Genelec 8040 B or Adam A7V

[RoA]

I am looking to add some active speakers FOR HOME LISTENING. My room is approx 4 x 3.5 meter.

I just listened to the Genelec 8040 B at MusicMatters for an extended time and liked what I heard. They are nearfields but did well at around 2.5 meters in a dedicated treated studio listening room.

They only had a small version of this range Adam monitor (A4V). It sounded fine but was clearly too small for mid field both in power and scale. I did briefly switch in the entry range Adam T7V but it did not compare favourably with the 5 times more expensive Genelecs, sounding tinny and flat and the little (twice the cost of the T7V) A4V sounded fuller and more cohesive but just not powerful enough.

Does anyone here own the Adam A7V and did you compare them to Genelecs?

Like I said, these would be used in a home environment. The Genelecs sounded good in their default configuration but I anticipate anything will sound different in my mostly untreated room (it's a living room after all).

 

[YSC]

The a4v did measures fine but have port cancellation bill in its FR, I would personally have done reserve to see if the a7v did the port as well as genelec to go for it

 

[chowe]

I am looking to add some active speakers FOR HOME LISTENING. My room is approx 4 x 3.5 meter.

I just listened to the Genelec 8040 B at MusicMatters for an extended time and liked what I heard. They are nearfields but did well at around 2.5 meters in a dedicated treated studio listening room.

They only had a small version of this range Adam monitor (A4V). It sounded fine but was clearly too small for mid field both in power and scale. I did briefly switch in the entry range Adam T7V but it did not compare favourably with the 5 times more expensive Genelecs, sounding tinny and flat and the little (twice the cost of the T7V) A4V sounded fuller and more cohesive but just not powerful enough.

Does anyone here own the Adam A7V and did you compare them to Genelecs?

Like I said, these would be used in a home environment. The Genelecs sounded good in their default configuration but I anticipate anything will sound different in my mostly untreated room (it's a living room after all).

Hi,

Just so happens I use both the Genelecs and Adam A7Vs on a daily basis.

Both are obviously great speakers and this has a lot to do with personal taste but for me I really have an issue with the high mids on the Genelecs, to my ear they really poke out and can sound a little bit harsh.

I've never heard anyone say anything but good things about Adam speakers (so far) but Genelec I've noticed is pretty much a 50/50 split with half loving them and half not so much.

Again though, this is a matter of taste and I would highly recommend that you find a way to A/B these speakers in a similar space and see which sound best to you.

I bought the A7Vs quite recently and I love them.

 

[wyup]

Hi,

Just so happens I use both the Genelecs and Adam A7Vs on a daily basis.

Both are obviously great speakers and this has a lot to do with personal taste but for me I really have an issue with the high mids on the Genelecs, to my ear they really poke out and can sound a little bit harsh.

I've never heard anyone say anything but good things about Adam speakers (so far) but Genelec I've noticed is pretty much a 50/50 split with half loving them and half not so much.

Again though, this is a matter of taste and I would highly recommend that you find a way to A/B these speakers in a similar space and see which sound best to you.

I bought the A7Vs quite recently and I love them.

Hi. Do you think the A7Vs fit well in a living room for stereo at ~3 meters distance from couch? Are they too different from regular speakers?

 

[Ellebob]

They would work fine in a living room. Many confuse the term nearfield monitor thinking they can only be used if they are sitting close to them. In reality when sound comes out of any speaker it is going to follow the rules of physics on how sound disperses and decays. So there is nothing that makes nearfield monitors different than a similarly sized home bookshelf speaker. Listen to speakers you are considering and get the one that sounds best to you.

Why do they call bookshelf sized speakers nearfield in the pro market. Two reasons, one is how loud it can play at a given distance. Smaller speakers simply will not be able to play as loud the further one is listening. However, listening at home many will never listen at reference level which is very loud. I don't, not even in my HT. For many listening in their living room a bookshelf speaker will be fine

If you really want to "crank it" loud than towers or much larger speakers are a needed. You could also add a sub and which will let bookshelf speakers play a little louder when sub handles the bass as the bookshelf's won't be as strained. A lot of pros to adding a sub whether using bookshelf or tower speakers but not a necessity if the speakers you have go low enough for your enjoyment.

The second reason they are called nearfield is how close the sound from all the drivers (woofers, midrange and tweeters) are combined. If you put a large tower on the desk one meter from where you are sitting you will mostly hear the drivers that are closest to you and not the combined sound. Typically, smaller bookshelf type speakers have combined their high and low frequencies a meter from the speaker.

 

[MadMaxx]

I switched from KEF LS50 Metas to the A7V for my desktop/nearfield audio a few months ago. Best audio purchase I've made in over 10 years. The A7V's simply overwhelmed everything I heard from my Metas.

 

[YSC]

I switched from KEF LS50 Metas to the A7V for my desktop/nearfield audio a few months ago. Best audio purchase I've made in over 10 years. The A7V's simply overwhelmed everything I heard from my Metas.

I bet that’s mostly down to the bass extension, the metas really need more bass to make the music sound more complete in most contemporary music

 

[MadMaxx]

I bet that’s mostly down to the bass extension, the metas really need more bass to make the music sound more complete in most contemporary music

I used an SVS 3000 Micro sub with the Metas. Don't get me wrong, that was a nice sounding setup. I just was blown back by the A7V when I first tried them.

In all honesty, it's not exactly a fair comparison. The A7 main driver is 7" vs 5.25" for the Metas. The ribbon tweeters make a big difference, too.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I'd stretch the budget and get either 8050 or KH150 or Focal Solo6

 

[AudioJester]

I use 3 x 8040b in a bedroom tv setup. Goes way louder than I can tolerate and more than enough bass.

 

[YSC]

I used an SVS 3000 Micro sub with the Metas. Don't get me wrong, that was a nice sounding setup. I just was blown back by the A7V when I first tried them.

In all honesty, it's not exactly a fair comparison. The A7 main driver is 7" vs 5.25" for the Metas. The ribbon tweeters make a big difference, too.

Actually IME the tweeter type don’t make a difference for it to be perceived, most likely it’s the more significant downslope for the PIR of the KEFs causing all these impression differences

 

[MadMaxx]

Actually IME the tweeter type don’t make a difference for it to be perceived, most likely it’s the more significant downslope for the PIR of the KEFs causing all these impression differences

I have no idea what "more significant downslope for the PIR of the KEFs" means. I don't believe differences between tweeters can be discounted in the overall performance of the speakers. How much of a difference may be debatable. I can live with the mystery. What I hear from the A7V is far superior to anything from my Metas.

 

[YSC]

I have no idea what "more significant downslope for the PIR of the KEFs" means. I don't believe differences between tweeters can be discounted in the overall performance of the speakers. How much of a difference may be debatable. I can live with the mystery. What I hear from the A7V is far superior to anything from my Metas.

The type difference mostly comes in the form of linearity, and breakup mode/ frequency. If well designed both should be indifferent, but the typical rolling off of listening position FR kef speakers tend to roll off quicker, I.e. from bass to treble drop of sound power, kef uni Q usually have more drop off of treble and thus will sound darker, while monitors like Adam, genelec, Neumann alike the rolling off is usually milder, so have a more pronounced mid-high frequency and usually would be perceived as more detailed