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Genelec 8030 powered monitors - audio interface or DAC for best sound from PC?

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Zeeb

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How do you like your 8030Cs ?

They are the best thing since sliced bread. I went from boomboxes to this and I'm nearly 50yo - biggest upgrade ever. It has motivated me to listen to a lot more music and learn all the basic stuff about sound reproduction devices and transparency in frequency response etc. Ultimately this teaches you about your ears and how to listen in general.

The bass reproduction is excellent (from 47Hz nominally) and I don't think I *need* a sub with them, but I will likely look into it in the future. I'd rather not have sub than one which can't cohere with and match the response speed of the Genelecs.
 
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Zeeb

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Zeeb, congratulations and welcome to the active speaker club...

Thank you, I'm really glad I went the active speaker route. Someone on stereonet encouraged me to look at the pros and cons vs a passive speaker system.

The PW Link looks like a nice way to do a multi-room system (which stays in sync I assume), especially with the room correction feature, but I am set now for the time being.

My living room is the PC+Soncoz DAC -(balanced)-> Genelecs. And the second room (kitchen/dining) just runs by wire (simultaneously) off the unbalanced extra analogue outs of the Soncoz DAC.

This wire just goes to the AUX in of a pair of Soundcore Motion Plus portable speakers (by a breakout stereo to L and R adapter). I will also put a budget line-level gain booster (TEC aka TCC TC-780LC) on this line to bring the unbalanced volume up to match the balanced (adds up to 20dB) for running both rooms together.

So the second room is a compromise because I wanted a small portable speaker there that I could also take with me away from home. They are primarily bluetooth speakers, so the AUX in probably isn't as good, but so far they sound adequate for the second room. I might get better active speakers for this room down the track, especially if charging the portables regularly gets annoying. (I seem to have to do this about every 3 days and I often only use one of the pair.)
 
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lizhuoyin

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They are the best thing since sliced bread. I went from boomboxes to this and I'm nearly 50yo - biggest upgrade ever. It has motivated me to listen to a lot more music and learn all the basic stuff about sound reproduction devices and transparency in frequency response etc. Ultimately this teaches you about your ears and how to listen in general.

The bass reproduction is excellent (from 47Hz nominally) and I don't think I *need* a sub with them, but I will likely look into it in the future. I'd rather not have sub than one which can't cohere with and match the response speed of the Genelecs.
Glad you like your system. I am considering a similar setup. May I ask a couple of questions:
1. What is the input sensitivity you set on Genelecs?
2. Related to first question, how do you control the volume? In PC or on DAC?
Thanks
 
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Zeeb

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1. What is the input sensitivity you set on Genelecs?
2. Related to first question, how do you control the volume? In PC or on DAC?

Hi, I just saw your post.

1. I had them set to the maximum sensitivity/volume and then turned one down a bit for balance (because it has to sit closer to my main listening position). I don't think turning them all the way down (if necessary) would make an audible difference though, as the Genelecs' sensitivity range is small compared to some monitors (-6 to +6 dBu).

2. For attentive music listening I have PC and software player volumes 100% and use the DAC volume remote. For background music and other PC sound I keep the DAC at about half volume and use the PC volume by remote keyboard (so no one can accidentally turn it too high).
 
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