Genelec 8361A Review (Powered Monitor)

[sonitus mirus]

Yes, it's not as optimized as the smaller coax speakers but it is way, way more dynamics-capable.

Remember studio levels are often considerably louder than home levels.

How much louder and why, if you don't mind me asking. I probably already asked AI, but it would be nice to read another opinion.

 

[dfuller]

How much louder and why, if you don't mind me asking. I probably already asked AI, but it would be nice to read another opinion.

I don't have exact figures but artists like to listen loud and there is less room gain than in a typical domestic environment.

 

[sonitus mirus]

I don't have exact figures but artists like to listen loud and there is less room gain than in a typical domestic environment.

That makes sense. I tend to think it’s less about a specific SPL number and more about how cleanly the system behaves at the level you’re listening. Studios often run louder, but that’s usually about preserving headroom and dynamics, not loudness for its own sake. In a home or residential setting, you can often get the same impact at lower measured levels if the system stays linear.

 

[Dgob]

Sometimes the joy of music lovers brings things into sharper perspective. I laughed when I noticed the other speaker options within the listening room:

 

[Mort]

Anyone know what the effective input voltage is when using digital? Seems much higher than an analog 2v Denon AVR.

 

[Dgob]

Anyone know what the effective input voltage is when using digital? Seems much higher than an analog 2v Denon AVR.

I believe that they use the AES/EBU digital audio standard, which has a nominal signal voltage of up to 3 volts peak-to-peak. The digital input sensitivity is set so that a 0 dB FS digital input produces a theoretical 130 dB SPL at 1 meter in an anechoic room. And that can of course be loud, enough!

https://support.genelec.com/hc/en-us/articles/360013428399-How-does-the-input-sensitivity-work-on-Genelec-speakers#:~:text=browse,6%20dBu%20input%20signal%20level.

On the final part of your observation, you might want to think of it this way: comparing those two voltages is like comparing the speed of a car to the speed of an internet connection—the numbers look similar, but they're doing totally different jobs. That 3V digital signal isn't actually 'louder' than your Denon's 2V analogue out; it’s just the voltage used to move data. At the end of the day, how loud the speakers actually get comes down to how you’ve tweaked the volume and gain settings inside the Genelecs themselves.