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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

Jinjuku

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Only ~ $600 a month after tax for two

Well all my cars are paid off.... My only issue is I'm big into classical and I like a large presentation. It's why I build my Curt Campbell Statements.
 

ahofer

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The recommendation is for professionals mastering at the stated loudness - how loud do you need your speakers is the question
I don’t listen too loud. Peaks in the mid 80 db per my iPhone based db meter. Dedicated listening (as opposed to background) is classical and jazz, so there can be dynamic peaks along the way, with bigger jazz ensembles, orchestral music.
 

Tangband

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Very true :).

Genelec did extensive investigations about class D amplifiers in their studiomonitors already twenty years ago, and 8 years ago , the year 2013 it seems they discovered that the technology was mature and as good as class A/B , and in certain ways even better ( better bass, lower power consumtion, less heat ) .
Read Genelecs white-paper about class D here :

In the 8351, they use technology from infineon in apparently their own amplifier design . I guess its the same amplifier for midrange and the tweeter in 8361, but Im not sure.

 
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audio2920

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Yes, if you are mastering reference level for movies far field, the dynamic swings are huge - thus "pro" monitors. The pros do need something that can hit high SPL without distorting (or breaking) day in day out in a studio. Obviously, I'm not a professional mixer for movie theater content but we have one such member: @audio2920 what are your thoughts on the high SPL capability of the 8361A - necessary or overkill?

Of course it depends on use case. For my own studio though, not overkill at all.

As someone else pointed out, it's not that you *necessarily* need that extra SPL across the whole spectrum for a film, but if you listen loud, I would think in the bottom few octaves that extra headroom could be useful (at something like a 4m listening distance) over and above a smaller speaker. Especially if, like me, you like to run your LCR without bass management. (I know, I know..... I just like it, OK? ) If you're using BM then maybe not so much?

However, regarding reference level: I'd like to point out that in my opinion there's pretty much no such thing as reference level outside of the theatrical exhibition world any more. As a result of modern loudness specifications imposed by most distribution chains for home entertainment, the "ideal" monitoring level ends up probably needing about 3 - 6dB less than the 105dBC peak (or more like 108 with overs) required for theatrical. Of course people can crank it up if they like, but I find the dialog quite a bit hot on a home ent mix if the peak levels are up at 105!

Anyway, as a studio monitor, working at reference on content that's still in it's raw "cinema" dynamic (but in a small room at a 3m listening distance) I would definitely appreciate the SPL handling from 40 to 150Hz at least, which is where I always end up running in to active monitor limiters (or in the old days, blowing bass drivers). JBL 708 and KH310 being examples of popular speakers I know are highly possible to get sounding stressed for theatrical work, beyond about 2m listening distance. I say "highly possible" maybe that's a bit strong, but if you're doing an "aliens come down and blow up the world" type film, then definitely yes, at LF.

For what it's worth, as it happens I recently heard one of my mixes on 8361s, and they coped well with the SPL being thrown at them. Obviously rooms differ a bit in terms of power requirement, so I can't say any other speaker definitely would or wouldn't have coped, but I was a little bit surprised at how little they broke up. Otherwise they were kinda unremarkable to my ears, but these days (good monitors, good room treatment, good room correction) all rooms seem a bit unremarkable to me, so I'm probably saying that as a positive!? In the sense that I don't walk away thinking anything stands out "oh there was more clarity" or "oh that was bassy" And that's probably good as to my mind it's likely an indication that we're pretty much solving the old circle of confusion. (Of course, I think mixer preference based on the past carnage will actually take longer to settle down than the technology improvements!)
 

F1308

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The funny thing about loudspeaker performance is how hard it gets trying to go a bit lower along the spectrum.

36Hz - 20KHz (+/- 1.5dB)
30Hz - 43KHz (-6dB)

So doubling the high frequency and then adding even more, will offer a step from +/-1.5 dB to -6dB.
But just barely move 6 Hz downwards and you have achieved the same window.
 

Cadguy

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Amir, how much heat does the 8361 produce? Can you tell us about subjective level of hiss?
 

