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Best mid-tier monitors : Genelec 8350A vs Neumann KH310

Kervel

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Sure, 8350 is a tad better than a DSPed 8050. The point is that genelec subs are expensive, so if you need one you need to compare the whole package of all genelecs versus alternative DSP solution with sub and mains.
 

stevenswall

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Maybe I'm terrible at following tutorials, but I've used REW and a MiniDSP with several speakers and subwoofer sytems... I've never gotten close to GLM results with subwoofer integration or bass correction.

There's a large value for me in GLM taking 15 minutes to play with and even EQ to taste, vs spending ~10 hours over a week on a system following tutorials, reading, calibrating, measuring, and repeating.

If anyone has used Dirac and GLM and prefers Dirac, then long term that will save money because of the expense of Genelec SAM speakers and subs... Even used, a dual 12" Genelec 7271 is $2500, and for that you could get a dual 15" Rythmik G25HP.
 

fredstuhl

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I‘ve chosen the Genelecs. Of course it‘s a matter of taste, but the white 83x0 series is one of the coolest looking/ most living room friendly speaker lines I know. Calibrating with GLM is a breeze. With room gain when placed close to a wall, they don’t drop off before 30 Hz. Was a bit concerned about max SPL after Amirs review, but after accidently playing them with near max volume once when fiddling with GLM, I just pray that I never forget to set an appropriately low start volume for the speakers ever again. Class D amps and auto-sleep are convenient energy savers and hence very welcome. I planned to order and test a bunch of other speakers, but I was just so happy with the whole package that I didn‘t feel the need to compare further.
 
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temps

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The cheapest one...once installed in a room I doubt you can tell the difference...
nope you definitely can

you'd have to be insane to pick the Gennies over the KH310s
 

temps

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Why?
How is the KH310 better?
Excellently implemented 3 way instead of 2 way. Sealed instead of ported. Better vertical directivity. Flatter throughout the range with practically no resonances. Subjective opinion here but the KH 310 is notably better through the midrange & vocal region than any 2 way I've heard.

I will say it is kind of a pain not having the auto-sensing power on/off from my old monitors... it'd be really nice to have that back. I'm nearfield so it's only a minor inconvenience but farfield I think it'd be almost in dealbreaker territory, but I wouldn't consider bookshelves for farfield listening anyway. GLM is great if you don't have a different room correction already. Can't remember if the 8350 has a phase linearizer option or not... would probably do quite a bit to improve its sound at the cost of some latency.

edit: also to add onto this more, the Genelec 8331 is in this price category as well. I would strongly prefer those + subwoofers in an untreated room over either the 310 or 8350.
 
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dfuller

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bodhi

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So a typical decently designed if unremarkable ported 2-way. Much higher IMD than a proper 3 way.
It's crazy how good the speakers have gotten. Just a few years ago that would have been cosidered pretty good performance, but nowadays it's more like "meh", maybe for the garage set. These proper 3-ways are popping up left and right, just demolishing everything else.
 

dfuller

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Would you choose 8350 or KH150?
That's not a particularly fair comparison as the 8350 is about $1500 more per set. Probably the Neumann plus a sub.

It's crazy how good the speakers have gotten. Just a few years ago that would have been cosidered pretty good performance, but nowadays it's more like "meh", maybe for the garage set. These proper 3-ways are popping up left and right, just demolishing everything else.
I'm sure this is sarcasm, but like - the 310 is considerably SPL limited by its design (small sealed box with lots of bass = no SPL, hoffmann's iron law still applies) and it still in terms of max level via EIA-426B 1.4dB better than the 8350.
 
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ernestcarl

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That's not a particularly fair comparison as the 8350 is about $1500 more per set. Probably the Neumann plus a sub.


I'm sure this is sarcasm, but like - the 310 is considerably SPL limited by its design (small sealed box with lots of bass = no SPL, hoffmann's iron law still applies) and it still in terms of max level via EIA-426B is 1.4dB better than the 8350.

I was recently looking at Fulcrum’s PA subs… and, boy, apart from the rapid drop in extension that prevents them from going all the way down to 20Hz, they sure get way effing louder than many studio monitor subs — price per dB increase is cheap in comparison.

