Buying advice - Ascilab / Audio First / Genelec

[MKR]

Good size, but almost twice the price of the Ascilab c8c’s (which also have “some” grilles)

Ultimately you need to listen in your space to make the best decision. D&D are quite good about providing demos. Definitely take advantage if they do.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I would choose 8380 and add subs later

 

[suttondesign]

I think you've identified speakers with such a large price delta that it's hard to make a recommendation. I couldn't justify the price of larger Genelecs once I had built a good DIY (Heissmann DXT-Mon-182) for a fraction of the price and found great satisfaction, and now I've ordered the Cadentia.

After living with very complicated open-baffles for many years, I decided to simplify, and the expensive actives bother me because of the integrated electronics. It's so easy to work on passives if something goes wrong -- but it almost never does.

If I were to spend the money, I would order 8351b's in one of the custom colors. My wife changed her tune when I showed her those.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

pretty sure your kid or their friends are gonna ruin your speakers at some point

sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the prophesy must be fulfilled

 

[TubeNoob]

I think you've identified speakers with such a large price delta that it's hard to make a recommendation. I couldn't justify the price of larger Genelecs once I had built a good DIY (Heissmann DXT-Mon-182) for a fraction of the price and found great satisfaction, and now I've ordered the Cadentia.

After living with very complicated open-baffles for many years, I decided to simplify, and the expensive actives bother me because of the integrated electronics. It's so easy to work on passives if something goes wrong -- but it almost never does.

If I were to spend the money, I would order 8351b's in one of the custom colors. My wife changed her tune when I showed her those.

You would take the genelecs over the Cadentia?

 

[Bwaslo]

Maybe borrow or get-on-evaluation some non-cardioid speakers? Cardioid boosts your odds of getting around bass problems, but aren’t a guarantee. My room proportions and required seating arrangement are seemingly terrible, but bass is still decent and controlled directivity only down into upper midrange takes works for the rest. You may get lucky.

Maybe some well positioned small subs for the bass.

 

[Mort]

You won't want to use those subwoofers with the genelecs. GLM requires an expensive genelec sub.

8361a is one of the finest pieces of audio engineering to date. Not cheap though.

I would pass on the lower versions of genelec. Ascilab are a better deal at that point.

 

[MarkS]

a big part of me wants a SOTA system

A SOTA system is simply not possible in a small, untreated room with asymmetric speaker placement, no matter how much you wish it were, or how much money you spend on speakers.

I'd get something like Wharfdale Lintons, maybe add a small sub, an amp/streamer with room correction (and a sub crossover if you get a sub), and put the rest of the money towards a bigger house one day.

 

[Bwaslo]

I'd say a couple F6B or C6B plus a pair of subs. Asci uses SB catalog drivers (selected, but still...) in those. If a toddler pokes in a dust cap, you can get replacements pretty easily and not too expensive.

 

[suttondesign]

You would take the genelecs over the Cadentia?

Academic. I cannot throw that kind of money at speakers.

 

[voodooless]

So what about Genelec S360?

Genelec S360 Review (Studio Monitor)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Genelec S360 (S360A) studio monitor. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $3995 each. It comes in both white and black. As you can see, it is quite a departure from other Genelec speakers with rectangular shape and non-coaxial drivers...

www.audiosciencereview.com

No issues with an exposed tweeter. The woofer is sturdy enough. Looks quite nice in white.

 

[Doenerkunde]

View attachment 498889
[*]Ascilab C8C

• Front runner
• Main concern: long-term support/reliability

• 
  
  Ascilab is a new not yet established company with a somewhat erratic model policy, but I wouldn't worry too much about this, since all components are off the shelf and sold in high volume. If push comes to shove depending on the status of the company and your knowledge and skills you might have to consult someone, but I think every part will be somehow available for many many years to come.

