Geithain Monitor Choice

[Otium]

Originally Posted by maestro

Have Genelec 1029As and would like a considerable upgrade. Would the 906s be much of an upgrade from these Genelecs? ...

Absolutely!! In my opinion, they're even better, than the 1030s, which i know pretty well.
I use the 906s at work (public service radio station in Germany) very often and just love 'em!
There's no coloring and the localization sharpness (in a well treated room and properly placed, of course) is amazing.

Go get 'em!

Alex

[maestro]

Are monitors such as Barefoot MM35 & Geithain 944K too big for the room (which is actually 12.75ft x 14ft with an 8ft ceiling)

The Geithains are about $9500. Can anyone recommend any cheaper monitors that are of a similar class please?

[Remy Leloup]

You could find hapiness with the ATC range , go to their web site , you certainly have one for your needs

[Kyle_PL]

Originally Posted by maestro

Have Genelec 1029As and would like a considerable upgrade. Would the 906s be much of an upgrade from these Genelecs? Would love 944Ks in Maple but is there a big difference between monitors at 10,000 and 5,000 a pair for example?

Originally Posted by maestro

Are monitors such as Barefoot MM35 & Geithain 944K too big for the room (which is actually 12.75ft x 14ft with an 8ft ceiling)

The Geithains are about $9500. Can anyone recommend any cheaper monitors that are of a similar class please?

Check Geithain RL 904

[matucha]

I have RL901K in a room about the same size as yours and it doesn't feel like overkill. Actually when it comes to Geithain, I can't see much price difference between 3way designs, so in the end I took the biggest ones. Of course if your listening distance can't get above 1.5meters then the smaller ones are better choice. My listening distance is around 1.8m and it's fine.

Cardioid bass lets you place the monitors closer to back wall without (many) problems and all the drivers are ~ at the same place so it is closer to point source than tradicional big 3-ways where half of the box will play under your desk. With lower ceiling that doesn't have to be the winning formula though, because the woofers end up in the middle of the floor-ceiling, ie in the null.

Anyway, I can't recommend rl901 enough, quality of my work went up considerably since I have them.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Remy Leloup

You could find hapiness with the ATC range , go to their web site , you certainly have one for your needs

I thought that ATC, although excellent, were no cheaper than Geithain and are a similar price.

[Petrus]

I have PMC IB2S with Genelec 7071A in a 13'*16'*8' room and they do not feel too big. Check PMC also, IB1S might fit your budget, they are quite deep, though. Geithain, ATC are great also, would never regret either of those either.

[h4nc0]

Got a pair of RL922K here and like 'em alot. Also check out the ATC. If possible, both at the same time. At this level, it's more of personal preferences imo.

If you go bigger size, you will probably need more bass traps.

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

I have a similar sized room, it is a den conversion to my private music room. (Calling it a 'studio' would be grandiose. It is a friggin' den filled with gear.) I have the Real Traps room kit.

I was looking for the best performance I could get that would fit into the room. I had hoped to make it a $5k choice, but for what I wanted, the sweet spot seemed to be $10k. After looking at all of the options, and there were quite a few, I narrowed it down to Barefoot 27s and ATC SCM25As. Both fit into your $10,000 price. Both are widely appreciated. I read thread after thread and spoke to owners of both, and after doing so determined that the SCM25A would be my choice.

If I was going for Geithains I would have to spend more money to get what I wanted.

For less money, I wanted to hear the Trident HG-3. Friends of mine did listen to them at AES and passed on their opinions. According to them it is a nice sounding speaker but not on the same level as the ATC SCM25A or Barefoot 27s. (In fairness, they cost about half as much.)

The smaller Barefoots and the smaller ATCs might be worth a look. I don't know what either of these cost and then there will be other contenders from other manufacturers to consider before coming to a short list for less money.

But I'm curious as to why you've decided that your room is too small for 944k, MM35, (or by association, SCM25A) speakers?

[maestro]

Thanks for all the replies.

I have quite a bit of realtraps in my room.

Regarding listening distance is it 1.5M from the centre of the 2 monitors or from the monitors themselves to each ear? I am just about 1.5M from the centre and nearly 1.8M from each ear to each monitor (make sense?). May i add that i can move my chair back beyond 1.8M for occasional listening to mixes etc.

Bill, I haven't decided my room is too small. I simply do not know. With my chair in the 38% position there may just be enough room behind the console for a 13 inch deep monitor

Do i need 3 way monitoring?

[matucha]

1.8m monitor to ear distance is exactly what I have. So I guess if you go the 3-way way, you could get much bigger geithains than rl944 (for almost the same money).

I heard 906 once and found them very nice. What does that mean to you? Not much I guess.
If you can afford 3-way geithains or other great monitors, do it. There is nothing as important as great monitors in great room. To me knowing the low end extension without being restricted to small speaker (distortion, roll-off) alone was worth the investment.

