Genelec 8341A Operating Manual

8341A

Smart Active Monitor

Operating Manual

Introduction

Acoustically Concealed Woofers (ACW™)

Thank you for choosing a Genelec product! Fulfilling dreams by
offering people the most truthful sound reproduction possible
has been the source of our enthusiasm since 1978. There´s
already over one million Genelec monitors around the world ­welcome to our story!

All Genelec monitors are designed, hand assembled and
tested at our factory in Iisalmi, Finland. Our monitors are designed
to last for decades and we take care that our customers receive
excellent support and technical services throughout the life-time
of the products.

Please register your monitor at http://www.community.
genelec.com/. You will receive an extended 5 year warranty
for spare parts. For more information about our service and
technical support see

http://www.genelec.com/customer-service.

System Characteristics

Each 8341A is supplied with one mains power cable, one
5-meter GLM network cable and this operating manual.

The Genelec 8341A is suitable for professional monitoring
applications calling for very high precision and reliability.
It combines many remarkable Genelec technologies to
provide point source benefits with directivity control over an
extraordinarily wide audio bandwidth.

Genelec Loudspeaker Manager™ (GLM™)

Software And GLM User Kit

The GLM software gets the most out of 8341 and tailor-fits it to
your room. GLM is available for download free of charge at www.
genelec.com/glm. Check in from time to time to take advantage
of new features, or consider using the cloud-based version. A
GLM User Kit comprising the necessary hardware, including the
GLM Adapter and measuring microphone is needed for building
and operating the GLM network. This kit can be purchased at all
certified Genelec dealers.

Minimum Diffraction Coaxial (MDC™)

The minimum diffraction coaxial driver is comprised of a powerful
midrange driver combined with a tweeter driver extending to
ultrasonic frequencies. This unique arrangement eliminates or
minimizes acoustic diffraction sources that typically exist in
coaxial drivers and produces a flat frequency response both on
the acoustical axis and at all off-axis directions.

The 8341 may be oriented either horizontally or vertically and
is intended for near-field listening where the influences of the
room can be mostly minimized. Typical distances can vary from
1 meter or less to 3 meters depending on room size and SPL
requirements.

Directivity Control Waveguide (DCW™)

The 8341A has an unusually large directivity control waveguide
extending over the whole front face of the enclosure. The
midrange driver cone also forms a part of the directivity control
waveguide for the tweeter. From behind the waveguide, two
woofers radiate audio through two openings in the enclosure
front. This unique design enables directivity control of all audio
frequencies down to low bass.

A pair of nearly invisible woofers in the 8341A are placed
acoustically coaxially with the midrange/tweeter drivers to
create a three-way system with all drivers having their acoustical
axes in the same position. This creates an ideally working point
source radiator.

Smart Active Monitor (SAM™)

Genelec SAM technology can improve the reliability and accuracy
of monitoring. Smart Active Monitors have several parametric
notch and shelving filters that can be tuned automatically using
the Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM) software to exactly
compensate for colorations generated by room acoustics. This
enables SAM monitors to sound neutral and achieve accurate
stereo imaging in all acoustical environments.

Audio Inputs

The 8341A’s audio inputs are designed to integrate easily into
all professional environments, supporting balanced line level
analog and AES/EBU format digital signal. The maximum analog
input level is +25 dBu (13.7 Vrms or 19.5 V peak). Set to the
maximum sensitivity, an analog input signal of -6 dBu produces
100 dB SPL sound level at 1 meter in free space. A -30 dBFS
digital audio input level produces 100 dB SPL level at 1 meter
in free space. Note that 0 dBFS refers to the largest possible
digital input value.

Analog input is selected when the AES/EBU signal input is not
connected. The AES/EBU format digital audio input is selected
automatically when a valid digital audio signal is present. Please
note that this digital audio signal may be silence. This automatic
audio signal input selection can be overridden when the 8341A
is controlled with the GLM network, enabling flexible selection
of either input.

When using a digital audio source with adjustable level, it
may instead be advantageous to lower the output level of the
8341A using the monitors on-board rear panel controls. This
enables the use of a higher source output level with more digital
resolution, while taking full advantage of 8341’s impressively
low self generated noise.

