Active speaker advice

[RobL]

Hi, I’d like to purchase some active speakers for 2 channel listening in my living room. I’m considering Kef ls50 wireless 2’s or Genelec 8050b’s (basically the same cost for either here). I haven’t heard either speaker and am not able to audition due to where I live. Anyone heard both that can give their opinion Of them? I would also consider 8350’s to get glm, but that adds another CAN$2000 by the time I add the glm kit, which would also get me some pretty good subs for ls50’s...
Not sure how to proceed, is there a better alternative for the money? I’d like to try and keep it under CAN$5000. I’m aware of diminishing returns for hifi stuff, but willing to spend more if it’s worth the investment I guess.

 

[Laserjock]

Tell us more about the space they’re going in and how they’ll be used. (Music only, home theater, mix, etc )
Do you have anything now that they’ll be replacing ?

 

[RobL]

Umm, well the room is an odd shape. It’s an open concept house so living room/front entrance/kitchen are all one open space. Maybe about 200m^3. I would be using it strictly for music, my tv is in another room. Right now I have an old McIntosh pre and amp and Polk lsim 705 floorstanders. The Polks are very polite and sound decent but I had a pair of JBL 6328p’s w/sub in there before these and I miss the more forward (I guess flatter?) sound of them.
Don’t need ear-splitting volume, but I do like to play them loud occasionally...parties etc. My listening position would be maybe 12’ from the speakers.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi
I'd vote for the Genelec 8050C, if you're coming from the 6328p's...

 

[Midwest Blade]

Considering heading to an active set up for one of my systems, based on initial reviews I would definitely have the Genelec 4 from the home series on the list. Genelec has a YouTube channel geared for their pro business and a good website to wander through. You can find good pricing for their home series at the Finn Design website.

 

[q3cpma]

Are you doing room correction by yourself if the speaker system doesn't offer it? If not, room correction is too precious to ignore, so I'd either consider the 8340A + 7360A (CAN$5650) or 8330A + 7350A (CAN$3250 + 400 for GLM kit). Neumann seem quite pricier with the KH120A + KH750DSP being at CAN$4000 + 300 for the MA-1 kit, so I wouldn't take it.
As the recent 8050B review showed, they're really not made for powerful midfield usage without a sub.

By the way, listening distance?

 

[RobL]

Considering heading to an active set up for one of my systems, based on initial reviews I would definitely have the Genelec 4 from the home series on the list. Genelec has a YouTube channel geared for their pro business and a good website to wander through. You can find good pricing for their home series at the Finn Design website.

I see the g4 at Music City for CAN$1154. The G5 is CAN$1851. Is there much difference between these and the 80x0’s? Look very similar.

 

[StefaanE]

Umm, well the room is an odd shape. It’s an open concept house so living room/front entrance/kitchen are all one open space. Maybe about 200m^3. I would be using it strictly for music, my tv is in another room. Right now I have an old McIntosh pre and amp and Polk lsim 705 floorstanders. The Polks are very polite and sound decent but I had a pair of JBL 6328p’s w/sub in there before these and I miss the more forward (I guess flatter?) sound of them.
Don’t need ear-splitting volume, but I do like to play them loud occasionally...parties etc. My listening position would be maybe 12’ from the speakers.

Where on the planet are you situated?

 

[RobL]

Are you doing room correction by yourself if the speaker system doesn't offer it? If not, room correction is too precious to ignore, so I'd either consider the 8340A + 7360A (CAN$5650) or 8330A + 7350A (CAN$3250 + 400 for GLM kit). Neumann seem quite pricier with the KH120A + KH750DSP being at CAN$4000 + 300 for the MA-1 kit, so I wouldn't take it.
As the recent 8050B review showed, they're really not made for powerful midfield usage without a sub.

By the way, listening distance?

Hi, I sit about 3.5m from the speakers.
Do think a sub is a must have? Would the 8350’s be suitable for music on there own? Specs show -6db @ 33hz.

 

[AnalogSteph]

I looked up the Polks... looks like they're a 4-way with 2x 6x9", 1x 6.5", 1x3" and 1x1". A relatively tall and slim speaker with I suspect rather broad dispersion. I'm not surprised they're not ideal at a substantial distance in a large open space (what are the acoustics like? Not the most dead, I suspect...). You could use some Real Men's Loudspeakers[tm] with substantially narrower dispersion there. Genelec S360As seem to be substantially over budget, unfortunately, but those would be a good match. Or 1032Cs at least (those still are about 5500 CAD a pair).

Plan B, maybe stick with something passive after all and look at e.g. some JBL SRX835s (or some of the less extreme home speakers, e.g. Studio 590). Or something Cerwin Vega at least. 10", 12", maybe even 15" woofers, and horns.