MZKM

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If the preference rating goes up to 10, I'm curious what we can expect from speakers scoring significantly higher than this?? Does any such speaker exist and what's the audible "improvement" to the listener? I'm confounded that this is "only" 7.9! LOL damn measurements
It can go up to 10, just pretty close to impossible.
In the Olive’s patent document it shows the ~70 speakers and the measured vs actual scores, the max actual score was an ~8.2, which I assume is the Salon2.

I know Matthew Poes is working with a company for their own formula, but would be cool if ASR members could do their own as well. Matthew has told me though that he was (at the time) unsatisfied with the repeatability of testing the same person on different days as they scored speakers decently different on each occasions.
 
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tifune

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Especially if, like me, you like to run your LCR without bass management. (I know, I know..... I just like it, OK? ) If you're using BM then maybe not so much?

I do hear this opinion being expressed now and again; why do you prefer it that way? Or, if you already have elsewhere, could you point me toward the previous post(s)?

One idea I've heard, I believe on the SVS forums, is "why waste your speakers' bass capability" for which the almost-always answer seems to be lower IMD and higher overall output from the speaker (not the entire room). Just curious, as someone in a relevant industry, your personal take on it?
 

Jimshoe

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I recently had the 8361's on a home demo.

Currently I'm using a pair of ATC SCM25a and, whilst the 8361s are clearly superior, there is something about their presentation that some may not find agreeable. As Amir mentioned the image created is limited in size (particularly compared to other (floorstanding) speakers) and, I felt, somehow feels fired at you through a narrow opening.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the 8361s (and I suspect I will be ordering some) but once my demo was over and I switched back to my ATCs, I was struck but the (comparatively) open soundstage. Given that the speakers are a similar size I was puzzled by this.

This got me wondering, what creates a sense of 'openness' in a speaker? Is it that many simply spray their sound all over the place?

Doug
 

Spocko

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Nothing had been said about hissing....
Is there any, please ?
None for me, and I think this is consistent for modern Genelec models. I'm nearfield with my 8350a (less than 1m) and hear no hiss/noise at all - and I do bring the volume up a bit when monitoring (eliminate extraneous artifacts like tongue clicks, breathing, etc.) so I imagine the newer 8351/61 are equally silent.
 

Spocko

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It can go up to 10, just pretty close to impossible.
In the Olive’s patent document it shows the ~70 speakers and the measured vs actual scores, the max actual score was an ~8.2, which I assume is the Salon2.

I know Matthew Poes is working with a company for their own formula, but would be cool if ASR members could do their own as well. Matthew has told me though that he was (at the time) unsatisfied with the repeatability of testing the same person on different days as they scored speakers decently different on each occasions.
This is completely human too so I don't know how you eliminate the bias of "my wife just left me and took my dog, I'm pissed and ready to listen to some stupid speakers".
 

Spocko

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I do hear this opinion being expressed now and again; why do you prefer it that way? Or, if you already have elsewhere, could you point me toward the previous post(s)?

One idea I've heard, I believe on the SVS forums, is "why waste your speakers' bass capability" for which the almost-always answer seems to be lower IMD and higher overall output from the speaker (not the entire room). Just curious, as someone in a relevant industry, your personal take on it?
Yes, @audio2920 has dedicated a thread to this very topic LOL
 

Spocko

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This got me wondering, what creates a sense of 'openness' in a speaker? Is it that many simply spray their sound all over the place?

Doug
Dr. Toole has said that for stereo setups, early reflections are incredibly important to this sense of space/soundstage and suggest not absorbing first reflections at all.
 

Pearljam5000

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I recently had the 8361's on a home demo.

Currently I'm using a pair of ATC SCM25a and, whilst the 8361s are clearly superior, there is something about their presentation that some may not find agreeable. As Amir mentioned the image created is limited in size (particularly compared to other (floorstanding) speakers) and, I felt, somehow feels fired at you through a narrow opening.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the 8361s (and I suspect I will be ordering some) but once my demo was over and I switched back to my ATCs, I was struck but the (comparatively) open soundstage. Given that the speakers are a similar size I was puzzled by this.

This got me wondering, what creates a sense of 'openness' in a speaker? Is it that many simply spray their sound all over the place?

Doug
Other than the soundstage what were the other differences between them?
 
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