• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

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

ahofer

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 3, 2019
Messages
4,952
Likes
8,697
Location
New York City
I understand that ASR doesn’t really believe in different priorities though.
Some perhaps. I'd say ASR denizens share a suspicion conviction that the combination of measurable distortion, frequency response and directivity describes the entire preference space, and starting with solid specs on all of them + EQ should get you wherever you want to be.

But who am I to talk? I like my Harbeths, which are ill-behaved from a directivity point of view.
 
Last edited:

Mnyb

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Aug 14, 2019
Messages
2,640
Likes
3,608
Location
Sweden, Västerås
Hmm I recomend reading Tooles book ( I'm 1/3 into it ) it makes the body of knowledge accessible for the reader then there are references to the real papers behind it all . It's more nuanced than some folks make it out on this pages and imo it is solid science . And you get the mono speaker part :)

People have suggested waldo should try to EQ a typical "BBC dipp" but will this work due to the genelecs disperson ?
What i understand (from reading here at ASR) the typical 2 way speaker with "BBC dipp" also comes with a corresponding directivity error in the same region this changes how they sound in room ?

So in the same way speakers with huge directivity discontinuities does work not well with EQ . EQ works the direct and reflected sound it cant be separated, so you muck up the direct sound by eq based on some room measurement.

A speaker like the genelec is probably well suited to EQ but i supose ,for the same reasons cant emulate a speaker with directivity errors trough EQ ?

Or is the direct sound so important that it's good enough anyway ?
 

Pearljam5000

Master Contributor
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
5,125
Likes
5,355
Hmm I recomend reading Tooles book ( I'm 1/3 into it ) it makes the body of knowledge accessible for the reader then there are references to the real papers behind it all . It's more nuanced than some folks make it out on this pages and imo it is solid science . And you get the mono speaker part :)

People have suggested waldo should try to EQ a typical "BBC dipp" but will this work due to the genelecs disperson ?
What i understand (from reading here at ASR) the typical 2 way speaker with "BBC dipp" also comes with a corresponding directivity error in the same region this changes how they sound in room ?

So in the same way speakers with huge directivity discontinuities does work not well with EQ . EQ works the direct and reflected sound it cant be separated, so you muck up the direct sound by eq based on some room measurement.

A speaker like the genelec is probably well suited to EQ but i supose ,for the same reasons cant emulate a speaker with directivity errors trough EQ ?

Or is the direct sound so important that it's good enough anyway ?
You could just put a thick blanket on it and it will sound like any BBC speaker ever made
 

waldo2

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2021
Messages
49
Likes
94
You could just put a thick blanket on it and it will sound like any BBC speaker ever made
Sure. We music lovers can continue to enjoy our spendors, harbeths and quads, and you audio scientists can have the genelecs. Or to paraphrase Henny Youngman: take my Genelecs, please.
 

BrokenEnglishGuy

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
1,914
Likes
1,147
Sure. We music lovers can continue to enjoy our spendors, harbeths and quads, and you audio scientists can have the genelecs. Or to paraphrase Henny Youngman: take my Genelecs, please.
Why don't EQ these genelec to your preference?.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CMB

Sancus

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Messages
2,923
Likes
7,616
Location
Canada
Sure. We music lovers can continue to enjoy our spendors, harbeths and quads, and you audio scientists can have the genelecs. Or to paraphrase Henny Youngman: take my Genelecs, please.

You know, your interactions and points on this forum would be taken better if there wasn't an underlying condescension of "I like and know about real music more than the rest of you guys." leaking through every single one of your posts.
 

