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Genelec 8361A Review (Powered Monitor)

Rate this speaker:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 6 0.9%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 4 0.6%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 28 4.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 638 94.4%

  • Total voters
    676

thewas

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I guess in a year or 2 I'll be able to afford them
1639912610227.png
 

DJBonoBobo

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The time has come upon the ASR forum to sponsor Pearljam so as to hear all the dream speaker's .
I think what would help the most, if he just measured one reasonably neutral speaker in his 3x3m room and compare that to the Klippel-data of this speaker. MAYBE that would put the importance of differences between speakers in perspective.
 

echopraxia

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Story for minuscule reproduction earlier. This is excellent playing, just difficult to listen to on 8361
Mozart: String Quartets dedicated to Joseph Haydn
Mozart: String Quartets dedicated to Joseph HaydnCuarteto CasalsHMC902186
I don't have access to that album on Tidal, but I do have K421 from the same series:
View attachment 167040
I listened to track 3 (Menuetto - Trio. Allegretto) on several different set ups just now. Your observation was confirmed.

Best:
DCA Stealth

Pretty Good:
Senn HD800SDR
Denon D9200

Not bad:
B&W 802D - living room

Just okay:
Genelec 8351B (worst of the 4) - office

The violin on the Genelecs was simply lacking the detail and realism of the others. The term "slightly muffled" comes to mind.
Have a chance to do this yet?

Ok, so I've listened to the same track in the following configurations (all full range, no sub or crossover):

(1) Genelec 8361A x2: calibrated via GLM with my preferred tuning [*]
(2)
Genelec 8361A x3 + 8351B x2 : calibrated via GLM with my preferred tuning [*] : upmixed via my Denon's "Dolby Surround" mode
(3) JBL 705P x2 : uncalibrated direct digital SPDIF input with no DSP room correction applied (in another room)
(4) Sennheiser HD650 : uncalibrated (USB -> Topping DX7 Pro -> Topping A30 Pro)
(5) Sennheiser HD800S : calibrated to the Harman target curve via Oratory's filters, derived from ASR HD800S measurements
(6) Sennheiser HD800S : uncalibrated i.e. equalizer filters all turned off

[*] My Genelecs in this case were tuned with exactly +3.0db @100hz low shelf filter and -2.0db @1000hz high shelf filter via the GLM "Sound Character Profiler" menu, which is applied on top of the GLM room correction filters. I always apply this kind of tuning to my Genelec's (and leave it tuned as such for all content), since it gives an overall sound signature I quite like (at least in most average rooms I've tested).

In all configurations (1-6), the entire album indeed sounds "slightly muffled" and "lacking realism".

System (6) does stand out from the rest, in that the recording now not only sounds "slightly muffled" and "lacking realism", but somehow also sounds unbearably piercing and bright, where some frequencies are still too recessed, even while other frequencies are now too bright (spoiler alert: a telltale sign of poor recording/mixing/mastering). The harshness is no surprise here, since just about everything tends to sound horribly bright on a stock Sennheiser HD800/S (which is obvious if you look at its measurements). Overall, the experience of this track on stock HD800S is awful, unrealistic, and generally just sounds like the result of a very unnatural and uneven treble coloration in the recording. Yet at the same time, other frequencies still remain muffled even as my ears feel like they're about to start bleeding from the HD800S's untamed treble spikes.

I don't know about you, but I don't really need any more proof that the problem here lies in this recording, not the Genelec (or JBL, etc.) speakers. It's also no big surprise that this recording's poor quality is revealed on neutral speakers from other brands (JBL) just the same as it is with Genelec.

To my ears, this recording indeed sounds like one of those which was tuned to sound good on speakers with a particular kind of coloration / non-neutral frequency response. It's no surprise then if it sounds more natural on speakers with major coloration flaws which happen to be similar to the coloration flaws in speakers most likely used by the authors of the recording.

There are far, far better recordings out there that sound incredible on neutral speakers (including but not limited to Genelec). But of course, it's totally understandable that a large portion of your music collection likely consists of similarly badly recorded music (mixed/mastered against a severely colored reference speaker) if you've selected that music using your similarly colored speakers!

