Kali Audio vs. Genelec for Home Studio?

[More Dynamics Please]

3m

Kali rates the second wave IN-8 for 85 dB continuous output with 20 dB dynamic headroom to produce 105 dB peaks up to a maximum distance of 3.5m.

 

[nicolasG]

Hallo! I'm trying to decide on a monitor+subwoofer package for my home studio (used for music-making, mixing, etc.).

Which would you choose (they're essentially the same price):

1. Kali IN-8 + WS-12

or

2. Genelec 8030C+7040A

?

Thank you!

I ask myself the same question, but without the sub. I still need bass from the monitors.

 

[AudioStudies]

Kalis are kind of hissy

The Version II does not have the hiss problems of the original version

 

[AudioStudies]

I went with the Kalis - they are an incredible value and well designed. I like the idea of having a dedicated midrange driver.

 

[mightycicadalord]

Easy vote for me, the larger of the two woofers so the kali option.

I didn't like 8030c at all. Sounded small and annoying, had a lot of trouble mixing on them. I don't feel they're accurate below like 500hz. They don't do mid bass right, maybe the 8040 and are up are fine but I haven't heard them. Subs don't help because the problem is above 100hz.

Bigger speakers always give me imaging and a spatial quality to the low mids that small speakers can't seem to do.

 

[stevenswall]

I'd for sure go with the IN-8 and 12" woofer. Of you want to control some of the bass peaks at the listening position add a MiniDSP later.

 

[Electric_Haggis]

Easy vote for me, the larger of the two woofers so the kali option.

I didn't like 8030c at all. Sounded small and annoying, had a lot of trouble mixing on them. I don't feel they're accurate below like 500hz. They don't do mid bass right, maybe the 8040 and are up are fine but I haven't heard them. Subs don't help because the problem is above 100hz.

Bigger speakers always give me imaging and a spatial quality to the low mids that small speakers can't seem to do.

I absolutely agree with that last sentence.

Not nearly enough attention is given to the sheer "presence" of larger drivers.

Also, rear-porting is often a deal-breaker in many setups. Why is nobody mentioning this either?

As I said earlier, the IN-8 is an AMAZING monitor - especially for the money.

 

[YSC]

I absolutely agree with that last sentence.

Not nearly enough attention is given to the sheer "presence" of larger drivers.

Also, rear-porting is often a deal-breaker in many setups. Why is nobody mentioning this either?

As I said earlier, the IN-8 is an AMAZING monitor - especially for the money.

No idea of the driver size and presence thing for me.

But as for rear porting I don’t think there’s any problem for setup other than a myth, as Genelec themselves said the port and wall clearance will be minimum 5cm, where in a lot of speakers with rear pointing sockets will need to plug the cables anyway.

 

[Electric_Haggis]

No idea of the driver size and presence thing for me.

Once you've properly experienced it first-hand in A-B comparisons, it's game-over. You'll never go back to smaller drivers.

 

[YSC]

Once you've properly experienced it first-hand in A-B comparisons, it's game-over. You'll never go back to smaller drivers.

likely not for me, first, you have to have enough space to properly put a larger speaker without the drivers next to your ears

 

[Electric_Haggis]

likely not for me, first, you have to have enough space to properly put a larger speaker without the drivers next to your ears

That's a common misconception, unfortunately.
I've used 5" monitors, right up to larger ones like the Presonus Sceptre, Kali IN-8s and even the KRK 10-3 (with and without subs) - all in a fairly small room at 1 to 1.5m to the MLP, and know of many sound studios that do similar.
No problems whatsoever.

 

[YSC]

That's a common misconception, unfortunately.
I've used 5" monitors, right up to larger ones like the Presonus Sceptre, Kali IN-8s and even the KRK 10-3 (with and without subs) - all in a fairly small room at 1 to 1.5m to the MLP, and know of many sound studios that do similar.
No problems whatsoever.

um~ I think you underestimated the tiny-ness of my room... MLP is..... 0.7m from 8030C, if I put a more regular sized (depth) 5" woofer 2 way it will become 0.5m... if 8 inch... I got to throw out a lot of stuffs just to put them in

 

[Pearljam5000]

likely not for me, first, you have to have enough space to properly put a larger speaker without the drivers next to your ears

You can use the 8361A even from 70 cm away, so if you get a coaxial you get more freedom when it comes to listening distance

 

[YSC]

You can use the 8361A even from 70 cm away, so if you get a coaxial you get more freedom when it comes to listening distance

I need a larger desk to house them, and there are two more problems:
1) $$$
2) $$$$

 

[mightycicadalord]

Is this room you are in a closet?