BrokenEnglishGuy

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
1,914
Likes
1,147
Why in 2021, the people still get so many problem to find his own preference target? :l

Instead of say '' magic mid range '', '' audio scientists speakers '', '' fun speakers '' why don't just spend these time for find his own preference target?, always people is talking about the speakers sound but never the sound that THEY LIKE.
 

preload

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
May 19, 2020
Messages
1,554
Likes
1,701
Location
California
Why in 2021, the people still get so many problem to find his own preference target? :l

Instead of say '' magic mid range '', '' audio scientists speakers '', '' fun speakers '' why don't just spend these time for find his own preference target?, always people is talking about the speakers sound but never the sound that THEY LIKE.
Well for starters, in 2021, the so-called preference target you're likely referring to (there are several) doesn't actually account for all of the perceived sound quality.
 

CMB

Active Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2019
Messages
260
Likes
511
For my various Genelec speakers, I only use their dedicated K&M stands (which only come in black) but I have used other stands shown below:

I bought these white stands from Amazon (Kanto speaker stands) and like them, stable enough for my needs, "living room friendly" and the plates rotate so you can "toe in" the plate without having to turn the stands themselves!

For my studio I use these Ultimate Support stands (from Sweetwater) They come in red as shown below and also all black.
Thank you and also thank to pozz for your suggestions.

They arrived this evening actually (I mean the 8631a in white) and I just installed them on wooden garden chairs in the living room for the moment.

The feeds "Iso-Pods" are quite large (around 22cmx22cm) so the stands might need a larger surface.
Would not want to see them fall over :).

I leave in Luxembourg so will have to find an European solution :).

Just as a feed back, it took me approx 10 minutes to install them, update and run GLM.
What a beautiful product, how easy.

Sure, I will need maybe a bit more fine tuning (EQ) to my preferred "coloration".

It took me 2 years (hard time scrutinizing) to find the right ones for me; so far (after 3 hours only) I am very happy.
 

Pearljam5000

Master Contributor
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
5,125
Likes
5,355
Thank you and also thank to pozz for your suggestions.

They arrived this evening actually and I just installed them on wooden garden chairs in the living room for the moment.

The feeds "Iso-Pods" are quite large (around 22cmx22cm) so the stands might need a larger surface.
Would not want to see them fall over :).

I leave in Luxembourg so will have to find an European solution :).

Just as a feed back, it took me approx 10 minutes to install them, update and run GLM.
What a beautiful product, how easy.

Sure, I will need maybe a bit more fine tuning (EQ) to my preferred "coloration".

It took me 2 years (hard time scrutinizing) to find the right ones for me; so far (after 3 hours only) I am very happy.
Are the violins and pianos artificial sounding? ;)
Anyways congrats
 
  • Like
Reactions: CMB

BrokenEnglishGuy

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
1,914
Likes
1,147
Well for starters, in 2021, the so-called preference target you're likely referring to (there are several) doesn't actually account for all of the perceived sound quality.
No. I talked about the own personal preference/taste.
The FR that you like the most, the target that you only knows.
 

preload

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
May 19, 2020
Messages
1,554
Likes
1,701
Location
California
No. I talked about the own personal preference/taste.
The FR that you like the most, the target that you only knows.
Right. FR corrected to ANY target, even your own personal one, doesn't account for all of the perceived sound quality. Mostly because a simple 2-dimensional capture doesn't necessarily represent what you perceive, unless your room is an anechoic chamber. Otherwise, there is reflected sound, sound that is time-delayed, and resonances. There is also FR deviations that are smoothed out when you make corrections, but aren't necessarily inaudible. Sound also strikes the external ear at different angles of incidence.
 
Last edited:

waldo2

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2021
Messages
49
Likes
94
Why in 2021, the people still get so many problem to find his own preference target? :l

Instead of say '' magic mid range '', '' audio scientists speakers '', '' fun speakers '' why don't just spend these time for find his own preference target?, always people is talking about the speakers sound but never the sound that THEY LIKE.
Sorry, just trying to make a joke. Guess it didn’t go over. It does seem like there are two cultures. I see very little discussion of musical instruments, timber, space, etc here. Just not your interest i think. You all talk about frequency response and waveguides and I think you believe those are more accurate and scientific ways of talking as opposed to my way, which you see as soft, aimless, fuzzy subjectivism. I think we understand each other, and just have different interests. We all aren’t listening to speakers for the same reasons.

