Originally Posted by bigbaby987

I have to say though, if you like 1000 series Genelecs, it's hard to like anything else.

Originally Posted by Trakworx

11bit - it seems that you strongly prefer the 1030 over the 8040, so why not just sell your 8040s and buy some used 1030s? They go for about the same price on eBay so you can solve your problem easily. I just bought a like new pair of 1030s for $1,350.00 to use as back ups in case my 18 year old pair finally fails on me. I see 8040s selling for more than that - you could walk away with cash in pocket. Cheers,

Originally Posted by 11bit

That’s like comparing apples to oranges… ATC scm25’s cost 8.500€ while 1030’s cost 1.500€ (when they were available).

Originally Posted by 11bit

But since you have worked extensively with 1030’s it would be very interesting to know how the mixes you made with 1030’s translated to scm25’s. Did you hear any flaws? Any mistakes that the scm25’s revealed?

Originally Posted by 11bit

By the way, since you have worked with almost all models from the Geneelc 8000 series, what do you think about 8040?

Originally Posted by bigbaby987

I was at an Avid event the other day here in Dallas, and I took notice that the studio used 1000 series monitors all over the place for near fields. In fact, the Avid guy used 1030's for the demonstration. Now they could have just been some monitors in house that were easy to use, but the fact that he used them and didn't insist on something else says a lot.

Originally Posted by Eldhrimnir

My old mixes translated VERY good to the ATC's. I never really had to have a "training" period to get used to the new sound. It was just..there. Since I had worked for so long with the 1030's, I had learned their flaws and limitations, so I had probably developed a way to work around those issues. What happened when I got the ATC's was just that everything sounded so much clearer and fuller. Both width and depth-wise. The details were astounding in comparison. Suddenly, a shaker sounded like shaker in an exact location in a room, and not a jar filled with gravel all over the place
But apparently the 1030's had served their purpose well, because there were no apparent surprises to be found in my mixes when I upgraded. Only an improved and more revealing listening experience, which makes mixing so much more fun and smooth nowadays./dB

Originally Posted by Eldhrimnir

I despise the 8040's. I have NO idea of what I'm doing on those. They're just a gritty and undefined mess.
They're like looking at a 'Where's Waldo' painting, and whenever you're certain you've found Waldo and you try to focus on him, the painting shifts and Waldo moves. But..I know a lot of people uses 8040's, so, to each his own obviously./dB

Originally Posted by bigbaby987

Guys, I'm selling my 1030's if anyone is interested. They are listed in the classified section. I really hate to part with them but I have some other studio purchases I have to make and well, I already have a solid pair of monitors.

Originally Posted by Eldhrimnir

I despise the 8040's. I have NO idea of what I'm doing on those. They're just a gritty and undefined mess.
They're like looking at a 'Where's Waldo' painting, and whenever you're certain you've found Waldo and you try to focus on him, the painting shifts and Waldo moves. But..I know a lot of people uses 8040's, so, to each his own obviously.

/dB

Originally Posted by bigbaby987

11bit.. I'm in Dallas, TX. I actually bought them in 2005 I want to say. I was the second owner, but they (at the time) seemed practically new. Let me know if you're interested. I don't mind world wide shipping as long as buyer covers cost.

Originally Posted by bigbaby987

11 I love those monitors. I just don't have room and need other pieces in the studio. So.... why not? they've served me extremely well.

Originally Posted by mherrane

I instantly sold my 1030s and bought 8040s...There the problems started... I used to do lots of mobile recording back then and I carried my Gens with me...The 1030s seemed to be fine in almost everywhere while the 8040s seemed to have problems everywhere...

Originally Posted by mherrane

The scooped mids thing (if you ask me) is the fault of the monitors, not rooms they are in...I used mine in many rooms, some of them being acoustically treated, some not that much...The problems with mixes not translating as they should, kept repeating...Guessing in the lowend, guessing in the mids...High mids (presence) being left spiky since the spikes didn't irritate me in 8040s like they do on many other speakers and headphones.

Originally Posted by mherrane

I ended up testing new Amphion speakers (also made in Finland like Gens). For the first time in my career, I'm confident with everything. Mixes translate very well, no need to use additional speakers (used to use Avantones and headphones to check things)

Originally Posted by mherrane

8040s are great for music listening but not that much for mixing... Everything sounds good on them, even crappy demos that bands have recorded themselves on rehearsal rooms sound much better than in other systems...That's exactly the problem...Many mixes felt complete already although they still were not there.

