Purchase advice after Genelec 8341

[o2so]

Decisions decisions!

I have sold my Gennies 8341 and Arendal sub to free up some cash. I am looking to replace them with something cheaper, but as good as possible.

I am thinking either:
- Genelecs 8340 (price is $5,000 AU)
- Genelecs 8040 with a sub (around $5,000 AU)
- Kef Ls50 wireless II with a decent sub or two smaller subs (around $5,000 AU)
- Kef Ls50 wireless I with a decent sub or two smaller subs (around $4,000 AU)
- Kef R3 non meta with a sub (around $5,000 AU)
- KEf R7 non meta (or revel m106) with a sub (around $5,500 AU)
- Kef R3 Meta, no sub (around $5,000 AU)

I have a medium-sized symmetrical room and listen at 2m distance, usually at an average of 75-80db at 2m. I do my room correction upstream with Minidsp SHD and Dirac.

The things that I value the most, besides neutrality, are psychoacoustic 3d presentation and good dynamics.

I had ls50 plus subs before and was quite happy, however the upper bass-low mids were compressing a bit and resulting a slightly flatter/less dynamic presentation.

What do you guys reckon?

 

[ernestcarl]

Decisions decisions!

I have sold my Gennies 8341 and Arendal sub to free up some cash. I am looking to replace them with something cheaper, but as good as possible.

I am thinking either:
- Genelecs 8340 (price is $5,000 AU)
- Genelecs 8040 with a sub (around $5,000 AU)
- Kef Ls50 wireless II with a decent sub or two smaller subs (around $5,000 AU)
- Kef Ls50 wireless I with a decent sub or two smaller subs (around $4,000 AU)
- Kef R3 non meta with a sub (around $5,000 AU)
- KEf R7 non meta (or revel m106) with a sub (around $5,500 AU)
- Kef R3 Meta, no sub (around $5,000 AU)

I have a medium-sized symmetrical room and listen at 2m distance, usually at an average of 75-80db at 2m. I do my room correction upstream with Minidsp SHD and Dirac.

The things that I value the most, besides neutrality, are psychoacoustic 3d presentation and good dynamics.

I had ls50 plus subs before and was quite happy, however the upper bass-low mids were compressing a bit and resulting a slightly flatter/less dynamic presentation.

What do you guys reckon?

View attachment 326500

Can't advice on the speakers... and haven't heard any of those models anyway. I don't even want to think about the prices of your potential replacement! Yet, looking at your arrangement at a glance, without the sub for low-end reinforcement, you might want to push the speakers much closer to the wall (I noticed the asymmetry). You likely would lose significant bass energy from SBIR, otherwise (1/4 wavelength cancellation). One way to know for sure is to measure with REW.

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[BlackTalon]

KEF is having a big sale right now. Maybe you can swing the LS6?

 

[o2so]

KEF is having a big sale right now. Maybe you can swing the LS6?

not in Australia

 

[Ellebob]

8040 with a sub would be my choice. Of course the 8340 with GLM would be preferable but I wouldn't give up a sub for it.

 

[widz]

At that kinda listening distance the 8341vs40 difference closes up. I'd say non DSP and go sub or bigger up front

 

[LTig]

At that kinda listening distance the 8341vs40 difference closes up. I'd say non DSP and go sub or bigger up front

Yep. 8040 with sub, and a thick rug in front of the 8040s.

 

[widz]

Kinda assumed many stereo sources (or DAWs if you're in a creator space) have filters on outputs these days.

 

[lewis]

Genelec 8330 + 7350A ?
I have 8341s and 8330 + 7350A and like both of them.

 

[bodhi]

KEF R3 with a sub or if you really can get the R7 for just 500 more then go with that.

Genelec route is not for budget conscious in my opinion as you kind of need to go SAM speakers and a SAM sub with GLM to have it make sense.

Also, 7350 is not really that great for the price, can work for music in a really small room but that's about it. 7360 is not that much more expensive and it's a different beast.

