Genos 2 Speakers

[Del]

Well I sat at the tyros 5 with the Genelecs on their stands, they can certainly pack a punch without distortion and the clarity is superb

[Lee Batchelor]

Agreed, Del. The Genelecs blow the HS8s out of the water but there's that price thing - roughly double in Canada, I believe.

[Del]

Hi Lee the HS8 paired are £575 the Genelec 8020 paired are £700 uk prices the 8030 paired are around £1000 I was tempted to get the 8030

[Lee Batchelor]

Hi Lee the HS8 paired are £575 the Genelec 8020 paired are £700 uk prices the 8030 paired are around £1000 I was tempted to get the 8030

Good stuff, Del. I'd be tempted to go for the Genelecs.

[Toril S]

I was close to buing them a couple of years ago, but the price tag scared me off! Very pricy here in Norway, but wounderul sound! And build quality is fantastic.

[JohnS (Ugawoga)]

Kali's are also great for studio's

[mamero]

Regarding Genos 2 and the optional GNS-MS01 speakers.

Do the satellite speakers interfere if you have a second keyboard above the Genos 2 in a multi-tier keyboard setup? Or, are the speakers too in the way?  If in the way what options and solutions are there for moving them further apart to accommodate a second keyboard above?

Thanks and apologies for reviving an older thread.  Many posts in this thread date before Genos 2 was released so this thread must have been renamed to Genos 2 recently.

[Michael Trigoboff]

I bought a pair of Neumann KH 120 IIs for my Genos2 rig. Beautiful, clear, detailed sound.

Sweetwater had a special deal: buy two, and they threw in the $300 Neumann MA 1 Microphone for free (you use this microphone with Neumann's MA 1 software to tune the speakers to produce a flat response in your room).

I was motivated to try these monitors thanks to this amazing review in my favorite music production magazine, Sound On Sound.

[BogdanH]

@mamero
GNS-MS01 satellite speakers are only 18cm (7") tall and so they should easily fit between two keyboards (top keyboard is usually slightly tilted toward front).
But there are at least two reasons why I wouldn't use these speakers in case of two keyboard configuration:

1. Satellites are positioned deep in back and if you put 2nd keyboard on top, then it will block mid-high frequency path -and that's what satellites are meant for. I'm not nitpicking, but I expect brightness loss (dull sound) and L/R channel separation will also suffer.
2. If two or more instruments are (planned to be) used, then they're usually connected on mixer (or audio interface), but in this case GNS-MS01 speakers have practically no use.
3. Genos deserves better speakers than GNS-MS01.

Bogdan

[BogdanH]

@Michael
I have seen the review of that speaker at Audio Science Review (which I trust 100%) and in my opinion this speaker is not only among the best 5.25" studio monitors: it is the best we can get!
But it has it's price (1650€/pair)... which an average keyboard owner can hardly justify. And so I think that there are comparable solutions (two monitors + subwoofer) for a half of that price.
Yeah, I'm among those who can't afford it -still, compliments for your decission 

Bogdan

[mamero]

What do you think would sound "better"? A matched pair of HS5 without a sub or the Genos 2 speakers which includes the sub? This is for light home listening. I'm mostly  listening through headphones 70-80%. Just need something near-field with decent sound at moderate volume levels for the other 20-30% that's not WAY over the top financially. A pair of HS5 is more or less in the same price ballpark as the Genos 2 speaker system.  I'm even considering a second hand 3-way compact stereo system which you can find pretty cheap these days (kenwood, pioneer etc). Thanks.

[mamero]

Mods: can we move this thread to the Genos 2 forum please.

[BogdanH]

hi mamero,
I will try to be short... and keep in mind that this is just my personal opinion 

GNS-MS01 =327€
Satellite: 20W (tweeter =0.8", midrange =3"
Subwoofer: 40W, 6.5"

Positives:
-looks nice on keyboard
-relative simple cable management
Negatives:
-can only be used on Genos and if you decide so, you can only sell it to some Genos owner
- frequency range starts at 40Hz (-10db), which in reality means about 50Hz actually

Presonus Eris Sub 8 =198€ + Eris 3.5 =92€, Total=290€
Satellite: 25W (tweeter=1", midrange=3.5"
Subwoofer: 50W, 8"

Positives:
-cheaper than GNS-MS01 and can be used with any keyboard
-frequency range starts at 30Hz (on paper), which is closer to 40Hz in reality (but still has better bass than GNS-MS01)
Negatives:
-doesn't have Yamaha logo 

I gave Presonus just for example, to show, that there are better (sounding) solutions for less money. To get an impression, watch this video.

