Anyone using Genelecs?

Drew_TNBD · July 2014

Curious. They've got a trade in deal at the moment for some of their entry range monitors. Trade in your existing monitors, get a discount on a pair of their active models.

http://sourcedistribution.co.uk/news/article.php?aid=702

monquixote · July 2014

I used to use them quite a bit at the Beeb.

They are very good quality monitors. Generally the opinion seemed to be quite positive about them so they got used across a lot of projects.

spacecadet · July 2014

Had a pair of 8040's for a few weeks in my old studio and they nothing short of spectacular. Not as "honest" as you might need/ want them to be but they sounded fantastic. Huge sweet spot! I went for the KRK VXT8's in the end which had the NS10 thing (also had a pair of those to switch to) as well as all the other stuff you want to hear. You certainly won't be disappointed with them.

Drew_TNBD · July 2014

I'm using Tannoy Reveals right now, and actually have been since I was 17; the same bloody pair!! Just got used to them I guess. Thinking about trading them in against either the Genelec 8020C's or the 8030B's.

The low-end on these Tannoy's is kinda all over the shop, and very very resonant. Some of that is the room, but it's always been somewhat of a problem in every place I've been in, so I'm blaming the monitors too. I'd like a smoother low end with less wall-shaking-resonance and less of a 100hz spike that ends up pissing off my neighbour anytime I make dubstep!!

I am assuming that either pair of the Genelec's will be a pretty big upgrade?

monquixote · July 2014

Drew_fx said:

I'm using Tannoy Reveals right now, and actually have been since I was 17; the same bloody pair!! Just got used to them I guess. Thinking about trading them in against either the Genelec 8020C's or the 8030B's.

The low-end on these Tannoy's is kinda all over the shop, and very very resonant. Some of that is the room, but it's always been somewhat of a problem in every place I've been in, so I'm blaming the monitors too. I'd like a smoother low end with less wall-shaking-resonance and less of a 100hz spike that ends up pissing off my neighbour anytime I make dubstep!!

I am assuming that either pair of the Genelec's will be a pretty big upgrade?

Definately!

We've got some Reveals at work for testing and Genelecs are a big step up.

IanSavage · July 2014

Well worth the upgrade, and get yourself some decent isolation pads and/or stands as well to make the most of them. My 'better' University studios had Genelecs, great monitors (although I ended up buying a pair of the HHB Circles that the 'midrange' studios had because I couldn't afford Genelec and I like purple

).

octatonic · July 2014

I've mixed in Genelecs a lot.

Personally I prefer Dynaudio but Genelec do some great speakers.

Drew_TNBD · July 2014

I have some decent enough stands with basic Studiospares isolation pads. I think the physics of my room is not that conducive to good sound, and there is a limit to the treatment I can do because it's a rented flat. But I am going to be doing some broadband absorbers in a month or so. New monitors would be a nice birthday prezzie to myself too!

Heartfeltdawn · July 2014

Pretty good offer. I wish Eve Audio would do something like that as I'd love a pair of SC205s. I think I shall have to console myself with some JBL LSR305s in the meantime though.

Drew_TNBD · July 2014

I'm also looking at the Adam A7X's - seen a lot of love for them in metal circles.

DLM · July 2014

I liked Adams better. That's what I bought: P11s and a Sub 10

spark240 · July 2014

I got the yamaha HS7...had them about 3 months but not set up yet !

octatonic · July 2014

Drew_fx said:

I'm also looking at the Adam A7X's - seen a lot of love for them in metal circles.

Yes but I would have the option of a defeatable sub with the Adams.

guitarfishbay · July 2014

Which Dynaudios do you have @octatonic ? I've seen mk2 bm6as at a reasonable price. Currently using Yamaha HS8s, I find them pretty bright around guitar presence frequencies. I don't enjoy them much and feel like I make dull mixes on them.

octatonic · July 2014

I have the original BM6a's. I've been using them since 2002. The new ones are great too.

guitarfishbay · July 2014

Thanks.

I need to figure out where to go to test monitors. When I looked around Manchester nobody had multiple 'mid' range sets, lots of choice around the sub £400 mark but between that and £1k shops tended to have just one brand in stock, or if they had more than one brand in stock they didn't have comparably sized models.

