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lc155

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I haven't tested the 8330, but I have tested digital vs analogue for my 8351b, and the difference is completely inaudible, so it would surprise me if the 8330 were different. The d to a or a to d conversion needs to be especially bad to make any difference at all(even the $9 apple dongle is audibly perfect), and even more terrible to make an appreciable difference.

What about hiss? I have heard, at least on the 8330, that the hiss is noticeably quieter when using all digital instead of going analogue.

While I am at it, does turning down the input sensitivity via GLM also reduce the hiss like it does on say, a Neumann? Trying to see if I can get Gens to work for me, as I found the 8030c hiss offensive, and if I can bring it down using the 8330 and GLM then I could work with this.
 

richard12511

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What about hiss? I have heard, at least on the 8330, that the hiss is noticeably quieter when using all digital instead of going analogue.

While I am at it, does turning down the input sensitivity via GLM also reduce the hiss like it does on say, a Neumann? Trying to see if I can get Gens to work for me, as I found the 8030c hiss offensive, and if I can bring it down using the 8330 and GLM then I could work with this.

I haven't tried messing with hiss, as it doesn't bother me. I definitely do hear it though, for both models. For some reason, I'm just not bothered by excess noise that much. The air conditioning here is much louder than the hiss, and even that doesn't bother me :). Occasionally, my fridge(before I cleaned the filter) would make loud noises that annoyed me a bit.
 

lc155

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I haven't tried messing with hiss, as it doesn't bother me. I definitely do hear it though, for both models. For some reason, I'm just not bothered by excess noise that much. The air conditioning here is much louder than the hiss, and even that doesn't bother me :). Occasionally, my fridge(before I cleaned the filter) would make loud noises that annoyed me a bit.

Fair. I did pop an email off to Genelec as well with both questions to see what they said, as their tech guys seem to be quite knowledgeable.
 

richard12511

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Fair. I did pop an email off to Genelec as well with both questions to see what they said, as their tech guys seem to be quite knowledgeable.

If hiss bothers you, I would look at Neumann speakers. According to @pozz 's list, they hiss a bit less, and they measure just as well.
 

Trell

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What about hiss? I have heard, at least on the 8330, that the hiss is noticeably quieter when using all digital instead of going analogue.

While I am at it, does turning down the input sensitivity via GLM also reduce the hiss like it does on say, a Neumann? Trying to see if I can get Gens to work for me, as I found the 8030c hiss offensive, and if I can bring it down using the 8330 and GLM then I could work with this.

How did you test that? On my two pairs of 8330A (one pair with 7360A) using I toggled between the analog and digital (AES3/EBU) input with no discernable difference in hiss. This was with both analog cable connected and disconnected. I've not tested that using an AES3/EBU cable connected, though.

On one pair I've turned down the volume via GLM and the hiss is a little less after 10 db down or so. I've set it to 25 dB down to better gain match with my RME ADI-2 DAC FS that has auto reference level.

I've not heard the 8030C, but the hiss on the 8330A is only noticeable on quiet evenings about 70 cm away, and that is if I listen for it. But I do notice a little hiss when the 8330A is turned on. The sound character of the hiss is not objectionable to me.
 
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lc155

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How did you test that? On my two pairs of 8330A (one pair with 7360A) using I toggled between the analog and digital (AES3/EBU) input with no discernable difference in hiss. This was with both analog cable connected and disconnected. I've not tested that using an AES3/EBU cable connected, though.

On one pair I've turned down the volume via GLM and the hiss is a little less after 10 db down or so. I've set it to 25 dB down to better gain match with my RME ADI-2 DAC FS that has auto reference level.

I've not heard the 8030C, but the hiss on the 8330A is only noticeable on quiet evenings about 70 cm away, and that is if I listen for it. But I do notice a little hiss when the 8330A is turned on. The sound character of the hiss is not objectionable to me.

Wasn't me who tested it, but the person I was talking to mentioned (IIRC) just said 'I have 8330 and there is a marked diff between analog and digital inputs in terms of self noise'. Presumably, when AES is actually connected.

So you are saying the hiss went down at -10dB but didn't go down anymore even at -25dB? Interesting.