This is known as "the circle of confusion" in music reproduction, and so this is not a surprise. But the problem being what it is, it's also understandable that you'd not want to change your entire music collection to fit your speakers (even though that's precisely what you have already done, whether you realize it or not -- just in your case for colored rather than neutral speakers).

There is an alternate (better) solution though: Learn how to use GLM software filter profiles so you can switch between a tonality similar to the coloration you're used to, and neutral, as needed.

P.S. Regarding (1) vs (2) (stereo vs up-mixed surround Genelec's), there's no question that I prefer (2) for almost every track with predominantly acoustic or real (non-electronic) instruments and voices. Now with the center channel 8361A back from its field trip to Amir's Klippel, the experience is even better in that the soundstage spatial realism is now much less sensitive about listening position variations. There are some tracks which do sound best with just front speakers enabled, but it's usually amplified or synthesized-style music with very intentional focused stereo soundstage effects. And of course with "spatial audio" (actual multichannel recordings), the multichannel reproduction is of course the best.
 
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echopraxia

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Also, I have yet to see a classical music lover step up and disagree with my take on the speakers.
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Quite the contrary, I believe a significant percentage of Genelec owners here (myself included) qualify as "classical music lovers" who most certainly "disagree with your take on the speakers".
 

Tonygeno

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giphy.gif


Quite the contrary, I believe a significant percentage of Genelec owners here (myself included) qualify as "classical music lovers" who most certainly "disagree with your take on the speakers".
I am a classical music lover (for over 50 years) and regularly attend live concerts at Symphony Hall, Boston, which I have posted on this thread. Waldo is clearly not paying attention or wishes to cherry pick responses that fit his narrative.
 

Longshan

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giphy.gif


Quite the contrary, I believe a significant percentage of Genelec owners here (myself included) qualify as "classical music lovers" who most certainly "disagree with your take on the speakers".

I'm a classical musician (whose former teacher is principal horn of the Boston Symphony, btw), and I absolutely love Genelec. I'd have to say the vast majority of classical musicians have no idea what Genelec speakers are though.
 

Descartes

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2L classical recording studio



Incredible recordings! Enjoy!
 

dfuller

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You know, it's funny - to me the best thing the Genelecs do in general is the high end. It's clear but not over present and fatiguing, smooth without being muffled or soft.
 

Oukkidoukki

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I think instruments sounded extremely real whenever I could find them :). It is full of plain singing, which is a bit booring after a while.
 

richard12511

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[*] My Genelecs in this case were tuned with exactly +3.0db @100hz low shelf filter and -2.0db @1000hz high shelf filter via the GLM "Sound Character Profiler" menu, which is applied on top of the GLM room correction filters. I always apply this kind of tuning to my Genelec's (and leave it tuned as such for all content), since it gives an overall sound signature I quite like (at least in most average rooms I've tested).
I've come to a very similar preference. I use +3.0dB and -1.6dB. I find the default GLM curve to be a little bright for my tastes. I greatly appreciate GLM adding those shelf filters with 4.1.
 

Mykola

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@echopraxia Do you have / plan to add Genelec sub to your 5 ones ? I got two 8361s and wonder which way to expand. Guess 7380 first then center , and I got some placeholder q acoustics towers as rears .

My take on 8361 - it is so good that most people including me do not need it :)
 

youngho

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I've come to a very similar preference. I use +3.0dB and -1.6dB. I find the default GLM curve to be a little bright for my tastes. I greatly appreciate GLM adding those shelf filters with 4.1.
These remind me of an older version of Bob Katz's target curve
 

Joachim Herbert

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Ä
 

Joachim Herbert

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After 2 weeks with the 8361a I am still learning about positioning and equalising. They are are however two major issues that are hard 2 live with

First is general handling. It is pretty hard to put the speaker on the accessory mounting plate on a 40 or even 60 centimeter stand. The handling grip on the back is off any balance, and there is no grip on the front. It is really easy to damage the speakers during setup. Did not happen to me, but this is a major flaw.

