Genelec 8030C Studio Monitor Review

[Killingbeans]

Well the vivid for some reason looks ridiculous to me..

It does look like some sort of blob creature. I'm not super keen on the design either.

 

[YSC]

It does look like some sort of blob creature. I'm not super keen on the design either.

yea.. the Giya G1 and 2 looked amazing, while this... er..

 

[voodooless]

It does look like some sort of blob creature. I'm not super keen on the design either.

That's what I said:

.. if speakers were built by Barbapapa

 

[Killingbeans]

@voodooless I think I misread it as PaRappa the Rapper

yea.. the Giya G1 and 2 looked amazing, while this... er..

The Giya aren't really my thing either. I get weird associations to a mix of Diva Plavalaguna and Day of the Tentacle.

 

[pehu63]

Well that was kinda the point of my quoted section. For the 8030C the "down low" spec is actually "Long term max SPL ≥96 dB".

We can check if this spec makes sense by looking at the 8331A. The "long term" spec for the 8331A is 99dB. If we look at that S&R THD test and average the values from 50-100hz we get 96.17dB for 50-100hz. That makes sense. The S&R test is a bit more stringent, because it sets a max of 10% THD and is anechoic. Spec is in half space and goes up to the limiter, which no doubt allows higher SPLs than 10% THD for low bass.

So the Genelec specs are a good real world estimate. You can expect 1 8030C to max out at ~96dB @ 1m in half space for tracks with a good amount of bass, and you'll only get close to 104dB with a sub or with a track that has very little bass.

In have a set of 8030C in a 35m2 living room. In my experience, max sound pressure is sufficient. Personally, I don't like to play louder than 90db (says SPL meter on my phone and tablet). I tend to max out around 85db, and that is quite loud, with some headroom. The 8030 does that just fine. Please note that in my situation, the "room modes" add some DB's to the lower bass where the 8030's output is limited. Room modes are corrected with a DSP, using REW and umik-1.

To me, only improvement could be, deeper bass. Below 50hz, the 8030 drops off. Should I win a lottery, I guess there will 8340's.

With respect to the looks, I very much like the looks of the 8030 model, directly mounted on a thin mike stand, without isopod. The sound quality, the bass compared to the size, these 8030's look like miracles to me.

 

[YSC]

In have a set of 8030C in a 35m2 living room. In my experience, max sound pressure is sufficient. Personally, I don't like to play louder than 90db (says SPL meter on my phone and tablet). I tend to max out around 85db, and that is quite loud, with some headroom. The 8030 does that just fine. Please note that in my situation, the "room modes" add some DB's to the lower bass where the 8030's output is limited. Room modes are corrected with a DSP, using REW and umik-1.

To me, only improvement could be, deeper bass. Below 50hz, the 8030 drops off. Should I win a lottery, I guess there will 8340's.

With respect to the looks, I very much like the looks of the 8030 model, directly mounted on a thin mike stand, without isopod. The sound quality, the bass compared to the size, these 8030's look like miracles to me.

Just wondering. If won lottery even if not with w371 why not going 8341/51 with a 7350/60? That would be my end game setup in dream

 

[Pearljam5000]

Just wondering. If won lottery even if not with w371 why not going 8341/51 with a 7350/60? That would be my end game setup in dream

Lol
I was wondering the same thing

 

[pehu63]

Just wondering. If won lottery even if not with w371 why not going 8341/51 with a 7350/60? That would be my end game setup in dream

A looong time ago I saw a presentation from a former chief architect from Intel. Some funny comments about the Pentium 4 power consumption aside ("you can't compete with charcoal"), he said about Nvidia's business outlook in gaming:

• "At some point, your eyes don't get any better", implying ... not good.

I guess he did not consider bitcoin mining and ML back then....

So, why not the 8341/51 with w371? Well, at some point, your ears do not get any better ;-) Also, the living room does not get bigger, unless of course, the lottery also caters for that. Other thing about 8341/51, the looks are less compatible with my living room.

