Genelec 8361A Review (Powered Monitor)

[F1308]

But 100% worth it. And in a few weeks or so, I'll have 3

Don't forget true deep bass and to those three you are about to receive add a couple of Gotham-V2...
19 - 112 Hz (±1.5dB)
–3 dB at 17.5 Hz / 120 Hz
–10 at 14 Hz / 150 Hz

g213v2-GLOSS

Powered Subwoofer with Dual 13.5-inch Subwoofers, 4500 watts Your first look will tell you that you are looking at something special... your first listen will confirm it beyond a shadow of a doubt. The beauty of the Gotham® v2 extends well beyond its exotic design and exceptional craftsmanship...

www.jlaudio.com

 

[Pearljam5000]

Well, I have 2x18" too, but I would say they don't handle or are not even meant for midbass as well as larger mains do (like my 1237A). So I would always choose larger mains if the price difference is neglible (as it is between 8351 and 8361).

Which would you say is better overall 1237A or 8361A?

 

[vkvedam]

Some day...don't stop dreaming ;-)

 

[waldo2]

This is my first post here. I currently have a pair of 8361s set up in my listening room for an in home demo. I have owned and heard many excellent speakers over the years. I have a different perspective from many members here in that I have a soft spot for bbc inspired speakers as well as quad es. I listen mostly to classical music. I agree that 8361s have a remarkable amount of clean, excellent, well integrated bass. astounding really for a speaker of their size. They can play much louder than I would ever care to listen. They certainly appear to have no distortion and to be exceptionally clear at all volumes. The detail presented is amazing. I really can hear things on recordings that I had missed before. I have no doubt that they are everything Amir says and that their designers wanted. Nevertheless, my experience is that the speakers are poorly suited for classical or other acoustic music. I think that strings sound harsh and piano brittle. Depsite the excellent measurements and clear virtues of the speaker, the e string on a violin is artificial sounding to me, harsh, unpleasant and cold. I find myself dreading the high notes. The beauty of live acoustical music is just not conveyed by these speakers In my room. The speakers are incredibly impressive, but do not companionable.

Now, all of this is without equalization. I have a GLS system arriving today, and it may improve things. I understand that I am posting a contrary view here. I do not doubt that these speakers are surely all they are intended to be for non-acoustic music, but they produce a sound, at least without eq, that is little like real acoustic instruments. I also understand that most here will take me to be an out of touch subjectivist ignoring the objective measurements. I do not intend to be anti-scientific or disrespectful in any way, but merely to report my short experience experience listening to the speakers. I hope that eq will fix the problems, for the many virturpes of the speakers are obvious, but I would not call them musical speakers, at least for classical music. Do others here who listen to classical music disagree?

 

[Tersi]

Well, I have 2x18" too, but I would say they don't handle or are not even meant for midbass as well as larger mains do (like my 1237A). So I would always choose larger mains if the price difference is neglible (as it is between 8351 and 8361).

This is true if you cannot use a higher crossover frequency due to unideal drivers, unideal subwoofer placement or the inability to cut the lows from the mains.

What type of crossover are you using by the way with your BMS's?

EDIT: And what makes you think or say that the 18N862 is not a driver meant for mid bass?

If you can tick all these boxes:
- ideal placement for the subs
- ideal time alignment of the subs in correlation to the mains
- ideal crossover frequency of the subs in to the mains
...one can argue the benefits of a larger main imo.

 

[Tersi]

This is my first post here. I currently have a pair of 8361s set up in my listening room for an in home demo. I have owned and heard many excellent speakers over the years. I have a different perspective from many members here in that I have a soft spot for bbc inspired speakers as well as quad es. I listen mostly to classical music. I agree that 8361s have a remarkable amount of clean, excellent, well integrated bass. astounding really for a speaker of their size. They can play much louder than I would ever care to listen. They certainly appear to have no distortion and to be exceptionally clear at all volumes. The detail presented is amazing. I really can hear things on recordings that I had missed before. I have no doubt that they are everything Amir says and that their designers wanted. Nevertheless, my experience is that the speakers are poorly suited for classical or other acoustic music. I think that strings sound harsh and piano brittle. Depsite the excellent measurements and clear virtues of the speaker, the e string on a violin is artificial sounding to me, harsh, unpleasant and cold. I find myself dreading the high notes. The beauty of live acoustical music is just not conveyed by these speakers In my room. The speakers are incredibly impressive, but do not companionable.

Now, all of this is without equalization. I have a GLS system arriving today, and it may improve things. I understand that I am posting a contrary view here. I do not doubt that these speakers are surely all they are intended to be for non-acoustic music, but they produce a sound, at least without eq, that is little like real acoustic instruments. I also understand that most here will take me to be an out of touch subjectivist ignoring the objective measurements. I do not intend to be anti-scientific or disrespectful in any way, but merely to report my short experience experience listening to the speakers. I hope that eq will fix the problems, for the many virturpes of the speakers are obvious, but I would not call them musical speakers, at least for classical music. Do others here who listen to classical music disagree?

