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Genelec 8030C 5 inch Powered Studio Monitor

Powered Studio Monitor with 50W 5" Woofer, 50W .75" Metal Dome Tweeter, Directivity Control Waveguide, Minimum Diffraction Enclosure, and ISS Power Management (each)
$695.00 (each)

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Genelec 8030C 5 inch Powered Studio Monitor
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$695.00 (each)
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Genelec Quality in a Compact Monitor

Grab a set of Genelec 8030C active studio monitors and say goodbye to muddled, inaccurate sound and mixes that never seem to translate. Genelec upgraded their popular nearfield with more power, higher SPL capability, and lower energy consumption. When it comes to mixing music and producing professional audio, there's no replacement for quality monitors. The 8030C delivers focused and precise sound with exceptional stereo imaging and directionality, as well as remarkably deep bass for its size. You'll hear dimensional nuances in your mixes you never even realized were there! In addition, it features advanced technology like built-in Iso-Pod decoupling and ISS power management. Step up to a new level of monitoring accuracy with Genelec 8030C studio monitors from Sweetwater.

Minimum Diffraction Enclosure delivers focused nearfield sound

The 8030C features Genelec's Minimum Diffraction Enclosure (MDE) with rounded edges and a gently curved front and sides. This allows the 8030C to achieve a very smooth frequency response and superb imaging qualities with minimized cabinet edge diffraction.

Directivity Control Waveguide enhances dimensional imaging

Like all Genelec 8000 Series monitors, the 8030C also features the advanced Genelec Directivity Control Waveguide (DCW). The revolutionary DCW has been further enhanced to provide extremely accurate control of the 8030C's directivity. Genelec designed this specially-shaped and very smooth surface and integrated it with the enclosure. Its area has been maximized to achieve an astoundingly flat on and off-axis frequency response. The 8030C has a wide and consistent listening window, with minimal harmful early room reflections and other colorations associated with conventional designs.

High performance reflex port design delivers extended lows

To increase the 8030C woofer's low-frequency extension and SPL capacity, Genelec designed an ingenious flow-optimized reflex port. The long, curved tube maximizes airflow so the 8030C can reproduce surprisingly deep bass without compression. The tube terminates with a wide flare, minimizing port noises and providing excellent bass articulation. An optimized die-cast aluminium structure with extremely durable semi-matt finish and acoustically optimized metal grilles add to the 8030C's acoustic excellence.

Dedicated high-headroom amps for each driver

Genelec's low distortion drivers — a 5" woofer and a 3/4" metal-dome tweeter — are driven by the 8030C's dedicated 50-watt Class D bass and treble amplifiers after sophisticated filtering. Magnetic shielding, overload protection circuitry, and versatile room response controls are standard.

Protected by Genelec's ISS power management system

Thanks to Genelec's Intelligent Signal Sensing (ISS) power management system, you never have to remember to shut down your 8030C monitors again. ISS circuitry checks for an input signal. After a period of time, if ISS doesn't detect anything, it switches your 8030C over to a low-power sleep state, safeguarding your gear and sparing you the wasted electricity.

Versatile mounting options plus special Iso-Pod stand

The versatile mounting features on the 8030C include integrated rear support points for wall and floor stands plus a further 3/8" thread for mounting on the cabinet base. In addition, every Genelec 8030C monitor comes with an Iso-Pod (Isolation Positioner/Decoupler) as standard. The Iso-Pod is a clever mounting stand, which allows the 8030C to perform in either the vertical or horizontal position. The IsoPod also enables the acoustic axis of the monitor to be aimed at the listener, while acoustically and mechanically decoupling the monitor from the surface it's resting on.

Genelec 8030C Bi-Amplified Monitor Features:

  • Compact, versatile nearfield monitor for project studios, workstations, and surround components
  • Special low distortion 5" woofer and 3/4" metal dome tweeter deliver fantastic clarity
  • Separate 50-watt bass and treble amplifiers ensure consistent power distribution
  • Minimum Diffraction Enclosure delivers focused nearfield sound
  • Directivity Control Waveguide enhances dimensional imaging
  • High-performance reflex port design delivers extended lows
  • High audio output plus low distortion equals killer clarity
  • Versatile mounting options include special Iso-Pod stand
  • Protected by Genelec's ISS power management system

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Tech Specs

  • Powered: Yes
  • Power Configuration: Bi-amped
  • Quantity: Single
  • LF Driver Size: 5" woofer
  • HF Driver Size: 0.75" tweeter
  • HF Driver Type: Metal dome
  • LF Driver Power Amp: 50W
  • HF Driver Power Amp: 50W
  • Total Power: 100W Class D
  • Frequency Response: 54Hz-20kHz (±2dB)
  • Maximum Peak SPL: 104 dB SPL @ 1m
  • Input Types: 1 x XLR
  • Features: DIP switch tone settings
  • Enclosure Type: Rear Ported
  • Height: 11.8" (with Iso-Pod)
  • Width: 7.4"
  • Depth: 7.06"
  • Weight: 11 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 8030CP

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

My first new Genelec since the 1990s

I fell in love with these Finnish wonders back in the early 1990s. After auditioning the entire stock of my local music store I outfitted my studio with 2 of the 5" cubes, which I used as near fields. The imaging and overall tonal transparency was far above most of the less expensive units, and marginally superior to equivalently priced self-powered models - yet still superior in my mind. I unsheathed my Visa card and never looked back.

