high end sound, engineered under Roland Gauder in Germany. Every model in this range shares the same design philosophy, so you can build a system that voices consistently whether you start with a single pair of stand mounts or grow toward a full home theater. As an authorized Gauder dealer, All Elite Audio is glad to walk you through the family and help you match the right model to your room.
This guide covers the stand mount, the floorstanding models and the dedicated center channel, all built around the same core Gauder ideas.
The Shared Gauder Design in This Range
What unites the Arcona MKII SD models is a consistent engineering approach rather than a single size or shape.
XPulse Cone Drivers and a Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter
Across the line the bass and midrange work is handled by Gauder's patented XPulse cone drivers, paired with a silk soft-dome tweeter. This driver combination is the sonic signature of the Arcona MKII SD family, delivering a natural, refined presentation that stays coherent as you move up the range.
The Ultra-Steep Symmetrical Crossover
The heart of the Gauder approach is an ultra-steep, symmetrical crossover with slopes of about 50dB per octave. By nearly eliminating the overlap between drivers, this design targets phase-accurate sound where each driver operates cleanly within its own band. It is the defining feature that carries through every model here.
The Drop-Shaped Cabinet and Fittings
Each speaker uses Gauder's drop-shaped teardrop cross-section cabinet in 22mm MDF, a form chosen to control internal standing waves and diffraction. The passive models are fitted with WBT-Nextgen terminals, and the stand mount and floorstanding models offer adjustable bass extension so you can tune output to your room.
Passive by Design
Gauder Akustik builds only passive loudspeakers and makes no amplifiers, so every Arcona MKII SD model needs a separate, quality amplifier scaled to the speaker and your room. The stand mount also requires its matching Gauder aluminum stands to perform and sit at the correct height. We are happy to help you get the amplifier and stand pairing right.
Comparing the Models by Tier, Room and Use
The Stand Mount: Arcona 40 MKII SD
The Gauder Arcona 40 MKII SD is the two-way passive stand mount in the line, using a single XPulse cone bass and midrange driver with the silk soft-dome tweeter. It suits smaller rooms, near-field listening and setups where a compact footprint matters, and it delivers the Gauder coherence in an intimate package. Remember that it needs its matching Arcona 40 aluminum stands as well as a quality amplifier.
The Entry Floorstander: Arcona 60 MKII SD
The Gauder Arcona 60 MKII SD brings the range onto the floor with XPulse cone bass and midrange drivers and a silk soft-dome tweeter in a slim drop-shaped cabinet. It is a natural choice for small to medium rooms where you want fuller, more grounded low end than a stand mount can provide without dominating the space.
The Mid Floorstander: Arcona 80 MKII SD
The Gauder Arcona 80 MKII SD steps up to a 2.5-way design with two XPulse cone bass and mid drivers and one soft-dome tweeter, in a drop-shaped enclosure with a downfiring rear bass reflex port. It carries a nominal impedance of about 4 ohm, sensitivity around 87dB (2.83V/1m), a frequency range of roughly 32Hz to 45kHz and power handling up to about 170W. This model is well suited to medium and larger rooms where you want more scale and authority while keeping the range's signature clarity.
The Flagship Floorstander: Arcona 100 MKII SD
The Gauder Arcona 100 MKII SD is the largest model in the Arcona MKII SD line, pairing XPulse cone bass and midrange drivers with the silk soft-dome tweeter and the ultra-steep symmetrical crossover. As the top of this range it is aimed at larger rooms and listeners who want the fullest expression of the Arcona MKII SD family. With a bigger speaker comes a greater need for careful amplifier matching and room placement, both areas where we can help.
The Center Channel: Arcona Center MKII SD
The Gauder Arcona Center MKII SD is a 2.5-way passive center channel using XPulse cone bass and mid drivers with a soft-dome tweeter and the same ultra-steep symmetrical crossover for near-elimination of driver overlap. It is designed to voice-match the Arcona MKII SD floorstanders so dialogue and effects move seamlessly across the front of a home theater. It needs a power amplifier or an amplified receiver channel to drive it.
Which Arcona MKII SD Should You Buy?
For a small room or near-field two-channel setup
Choose the Arcona 40 MKII SD on its matching Gauder stands, driven by a clean, well-matched amplifier. It gives you the Gauder sound where floor space is limited.
For a small to medium room wanting full-range sound
Step to the Arcona 60 MKII SD for grounded low end and a modest footprint, with no stands required.
For a medium to larger room and more scale
The Arcona 80 MKII SD, with its 2.5-way layout and greater bass reach, is designed for rooms and listeners that want more output and authority.
For the largest rooms and the fullest expression of the range
The flagship Arcona 100 MKII SD is the model to reach for when you have the space and want the most from the Arcona MKII SD family.
For home theater
Pair Arcona MKII SD floorstanders across the front with the Arcona Center MKII SD so the whole front stage shares the same voicing. Match the center's amplification to the rest of your system for a balanced result.
A Note on Amplification and Stands
Because Gauder builds only passive loudspeakers, every model here relies on a separate amplifier chosen to suit the speaker and your room. The Arcona 40 MKII SD additionally requires its matching Gauder aluminum stands. Getting these choices right is where much of the performance lives, and it is exactly the kind of thing we enjoy helping with.
Let AEA Help You Choose
All Elite Audio is an authorized Gauder Akustik dealer with a showroom in Timonium, Maryland. Our demo units rotate, so if you would like to hear the Arcona MKII SD range or talk through the ideal model, amplifier and room combination, please reach out to us. We are glad to help you match a Gauder loudspeaker to your space and your system.