Genelec W371A + 8361A

[Pearljam5000]

It’s a great system. In fact when I first auditioned the 8351 I was seated about 4m away.

It blew me away and I have other posts describing that situation. They didn’t have subs so they played mostly slower low bass music. They still blew me away.

However when I got these home I realized that I listen at high levels. So I need to sit closer. Even though I have extensive room treatment but obviously not on the level Genelec would have excuted.

These near field monitors and that’s what they are just sound better closer up. They still sound amazing at a distance but they are better closer.

I've read somewhere on ASR that coaxials in general sound better up close, especially the soundstage
But not sure how true it is.

 

[Dgob]

It’s a great system. In fact when I first auditioned the 8351 I was seated about 4m away.

It blew me away and I have other posts describing that situation. They didn’t have subs so they played mostly slower low bass music. They still blew me away.

However when I got these home I realized that I listen at high levels. So I need to sit closer. Even though I have extensive room treatment but obviously not on the level Genelec would have excuted.

These near field monitors and that’s what they are just sound better closer up. They still sound amazing at a distance but they are better closer.

I'm not sure if it's the environment or the fact that my audition was with the larger 8361A's, but bass performance was one of the many remarkable features that blew me away. For example, on some of my standard test tracks (such as Terje Isungset's 'Fading Sun'; Nenad Vasilic's 'Bass Drops', and Danny Thompson's 'Women in War') the bass' speed and timbral detail was truly breath-taking..

I'm saving my pennies!

 

[Dgob]

I've read somewhere on ASR that coaxials in general sound better up close, especially the soundstage
But not sure how true it is.

I believe that this was an SPL related issue, and I think Amir noted the advances of the 8361A's in this regard.

 

[srrxr71]

I've read somewhere on ASR that coaxials in general sound better up close, especially the soundstage
But not sure how true it is.

It’s not that coaxials sound better closer it’s that all systems will have a better direct/reflected ratio if you sit closer.

In the case of a well treated room the treatment carries a lot of that burden.

What coaxials let you do is the ability to sit much closer if your room needs you to do so.

 

[outfaced]

so far i understand, many here use only one W371A which in my eyes is somehow only the half of the way. W371A is not a normal sub where the Xover is set about 80Hz to be below the threshold of localization. The goal with W371A is to cover as much as possible below the schrodinger frequency, where the room acts as resonator ... this means Xover often around 200Hz ... but then you need for sure 2xW371A

 

[Dgob]

so far i understand, many here use only one W371A which in my eyes is somehow only the half of the way. W371A is not a normal sub where the Xover is set about 80Hz to be below the threshold of localization. The goal with W371A is to cover as much as possible below the schrodinger frequency, where the room acts as resonator ... this means Xover often around 200Hz ... but then you need for sure 2xW371A

When stereo paired with the larger Ones, they form 4 way speakers of exceptional performance: each pair (8361A and W371A) becoming One, as it were.

Even better when ran in pure digital.

 

[holdingpants01]

so far i understand, many here use only one W371A which in my eyes is somehow only the half of the way. W371A is not a normal sub where the Xover is set about 80Hz to be below the threshold of localization. The goal with W371A is to cover as much as possible below the schrodinger frequency, where the room acts as resonator ... this means Xover often around 200Hz ... but then you need for sure 2xW371A

who use only one? I would be surprised if there was anyone doing it

 

[holdingpants01]

When stereo paired with the larger Ones, they form 4 way speakers of exceptional performance: each pair (8361A and W371A) becoming One, as it were.

Even better when ran in pure digital.

actually they're 5-way

 

[Dgob]

actually they're 5-way

No! They are 4 way. If you skip to 4 mins 52 secs on the following, this will hopefully help to clarify:

 

[AudioJester]

this means Xover often around 200Hz .

Actually it goes much higher and cardioid

 

[holdingpants01]

No! They are 4 way. If you skip to 4 mins 52 secs on the following, this will hopefully help to clarify:

it's 5 way, I own them and measured all of the drivers separately, in GLM software it is possible to solo each driver making it easy to do. There are 2 ways in the W371A, front and back woofers + The Ones are 3 ways = 5 ways. Maybe he wanted to simplify the way the W371A works and treat it as one way, but there is crossover between them and they definitely playback different frequency ranges

 

[AudioJester]

it's 5 way, I own them and measured all of the drivers separately, in GLM software it is possible to solo each driver making it easy to do. There are two ways in the W371A, front and back woofers and The Ones are 3 ways = 5 ways. Maybe he wanted to simplify the way the W371A works and treat it as one way, but there is crossover between them and they definitely playback different frequency ranges

Are you able to post individual driver measurements from GLM?
Really curious what it looks like

 

[holdingpants01]

Are you able to post individual driver measurements from GLM?
Really curious what it looks like

I deleted it, but if it's not crucial for it to be super strict and I can do just main listening position measurements so you could see the crossover points, then I could do it again

 

[AudioJester]

I deleted it, but if it's not crucial for it to be super strict and I can do just main listening position measurements so you could see the crossover points, then I could do it again