This is my experience as well.

 

[TimVG]

This is my first post here. I currently have a pair of 8361s set up in my listening room for an in home demo. I have owned and heard many excellent speakers over the years. I have a different perspective from many members here in that I have a soft spot for bbc inspired speakers as well as quad es. I listen mostly to classical music. I agree that 8361s have a remarkable amount of clean, excellent, well integrated bass. astounding really for a speaker of their size. They can play much louder than I would ever care to listen. They certainly appear to have no distortion and to be exceptionally clear at all volumes. The detail presented is amazing. I really can hear things on recordings that I had missed before. I have no doubt that they are everything Amir says and that their designers wanted. Nevertheless, my experience is that the speakers are poorly suited for classical or other acoustic music. I think that strings sound harsh and piano brittle. Depsite the excellent measurements and clear virtues of the speaker, the e string on a violin is artificial sounding to me, harsh, unpleasant and cold. I find myself dreading the high notes. The beauty of live acoustical music is just not conveyed by these speakers In my room. The speakers are incredibly impressive, but do not companionable.

Now, all of this is without equalization. I have a GLS system arriving today, and it may improve things. I understand that I am posting a contrary view here. I do not doubt that these speakers are surely all they are intended to be for non-acoustic music, but they produce a sound, at least without eq, that is little like real acoustic instruments. I also understand that most here will take me to be an out of touch subjectivist ignoring the objective measurements. I do not intend to be anti-scientific or disrespectful in any way, but merely to report my short experience experience listening to the speakers. I hope that eq will fix the problems, for the many virturpes of the speakers are obvious, but I would not call them musical speakers, at least for classical music. Do others here who listen to classical music disagree?

As a classical musician, I can say this: there are an incredible amount of poor recordings out there of otherwise world class performances.

 

[DanielT]

This is my first post here. I currently have a pair of 8361s set up in my listening room for an in home demo. I have owned and heard many excellent speakers over the years. I have a different perspective from many members here in that I have a soft spot for bbc inspired speakers as well as quad es. I listen mostly to classical music. I agree that 8361s have a remarkable amount of clean, excellent, well integrated bass. astounding really for a speaker of their size. They can play much louder than I would ever care to listen. They certainly appear to have no distortion and to be exceptionally clear at all volumes. The detail presented is amazing. I really can hear things on recordings that I had missed before. I have no doubt that they are everything Amir says and that their designers wanted. Nevertheless, my experience is that the speakers are poorly suited for classical or other acoustic music. I think that strings sound harsh and piano brittle. Depsite the excellent measurements and clear virtues of the speaker, the e string on a violin is artificial sounding to me, harsh, unpleasant and cold. I find myself dreading the high notes. The beauty of live acoustical music is just not conveyed by these speakers In my room. The speakers are incredibly impressive, but do not companionable.

Now, all of this is without equalization. I have a GLS system arriving today, and it may improve things. I understand that I am posting a contrary view here. I do not doubt that these speakers are surely all they are intended to be for non-acoustic music, but they produce a sound, at least without eq, that is little like real acoustic instruments. I also understand that most here will take me to be an out of touch subjectivist ignoring the objective measurements. I do not intend to be anti-scientific or disrespectful in any way, but merely to report my short experience experience listening to the speakers. I hope that eq will fix the problems, for the many virturpes of the speakers are obvious, but I would not call them musical speakers, at least for classical music. Do others here who listen to classical music disagree?

I think that dipoles, panel speakers, electrostats and classical music usually go well together. Observe, believe, do not know. You can ask more experienced about it.

Maybe a little low SPL, bass reproduction electrostats though.

Or you can ask yourself. You seem to have a lot of experience with classical music and speakers. So my statement above I turn into a question to you, do you think electrostats, panel speakers etc ..?

Edit :
Hm maybe OT, new thread about it?

 

[DACs_Lover]

Hi guy. I am very confused with powered speakers.

If I want to pair the Genelec with my benchmark DAC / Pre / Amp system, can I just connect signal out cables from a preamp to the speakers?
Or the speakers must be fed just a signal from a DAC.

I used to download the manual and read it, but I didn't understand fully. It seems to have a internal DAC inside each speaker. I am not 100% sure how to setup the Genelec system. It is worth exploring though.

Thank you.

 

[TheHighContemplator]

A dream is a wish your heart makes...

Thanks @amirm and to the fellow that sent him the monitor.

 

[Frgirard]

Yes, Isn't that something... For the size it's hefty beaucoup.

It's nothing. It's the weight of the little atc smc25

 

[F1308]

10k?
I wait for the Behringer version lol

Cannot find threads/list-of-amirs-recommended-speakers-for-the-poor.

