Considering the purchase of 8361A

[Nih Noh]

If the bass from 30-80 Hz region isn't from the Champagne region of France then it's not real bass.

 

[alankila]

I like bass in beurre blanc.

 

[Arindal]

About 1.2m. But I want the 10" drivers because of bass; the current 1032A aren't too big.

That is pretty close to the speakers, so I would not recommend a midfield/farfield speaker like the 8361 in the first place. Otherwise you might end up in a situation of overly close imaging with ´singers right in front of your nose´, which can be annoying. A dedicated nearfield speaker, preferably coaxial design, capable of giving a more realistic depth-of-field would be advisable in my understanding.

Try the 8341A plus subwoofer instead. MEG RL 934K would be an alternative offering a huge bass driver yet being absolutely nearfield-optimized.

 

[Purité Audio]

 

[dagfinn]

I would not recommend a midfield/farfield speaker like the 8361 in the first place.

Where do you source this? If you ask Genelec, they say something very different. They say "any distance up to 5m."

 

[Mort]

It's more like 2.5m for direct dominated sound, which is usually a criterion of 'nearfield' listening.

Still, they are actually the most capable of the 'Ones' at producing a nearfield monitor effect.

I would definitely not rule them out. I listen to 8361a at 1.5M and it's glorious.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Trio6 had a decent sound when I'd put my palms around my ears (as an "extension" for the ear lobes), which is what Genelec's achieve with a proper waveguide.

No it isn't

 

[alankila]

View attachment 451756



It's more like 2.5m for direct dominated sound, which is usually a criterion of 'nearfield' listening.

Still, they are actually the most capable of the 'Ones' at producing a nearfield monitor effect.

I would definitely not rule them out. I listen to 8361a at 1.5M and it's glorious.

The black line across the graph is based on assumed room volume, written in the box. The line is further out to the right because the room is assumed to be bigger, and therefore the critical distance for direct sound dominance is farther out. It is not an effect from the speaker. (Except with respect to dispersion angle etc. But 8351B will have the same as 8361A, if the room is bigger.)

 

[Mort]

The line is further out to the right because the room is assumed to be bigger, and therefore the critical distance for direct sound dominance is farther out.

By this logic, there is no difference between the critical distance for any of the speakers, but that's not true. The 8361a has the farthest critical distance in any room size.

 

[alankila]

Yes, see my edit. The angle of dispersion matters, e.g. 83x0 seems to have wider angle than 83x1. I don't know how Genelec has computed or measured this, though.

 

[Frank Dernie]

The black line across the graph is based on assumed room volume, written in the box. The line is further out to the right because the room is assumed to be bigger, and therefore the critical distance for direct sound dominance is farther out. It is not an effect from the speaker. (Except with respect to dispersion angle etc. But 8351B will have the same as 8361A, if the room is bigger.)

This table also shows the coaxial speakers can be listened to far closer than the others because the sound of the drivers integrates further or much further away from the speakers with the big multi way non-coaxial speakers.

 

[dagfinn]

View attachment 451756



It's more like 2.5m for direct dominated sound, which is usually a criterion of 'nearfield' listening.

Still, they are actually the most capable of the 'Ones' at producing a nearfield monitor effect.

I would definitely not rule them out. I listen to 8361a at 1.5M and it's glorious.

Yes, agreed.

It's just as nearfeield as the 8341, calling it mid- or farfield is just wrong. So why make that claim?

 

[Mort]

Yes, agreed.
View attachment 452175
It's just as nearfeield as the 8341, calling it mid- or farfield is just wrong. So why make that claim?

So you are saying they all behave the same? That's nonsense too.

 

[dagfinn]

So you are saying they all behave the same? That's nonsense too.

Don't see me saying that. Are they not "as (good for) nearfield" as the 8341, you don't think? 1,2m, like OP descibes, isn't that close even.

 

[Mort]

No they are not. Even if that's the definition of nearfield, which it isn't.

 

[Frank Dernie]

So you are saying they all behave the same? That's nonsense too.

I am intrigued why this is a point of contention.
With their "the Ones" point source speakers the only real difference between the 83*1 models is surely only bass extension and maximum loudness.
I can see why there is a need to listen from further away with the big 12** series of non-coaxial main monitors - for the drive units to integrate but with a co-axial why?

The 8351 and 8361 have the same coaxial drive unit, crossover frequencies and mid and tweeter power so I can't imagine any way in which listening distance could need to differ (or the sound probably) since the bass -6dB point is only 2Hz lower with the 8361 unless the extra loudness is needed the likelihood of a genuine SQ difference is pretty well zero.

 

[Mort]

I own the 8361a, 8351b and 8331a. The spl differences are massive. No they are not all the same nearfield. I don't know why anyone would claim so.

And yes, I would take the 8361a for nearfield listening anyday over it's smaller siblings, especially the 8341a and 8331a.

This seems like a pedantic argument.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I own the 8361a, 8351b and 8331a. The spl differences are massive. No they are not all the same nearfield. I don't know why anyone would claim so.

Why do you think there could possibly be any difference between 8361 and 8351 nearfield within their SPL limits?
I am referring to physics here.

 

[Mort]

Why do you think there could possibly be any difference between 8361 and 8351 nearfield within their SPL limits?
I am referring to physics here.

You yourself said bass extension and spl. That makes them better nearfield.

 

[Frank Dernie]

You yourself said bass extension and spl. That makes them better nearfield.

I would remind you that my question was within SPL limits
The -6dB point of the 8361 is 30Hz, for the 8351 it is 32Hz...


My dilemma is how hideous they look, I'm afraid. The 8361 is by far and away the ugliest of "the Ones" because the driver looks like a tiny circle in the middle of a large featureless blob. The 8351 is still ugly but not as bad.

I had been considering getting one or the other for domestic rather than studio listening but...