Genelec 8030C Studio Monitor Review

[ICantHearYou]

I applied the same EQ to genelec 8020D because same crossover issue in room response founded on Genelec website spinorama, and it shows nicer mid-highs.

Hope you can measure and review the 8020D monitors, they are widely used as desktop setups or even in small rooms as principal monitors.

They aren’t as noticeable flat as 8030C but they sound really well and combined with a sub I hope they will cover nicely a wide frequency range

Why don't you send yours in for review?

 

[Miguelón]

Why don't you send yours in for review?

With pleasure! Unfortunately the sending costs from Spain to USA and back will be too high…

 

[Pearljam5000]

It's amazing that it's a 20 years old design

 

[Southernsounds]

A silly question:
I've seen a pair of 8030 CPMs for sale at a very good price. They look well maintained, used only in the studio. They're five years old. Are they too old? How long does this type of speaker stay in mint condition before it starts to age?

 

[restorer-john]

How long does this type of speaker stay in mint condition before it starts to age?

Until someone drops them, plays them flat out and poles the voice-coils or leaves them out in the rain.

 

[YSC]

A silly question:
I've seen a pair of 8030 CPMs for sale at a very good price. They look well maintained, used only in the studio. They're five years old. Are they too old? How long does this type of speaker stay in mint condition before it starts to age?

I have been using it as gaming+music speakers for almost 5 years I think, and nothing at all seems to age, they usually stands very well with time, but of course, since there's electronics inside, for the amp module one can always get extremely unlicky at times

 

[voodooless]

I've had 10+-year-old second-hand Genelics, they were still excellent, both visually and operationally.

 

[Tryphon]

With pleasure! Unfortunately the sending costs from Spain to USA and back will be too high…

Btw Amir reviewed the G Two which is a 8020 in white dress.

Edit : TimVG reviewed not Amir as seen by voodooless - sorry

 

[voodooless]

Btw Amir reviewed the G Two which is a 8020 in white dress

That honor went to @TimVG, not @amirm. BTW, also available in black and "raw"

 

[edechamps]

I've seen a pair of 8030 CPMs for sale at a very good price. They look well maintained, used only in the studio. They're five years old. Are they too old? How long does this type of speaker stay in mint condition before it starts to age?

Genelecs have a reputation for being extremely resilient and long-lived. I've been using my now 12-year old 8030As every day and they're still as good as new, including in actual FR and distortion measurements. This is also the reason why Genelecs tend to not get that much of a discount on the second hand market.

On the other hand my Genelec 7060A subwoofer which I bought around the same time did develop a fault after about 10 years of active service - the power supply transformer died. I had it repaired as that was still cheaper than buying a new one.

 

[Southernsounds]

Until someone drops them, plays them flat out and poles the voice-coils or leaves them out in the rain.

Haha... All these disasters leave very clear traces, which does not seem to be the case...

I've had 10+-year-old second-hand Genelics, they were still excellent, both visually and operationally.

Good first-hand information.

I have been using it as gaming+music speakers for almost 5 years I think, and nothing at all seems to age, they usually stands very well with time, but of course, since there's electronics inside, for the amp module one can always get extremely unlicky at times

Maybe someone will think of measuring with machines what happens over time with our favorite speakers, because in this component there are physical movements that imply, I suppose, a "run-in" period and wear, even if it is minimal. I think that the possible wear of the drivers is more worrying than that of the electronics. Surely this research has already been done but I do not know about it.
I have mediocre speakers that are more than 15 years old that sound exactly the same as the first day, BUT I cannot guarantee this 100%, because only a double-blind test with an identical speaker fresh from the factory would be enough to do that. Or, better, some measurements with machines.

 

[Southernsounds]

Genelecs have a reputation for being extremely resilient and long-lived. I've been using my now 12-year old 8030As every day and they're still as good as new, including in actual FR and distortion measurements. This is also the reason why Genelecs tend to not get that much of a discount on the second hand market.

On the other hand my Genelec 7060A subwoofer which I bought around the same time did develop a fault after about 10 years of active service - the power supply transformer died. I had it repaired as that was still cheaper than buying a new one.

I wrote the previous post before reading yours. So you have made some measurements that corroborate the endurance of these speakers. Ok. Another excellent first-hand information.