 

[jonfitch]

The Ascend Sierra LX is probably the best measuring speaker for the money combined with decent dynamic abilities with the woofer. If you prefer coaxials though, then the R3 Meta would be hard to beat for the cost. I'd avoid the LS50 given your previous experience with compression, sounds like your listening levels are beyond where a 2-way coaxial would normally excel and you need a dedicated midrange driver. That said, you should be getting subs given your SPL requirements. Maybe get a pair of used SVS SB-1000s?

 

[tifune]

Genelec route is not for budget conscious in my opinion as you kind of need to go SAM speakers and a SAM sub with GLM to have it make sense.

Why?

 

[TurtlePaul]

Why?

I agree with his sentiment. In a world where products from RME, WiiM and many receivers include parametric EQ, and MiniDSP products are relatively affordable, it feels a bit much to pay $200 for a GLM kit, $200 more per speaker to go from 8000/7000 series to 8300/7300 and pay a 50% premium for each sub.

 

[lennyanders]

I would throw hiss into the consideration too. The 8340 have ≤5 db self generated noise. I have these and can just about hear it at about 1,5 meters distance. Your previous 8341 only have ≤3 db which I really doubt would be audible at 2 meters distance. The 8040 have a whole of ≤10 db. But maybe you wouldn't mind. Some don't some to care about hiss at all and others are really sensitive. I would personally not accept more than I have currently but am fine with it, as it is.

 

[bodhi]

I agree with his sentiment. In a world where products from RME, WiiM and many receivers include parametric EQ, and MiniDSP products are relatively affordable, it feels a bit much to pay $200 for a GLM kit, $200 more per speaker to go from 8000/7000 series to 8300/7300 and pay a 50% premium for each sub.

The 80x0 are not magic speakers and are objectively worse than the 83x0 versions. None of the Genelec subs are good value by themselves. One reason to go Genelec is the simple and effective correction with GLM when you have all Genelec equipment. If you don't get that because of budget reasons, why even go Genelec route at all?

 

[jonfitch]

The 80x0 are not magic speakers and are objectively worse than the 83x0 versions. None of the Genelec subs are good value by themselves. One reason to go Genelec is the simple and effective correction with GLM when you have all Genelec equipment. If you don't get that because of budget reasons, why even go Genelec route at all?

Funny enough when I was setting up my 8341s I talked to a Genelec rep and told her I thought the speakers sounded better with Dirac Live than GLM, and she agreed and said it was probably because DL has a more advanced algorithm, that GLM was just derivative of REW and wasn’t comparable as a room correction product.

 

[holdingpants01]

there's also Neumann KH120 II + KH750, about $5500 AU (on soundeasy, there's some discount right now) plus a bit for MA1, but you get a sub and a room correction, no compromise on either. Without a sub Neumann KH150 is an option.

 

[bodhi]

Funny enough when I was setting up my 8341s I talked to a Genelec rep and told her I thought the speakers sounded better with Dirac Live than GLM, and she agreed and said it was probably because DL has a more advanced algorithm, that GLM was just derivative of REW and wasn’t comparable as a room correction product.

GLM does nothing at higher frequencies and doesn't boost dips, so there is that. I didn't notice much when comparing Dirac Live vs GLM, but I'm limiting the correction to 400-500Hz anyways.

"Sounds better" is of course subjective, we would need to have measurements of the results of Dirac and GLM.

 

[RobL]

GLM does nothing at higher frequencies and doesn't boost dips, so there is that. I didn't notice much when comparing Dirac Live vs GLM, but I'm limiting the correction to 400-500Hz anyways.

"Sounds better" is of course subjective, we would need to have measurements of the results of Dirac and GLM.

GLM 4.2 actually does boost dips though.

 

[DSJR]

Could you *really* go back to the compromises in a passive speaker setup after actives at the level the OP had? I have and I can deal with the slightly 'amorphous/foggy' rendition of studio/venue reverb but it really ain't the same and eventually, I hope to return to a proper active setup, albeit a modest one.

Always difficult to downsize/downgrade but having done this many years ago and bearing in mind the OP's use of Genelecs, I'd downsize within that company's model range myself