The AES/EBU input supports two channels of audio in a
single cable. The DIGITAL OUT male XLR connector carries an
unaltered copy of the digital input signal. This enables daisy­chaining of up to four monitors. The proper digital channel can
be selected using DIP switches or GLM.

Power Management

The 8341A mains power input supports any mains voltage
globally (100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz). It can be plugged in anywhere
in the world and will always deliver the maximum output power
to the drivers even when the mains voltage fluctuates. If mains
power is provided with a generator, inverter or lower-quality UPS
device, we recommend filtering out harmonics from the mains
power voltage.

The energy saving function Intelligent Signal Sensing (ISS™)
puts the monitor automatically into a deep sleep state when no
input signal is present. The device then consumes less than
one watt of power. Upon sensing an input signal, the monitor
automatically awakens. The wait time until entering the power
saving state can be configured using the GLM software. When
ISS is active, you can leave your monitors on at all times and

2

COMPUTER

ORS:

MAINS

RUNNING
GLMSOFTWARE

MICROPHONE

PLACED IN

THE LISTENING

POSITION

GLM ADAPTER

SUBWOOFER

DIP SWITCHES FOR

STAND-ALONE USE

USB CABLE

ROTARY LEVEL
CONTROL

GLM

MONITORS

TERMINATOR

292-0063

GLM NETWORK
CABLE

Figure 1. GLM control network cabling

INPUT

+2

0

-2

-4

-6
dB

20 160

COAXIALTRI-AMPLIFIED
SMARTACTIVEMONITOR

ALLOFF

DESKTOP
BASS
ROLL-OFF

Frequency(Hz)

MAINSINPUT

50/60Hz200 W

100- 240V~

BASS
TILT

4k 20k

800

SERIALNUMBER

-4

+2

TREBLETILT

A

ISS

LEDDISABLE

DIGITALIN
AES/EBU

Thisdevicecomplies
withFCC Part15and
CanadianICES-003
radiofrequency
ClassBemission
requirements.Refer
tooperating manual
forfull information.

-4

-6

-2

0

dBu

+2

+6

+4

B

-10dB

-20dB

INPUTdBu

STORED

PRODUCING

RESETTO FACTORY

100dB SPL(1 m)

LEVEL

DIGITALTHRU

AES/EBU

8341A

MADEIN FINLAND

www.genelec.com

SETTINGS:PUSH

BUTTONFOR10SEC

ANALOG

DIGITAL

ON
OFF

-2

-4-2-4

(dB)

(dB)

TREBLE
TILT

BASSTILT

DESKTOP160Hz -4

BASSROLL-OFF

GLM

NETWORK

IN

292-8350T-6

POWER
SWITCH

AUDIO SIGNAL
CONNECT

-DIGITAL IN

-DIGITAL THRU

GLM NETWORK

-ANALOG IN

CONNECTORS

Figure 2. Connectors and controls on the back panel of a 8341A.

have the monitoring system immediately ready for action. The
default wait time when ISS is enabled using the ISS DIP switch
is 60 minutes.

Setup Using The

GLM™ Control Network

Although the 8341A can be used without the GLM software and
control network, it can only reach its full potential when set up
and calibrated using GLM software, running on a Mac or PC.

Genelec therefore recommends setting up the 8341A

Figure 3. Connector panel detail.

and other SAM monitors using GLM. You can find a detailed
description of the setup and the use in the GLM System
Operating Manual.

The GLM software and the proprietary Genelec monitor
control network offer automated acoustic equalization and
alignment for any reproduction system from mono over stereo
to complex 3D immersive audio setups, including also one or
more subwoofers. GLM includes AutoCal, an expert algorithm
built on data from thousands of professional listening rooms.

Setup with the GLM User Kit consists of the following steps:

1. Connect a CAT5 (RJ45) cable between each monitor (and

subwoofer) and finally to the control network input of the

GLM Adapter device (see Figure 1).

2. Connect the GLM Adapter device to computer USB connector.

3. Using a microphone stand, place the Genelec measurement

microphone at the listening location with the microphone

pointing upwards and the microphone top at the height of

the engineer’s ear. The microphone is a part of the GLM

3