I'd still prefer bigger ones in small spaces. I'm in an 11'x14'x8' and going from 5" to 8" was huge, like the entire bottom half of music sounded wrong on the 5". Larger woofer also generally means more power and headroom and less distortion so you can really get more out of your corrective EQ's.

 

[YSC]

Is this room you are in a closet?

I'd still prefer bigger ones in small spaces. I'm in an 11'x14'x8' and going from 5" to 8" was huge, like the entire bottom half of music sounded wrong on the 5". Larger woofer also generally means more power and headroom and less distortion so you can really get more out of your corrective EQ's.

my room is 10' (W) x 5' (D) x 12'(H), with a computer desk housing my monitor and game rig, then most of the desk space is filled with wife's stuff, so I love the 8030C so much coz it can fit with some degree of tilting and I still have space to operate the mouse!
the lower end was helped a lot by boundary gain and I feel like filling those with a 7040A is working great for myself, distortion and headroom isn't a problem as in the lowest sensitivity I need to use a passive preamp to go like -60db before my ear feels painful

 

[mightycicadalord]

I ran outta headroom quick on the 8030 and with subs, it's not that it didn't get loud enough, its that woofer just kind of stops keeping up and the transients get squashed. My listening distance is a bit farther than what they could do, about 5ft. Just could never get them to sound right in any room. Bigger is what was missing. That other poster is right once you hear it you're done, no more small.

That's a common misconception, unfortunately.
I've used 5" monitors, right up to larger ones like the Presonus Sceptre, Kali IN-8s and even the KRK 10-3 (with and without subs) - all in a fairly small room at 1 to 1.5m to the MLP, and know of many sound studios that do similar.
No problems whatsoever.

Have you heard the 10-3 g4? seems like kind of an unpopular but potentially excellent speaker, lots of woofer and amps for little money.

 

[Electric_Haggis]

um~ I think you underestimated the tiny-ness of my room... MLP is..... 0.7m from 8030C, if I put a more regular sized (depth) 5" woofer 2 way it will become 0.5m... if 8 inch... I got to throw out a lot of stuffs just to put them in

Still not a problem! If I sit right into my desk, I'm 70cm away from each monitor. Again - no issues whatsoever. The coax design does help slightly.

 

[Electric_Haggis]

I ran outta headroom quick on the 8030 and with subs, it's not that it didn't get loud enough, its that woofer just kind of stops keeping up and the transients get squashed. My listening distance is a bit farther than what they could do, about 5ft. Just could never get them to sound right in any room. Bigger is what was missing. That other poster is right once you hear it you're done, no more small.


Have you heard the 10-3 g4? seems like kind of an unpopular but potentially excellent speaker, lots of woofer and amps for little money.

Hear here.

I had the KRK 10-3 G2 a few setups ago.
Make no mistake - it's an incredibly underrated monitor and NOT to be judged along with the rest of KRK's Rokit range, as it's a very different design.
And yes - no issues using them as near-fields.
I'll be happily buying the 10-3 G4 sight-unseen for the next system overhaul.
(Double-duties as edit desk monitors and rear surrounds, and moving the IN-8's to side-surrounds. Unusual setup, mine!)

 

[More Dynamics Please]

For anyone thinking about using the big Rokit 10-3 G4 for reference level home theater use, consider that KRK rates it at a maximum SPL of 112 dB which is only 1 dB more than the 111 dB of KRK's 8" 2-way, the Rokit 8 G4. So while the 10-3 G4 is the only Rokit studio monitor KRK classifies as mid-field rather than near-field they clearly went for extended bass over maximum SPL. At least one person on another AV forum tried a 10-3 for home theater use and was not satisfied with its max SPL.