Upgrade from LSR305 desktop use (800$)

[hascherpur]

So I recently bought the elac dbr 62 for home theater use and I was debating to get another pair to replace my LSR305s (mark 1), as the detail retrieval is much better.
However, I also noticed that there are some dips in the mids, which I cannot explain. It could be the AVR or it could be the speakers. I am still tempted to get the DBR as there is currently a 20% off thing going on, so I could a get a pair for 500 which is quite good. I would still need to get a power amp as I am currently powering the 305s with DX7 pro.

In any case I am now wondering whether I should maybe go with other speakers. What would you recommend to a 305 owner? I really like the tonality of the 305s and I would just like to get an improvement.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Tangband]

So I recently bought the elac dbr 62 for home theater use and I was debating to get another pair to replace my LSR305s (mark 1), as the detail retrieval is much better.
However, I also noticed that there are some dips in the mids, which I cannot explain. It could be the AVR or it could be the speakers. I am still tempted to get the DBR as there is currently a 20% off thing going on, so I could a get a pair for 500 which is quite good. I would still need to get a power amp as I am currently powering the 305s with DX7 pro.

In any case I am now wondering whether I should maybe go with other speakers. What would you recommend to a 305 owner? I really like the tonality of the 305s and I would just like to get an improvement.

Thanks for the help!

Genelec 8030c , second hand, no question about that.
I have had both 305 and 8030c side by side for comparison, and its a big difference.

Its a good buy because a second hand genelec dont lose much in value.

 

[stevenswall]

Look at the IN-series by Kali as an alternative to Genelec.

Especially the IN-8 v2 which can be had for around $680 on Ebay brand new.

 

[hascherpur]

Genelec 8030c , second hand, no question about that.
I have had both 305 and 8030c side by side for comparison, and its a big difference.

Its a good buy because a second hand genelec dont lose much in value.

I had these on my radar, though I cannot find any cheap offers at the moment. How do the Neumann KH80 fare?

 

[mohragk]

iLoud MTM's are a great alternative as well. But only when using them at close proximity. For far field maybe also check out the Neumann KH80.

 

[zheka]

I went from 308 to iLoud MTM. Had no urge to upgrade my desktop speakers ever since.

 

[hascherpur]

Thanks for the iLoud suggestion. Was not on my radar and I intend to only use the for close proximity uses. Now I am wondering, whether to save up for Genelec 8030s or go for either KH80, Kalin IN-8 v2 or iLoud MTM. I am wondering which of these will sound the most "neutral" out of the box.

 

[Moonhead]

If you are aiming for a neutral speaker,
KH80 might be The Best bet or 8030.

 

[richard12511]

I'd go for the KH80 or 8030c. I bet both will sound very similar. The main difference will be how loud they can play with low distortion, with the advantage going to the 5" woofer(same as 305) in the 8030c. Other than that, there is a slight dispersion width difference in the treble.

I own both the 308 and the 8030c, and I do think the 8030c is a noticeable upgrade over the 308p.

 

[mohragk]

I'd go for the KH80 or 8030c. I bet both will sound very similar. The main difference will be how loud they can play with low distortion, with the advantage going to the 5" woofer(same as 305) in the 8030c. Other than that, there is a slight dispersion width difference in the treble.

I own both the 308 and the 8030c, and I do think the 8030c is a noticeable upgrade over the 308p.

For me, I would want a little more bass. That's why I picked the iLoud MTM's. I don't know the bass performance of the 8030c, but a five inch woofer is generally a bit poor in that regard. Midrange is often better though, but I figure that the MTM arrangement is ideal to get a good compromise.
The small woofers of the iLouds are nimble enough to get decent midband response, and adding another one means you have decent enough displacement for lower frequency material. Excursion is limited of course, that's why they're not suitable for greater distances and high SPL and need DSP to compensate for that. The end result is pretty good in my experience.

 

[stevenswall]

Thanks for the iLoud suggestion. Was not on my radar and I intend to only use the for close proximity uses. Now I am wondering, whether to save up for Genelec 8030s or go for either KH80, Kalin IN-8 v2 or iLoud MTM. I am wondering which of these will sound the most "neutral" out of the box.

Don't aim for neutral out of the box. Your room and the placement of the speaker will affect things, and room/placement correction can help a not quite as good speaker surpass a ruler flat (anechoically) one with no correction.