 

[Torin Krell]

I would suggest mounting your preferred pair of Genelecs high on the front wall of your listening room (out of child reach) using Genelec hardware that enables you to aim the speakers downward. If you use the Ones series aiming is a bit less critical RE vertical dispersion and can yield a bit to WAF issues. If your wife gets to choose the color of the monitors (as mentioned above) she may accept this high on the wall mounting solution.
Genelec actually states that most (all?) of their monitors will perform best placed close to the wall so your sound will likely be quite good - esp at the listening distance the down tilting speakers are aimed at.

 

[kemmler3D]

I have to agree that no grille + kids = danger. (to the speaker.)

We had a friend's toddler over and I think within 5 minutes she walked over and tried to poke the tweeter in my LS60s. And she did it at least a few times. I get it. It looks like a really interesting and mysterious button to press.

I'm going to be working on fabricating some grilles for those...

 

[Mort]

I would suggest mounting your preferred pair of Genelecs high on the front wall of your listening room (out of child reach) using Genelec hardware that enables you to aim the speakers downward. If you use the Ones series aiming is a bit less critical RE vertical dispersion and can yield a bit to WAF issues. If your wife gets to choose the color of the monitors (as mentioned above) she may accept this high on the wall mounting solution.
Genelec actually states that most (all?) of their monitors will perform best placed close to the wall so your sound will likely be quite good - esp at the listening distance the down tilting speakers are aimed at.

Mounting Genelecs is very underrated imo. These are the 8330a. I hope to upgrade to the 8341a soon.

 

[Jiraya369]

KEF stuff look really nice imo and i think they have grilles too. What do you mean by state of the art though? What is it that you actually want?

The R11 Meta goes deep, has decently controlled directivity and can get as loud as you want. The Reference 1 Meta is smaller, is one of the most beautiful speakers (imo) and still packs a punch in terms of loudness and the directivity is well controlled as well. The low end extension isn't that nice though i think.

I'd personally get a pair of Ascilab A6Bs and pair them with a pair of Arendal 1961 1S or 1V Subs if i had the budget and call it a day. I don't think one can necessarily do much better than that. Supremely low distortion, low end is taken care of with the subs and they look nice as well. And another choice is the Reference 1 Meta with those Arendal subs OR a pair of KC92 if you dont have space for big subs. Dream setup

What is your distance from the speakers though? and what would be the spacing between them? Ideally you'd form an equilateral triangle. As others have said, you don't really need the big boys, especially if you're open to subwoofers. Bigger stuff usually just allows deeper bass and louder sounds. I'm not too knowledgeable on the cardioid speakers but based on Erin's measurements of his predicted and in room responses of the Kii Three and D&D 8C, i don't really think it matters too much. Cardioid speakers are less bad than normal ones but it won't fix a bad room completely and you'll still get some ugly nulls so i don't really care too much about em. Cool tech but nothing a pair of subs can't fix

 

[LTig]

Neumann KH 420 with metal grille?

Should be sonically superb and child proof - unfortunately not cardioid.

For this room size the KH310 is more than sufficient. The grills are expensive but withstand maltreating even with a hammer.

 

[berjine]

Definitely a major worry, but damn do I not love the Genelec look overall! DIY-ing the AudioForst grilles looks possible, definitely impossible on the Ascilab, though without the bass module at least they could be on stands.. which I guess isn’t that high for a child anyway. Damn! Where’s the perfect cardioid, grille covered, wood veneered, full range speaker when you need it

Geithain ! Although on the upper end of your budget for the big cardoïd models like the RL 934 K

 

[TubeNoob]

Geithain ! Although on the upper end of your budget for the big cardoïd models like the RL 934 K

I love them in theory, but have heard that having them repaired is nigh on impossible if you don’t live in Germany

 

[tokyo_blues]

That looks like the sitting room in a British terraced flat.

If so left and right of this picture you'll have your neighbours' sitting rooms.

I know because I used to live in one, and I could hear my two neighbours sneezing in their flats let alone watching Black Mirror's episodes on the iPlayer.

Perhaps consider something that plays well at low volume otherwise you might end up limiting your enjoyment of the setup due to your neighbours' frequent complaints.