[WunderBro Flo]

I was hoping to have big Geithans but the price was too high for
me. I finally got Quested V3110 that to me have the best price/performance ratio. ATC are also too pricey for me. the one feature that sets Geithain apart from both however is the cardioid bass which is a HUGE benefit as the room modes are not activated nearly as much.

[maestro]

So I'm thinking of ordering the Geithain 944Ks. My listening distance is likely to be 1.5 Meters.

Should I buy the monitor stands or are there better choices?

[h4nc0]

There are better ones but much more expensive.

Liedtke-Metalldesign Hifiracks, Boxenständer, Lautsprecherständer, Spikes und vieles mehr

Adjustable Monitor Stands | Speaker Stands | Studio Stands | Amplifier Stands

Make sure if you like the mid on the Geithains. They are not as forward as some of the other popular monitor speakers.

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

I got the ATC SCM25A a bit more than a week ago, finally got them on stands at the beginning of this week and what at this moment appears to be placed a day or so ago. I'm still racking and wiring, but I have them running in a temporary setup. In the past few months I've had Westlake BBSM-5s and the small Dunlavy speakers set up in the room, powered by a Bel Canto amp. Neither sounded as good as the ATC. Nothing is carved in stone, but so far I am happy with my choice.

Let us know what works for you.

[matucha]

Originally Posted by h4nc0

Make sure if you like the mid on the Geithains. They are not as forward as some of the other popular monitor speakers.

And not as scooped as some of the others as well .

Originally Posted by Bill@WelcomeHome

Nothing is carved in stone, but so far I am happy with my choice.

Congrats.

[maestro]

Originally Posted by h4nc0

Make sure if you like the mid on the Geithains. They are not as forward as some of the other popular monitor speakers.

I won't be able to audition the monitors. I'll check if I'm able to send them back!

[h4nc0]

Originally Posted by matucha

And not as scooped as some of the others as well .



Congrats.

Yes, but it's also not as revealing as other mid-forward speakers in the mid area for that reason imo. Probably my crappy room acoustics also playing a part.

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

Originally Posted by h4nc0

Yes, but it's also not as revealing as other mid-forward speakers in the mid area for that reason imo..

Yeah, but we have to be careful in that situation not to mix a 'light' mid because we hear it so well.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by maestro

So I'm thinking of ordering the Geithain 944Ks. My listening distance is likely to be 1.5 Meters.

Should I buy the monitor stands or are there better choices?

The Geithain stands are actually a tuned circuit designed specifically for the relevant monitor. So I would get the correct Geithain floor stand for the monitor if it was me.

[maestro]

Originally Posted by John Willett

The Geithain stands are actually a tuned circuit designed specifically for the relevant monitor. So I would get the correct Geithain floor stand for the monitor if it was me.

Really appreciate that info John.

I only just noticed that Geithain give a recommended listening distance for each model of their monitors. Since I'll be 1.5 meters from each speaker at the listening position the 944K seems to make sense.

Now to decide on the height of the stands. 51.6, 56.1, 61.7 or 69.9 inches. If anyone can help with the Math, my ears will be 52 inches off the ground

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by maestro

Really appreciate that info John.

I only just noticed that Geithain give a recommended listening distance for each model of their monitors. Since I'll be 1.5 meters from each speaker at the listening position the 944K seems to make sense.

Now to decide on the height of the stands. 51.6, 56.1, 61.7 or 69.9 inches. If anyone can help with the Math, my ears will be 52 inches off the ground

The measurement is to the top edge of the monitor and not the stand height itself:-

Floor bracket stand

Loudspeaker rotable mounted

Deliverable heights (Top edge loudspeaker): 1311 mm (51.6 in), 1426 mm (56.1 in), 1566 mm (61.7 in) and 1776 mm (69.9 in)

Base panel (W x D): 408 mm x 450 mm (16.1 in x 17.7 in)

Base panel and stabilisation panel veneered

Racks black powder-coated



So - work out the height that will get the tweeter at ear height.

But the stands do have two mounting positions, one about 10cm lower than the other, so there is a bit of adjustment.


I was most impressed when I compared the small RL906 with the large RL901K and they sounded almost exactly the same - other than the larger monitor had a more "effortless" sound and the bottom register was obviously more full - so anyone would have no problem doing a location recording with the 906 and mixing and mastering with the 901 (or anything in between). But I do like those 944s, though, maybe one day......

[toolskid]

I had 1029a and upgraded to RL906

upgrade is the wrong word

TOTALLY different planet is more accurate

They are just so superior in every way possible. Best monitoring experience I've ever had. The bottom end is spectacular and detail, accuracy, stereo imaging, potential volume (they can go LOUD!), and low volume listening are just incredible.

They are expensive for sure but the absolutely best investment I ever made!

GO FOR IT!

