Neumann Monitors

[Leverson]

Just speaking from my personal experiences here, I used to have JBL 708's as my LCR for years, and then switched over to Genelec 8341s and I am very happy that I did. I liked the 708's, but the Genelec Ones are a level above. Their concentric design really gives a wide sweet spot, and I find they translate far better to both theater dubstages as well as home TV than my JBLs did. The JBLs aren't bad by any means, but I did find myself having to tweak things more moving from studio to dubstage with them than I do now. I also love the ease of their GLM software as well too. It's just a smart and easy system, especially for immersive and dealing with a dozen+ monitors.

They are more expensive than the 708's, that is true, but I think they are worth it. And prior to these I had never been a Genelec fanatic, but they came up with something special in their Ones design.

[Cheesehead]

Hmmm. Interesting.
I've had a 708/705 5.1 system since they came out and find they translate really well to theatres. I used 6328p's before that and they also translate.

Genelecs were ubiquitous in UK TV dubbing rooms in my early career and I always found them too sharp. They were ok once you factored in their top end. Their early attempt at DSP was awful too IMHO.

How do the One's sound in terms of that hyped treble?
Maybe I should try them.

[Leverson]

I felt the same way you did about the older model Genelecs, I wasn’t a fan for the longest time for the same reasons. And I want to re-iterate I never found the JBLs problematic, I used them for 2 years and had plenty of projects that played well on dubstages and TV. I also never experienced any of the technical manufacturing issues that others have occasionally reported with the 708’s (except for not being able to buy more during the pandemic supply chain crunch). They were good speakers. I’m just happier now with the Gelenec Ones. The triple-concentric design is really brilliant in my opinion, I really like the clarity it gives and the wider sweet spot within a smaller form factor. I never had to experience setting up their earlier DSP speakers so I can’t speak to that, but I’ve really been enjoying their SAM and GLM integration. As far as they sound I haven’t experienced the hyped upper ranges that for years I used to associate with Genelecs. Maybe it’s their newer designs, maybe it’s the their better room tuning software and calibration capabilities, I don’t know. All I know is that whether I’m bringing a project to the dubstage or listening to it over AirPods my dialogue is sounding exactly the way I want it to and expect it to.

Again, I’ve said plenty of nice things about the 708’s too, I think JBL made good speakers at that price point. And they ARE a lower price point than the Genelecs, which can be a big determining factor for folks, but having about 2 years experience on one and almost 2 years now on the other I’m happy to have switched, personally.

But monitors can also be a pretty subjective experience, and the room also makes a big difference. For anyone reading this in the future I recommend getting listening time and demo time (and even best getting to demo things in your room) before making a final decision!

[BScout]

The hard/sharp top end on Genelecs went away when they moved on to the 80xx series. The 10xx series suffer from that.
You still have to like the sound of their metal dome tweeter but they changed their tuning significantly since the 10xx series.

[LDS]

I don't agree with the needing-to-like-the-metal-dome-tweeter thing at all. If you ever have metal dome 2-ways and the Ones side by side, all it takes is a bit of pink noise through both to realise how different the representation of mids and highs are between the two. The 2-ways sound weirdly filtered, while the Ones sound very natural.

It shouldn't be that surprising, I suppose. The coaxial drivers in the One series are completely different driver designs to the 2-way stuff. Just in the same way as the metal domes in the 80XX is different again to the 10XX.

[capt kirk]

I cant use the old Genelecs all day, its too fatiguing, BUT they do work for forensic tweeks......I guess thats why we used the EV/Tannoy/Dynaudios for 8 hour editing days.....I LOVE my new custom made FKN/Dynaudio 3 ways...theyre the perfect blend of analytical and non fatiguing...

[Cheesehead]

It was the compression driver tweeters that got me interested in the 708/705's.

They're basically small versions of the horn drivers you get on theatrical speakers, which are often JBL in a lot of cinemas. Hence the translation in the high and upper mid frequencies is very good/similar.

I'm not saying you can't get that from other speakers as well.

[capt kirk]

I would love Meyers, but alas my crypto investments went to a Lambo instead...cant have everything

[kosmokrator]

before comissioning our Atmos mix room we tested Neumann 420, Genelecs and JBL 708 in the room.

We went with the 420. (for LCR. Surrounds are 310, tops 120)

The JBL were not in the same league as the Neumanns or Genelecs (in our case we tested the S360).

[capt kirk]

I think 2 of the rooms at the Vancouver Studio are using the Neumans now.....and the mix room runs 7.1.4 Harbeth systems