Genelec 8351B Teardown (2nd Disassembled)

[EJ3]

^a good example of this is the Dynaudio Sub 6 for $3,699 rrp vs Dynaudio 18S for $2,519.

Same sub. The only difference is the home version has detachable grilles and a slightly nicer paint finish.

Choice is good!

 

[srrxr71]

No just saying it is too expensive for such a spartan design! Love the speakers but not the prices especially since the dealer margins are 40 points off the MSRP

Not on pro audio. Also they are worth every penny.

 

[srrxr71]

Until you look at the huge magnet and voice coil on the midrange. It's really an impressive driver.
The aluminum castings are beautiful.
The amps look like... circuit boards.
I'm not sure how some other companies charge so much for their speakers.

They spent years working out the interface between the mid driver cone and the mount. That kind of work doesn’t come free. It’s like saying why is this CPU $400 it’s just melted sand.

 

[abboberg]

I see used 8351s on sale for $2K per pair right now. I was thinking of pulling the trigger and getting them repainted. Otherwise, Genelec will paint them in an RAL color for about $10K per pair (buying new speakers from them). They say that these should not be disassembled by anyone other than Genelec-trained staff - that calibration could get messed up. I'm an engineer and machinist with over a half-century of experience. What risk is there if I disassemble and reassemble these monitors myself?

 

[srrxr71]

I see used 8351s on sale for $2K per pair right now. I was thinking of pulling the trigger and getting them repainted. Otherwise, Genelec will paint them in an RAL color for about $10K per pair. They say that these should not be disassembled by anyone other than Genelec-trained staff - that calibration could get messed up. I'm an engineer and machinist with over a half-century of experience. What risk is there if I disassemble and reassemble these monitors myself?

The few to paint them is $10k? Wow. I think that’s like Porsche paint to sample territory.

 

[Pearljam5000]

A brand new pair is about $8K
So how is the paint more than that?

 

[srrxr71]

A brand new pair is about $8K
So how is the paint more than that?

He’s looking at a used $2k set right now and I assumed that he would getting those painted and I assumed that’s what the $10k was for. Because someone who’s looking at a $2k purchase probably isn’t looking to spend $10k - an $8000 difference over color. The answer is obvious at that price just buy them and enjoy them. If color is a deal breaker just paint them yourself. Maybe even try one of those automotive wraps etc.

 

[tmtomh]

Folks, re-read @abboberg's comment. He's not saying Genelec will charge $10k to repaint the used 8351s - he writes that he is thinking of getting the used ones for $2k "and getting them repainted." Then in the next sentence he writes, "otherwise, Genelec will paint them in an RAL color for about $10k per pair." I believe he's saying that if he doesn't buy the used ones and get them repainted, the alternative is to get them new from Genelec in a custom-painted color, for which Genelec will charge "about $10k per pair." I would assume - or at least hope - that the $10k is the total price, that is, about $8200 for the pair plus $1500-$2k extra for the custom paint job.

At any rate, if the used 8351s are 8351b models (not the a model) and they are in good working condition, then $2k is an incredible bargain. Of course $2k is still a fair amount of money to be sure, but for that pair of speakers it's as close to free as you're going to get, short of a very generous friend literally giving them to you. So I'd say go for it.

 

[abboberg]

Folks, re-read @abboberg's comment. He's not saying Genelec will charge $10k to repaint the used 8351s - he writes that he is thinking of getting the used ones for $2k "and getting them repainted." Then in the next sentence he writes, "otherwise, Genelec will paint them in an RAL color for about $10k per pair." I believe he's saying that if he doesn't buy the used ones and get them repainted, the alternative is to get them new from Genelec in a custom-painted color, for which Genelec will charge "about $10k per pair." I would assume - or at least hope - that the $10k is the total price, that is, about $8200 for the pair plus $1500-$2k extra for the custom paint job.

At any rate, if the used 8351s are 8351b models (not the a model) and they are in good working condition, then $2k is an incredible bargain. Of course $2k is still a fair amount of money to be sure, but for that pair of speakers it's as close to free as you're going to get, short of a very generous friend literally giving them to you. So I'd say go for it.

Thanks for clarifying that - yes, Genelec adds a huge surcharge to make their new speakers a color of your choice. Is there something less desirable about the A-models?

 

[Pearljam5000]

Folks, re-read @abboberg's comment. He's not saying Genelec will charge $10k to repaint the used 8351s - he writes that he is thinking of getting the used ones for $2k "and getting them repainted." Then in the next sentence he writes, "otherwise, Genelec will paint them in an RAL color for about $10k per pair." I believe he's saying that if he doesn't buy the used ones and get them repainted, the alternative is to get them new from Genelec in a custom-painted color, for which Genelec will charge "about $10k per pair." I would assume - or at least hope - that the $10k is the total price, that is, about $8200 for the pair plus $1500-$2k extra for the custom paint job.

