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Smaller Speaker Choice - Genelec 8010 vs Yamaha HS5


BRISTOL86
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Hi All

 

Newbie Helix (LT) owner to be, here!

 

I’m trying to decide which set of studio monitors is right for me to run the Helix through and I keep going back and forth between these two mentioned.

 

The Yamaha have a bigger physical footprint and 5†woofer, and are cheaper than the Genelec.

 

The Genelec appeal because of their very small physical size, however they are 50% more expensive and also have a smaller woofer (3â€)

 

They will be used in a small upstairs room, on a desk. That was why I was leaning towards the Genelec’s as they’ll take up less space - but I can accommodate the larger Yamaha’s if they are the better option for me.

 

Unfortunately there’s nowhere I could go and A/B them.

 

All advice and input welcome.

 

Thanks!

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You get what you pay for.  Decide on a budget, figure out how much desk space you can live with giving up and pic the best you can for the parameters you want.  You're asking us to decide whats more important, smaller foot print or saving money.  That's a personal decision you have to make.

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You get what you pay for. Decide on a budget, figure out how much desk space you can live with giving up and pic the best you can for the parameters you want. You're asking us to decide whats more important, smaller foot print or saving money. That's a personal decision you have to make.

Budget is £500 for the pair which gives me quite a lot of options which is why I wouldn’t mind paying more for the smaller speaker IF the small size doesn’t mean I’m paying more for ‘less’ - ie can a more expensive 3†speaker be as good or better than a cheaper 5†speaker?

 

My knowledge of this world is fairly limited. The Genelec get a lot of positive reviews I just don’t know if I’ll regret going smaller. I imagine both kick out a lot more volume than I’d ever be able to use in a small bedroom anyway??

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With these types of speakers you get what you pay for, regardless of speaker size.  You can bet that in most cases the more expensive item will sound better and/or have better build quality.

 

For me I chose 8" monitors, I just can't stand the sight of a tiny speaker I want to rock out on. It's all about preference and $$$.

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Half your tone depends on the speakers you're playing through. You don't have to go broke to get a decent pair of studio monitors, but dont skimp either. 3" speakers will likely have difficulty with low end, forcing you to crank the bass, and you'll probably find that patches created with them will be very boomy when played through anything larger.

 

Some guys will tell you that even 5" speakers don't have good enough bass response, and some probably don't. That being said, I have a pair of JBL LSR305's with 5" cones, and I have no issues getting enough bottom end. You can't rattle the windows with them, but that's not really what they're for anyway. Usually around $300/pair... maybe a little less if you catch a sale.

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Room size, shape and acoustic treatment will affect how any speaker sounds. In small rooms, low frequencies can be very difficult to control and larger speakers tend to overpower them. I had a pair of KRK VXT-8s who’s lows were far too massive for my room. I’ve heard the little Genelecs sound amazing in à biggish room.

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I've been a longtime user of Yamaha studio monitors so I can speak to their accuracy and responsiveness.  I've not heard anything about the Genelec though.  I did notice they market these speakers as "near field" monitors rather than "far field" monitors typically meaning they should be listened to in close proximity.  Not sure if that bears out in practice though.

 

I do know that one of the key aspects that's always been promoted by Yamaha on their HS series speakers is the larger magnets which would generally equate to beefier response.  You might want to get ahold of the documentation for each of these speakers (typically available from the manufacturer's website) to see what their recommendations are for placement.  As someone mentioned earlier that's a key part of how well these types of speakers can perform.  That might be a difference maker for you with limited space.

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The Genelec speakers are professional monitors.  But they aren't designed to give you a good experience playing guitar.  They might be very accurate in the mids and vocal range, and tend to be popular with editors and video professionals cutting voice, but they got very little bottom end, and you are unlikely to find that you get a satisfying guitar sound - I'd go for less quality and broader frequency range if you are firstly a guitar player.  While the idea "you get what you pay for" has truth, these speakers are designed for a different job - which they do well.

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  • 3 weeks later...

What did you go for in the end? I have a pair of HS5's and love them but I'm limited on space and wonder if the Genelec 8010's would be a better alternative. Max volume isn't really an issue as I don't get to crank the volume much at home :mellow:

See 2 posts above yours...volume doesn't much matter. You're not gonna be heard in the next zip code with any pair of small monitors. If you're limiting yourself to these 2 choices, go with the Yamaha's.

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Using a pair of 8-year-old Mackie HR824's for most of my "monitoring" with Helix/DAW work here. And if I want more I just flip a switch and use the Friedman ASM-12's. Both are just awesome but the ASM-12's are a bit pricey (and rightfully so). What the user said above, the speakers are where most of your tone arrives from. And so when you 1st start out with Helix be sure and run it thru some good monitors too, or you basically have a Porshe with no tires, so to speak.  ;)

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