Yamaha HS 5 is 360€/pair and so quite expensive (one can get similar 5" monitors for less money) -and you should keep in mind that for 5" monitors, a separate subwoofer is in most cases also needed -I'm talking from my experience.
In short, if you don't wish to spend too much money, then Presonus (or similar) is a good starting point.

I hope that was of some help,
Bogdan

[Michael Trigoboff]

@Michael
I have seen the review of that speaker at Audio Science Review (which I trust 100%) and in my opinion this speaker is not only among the best 5.25" studio monitors: it is the best we can get!

But it has it's price (1650€/pair)... which an average keyboard owner can hardly justify. And so I think that there are comparable solutions (two monitors + subwoofer) for a half of that price.
Yeah, I'm among those who can't afford it -still, compliments for your decission 

Bogdan

Thanks for the link to that review. It's always nice to have my judgment confirmed.

My wife and I are both in our 70s and are fortunate (well, sort of) that our years are very likely to run out before our money. So I am now in a position to buy things that would have been unthinkable in earlier years.

Which reminds me of this quote that amuses me even though I don't actually live that way:

"LIfe's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely, in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy s***, what a ride!" -- Hunter S Thompson

[BogdanH]

hi Michael,
I agree with your attitude.. it's all about enjoying the things we can afford 

[mikf]

Yes Michael, you earned it, now enjoy it.
A financial advisor told me this story about an elderly client who was very wealthy that boasted to him that he never wasted money ... drove an 8 year old Ford, refused to pay for first class travel. And the financial advisor said, you know what you're doing... you're sitting in the back of the plane so your family can sit in the front when you are gone, you are driving an 8 year old Ford so your son can buy a Ferrari when you are gone..... The client went silent, and within a week called to say he had just bought a new Merc, and booked a round the world trip for him and his wife, first class all the way.
There is a wide spread of financial capabilities and everyone is an individual, but there is no question that the 'luxury' spending money more and more resides in older generations. That is why these questions about 'who will buy these arrangers when we are gone' which pop up every so often are so silly. The market amongst older people is growing and very, very lucrative.
I just got back a couple of days ago from a cruise around South America, top end, superb service, cabin bigger than my first house..... and I could have counted guests under 60 on one hand. And under 70 on two!
Power to the oldies 

Mike

[mamero]

What about the consumer electronics offerings from Yamaha if you are just playing at home? It's likely there is some crossover in components and technology between the consumer and pro audio divisions. Yamaha's consumer side seems to be less expensive than the pro audio side (except for the really hi end stuff). Thoughts? Anything workable from that angle?

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/index.html

[mamero]

Does the Genos 2 transmit audio over Bluetooth?

[Ronbo]

Does the Genos 2 transmit audio over Bluetooth?

I think not.  Just receives

[BogdanH]

@mamero
The Yamaha link you gave is meant for home theater and hi-fi systems which is not really suitable for musicians... and there's no crossover (similarity) between these two and musicians audio equipment. Of course you can attach keyboard on some home theater system, but in most cases that's not practical.

Yamaha products that a keyboard owner might be interested on are mainly studio monitors, PA systems and maybe some small mixer (i.e. if you wish to attach additional instrument).

Bogdan

[Lee Batchelor]

Bogdan said, "Yamaha products that a keyboard owner might be interested on are mainly studio monitors, PA systems, and maybe some small mixer (i.e. if you wish to attach additional instrument)."

I agree. That sums up the entire thread.

I might add that choosing the correct speakers depends entirely on what you use your Genos for. I'm a stage player and need decent speakers for small to medium crowds. Hence, I spent $4,000 on two Bose Pro 8 speakers.

