Genelec 8351B Review (Studio Monitor)

[Dialectic]

What ever became of the Genelec guy (he was not affiliated with the company, but anyone who has been on ASR for a while knows whom I'm talking about)? Did he leave ASR?

 

[Spocko]

This review indicates once again that speakers are not like DAC and that for great performance you need to spend some four-digits $.

I think the premium is for controlled directivity and its superlative dispersion characteristics, both vertical and horizontal - quite rare for any speaker. If you don't need such well controlled directivity, you can save a lot of money for similar neutrality elsewhere.

 

[Nwickliff]

I will never understand why anyone spending this much money and time and effort would not use a dedicated subwoofer or two or four. The best face is almost never at the front of the room on the left and right side of your television screen or listening area i.e. where your towers sit. Furthermore, it would be much easier to discern the difference is between designs when living in the Speakers output to 80 Hz. This also leaves you with far more headroom and SPL.

 

[Spocko]

Has someone compared the 8350 to the 8351b? Half the price, and max SPL of 8350 is 121 dB instead of 113 dB:

8050 has max SPL of 120 dB but more bass distortion, if I read Amir's review well.

On axis they should be identical. I'm using the 8350 right now and I love them - save money and get the 8350. I got the 8351B specifically for use as my center channel speaker placed horizontally below my TV so I needed its top notch dispersion.

 

[Spocko]

I will never understand why anyone spending this much money and time and effort would not use a dedicated subwoofer or two or four. The best face is almost never at the front of the room on the left and right side of your television screen or listening area i.e. where your towers sit. Furthermore, it would be much easier to discern the difference is between designs when living in the Speakers output to 80 Hz. This also leaves you with far more headroom and SPL.

Exactly right. I'm matching this to the Genelec 7370a subwoofer so it will easily hit 110dB peaks above 100Hz without distorting.

 

[mkawa]

Interesting setup!

 

[richard12511]

To drive the point home of how much wider the Salon2's directivity is compared to the 8351B, here's how they compare at 60 degrees horizontal. The Salon2 is the dashed line (Salon2 measurements traced from soundstage network):

View attachment 130051

At this angle, the Salon 2 shows roughly 3-5 dB more energy for 1kHz to 8kHz, where most of our impression of soundstage width happens. That means your sidewall reflections are going to be roughly 4dB louder. That's a huge difference so it is absolutely going to sound wider and less focused in one spot.

Of course, different measurement sources so we'll see once Amir measured the Salon2

Really awesome to see on the same graph like that. Also, I think the fact that all the sound of the 8351 is coming from basically the same 8" circle in space contributes to that more focused sound. The Salon2's sound is spread out over 50".

The main driving force of the Ones seems to have been that point source design. Take what they had in the 8260, and make it sound like it's coming from an even smaller point in space. That strategy in a sense has hurt them here in this review, as point source is not what Amir likes/expects. I definitely think it's a preference thing combined with just what Amir's ears are used to. If you could somehow get the Salon2s radiation down into a point source, I'd bet Amir would actually prefer it less, while others might prefer it more.

 

[richard12511]

For the Salon 2 comparison, it would be interesting to hear this Genelec matched with the W371 woofer system. I believe that would push them into around the same price class.

Can someone please send a system to Amir, along with a forklift?

8351 + W371 is way more expensive than the Salon2 here, especially when you consider dealer discounts on the Salon2.

 

[YSC]

Nice review and as expected near perfect results, but can I curse you triggering my desire to upgrade?

 

[richard12511]

The Dutch 8c's pattern is narrower but smoother:

To my eye, the Salon2 looks just as smooth up until ~10kHz. 8C is smoother above 10kHz. I was mainly judging by the width, though. I think it's one of those dispersion width preferences things. I'd bet that Amir/Toole would still prefer the Salon2, but Geddes would prefer the 8C.

 

[richard12511]

Funny you should mention the JTR - I'll be matching my Genelec 9.1.6 system to the Captivator 4000ULF

I've got a similar setup matched to JTR RS2s, but the 4000ULF is even better.

 

[FrantzM]

8351 + W371 is way more expensive than the Salon2 here, especially when you consider dealer discounts on the Salon2.

The salon 2 requires amp and DAC. They don’t have DRC. The Genelec OTOH with the GLM are a complete system with DSP and DRC …

 

[richard12511]

The salon 2 requires amp and DAC. They don’t have DRC. The Genelec OTOH with the GLM are a complete system with DSP and DRC …

True. I didn't really consider that due to my situation(multiple spare DACs/Amps/DRC solutions). If you have to buy those other things, though, it's definitely something that needs to be factored in.

 

[Sancus]

8351 + W,71 is way more expensive than the Salon2 here, especially when you consider dealer discounts on the Salon2.

Is that true? I thought Salon 2 MSRP was $22K. 8351B($8K) + W371A($18K) is 26K. I bet the average Salon 2 buyer spends more than $4K on DAC and amps, let alone DSP. I'm sure it is less if you consider dealer discounts but well with the Salon 2 on the way out and the W371A brand new, that's not surprising.

Last year before price changes and the USD tanking, you could get the 8351B+W371A for just under $20K USD in Canada.

 

[richard12511]

Is that true? I thought Salon 2 MSRP was $22K. 8351B($8K) + W371A($18K) is 26K. I bet the average Salon 2 buyer spends more than $4K on DAC and amps, let alone DSP. I'm sure it is less if you consider dealer discounts but well with the Salon 2 on the way out and the W371A brand new, that's not surprising.

Last year before price changes and the USD tanking, you could get the 8351B+W371A for just under $20K USD in Canada.

Yeah MSRP is somewhat close($28k vs $22k), but I wouldn't pay MSRP for the Salons . That's crazy that you could get that combo for under $20k. Would be really tempting.

 

[Helicopter]

It does come in white or black, does that help?

White is certainly better, but I really like walnut, cherry, and maple.

 

[mkawa]

in the US only producer, raw and white finishes are available.

you could paint a raw finish unit, but you would either have to be very _very_ careful, or take them apart first.

a vinyl wrap might be an interesting idea though

 

[JustJones]

in the US only producer, raw and white finishes are available.

you could paint a raw finish unit, but you would either have to be very _very_ careful, or take them apart first.

a vinyl wrap might be an interesting idea though

Mine are mystic black and I bought them in the US, is that the same as producer?

 

[Tks]

This thing is really cool. But that price ;(

ty Spocko and amirm

 

[mkawa]

possibly. when did you buy them? my understanding is that they discontinued non PF and white like.. a few years ago? mystic black does look a lot like producer finish in the pictures i can find online. red is the cool unobtainium color now.