 

[ChrisG]

It's also worth noting that Genelec gives a 5-year warranty (product registration required), and makes some guarantees about parts availability after that. They do seem to stand by their products.

FWIW, I bought a pair of 8030C recently, and have been very impressed. The LF limiter does kick in hard, though, but that was playing dubstep with a 4m listening distance, and I wasn't being shy with the volume control.
Back off from the very-audible limiter by a couple of dB, though, and they're remarkably clean. I suspect that's Genelec's way of making sure people don't push them to the limits for extended periods.

Depending on your room and listening habits, these could be end-game for a lot of people. Particularly if you have a typical-for-the-UK-sized listening room.
Add a subwoofer if your musical taste demands it, but the 8030C sounds pretty "full-range" on its own.


Chris

 

[Southernsounds]

It's also worth noting that Genelec gives a 5-year warranty (product registration required), and makes some guarantees about parts availability after that. They do seem to stand by their products.

FWIW, I bought a pair of 8030C recently, and have been very impressed. The LF limiter does kick in hard, though, but that was playing dubstep with a 4m listening distance, and I wasn't being shy with the volume control.
Back off from the very-audible limiter by a couple of dB, though, and they're remarkably clean. I suspect that's Genelec's way of making sure people don't push them to the limits for extended periods.

Depending on your room and listening habits, these could be end-game for a lot of people. Particularly if you have a typical-for-the-UK-sized listening room.
Add a subwoofer if your musical taste demands it, but the 8030C sounds pretty "full-range" on its own.


Chris

I'm already looking for a subwoofer to match the pair. I can't afford a new Genelec 7050, so I'm exploring the possibility of a JBL LSR 310 S, a Yamaha HS 8S or an RCF Ayra Pro10.

 

[staticV3]

I'm already looking for a subwoofer to match the pair. I can't afford a new Genelec 7050, so I'm exploring the possibility of a JBL LSR 310 S, a Yamaha HS 8S or an RCF Ayra Pro10.

Consider the Kali WS-6.2. Way better than the HS8S: https://youtu.be/QdblDuX1JDg

 

[Southernsounds]

Consider the Kali WS-6.2. Way better than the HS8S: https://youtu.be/QdblDuX1JDg

Thank you very much for the advice. This channel is very good, I have downloaded its database.
I have been doing some more research and I narrowed my search down to these three:
Kali Audio WS-6.2 (579€)
JBL LSR 310 S (498€)
KRK S10G4 (395€)

 

[Miguelón]

Btw Amir reviewed the G Two which is a 8020 in white dress.

Edit : TimVG reviewed not Amir as seen by voodooless - sorry

I haven’t seen it. I agree with one of the comments that see a V shape in the frequency response, it sounds a little bit ‘punchier’ than 8030C.

I tried to force it slightly to flatter the response with the WiiM EQ but whatever I do took out some low end, giving a little boxy sound character.

Is an excellent monitor to desktop and surely with a subwoofer will only lack a little bit of warmth and some spikes on the mid-highs.

Is just that 8030C is so, so trustable than only in case of a total need for space it worths going to the 8020D

Once correcting a couple of modes, I never get tired listening my G Three, and I just have one… the other has an issue with the LED (I can’t turn it off) and is on replacement.

 

[Pancreas]

Is their finally a consensus on what the best subwoofer is for 8030c?

I had these speakers for less than 2 years. I'm so used to them, I don't see myself using something else except an upgrade like 8331

but that 5k price is too crazy for me

 

[Miguelón]

Is their finally a consensus on what the best subwoofer is for 8030c?

I had these speakers for less than 2 years. I'm so used to them, I don't see myself using something else except an upgrade like 8331

but that 5k price is too crazy for me

I don’t think 8331 to be exactly an upgrade, they have better directivity but don’t change so much from 8030C.

To me the little 7050 would be enough, supposing (without experience) that will be better integrated

 

[Pancreas]

I don’t think 8331 to be exactly an upgrade, they have better directivity but don’t change so much from 8030C.

To me the little 7050 would be enough, supposing (without experience) that will be better integrated

I'm still looking for a subwoofer I can turn off with my audio interface software basically instead of connecting my speakers to subwoofers

connect subwoofer directly to audio interface instead