 

[Frgirard]

Hi guy. I am very confused with powered speakers.

If I want to pair the Genelec with my benchmark DAC / Pre / Amp system, can I just connect signal out cables from a preamp to the speakers?
Or the speakers must be fed just a signal from a DAC.

I used to download the manual and read it, but I didn't understand fully. It seems to have a internal DAC inside each speaker. I am not 100% sure how to setup the Genelec system. It is worth exploring though.

Thank you.

Analogic and digital. It's wrote on the manual.

 

[F1308]

Wow, just wow. I think it can't get much better physically with this speaker size.

We need them releasing soon the 8371A.

 

[Exprymer]

Someday, guys. Someday I will have a pair of these bad boys. The pinnacle of acoustics technology right there.

 

[MGG]

We need them releasing soon the 8371A.

8351B+w371A=8371A

8351B SAM™ Studio Monitor - Genelec.com

A revolution in three-way monitor design, the 8351B boasts a unique look, compact size and a performance that has to be heard to be believed.

www.genelec.com

W371A SAM™ Woofer System - Genelec.com

An absolute revelation in low frequency performance. With the W371A, you can finally wave goodbye to the detrimental influences of your room on LF reproduction.

www.genelec.com

 

[daftcombo]

Those would be my dream speakers if they were not so heavy and impossible to move, and if they had grills to prevent fingers to damage the drivers.

Thanks a lot, Amir!

 

[F1308]

As a classical musician, I can say this: there are an incredible amount of poor recordings out there of otherwise world class performances.

I think our ears can easily say if that bad sound is due to a careless recording turning bad in the end or a poor underperforming loudspeaker. Or both.

 

[hege]

This is true if you cannot use a higher crossover frequency due to unideal drivers, unideal subwoofer placement or the inability to cut the lows from the mains.

What type of crossover are you using by the way with your BMS's?

EDIT: And what makes you think or say that the 18N862 is not a driver meant for mid bass?

If you can tick all these boxes:
- ideal placement for the subs
- ideal time alignment of the subs in correlation to the mains
- ideal crossover frequency of the subs in to the mains
...one can argue the benefits of a larger main imo.

If everything is "ideal", sure, probably anything is possible. I think Taipuu used 18N862 up to 200hz? I just couldn't get a coherent sound with my 1032C or 1237A even with 50-80hz crossover with lots of tweaking. Now simply filling my 1237A's with 48db/oct@29hz crossover is the best integration and sound I've had.

It's likely I didn't tweak things well enough or my sub enclosures are crappy and resonating for midbass. I'd still take larger mains for the SPL and distortion advantage.

edit: 1237A 12" goes up to 400hz anyway.. I'd think there's advantages here, compared to crossing a 18" 100-200hz to a small mid-driver. Of course there is "The Loudspeaker" too with BMS+10" mid, but I'd consider 8351B a "tiny woofer".. but I like to play loud sometimes..

 

[Koeitje]

This is my first post here. I currently have a pair of 8361s set up in my listening room for an in home demo. I have owned and heard many excellent speakers over the years. I have a different perspective from many members here in that I have a soft spot for bbc inspired speakers as well as quad es. I listen mostly to classical music. I agree that 8361s have a remarkable amount of clean, excellent, well integrated bass. astounding really for a speaker of their size. They can play much louder than I would ever care to listen. They certainly appear to have no distortion and to be exceptionally clear at all volumes. The detail presented is amazing. I really can hear things on recordings that I had missed before. I have no doubt that they are everything Amir says and that their designers wanted. Nevertheless, my experience is that the speakers are poorly suited for classical or other acoustic music. I think that strings sound harsh and piano brittle. Depsite the excellent measurements and clear virtues of the speaker, the e string on a violin is artificial sounding to me, harsh, unpleasant and cold. I find myself dreading the high notes. The beauty of live acoustical music is just not conveyed by these speakers In my room. The speakers are incredibly impressive, but do not companionable.

Now, all of this is without equalization. I have a GLS system arriving today, and it may improve things. I understand that I am posting a contrary view here. I do not doubt that these speakers are surely all they are intended to be for non-acoustic music, but they produce a sound, at least without eq, that is little like real acoustic instruments. I also understand that most here will take me to be an out of touch subjectivist ignoring the objective measurements. I do not intend to be anti-scientific or disrespectful in any way, but merely to report my short experience experience listening to the speakers. I hope that eq will fix the problems, for the many virturpes of the speakers are obvious, but I would not call them musical speakers, at least for classical music. Do others here who listen to classical music disagree?

You are probably just hearing bad recordings. Or even bad mixes, because these speakers are better than what is generally used in classical mastering environments. Those tend to skew towards B&W loudspeakers which have clear coloration. So if they mix to make it sound good on their loudspeakers, it might sound poor on these. You are a victim of the circle of confusion.