 

[YSC]

A looong time ago I saw a presentation from a former chief architect from Intel. Some funny comments about the Pentium 4 power consumption aside ("you can't compete with charcoal"), he said about Nvidia's business outlook in gaming:

• "At some point, your eyes don't get any better", implying ... not good.

I guess he did not consider bitcoin mining and ML back then....

So, why not the 8341/51 with w371? Well, at some point, your ears do not get any better ;-) Also, the living room does not get bigger, unless of course, the lottery also caters for that. Other thing about 8341/51, the looks are less compatible with my living room.

Somehow I always feel the ones looks better in living room, of course not to the bank, or if you have any kids or cats who will poke around your exposed drivers.

I agree it won’t get any better beyond certain point, but a GLM calibrated sub with a coaxial did feels better for me. You have almost a one click solution except for the single room mode.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I'm still wondering how much is the Ones series better than the 8000 series considering the huge price difference

 

[YSC]

I'm still wondering how much is the Ones series better than the 8000 series considering the huge price difference View attachment 182754View attachment 182755

I think the 8330 vs 8331 would show the price difference for coaxial 3way and 2way more appropiately, the difference between 8330 and 8030 is what you buy for GLM, I'd say if you prefer using UMIK and REW to DIY with 3rd party sw EQ you better off save up a lot of money going 7050/7040+8030

 

[pehu63]

Surely interesting to know/experience the improvement with the coax models. My small investment in the 8030's brings daily joy, money spent very well. If the more expensive models bring more joy, surely a thing to consider. Renting the coax's for a few weeks could be worthwhile.

I read some stuff about measurements and corrections. Saw video's from HK research, Floyd, Toole. When I understand everything about this, i guess I start my own company, it's beyond magic for me. For now, I trusted the words from Toole, take a well behaved speaker, and only correct below 300Hz. "You also hear with your eyes". Also used advice from forum member tangband, with some explanation on room modes.

I wonder how big the improvement is going to either GLM or Dirac. Both bring in costs, not something I regularly do as "Friday afternoon experiment". IIRC, the minidsp dirac live can be had for about 500 euro.

 

[TurtlePaul]

I wonder how big the improvement is going to either GLM or Dirac. Both bring in costs, not something I regularly do as "Friday afternoon experiment". IIRC, the minidsp dirac live can be had for about 500 euro.

It isnt GLM or DIRAC, but an $100 UMIK-1 and free REW download gets you 80% of the way to try out room correction. I think that is pretty close to weekend experimentation territory (understanding budgets may differ). Perfect with the 8030c as long as you use a PC as a source or can hook up a PC/laptop for the duration of the experiment.

 

[pehu63]

It isnt GLM or DIRAC, but an $100 UMIK-1 and free REW download gets you 80% of the way to try out room correction. I think that is pretty close to weekend experimentation territory (understanding budgets may differ). Perfect with the 8030c as long as you use a PC as a source or can hook up a PC/laptop for the duration of the experiment.

That is exactly what I am using currently. Bought a 10 meter USB cable to connect to my Arylic v3 pro streamer. This provides for audio over USB, as well as DSP configuration over USB. So, running REW from a notebook with UMIK-1, and correcting directly with the "ACP tool" from Arylic (20 dollars). Fun part of the ACP tool is that is allows changing corrections, while playing music. Direct feedback, Real Fun!! Given the complexity, I do expect improvement from either GLM or Dirac, compared to my bare bones toolset.

REW is free, so the only investment was the UMIK-1, and the ACP tool. I used the same set up for correcting the 2.1 systems I built for my daughters. For those, I used an Arylic 2.1 streamer/amplifier board, with a Dayton DCS-205 in a vented enclosure of 20 liters, F3 about 37Hz. REW measurements indicate great response from 30Hz. Deep and very powerful bass, even with only 50 watt. For one set, I used Argon satellites, the other with my old Harman HKTS-60. I like the sound from the HKTS60 more than the Argon, but they are no match for the 8030. However, the DCS-205 punches bass that is out of reach for the 8030. It is a real pleasure to hear the daughters brag about the sound to their friends.