I did get a chance to hear Adam A8x and I felt they sounded pretty scooped. I didn't find them harsh like I find the HS8s, but they were definitely bass heavy with plenty of high end and pulled back mids when I heard them. The HS8s sounded really clear in the shop when I tested them but the only other things they had in that shop were KRK RPs, which I'm familiar with having had the 5 and 6 inch G2s. I'm now thinking I just made a sideways step from muddier to harsher, rather than going to a more revealing monitor. Currently doing a lot of my mixing on Audio Technica M50 X headphones, which isn't ideal. I've got corner bass traps (GIK tri traps) and first reflection points done at the sides (GIK 242). More treatment will help for sure but I still think I want different speakers.

octatonic · July 2014

guitarfishbay said:

Thanks.

I need to figure out where to go to test monitors. When I looked around Manchester nobody had multiple 'mid' range sets, lots of choice around the sub £400 mark but between that and £1k shops tended to have just one brand in stock, or if they had more than one brand in stock they didn't have comparably sized models.

It is really tough especially given you don't want the best sounding monitor you can buy- you want the flattest.

Also, a major issue is one of calibration- because we are so sensitive to volume even a 0.5db difference in volume between one set of speakers to the next will be interpreted as one being better than the other because it is louder.

We respond to 'louder' and it takes real discipline to distinguish between flatter/better/louder etc, esp in a busy shop.

It is virtually impossible to test them any place other than the room that you will be mixing in, as well.

Honestly though, most products in a similar price point will be approximately the same- one might have more bass, or a more detailed mid range, or be capable of being louder before distorting etc but be lacking in another area.

As you get up around £2k a pair those differences become even smaller and it becomes a matter of diminishing returns.

I love my Dynaudios but he main reason they work for me is I've been using them for a dozen or so years.

The first few years as I changed over from NS10's it took me a while to get used to them- there were more than a few ropey mixes.

Drew_TNBD · July 2014

The A7X's and A8X's are supposed to sound quite different. The A7X's have all the mids.

guitarfishbay · July 2014

Yeah that makes a lot of sense. I guess I'll need to bite the bullet on something s/h and see what I think. All I know right now is I'm not enjoying the Yamahas nor do I think I'm making any decent mixes on them.

Well, that and when I went to a studio that had a pair of PMC MB2s I wanted to win the lottery.

guitarfishbay · July 2014

Drew_fx said:

The A7X's and A8X's are supposed to sound quite different. The A7X's have all the mids.

Yeah, I really wanted to hear the 7s. I see them for sale s/h every now and then but haven't taken the plunge yet. The guy who's ear I trust most locally reckons I should get Genelecs. He's the sound engineer for a major electronic act and he's been to my room and helped me figure how to treat it. He's not much of a rock/metal head though. I always read online that Genelecs sound 'finished' too soon, but I've stopped reading Gearslutz much as you never know who is saying what... it took me a while of lurking to figure some of the posters are vendors who were only recommending stuff that they personally sold (hmm!). Only ever heard 1031s in person, they were bright but that is all I remember.

octatonic · July 2014

guitarfishbay said:

Drew_fx said:

The A7X's and A8X's are supposed to sound quite different. The A7X's have all the mids.

I always read online that Genelecs sound 'finished' too soon, but I've stopped reading Gearslutz much as you never know who is saying what...

Sorry but that is nonsense.

Gearslutz is full of idiots repeating what they hear from other idiots.

guitarfishbay · July 2014

Yeah I pretty much just read the Q&As now because at least you know who those guys are. Have you got an opinion on the 80xx series Genelecs which are the ones in this deal?

Danny1969 · July 2014

octatonic said:

guitarfishbay said:

Drew_fx said:

The A7X's and A8X's are supposed to sound quite different. The A7X's have all the mids.

I always read online that Genelecs sound 'finished' too soon, but I've stopped reading Gearslutz much as you never know who is saying what...
Sorry but that is nonsense.
Gearslutz is full of idiots repeating what they hear from other idiots.

A lot of the time yes but as you know there's also a lot of stuff by people who really know what they are doing, David Bendeth, Bob Clearmountain, Mike Shipley, Greg Wells etc ...... just be nice if there was an easier way to wade through the crap to get to the good posts

I use 3 sets of speakers, NS10's for basic mixing, Pioneer hi fi speakers to check bottom end and little HK computer speakers to check to see how the mix translates to little PC speakers

octatonic · July 2014

Danny1969 said:
A lot of the time yes but as you know there's also a lot of stuff by people who really know what they are doing, David Bendeth, Bob Clearmountain, Mike Shipley, Greg Wells etc ...... just be nice if there was an easier way to wade through the crap to get to the good posts I use 3 sets of speakers, NS10's for basic mixing, Pioneer hi fi speakers to check bottom end and little HK computer speakers to check to see how the mix translates to little PC speakers

Michael Wagener too.

