Genelec "The Ones"
My Honest Review of 8341A & 7360A
January 19, 2022 by Adrian Milea
Genelec "The Ones" were on my mind since they were launched.
I remember clearly that I really wanted a pair, when I first heard of them, back in 2017.
And it is strange... because when I first heard a pair of Genelec in 2009, I liked them...
Then I heard another model of Genelec - and was not impressed, and actually didn't like their sound.
They sounded too clean to me at that moment...
Little did I know that - clean sound would help me in achieving (in shorter time) - better mixes and masters!
The funny thing is that, I didn't even test "The Ones" before buying - I just knew - that they should and could help me in my mixing and mastering sessions.
Of course, when I still did lots of research on them...
I also took into consideration other companies like PMC, Barefoot Sound, Kii Audio, and others...
...but maybe will talk about this in another time ;)
If you want to know the Pros and Cons of choosing Genelec, particularly "The Ones" series, in this article you'll find out exactly that.
Here’s where I’m going to show you my honest review about Genelec 8341A, but also about the 7360A subwoofer.
Free Download: How to Improve Your Mixes and Masters in less than 10 Minutes...
Without Expensive Plugins or Hardware!!!
Before we dive into the review, I want to stress that, what you are about to learn is only my honest opinion, and no one paid me to make this review.
When I was searching what monitors to invest in - these kinds of reviews helped me decide, so today I pay it forward for other audio producers, mixing and mastering engineers.
I made this review because lots of audio producers ask my opinion about this monitoring system.
So, let’s do this.
To give you a little background, I have been working with the Genelec "The Ones" for more than 3 years now, and more than 2 years with the sub.
And today, I decided to make a review after working with them, by making a list of Pros and Cons.
When I started my journey of finding the right monitors for my mixing and mastering needs, I had two main issues to deal with:
1 - My home studio room - which is far from perfect.
2 - My budget.
My Honest Review of Genelec "The Ones"
8341A & 7360A
For a couple of months, I was searching for information about the best audio monitors on the market, especially for mastering.
Got lots of reviews about Barefoot, PMC, Kii, and of course Genelecs.
And right about that time, I learned about the Genelec new series called - The Ones.
As I mentioned, my first ever contact with studio monitors was with a pair of Genelec - and I was really impressed with them.
Then I listened to another pair of another model... and frankly, they were not to my taste.
I’m telling you this because this was the reason why I hesitated for some time to go with the Genelecs.
But the 3-way build of their The Ones series got me interested.
So, to recap and getting back to my main studio issues, what I needed was - a pair of the most accurate monitors, which will adapt to my room and all this at an affordable price.
In essence, I wanted a high-end monitoring system that would sound the best it can in my home studio.
As I considered this as a long term investment, I also wanted to have a system that will help me to have the same listening environment, in case I would need to move to another place, room, or apartment.
After lots of research, I went with the 8341A and the Genelec’s GLM Calibration kit.
And here’s the list of the PROs regarding 8341As:
PRO #1 - THESE MONITORS SOUND AMAZING!!!
...but... only if calibrated!
This is why - my number 1 advice is the following:
If you go with Genelec, no matter the series - buy the Genelec GLM Speaker Calibration Kit, if they could be used with such a kit of course.
This is a must if you want to use these monitors at their full potential.
To give you more details on their sound, when I connected them with my interface, I used my most expensive cables, so I connected them via analog connections.
The first time I played some of my favorite songs on them - frankly I was not impressed.
I was in fact disappointed....
But, if you remember, my home studio room is far from perfect...
...and I hope you know that - no matter what monitors you have - the room you are mixing or mastering in with them - has the final say on how you will hear the sound coming from your monitors!!!
So, my next move was to calibrate them, using their calibration kit (you have to buy it separately) - which I did very easily.
After I calibrated the Genelec 8431As, and played a song, I remember exactly the song - I played Ashes - the Deadpool movie soundtrack.
In short, I was blown away!!!
I could hear the sound of every soft breath and so many nuances that I never had heard before, listening to that song.
I had the feeling I was part of that song…
I know this may seem an exaggeration for those who never experienced this...
I also know that some may find this funny in case you already got expensive monitoring systems.
Anyway, I could hear the separation between the vocals, strings, and other instruments, and it was almost as if I could reach and touch Celine Dion’s vocals.
Pretty weird I know...
...but this is the most accurate description I could give you about my first listening experience of Genelec "The Ones" 8341A.
Then I tried different masters to listen to, and for the first time ever I understood what audio mastering engineers were referring to - when they say that a track is sounding tall...
I’m not a scientist or anything, but I believe, as I never experienced a three-way monitoring system before, this was the main reason I was so impressed.
Listening to 8341A - was the first time ever to experience such detail, stereo image, and depth in my audio production journey!
PRO #2 - GENELEC HAS ONE OF THE BEST
CUSTOMER SERVICE!
