Genelec 8361A Review (Powered Monitor)

[Sam Ash]

W371 calculates how to integrate to 8361s based on the measurements of 8361. In other words, it calculates how to set the correct crossover frequency to 8361s etc based on your room, treatment and how you placed the speakers on them.

Place 8361s horizontally if your room is very small as this will attenuate the mid/high bass radiated to side walls. Place them vertically if your room is fine.


Yes. I never turn off my 8361s.

They are different. W371 improves clarity from 60hz up to 500hz~ because it enables speakers to interact wth the walls/room less. 7380 is just a large big subwoofer.
If you want to know how W371 does that: W371 cancels the sounds around the speaker and at the back of the speaker to make them interact with the walls around them less.

@Blockader - Thank you for those useful clarifications, much appreciated. Do you think a pair of the 8361A/W371 combo would be enough or ideal for a superb music listening experience in a home?

In one of the case studies on the Genelec site, an audiophile has done exactly that but now I understand why he added a 7380 to the mix. The job of the 7380 would the be to address the lows, for instance from 20 to 60Hz. Not sure if this is really necessary as the W371 go down to about 25Hz or 30Hz. Is there a PEQ facility within GLM, particularly for the lower 2 octaves?

 

[Sam Ash]

Out of interest: Apart from high SPL, does the 8381 have the same fidelity as the 8361A+W371 combo?

 

[Pearljam5000]

W371 + 8361 operates differently than 8381. They have different sound characteristics.
We have discussed this before: 8381 is designed to be a high SPL speaker.

@Pearljam5000 The equilavent of high SPL version of W371+8361 is Electrovoice MTS-6154. Both are cardioid point source speakers. It is louder than anything Genelec ever designed, while also being cardoid and point source.

The design is too hard core even for me

 

[Blockader]

@Blockader - Thank you for those useful clarifications, much appreciated. Do you think a pair of the 8361A/W371 combo would be enough or ideal for a superb music listening experience in a home?

In one of the case studies on the Genelec site, an audiophile has done exactly that but now I understand why he added a 7380 to the mix. The job of the 7380 would the be to address the lows, for instance from 20 to 60Hz. Not sure if this is really necessary as the W371 go down to about 25Hz or 30Hz. Is there a PEQ facility within GLM, particularly for the lower 2 octaves?

The W371 can go down to 23Hz at 120dB, which should suffice. If you find it lacking, you can add another subwoofer. Ultimately, let your ears make the final call. Regarding GLM, it restricts EQ adjustments for dips in the response to no more than +3dB, which is exactly how it should be.
I have one W371(yeah I know it is weird lol) and 2 x 8361s. The bass is more than enough for me. YMMV.

Out of interest: Apart from high SPL, does the 8381 have the same fidelity as the 8361A+W371 combo?

8381 interacts with the room around it more. Potentially, it can sound more impactful, sound larger however It can't have the clarity, detail and imaging of W371/8361 combo.

 

[holdingpants01]

it's hard to visualise how big the 14" driver is so here's comparison to the 8330. W371A is not only tall but also deep

 

[holdingpants01]

@Blockader - Thank you for those useful clarifications, much appreciated. Do you think a pair of the 8361A/W371 combo would be enough or ideal for a superb music listening experience in a home?

In one of the case studies on the Genelec site, an audiophile has done exactly that but now I understand why he added a 7380 to the mix. The job of the 7380 would the be to address the lows, for instance from 20 to 60Hz. Not sure if this is really necessary as the W371 go down to about 25Hz or 30Hz. Is there a PEQ facility within GLM, particularly for the lower 2 octaves?

I still have a sub as seen on picture, but only for bass management and LFE channel in atmos, so maybe that's similar case

 

[Pearljam5000]

I'm liking the white color much more

 

[RobL]

W371 + 8361 operates differently than 8381. They have different sound characteristics.
We have discussed this before: 8381 is designed to be a high SPL speaker.

@Pearljam5000 The equilavent of high SPL version of W371+8361 is Electrovoice MTS-6154. Both are cardioid point source speakers. It is louder than anything Genelec ever designed, while also being cardoid and point source.

Holy hell…

 

[Blockader]

Holy hell…

(vertical plot is 99% same)
PearlJam was toying with the idea of putting Genelec 1236A speakers in his small room. Given that, I figured I'd help him out by giving him a new alternative, a speaker that can hit a max SPL of 140db that measures like W371 combos, just to save him from sweating over whether to go with the 8381 or a W371/Ones combo. It appears that aesthetics are the only obstacle preventing him from considering this alternative. I wonder, if the MTS 6154 had an appealing design, would he abandon his devotion to Genelec speakers?

 

[RobL]

(vertical plot is 99% same)
PearlJam was toying with the idea of putting Genelec 1236A speakers in his small room. Given that, I figured I'd help him out by giving him a new alternative, a speaker that can hit a max SPL of 140db that measures like W371 combos, just to save him from sweating over whether to go with the 8381 or a W371/Ones combo. It appears that aesthetics are the only obstacle preventing him from considering this alternative. I wonder, if the MTS 6154 had an appealing design, would he abandon his devotion to Genelec speakers?