All good. I didnt know you could do that in GLM, will try with my 8361. Curious what the w371 drivers measured like

 

[holdingpants01]

All good. I didnt know you could do that in GLM, will try with my 8361. Curious what the w371 drivers measured like

right click on the speaker, choose test controls and there you can mute any driver. I used a frequency analyser on my phone and in the current configuration the crossover between back and front woofer is at 70Hz with additional 110Hz coming from the back, probably to fill some hole there or whatever magic they're doing

 

[Dgob]

it's 5 way, I own them and measured all of the drivers separately, in GLM software it is possible to solo each driver making it easy to do. There are 2 ways in the W371A, front and back woofers + The Ones are 3 ways = 5 ways. Maybe he wanted to simplify the way the W371A works and treat it as one way, but there is crossover between them and they definitely playback different frequency ranges

Ok, then their point about the unique design and it being a four way system must be incorrect. I would have expected better from Aki Makivirta and Darren Rose!

 

[holdingpants01]

Ok, then their point about the unique design and it being a four way system must be incorrect. I would have expected better from Aki Makivirta and Darren Rose!

it is unique and I can imagine what they mean by 4 way especially from the marketing point of view, but essentially it works like a 5 way, with crossovers and separate amps for each driver. It's easier for them to say it's 4 way rather than 4.5 way with a long disclaimer how the back woofer cancel some of the front woofers range or something equally complicated. The point is the big front 14" woofer is not a subwoofer as it is crossed over at 70Hz, at least in the mode I use, and the back one reproduces the subs with some additional higher bass range. How's that not a 2 way design?

 

[Dgob]

it is unique and I can imagine what they mean by 4 way especially from the marketing point of view, but essentially it works like a 5 way, with crossovers and separate amps for each driver. It's easier for them to say it's 4 way rather than 4.5 way with a long disclaimer

If there's one thing that sets Genelec apart to my view it would be their professional honesty, but it's interesting to hear the view that marketing interests would override their integrity about their developments.

Aki Mäkivirta - Genelec Deutsch

Aki Mäkivirta came to Genelec in 1995 from the Nokia Research Centre. He had gotten to know Ari Varla in a joint venture between the companies, within which they designed a speaker with digital signal processing. Before that, active monitors were based on analogue filtering and signal...

www.genelec.de

I saw it more as a case of integration, which removes the independence of the bass drivers!? Although I can see the sense in a 4.5 definition.

Incidentally, have you tried running yours in pure digital set-up (sans DAC and preamp)? I'm still getting over the miracle that this brings about - having recently moved from an analogue based set-up myself!!

 

[holdingpants01]

If there's one thing that sets Genelec apart to my view is would be their professional honesty, but it's interesting to hear the view that marketing interests would override their integrity about their developments.

I know some people are allergic to chat gpt but I managed to convince it that it's indeed 2 way design:

Can the W371A Be Considered a 2-Way Design?​

The Genelec W371A:

1. Divides the low-frequency spectrum between:
   • Front-firing 14-inch woofer (typically 100 Hz to 500 Hz).
   • Rear-firing 12-inch woofer (typically 23 Hz to 100 Hz).
2. Uses a DSP-based crossover to manage this division dynamically.
3. Optimizes performance for:
   • Phase alignment between the two drivers.
   • Directivity control (e.g., cardioid, omnidirectional).

By this definition:

• Yes, the W371A can be considered a 2-way system that operates within the bass frequency range.
• It has two drivers, each optimized for different parts of the low-frequency spectrum, and a DSP-based crossover to manage their interaction.

However, Genelec (and others) might not market it as a "2-way subwoofer" because:

1. It isn’t a traditional subwoofer. Its primary role is to extend and optimize bass in tandem with a full-range coaxial monitor.
2. The W371A’s design purpose is more about room correction and directivity than simply splitting frequencies like a typical subwoofer system.
3. It is part of a modular, full-range monitoring system, rather than being a standalone subwoofer or speaker.

---

Why the Confusion?​

The confusion arises because:

• 2-way is often associated with full-range designs, leading people to think of it only in terms of "woofer + tweeter."
• In this case, the W371A functions like a 2-way system but within the limited context of bass frequencies.

---

Conclusion:​

You're absolutely correct: The Genelec W371A can be considered a 2-way bass system. It uses a crossover to split the low-frequency range between two woofers, making it technically a 2-way design — just within the sub-bass and bass range.

 

[Dgob]

I don't see it as overriding their integrity, simplification for the youtube video at most


I run the whole setup digitally straight from AES out of my interface, I didn't even try to listen to them with analog input so I don't know if it's any different, hope it's the same. I'm getting closer to moving into 9320A with their headphones though as it can be used as an interface, after I got rid of my Atmos setup I don't need more than 2 outputs. Right now I use 16 analogue output interface, so those channels aren't doing anything

Yes, I was using the Topping DAC, EXT and Pre until recent. Changing over to the 9320A fed by the RDL HR-DSX4 digital selector transformed things beyond my every expectation. And, as you say, I still have the option to introduce their head monitors.