It's hard to tell without having heard the 8330 myself but yeah, I could hear the hiss slightly at 1m listening distance (with the 8030c), and it was just offensive to me as I came from passive speakers that are absolutely dead quiet, so paying that amount of money to hear white noise is not something I enjoyed, especially given that I'd also demoed LS50 Wireless speakers that had no hiss either!
 
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pozz

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pozz

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Just a shame that the 8330 isn't in that list, because it looks like the second generation of the Ones, especially the 8331a, are much closer to the Neumanns than older generations.
If it ever gets measured by Sound & Recording I'll add it.
 
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Thunder

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but yeah all things considering buying 8030 you will not be limited to aes converter and can use the DAC (for example d90SE) for different applications like hooking it up with headphone amp or something else having a DAC has much more uses that's for sure... or you could buy 8040 with cheaper DAC... which is probably best option
I don't care about any dac then haha, I thought that it'd increase the sound quality but if as you say the 83XX series offer better sound quality than going analog that's what I'm interested in.

Which of the Genelec's 83XX model should I go for? I don't mind spending 1000€ or a bit more for each speaker if they are worth it and no need for a separate DAC, even if I do need it.
 

Haruko

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as i said if you go analog you may increase quality of analog series Genelecs, however if you go with digital you can't improve quality with dac as you are only adding more noise to the chain (guys from genelec are very quiet about actual quality of its ADC in the speaker) but you will worsen noise floor going analog route with digital series that is 100% sure and from tests i can't achieve the clarity of digital chain with any dacs i plugged into (i didn't try uber d90se because it is ridiculously expensive). DSP (glm kit) in digital Genelecs is very good especially in bass region where it somewhat helps to fight modes in your room = this is where the speaker can truly shine, sonically speaking that is. No dac can improve sound as much as very good speaker targeted dsp. As to what size of the speaker you need... depends... 83XX will not sound very good as a long throw speaker ... you need to sit 2m from them max i think to get that 3D imagining. I have the biggest ones 8350 but i still can't get that in your face perfect imagining from them if i sit too far away from them, i can get them to play fairly loud then you get that massive wall of sound but imagining is still better in nearfield position. These speakers are designed to be nearfield that's where they shine the most. As far as 8330 goes, i think that drivers are simply too small and no amount of dsp will make them sound as big as speaker with sub or with bigger drivers. 8 inch digital sub starts at 1000 euros so thats +500 per speaker. So 8330 (750 x 2 ) + 7350 (1000) = 2500€ +GLM ; 8340 = 2400€. If you would go analog way that is 7050 + 8030 (990 + 540x2 = 2070€ + DAC). It is expensive either way but if you could get GLM kit for cheap for example used or something i would definitely chose digital as the benefit of DSP is simply too big.

*PS: I know this will be maybe irrelevant to you but you should rly think about spending this much for speakers there are plenty of cheaper alternatives for example Adams T5V that cost 150€ per speaker while they can't match genelecs in any terms they are quite good even in prolonged listening sessions. I don't know what is your gear you use right now or how do you listen to your speakers but you should reconsider
 
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Thunder

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as i said if you go analog you may increase quality of analog series Genelecs, however if you go with digital you can't improve quality with dac as you are only adding more noise to the chain (guys from genelec are very quiet about actual quality of its ADC in the speaker) but you will worsen noise floor going analog route with digital series that is 100% sure and from tests i can't achieve the clarity of digital chain with any dacs i plugged into (i didn't try uber d90se because it is ridiculously expensive). DSP (glm kit) in digital Genelecs is very good especially in bass region where it somewhat helps to fight modes in your room = this is where the speaker can truly shine, sonically speaking that is. No dac can improve sound as much as very good speaker targeted dsp. As to what size of the speaker you need... depends... 83XX will not sound very good as a long throw speaker ... you need to sit 2m from them max i think to get that 3D imagining. I have the biggest ones 8350 but i still can't get that in your face perfect imagining from them if i sit too far away from them, i can get them to play fairly loud then you get that massive wall of sound but imagining is still better in nearfield position. These speakers are designed to be nearfield that's where they shine the most. As far as 8330 goes, i think that drivers are simply too small and no amount of dsp will make them sound as big as speaker with sub or with bigger drivers. 8 inch digital sub starts at 1000 euros so thats +500 per speaker. So 8330 (750 x 2 ) + 7350 (1000) = 2500€ +GLM ; 8340 = 2400€. If you would go analog way that is 7050 + 8030 (990 + 540x2 = 2070€ + DAC). It is expensive either way but if you could get GLM kit for cheap for example used or something i would definitely chose digital as the benefit of DSP is simply too big.

