Buying Genelec questions.

[brockers13]

Help appreciated on this,

I received this from the guys supplying the Genelec......

“
With regards to the connection, we would never really advise going straight from a minijack connection to XLRs (which the genelecs are) due to the impendence and conversion levels from HiFi to pro audio gear.

My best advice would be to buy a small mixer that you could go from your Sony device into the mixer, then from the mixer, to the genelecs.

So this is what I would recommend:

https://www.musicmatter.co.uk/chord-stereo-minijack-to-2x-mono-jack-lead-3m (going from your device into a mixer)
https://www.musicmatter.co.uk/alto-zephyr-zmx52 (using the cable above into channel 2 on the mixer)
https://www.musicmatter.co.uk/chord-balanced-6-3mm-trs-jack-to-xlr-m-3m-audio-cable (two of these going from the 'main mix' connectors to the Gens)”

I have already purchased 2*XLR M-F
And a 3.5 to XLR M

How much loss of quality will I lose not using his way.
And
Is his suggestion for the small mix unit a good one or should I consider something else.

Thanks for any help, never too old to learn.

 

[Trell]

Get a mic and you can have karaoke sessions

Good advice from Genelec for connection. Personally I would go with a DAC that has Bluetooth but that would probably cost more than the mixer. If you have a TV you can connect as well to the DAC, assuming both has toslink/coaxial SPDIF. Would give you great TV sound.

 

[brockers13]

Get a mic and you can have karaoke sessions

Good advice from Genelec for connection. Personally I would go with a DAC that has Bluetooth but that would probably cost more than the mixer. If you have a TV you can connect as well to the DAC, assuming both has toslink/coaxial SPDIF. Would give you great TV sound.

Any recommendations for that Bluetooth DAC. And is the DAC in the Sony insufficient quality?

 

[Trell]

Any recommendations for that Bluetooth DAC. And is the DAC in the Sony insufficient quality?

I suggested such a DAC for convenience and easier to connect other playback devices to it like a TV or CD player. As for Bluetooth DAC I don't personally use Bluetooth for DACS so no direct recommendation here but several are reviewed here on ASR.

 

[Tangband]

Hi new member looking for information.

I’m semi retired about to move into a new apartment. Listening room about 5*4 meters.

Before a divorce a long time ago used to have some fairly good audio. Linn sondek, Naim, Gale 401.....all gone.
Now I want to buy a pair of Genelec speakers first for good sound and importantly I want them to last and have support.
I won’t be able to crank them up in the new place.

So my question is will the 8030c sound good at low to medium volume.
Would 8020d be better.

For home use only.

Thanks

8030c is slightly better and can play much louder.

 

[Walter]

I'm not aware of any DACs under $400 with LDAC (oops, corrected a few posts further on), and using any other Bluetooth codec on a regular basis is defeating the purpose of buying such good speakers. I'd just look for a good balanced DAC. However, does your Sony player even have a digital output? If not, you will need an audio interface that also has an ADC, like a Motu M4. At that point, I'd seriously consider buying a different source device. Maybe a Raspberry Pi based player. It also won't hurt anything to try your original plan first, but if you do, just buy the cheapest 3.5mm to XLR cable you can find to test with.

 

[brockers13]

I'm not aware of any DACs under $400 with LDAC, and using any other Bluetooth codec on a regular basis is defeating the purpose of buying such good speakers. I'd just look for a good balanced DAC. However, does your Sony player even have a digital output? If not, you will need an audio interface that also has an ADC, like a Motu M4. At that point, I'd seriously consider buying a different source device. Maybe a Raspberry Pi based player. It also won't hurt anything to try your original plan first, but if you do, just buy the cheapest 3.5mm to XLR cable you can find to test with.

Thanks for input. Apologies for my ignorance, the Sony was my first step in portable sound of reasonable quality, to be upgraded later. My understanding ( for what that’s worth) is that is capeable of functioning as a DAC. The idea was to be able to sit in chair for listening and select music from the player, without needing to go to the computer.

 

[Walter]

Actually now that I have seen how inexpensive that Alto mixer is, it might be a good solution, at least to start with. The specs look OK, if not great. (https://www.altoprofessional.com/products/zmx52). Certainly better than you would achieve with a cheap bluetooth receiver/DAC combo. Your player looks pretty good, but it does not appear to have a digital output so it can't go straight into a DAC. I'd still suggest just trying an adapter cable first, however.

 

[Walter]

I had forgotten about this: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...zen-blue-review-bluetooth-receiver-dac.24918/. It costs considerably more than the ALTO but has almost exactly the same SINAD (. 005% is about 86db). Plus it can be used as just a really good Bluetooth receiver in the future if you decide to upgrade to a better DAC, although it is questionable if you would be able to hear the difference. And it has optical and coax inputs to hook up your TV, Blueray player, etc.

 

[LTig]

Help appreciated on this,

I received this from the guys supplying the Genelec......

“
With regards to the connection, we would never really advise going straight from a minijack connection to XLRs (which the genelecs are) due to the impendence and conversion levels from HiFi to pro audio gear.

My best advice would be to buy a small mixer that you could go from your Sony device into the mixer, then from the mixer, to the genelecs.

