Genelec 8030C too hissy - what to get instead - KH80, 120? Paired with Presonus sub8.

[HarmonicTHD]

Happy with your choice?

Very at that distance (ca 90cm) for my office. I have the KH750 too, but for a very small room and unless one listens very loud and or loves bass one can even do without a KH750. (Certainly, standalone 120 and 150 have a bit more extension and distort less at 86dB SPL at low frequencies).

Edit. Definitely get MA1 in either case.

 

[computer-audiophile]

The way I set my JBL 305pII up on my end, with the level control at 5, I don't hear any noise at 1-2m distance. The Neumann KH120a I had before with its classic analogue amplifiers had a better signal to noise ratio as a plus. But I like the fuller sound of the JBL better, apart from the fact that they cost much less and consume little power. I know various Genelec monitors only from studios, privately at home where it is extremely quiet, I had not yet tried a Genelec Monitor.

 

[Curvature]

There are no such "versions". There is AX series (also the older A series and the current A series), and "V" in model numbers indicates vertical orientation (alongside "H" for horizontal), like T7V, A7V, S2V or A77H, A8H, S3H, and it does not represent any particular model range of monitors.

That's a little pedantic.

A7, A7X, A7V are versions of the same model in the product line.

 

[WalkingInTheRain]

They are more than good enough for their purpose, and considering their price pretty spectacular . If there's anything that is better at that size, I am all ears (I have looked around). I do have a main system for music listening. And when I work listening to music I use headphones (Beyerdynamic DT1990pro + JDS Labs Element 3, sometimes Shure SRH1540).

But the main relevant point for this topic is that the A2 have zero hiss (but that also always depends on what drives a speaker in general - if the source is noisy, hey, the speaker's job is to expose it).

Thank you for the reply. To be honest, when not listening on my 8030Cs, I use a cheapo pair of Mackie CRX-3 (with 0 hiss) that are around $100. If you stuff enough socks in the rear port, they are much better than the AudioEngine A2s. The Mackies are 3" so a little bit larger, but not significantly. There is a review on ASR for those and keep in mind they are $100, I believe they are much better than the twice as expensive AudioEngine A2s. I still use the AudioEngine D1 DAC that's close to 10 years old and going strong!

 

[sarumbear]

A speaker at close range, in line with a tweeter in a very quiet room will make some noise on any amplifier even if you go passive/separates. Those that think/say otherwise are likely partially deaf.

According to @amirm’s test of a bridged AHB2 that I use, the noise is -120dB below 5W, which translates to 5 picoWatt.

Power = 10^((dB_noise - dB_reference)/10) * Power_reference
Power = 10^((-120 - 0)/10) * 5W
Power = 10^-120 * 5W
Power = 5E-12 W

As expected I cannot hear anything on the tweeters of my Salon2 that is fed with a bridged AHB2.

Am I partially deaf?

 

[WalkingInTheRain]

I guess I wouldn’t consider Genelec 8030C’s “wannabe professional monitors”, but I’m just a “wannabe music producer”, so what do I know?

The 8030C is a gateway monitor. If you buy it, you will want a pair of 8351Bs or 8361As. Just say no!

 

[WalkingInTheRain]

According to @amirm’s test of a bridged AHB2 that I use, the noise is -120dB below 5W, which translates to 5 picoWatt.

Power = 10^((dB_noise - dB_reference)/10) * Power_reference
Power = 10^((-120 - 0)/10) * 5W
Power = 10^-120 * 5W
Power = 5E-12 W

As expected I cannot hear anything on the tweeters of my Salon2 that is fed with a bridged AHB2.

Am I partially deaf?

What frequency is "hiss" output by monitors? I describe it as the hiss from a bad electrolytic capacitor but unsure of the frequency. There are frequency test videos on youtube with varying frequencies they may help you determine your level of "deafness."

 

[sarumbear]

What frequency is "hiss" output by monitors? I describe it as the hiss from a bad electrolytic capacitor but unsure of the frequency. There are frequency test videos on youtube with varying frequencies they may help you determine your level of "deafness."

