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Sonos Play 5 vs Genelec 8361A

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johnwolf

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I have no intention of trolling here.

All I can say is that I am pretty much an amateur in terms of audible.

But thank you @GXAlan I was able to hear a lot of differences when playing the echo games. You can obviously hear a lot more drum sticks from the Genelec.

Thanks to everybody response. I learned something today.
 

jhenderson0107

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I have 8361As and Sonos Moves. If the volume of each is reduced to 1 dB above the noise floor of my room, they sound identical ;)
 

Vacceo

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I'd play some music with a loooooot of very low bass. Techno is a very good option, so is Industrial Metal.

I'd listen to the same track changing my position. I'd also forget about "good" or "bad" sound, I'd keep my ears open just to "different" even when the source is the same.
 
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GXAlan

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I have no intention of trolling here.

All I can say is that I am pretty much an amateur in terms of audible.

But thank you @GXAlan I was able to hear a lot of differences when playing the echo games. You can obviously hear a lot more drum sticks from the Genelec.

Thanks to everybody response. I learned something today.

There is a bit of jealousy involved (including me!). The Genelec’s are not an easy purchase for most people and it is a bit of a “grail” product. So to hear someone who has the budget and foresight to get one of the very best speakers at any price point and not to appreciate it is enviable.

It’s important to listen to the the content you like. With the Genelec, it can be too transparent at times but overall the more you listen the better it gets.

Harmonious Live on Disney+ is one of my favorite demo tracks that the Sonos really struggles with in comparison to audiophile gear.


This is also a nice list of well recorded music that will separate your Sonos from the Genelec.
 

YSC

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I have no intention of trolling here.

All I can say is that I am pretty much an amateur in terms of audible.

But thank you @GXAlan I was able to hear a lot of differences when playing the echo games. You can obviously hear a lot more drum sticks from the Genelec.

Thanks to everybody response. I learned something today.
I think it's mainly because the Sonos is pretty clean above mids, where in say, cleaner pop songs it would sound really similar at first, and tilting up FR actually helps in percieved clarity or details, so say when one expect something like "there are a ton more details in every note" in the genelec, which is a more neutral speaker, maybe disappointed at first run.

now in complex passages or bass heavy music, you might now be able to find the 8361 to have much more bass capacity, and yet remains clear in the sound after GLM taking down the massive room mode peaks.

and FYI, for GLM, I would suggest you follow a target curve like harmon one, the default in room flat curve would sound too lean and bass shy if you listen to normal consumer oriented mix
 

Haint

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I have no intention of trolling here.

All I can say is that I am pretty much an amateur in terms of audible.

But thank you @GXAlan I was able to hear a lot of differences when playing the echo games. You can obviously hear a lot more drum sticks from the Genelec.

Thanks to everybody response. I learned something today.
The reality is the point of diminishing returns in audio is surprisingly low in terms of dollars spent. Beyond that you're paying exponentially ridiculous premiums for single digit percentage gains, nothing at all, or even regressions. Though you may have found the limits of a $500 Lifestyle speaker (which itself likely represents a 1000%+ profit margin over the BoM), do note you could easily outperform the Genelecs with a system around 1/8th the cost through competent sanely price bookshelves, sub integration, and quality DSP. You ultimately paid $10,000 for the form factor and a very very healthy luxury tax, not unbeatable or unmatched sound quality. Now don't get me wrong, they're great speakers, and you could spend a LOT more on MUCH WORSE, but they don't blow away a lot of Sub-$1000 speakers tonally/DI wise and they don't extend down to 20Hz and below like even modern "budget" subs do.
 
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Pearljam5000

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If you don't notice a big difference honestly the Genelecs are a waste of money.
I remember when I first heard Genelecs, from the first note / second I noticed a difference from anything I've heard before.
Obviously I've heard more stuff since, but they still sounded the best to me.
 

Vintage57

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Hey folks,

Would you please help me to choose between Neumann KH420s and JBL Charge 5? Open to suggestions...
Isn’t the JBL water resistant and dust proof
Can’t say that about any Neumann lol
 
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lherrm

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The reality is the point of diminishing returns in audio is surprisingly low in terms of dollars spent. Beyond that you're paying exponentially ridiculous premiums for single digit percentage gains, nothing at all, or even regressions. Though you may have found the limits of a $500 Lifestyle speaker (which itself likely represents a 1000%+ profit margin over the BoM), do note you could easily outperform the Genelecs with a system around 1/8th the cost through competent sanely price bookshelves, sub integration, and quality DSP. You ultimately paid $10,000 for the form factor and a very very healthy luxury tax, not unbeatable or unmatched sound quality. Now don't get me wrong, they're great speakers, and you could spend a LOT more on MUCH WORSE, but they don't blow away a lot of Sub-$1000 speakers tonally/DI wise and they don't extend down to 20Hz and below like even modern "budget" subs do.
Could you please elaborate on a $1250 system that would have a spinorama and SPL/distortion handling comparable to 8361A ?
 