Now here we are in the 2020s. We relocated 5 years ago, and in addition, my day job became a substantial monopolizer of my time, so my home studio went dormant, and when we packed all my gear up for transport, I realized it was the first time my Genelecs (and everything in my racks) had been unplugged in 25+ years (powered down of course).

When we got to the new digs I began to reassemble my home studio in the room we set aside for that and it was at that point that I realized all the years of dust and grime that had collected on the rear of the speakers also suggested that all the internal components were similarly old - particularly the electrolytics. So I recapped them, and stared at them on my bench. Several of my synths were now considered "classics" (hard to imagine I bought everything new) which is ironic because I wound up adding ROMs to the digital synths to recreate "Vintage Synths." (Does that make the Roland "Vintage Synth" ROMs an archeological anomaly?)

As our new location and our situation is more conducive to music making - it occurred to me I should possibly expect equipment failures. In addition, over the past 25 years, we have begun to expect that any self-respecting studio would at least have 5.1 capability (not sure I need that, but hey, are we not gear junkies?)

So I bought the package offered here consisting of 2 5" modern Genelecs and a sub. I have literally just got the Genelecs on the wall.

Sonically - they are near identical (to my ear) to my old 5" pair. And yes, everything would EQ better and phasing wouldn't be a challenge if they were not on a wall, but we live with the limitations we have. (I guess I will need a much bigger space for my studio in my next house...). And yes, I still need one more to give me true 5.1 capability, but for now, I'm stereo.

These modern Genelecs have user controls to adjust EQ/Phase for speaker location (phasing is on the sub, not the near fields).

The Genelec sound is still my favorite aspect. However, it bears mentioning that I absolutely love something they call ISS - which will auto-power-up/down the speakers without having to hit a power switch anywhere. With the Genelecs mounted (via the Genelec mount) on a wall behind my computer/mixing console - reaching back to manually power on my old 5" cubes would have been cumbersome as I currently have no way to sequence power up/down to the rest of my gear. The new Genelecs have no difficulty recognizing the "pop" of power being cycled and keep themselves turned off until an actual signal arrives. Thus, they can be left powered on 100% of the time.
Music background: A bit of everything, from MIDI software development, to engineering, to playing for an audience, to recording demos for local bands...you get to be my age you've done a little bit of everything
Rated 5/5

Good

Sounds Good
Very Kind Engineer
From South Korea
Rated 5/5

Sound

Clear sound and deep basss
Rated 5/5

Great monitors

These are my first powered monitors. I wasn't able to test them out before hand, but did some research and decided one these. Wow! Just blown away with how good they sound. I would highly recommend them. I only use them for nearfield listening with a subwoofer, so not sure how well they will do at longer distances, but they are amazing.
Rated 5/5

Not cheap, but worth it

I never got the Genelec haterade, so having said that you already know this is gonna be a positive review.
I've noticed guitar guys (as in people who play or mix guitar-centric music) tend to not love Genelecs, but that's not me.

I'll say I'm hard-pressed to find another active 5" monitor of this quality in this price range. I owned a pair of HEDD Type 05 (Mk1) for four years, and I'd say the Genelecs are more accurate over all, particularly in the bottom end, but the HEDD's have a nicer and smoother top end. The latter do have narrower vertical dispersion, although that is by design (so I was told by their designer Klaus Heinz).

I remember people used to say Genelecs flatter the sound, but that's not what I hear. These things reveal minor unpleasantness in recordings I always thought sounded great, particularly older ones. The bass repro is very good for a 5" woofer, and in my small room it suffices, but it does not defy the laws of physics.
The sweet spot is fairly large and the sound is surprisingly consistent anywhere in the room. However, I will say that they do need to be pushed a bit, at very low volumes their performance isn't quite as good. But build quality is literally second to none, nothing else feels this solid.

Of lesser importance, but something to consider, is that I really like Genelec as a company, they do things the right way, like their efforts to make their products and manufacturing process more sustainable. Their stuff is still made in Finland, whereas key competitors (Focal, Dynaudio, ADAM) have started to manufacture certain product lines in China. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but I do admire Genelec for not succumbing to the spreadsheet warriors and keeping everything in-house.

The 8030's are not perfect and certainly pricy, but worth the money, if you ask me. Even if I move to a bigger room with different monitor needs, I doubt I'd get rid of these. They feel like things you just keep in the family for generations to come.
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