 

[RobL]

Where on the planet are you situated?

I’m in Ontario, Canada.

 

[q3cpma]

Hi, I sit about 3.5m from the speakers.
Do think a sub is a must have? Would the 8350’s be suitable for music on there own? Specs show -6db @ 33hz.

See https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ds/genelec-8050b-review-studio-monitor.20542/. At that distance and with a room that size, I'd say a sub is quite necessary unless you have a 3-way floorstander with some significative woofer area.

 

[StefaanE]

I’m in Ontario, Canada.

You might want to have a look at the Buchardt active speakers. They deliver to your doorstep for a fixed price.

 

[RobL]

I looked up the Polks... looks like they're a 4-way with 2x 6x9", 1x 6.5", 1x3" and 1x1". A relatively tall and slim speaker with I suspect rather broad dispersion. I'm not surprised they're not ideal at a substantial distance in a large open space (what are the acoustics like? Not the most dead, I suspect...). You could use some Real Men's Loudspeakers[tm] with substantially narrower dispersion there. Genelec S360As seem to be substantially over budget, unfortunately, but those would be a good match. Or 1032Cs at least (those still are about 5500 CAD a pair).

Plan B, maybe stick with something passive after all and look at e.g. some JBL SRX835s. Or something Cerwin Vega at least.

Wifey would definitely not dig the SRX’s...it’s hard enough to sell her on the Genelecs

 

[RobL]

You might want to have a look at the Buchardt active speakers. They deliver to your doorstep for a fixed price.

I thought about the Buchardts, but seems like a long wait for the walnut versions and I’m not very patient

 

[StefaanE]

I thought about the Buchardts, but seems like a long wait for the walnut versions and I not very patient

I can relate to that. Good luck with the decision making.

 

[AnalogSteph]

Wifey would definitely not dig the SRX’s...it’s hard enough to sell her on the Genelecs

The laws of physics tend not to care about the wishes of spouses very much. Nothing that works well under these circumstances is going to be microscopic, although to be fair the SRX835s are likely to be a bit oversized.

Also see edit. Cerwin Vega XLS 12s with a sub or two should fit the bill, but their design is distinctive for sure.

 

[TimW]

It’s an open concept house so living room/front entrance/kitchen are all one open space. Maybe about 200m^3.

I sit about 3.5m from the speakers.

It seems like you have a fairly large room and a midfield listening distance, maybe even closer to farfield. The KEF LS50's 5" 'midrange with a hole in it' just wouldn't cut it for me. Personally I would want something with a 6 1/2" - 8" midwoofer and at least one subwoofer, with room correction of course as was previously suggested. The Genelecs have very good frequency response, dispersion, and distortion performance but as Amir has noted in his subjective impressions, they run out of steam due to the internal amplification. This may not be an issue when crossed over to a subwoofer and used at your listening volumes though. If I were you I would be looking for something like the JBL 6328Ps you had, with narrower dispersion and high output capability. This would include JBL 7 series, Studio series, HDI series, and even the Classic series and the new 4349 that is about to be reviewed by Amir.

 

[RobL]

The laws of physics tend not to care about the wishes of spouses very much. Nothing that works well under these circumstances is going to be microscopic, although to be fair the SRX835s are likely to be a bit oversized.

Also see edit. Cerwin Vega XLS 12s with a sub or two should fit the bill, but their design is distinctive for sure.

I do appreciate the suggestions, thanks. I would still prefer to go back to active speakers though. I know this is a space that should have properly sized equipment, but marital bliss is also important to me. I probably listen at 80db or less 98% of the time. My “rockin’ out” ship sailed a few years ago

 

[RobL]

It seems like you have a fairly large room and a midfield listening distance, maybe even closer to farfield. The KEF LS50's 5" 'midrange with a hole in it' just wouldn't cut it for me. Personally I would want something with a 6 1/2" - 8" midwoofer and at least one subwoofer, with room correction of course as was previously suggested. The Genelecs have very good frequency response, dispersion, and distortion performance but as Amir has noted in his subjective impressions, they run out of steam due to the internal amplification. This may not be an issue when crossed over to a subwoofer and used at your listening volumes though. If I were you I would be looking for something like the JBL 6328Ps you had, with narrower dispersion and high output capability. This would include JBL 7 series, Studio series, HDI series, and even the Classic series and the new 4349 that is about to be reviewed by Amir.

I was originally thinking about the 708p’s as they seem comparable to my old 6328’s but they are quite expensive in Canada compared to the US ($3200 each...why JBL???) and US retailers won’t ship them over the border.