[JP__]

Originally Posted by John Willett

I was most impressed when I compared the small RL906 with the large RL901K and they sounded almost exactly the same -

Never heard the 906, but a lot of their other models and worked with the passiv ME25 for several years. The smaller ones (MO-2 etc.) sounds a lot more forward in the mids then the bigger models (940 etc.) with a somewhat "boxy" sound.
In my opinion the Geithains lacks deep bass regarding its size and the bass is not very tight a all. Nor they aren´t very fast, detailled loudspeakers....
I was a huge fan for several years. Now I think there are better ones on the market. May have a look at Strauss or Kirsch (or if you want active ones, you may check out PSI215...).

[toolskid]

Originally Posted by JP__

Never heard the 906, but a lot of their other models and worked with the passiv ME25 for several years. The smaller ones (MO-2 etc.) sounds a lot more forward in the mids then the bigger models (940 etc.) with a somewhat "boxy" sound.
In my opinion the Geithains lacks deep bass regarding its size and the bass is not very tight a all. Nor they aren´t very fast, detailled loudspeakers....
I was a huge fan for several years. Now I think there are better ones on the market. May have a look at Strauss or Kirsch (or if you want active ones, you may check out PSI215...).

Wow! You've had the POLAR opposite experience to me! Especially regarding bass and openness! Maybe you were listening to their hi-fi range. It's definitely worth checking out the RL906 and RL901!

Perhaps speakers other than the 901 and 906 vary a lot, but to describe the RL range as 'boxy' is extraordinary!!

Listening preferences and perceptions are endlessly fascinating!!

[JP__]

Originally Posted by toolskid

Wow! You've had the POLAR opposite experience to me! Especially regarding bass and openness! Maybe you were listening to their hi-fi range. It's definitely worth checking out the RL906 and RL901!

Perhaps speakers other than the 901 and 906 vary a lot, but to describe the RL range as 'boxy' is extraordinary!!

Listening preferences and perceptions are endlessly fascinating!!

I know its not easy going in public with such an opinion regarding Geithain ... I never say the RL range sounds boxy... They indeed have a much more defensiv midrange (with a soft unprecise bass) than the MO-2 for example.
As I had said I was always a satisfied user, till I had the chance to listen to something better.
As I say, I never listen to 906 (and my experience with the 901 is long ago). But I´ve listen to ME25, ME150, MO-2, RL904, RL940, RL903...

There are without a doubt excellent speakers, but in my opinion there are much better ones out there in this price range. I even think there are to expensive for what they deliver...
Geithain is often praised for its excellent spatial representation and their precise stereo panorama. I don´t think they are top notch...
To you have experiences with for example Strauss or Kirsch?
I´ve listen to RL903, Strauss and Kirsch in the same room. The difference in quality was surprisingly large regarding details, impulses and spatial representation.

[toolskid]

Originally Posted by JP__

I know its not easy going in public with such an opinion regarding Geithain ... I never say the RL range sounds boxy... They indeed have a much more defensiv midrange (with a soft unprecise bass) than the MO-2 for example.
As I had said I was always a satisfied user, till I had the chance to listen to something better.
As I say, I never listen to 906 (and my experience with the 901 is long ago). But I´ve listen to ME25, ME150, MO-2, RL904, RL940, RL903...

There are without a doubt excellent speakers, but in my opinion there are much better ones out there in this price range. I even think there are to expensive for what they deliver...
Geithain is often praised for its excellent spatial representation and their precise stereo panorama. I don´t think they are top notch...
To you have experiences with for example Strauss or Kirsch?
I´ve listen to RL903, Strauss and Kirsch in the same room. The difference in quality was surprisingly large regarding details, impulses and spatial representation.

Very Interesting - I'll see if I can listen to those speakers!

[JP__]

I bet you will not regret it ...

Every Geithain is a big step up over these old Genelecs. No one can know all the speakers on the market. So, work with what you have. And if you get the feeling for improvement in severeal years, bear in mind there are some small manufacturers who did things better than the well known others...

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

Originally Posted by maestro

Really appreciate that info John.

I only just noticed that Geithain give a recommended listening distance for each model of their monitors. Since I'll be 1.5 meters from each speaker at the listening position the 944K seems to make sense.

Now to decide on the height of the stands. 51.6, 56.1, 61.7 or 69.9 inches. If anyone can help with the Math, my ears will be 52 inches off the ground

Have you checked with the company? ATC gave me a location on their cab to correspond with ear height. So a little simple subtraction/addition revealed my needed stand height. I was also in the 52 inch range, and left to my own devices I would have picked the wrong location.

I agree with the poster who remarked on the improvement you will experience over the Genelecs. When I had the Dunlavys put in, the difference was pretty serious and I found that the Genelecs had a signature sound in that I could now walk into a room and pick out. (Or NS-10, for that matter.) I'm not claiming golden ears, it is just that you are about to make a big very noticeable leap.