• 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!

Give me your opinion on my listening impressions!

SaladDressing

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2020
Messages
53
Likes
11
Location
Germany
Hello beautiful people,

I just had the chance today to get a drive to Thomann, which is europes biggest music store. I am a student, I don't have a drivers license or a car and you cant really get there by public transport, so obviously I took the chance. I was mainly interested in listening through their Studio Monitor lineup (though I had much fun with the big ass modular synth they had standing around too). I will just use them for listening for now. maybe DJing/Modular synths in the future.
In my price class of 1000€ for a pair I listened through all their speakers. In the end I had 4 main contestors. Note: I didn't eq them really for ease of comparison.
1. The Genelec 8030C
2. Eve Audio SC207
3. Adam Audio A7X
4. Presonus Eris E5 XT
The Eris went out of the list after first being really suprised by its bass response. They are way more forward than the other mentioned speakers, went quite loud with pretty good bass. At that price point of 300€ a pair they really are a banger. Didnt like the JBL 305p MK2 at all. Sounded a bit like a tin can (exaggerated of course). Welp they went out after some further listening and noticing that the bass is muddy and very active even when eqing out bass frequencies.

The second thing I noticed was the forward and clear sound of the eves. I like that sound way more than the one from the gens. Problem is, the heights are a bit too harsh and overtuned to my taste. So they went out too.
Now the gens are really laid back and refined I'd say. They just sound superb! Everything from frequency response to soundstage and imaging just gives me waves of pleasure. As a standalone, I like them the most out of the bunch. Also the bass they produce is really damn impressive! Thing is: I still like the Adam more. Why? They again, have a more forward and clearer sound, which I really like. You could argue they are going in more of a hifi direction, but I don't care about that. The thing that bothered me about them was the lack of pretty much any bass response. They weren't able to get out bass nearly as well as the Gens. So what I did was plug in some subs. Out of all of them I think the Adam T10s was the best fit. It filled out the room nicely. The listening room there is about the same size as my room, and also like my room has a sloped roof, so acoustics should be similar. Now with the sub the Adam just sounded AMAZING. My mouth is still watering from the sound. Of course I also tested the gens with a couple of subs. I just don't think a sub gives them as much as a sub gives the Adam. I preferred Adam A7X + T10s over Genelecs 8030C + Adam T10s and standalone Gens. So comparing the Adam monitor + sub combo to the standalone Gens, I really think the 400€+ is well worth it.
So I guess I'll go for the Adam A7X + T10s at a price point of 1500€!

So, thanks for reading this! Now I'd like to hear your opinions on my impressions. Do you think I missed something? Or did I missunderstand something? Please let me know!

I am looking forward to your opinions!
 

Trell

Major Contributor
Joined
May 13, 2021
Messages
2,752
Likes
3,285
It's great that you could hear a number of monitors before buying! Note that Thomann.de have 30 day trial period, at least for the online shop, that you can take advantage of for listening tests at home.

Edit: Living in Sweden I've not had the opportunity to visit their store in Germany and they have good prices along with good after-sales service. Bought several Genelec monitors/subwoofer from them as well as Earthworks microphones, among other things.
 
Last edited:

thewas

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 15, 2020
Messages
6,672
Likes
15,920
Beware though, two musicians I know went to a similar music equipment store (also in Germany) and compared the A7X to the KH120 and liked there the A7X more and bought them. After some months though they found the A7X too colouring and sold them. We guess not only the long term fatigue was responsible for that but also that such loudspeaker comparison rooms have often a dryer acoustic and also the several other loudspeakers and their bass reflex ports located there act like bass absorbers, thus making neutral loudspeakers sounding too dry and v-shaped loudspeakers better.
 
OP
S

SaladDressing

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2020
Messages
53
Likes
11
Location
Germany
Beware though, two musicians I know went to a similar music equipment store (also in Germany) and compared the A7X to the KH120 and liked there the A7X more and bought them. After some months though they found the A7X too colouring and sold them. We guess not only the long term fatigue was responsible for that but also that such loudspeaker comparison rooms have often a dryer acoustic and also the several other loudspeakers and their bass reflex ports located there act like bass absorbers, thus making neutral loudspeakers sounding too dry and v-shaped loudspeakers better.
ohh thank you so much! that's actually pretty important information. I'll be on the lookout when buying them if they fit my taste. If not I still can go with the gens.
 

dfuller

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Messages
3,321
Likes
5,014
My experience with the A7Xs is they sound awesome on first blush but are really hard to mix on.
 

Wes

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 5, 2019
Messages
3,843
Likes
3,788
Let's see a pic of the listening room.

But the real proof will be in your room. Any chance of a return privilege for one if you buy two brands?
 
OP
S

SaladDressing

Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2020
Messages
53
Likes
11
Location
Germany
tell me what i listen ?:rolleyes:
no, confirm or compare to what you maybe heard. Give me insight and useful information on my buying decision and long time use. Stuff really helpful people in this thread already mentioned.
Let's see a pic of the listening room.

But the real proof will be in your room. Any chance of a return privilege for one if you buy two brands?
I don't know if you mean their room or my room, so I'll just send both.
Their room:
1627760572027.png

My room:
1627760615952.png

The Monitors will be mounted on the wall on ear height left and right of the middle Monitor (The left one will move on top of the middle one).
 

gasolin75

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Sep 19, 2019
Messages
592
Likes
131
Location
Denmark
2. Eve Audio SC207, you didn't mentioned the eve's but you mentioned the JBL 305p MK2, why ?
 

JRS

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 22, 2021
Messages
1,158
Likes
1,002
Location
Albuquerque, NM USA
I've been a fan of AMT tweeters since the moment I first heard one in the ESS speakers. From everything I have read, a fabulous transducer has become even more refined and adept from years of German engineering. The reviews including by those who mix for a living are unanimously solid to outstanding. Nice that they have some contour controls within easy reach; I suspect that with a sub or two that these would sound terrific in the right space. Yours is not without challenges, I'd take them home for extended listening with a return option. IME new speakers can be like yesterdays girlfriend. The question is whether she is spouse forever material.
 

YSC

Major Contributor
Joined
Dec 31, 2019
Messages
3,192
Likes
2,567
no, confirm or compare to what you maybe heard. Give me insight and useful information on my buying decision and long time use. Stuff really helpful people in this thread already mentioned.

I don't know if you mean their room or my room, so I'll just send both.
Their room:
View attachment 144690
My room:
View attachment 144691
The Monitors will be mounted on the wall on ear height left and right of the middle Monitor (The left one will move on top of the middle one).
I generally like the AMT also (I use 8030C in the end though). but from the room itself I think you might be better off getting the Genelecs, the Thomann room is treated with absorption panels which yours don't, and the proximity of the walls/roofs etc. will get you quite a lot of bass boost. If not doing EQ with the A7X you might get quite a lot of irregularities and the 8030C have quite some compensation options to go along with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JRS

Webninja

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
419
Likes
468
Location
Los Angeles
Neumann not on your list? From years on this forum I think I can say that you really can’t go wrong with the Genelec or Neumann. Yes, they are expensive and yes there are other brands that have great monitors.

I have had JBL 305mkii, Adam T5V and Neumann KH80. When I had to get rid of one pair, the Adams went as they just didn’t stay at that initial wow level (totally subjective). The other two both do a great job of just getting out of the way. Although the Neumanns can get very loud without any audible distortion, not so with the JBLs.
 
Top Bottom