Genelec 8361A Review (Powered Monitor)

[ex audiophile]

Well, it's been a 5 month wait, but my 8361's finally arrived today:

View attachment 205632

Just plonked down and given a quick going over with GLM and sounding incredible.

Going to spend more time with positioning, REW and DIRAC, but for now very happy.

Have also to give a big shout to Richard and Mark at Eastwood Sound and Vision (I have no affiliation, just a happy customer). Richard was amazingly accomodating (lending me a pair of other Genelecs whilst I waited for these, put up with my 'are they here yet' emails and included a GLM kit in the (excellent) price). It really was fantastic to deal with him and an established family-run company - do check him out.

Will report back as things progress.

Doug

thanks Doug, if you're using a streamer as a source please let us know the details and connection method.

 

[Dgob]

Yes I did crank up the volume and the SPL issue was a key consideration. Ideally, given funds and space, I would have got two 7370A's. However, I never listen to above 90dB in my smallish listening room. To maintain stereo separation and be able to listen to a great bottom end, the limit on the crossover is essential. I've gone fairly high at 75Hz, but nearer to 60Hz might suit other listening rooms and listeners.

BTW,

GLM 4.2 selected 85Hz as the optimum crossover point for my room and system. Needless to say, they were correct! ;-)

 

[Dgob]

Could you live with just the 8361 without the sub or is it a must?

You can definitely live without the sub/s. These monitors are phenomenal in their own rights (down to 30Hz without even taking into account the potentially deeper "in-room" response).

 

[KaLam1ty]

So 4.2 actually gives a suggestion for the Crossover as part of calibration now?
I still need to recalibrate for the room report feature, but I recall 85Hz was a default suggestion and the freq was something you initially chose prior to phase alignment.

 

[Pearljam5000]

How hard would it be to soffit mount the 8361 like this in a normal room and not a studio?

 

[Jimshoe]

thanks Doug, if you're using a streamer as a source please let us know the details and connection method.

I'm streaming using a MiniDSP Studio (from either a local Synology NAS or Qobuz)

Connected via AES/EBU

Doug

 

[Dgob]

So 4.2 actually gives a suggestion for the Crossover as part of calibration now?
I still need to recalibrate for the room report feature, but I recall 85Hz was a default suggestion and the freq was something you initially chose prior to phase alignment.

Yes, I'm referring to that 85Hz default "suggestion". However, its performance exceeds my selected 75Hz crossover, which I initially opted for on the (mis)understanding that over 80Hz would draw attention to the sub location and impact believable sound-staging, Clearly, not so!

 

[Dgob]

Yes, I'm referring to that 85Hz default "suggestion". However, its performance exceeds my selected 75Hz crossover, which I initially opted for on the (mis)understanding that over 80Hz would draw attention to the sub location and impact believable sound-staging, Clearly, not so!

This is from my last GRADE report:

"Frequency domain analysis
The room compensations applied by GLM AutoCal reduce the sound colouration caused by the room, improve the similarity between the monitors in the room, and can increase the monitoring system’s low frequency extension. If a subwoofer is used, GLM AutoCal sets the optimal crossover frequency in the room and aligns the subwoofer phase."

 

[Dgob]

So 4.2 actually gives a suggestion for the Crossover as part of calibration now?
I still need to recalibrate for the room report feature, but I recall 85Hz was a default suggestion and the freq was something you initially chose prior to phase alignment.

Sorry, so as you can see from the above, it is individually calibrated, NOT from the abstract general, default setting - as my faulty memory thought.

 

[bo_knows]

How hard would it be to soffit mount the 8361 like this in a normal room and not a studio? View attachment 207573

That monitor in the middle?!

 

[Pearljam5000]

That monitor in the middle?!

Any of them

 

[Inner Space]

How hard would it be to soffit mount the 8361 like this in a normal room and not a studio?

Interesting question. Soffit mounting is about making the sound waves coming out of a speaker behave as if the whole front wall was an infinite extension of the baffle. Easy to achieve with a flat-fronted speaker. Acoustically, in principle the 8361 would want to "see" a progressive extension of its waveguide contour, which would be very difficult to achieve. Certainly the examples I have seen (like in your photo) are mounted mostly in the wall, but with too big of a protrusion to be called truly soffit mounted. Thus MF and HF will be taken care of by the waveguide only, but there will be soffit-style benefits in the SBIR region, because the bass slots are only an inch or so ahead of the wall.

How hard would it be to do? Probably a real drag, given the Genelec shape, and that the wall means nothing acoustically, unless it's really solid, which probably means masonry or concrete. Almost certainly not worth it. And not intended - clearly Genelec design for near-wall location, not soffit mounting.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Interesting question. Soffit mounting is about making the sound waves coming out of a speaker behave as if the whole front wall was an infinite extension of the baffle. Easy to achieve with a flat-fronted speaker. Acoustically, in principle the 8361 would want to "see" a progressive extension of its waveguide contour, which would be very difficult to achieve. Certainly the examples I have seen (like in your photo) are mounted mostly in the wall, but with too big of a protrusion to be called truly soffit mounted. Thus MF and HF will be taken care of by the waveguide only, but there will be soffit-style benefits in the SBIR region, because the bass slots are only an inch or so ahead of the wall.

How hard would it be to do? Probably a real drag, given the Genelec shape, and that the wall means nothing acoustically, unless it's really solid, which probably means masonry or concrete. Almost certainly not worth it. And not intended - clearly Genelec design for near-wall location, not soffit mounting.

Thanks for the detailed explanation

 

[oversky]

How hard would it be to soffit mount the 8361 like this in a normal room and not a studio?

Genelec has flush mount kit for 8351 and 8341, but not for 8361.

8351-450B Flush mount kit - Genelec.com

Flush mount kit for one 8050, 8350, 8351. Can be used for horizontal mounting also.

www.genelec.com

https://support.genelec.com/hc/en-us/articles/360013369860?input_string=flush+mount+kit

 

[stunta]

I'm still waiting on my pair from Sweetwater since Jan. So many delays due to supply shortage and a huge problem with aluminum according to Genelec. Hopefully due end of this month, since it looks like they've finally pumped a few of these guys out!

Did you order the white? Sweetwater shows the black ones are in stock.

 

[oversky]

How hard would it be to soffit mount the 8361 like this in a normal room and not a studio?

Here is a document about how to flush mount speakers from Genelec.

https://support.genelec.com/hc/en-us/articles/360013369860?input_string=flush+mount+kit

 

[KaLam1ty]

Did you order the white? Sweetwater shows the black ones are in stock.

I did order the white. Supposedly, they'll finally get them in by next week /shrug.

 

[lappy]

This is from my last GRADE report:

"Frequency domain analysis
The room compensations applied by GLM AutoCal reduce the sound colouration caused by the room, improve the similarity between the monitors in the room, and can increase the monitoring system’s low frequency extension. If a subwoofer is used, GLM AutoCal sets the optimal crossover frequency in the room and aligns the subwoofer phase."

The last paragraph is not correct. The crossover frequency is set by the user before performing the calibration.

 

[Dgob]

The last paragraph is not correct. The crossover frequency is set by the user before performing the calibration.

I can only quote what the GRADE report says verbatim. Do you feel that the error is in the quoted GRADE or my interpretation of it?

Either one would be useful for me to know about.

 

[lappy]

I can only quote what the GRADE report says verbatim. Do you feel that the error is in the quoted GRADE or my interpretation of it?

Either one would be useful for me to know about.

Ok, here: The quote from the GRADE report that states that GLM AutoCal sets the optimal crossover frequency is incorrect. Disclaimer: based on AutoCal together with 8330A and 7350A.