*PS: I know this will be maybe irrelevant to you but you should rly think about spending this much for speakers there are plenty of cheaper alternatives for example Adams T5V that cost 150€ per speaker while they can't match genelecs in any terms they are quite good even in prolonged listening sessions. I don't know what is your gear you use right now or how do you listen to your speakers but you should reconsider
Thanks, I'm currently using a pair of 46€ Woxter bookshelf speakers connected directly to the output on my LG C1 TV, because I use my PC via HDMI and I can't overpass the video+audio signal on the cable and use my motherboard's audio source. The Woxters aren't even studio monitors but I used to have the Topping DX7 Pro with a pair of JBL 305P MKII and not that I didn't like them, I did but anyway I sold them, the DAC too.

Would something like the jbls or the adams you suggest be enough for me? I just want very good sound quality and I don't mind spending that much if it's really worth it, if the differences are small then something like you are suggesting could fit me.
 

Pearljam5000

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Thanks, I'm currently using a pair of 46€ Woxter bookshelf speakers connected directly to the output on my LG C1 TV, because I use my PC via HDMI and I can't overpass the video+audio signal on the cable and use my motherboard's audio source. The Woxters aren't even studio monitors but I used to have the Topping DX7 Pro with a pair of JBL 305P MKII and not that I didn't like them, I did but anyway I sold them, the DAC too.

Would something like the jbls or the adams you suggest be enough for me? I just want very good sound quality and I don't mind spending that much if it's really worth it, if the differences are small then something like you are suggesting could fit me.
Get the biggest Genelec or Neumann you can afford, you'd be happy with any of them.
 
OP
Thunder

Thunder

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What's your budget?
I don't have a specific budget, it's an objective for me. I could spend +1000€ on each speaker and more € on a good dac or, if you suggest maybe it's not worth it for me to spend so much I could spend 150€ on each speaker if that's enough and a dac too, or something in the middle.
 

Pearljam5000

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I don't have a specific budget, it's an objective for me. I could spend +1000€ on each speaker and more € on a good dac or, if you suggest maybe it's not worth it for me to spend so much I could spend 150€ on each speaker if that's enough and a dac too, or something in the middle.
Screenshot_20211028-013304.jpg


Or get the 8030C + a sub
 
OP
Thunder

Thunder

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View attachment 161759

Or get the 8030C + a sub
I live in a flat, on a 2nd floor, below me there's a private dental clinic and I don't want to bother anyone so I'd like to have my setup with no sub. I also considered getting the 8040 as you suggested, this would be the highest quality genelec, right?

@Haruko suggested getting one of the 83XX series with a DAC instead, he also talked about the quality difference between analog and digital in this case but it's too much technical information for me, hehe.

Which option would get me better sound quality for the price? Also, if I'd get the 8040, I'd need a DAC too, right? Which one should I get?

Thanks.

PD: I don't do any mixing, recording, don't play any instruments, no need for headphone amp, etc. I just want to enjoy the best music in flac and play games, watch movies...
 
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Pearljam5000

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I live in a flat, on a 2nd floor, below me there's a private dental clinic and I don't want to bother anyone so I would like to have my setup with no sub. I also considered getting the 8040 as you suggested, this would be the highest quality genelec, right?

@Haruko suggested getting one of the 83XX series with a DAC, he also talked about the quality difference between analog and digital in this case but it's too much technical information for me, hehe.

Which option would get me better sound quality for the price? Also, if I'd get the 8040 I'd need a DAC too, right? Which one should I get?

Thanks.
If you get the 83XX instead of 80XX then you'd need to buy a smaller monitor because they cost more, so it's your decision what's your willing to sacrifice, size/SPL and bass output or GLM and digital amps(which are less important or me personally)
 
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Thunder

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If you get the 83XX instead of 80XX then you'd need to buy a smaller monitor because they cost more, so it's your decision what's your willing to sacrifice, size/SPL and bass output or GLM and digital amps(which are less important or me personally)
Could you explain SPL and GLM for beginners?
 
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