If you're a home player, you have a HUGE selection from which to choose. Try out various speakers and be sure to audition them in your home. Don't rely on an in-store demo. If the store doesn't have a way for you to demo them in your home and then return them, go to another store.

Most of what you hear from any speaker is room response. After the speaker produces a sound, that sound becomes the property of the room. If the room is not too reflective, you can get by with a wide range of speaker choices. A subwoofer is probably a wise addition. The Genos line has excellent bass response, so not including a sub is a waste.

[Lefty]

I recently bought a pair of Kali LP6 2nd Wave (mainly for guitar use, but I connected my Genos on them too ) and I rediscovered my Genos !

I'm also using Kali studio monitors, but with the Kali dual 6" subwoofer.  You're right, it sounds great!

Craig

[ton37]

FWiiW: Everyone has their own preferences, of course. I only play at home in my modest home studio. I was able to get a set of Yamaha HS7 on the 2nd hand market. I recently added a 2nd hand set of HS5 (they initially had a different destination) and thought I'd try it in my setup to see how that sounds. The HS7 set in front of me and the HS5 set behind me. I placed a Yamaha MG-XU mixer (also 2nd hand) between the keyboard and the monitors. I can pan them via the mixer, left and right as well as front and back. This allows the volume to be significantly reduced and I have never heard so many nuances! I hear every instrument, percussion, voice clearly and distinctly. I have no need for a subwoofer, the HS7 can handle that just fine. Due to the second hand purchase, I am well below 65% of the retail value. I'm very happy with this setup and I think I'll leave this setup as it is. 

[BogdanH]

hi Ton,
That's an interesting speaker config that you have -I think such solution depends on available space and keyboard placement in the room.
And I agree: for home use, if we wish to exclude a subwoofer, then monitors should have at least 6.5" woofer size. But decision is usually made according to available space around the keyboard and so many (incl. myself) prefer smaller 5" monitors and subwoofer nearby/under the keyboard.

Bogdan

[Lee Batchelor]

Brilliant, Ton. I've never heard of a Genos being used in a semi-surround sound configuration. You may not need a sub - that's correct. Once you have one, you'll wonder why everyone doesn't have one. There are low frequencies that the HS7 won't produce very well that are there nonetheless.

[ton37]

Thnx Guys for your replies. I  forgot to mention that I have a subwoofer (not connected!), but as it is my personal taste: I don't like the deep basses, too dominant. 

[BogdanH]

...I don't like the deep basses, too dominant. 

I totally understand that! And that's why I always say that subwoofer must be used very "carefully": if we can hear the subwoofer, then the settings that we are using are wrong. Subwoofer must be invisible in music -it should only support main speakers. To achieve that, the loudness and crossover frequency must be set in balance with main speakers.

Bogdan

[bpsafran]

I currently have a Tyros5 with a Genos2 on order.
I use a Harmon Kadron soundbar with subwoofer,
together 300W with 6 small speakers in the soundbar.
It sounds fine with the Tyros5, except perhaps, weak
stereo separation.  Any tips on how to use this
effectively with Genos2?  Choice of EQ type on Genos2, compressor
type?  Your answers are very appreciated.

[Flatlinersholger]

Hello,
I have two KRK Rokit RP5 G4 boxes in my rehearsal room at the PC workstation. I also often play the Genos2.
The small speakers always surprise me with how powerful they are and how well they work in the lower frequencies - without a subwoofer.
Single price 160€
They also have a DSP with which you can adjust the frequencies very specifically.

Best regards
Holger

[BogdanH]

hi Holger,
I also have the same KRK speakers and I agree that they're very good (comprehensive review confirms that).

About lower frequencies... well, we need to define what lower frequencies are. Rokit 5 specification says it starts at 43Hz, which is definitely not true -unless if 43Hz -10dB is meant (which KRK doesn't specify). Standard frequency response is usually given at -3dB fall-off and in this case Rokit 5 starts at slightly above 50Hz.
This is not bad for 5" speaker! -but is also not something exceptional. In short, it's kinda weak in lowest octave and so a bass guitar (for example) sounds quite dry on lower notes. That's not only true for KRK -it's just the limitation of 5" woofer.

My opinion: if budget and space in the room allows, then I highly recommend a subwoofer -it does make a difference.

Bogdan