Genelec 8341A 6.7" 550W 3-Way Smart Active Studio Monitor, Black

High headroom three-way with unbelievable imaging. The 8341A is the point source monitor with the perfect blend of size and performance.

Work faster, for longer
For applications calling for extraordinary imaging, extended frequency response, short to medium listening distance or long, fatigue-free working hours, The Ones are in an elite league of their own. They promote faster and more consistent decision making, and they also extend listening time, because unnatural imaging - a main contributor to listener fatigue - is minimized.

Mixes that translate
As bigger brother to the super-compact 8331A, the 8341A offers increased LF extension and a higher SPL capability, so is ideally suited to slightly longer listening distances. In conjunction with our GLM calibration software, the 8341A will also compensate for detrimental room acoustics and distance delay, regardless of whether you work in mono, stereo or immersive formats. So now you can deliver mixes that translate beautifully - every time.

Smart Active Monitoring (SAM) and GLM calibration technology

Networked Smart Active Monitor (SAM) Systems feature automatic calibration to the environment
Now, more than ever, audio productions are engineered in tighter, more confined working environments. This increases acoustic problems and lowers the reliability of monitoring. At the same time, an audio engineer's need to trust a reliable and precise monitoring system that reproduces sound neutrally and without distortion has not changed.

Built upon the solid electro-acoustic foundations of our 1200, 8000 and 7000 Series products, Genelec SAM Systems are today's most advanced and flexible monitoring solutions. They are an indispensable tool for audio professionals, as they automatically adapt to the acoustic environment and correct for level, delay and room anomalies. SAM Systems are controlled using Genelec's proprietary Loudspeaker Manager (GLM) network and software, enabling you to build a highly flexible and reliable monitoring system.

GLM is a highly intuitive and powerful monitor control networking system that manages connectivity to all SAM studio monitors and subwoofers on the network. GLM software features adjustment of level, distance delay and flexible room response compensation equalization with our state-of-the-art, highly robust Auto Cal 2 algorithm automated calibration system. All parameters and settings are stored in system setup files or saved in each individual monitor or subwoofer, if the GLM network needs to be disconnected.

Also, all acoustical features of SAM Systems can be optimized and tailored for different working styles or client demands. Additionally, even if the monitors or the production projects move between rooms, you can expect SAM technology to provide the highest consistency in monitoring, providing neutral soundstage imaging with low distortion - in each environment. Genelec SAM Systems offer a comprehensive, solution-oriented, intelligently networked product range supporting analogue and digital signals in virtually any working environment.

Minimum Diffraction Coaxial (MDC) Driver Technology

Minimum Diffraction Coaxial (MDC) Driver Technology reproduces outstanding sound image
Typical coaxial designs suffer from a somewhat ragged frequency response due to diffraction problems inherent in their unrefined design. However, crossover issues due to the non-coincident location of sources are solved with a coaxial configuration, so a coaxial solution without diffraction problems is the ideal. Genelec's Minimum Diffraction Coaxial (MDC) Driver Technology provides all the benefits of coaxial design while overcoming the typical shortages - solving the diffraction problem.

The first step is to minimize the cone displacement, in other words to limit the low frequency bandwidth of the driver. Next, is to avoid all sources of diffractions. The main structure of the MDC design consists of an integrated MF diaphragm-suspension tweeter construction. The visible part of the coaxial driver is formed by the curved flexible skin with the dome tweeter assembly in its center. The inner section joins the cone to the tweeter without any acoustical discontinuity, and the outer one does the same between the cone and the driver chassis.

As there are no acoustically observable discontinuities between the tweeter and the cone, just a smooth surface, there is no diffraction either. The cone profile is very carefully optimized to form an integrated directivity control waveguide for the tweeter radiation. The driver outer edge is terminated to a normal Genelec DCW in order to control the dispersion of midrange radiation as well. The response is very smooth both on and off-axis and free from any anomalies - and directivity is well controlled.

This breakthrough in coaxial design provides improved imaging and overall sound quality on and off-axis, extremely smooth frequency response leading to outstanding clarity and definition of the inner details of the music.

The main novelties of Genelec combined DCW and MDC designs:
• Diffraction-free joint between tweeter and midrange diaphragm
• Diffraction-free joint between midrange diaphragm and DCW waveguide
• A proprietary midrange diaphragm technology - laminate structure combining a rigid cone and elastic, lossy materials including the suspension itself
• A midrange diaphragm-suspension pair which cancels all possible non-linearity

Advantages:
• Smoother frequency response
• Ensures the drivers couple coherently over their full operating bandwidth
• Significantly improves the directivity control in the critical frequency range
• Provides balanced suspension dynamics to minimize acoustic distortion
• Optimizes the use of the front baffle area while maintaining the 8000 Series appearance and benefits

Acoustically Concealed Woofers (ACW) Technology

Acoustically Concealed Woofers (ACW) for controlled directivity down to low frequencies
The 8351 Acoustically Coaxial Three-way system features our novel Acoustically Concealed Woofer (ACW) technology. The Acoustically Concealed Woofers radiate through slots located on both ends of the enclosure. The 8351 features two woofers and the positions of the two woofers have been chosen to extend the coaxial acoustical radiation concept towards low frequencies. In terms of low frequency directivity, when two woofers are used, separated by a distance, the system of two woofers behaves acoustically like one giant woofer spanning the distance between the two woofers. Also, such a dual woofer design extends the control of the directivity to low frequencies along the largest front baffle dimension.

The ACW technology makes the woofer openings and the woofer drivers acoustically invisible to the acoustical radiation from the minimum diffraction coaxial (MDC) driver responsible for the midrange and tweeter frequencies. The radiation openings are optimized for size and curvature to minimize any acoustic diffractions.

The ACW solution also allows us to use the whole front baffle surface of the 8351 as one giant Directivity Control Waveguide (DCW) that is part and built into a Minimum Diffraction Enclosure (MDE). The 8351 ACW arrangement creates a monitor that has a physically compact size yet behaves like a much larger system in terms of low frequency directivity. Such controlled low frequency directivity translates to improved quality of monitoring and smaller low frequencies interaction between the monitor and the room.

Active Crossovers

Active crossover operating at low signal levels
Audio electronic crossovers allow the audio signal to be split into separate frequency bands that are separately routed to individual power amplifiers, which are then connected to specific transducers optimized for a particular frequency band. Active crossovers come in both digital and analogue varieties. Genelec digital active crossovers include additional signal processing, such as driver protection, delay, and equalization.

Genelec analogue active crossover filters contain electronic components that are operated at low signal levels suitable for power amplifier inputs. This is in contrast to passive crossovers that operate at the high signal levels of the power amplifier's outputs, having to handle high currents and, in some cases, high voltages. In a typical two-way system the active crossover needs two power amplifiers - one for the woofer and one for the tweeter.

The active crossover design offers multiple benefits:
• The frequency response becomes independent of any dynamic changes in the driver's electrical characteristics or the drive level
• There is increased flexibility and precision for adjusting and fine-tuning each output frequency response for the specific drivers used
• Each driver has its own signal processing and power amplifier. This isolates each driver from the drive signals handled by the other drivers, reducing inter-modulation distortion and overdriving problems
• The ability to compensate for sensitivity variations between drivers
• The possibility to compensate for frequency and phase response anomalies associated with a driver's characteristics within the intended pass-band
• The flat frequency response of a high-quality active loudspeaker is a result of the combined effect of the crossover filter response, power amplifier responses and driver responses in a loudspeaker enclosure