Genelec 8030C Studio Monitor Review

[Elder]

I was looking for a near field active speaker for my desk and was considering this.

But after going through 65 pages reading about hiss, I think I had enough.

The hissing is clearly the result of the electronics inside the speakers. For $1,400, I don't get it. Even Infineon class D IC chips have a low SNR with no audible hiss and they are cheap. There should be no excuses for hissing in today's electronics. And this is supposed to be some of the best speakers for content creators? Unacceptable.

I'm concerned about my hearing after reading this!

I am sitting 1m away from my 8030C with tweeters at ear height in a fairly heavily treated room, and I'm not hearing hiss. The speakers input sensitivity are turned right down.

Anybody else not hearing the hiss? Been probably 5 years since my last hearing test, might be time to book in.

 

[changer]

No, I think your hearing is alright. Some people do not read the manual and fail to engage the gain switch at the back of the speaker, that's all.

 

[Elder]

No, I think your hearing is alright. Some people do not read the manual and fail to engage the gain switch at the back of the speaker, that's all.

That's honestly a relief. Last test I went in for a test I could hear up extremely high, but I always wondered afterwards if I was just sensing the distortion/harmonics playing from their headphones as the frequencies started getting ultra high, allowing me to hit the button at the correct time when the tones played.

I can hear a very (very!) soft white noise if I tilt my ear directly at the tweeter and move about 0.5 metres away from it. This is only at the dead of night though with my PC fans set to not spin up. Even if it is due to my hearing starting to roll off, I guess I should just be happy that such things won't bother me.

 

[CleanSound]

This is not remotely correct.


Perhaps because they are not digital in the first place?

Really? What is an active crossover? How does it work?

 

[CleanSound]

No, I think your hearing is alright. Some people do not read the manual and fail to engage the gain switch at the back of the speaker, that's all.

Not true, I read up to page 65 and people have adjusted the gain with no success.

I just ordered the Neumann because of the reported hissing issue.

 

[MOONnSUN]

What about hiss noise on the 8030C, is it loud?

I'm wondering which has the highest hiss noise, in order, Neumann kh80, Neumann kh120, Genelec 8030C, and Genelec 8320A.

 

[Elder]

Not true, I read up to page 65 and people have adjusted the gain with no success.

I just ordered the Neumann because of the reported hissing issue

Not trying to discount anyone else's experience, as we all have different hearing and listening environments. But I do wonder if at least some of these people were accidently increasing the gain rather than lowering it.

The Genelecs gain actually lowers as you set the gain to a higher figure, since Genelec is displaying how much gain is needed to reach full output rather than how many dB of gain is being applied. I was confused by this for a moment when initially setting the speakers up.

Either way, the Neumann are fantastic speakers and I'm sure you will enjoy.

 

[unpluggged]

Really? What is an active crossover? How does it work?

By the very definition, using active components instead of passive.

 

[CleanSound]

By the very definition, using active components instead of passive.

And what exactly are these active components? Can you please list them out?

 

[unpluggged]

And what exactly are these active components? Can you please list them out?

Here is a good example: https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/tidu035/tidu035.pdf

 

[CleanSound]

Here is a good example: https://www.ti.com/lit/ug/tidu035/tidu035.pdf

This is specifically an analogy active crossover. Sometimes, a DSP is referred to a digital active crossover. Are there documentations that states that the 8030C's active crossover is analog?

 

[Rednaxela]

This is specifically an analogy active crossover. Sometimes, a DSP is referred to a digital active crossover. Are there documentations that states that the 8030C's active crossover is analog?

We have this.

 

[bodhi]

I'm concerned about my hearing after reading this!

I am sitting 1m away from my 8030C with tweeters at ear height in a fairly heavily treated room, and I'm not hearing hiss. The speakers input sensitivity are turned right down.

Anybody else not hearing the hiss? Been probably 5 years since my last hearing test, might be time to book in.

It's the internet, people have all kinds of problems with all kinds of products. Vast majority is because of user error and imagination, some from faulty units. Certainly there are some with extraordinary hearing sensitivity. If you look at the hiss issue you see that majority of messages are something like "I saw somebody complain about hiss, I don't like hiss."

 

[HarmonicTHD]

It's the internet, people have all kinds of problems with all kinds of products. Vast majority is because of user error and imagination, some from faulty units. Certainly there are some with extraordinary hearing sensitivity. If you look at the hiss issue you see that majority of messages are something like "I saw somebody complain about hiss, I don't like hiss."

You are right. Only facts count:

Genelec ca 25dB hiss
Neumann ca 19dB

Source

Hiss List (S&R)

Lots of discussion about hiss lately, how perceptible or annoying it is, and if it matters. I've created a sheet with Sound & Recording measurements of hiss in active loudspeakers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n62hGAdKptSSKC74_fIT_R7DxFJ60YR2_O9C8x-vYQI/edit?usp=sharing Viewers can...

www.audiosciencereview.com

What is bothersome only each individual can decide.

 

[bodhi]

You are right. Only facts count:

Genelec ca 25dB hiss
Neumann ca 19dB

Source

Hiss List (S&R)

Lots of discussion about hiss lately, how perceptible or annoying it is, and if it matters. I've created a sheet with Sound & Recording measurements of hiss in active loudspeakers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n62hGAdKptSSKC74_fIT_R7DxFJ60YR2_O9C8x-vYQI/edit?usp=sharing Viewers can...

www.audiosciencereview.com

What is bothersome only each individual can decide.

I'm mostly wondering how relevant hiss is when the noise floor in the listening position for most desktop setups is way, way higher.

That's why I suggest taking these reports with a grain of salt. Vast majority is not bothered at all.

 

[unpluggged]

the noise floor in the listening position for most desktop setups is way, way higher.

It's not.

 

[bodhi]

It's not.

Are we now talking about some treated studio or a room in a home?

Well, anyways, anyone interested can turn their setup on and find out. Get the noise floor, compare to hiss and make conclusion.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Are we now talking about some treated studio or a room in a home?

Well, anyways, anyone interested can turn their setup on and find out. Get the noise floor, compare to hiss and make conclusion.

But facts please whatever way they point. No anecdotes.

As I said before. What is bothersome is quite individual obviously

 

[bodhi]

But facts please whatever way they point. No anecdotes.

As I said before. What is bothersome is quite individual obviously

Anecdotes like "I find hiss in speaker X bothersome"?

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Anecdotes like "I find hiss in speaker X bothersome"?

And like “I don’t.”

Provide some facts if you want to add some value to the discussion. Get on google and see what you find. That’s what I did with the link above.

Seems like only the fact’s convenient to you are the correct ones.