Much cheaper than 8381A’s too! lol

 

[holdingpants01]

Much cheaper than 8381A’s too! lol

no deep low end though, they roll off about the same as 8330 lol, headroom have it's price, with amps and subs to match not really cheaper, even if

 

[Tovarich007]

The design is too hard core even for me

The design is too hard core even for me

The Electro Voice MTS-6154 is a quite differenttype of speaker than the Genelecs 8381 or W371-8361. I can't see any equivalence between these speakers, except the fact they're cardioîd ?

This Electrovoice isn't a large studio monitor, it's designed and intended for long throw live applications, look at EV website. And look too at its SPL max which reaches the absolutely stunning figure of 151 dB ! Don't listen them too close if you don't want to finish the gig deaf ! 151 dB, it's more than 20 db plus than the SPL max of a pair of 8381, thats's humongous, the 8381's max SPL being itself quite high compared to the vast majority of studio monitors !
But the Ev's FR in bass remains relatively modest compared to the Gens, not much under 50 Hz. But usually, in large live events, the extrme bass region is reproduced by an array of very large subs..

 

[Blockader]

The Electro Voice MTS-6154 is a quite differenttype of speaker than the Genelecs 8381 or W371-8361. I can't see any equivalence between these speakers, except the fact they're cardioîd ?

This Electrovoice isn't a large studio monitor, it's designed and intended for long throw live applications, look at EV website. And look too at its SPL max which reaches the absolutely stunning figure of 151 dB ! Don't listen them too close if you don't want to finish the gig deaf ! 151 dB, it's more than 20 db plus than the SPL max of a pair of 8381, thats's humongous, the 8381's max SPL being itself quite high compared to the vast majority of studio monitors !
But the Ev's FR in bass remains relatively modest compared to the Gens, not much under 50 Hz. But usually, in large live events, the extrme bass region is reproduced by an array of very large subs..

The best way to categorize speakers is based on their directivity characteristics in the audible band. Based on that, W371 + Genelec 8361 and EV 6154 are more similar to each other than Genelec 8330 being similar to, say, Genelec 8331.

And more importantly, this is a conversation where we're speaking tongue-in-cheek.

 

[Pearljam5000]

The ultimate setup

 

[Reddoc]

The ultimate setup View attachment 358250

Looks great but i seem to remember that GLM doesn't integrate additional subs beyond the W371s? Is that correct?

 

[RobL]

Looks great but i seem to remember that GLM doesn't integrate additional subs beyond the W371s? Is that correct?

I think only for LFE.

 

[RobL]

2 x 8351b - $10000
2 x w371a - $20000
1 x 8341b - $4000
1 x 7382A - $12000
___________________

$46000

I dunno, I think I could have more fun with that money. I’m a little jaded now. I just put a stereo pair of homepods in the livingroom for my wife and am thinking that they sound far too close for comfort to my 2 channel setup. I think my Genelecs are casting pearls before my 57 yo swine ears, lol.

 

[Tovarich007]

The best way to categorize speakers is based on their directivity characteristics in the audible band. Based on that, W371 + Genelec 8361 and EV 6154 are more similar to each other than Genelec 8330 being similar to, say, Genelec 8331.

And more importantly, this is a conversation where we're speaking tongue-in-cheek.

For sure, I completely agree with you on the fact that a speaker's directivity pattern is a super important criteria. But we can't wholly characterize a speaker by one one criteria, as important as it is.
And like you, i don't doubt the entire Genelec The Ones range has directiviry characteristics close to each other and more coherent than their non coaxial 8000 range.

But i was answering Pearljam who was comparing the two big Gens (8361+W371 and 8381) with the EV MTS-6154, which, apart being coaxial (in a different way) and cardioïd (in a different way too), has nothing in common with any Genelecs, so IMO it's impossible to consider they're equivalent, even if their directivity patterns behave more or less the way.

The coaxial cardioïd big Gens are fantastic main studio monitors or very good highend hifi speakers if used for musical pleasure- I have listened to the 8361/W371 and it was one of my best experience ever for sound quality.
The EV MTS is a fantastic large live sound system.

Two different very good designs for two different uses.

 

[Dgob]

Now that I understand how the combo works, it would not be a good idea to separate them. I did not know that the upper driver on the W371A is 14". The 8361A are still good looking and have a bit of that organic feel. I know Genelec do non-coax speakers for homes but I just love the Ones for their point-source design and well respected performance. The W371 should have been finished to match the Ones in my opinion. Overall, I think they don't look bad.

I agree about the aesthetic challenge of the W371A's. A hurdle for home use, that many of us just can't negotiate!! Pity!!

 

[anphex]

I would be glad if Genelec could offer a subwoofer in the format like the W371A but smaller and in the range of 2000 €. My idea is to let a genelec subwoofer carry a THREE-Series speakers piggyback but the shape of the smaller subwoofers makes it impossible or it will look just plain stupid.