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

[LesterNZ]

Surprised here that there's little 'decorator' comment re: several photo's & A/V setups that fail to mention that "Big Black Rectangular Elephant in the Room".
IMHO, that noxious bleak dark window is a far worse looking 'decorative object' than nearly any imaginable sound box (or panel) you may require. WTF?

The scientifically inclined individuals in this forum should really 'man-up' towards insisting on 'function then form".

Otherwise, just cover everything in gaudy print fabrics, or hide everything under useless throw pillows, or worse, get some of those "cute bozzey' cubes/S.

BTW: I have 2pr of Genelec 8050a's and a pr LS-50's, all in white finish, mainly on TV duty against 'white-ish' walls. Never got complaints.

 

[Newman]

About as unhelpful as it gets.

 

[restorer-john]

My guess is that the wife doesn't want to see any speakers.

I agree.

The Genelecs hit every branch when they fell out of the ugly tree, so practically any loudspeaker would look better. I would take her to an audio show or specialist home HiFi integration store and tell her to pick the speakers she wants.

She might want a sub/sat combination. What about Gallo acoustics?

 

[dshreter]

I agree.

The Genelecs hit every branch when they fell out of the ugly tree, so practically any loudspeaker would look better. I would take her to an audio show or specialist home HiFi integration store and tell her to pick the speakers she wants.

She might want a sub/sat combination. What about Gallo acoustics?

To each their own, I would never get Gallo speakers based on appearances

 

[analogonly]

I understand trying to please your wife's aesthetic concerns, but your sound quality concerns should be something that she wants to please as well. I get that she wants speakers that she doesn't mind looking at, but the function of a speaker is sound.

 

[thewas]

Surprised here that there's little 'decorator' comment re: several photo's & A/V setups that fail to mention that "Big Black Rectangular Elephant in the Room".
IMHO, that noxious bleak dark window is a far worse looking 'decorative object' than nearly any imaginable sound box (or panel) you may require. WTF?

Doesn't necessarily need to be black and ugly:

The Frame TV - Picture Frame TV | Samsung US

Display what you love with The Frame: a QLED 4K TV featuring a customizable picture frame trim that displays world-class art right on your wall.

www.samsung.com

 

[Mnyb]

Is the LS60 still in the contest .
I have some actual in room pics of mine , my photo skills are not great but the it's interesting how the real colors vary from the marketing pics .

These are "charcoal black" look's grey to me , the actual grey is more steel blue/overcast sky colored

KEF LS60 Wireless Just Announced

I am considering buying the ls60 but due to toddlers I am skeptical regarding the missing grille. Can you tell me how delicate the tweeters and woofers are?

audiosciencereview.com

 

[Gringoaudio1]

This is a brilliant idea! The only caveat is the 8341 waveguide. You have to leave an open space above and below the front baffle (waveguide).
Would be a tricky design to create and would cause a bit of headache to get right...........

 

[Sparky]

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You're a clever chap!

I will actually use this as a guide for my joiner for when he builds my media wall. This is honestly really helpful thank you!!
The amazing thing here is that you've designed this in your own time for somebody you've never met.

This one post from you is exactly what this community is all about, just simple honest kindness. Thanks again friend.

 

[DRCO]

I strongly recommend to have a look at the Buchardt A500 (available in oak, walnut...): they look amazing - but more importantly - their sound is out of this world. They are active monitors with room correction.

Link: https://buchardtaudio.com/collections/all-products/products/anniversary-10?variant=46702682079578

If in doubt, you can order and try them for free for 45 days: https://buchardtaudio.com/pages/try-at-home

Here you can see them in my home. Because these are active speakers, I can easily position them next to the sofa during the day and use them next to my television for movie night. Mine are walnut, but now they have an oak version that looks amazing.

 

[Jasperous]

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...