At any rate, if the used 8351s are 8351b models (not the a model) and they are in good working condition, then $2k is an incredible bargain. Of course $2k is still a fair amount of money to be sure, but for that pair of speakers it's as close to free as you're going to get, short of a very generous friend literally giving them to you. So I'd say go for it.

English is not my first language so nuances are harder for me

 

[tmtomh]

Thanks for clarifying that - yes, Genelec adds a huge surcharge to make their new speakers a color of your choice. Is there something less desirable about the A-models?

No problem! For the models where Genelec has an A and a B version, the B version is redesigned and usually measures better. In the case of the 8351, the B version has more powerful amps for each driver, a larger tweeter in a new-gen coaxial driver, and other changes.

 

[Mort]

Genelec trends to have meaningful upgrades and this was definitely one. So it's still a good deal but but not the latest model.

 

[abboberg]

Well, I heard back from the powder-coaters. The powder coat paint in the color of my choice is up to $500, which doesn't include any labor for applying and baking the paint. Speaking of which - they bake it at 400 degrees F. I'd hate to see these aluminum housings warp! I may just spray paint them myself. I've seen others do this on Genelecs. Since these are for home listening, I would think that the A version would be good enough. I just have to figure out how to room comp - I've never understood how someone can get it flat when you only get like 5-10 frequency bands to work with. What if there is a spike or dip in a frequency that isn't represented in the compensation bands on your equalizer? Maybe the Genelec software can go in and do a fine adjust in the speaker's internal DSP?

 

[G|force]

Another one of the significant differences between 8351A and B models is the former has much fewer bands available in the DSP.

Even with that and the lower power amplifiers, for the price of $2k I'd be very keen if I didn't have One's already.

 

[EJ3]

The inside looks so cheap and they charge so much money!!

Years of research & design, what you are paying for is knowledge.
It is very rare that some entity designs something great that they just had an Idea that they threw together.
The cost to manufacture something has little to do with the direct cost of making it.

 

[abboberg]

Well, I trusted my instincts and did NOT order the 8351s for $2K. As it turned out, it was guitarcenter-us.com - not guitarcenter.com. This fake webstore was a dead ringer for the original! Some red flags were a "timer" that showed 14 minutes until the deal was off. Also, it showed that dozens of people had already ordered the 8351 at this too-good-to-be-true price. From what I recall, Guitar Center doesn't normally handle the higher-end Genelecs, and if they do, they are pre-owned and rarely show up - they wouldn't have dozens of them.

 

[Torin Krell]

Well, I trusted my instincts and did NOT order the 8351s for $2K. As it turned out, it was guitarcenter-us.com - not guitarcenter.com. This fake webstore was a dead ringer for the original! Some red flags were a "timer" that showed 14 minutes until the deal was off. Also, it showed that dozens of people had already ordered the 8351 at this too-good-to-be-true price. From what I recall, Guitar Center doesn't normally handle the higher-end Genelecs, and if they do, they are pre-owned and rarely show up - they wouldn't have dozens of them.

There was also a fake musiciansfriend-us.com website that I flagged on facebook over a week ago doing the same thing. Its amazing, except for a few details, how convincingly close the fake website(s) initially appear. I believe these website "imposters" are usually found through clickbait advertisements during our meanderings through the internet. A simple common knowledge check one could do to identify any fake website is to do a clean search for the same website and compare the two. I am not going to state what the telltale signs are in this comparison since it could give things away to the wrong parties, however I think it will be rather obvious for anyone of us here.

 

[srrxr71]

There was also a fake musiciansfriend-us.com website that I flagged on facebook over a week ago doing the same thing. It’s amazing, except for a few details, how convincingly close the fake website(s) initially appear. I believe these website "imposters" are usually found through clickbait advertisements during our meanderings through the internet. A simple common knowledge check one could do to identify any fake website is to do a clean search for the same website and compare the two. I am not going to state what the telltale signs are in this comparison since it could give things away to the wrong parties, however I think it will be rather obvious for anyone of us here.

Adblocking seriously helps in so many ways. My internet is pretty clean and I never see those ads.

 

[Torin Krell]

Adblocking seriously helps in so many ways. My internet is pretty clean and I never see those ads.

My adblocking seems to work everywhere except facebook.

 

[srrxr71]

My adblocking seems to work everywhere except facebook.

I don’t use Facebook either. I don’t have the need.