Also, I wasn’t trying to insult the Genelecs; even I understand they are excellent in many ways. I was just trying to say that for the music I like, I don’t like these speakers because I find them bright and hard, and I couldn’t fix it with glm and judicious eq.

You must admit that most of you all have about the same opinion of bbc monitors or quads that I have about genelecs, only in reverse. Hence the comment about the blanket. I don’t mind such barbs. In retort, I’d just say that I agree that it might be useful to try the blanket.
 

dfuller

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Messages
3,337
Likes
5,052
You all talk about frequency response and waveguides and I think you believe those are more accurate and scientific ways of talking as opposed to my way, which you see as soft, aimless, fuzzy subjectivism. I think we understand each other, and just have different interests. We all aren’t listening to speakers for the same reasons.
Think about it this way:
We're talking about the speaker itself and how it behaves. You're talking about how the music from the speaker makes you feel. There's nothing wrong with either approach, and really the goal in my opinion is to use the data to find out what you like (or don't).

So, given your preference leaning toward Harbeths, etc - maybe try some active ATCs out. They're more in the "traditional speaker" design department though generally trend a little flatter in room than the rather tilted-down Harbeths.
 

BrokenEnglishGuy

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 19, 2020
Messages
1,914
Likes
1,147
Sorry, just trying to make a joke. Guess it didn’t go over. It does seem like there are two cultures. I see very little discussion of musical instruments, timber, space, etc here. Just not your interest i think. You all talk about frequency response and waveguides and I think you believe those are more accurate and scientific ways of talking as opposed to my way, which you see as soft, aimless, fuzzy subjectivism. I think we understand each other, and just have different interests. We all aren’t listening to speakers for the same reasons.

Also, I wasn’t trying to insult the Genelecs; even I understand they are excellent in many ways. I was just trying to say that for the music I like, I don’t like these speakers because I find them bright and hard, and I couldn’t fix it with glm and judicious eq.

You must admit that most of you all have about the same opinion of bbc monitors or quads that I have about genelecs, only in reverse. Hence the comment about the blanket. I don’t mind such barbs. In retort, I’d just say that I agree that it might be useful to try the blanket.
I had many guitars and hours of practice with my drummer friend.
I couldn’t fix it with glm and judicious eq.
You just need more hours of practice with the EQ ;)

Personally i don't like the FR from Genelec, because I like an overall smothness in mid range and highs. If i had this Genelec speaker I'd instantly EQ to my taste, i know very well what i like and how to fix that to my taste.
 
Last edited:

CMB

Active Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2019
Messages
260
Likes
511
Sorry, just trying to make a joke. Guess it didn’t go over. It does seem like there are two cultures. I see very little discussion of musical instruments, timber, space, etc here. Just not your interest i think. You all talk about frequency response and waveguides and I think you believe those are more accurate and scientific ways of talking as opposed to my way, which you see as soft, aimless, fuzzy subjectivism. I think we understand each other, and just have different interests. We all aren’t listening to speakers for the same reasons.

Also, I wasn’t trying to insult the Genelecs; even I understand they are excellent in many ways. I was just trying to say that for the music I like, I don’t like these speakers because I find them bright and hard, and I couldn’t fix it with glm and judicious eq.

You must admit that most of you all have about the same opinion of bbc monitors or quads that I have about genelecs, only in reverse. Hence the comment about the blanket. I don’t mind such barbs. In retort, I’d just say that I agree that it might be useful to try the blanket

I really would like to participate in this debate. I would say "finally", as I did not want to intervene before having those speaker at home.
But sorry, for the moment I am just blown away by the music and the way these speakers and the music absorb my attention.

Thank you Waldo for your earlier suggested violin music records.
I am literally blown away by them.

It seems that it is right what they say "la musique adoucit les moeurs" (Music soften the mores / not sure about the translation).
What better compliment could I make about these speakers.
 
Top Bottom