 

DSJR

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Looking purely from a distance, I get totally confused by the Genelec model numbers - there seems an awful lot of the blasted things.. certainly for general small monitors in editing suites and so on, there does seem to be a goodly number of Genelecs there (maybe the NS10 thing where they're a known quantity for good or otherwise) and of course the curved shape makes them stand out.

Got to say I'm seriously intrigued by the Neumann 310. I don't need subterranean bass but also don't want the slightest hint of boom or bass 'softness' (the Harbeths here are dangerously close in that department). The mid dome may well help in dispersion in the lower kHz region too in my particular case, but of course it's untried. I'm sure I'd be pretty happy though with either, but as I still have an instant joy when listening to larger three way active ATC's (which are WAY out of my budget now, even at trade prices), the 310's may well be a serious contender if budget ever allows (how much 'worse' are the K&H ancestors as sometimes I've seen them for a couple of grand?)

One more stupid thing - the KH310's have optional grilles I believe...
 

ernestcarl

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Looking purely from a distance, I get totally confused by the Genelec model numbers - there seems an awful lot of the blasted things.. certainly for general small monitors in editing suites and so on, there does seem to be a goodly number of Genelecs there (maybe the NS10 thing where they're a known quantity for good or otherwise) and of course the curved shape makes them stand out.

Got to say I'm seriously intrigued by the Neumann 310. I don't need subterranean bass but also don't want the slightest hint of boom or bass 'softness' (the Harbeths here are dangerously close in that department). The mid dome may well help in dispersion in the lower kHz region too in my particular case, but of course it's untried. I'm sure I'd be pretty happy though with either, but as I still have an instant joy when listening to larger three way active ATC's (which are WAY out of my budget now, even at trade prices), the 310's may well be a serious contender if budget ever allows (how much 'worse' are the K&H ancestors as sometimes I've seen them for a couple of grand?)

One more stupid thing - the KH310's have optional grilles I believe...

I’m just a curious bystander, but studio folks can get quite picky when it comes to their studio gear:


I regularly window shop for cheap(er) used audio items.

Caveat emptor : potentially used stuff might not be up to original spec, though.
 

DSJR

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I’m just a curious bystander, but studio folks can get quite picky when it comes to their studio gear:


I regularly window shop for cheap(er) used audio items.

Caveat emptor : potentially used stuff might not be up to original spec, though.
Some might be, but I feel you need to budget accordingly for possible repairs.
 

holdingpants01

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Looking purely from a distance, I get totally confused by the Genelec model numbers - there seems an awful lot of the blasted things.. certainly for general small monitors in editing suites and so on, there does seem to be a goodly number of Genelecs there (maybe the NS10 thing where they're a known quantity for good or otherwise) and of course the curved shape makes them stand out.
Their model numbers make a lot of sense, first number is the type of monitor, 7xxx for subs, 8xxx for monitors, 1xxx for mains, 9xxx for GLM devices. Second one x0xx is either analog, or x3xx for digital with GLM. Then it's the size, starting with xx1x, up to xx8x. Then it's the type, 8xx0 for conventional 2 way and 8xx1 for coaxial for 8xxx monitors, for subs it's something different. The letter at the end is revision, A, B, C etc.
The cool thing is for example 8040A, 8340A and 8341B are exactly the same size, I think the back half of the chassis is the same, so it's easy to upgrade, accessories like stand mounts are the same, or in wall mounts.
 

dfuller

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Their model numbers make a lot of sense, first number is the type of monitor, 7xxx for subs, 8xxx for monitors, 1xxx for mains, 9xxx for GLM devices. Second one x0xx is either analog, or x3xx for digital with GLM. Then it's the size, starting with xx1x, up to xx8x. Then it's the type, 8xx0 for conventional 2 way and 8xx1 for coaxial for 8xxx monitors, for subs it's something different. The letter at the end is revision, A, B, C etc.
The cool thing is for example 8040A, 8340A and 8341B are exactly the same size, I think the back half of the chassis is the same, so it's easy to upgrade, accessories like stand mounts are the same, or in wall mounts.
It falls apart with the mains. The 1237 is bigger than the 1238DF but smaller than the 1238, and also smaller than the 1236.
 

holdingpants01

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It falls apart with the mains. The 1237 is bigger than the 1238DF but smaller than the 1238, and also smaller than the 1236.
I'm not really familiar with their mains, but wonder what was their reasoning behind this
 
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