The active speakers club

[krolikgena]

i've read this review and want to share my personal experience.

not ago i went to genelec dealer (who also stocks yamaha and other monitors) to hear a 8050a model. the music was vivaldi 4 seasons violin concerto by Nigel Kennedy. from the start something was not right to my ears, still listening and then i realized that instruments just don't sound real.. as if a cloud of dust was surrounding them.. i've shared my opinion with the dealer and he said - "I know what you mean.. now listen to that", and next second switched to Yamahas HS-80 (much much cheaper than genelecs) and wow! totally different sound! like a blanket was removed from the speakers.. they are far more open and natural sounding

Genelecs can show you scale and depth, but they don't sound natural.. for electronic music it's fine and fun, but for anything else they just don't pass.. i just wonder, why no reviewer has mentioned this??

 

[chebby]

http://www.whathifi.com/news/genelec-g-series-is-companys-first-consumer-speaker-range

http://www.genelec.com/products/home-audio-loudspeakers/

 

[Overdose]

I wonder if they haven't just given them a lick of paint to make them a home audio product?

I think that they look nice though.

 

[steve_1979]

They look identical to the 8*** series studio monitors but with the volume control and on/off switch moved round the the back. The standard Genelec studio monitors look fugly but these white ones of AlmaataKZ's are very smart IMO.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

I wonder if they haven't just given them a lick of paint to make them a home audio product?

I think that they look nice though.

No, g range has rca inputs while the pro range has xlr, except the 6010.

 

[Ajani]

I wonder if they haven't just given them a lick of paint to make them a home audio product?

I think that they look nice though.

No, g range has rca inputs while the pro range has xlr, except the 6010.

The G1 and G2 have only RCA, while the G3 & G4 have both RCA and XLR.

Also, there only appears to be tone controls on the rear panel (no volume control).

I wish Genelec would state what the major difference is between this range and their pro designs.

 

[the record spot]

Genelecs can show you scale and depth, but they don't sound natural.. for electronic music it's fine and fun, but for anything else they just don't pass.. i just wonder, why no reviewer has mentioned this??

I think it's the other way around. I've heard Yamaha HS80 and while it brings you depth and a very open treble, it also tends towards a brightness you don't get with Genelec's speakers, or at least the ones I've heard. They being the more natural, refined and lifelike of the two to my ears.

The 6010, 8030 and 8040 in case you're interested. For the Yammies, I'd probably plump for the HS50 instead.

 

[steve_1979]

Here's a good review of the Genelec 8260a full range speakers (29Hz to 21kHz +/- 1dB). I know that AlmaataKZ likes Genelecs so I thought that it may be of interest to him.

These Genelecs are the best speakers I've ever heard but at £6300 plus extras they're a bit pricey! They include some sensible DSP options which only adjusts the bass frequencies but leaves the mid and high frequencies alone. Like all of the other Genelec speakers these looked pretty fugly when I saw them in a shop but the pictures of them in the review on their dedicated stands makes them look almost passable in a living room.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/genelec2/1.html

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Another offering coming soon from Australia. Includes 24/192 wireless. Drivers seem to be good. Not much detail on the rest of the specs yet.

http://www.moosaudio.com/technology/

 

[drummerman]

Another offering coming soon from Australia. Includes 24/192 wireless. Drivers seem to be good. Not much detail on the rest of the specs yet.

http://www.moosaudio.com/technology/

Looks good and I love the marketing. Good parts too and much of the blurb makes sense. I wonder though how they prevent the wifi module from interfering with the rest of the circuitry, paricularely amplification.

regards

 

[jcbrum]

I wonder though how they prevent the wifi module from interfering with the rest of the circuitry, paricularely amplification.

regards

Perhaps it's just an adaption of Bluetooth ?

Seems a bit limiting to me, as the only source of input ?

JC

 

[Electro]

What about these Philips active speakers , a real blast from the past

http://www.thevintageknob.org/philips-RH545.html

 

[moon]

Yamaha HS50M Active Monitors : Pro

http://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/proaudio/speakers/hs_series/hs50m/?mode=model#tab=product_lineup

dont know how to post pics on an iPad.

with a

Numark M6 USB mixer as Pre amp with usb input, phono stage, eq etc

DJ kit

http://www.numark.com/product/m6usb

sorry no pics

Genelecs will have to wait

 

[krolikgena]

Genelecs can show you scale and depth, but they don't sound natural.. for electronic music it's fine and fun, but for anything else they just don't pass.. i just wonder, why no reviewer has mentioned this??

I think it's the other way around. I've heard Yamaha HS80 and while it brings you depth and a very open treble, it also tends towards a brightness you don't get with Genelec's speakers, or at least the ones I've heard. They being the more natural, refined and lifelike of the two to my ears.

