Genelecs for hifi?

Guys - I kind of suggested over on another forum (with an AV bias and where active speakers are popular) that few genuine hifi buffs would even consider using Genelec speakers but I've never actually heard a pair so I thought I'd better canvas opinion here.

So, have you heard any, what did you think and would you consider a pair gracing your listening room?

Thanks,

Matt.

 

Heard a pair of 1031A's... to be honest they were rather nice! I'd say they are the definition of what many people think studio monitors sound like. Very clean and accurate but rather boring. I am not sure what all this talk of ear splitting treble is, though they are not a warm speaker I didn't think they were too bright and definitely not ear splitting!

I wouldn't complain about having a pair, but for the money I would prefer something with more bass extension and a tad more life.

Have you heard the Blue Sky System One 5.1? That really is great for home theatre, and very small as well!

 

Oh I have also had a listen too the 1038B (big three ways) but wasn't very impressed with them in any way. Not that there was anything wrong, but for the price and unless you have an especially large room to fill I would much prefer the PMC AML1's I am using, they even go deeper!

 

If you are considering studio monitors, the only thing I would say is that they don't all sound the same. There is no such thing as the "studio monitor" sound. The ones I have heard (Dynaudio & ATC) have sounded very good, but not the same as each other.

As always, try and see.

 

if you want to buy dynaudio you should buy one highend solidstate amp

 

Thanks for the comments but please note I'm not considering buying any - happy with my newly acquired PMC GB1s. I was just after people's thoughts on Genelec.

Matt.

 

If you are interested, then try them at home over a weekend. If not, then why are you asking about them?

 

I wouldn't have them at home...
I used to use them when I worked at the BBC where they're used a lot for picture/film editing. Very clean sounding, show every pop and click but they felt more like an oscilloscope than a speaker - i.e. they didn't seem to hold together in any sort of musical way, not saying that monitors are unmusical as they most certainly all aren't, but Genelecs appear to be.
Perhaps it's the fact they have little bass extension (there was no need for anything at all below 50Hz in near-field TV work) and don't image, or at least didn't in the rooms I heard them in!
Still, they're not as rip-yer-ears-out as a pair of those Mission things from the 80s..

 

Uh, I thought my initial post made that clear i.e. I'm just canvassing opinion to see if what I suggested on another forum was correct.

Matt.

 

I think it's a mistake to suggest things in the absence of personal experience. "So-and-so says..."

I've tried it, and ended up with egg on face.

 

I've heard the latest curvy box range at a
show. They sounded pretty good albeit under less than ideal circumstances. As I mention in that post they are hugely popular.

And sure I'd consider a pair at home!

I've heard some criticism about Genelec's having harsh treble, but I suspect that in pro use that would be EQ'd away, either by an acoustically dead room, or actively by EQ.