Help me replace my Genelec 8341's for the sanity of my beloved wife

[Sparky]

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all well!

As the title suggests, I have a really difficult dilemma to attempt to resolve for which I hope you lovely people will be able to help me with.
After a few drinks last night, we got on to the discussion of decorating the living room as we haven't really touched it for over 5 years so it needs a bit of an update.
It was during this conversation that my wife of 12 years broke down in tears (no exaggeration) at her hatred for my amazing Genelec 8341's and how they have ruined the "look" of her home.....
I was quite taken aback by this revelation as I wasn't aware that she hated them so much! They ruin the aesthetics of the room as they stand out like a sore thumb....which they do.....she has a valid point.

They are the 8341AWM (white model) and they stand proud on a pair of walnut and black speaker stands and I love them.
I have owned a huge number of speakers in my time but these Genelecs are by far, the best speaker I have ever heard in my room (with the GLM kit of course).
I love everything about them but I cannot continue to keep them if I know my wife hates them so much!! That would make me rather selfish.
She went on to tell me about the comments some of our friends have passed which include: "they look like a blood pressure monitor" the one's you see in hospital, the one's where you sit next to it on a chair and put your arm actually into a large machine and it prints out a report for you. Other evil comments were mentioned which I won't say on here as saying those comments will upset us audio loving people. The funny thing is, they are not wrong.

So, I am looking for a replacement speaker that has all the qualities of the 8341's (in particular, the concentric drivers) which are available in Walnut to suit the aesthetics of our lounge (KEF Concerto or R3 Meta maybe)?.
They don't need to be active speakers as I'm happy with going back to needing a power amp or integrated as long as the power amp measures well on it's power delivery and has plenty of it on tap.
I am really interested in the recent developments in the mini power amps that are currently wowing people on here....

My current set up is:

MiniDSP SHD (Full version)
Genelec 8341 AWM (x2) White + GLM Kit
Arendal 1723 Subwoofer 1S (x2) Gloss White
Intel NUC - ROON Core - ROON Lifetime member
Nvidia Shield - PLEX Server

My room is a traditional English small lounge but the plan is to replace the 8341's AND the Arendal subs for speakers and subs that are available with a walnut cabinet which I know limits me somewhat but this is the scope of works.

I did own a pair of BK Electronics XXLS400 (English brand) subwoofer before the Arendals came, they were really nice to look at in walnut and, being a 12" sealed cabinet and with having two of them, they certainly packed a punch!

Anyway, does anybody have any thoughts on how best to replicate the Genelecs in my room with non powered monitors.....with a pair of subs of course...

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Some really good looking speakers are the Kef Reference 1 Metas and the Buchardt A10s. Both of them are available in some really nice looking wood cabinets, and both of them are highly rated designs. The Kef is concentric, but not the Buchardt. Walnut subs are a tougher nut to crack. All SVS subs are either in Black Ash, Piano Black, or Gloss White. Maybe someone else has some ideas.

Pity you don't have a man cave. But I do sympathize with your wife. Both Genelec and Neumann make some of the absolute best sounding-worst looking speakers imaginable. They're fine in some sort of techno decor, but only in that kind of space. Otherwise, they fit in about as well as the Monolith in 2001 in a Parisian drawing room.

BTW, you might also want to consider a nice cabinet for all the electronics. Perhaps you should look at some BDI stuff. They make superb AV cabinets which makes it possible to get all those black boxex, cables, etc out of sight and replace them with a nice piece of furniture instead. And they do come in Walnut.

 

[Kervel]

Ouch, sounds like tricky situation. You gotta show some fotos of your living to give a sensible suggestion. Some nice Revel or Kef in-wall speakers come to mind

 

[Purité Audio]

You are determined to keep your wife?
Keith

 

[ShadowBoxer]

Erin recently had some very nice things to say about the new KEF Concerto (#1 in their price range). See his review.

 

[Mr. Widget]

You are determined to keep your wife?
Keith

Wife of 12 years... time for a change?

 

[Purité Audio]

Just an avenue we might explore.
Keith

 

[Mr. Widget]

As the title suggests, I have a really difficult dilemma to attempt to resolve for which I hope you lovely people will be able to help me with.

Actually I agree with your wife. I wouldn't want Genelecs or most other pro audio speakers in my Living room either, though I do appreciate their sonic virtues.
Regarding the subs, could you make in-wall subs work? There are some very good in-wall subwoofers from JL Audio and also from Dynaudio.