Notes:

• I do not own stock or shares in either Arylic, Dayton or Genelec, or have any other interest in these companies. Just customer.
• I use the PCM5102a DAC, connected to the associated IIS connector of the arylic board. Requires some soldering. Possibly, I am turning deaf, I do not notice a big difference in sound quality, compared to the low-end dac in the Arylic board ;-) Well, testing is not easy, due to the different output levels.

 

[Zeeb]

Subwoofer crossover newbie question...

If it's at all helpful, the early roll off switch on the 8030 gives a 12dB/oct LR slope centered at 85Hz. You only need to find a sub with a 12dB/oct lowpass filter; there's no need to look for one that offers a highpass because the speakers can do it.

In the graph below, is this Genelec 8030 'Bass Roll-Off' setting (bottom green line) close enough to an 85Hz LR (or LR2?) high-pass at 12dB/octave?

It looks about -3dB at 85Hz. Wouldn't it be -6dB at 85Hz for an LR 12dB?

+

The subwoofer I will probably get (SVS SB-1000 Pro) has low-pass slope adjustment (6dB, 12dB, 18dB, 24dB) as well as PEQ.

I will try using this Genelec Bass Roll-Off DIP switch for the 85Hz (?) high pass. On the SVS subwoofer, can anyone suggest what crossover low-pass settings should theoretically level this high-pass?

 

[YSC]

Subwoofer crossover newbie question...



In the graph below, is this Genelec 8030 'Bass Roll-Off' setting (bottom green line) close enough to an 85Hz LR (or LR2?) high-pass at 12dB/octave?

It looks about -3dB at 85Hz. Wouldn't it be -6dB at 85Hz for an LR 12dB?
View attachment 183238

+

The subwoofer I will probably get (SVS SB-1000 Pro) has low-pass slope adjustment (6dB, 12dB, 18dB, 24dB) as well as PEQ.

I will try using this Genelec Bass Roll-Off DIP switch for the 85Hz (?) high pass. On the SVS subwoofer, can anyone suggest what crossover low-pass settings should theoretically level this high-pass?

No expert but my own use pairing with the 7040A I am engaging both the -4dB bass tilt which counters the boundary gain and the bass roll off to make it work best without ~100-200hz hump

 

[Zeeb]

No expert but my own use pairing with the 7040A I am engaging both the -4dB bass tilt which counters the boundary gain and the bass roll off to make it work best without ~100-200hz hump

I'm a bit surprised you need those two 8030 switches in addition to the default high-pass filter of the 7040. I would have guessed the 3 together would have taken it down too much between 50 - 200Hz. I am learning (will be my first sub). I'll get a mic and REW at some point but I don't want to get an external crossover if possible.

I considered the 7040 but I'm hoping I can get extra value and extension from the SVS SB-1000 Pro by sacrificing balanced i/o and the Genelec-Genelec integration.

 

[YSC]

I'm a bit surprised you need those two 8030 switches in addition to the default high-pass filter of the 7040. I would have guessed the 3 together would have taken it down too much between 50 - 200Hz. I am learning (will be my first sub). I'll get a mic and REW at some point but I don't want to get an external crossover if possible.

I considered the 7040 but I'm hoping I can get extra value and extension from the SVS SB-1000 Pro by sacrificing balanced i/o and the Genelec-Genelec integration.

Same here before I got the umik

 

[Zeeb]

The 8030 manual says, "Bass Roll-Off control: –4 dB step @ 55 Hz"

That doesn't seem to match the graph either. Maybe they chose that because it adds up with the woofer's natural roll-off to something like a standard high-pass slope that can be matched with subwoofers.

 

[YSC]

The 8030 manual says, "Bass Roll-Off control: –4 dB step @ 55 Hz"

That doesn't seem to match the graph either, unless it means -4dB from the -3dB tolerance point (-7dB total at 55Hz) or something.

Maybe they chose that because it adds up with the woofer's natural roll-off to something like a standard high-pass slope that can be matched with subwoofers.

not sure, but with the UMIK1 I can optimize as which is best without EQ, which works fine for me