Help me decide Genelec 7361a or D&D 8C

[GDK]

Nice to know I am not alone, and your experience thus far? Love em?

I do love them. I have a pair of subs from my previous set up just sitting in the room disconnected as they aren’t needed.

I did a bunch of research, including the detailed reviews by @hardisj and @mitchco. Unfortunately, the nearest D&D rep to me is in Montreal, so I just bit the bullet and ordered them. I looked at the Genelecs a lot as an alternative, but couldn’t get comfortable with their appearance. I am sure they sound amazing though.

 

[Sancus]

There were some 8C vs Kef R3 measurements posted a while ago here. The 8C did seem to make a significant difference in terms of room effects. It does seem to be better for rooms where the answer to treatment is 'haha, never in a million years.' How much better is of course impossible to determine in advance.

Personally I think the 8C are slightly better for "stereo speakers in a listening room where you actually sit in a sweet spot consistently" but that's not actually the use case for any speakers that I own...

 

[Pearljam5000]

Just flip a coin
Or you'll be stuck in an endless dilemma like me

 

[voodooless]

Just flip a coin
Or you'll be stuck in an endless dilemma like me

Make a poll

 

[GDK]

It does seem to be better for rooms where the answer to treatment is 'haha, never in a million years.'

"stereo speakers in a listening room where you actually sit in a sweet spot consistently"

Both of those comments apply to my case exactly.

 

[Eeyoredave]

There were some 8C vs Kef R3 measurements posted a while ago here. The 8C did seem to make a significant difference in terms of room effects. It does seem to be better for rooms where the answer to treatment is 'haha, never in a million years.' How much better is of course impossible to determine in advance.

Personally I think the 8C are slightly better for "stereo speakers in a listening room where you actually sit in a sweet spot consistently" but that's not actually the use case for any speakers that I own...

I wonder the performance is better in untreated rooms due to its cardio bass design?

Are you saying then that the Key R3 is a valid choice in my options?

 

[Sancus]

I wonder the performance is better in untreated rooms due to its cardio bass design?

Are you saying then that the Key R3 is a valid choice in my options?

Yes, it's due to the cardioid bass. I was just providing another example where the 8C were measured in comparison to non-cardioid speakers.

The Kef R3 probably isn't a good fit if you are looking for minimalism because it's a passive speaker so you'll need a DAC + power amplifier or integrated amplifier.

 

[Eeyoredave]

Go

Yes, it's due to the cardioid bass. I was just providing another example where the 8C were measured in comparison to non-cardioid speakers.

Got it. What are the other cardioid systems out there, ME Geithian, any others?

The Kef R3 probably isn't a good fit if you are looking for minimalism because it's a passive speaker so you'll need a DAC + power amplifier or integrated amplifier.

However, my current setup I have all those gear... using a LS50 with Auralic Aries Mini + Luxman DA250 + Nypex NC400 + Sub. Yes, I did mention that I wanted to scale down and reduce the number of components as a minimal system, but will I save money and have a similar/better outcome?

Happy to sell the lot and down size also!

 

[Sancus]

Got it. What are the other cardioid systems out there, ME Geithian, any others?

The W371A adds similar bass control to the Genelec 8341/8351/8361. There's definitely some others out there.

However, my current setup I have all those gear... using a LS50 with Auralic Aries Mini + Luxman DA250 + Nypex NC400 + Sub. Yes, I did mention that I wanted to scale down and reduce the number of components as a minimal system, but will I save money and have a similar/better outcome?

Kef R-series is great but IMO Genelecs are somewhat better. Of course, I am biased, and certainly there are diminishing returns at the price of the 8C or 8361A.

 

[Eeyoredave]

A different way of thinking, would Genelec 8341 with a pair of 7350 or a single 7360 be a comparable system to the D&D? t the cost of more components, but a lower CapEx?

 

[tifune]

A different way of thinking, would Genelec 8341 with a pair of 7350 or a single 7360 be a comparable system to the D&D? t the cost of more components, but a lower CapEx?

You'd have to be more specific to directly compare. I presume you mean in terms of overall experience. Yes they *can* be, but most people would need to spend the delta on room treatment to achieve 8C levels of, supposedly, nearly out-of-box performance. Plus the time spent finding the best spot for subs, applying room treatment, and x # of hours re-measuring because sub placement is almost never optimal on first try. For some, like myself, that amount of time is more expensive than $ at this particular price point.

Personally, as an earlier comment mentioned, I felt at this price point a multichannel solution is a much better value and so I went that direction with a nearfield SAM-based Auro setup. I'm still curious to hear the 8C but my "critical listening" setup has all monitors <1m which, per D&D support and contrary to their manual, is too close. In the living room, all speaker stands are an immediate fail on the WAF score so maybe someday...

 

[rillettes]

You'd have to be more specific to directly compare. I presume you mean in terms of overall experience. Yes they *can* be, but most people would need to spend the delta on room treatment to achieve 8C levels of, supposedly, nearly out-of-box performance. Plus the time spent finding the best spot for subs, applying room treatment, and x # of hours re-measuring because sub placement is almost never optimal on first try. For some, like myself, that amount of time is more expensive than $ at this particular price point.

By moving subs, you can address your room nulls below 100 Hz. I don't think that the design of the 8c's can do anything for these ?

 

[Pearljam5000]

I would say... Main differences :
8C more "musical", more bass output so no need for sub
8361 aluminum cabinets, GLM, more analytical sound, might need subs, coaxial
More reliable (?) better resale value

 

[Eeyoredave]

Sometime I do think that I am over thinking this way too much…

By moving subs, you can address your room nulls below 100 Hz. I don't think that the design of the 8c's can do anything for these ?

I would’ve thought so, but at the price of needing to measure and tune and move. Sometimes subs can’t go where you want them to go…

I would say... Main differences :
8C more "musical", more bass output so no need for sub
8361 aluminum cabinets, GLM, more analytical sound, might need subs, coaxial
More reliable (?) better resale value

I have that concern also. At the end of the day, I listen to music for enjoyment, the ability to engage, relax and pleasure. Whether it is ruler flat FR (as is the main driver on this forum, which I also appreciate) or it just down right sounds good is a fine balance. As another poster wrote, time is more valuable then speaker cost, so one that can get me to the place i need to be the easiest is the fix. Right now, I think of the two speakers the 8C seems to get me there the quickest, irrespective of the differences between the two.

 

[garbz]

Right now, I think of the two speakers the 8C seems to get me there the quickest, irrespective of the differences between the two.

Just to add my $0.02 worth, I took delivery of a pair of 8Cs the day you posted this thread. All I can say is DO IT!. Truly amazing. Now in fairness I came from speakers which weren't well known for playing along well with rooms (B&W 805s and the crappy dispersion) so anything would have been better, but in my 3.5m deep living room where I'm forced to place speakers close to the world the 8Cs perform phenomenally. That and at my listening position I had a 50Hz mode that was so bad I had to give up listening to vinyl and stuck to just using a streamer (with an EQ to correct for the null). The D&D's with their internal filtering made me spend 400EUR at record store day yesterday.

GLM does allow for similar kind of correction, I think but I can't speak for them, haven't heard them.