When I bought the 8341As, that was my first contact ever with Genelec company, and their customer support helped me solve different things.
So, whenever I had a problem or question - their customer support was there to help me, until I was satisfied with using their products.
PRO #3 - PRISTINE SEPARATION & DEPTH!
Before upgrading to the "The Ones" 8341A, when dealing with depth and separation, especially between tracks - I used headphones most of the time.
But these speakers took my audio mixing game to the next level!
Now I can hear exactly if what I’m doing helps me bring separation between tracks, but also to deal better with the depth of my mixes, or masters.
On a side note, these speakers revealed to me that - one of my favorite reverbs was the main cause of losing clarity and transparency in my mixes!
So, you've guessed it - I found and use another reverb since then.
PRO #4 - LESS EAR FATIGUE!
By using 8341A monitors - I can mix and master longer without ear fatigue!
Frankly, I don’t know what’s the magic behind this, maybe it’s because of the three-way build, but after getting these monitors - I could work more on mixing and mastering sessions, and for longer hours, without signs of ear fatigue.
PRO #5 - STABLE STEREO IMAGE!
When I’m working with 8341A - I don’t have to stay always in my center listening position.
I can move around to the left, to the right, and still have almost exactly the stereo image like the one from my center listening position, which is great!!!
PRO #6 - FASTER MIXING AND MASTERING SESSIONS!
By working with 8341A - it takes me less time now to mix and master.
Also, most of the time I need to make fewer mixing or mastering reviews, if any.
You see, when you’re mixing or mastering on Genelec "The Ones" - it’s like you’re inside the mix.
There’s that feeling that you could almost touch the kick, or the vocals, and work on them further.
Since I got them, I finish mixing and mastering sessions a lot faster and more efficiently because I can hear what exactly are the problems I should take care of, and also what I could improve.
By the way, in case you want to learn audio mastering check out my PRO Audio Mastering program ;)
PRO #7 - GOOD RESULTS AT LOW VOLUME & SHORT DISTANCE!
After using Genelec 8341A for some time, it was interesting for me to find that I could mix and master at a very low volume, and short distance.
Let me explain.
Whether I’m at my listening position which is about 3-4 feet or 1 meter from the monitors nowadays, I can mix and master at low volume with no problem.
And the #1 advantage is: listening at low volume helps me protect my ears long term.
Also, the clarity and transparency are kept to some extent in case I move away from the speakers.
PRO #8 - NO AUDIO COLORING!
These monitors are not coloring the audio source!
Until I got the 8341As, I worked with monitors that were pleasant to listen to...
.... and I believe this was one of the main problems in my mixing and mastering journey....
I loved how my mixes and masters sounded on those monitors, but when I was checking them in the real world, I was always coming back to the studio trying to guess what should I do next, and how to solve my mixing and mastering issues.
PRO #9 - MONITOR CALIBRATION!
I believe one of the most important PROs in this list is that you can calibrate Genelec 8341A, and adapt them to your listening environment.
Being able to calibrate them according to your room was one of the key features that helped me in my decision of getting a pair of Genelec "The Ones".
As I have already mentioned, I have a very problematic room in my home studio...
The room’s acoustic response is all over the place....
However, by calibrating the 8341As, the audio source I’m listening to - sounds as if I would be in a real treated studio.
PRO #10 - GENELEC "THE ONES" CAN BE INTEGRATED EASILY WITH A SUB!
In case you need a subwoofer, Genelec 8341A and "The Ones" in general - can integrate seamlessly with a Genelec subwoofer.
And a this point, I want to address domething...
You see, most of the time, audio producers, mixing and mastering engineers - have problematic rooms to begin with, rooms where they work because of different circumstances...
This is also my case, with my home studio.
The issue is that - if you bring a sub into the equation, into a room with lots of acoustic problems, you will discover that there are other problems which start to grow or accentuate.
Do I add more volume to the sub?
Or, should I bring it down?
The Genelec GLM Speaker Calibration Kit helps you calibrate your monitors, but it also helps you in calibrating your monitors and the subwoofer, so that they could work as one monitoring system.
This brings me to the next point.
Since 2007, when I created my first Pro Tools session ever, my dream was to have a monitoring system on which I could listen to the 20 Hz up to 20 KHz range, as accurately as possible.
12 years later, after hard work (I mean it...), I managed to get that.
You see, the 8341A, are great by themselves.
According to Genelec, their frequency response is between 38 Hz and 37 KHz.
And... for a year I worked on the low range based on what I was hearing on these monitors.
But, I knew the range of 20Hz to 38Hz was still missing from my system.
That’s why I decided to try a subwoofer... especially because I’m working mostly with pop and EDM mix and masters, where there’s a lot going on in the low and sub frequencies.
Now, the thing is that for over 12 years in my music production journey, I didn’t use a subwoofer.
So, before buying the Genelec 7360A I never used a subwoofer for mixing or mastering.