Second: It is close two impossible to adjust the babies to the listening Position, as there is no way to mount a laserpointer with 90 degree angle relative to the front baffle.

The not defined position on the isopods does not help.

I'm considering to build something utilizing the vesa mounts.

Genelec should do better in both respects.

While glm can be confusing and frustrating, it is better than Neumann's and much better than Adam's offering, when it comes to usability.
 

Tonygeno

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After 2 weeks with the 8361a I am still learning about positioning and equalising. They are are however two major issues that are hard 2 live with

First is general handling. It is pretty hard to put the speaker on the accessory mounting plate on a 40 or even 60 centimeter stand. The handling grip on the back is off any balance, and there is no grip on the front. It is really easy to damage the speakers during setup. Did not happen to me, but this is a major flaw.

Second: It is close two impossible to adjust the babies to the listening Position, as there is no way to mount a laserpointer with 90 degree angle relative to the front baffle.

The not defined position on the isopods does not help.

I'm considering to build something utilizing the vesa mounts.

Genelec should do better in both respects.

While glm can be confusing and frustrating, it is better than Neumann's and much better than Adam's offering, when it comes to usability.
The coaxial driver mitigates the need to have perfect adjustment to the listening position. Try playing pink noise and moving your ears up and down to see if the there is a difference in sound. I agree re the handle: strictly a two person operation, although I managed myself. :)
 

Sancus

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First is general handling. It is pretty hard to put the speaker on the accessory mounting plate on a 40 or even 60 centimeter stand. The handling grip on the back is off any balance, and there is no grip on the front. It is really easy to damage the speakers during setup. Did not happen to me, but this is a major flaw.

Yeah I imagine the weight makes it quite annoying. Picking up the 8351Bs isn't fun but they're light enough that it doesn't matter. At 70lbs...

Personally, I dislike stands where the speakers sit on a plate with the isopods. Unfortunately, the 8361As have some complications there. The screw pattern on the back is NOT VESA as far as I know, it's M6x10mm with a 70mm distance between holes. It is possible you might be able to drill out a 75 x 75mm VESA plate and make it work though, it might be close enough.

But all of the adapters I know of that fit the screw pattern have weight limits well below 70lbs, unfortunately. Certainly there may be products I don't know about.

The 8361A may also have the 3/8" threaded hole for mic stands in the bottom. A hole which is never mentioned in Genelec manuals for some reason...but it is there on the 8351B and 8341A. You'll have to find a mic stand that will not have any problems with 70lbs though, which I can't imagine is that hard for a straight steel pole, but, they don't usually have weight limits mentioned unfortunately.

It is possible you could get more information by emailing K&M(stand supplier) or Genelec support. Both were happy to help me with mounting options and responded to email within 24h.

Second: It is close two impossible to adjust the babies to the listening Position, as there is no way to mount a laserpointer with 90 degree angle relative to the front baffle.

If you screw mount then you don't have to worry about vertical alignment, but yeah, horizontal alignment is never going to be perfect. On the other hand, with the off-axis performance of the 8361As, it doesn't matter, there is no audible change from slight misalignment.
 

Pearljam5000

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After 2 weeks with the 8361a I am still learning about positioning and equalising. They are are however two major issues that are hard 2 live with

First is general handling. It is pretty hard to put the speaker on the accessory mounting plate on a 40 or even 60 centimeter stand. The handling grip on the back is off any balance, and there is no grip on the front. It is really easy to damage the speakers during setup. Did not happen to me, but this is a major flaw.

Second: It is close two impossible to adjust the babies to the listening Position, as there is no way to mount a laserpointer with 90 degree angle relative to the front baffle.

The not defined position on the isopods does not help.

I'm considering to build something utilizing the vesa mounts.

Genelec should do better in both respects.

While glm can be confusing and frustrating, it is better than Neumann's and much better than Adam's offering, when it comes to usability.
Other than that, how's the sound so far?
 
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