The 6010, 8030 and 8040 in case you're interested. For the Yammies, I'd probably plump for the HS50 instead.

yes, i've heard those too. the 8040 actually sounded better than 8050, more focused and tight. again, it all depends on music style. for those mixing electronic and house music the genelecs are fine, but they do not reproduce accurately instrument's timbre and human voice. they are a bit hyped in the upper mids. it was opinion that everyone shared in the session, so it's not only mine.

anyway after hearing my PMC's there were no questions and doubts.. everything just sounded right

 

[Ajani]

The new M-Audio M3-8 look far more like domestic HiFi than the typical pro monitors. The price is 600USD for the pair. That's a coaxial 5" mid and 1" tweet, + an 8" bass:

http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/namm-2013-m-audio-announces-m3-8-monitor-570093

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Another potential addition to 'small domestic actives' option - AVI is currently developing one.

 

[Anonymous]

Have a look at this. www.amati-rd.ch

 

[DocG]

Have a look at this. www.amati-rd.ch

Nice! And for a mere £ 50.000 a pair!

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Ruark is releasing an active set soon:

http://www.whathifi.com/news/ruark-audio-mr1-bluetooth-speaker-system-–-full-details-and-pictures

http://www.whathifi.com/news/bristol-show-2013-ruark-audio-mr1-bluetooth-desktop-speakers-revealed

no full info yet.

 

[AlmaataKZ]

Libratone has a range of unusually looking airplay actives. There are no ethernet inputs but there are minijacks in. Expensive.

http://www.libratone.com/

 

[AlmaataKZ]

As I am looking into optios for small actives to use in the bedroom, some more models appear on the radar:

B&O BeoLab 4 (and 4pc). Class d actives, replaceable covers, signal sensing power on, minijack input, 4 inch bass driver, wall and floor stands, a bit expensive, distinct looks.

 

[chebby]

As I am looking into optios for small actives to use in the bedroom, some more models appear on the radar:

B&O BeoLab 4 (and 4pc). Class d actives, replaceable covers, signal sensing power on, minijack input, 4 inch bass driver, wall and floor stands, a bit expensive, distinct looks.

As good as the Beolab 4s are (I have heard them and they were impressive, sounding way better than a Meridian M80), I didn't like the fabric covering.

Like the B&W Zeppelins, they are dust magnets and you would be continuously washing their 'socks'. (The staff at the Loewe Galerie' in Chichester - where I last heard them - said this was a problem with their display/demo B4s even though the place was spotless to almost cleanroom standards!)

The B&Os also seem to only have one 3.5mm minijack connection with no options for USB or optical.

The Ruarks look a good prospect except it's not clear yet if they are active or powered. (The WHF blurb doesn't make this clear.) Again, only a minijack connection.

Kef X300As are more powerful, a bit bigger, and have 24 bit/96khz capable USB connection to their own internal DAC as well as 3.5mm minijack. (And are true active designs.)

The KEFs are class A/B though, so they will get warm (heatsinks) and burn more electricity. They don't look very nice though. (I saw them last week in my local Audio-T).

One day someone will make stylish, class D powered, true active speakers with USB/optical/wireless connectivity (and some useful DSP settings) that are easy to keep clean.

 

[Overdose]

One day someone will make stylish, class D powered, true active speakers with USB/optical/wireless connectivity (and some useful DSP settings) that are easy to keep clean.

I don't think that you'll have long to wait. Existing products and new ones about to come to the market already have a combination of those specs.

The simplist way so far is to use a Roku box or AEX as a wireless reciever for streaming.

 

[chebby]

The simplist way so far is to use a Roku box or AEX as a wireless reciever for streaming.

The laptop would do the streaming.

I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.

B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.

B&W have USB (24/96) and Minijack and optical and AirPlay and ethernet on their A7 (fully active) model. I'd love to see them - for instance - introduce a pair of proper active desktop speakers (bigger than their MM1s) with all the A7 connectivity inside them.

Fed up with 'just add this box and this box'. That means more wall warts, more wires, more clutter.

 

[BenLaw]

The simplist way so far is to use a Roku box or AEX as a wireless reciever for streaming.

The laptop would do the streaming.

I am just talking about active desk/PC speakers and their usual lack of even the most common laptop/PC connections like USB.

B&O have no excuse for this. I can't understand Ruark intoducing an active PC speaker without even USB.

B&W have USB (24/96) and Minijack and optical and AirPlay and ethernet on their A7 (fully active) model. I'd love to see them - for instance - introduce a pair of proper active desktop speakers (bigger than their MM1s) with all the A7 connectivity inside them.

Fed up with 'just add this box and this box'. That means more wall warts, more wires, more clutter.

I was going to suggest the MM1s, I take it they're too small? Tbh on a short listen I wasn't that impressed with them for the price.

How about 2 Sonos play:3s? They lack physicals connectivity but are fully active and work pretty flawlessly wirelessly / via AirPlay.