The Genelec 8341As have pretty good low information, but in 2019, I felt that it was time to complete my monitoring system.
I also believed that, when I will have a subwoofer, I would have more bass, more punch, and so on.
Well, I was wrong...
After calibrating the subwoofer and the monitors together, instead, I got more accuracy in the low and sub range.
By integrating the Genelec 7360A subwoofer in my monitoring system - I finally got a complete and accurate frequency representation from 19 HZ up to 20 KHz.
PRO #11 - GENELEC "THE ONES" ARE VERY ACCURATE AND DETAILED!
After using Genelec 8341A with the 7360 subwoofer - for the first time ever I could hear the 0.5 dB boosts or cuts.
You see, whenever I saw audio gurus changing 0.5 dB on their plugins, asking “do you hear the difference?”
Well, I couldn’t...
And even in my mixing and mastering sessions sometimes in the past, it would be difficult to hear that 0.5 dB change...
Well, with these Genelecs I could hear these small changes, which make my decisions more efficient towards better mixes and masters.
Ok, so we got 11 PROs so far!
What about 1 more PRO, what you say?
PRO #12 - OPTIMIZE LISTENING LEVELS!
With the Genelec GLM Speaker Calibration Kit you can control and watch the listening levels.
This way you protect your years and keep working for longer.
One more PRO?
PRO #13 - 3-WAY COAXIAL STUDIO MONITORS!
Genelec "The Ones" 8341A - are three-way monitors, and they bring to your studio and listening environment - more accuracy of the stereo image and depth.
Ok, the last one.... for now...
PRO #14 - 2 YEARS-WARRANTY + 5 YEARS WARRANTY FOR SPARE PARTS!
Genelec 8341A and 7360A - have a 2 years warranty + 5 years warranty for spare parts if you register them on Genelec’s site.
And I could continue the PROs list by mentioning their really good amps and DACs and so on...
maybe in the future...
So, these are my PROs when it comes to Genelec 8341A monitors and Genelec 7360A subwoofer.
Now, what about the CONs?
At this time I have only two CONs for you.
CON #1 - GENELEC "THE ONES" ARE NOT CHEAP!
Genelec "The Ones" are a bit pricy.
Getting these monitors was a big leap for me, but I knew a necessary one.
And if you look at their price, they are not really affordable, even after 3 years since I got them.
On the other hand, this could be another PRO.
They keep their value, in case you want to resell them.
CON #2 - GENELEC "THE ONES" ARE TOO ACCURATE!
Sometimes I feel that the Genelec 8341A & 7360A combo is too accurate.
Let me explain...
Sometimes I want them to color the music more, as most of the studio monitors do.
When you listen to these monitors is almost like listening to NS-10s, but at a complete frequency range and at a way higher resolution.
But, the thing is that this system is a business investment, so I use them for work, and they are doing a very good job.
I still enjoy them for listening pleasure, but as I said, it would be fun to have a button for coloring the sound source, when watching movies for example :D
Now, on a side note, if you ever intend to invest in such a system I advise you to connect them digitally with your audio interface.
You see, when I connected these monitors for the first time, using the Analog Inputs, I used some of my most expensive cables for connecting them with my audio interface.
But then, I decided to try and connect them digitally via the AES connection.
That’s when the sound I believed to be amazing, got to another level of clarity and accuracy.
And all this only because I used a $60 AES snake.
CONCLUSIONS
Now, looking back at this review - it may seem that these monitors are perfect.
Let me assure you that they are not.
A lot of audio producers prefer other studio monitors instead of Genelec "The Ones".
In my case, after I got them, I listened to a way more expensive pair of monitors, from another company, and that’s when I realized that Genelec "The Ones" - are perfect for me and my needs.
The bottom line is - we are different, we have different tastes, and we are evolving.
Maybe in a couple of years, I’ll move to another system, you never know.
What I know is that - so far, I am pleased with my investment.
So, there you have the PROs and CONs of investing in Genelec "The Ones" 8341A and Genelec 7360A subwoofer.
Free Download: How to Improve Your Mixes and Masters in less than 10 Minutes...
Without Expensive Plugins or Hardware!!!
Now it’s time for you to get your mixing and mastering cheat sheet and improve your mixes and masters.
If you feel I helped you with my review, share this information with other audio producers who might need it, and let’s grow together.
If you want to see some unboxing videos (which we all like) - check out the Unboxing Genelec 8341A or the Unboxing Genelec 7360A.
Until next time, Stay Cool and Make Great Music!
-Adrian Milea
Adrian Milea is the owner of Adoriany Music and co-founder of Adoriany. Since 2000s, Adrian has been producing, mixing and mastering music, while also helping audio producers to upgrade their skills. In 2013, Adrian with his brother Vlad - were part of the finalists of the Academy of Electronic Music. Their music was released by Armada Music, and they were featured in Dj Mag.
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