Genelec 8030C Studio Monitor Review

[Pancreas]

Yeah, they’re two unrelated activities that don’t really cross over. Why is it you feel the need for more speakers?

to enjoy music better? enjoy movies and video games? but even if i were to get surround, the video games wouldn't be surround probably

I'll probably just stick the 2 I have lol unless I buy an AV receive and other speakers to dedicate it for TV

but thats one thing i noticed all the people who have Genellec surround or any surround system for that matter, do not play instruments or guitars where an audio interface is more ideal

but even if is not truly surround, shouldn't more speakers enhance the experience?

like if I buy another speakers and put in the middle and connected to my interface, may not be surround, but it would enhance the sound more

other options is to stop using my speakers for guitar, thus wont need an audio interface and use something else for guitar

what if you connected speakers to AV receiver, and then an audio interface to the receiver, would that even work?

 

[Snoopy]

Get wireless headphones for gaming and movie's.

Do a TV system with a AV receiver and a studio system for your guitar stuff.

 

[Pancreas]

Get wireless headphones for gaming and movie's.

Do a TV system with a AV receiver and a studio system for your guitar stuff.

Most of what I do is on the desk, computer, guitar, Genelec monitors, gaming, etc

I watch TV like 10% of the time and that's to watch my favorite shows or older shows I like to rewatch like the X files and I don't feel like sitting. I could watch them on my computer as all these streaming apps can be used on the computer as well, but I watch it on the TV so I can lie down as my TV is on the wall.

I don't even have my cable box connected to it, though is included with my maintenance fee. I literally just use my TV to watch X files and other nostalgic shows, whenever I watch lie down and give my back a rest from sitting.

For guitar, there are 2 paths for a bedroom player

A conventional guitar amp, there are 2 types, solid state, and valves. The valve is what the pros use, more expensive, but extremely loud. You will NOT get good tones at low volumes, they need to be driven hard. Even the solid-state amps are very loud as well. I had a 15w guitar combo amp and that thing was so loud, anything more than volume 2 was loud and crappy tone at that.

You have guitar amp modelers, they model the real amps, is like a simulation, you can get decent tone at low volume, but most of the physical ones, do not come with a speaker cabinet. The ones that do suck.

For a bedroom player, the best option is a studio monitor and either a physical guitar modeler or a software DSP modeler.

Right now, I use something called Neural DSP, is a software amp modeler. It works and has a decent tone, but I'm bound to the computer, the computer always has to be on.

Ideally, and eventually, I will buy a physical amp modeler, such as Axe FX or FM3, and put it on my desk.

I went the studio monitor route because you get good tone at very low volumes, the only downside of it is that it doesn't move air like a guitar cabinet would

I could do both options. Purchase a physical amp modeler and a powered cabinet for it and play guitar that way. Then, use my speakers with an AV receiver for everything else. I wouldn't need an audio interface anymore, but of course, that path is more expensive, I would need good powered cabinet and the good ones cost at least $1000, then I would need to buy an AV receiver, and the money I spent on my audio interface, i wont need it anymore

From a financial perspective, it made more sense to buy quality speakers, so I can use them for everything including guitar thanks to the DSP guitar software

If I had gone the guitar cabinet route, I would've needed a powered guitar cabinet and a physical amp modeler, and I would still have a ****** soundbar for my PC which is I had before the Genelec lol

 

[Nirk]

Hi, really nice forum / website...

I am thinking of getting some 8030 or 8020, the only positions I have for them would be about 1.5m for the right speaker and about 2.3m for the left speaker, as they do not have volume control, would it be possible to set the volume of the speakers with the input sensitivity dial? For example set the right speaker at +6db and the left speaker at +3db, would this effectively be like using a volume dial? I know I could do it through software but it would be nice to be able to have the volume set up permanently through the speakers. Thanks.

 

[Leonm771]

I have a question about the sensitivity setting.
As I know, -6 dB is the loudest , should I change it to 0 dB / +6 dB? Will it affect the sound quality?

I checked the website,

Frequency Response​

54 Hz - 20 kHz (± 2 dB)

Low cutoff -6dB
47 Hz

High cutoff -6dB
25 kHz

I am confused with that.

I guess this is related to the sensitivity (-6 ..to .. +6) , right?

 

[Killingbeans]

Will it affect the sound quality?

Depending on the output voltage and SNR of your source, it might lower any hiss you're hearing.

I am confused with that.

I guess this is related to the sensitivity (-6 ..to .. +6) , right?

Nope. Unrelated.

It's just the points on the frequency response where the output has dropped 6dB.

 

[Killingbeans]

the only positions I have for them would be about 1.5m for the right speaker and about 2.3m for the left speaker

I'd try to find a creative way to get a more symmetrical placement. The situation you're descibing is asking for all kinds of trouble.

 

[Leonm771]

Depending on the output voltage and SNR of your source, it might lower any hiss you're hearing.



Nope. Unrelated.

It's just the points on the frequency response where the output has dropped 6dB.

thanks, modern hardware got really good SNR , i guess there is only slightly differences. Actually I have tried to adjust the sens , it seems more like lower volume to me, cant hear any differences.

 

[Nirk]

So can you use that as an effective volume dial? If the speakers are not equal distance? For example closer speaker at +6 and further speaker at +3 ?

 

[staticV3]

So can you use that as an effective volume dial? If the speakers are not equal distance? For example closer speaker at +6 and further speaker at +3 ?

Yes. You can use the dial on the back of the 8030C as a volume dial.

 

[Killingbeans]

So can you use that as an effective volume dial? If the speakers are not equal distance? For example closer speaker at +6 and further speaker at +3 ?