FeddyLost

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I am looking for suggestions of some songs or tests that I can do so that I can tell the difference.
Try out any track from Archspire - Bleed the future at SPL equal to 93 Db@1m per speaker or little higher.
I think some difference must present.

PS If one drives a Ferrari into a swamp, it sinks almost as good as Corolla.
 

Frgirard

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Pardon me for the ignorance.

I know the two speakers are not at the same level.

However I have both of them on the same wall, playing the same music but I can't barely figure out their differences.

Two Sonos Play 5 + Arc, using Sonos App/AirPlay
Two Genelec 8361A, using computer and RME babyface Pro

They are both on the same living room wall. The living room is about 15x15 with high slanted ceiling.

Please educate me.
Your room is a battle field.
 

Soundstage

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I love the experience. Could you tell us more about the tracks your played? Also did you listen to them at the same volume? How loud was it?
Thanks
 

DJBonoBobo

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The reality is the point of diminishing returns in audio is surprisingly low in terms of dollars spent. Beyond that you're paying exponentially ridiculous premiums for single digit percentage gains, nothing at all, or even regressions. Though you may have found the limits of a $500 Lifestyle speaker (which itself likely represents a 1000%+ profit margin over the BoM), do note you could easily outperform the Genelecs with a system around 1/8th the cost through competent sanely price bookshelves, sub integration, and quality DSP. You ultimately paid $10,000 for the form factor and a very very healthy luxury tax, not unbeatable or unmatched sound quality. Now don't get me wrong, they're great speakers, and you could spend a LOT more on MUCH WORSE, but they don't blow away a lot of Sub-$1000 speakers tonally/DI wise and they don't extend down to 20Hz and below like even modern "budget" subs do.
Owning a pretty decent setup myself i can relate to this. It really sounds not special at all (i don't want to say "like shit") in an untreated room. It is only when you start optimizing that more and more details and differences become audible, in my experience. The 8361 are probably less room dependent than my KH310, but i guess to some point all systems behave similar, at least in small rooms.
Too many people expect magical things to happen when they put a great speaker in a room, but this just does not happen in my experience. If you are using them for their intended use case, they are all just speakers.
 

DMill

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The Sonos 5 are $550 each. So they are not cheap speakers. Perhaps they measure better than I think they would. It would be interesting if Amir could get a hold of one. The OP could easily sell the Genelecs if he isn’t noticing much difference. No sense in keeping that much investment around if there is little perceived gain
 

abdo123

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Owning a pretty decent setup myself i can relate to this. It really sounds not special at all (i don't want to say "like shit") in an untreated room. It is only when you start optimizing that more and more details and differences become audible, in my experience. The 8361 are probably less room dependent than my KH310, but i guess to some point all systems behave similar, at least in small rooms.
Too many people expect magical things to happen when they put a great speaker in a room, but this just does not happen in my experience. If you are using them for their intended use case, they are all just speakers.

While I agree with the general premises, I don’t think it applies here.

Sure the KH310 and the 8361A might not sound very different (5000$ different i mean) in a room where the sound is room dominant. I think a Bluetooth speaker that is radiating non-uniformly all over the place because it’s some non-linear line array design that was produced this way to fit a certain form factor will sound different than a speaker that is its exact opposite in terms of linearity.
 

jbattman1016

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Looking at the Sonos 5's FAQ:


Can I connect Five to my TV?
The line-in connection isn't designed for use with a TV and will result in some latency or lip sync issues while the audio is converted from analog to digital.

Soo... how does one connect this to a TV?
 

GXAlan

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Looking at the Sonos 5's FAQ:


Can I connect Five to my TV?
The line-in connection isn't designed for use with a TV and will result in some latency or lip sync issues while the audio is converted from analog to digital.

Soo... how does one connect this to a TV?
It only works if you can do a video delay. Some TVs are designed to transmit audio to Bluetooth and delay the video appropriately.

Sonos 5 is not a good TV solution.
 

RobL

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Totally believable..I set my iLoud micros on top of my 1032’s and at lower volume w/sub on it was hard to tell which speakers were playing. Freaked my wife out as she is puzzled why anyone would need such large speakers if the puny white ones sound so good :).

This is making me rethink upgrading the 1032’s…I was looking at 1038B’s in Alberta that were quite reasonably priced, but it’s going to be a pita to get them to Ontario. I am now thinking about just buying new end-game monitors (not sure which yet maybe 8c’s, 8351, 8361, 1237’s or ??) but maybe it’s a fools errand doing so in my living room? The 1032’s sound great but you’re always wondering what more is possible :).
I don’t have many hobbies to spend on and I’ve got an itch…
 

Keened

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The biggest benefit to the Genelecs is their co-axial sound dispersion (while maintaining even response, high spl levels and low distortion), try some stereo test tones, I believe those would highlight that strength best.

Also you'd want to play things with larger than normal dynamic range, most music is eventually compressed in the final product because people (somewhat reasonably) do not want their music to go inaudible to very loud during their day to day listening. The Genelecs are made for working with music before that step so they'll also shine there, but most people do not need that headroom for just listening to music casually.
 
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