I used to frequent GS a lot up until around 2010- now I cannot bear it.

ChrisMusic · July 2014

I am slightly horrified reading about NS10s, when I was involved (admittedly a good few years ago now) they were just used as a good average HiFi reference to see what a mix would sound like in an average living room, and something you could rely on as a standard in a variety of studios for that very purpose.

I assume the other monitors in this thread are of a similar caliber, as I have been away from the music biz for so long that pretty much everything has changed. (TBH I am surprised how much is still the same, actually)

I would really like to get an understanding of how to make good use of the current range of compact studio monitors, if any of you would be kind enough to help with a few words of guidance. Cheers

IanSavage · July 2014

Really good article on the venerable NS10 here: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/yamahans10.htm

and somewhere I've got saved someone's Masters dissertation piece where they did a MASSIVE comparison of frequency responses, transient responses, waterfall plots etc for a dozen or so monitors (including the NS10s) in a bid to find out what it was about them that made so many engineers love 'em despite their so-so 'on-paper' specs.

I'd love to be able to afford a pair in decent nick you can get WAY better flat-response monitors now for what you'll pay for a decent set of secondhand NS10s...but they won't have those white cones...*sigh*

octatonic · July 2014

ChrisMusic said:

I am slightly horrified reading about NS10s, when I was involved (admittedly a good few years ago now) they were just used as a good average HiFi reference to see what a mix would sound like in an average living room, and something you could rely on as a standard in a variety of studios for that very purpose.

I assume the other monitors in this thread are of a similar caliber, as I have been away from the music biz for so long that pretty much everything has changed. (TBH I am surprised how much is still the same, actually)

I would really like to get an understanding of how to make good use of the current range of compact studio monitors, if any of you would be kind enough to help with a few words of guidance. Cheers

Forget trying to find NS10's now- no point- they aren't worth what people are paying for them and they are a pain to get spares for..

The thing about NS 10's is few people used JUST the NS10's to mix.

You use them in addition to other things- I had some JBL's and a couple of other sets.

They made you work hard though- if you could make a mix work well on the NS10's then you knew it would be pretty decent on anything.

You needed a decent amp though, which trebled the cost of them.

I had a Bryston 2B back in the day- it did the job really well.

Also, people used to listed to their music on home stereo speakers so it made sense to replicate that.

They don't do that so much anymore- it is earbuds and car stereos more than anything.

Things have moved on greatly- the Adam, Dynaudio, Genelec monitors mentioned here are several orders of magnitude better than the NS10's.

If you want something down and dirty (and cheap) then check out the Avantone Mixcubes.

Obviously in addition to some high quality monitors.

http://www.avantonepro.com/Avantone-Passive-MixCube-Monitors-In-Black.html

Danny1969 · July 2014

Good point about a decent amp with the NS10's. I use a big ol Yamaha P series amp which seems to be a good match

Also it's not just the NS10's that were meant to be a good bookshelf speaker but ended up being great for mixing. I have a set of Goodman bookshelf speakers with concentric drivers that can out NS10 a set of NS10's when it comes to harsh mids. The other guys hate them so much though I'm not allowed to use them in the control room. I forget the middle number but you can see one on the end in this picture from my old garage studio :

Monitors are a bit like guitars in as much as there are bargains out there but you gotta look beyond the obvious brands and that requires a leap of faith if you can't read a review on the net. I know the Wharfedale Diamond active monitors I brought (also in that pic) on the strength of a glowing SOS review were pretty bad for mixing in comparison to the Goodmans.

octatonic · July 2014

What is that board?

Soundcraft?

Danny1969 · July 2014

Yeah Soundcraft Spirit Studio 32, brought it from a guy who worked with The Shamen

32 channels and I only used 2 of them for Protools in the box mixing

octatonic · July 2014

Danny1969 said:

Yeah Soundcraft Spirit Studio 32, brought it from a guy who worked with The Shamen

32 channels and I only used 2 of them for Protools in the box mixing

I got rid of my old D&R4000 custom board when I came back from the US for the same reasons.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/attachments/studio-building-acoustics/33558d1175390262-finally-finished-studio-build-dscn2520.jpg

Nice board though, but I much prefer the ITB workflow.

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