KEF LS60s or the Focus 50s, both are active floor standers

 

[Count Dacula]

 

[Count Dacula]

This is my nod to attractive speakers in our small country home. They match the honey tone wood trim in the house...which is getting nuked anyway. Q5s local for under $200, yeow, deal. They don't need to be SOTA, just look ok and good enough for music videos.
No, it's not perched on the speakers, it's floating just above the shelf on a mount.

This is the only other nice looking system I had...

Not sure why I'm just posting examples of my stuff, but I've been thinking harder about transitioning to a nicer motif at home. Here's a couple of other nice examples I clipped. Hopefully, someone likes them too. I should have saved more of the good ones I came across.

Obviously some studios and Stevie Wonder's modular synth, but a wide range of textures and styles can feel right.
There's a certain mix of form and function, emphasis on the "fun". As a studio and DJ booth rat, I have my own aesthetic eye, my wife tolerates it.



Normally I have no problem projecting what other people might think, but this is a very personal area. I think about it too much, like asking "how is this supposed to be?" In a family of electricians, mom hated all electrical cords with a passion. I guess it just messed me up.

 

[EJ3]

This is my nod to attractive speakers in our small country home. They match the honey tone wood trim in the house...which is getting nuked anyway.

Same aesthetic here.
My parents designed and built (with friends) the 2.5 story house themselves in 1964 (with modern amenities such as central air [coming from the ceilings, not blowing on you but wafting across the ceiling, mixing and gently cooling the rooms], radiant heat {coming from the baseboards, again, gently warming the room, you cannot tell how the room has been warmed}). Also a house wide intercom/baby monitor/ music distribution (AM/FM) system [at the front door, the kitchen/breakfast area & the bed rooms] and central vacuum cleaning (one only needs to carry a light weight hose with the head on it & plug it into one of 4 specially designed outlets).

Normally I have no problem projecting what other people might think, but this is a very personal area. I think about it too much, like asking "how is this supposed to be?" In a family of electricians, mom hated all electrical cords with a passion. I guess it just messed me up.

I came home one time (at a different location) & wondered what happened to the electrical power cord going to a 220V window AC unit in a utility room.
My wife had converted it's appearance to be that of an Ivy vine.

 

[Gringoaudio1]

You're a clever chap!

I will actually use this as a guide for my joiner for when he builds my media wall. This is honestly really helpful thank you!!
The amazing thing here is that you've designed this in your own time for somebody you've never met.

This one post from you is exactly what this community is all about, just simple honest kindness. Thanks again friend.

Thank you! The 8341 is kind of trapped in there though once you staple the speaker cloth on though. I’ll keep thinking on it!

 

[jsrtheta]

I understand trying to please your wife's aesthetic concerns, but your sound quality concerns should be something that she wants to please as well. I get that she wants speakers that she doesn't mind looking at, but the function of a speaker is sound.

Ummmmm......

 

[JiiPee]

To each his own. To me these look more beautiful than most stuff posted in the "Most beautiful speakers" thread.

 

[Sparky]

To each his own. To me these look more beautiful than most stuff posted in the "Most beautiful speakers" thread.
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They are beautiful in my opinion but only within a suitable environment.

It's like looking at t-shirt you really but when you wear it, it looks awful on you.

 

[RobL]

Shoulda bought 8361A’s, then your wife would gladly accept the 41’s as a compromise.
My wife felt the same way as yours about my 61’s.
She would have allowed me to keep them in the living room but I knew how she felt so I moved them to a “ listening room” where they are out of sight. I bought her a stereo pair of HomePods for the living room and she is happy as a clam.

 

[Sparky]

Shoulda bought 8361A’s, then your wife would gladly accept the 41’s as a compromise.
My wife felt the same way as yours about my 61’s.
She would have allowed me to keep them in the living room but I knew how she felt so I moved them to a “ listening room” where they are out of sight. I bought her a stereo pair of HomePods for the living room and she is happy as a clam.

I like the reverse psychology side of this! You're a bit of a cheeky monkey! My kind of bloke.....

The 61's are a bona-fide end game speaker that I could only ever dream of! I'm a tad jealous of you mate.

Hmmmm......that life insurance policy might well come in handy....