Go for the iLoud MTM and mic to calibrate it, or the Neumann and a mic kit... If that's too inconvenient, the Kali IN-8 has dip switches on the back for placement compensation, and is more capable SPL and bass wise than the rest of these, though not as technically accurate at the Genelec or KH.

 

[hascherpur]

Alright update time: I was able to listen to the Genelec 8030 and KH120. The Genelecs sounded a lot better to me. I actually really like their sound, though the price point is quite high. I am still debating whether I should go poweramp + DBR62. The DBR62 a super huge though. Difficult decision...

 

[stevenswall]

Alright update time: I was able to listen to the Genelec 8030 and KH120. The Genelecs sounded a lot better to me. I actually really like their sound, though the price point is quite high. I am still debating whether I should go poweramp + DBR62. The DBR62 a super huge though. Difficult decision...

What is the reason for going to a passive speaker? $500 on the speakers, and $300 on an amp, now you could have had an IN-8, essentially buying yourself 6 matched amps, some placement correction, higher SPL, and a three way instead of a two way.

 

[hascherpur]

Would you rather go IN-8 or 8030?

 

[stevenswall]

Would you rather go IN-8 or 8030?

IN-8, as the 8030 lacks GLM and a coaxial driver, the two things that I think put Genelec monitors on another level.

The IN-8 has some placement correction and a coaxial driver even if it's less ideal than the one The Ones use.

If you get something with Dirac and integrate a sub, go for the 8030 if you want a bit more accuracy, but at that point you're spending even more still.

And for $700, the price of one 8030c, I'd definitely go for the Kali IN-8 v2 which I've found for as low as 660 on Ebay.

 

[thewas]

I see it differently. Just because the Kali is a coaxial design, that doesn't automatically make it better than the 8030. A loudspeaker is as good as the sum of all its components weighted to the individual needs, so most of all engineering, components like drivers (linearity, distortion) enclosure (secondary radiations, vibrations), built quality and reliability. For example if not too high listening levels are needed I would rather go for the 8030 as I find it better in all other aspects and that I say as an ex IN-8 owner. The IN-8 is a great compromise for its price if higher SPL are needed, but compromised in other aspects like enclosure stiffness and material quality (I expect a Genelec to get without problems 20+ years old), there is no such thing as free lunch.

 

[hascherpur]

I just noticed that the IN-8 are huuuuge. In any case, I might find a place where I can try them out, but as I am planning to get a sub, I am leaning towards the 8030s

 

[richard12511]

Would you rather go IN-8 or 8030?

I would wait until we have measurements of the new one. I was not a huge fan(didn't hate it) of the first one, and I liked the JBL 308p more in the very limited (non-blind) head to head I did. I am a fan of coax, but it's a bit of a double edge sword in some cases. Coax does help the vertical response, but it limits the (much more important)horizontal response by forcing you into a waveguide that's the shape of the midrange woofer. KEF and Genelec are the only two I've heard(and seen measurements of) that have managed to completely solve this. Maybe v2 has solved this issue, but I found the waveguide on the IN-8 V1 to be more of a compromise than the lack of co-ax on the 308p. That's why I really want to see measurements. Coax should in theory be a decent advantage if they can get perfect horizontal radiation like KEF/Genelec, but I'd want to see proof here.

The first IN-8 didn't measure very well, so I remain somewhat skeptical. I'd love for them to be much better though. Based on early subjective reviews from people who have heard both, the second one is supposedly much better(what I've heard). Subjective impressions though are just that(imo).

I own both the 8030c and the 308p, and the 8030c is a better speaker to my ears. Given that I liked the 308p more than IN-8v1, v2 needs to be a pretty big improvement to be competitive with the 8030.

My guess is the 8030c still likely sounds better than the IN-8v2, but likely can't play as loud. I've never run into volume limitations with the 8030 + subs in my office, though.

 

[thewas]

Coax does help the vertical response, but it limits the (much more important)horizontal response by forcing you into a waveguide that's the shape of the midrange woofer.

Also with a coaxial driver you cannot shape a different horizontal and vertical directivity like with a good waveguide, the second can be an advantage at some room acoustics and listening distances, everything is a compromise.

 

[LTig]

Also with a coaxial driver you cannot shape a different horizontal and vertical directivity like with a good waveguide [..]

Actually you could when using an oval shaped midrange driver. Just haven't seen one yet.