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Upgrade center channel or upgrade left and right? Genelec 8341a vs 8351b?

Upgrade center channel or upgrade left and right

  • genelec 8341a as center and keep 8030c's as left and right

    Votes: 2 33.3%
  • genelec 8351b though cost is way higher for just +2db as center and keep 8030c's as left and right

    Votes: 4 66.7%
  • stick with infinity 3 way as center and get 8341a's as left and right

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    6

theshade

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I originally planned to get 8341a's as front left and right but am thinking that the center plays the most with regard to movies and series. Is it right to say that money is better spent on the center channel rather than upgrading my front 8030c's to 8341a's with regard to my use case. Are the differences between the 8030c's and 8341a's marginal at best? Is the 8341a sufficient for a center channel at 11 feet distance or should I just go for 8351b?

I currently use 8030c as front left and right at 6.7 feet and find I sometimes have intelligibility of dialogue problems with my current 3 way infinity center. I do not know if this is due to the limitations of my center channel or due to bad mixes cause not all movies have intelligibility problems. The center will be behind a spandex projector screen. I looked at SPL values provided by the genelec website and the long term max SPL of the 8351b compared to the 8341a is just 2 db higher while costing a lot more. Regarding SPL, I cross the speakers between 100hz to 120hz with multi sub and I've never seen the 8030c red light limiter come on.
Thanks!
 

Sancus

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Yes, center is on average 3dB louder RMS than the L/R in multi-channel film content.

Long term SPL is sub-bass test(it's pink noise), short term is 100hz-3khz average, peak is ???(they don't specify the signal, only 2 speakers playing. But it's probably 1khz). So the 8351B is +3dB with subs, or 1.5x louder than the 8341A.

But there's no need, because the 8341A already plays 5-6dB(2x) louder than the 8030C which is plenty. 8351B + 2x 8341A would make sense.
 
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theshade

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Yes, center is on average 3dB louder RMS than the L/R in multi-channel film content.

Long term SPL is sub-bass test(it's pink noise), short term is 100hz-3khz average, peak is ???(they don't specify the signal, only 2 speakers playing. But it's probably 1khz). So the 8351B is +3dB with subs, or 1.5x louder than the 8341A.

But there's no need, because the 8341A already plays 5-6dB(2x) louder than the 8030C which is plenty. 8351B + 2x 8341A would make sense.
so i guess it is just a matter of funds available? best would be 8351b flanked by 2 8341a's then 3 8341a's then 8341a flanked by 2 8030c's. The last option is very doable regarding budget but am i sacrificing too much without going all ones? 8351b as center is also doable regarding budget but fronts would definitely stay as 8030c's if I go this route.
 

Sophoheilip

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I have currently bought a pair of 8341a as fronts in approx. 8 feet listening distance and use one of my “old” 8350 as center. The ones are really great in movies, so next step will be a third for the center channel. I had not expected such a step up in directivity and sound character. But I guess the latter this is personal preference.
So 3x 8341 should be really sufficient, if you have never seen the clipping indicator on your 8030c. Maybe start with just the center to see if it fits your needs?
 
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theshade

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i measured the center. I guess it is not too bad or is it? blue center, orange left, green right.
 

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theshade

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I have currently bought a pair of 8341a as fronts in approx. 8 feet listening distance and use one of my “old” 8350 as center. The ones are really great in movies, so next step will be a third for the center channel. I had not expected such a step up in directivity and sound character. But I guess the latter this is personal preference.
So 3x 8341 should be really sufficient, if you have never seen the clipping indicator on your 8030c. Maybe start with just the center to see if it fits your needs?
Thanks! The center is at 11 feet while my front left and right are at 6.7 feet. since 8341a is "louder" than 8030c then I guess it would be enough and it is the most affordable option. no need to buy left and right. just worried about spl limitations in the 8341a review given that the center is a single speaker. While i have never seen the 8030c limiter, they are two speakers and somewhat closer at 6.7 feet compared to 11 feet. I measured my current center and inlcuded measurements above.
 

Sancus

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i measured the center. I guess it is not too bad or is it? blue center, orange left, green right.
These types of measurements can't really be used for comparing speakers; as we don't hear the steady state sound above the mid-bass or so.

The easiest way to figure out how different it sounds is to play pink noise and switch between the two. I would expect a significant difference even just based on those measurements though, they don't look very similar. 100-1000hz alone has a bunch of 5dB+ differences which is a very audible amount.
 
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theshade

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These types of measurements can't really be used for comparing speakers; as we don't hear the steady state sound above the mid-bass or so.

The easiest way to figure out how different it sounds is to play pink noise and switch between the two. I would expect a significant difference even just based on those measurements though, they don't look very similar. 100-1000hz alone has a bunch of 5dB+ differences which is a very audible amount.
Thanks! I guess I have to go 8341a or 8351b as center and just keep the 8030c's as front left and right. You are to blame though. :p I've been salivating about your system even before you posted your consolidated thread about it. The clean visuals and stands regardless of how it sounds is to die for.
 

Holmz

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To throw a spinner in the works…

If the AVR does 2.x or 4.x then you could also try it with a center channel as a free test.
That becomes a somewhat reasonable scenario if the there is only 1 or 2 seats.
 
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