 

[Astoneroad]

In the name of marital harmony, I volunteer to take ownership of your speakers. I'll even pay half the shipping. Now go and tell your wife that all manner of things shall be well... lol. Enjoy buying your new ones... and no need to get over emotional thanking me.

 

[Sparky]

Some really good looking speakers are the Kef Reference 1 Metas and the Buchardt A10s. Both of them are available in some really nice looking wood cabinets, and both of them are highly rated designs. The Kef is concentric, but not the Buchardt. Walnut subs are a tougher nut to crack. All SVS subs are either in Black Ash, Piano Black, or Gloss White. Maybe someone else has some ideas.

Pity you don't have a man cave. But I do sympathize with your wife. Both Genelec and Neumann make some of the absolute best sounding-worst looking speakers imaginable. They're fine in some sort of techno decor, but only in that kind of space. Otherwise, they fit in about as well as the Monolith in 2001 in a Parisian drawing room.

BTW, you might also want to consider a nice cabinet for all the electronics. Perhaps you should look at some BDI stuff. They make superb AV cabinets which makes it possible to get all those black boxex, cables, etc out of sight and replace them with a nice piece of furniture instead. And they do come in Walnut.

Yeah, agreed. I really like the look of the KEF monitors in general really but the Ref1 is end game stuff really.
Even with the sale of the 8341's and the Arendals, I still wouldn't have enough for those!!
I think the point here is to scale things back a little and still leave the deal with a bit of cash in my pocket.

Erin has measured both the KEF R3 and META version and he rates these highly. He has also said positive things about the cheaper Concerto version too which, with EQ via the miniDSP will rival the R3 META.

Again, you're spot on with the looks of the Genelecs, they truly are an amazing sounding speaker (best I've ever heard in my 30+ years of audio enthusiasm) but they look truly awful in a typical domestic environment. I agree with the wife in that regard for sure!!

We are going to build a media wall in the new year so I will be hiding all electronic away but thank you for the BDI reference mate.

 

[suttondesign]

My wife was recently a hard No on genelec, and we currently have Linkwitz LX521.4. (I just wanted to experiment.)

 

[Sparky]

Ouch, sounds like tricky situation. You gotta show some fotos of your living to give a sensible suggestion. Some nice Revel or Kef in-wall speakers come to mind

Yeah, she was really upset when I introduced them. We had some major fall-outs to be honest. I stuck to my guns though but I can't keep it going. It just isn't fair on her at all.
On a positive note, I can enjoy looking at other speakers again.

See attached, they just don't work in this sort of house at all. Ignore the image on the screen. My son is playing games....

 

[Sparky]

My wife was recently a hard No on genelec, and we currently have Linkwitz LX521.4. (I just wanted to experiment.)

You're kidding surely!! I mean I love them..........they're certainly unique!!

 

[Sparky]

You are determined to keep your wife?
Keith

I sometimes wonder Keith......I sometimes wonder....

 

[Sparky]

Wife of 12 years... time for a change?

Hehehe. I would just upgrade her tweeters.....

 

[Sparky]

Actually I agree with your wife. I wouldn't want Genelecs or most other pro audio speakers in my Living room either, though I do appreciate their sonic virtues.
Regarding the subs, could you make in-wall subs work? There are some very good in-wall subwoofers from JL Audio and also from Dynaudio.

Agreed pal. I saw all of the images of them in studios and they looked awesome but I didn't actually realise how badly that would translate to a lounge.

I think the closest I would get to "in wall" would be when the media wall gets built....if done right, that could work/?

 

[Berwhale]

Ask KEF if they will make a pair of LS60's in walnut

 

[Sparky]

In the name of marital harmony, I volunteer to take ownership of your speakers. I'll even pay half the shipping. Now go and tell your wife that all manner of things shall be well... lol. Enjoy buying your new ones... and no need to get over emotional thanking me.

Aww thanks bud, I really appreciate that! I can just tell that they would be well looked after with you! I would miss them though and hunt you down and give you the speech from "Taken"

 

[Sparky]

Ask KEF if they will make a pair of LS60's in walnut

Ooooooooh. Now you're talking!!! That would be a sight to behold!! Then again, imagine the Blade II..... WOW

 

[Sparky]

Lets just say, for arguments sake I went with either the KEF R3 Meta or Concerto META. Any recommendations on what to power them with? I'm a big fan of Class D in a small form factor......