If you don’t know what is hiss, I am afraid you will not be able to determine my “deafness.”

 

[3125b]

Got a cheap and cheerful Presonus Sub8

More like cheap and noisy - probably.
Try the monitors without using the sub. Still bothersome?
Genelecs aren't usually the quietest active monitors around, Neumann are much better.
Otherwise you might want to go for passive speakers with a desktop amplifier (with sub out). There the tweeter sensitivity is lowered by the crossover, making a mediocre amp sufficient for inaudible noise. My desktop setup is a pair of KEF R5 and a Dynaudio 9S connected to a SMSL DA-9 and RME ADI-2 Pro. Noise is ever so faintly audible only at about 5cm from the tweeter, no issue at all.
The Focal Alpha Evo might also be an option, they aren't perfect speakers, but they are remarkably quiet - without the sub corossover messing everything up, that is.

 

[WalkingInTheRain]

If you don’t know what is hiss, I am afraid you will not be able to determine my “deafness.”

In my next sentence I did just describe how I interpret the sound!

 

[unpluggged]

A7, A7X, A7V are versions of the same model in the product line.

I think "generations" would be a better term in this specific case. Besides, I meant in my comment that it's incorrect to refer to different speakers that come from different series as mere "versions". A7X, T7V and S2V, for instance, are different enough not to be considered versions of each other. And letters V and H do not indicate versions or generations, but physical orientation of the speaker in question. The letter X in the AX series does not carry its own meaning, being part of the series designation itself.

 

[staticV3]

According to @amirm’s test of a bridged AHB2 that I use, the noise is -120dB below 5W, which translates to 5 picoWatt.

The graph that you're referring to shows THD, not noise:

As expected I cannot hear anything on the tweeters of my Salon2 that is fed with a bridged AHB2.

Am I partially deaf?

A bridged AHB2 in Low gain has 9.8µVrms of A-wt noise (20-20k BW).
The Salon2 has a sensitivity of 86.4dB SPL/2.83Vrms.
->With 9.8µVrms(A) of noise at the terminals, the Salon2 will output -22.8dB SPL(A) of noise.
-->Your inability to hear hiss out of the Salon2 does not, on its own, indicate any kind of hearing loss.

 

[sarumbear]

The graph that you're referring to shows THD, not noise:
View attachment 292283

Please re-read the red text on the chart.

 

[staticV3]

Please re-read the red text on the chart.

View attachment 292288

please re-read your post where you wrote 120dB below 5W. That's THD, not Noise.

 

[sarumbear]

please re-read your post where you wrote 120dB below 5W. That's THD, not Noise.

I apologise and eat humble pie. Thank you for correcting my error.

The error in the number aside, and as you have correctly calculated, even a young person shouldn’t be hearing the hiss.

 

[pablolie]

I know someone that drive his Avantgarde Trio -which are very efficient and hiss some unless an amp is completely dead silent- with a Benchmark AHB2. Zero hiss. Zero.

 

[Curvature]

I know someone that drive his Avantgarde Trio -which are very efficient and hiss some unless an amp is completely dead silent- with a Benchmark AHB2. Zero hiss. Zero.

109 dB sensitivity apparently.

You need thereabouts or better than that for silence throughout the entire chain, depending on playback level.

There is always some level of residual noise. Better not to exaggerate.

 

[Avp1]

The 8030C is a gateway monitor. If you buy it, you will want a pair of 8351Bs or 8361As. Just say no!

Do they hiss too? I would not accept any active speaker with hiss heard further than 4 - 5 inches from tweeter.

 

[NiagaraPete]

Do they hiss too? I would not accept any active speaker with hiss heard furthers than 4 - 5 inches from tweeter.

I don’t believe they do. I own G5’s and have owned 8050’s and both are silent. Though my sources are also silent.

 

[unpluggged]

Do they hiss too?

In the abscence of signal their hiss is noticeable in a desktop setup, in contrast with Neumanns.