Sure, but the only thing you'll be "fixing" is the amplitude of the on axis sound. You'll still have a time delay from one speaker, and the off axis radiation will be a mess.

You'll also put more strain on both the amps and the drivers of the loudest speaker.

I really can't imagine that you only have one option for placement. With speakers of this quality, I wouldn't want make that particular compromise.

 

[EAXAE]

Well, mine Genelecs appeared to be not as indestructible as I thought.

My cats have pushed one of them from my desktop (twice, actually). At first I was surprised — no visual damage whatsoever. Then, after some time, I've discovered that there are some mechanical distortions in this monitor when playing loud bass heavy content. And here we are — the disassembly showed that the woofer basket is cracked in its lower part and it isn't fixed properly anymore (steel clamps, that are not in the photos, are supposed to fix the detached part of the basket in place).

Wondering, how much a new woofer will cost me.

 

[YSC]

Well, mine Genelecs appeared to be not as indestructible as I thought.

My cats have pushed one of them from my desktop (twice, actually). At first I was surprised — no visual damage whatsoever. Then, after some time, I've discovered that there are some mechanical distortions in this monitor when playing loud bass heavy content. And here we are — the disassembly showed that the woofer basket is cracked in its lower part and it isn't fixed properly anymore (steel clamps, that are not in the photos, are supposed to fix the detached part of the basket in place).

Wondering, how much a new woofer will cost me.

you need more secure monitors with stands I am not sure if my cat do this he won't turn into a mummy.... maybe get a set of desk stand and glue it to your desk? Ipersonally would just email genelec about the cost, or send them back, you would probably want them to do some factory calibration to make the FR on target also.

 

[EAXAE]

you need more secure monitors with stands

Couldn't agree more! S360 at 30 kg per piece would do, I guess

 

[YSC]

Couldn't agree more! S360 at 30 kg per piece would do, I guess

defnitely no, cause the cat will use the 10" woofer to sharpen it's claws, having a metal grille is a must for cat owners but desk stand with clamp/glue would be a good start

 

[Killingbeans]

Maybe some of this :

Amazon.com

 

[auricom]

I have one 8030C here, very good. Haven't found other one as cheap yet.
But now I got 8050B pair surprisingly "cheap" from a store.
It's coming to me. I can take it, or ignore it.
I have been against something so large, and wanted to get subwoofers, but ofc it could be difficult to integrate 2 (3rd party) subs with the Genelecs and 3rd party room correction in the future. Room correction should be easier with just 8050B's and no subs. I plan not to get subs for them.
In this site 8030C (with subs) gets much better scores. Elsewhere (less good reviews) I have seen people saying 8050B (or A) beats smaller Genelec's even with subwoofers. Of course it depends of the room and listening distance too. Not easy. KH 150 pair is also not that much more, 700€ more cheapest I have seen. But it's still quite a lot with MA1 and everything else needed (you also need phantom power supply, and special devices if digital input is used, that I don't have etc.). It's better and newer, even goes as low. 8050B is still bigger, so there could be some benefits.

 

[auricom]

Think I will stick to my (singular) 8030C. Who needs stereo anyways?
Because 8050B (and 8040B) are indeed outdated now. They have worse amps etc. In that price cat, it would be also better to have real built-in room correction, but that would mean 8350A (to avoid expensive SAM subs), and that will be around same as Neumann KH 310, which is better, despite not having room correction.
So the plan of 2 X 8030C + 2 cheaper 20hz subs + maybe room correction in the future wins once again. It should also be 200-500€ less than 2 X 8050B.

Unless someone has compared both and still thinks 8050 is worth it? If it was hypothetical improved 8050C (B only added auto standby function btw, which is useless imo in 8030C too, because it shuts down only after 1 hour) I probably would have come to other conclusion. 8050B is essentially same speaker as 2005 8050A. Based on one finnish review, 8050B beats G3 (8030) even with F2 sub. That increased my interest at first. Despite not going as low, even bass is better. But that was the older A/B amp G3 A (8030A/B). Maybe you can translate if interested. https://audiovideo.fi/testi/genelec-8050b-ja-8250a-aktiivikaiuttimet-testissa/

 

[bodhi]

Think I will stick to my (singular) 8030C. Who needs stereo anyways?
Because 8050B (and 8040B) are indeed outdated now. They have worse amps etc.

Is there something wrong with the amps? Didn't think so.

despite not having room correction.

That would be "probably no" in any normal room.

Unless someone has compared both and still thinks 8050 is worth it?

I have compared 8330 and 8350 (have the latter currently) but the main difference is the same: they 8x5x models are in a different class of speakers than 8x3x. Small speaker vs large speaker. As the reviewer says, they are generally noticeably better in every single way you can think of.

Are they worth it? Nobody can say but you, depends how much you value your money.

In my opinion if you go Genelec you go all the way with SAM speakers, SAM subs and GLM. Yeah, it's expensive and not for the value conscious, but not many things are in hifi.

If you are counting cents then why not get something like LP-6 V2, those couple cheap subs and miniDSP or used AVR with room correction?

 

[Elder]

Just picked up a pair of these last night and spent almost 5 hours straight glued to my desk mesmerised, such a good speaker for the money. I really like how the sound so smooth and refined even when fed with source material that can easily get fatiguing on my horn loaded living room setup.

Only one negative for me personally, which I was fully prepared for. I listen to a lot of electronic music much of its energy down really low (20Hz-40Hz) and the 8030C hits the limits real fast in the bass department, as mentioned by Amir. The lows are nicely defined otherwise at lower levels, but if you are anything like me these 100% need to be paired with subwoofers.

All up, super happy camper. Personally I was saving for a pair of Neumann KH120ii/150, but don't feel bad about this "compromise" at all.