So this is what I would recommend:

https://www.musicmatter.co.uk/chord-stereo-minijack-to-2x-mono-jack-lead-3m (going from your device into a mixer)
https://www.musicmatter.co.uk/alto-zephyr-zmx52 (using the cable above into channel 2 on the mixer)
https://www.musicmatter.co.uk/chord-balanced-6-3mm-trs-jack-to-xlr-m-3m-audio-cable (two of these going from the 'main mix' connectors to the Gens)”

I have already purchased 2*XLR M-F
And a 3.5 to XLR M

How much loss of quality will I lose not using his way.
And
Is his suggestion for the small mix unit a good one or should I consider something else.

Thanks for any help, never too old to learn.

I use just such a cable (mini TRS to 2 x XLR) to feed my Genelec 8020a from an MP3 player, a portable CD player or my smartphone when I'm on travel, without any problems. As long as it gets loud enough I don't see any need to add a mixer or preamp because IMV this would only add noise and distortion.

 

[dominikz]

I use just such a cable (mini TRS to 2 x XLR) to feed my Genelec 8020a from an MP3 player, a portable CD player or my smartphone when I'm on travel, without any problems. As long as it gets loud enough I don't see any need to add a mixer or preamp because IMV this would only add noise and distortion.

I agree - note that there is a possibility of ground loops with unbalanced connection, but if you don't hear any obvious hum there should IMHO be no issue with using such a cable. Personally I'd always first try with just an adaptor cable, and only if I had issues I'd look at additional gadgets.

FYI unbalanced connection is supported with an adequate cable, from 8030C manual:

And (here they show an example with RCA since it is a mono cable - TRS 3,5mm is in principle equivalent but stereo):

You may of course need to adjust sensitivity to match the lower level of an unbalanced connection.

 

[DSJR]

Help appreciated on this,

I received this from the guys supplying the Genelec......

“
With regards to the connection, we would never really advise going straight from a minijack connection to XLRs (which the genelecs are) due to the impendence and conversion levels from HiFi to pro audio gear.

My best advice would be to buy a small mixer that you could go from your Sony device into the mixer, then from the mixer, to the genelecs.

So this is what I would recommend:

https://www.musicmatter.co.uk/chord-stereo-minijack-to-2x-mono-jack-lead-3m (going from your device into a mixer)
https://www.musicmatter.co.uk/alto-zephyr-zmx52 (using the cable above into channel 2 on the mixer)
https://www.musicmatter.co.uk/chord-balanced-6-3mm-trs-jack-to-xlr-m-3m-audio-cable (two of these going from the 'main mix' connectors to the Gens)”

I have already purchased 2*XLR M-F
And a 3.5 to XLR M

How much loss of quality will I lose not using his way.
And
Is his suggestion for the small mix unit a good one or should I consider something else.

Thanks for any help, never too old to learn.

Thanks for link to this supplier, which I didn't know about (at first I thought it was Music Matters, a trad UK HiFi shop). I've just had frightening fun looking at the monitors' they have for sale

Tell you something, the number of cheaper small monitor-style speakers they sell is frightening to me, some discussed here and some not. I can see why it's safer for peeps like me who come from the domestic side to look at 'known' models and not being able to hear them first, a proper tech test first and understanding of the results is mandatory really to make sure one isn't 'buying a pup.'

 

[brockers13]

Thanks for link to this supplier, which I didn't know about (at first I thought it was Music Matters, a trad UK HiFi shop). I've just had frightening fun looking at the monitors' they have for sale

Tell you something, the number of cheaper small monitor-style speakers they sell is frightening to me, some discussed here and some not. I can see why it's safer for peeps like me who come from the domestic side to look at 'known' models and not being able to hear them first, a proper tech test first and understanding of the results is mandatory really to make sure one isn't 'buying a pup.'

The fault on a brand new pair of Focals pushed me to up the budget and get the most reliable, supported, recommended brand I could get. Any brand can have problems, afterwards, and I should have checked, I realised that those particular Focals were, despite what the advertising implied, made in China. Not necessarily bad obviously. But doing a bit more homework it is claimed every single Genelec is QCd. Time will, like it usually does,tell.

 

[brockers13]

Thanks everyone for all the help.
The 8030s arrived today, everything from Sketch’s of Spain, to Joe Bonamassa live at the Greek,‘I’ll play the blues for you’ sounds awesome.

Happy as a pig in sh*t

 

[LTig]

 

[Pearljam5000]

Thanks everyone for all the help.
The 8030s arrived today, everything from Sketch’s of Spain, to Joe Bonamassa live at the Greek,‘I’ll play the blues for you’ sounds awesome.

Happy as a pig in sh*t

How far are you sitting? Are you using a sub?

 

[brockers13]

Thanks everyone for all the help.
The 8030s arrived today, everything from Sketch’s of Spain, to Joe Bonamassa live at the Greek,‘I’ll play the blues for you’ sounds awesome.

Happy as a pig in sh*t

How far are you sitting? Are you using a sub?

No sub. About 1.75-2.25 m. Bass tight, dynamic, impactful, the clarity and imaging separation of instruments, in fact the things are amazing, everything flat for now while I get used to the sound. They seem reluctant to enter sleep so moved the power supply to one wall outlet in case the extension block is somehow affecting it. Can’t imagine burning in could make the sound better, but will see.

 

[Walter]

This just using a 3.5mm to XLR connection, right? No mixer?

Do they provide adequate volume for your room?

 

[soundwave76]

Try to stretch your budget to 8330 is my advice

 

[Walter]

He already bought them! Plus, without GLM that cost $300 more, the 8330 performs worse than the 8030c on Amir's tests.