Originally Posted by [email protected]

11bit,

hope you don't feel too devastated, but if the difference you hear is so big between your old 1000 series and the new 8040 then maybe it is worth your time to measure your room? The data that genelec provide for the 1032B and 8040B show that the frequency response is quite similar.
Possibly the scooped mids you are hearing are due to some reflections from your desk?

Originally Posted by vkcarrillo

Geez, we get it. You hate the Gens. I think there is more to your disdain than you are letting on. Very suspect.

Originally Posted by 11bit

I have already cut the desk reflections with the -4db switch @ 160Hz), if I leave all the switches flat the 8040’s sounds horrible, mid frequencies are masked and bass is heavy.

Originally Posted by elambo

I have both 1031s and 8040s and while they sound different, at the end of the day I don't feel that either is easier to mix on.

So during the day I'm on 1031s (and my ears are very confident with them) but at home I'm on 8040s, and, perhaps surprisingly, there's little guesswork between them.

Another thing to keep in mind is the 1030 effect - where EVERYTHING sounds good through them.

Originally Posted by elambo

There's more high end detail in the 8040s (which is often referred to as 'too bright'), and I do understand the scooped comment (though I don't feel that it's necessarily a detriment) but in practice, after getting over the learning curve

But the learning curve is the key. And so is calibration. They may not be ideal out of the box and some fine tuning might be required.

Originally Posted by Dimmy

Amazing. I bought the 8040s for the opposite reason. I checked them out in a store, and nearly everything sounded awful on them. Ugly – Except for the tracks that were mixed REALLY good .. what do you know. I thought that was quite an invitation to grab a pair.

Originally Posted by Dimmy

That was about a year ago, and I'm happy with them and how they translate.

Originally Posted by Dimmy

And I would never want to casually listen to music on these speakers, they're not pleasant, compared to something like a BM6A. Strange how experiences differ.

Originally Posted by mastereq

in the beginning i was thinking exactly the same thing, but after some period i realize that almost everything sounds bad on them

Originally Posted by 11bit

I want to express my personal experience with Genelec’s 8040B and 1030A and possibly prevent other people from having the same huge disappointment.

I was using the 1030A’s the last 10 years and I was a very satisfied with them. The only thing that bothered me was that I wanted a bit more information on the low end as the 1030’s frequency response is 55 to 18.000Hz.
So I sold them and I felt it was natural to move with the same brand on their latest top model 8040B. Boy, how wrong was I?
After purchasing the 8040B I had nothing but troubles! From day one they sounded muddy-bass heavy, I mean flabby and undefined on the low end. On the contrary, 1030s were super tight on the low end and very well defined.

Another weak point of 8040s is that their midrange sounds mute-scoop, like there is always curtain in front of them. Also I’ve read in many threads that the 8040s sound sterile and I’ll have to agree with that, they sound very dry.
The only areas that 8040s are dominating the 1030s is that their tweeters are a lot smoother, not fatigue after long sessions, and also their stereo image is exemplary, much better than the 1030s.

Bottom line is, after 5 months I’m unable to mix correctly with 8040s, especially on the low end. I’m unable to compress and EQ properly, and it’s so hard to make the right decisions as the bass frequencies are muddy like dough.
All these months that I’m working with 8040 I was unable to “FEEL” the music, never get the “Vibe”. With 1030s it was always exciting working with them !

Now, before anyone claims that 8000 is a step up to 1000 series or that the 1000 series was flattering, hyped, inaccurate, etc, bear in mind that all of my mixes/tracks with 1030s translated extremely well, almost perfect on various systems like cars, hi-fi stereos and various clubs. I’ve also checked many tracks of mine in two professional studios, one with Barefoot micromain 27 and the second with Focal sm9, on both studios my tracks sounded awesome, with no flaws at all.

Now whatever I mixed on 8040s translated awfully on other systems, and I think it’s logical as I never felt comfortable to make the right compression and EQ decisions.

From a design point of view I think they are amazing, very futuristic and obviously ahead of its time, especially if you consider that they came out on 2004. But sonically I would put them along with speakers worth 200 to 300 euro each, not because they sound bad, but because they just don’t work!

Last but not least, I didn’t start this thread to condemn or bash Genelec and the 8000 series. I know many people swear by them as they say that their mixes translate great, although I really wonder how?
I was a huge fan and supporter of Genelec the last 10 years and I was praising 1030 and 1031 wherever I was. I had nothing but positive comments for their speakers. But not anymore, I’ve learned the hard way that a successful model/series is not certain that it’ll be updated with the same success, even from a pro established company.

So, if anyone’s using the 1030s and thinking to move on with 8040, please make sure to listen to them at your audio dealer or better in your studio if you can. Otherwise you might be unpleasantly surprised! Personally I find that 1030s and 8040s are worlds apart!