Genelec 8260A or 8341A

[jumper981]

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Hi to all!
Was convinced buying 8341A, but found a good offer for 8260A.
You can find my room info here.

I’m choosing between those two models, not for main characteristics but maybe for prices.

I’ve had a good opportunity for buying 2 8260A for 4K (used,5 years of working), at the same price of the latest 8341A (new).

As far as I know, they changed the coaxial driver with it’s second iteration of it and different amplifiers (removing vertical directivity as a variable).
I’m using them in a untreated room (but serve it’s purpose good actually).
Distance will be between 1.5m to 2m from them so, a nearfield listening.
I mostly produce and master bass music, so those extra hz (8260A 23Hz -6dB) in the bottom end of the spectrum may be beneficial.

So my questions:

Is the midrange of the new coaxial driver really that different compared to the second generation?
Does Genelec monitors broke easily? If so, does someone had experience with their repair service and their costs?
Would 8341A be better fitted for those listening distances?

Many thanks in advance to everyone!

 

[Elkios]

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Hi to all!
Was convinced buying 8341A, but found a good offer for 8260A.
You can find my room info here.

I’m choosing between those two models, not for main characteristics but maybe for prices.

I’ve had a good opportunity for buying 2 8260A for 4K (used,5 years of working), at the same price of the latest 8341A (new).

As far as I know, they changed the coaxial driver with it’s second iteration of it and different amplifiers (removing vertical directivity as a variable).
I’m using them in a untreated room (but serve it’s purpose good actually).
Distance will be between 1.5m to 2m from them so, a nearfield listening.
I mostly produce and master bass music, so those extra hz (8260A 23Hz -6dB) in the bottom end of the spectrum may be beneficial.

So my questions:

Is the midrange of the new coaxial driver really that different compared to the second generation?
Does Genelec monitors broke easily? If so, does someone had experience with their repair service and their costs?
Would 8341A be better fitted for those listening distances?

Many thanks in advance to everyone!

Go 8260 . I owned 8341 for about 3 years. Heard 8260 a couple times . Look at the measurements on the Genelec site for both . The 8260 really is a super good speaker and 1.5 to 2 metres out will be fine . Bass is far more accurate on 8260 as well not just extension but also group delay lower.

 

[srrxr71]

Please read the EDIT on the bottom. I probably shouldn’t have answered this as I don’t produce music just listen.

I checked out your room specs. In feet looks like 15x12x9.

Now which orientation will you be sitting. The speakers on the 15 foot wall? Seems like it.

You said you will sit 110-130cm away. And 90dB max.

In that case either will work for you. It did when I was in a similar dimensioned space.

However once I moved to a larger space the 8341a showed its limitations. Enough that I just ordered the 8361a. Constant protection lights. I had to cover them with vhb tape. So annoying.

Both are coaxial. So both are sort of equivalent.

Now the issue could be your space needs more than the 10 bands of pEq in that generation of coaxial. (Just assuming based on 8351a DSP).

I doubt it though. I never needed that many.

Also keep in mind proper room treatments will rob you of perceived SPL in your listening spot. But probably not enough that the 8341a cannot handle it.

This is almost like asking about 2.0 I-4 turbo vs 6.2L V8. One of those just feels effortless. Both can get the job done.


EDIT: Oh wait sorry. If you produce bass music better get the 8260. But I guess it depends on your mixing style and whether you need deep bass to judge. Probably you do. Unless you will use headphones for that range. When I mentioned 8341a I forgot to mention I had a 7360 in that space as well. If you are not planning on getting sub just go for 8260. Also you can always sell them with less depreciation if you want later. You probably won’t. Nothing about the new ones is that much better than the first gen. The true revolution was that first one.

Also while you feel the room is okay at least consider getting a cloud or ceiling mounting some bass traps. Since the vertical directivity is not as good as the newer ones. (Pun intended?). In any case even with the better vertical directivity I still needed ceiling traps. You will see when you run GLM calibration a 100hz steep dip - that is the ceiling. The GRADE report even tells you the distance and it is the ceiling. Below about 500Hz needs some treatment to be tamed unless you get the W371s.

I remember casting my eyes on those once. Wow they surprised me. Truly beasts.

 

[Mario Sanchez]

If you're running them without subs (and don't plan to add any in the future), 8260 could provide a bit more loudness headroom there. The vertical directivity "issue" (not really a big one) from the non-coincident woofer is overshadowed by the almost three time larger area of the driver.

 

[stevenswall]

Send pictures of whichever you decided to go with!

The mid-range of the 8260 and 8351A is smaller and can't handle as much power... Which often doesn't matter as bass is where you run out of steam first.

The 8260 though is a more accurate speaker since it only deviates 1dB from flat vs 1.5dB or more for their modern set of The Ones... But this is likely not audible in normal conditions.

Having a coaxial driver solves the vertical dispersion issue. An acoustically centered 3 way system solves it marginally better.

The most immediately noticeable difference between my 8351B center channel and 8260 monitors is that the 8260 can go deeper.

For the 8341… that difference I think overshadows all other differences.

However, getting a newer speaker could be more useful if you're eventually going to build out an immersive system or use something with the W371 woofer system.

 

[thewas]

The 8260 though is a more accurate speaker since it only deviates 1dB from flat vs 1.5dB or more for their modern set of The Ones... But this is likely not audible in normal conditions.

The newer Ones have smoother directivity which is probably more audible in most rooms than the 1 dB vs 1.5 dB on-axis tolerance band.