Rosa Maria Robinson Bours

Genelec 8381A point source main monitor delivers unrivaled power and precision

NATICK, MA, May 16, 2023 — As part of its 45^th anniversary year, Genelec has unveiled the 8381A Smart Active Monitoring system, a flagship floor-standing Adaptive Point Source™ design that fuses exceptional precision and envelopment with unrivalled LF control, huge headroom and high-resolution imaging. Designed for high-end music recording, mastering and audiophile listening, the 8381A creates a free-standing full-range monitoring solution that can intelligently adapt to any acoustic environment.

For audio professionals, the 8381A produces accurate full-band mixes that translate consistently to other rooms and playback systems, while audiophiles will experience every detail and nuance of a musical performance, just as the creators intended it to be heard.

I first encountered Genelec powered monitors (more specifically monitor- more on this below) while on a scholarship at the Banff International Center for the Arts in Alberta, Canada. At that time (2010) I was unfamiliar with Genelec and had faith in the school’s choice of equipment: all the other available items were top notch.

Rosa Maria Robinson Bours

I settled on a single Genelec speaker as I was planning on a series of live mono recordings taking advantage of the talented classical guitar and voice cohorts such as Rosa Maria Robinson Bours. When the Genelec was delivered to my artist studio I was intrigued. It looked quite compact, it was black as soot and seemed to be as heavy as lead. After positioning and connecting the monitor I was blown away by the power, clarity and transparency for test playback and also while mixing and mastering tracks.

Let’s get back to the newest Genelec

As a member of “The Main Ones” range, the 8381A system is acoustically coaxial right down to bass frequencies, and draws on proven technology developed for Genelec’s patented and award-winning “The Ones” family of point source monitors and the W371A Adaptive Woofer System, which themselves can combine to create a free-standing full-range monitoring system. However, the 8381A raises the performance bar even higher by offering controlled directivity and uncolored response both on and off axis, with an ultra-wide frequency response spanning from 20 Hz to 35 kHz. Additionally, with almost 6 kW of amplifier power and a staggering maximum SPL of 126 dB – the highest figure ever achieved by a precision point source acoustic design – the 8381A offers the most sophisticated features and specification of any audio monitor currently available.

At the heart of the 8381A is a proprietary high SPL Minimum Diffraction Coaxial (MDC™) midrange/tweeter driver, which – combined with a powerful Genelec DSP engine – delivers extraordinary clarity, imaging and adaptability. This MDC driver shares a common acoustical axis with the 8381A’s four complementary 5-inch dome drivers, which are arranged as a midrange transduction system, and this unique array combines with a forward-facing 15-inch woofer to provide outstandingly stable directivity, control and coherence.

To further enhance and extend the 8381A’s low frequency reproduction, a pair of high-performance 15-inch woofers employ the LF adaptive technology originally developed in the W371A, offering high resolution and supreme levels of low-frequency control – despite the effects of room acoustics. This technology allows the 8381A to tailor performance carefully to the room, offering flatter, smoother in-room response at the listening location, with LF imaging coherent with the full audio range. This flat and neutral LF response minimizes acoustic notching, and reduces detrimental reflections and resonances by the walls, ceiling or floor of the room.

As part of Genelec’s Smart Active Monitoring family, the 8381A integrates tightly with Genelec’s GLM software, which can configure, calibrate and control entire Genelec smart monitoring systems. Based on experience from thousands of studios around the world, GLM minimizes the listening room’s influence on the sound, enabling the user to produce mixes that translate perfectly to other systems, whether the format is stereo, surround or high channel count immersive.

GLM also includes the ground-breaking GRADE room report feature, which gives the user a complete analysis of their room and monitoring system performance, providing specific observations and advice on any acoustical issues, helping users and studio designers alike to fine tune the room’s acoustic treatment, adjust monitor and listener positions, and optimize bass management.

Designed and manufactured to the highest standards of sustainability and environmental responsibility at Genelec’s headquarters in Iisalmi, Finland, the 8381A comes with a comprehensive SonicAdvisor™ system calibration and service package to jointly celebrate Genelec’s 45^th anniversary, and the company’s total commitment to its customers and to sustainable development.

“The demand for high quality free-standing full-range monitoring systems has been clear from the exceptional response to The Ones and W371A combination,” comments Genelec Managing Director Siamäk Naghian. “It was also evident that there was a desire from customers for a free-standing system that could deliver even more headroom and increased low frequency extension. And while we continue to offer a wide range of soffit-mounting main monitors, we’re confident that the flexibility and mobility of a floor-standing adaptive system like the 8381A will provide the perfect solution for any discerning user seeking a truly next-generation sonic reference.” For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

There are actually several versions of the Popocatepetl e Iztaccihuatl legend.

In one of these is that the girl was a princess, what the most beautiful being be sacrificed to the gods for good harvests, but the warrior loved her and would not allow the sacrifice, so must flee to avoid with it, but they fled the guards discovered them and an arrow struck the princess.
His beloved picked her up and kept running, once away, safe, laid her on the field, vowing to take care of her forever, he would wait until she awakened from sleep, to continue living their love. But it has been so long that the fields and the snow would have covered.

After a short period of time the warrior returns home and discovers that Iztaccihuatl is no longer alive.

He carries her body up to the mountain where he buries her and falls onto his knees besides her while he screams so loudly that the entire valley of Mexico can hear him. The Gods feel compassionate and cover them with branches and snow and finally turn them into mountains, one with the silhouette of a woman and the other into a volcano that occasionally wakes up. The volcano is the reincarnated warrior from our story, named Popocatepetl.

It is difficult to feel completely safe, when even from a far-away distance, the mountain and the volcano are still visible. The volcano is to the right, in the background just behind the tree. photo: R.M. Robinson Bours

This Mexican volcano has been awake for some weeks now.

My name is Rosa Maria and I live in Mexico City not very far away from Popocatepetl. How is life for me and others living so close to the screaming warrior? I feel like running away every time Popocatepetl wakes up but most people stick to their daily routine; the volcano hasn’t had a major eruption or explosion for more than 1200 years so everybody is used to living with the sleeping Popocatelpetl and our Mexican, authorities order evacuations only in case of imminent danger. What’s really bizarre here, is that I can only see the volcano once in a while because of the pollution in the city. I know it exists and the evidence sits around me, as volcano ashes fall all over the place and on a clear day is quite a spectacle to see these two white, snowy figures through the urban building landscape.

*One of many languages from Mesoamerica culture, from Uto-Aztecan language family, most Nahuatl people live in Central Mexico.

Dice una leyenda Nahuatl que un valiente guerrero quería casarse con una hermosa princesa llamada Iztaccihuatl (la mujer durmiente), para tener el permiso del padre tuvo que ir a la Guerra.
La princesa Iztaccihuatl quedó en espera de su regreso y después de tres largos meses de no saber nada de su amado recibió la noticia de su muerte. La princesa lloró tanto que murió de amor. Después de poco tiempo el guerrero regresó a casa descubriendo el destino de su amada, la tomó en sus brazos y la cargó al monte para enterrarla. El guerrero permaneció de rodillas junto a su amada y sus gritos de dolor eran tan fuertes que se escuchaban por todo el valle de México. Los dioses sintieron compasión por ellos y los cubrieron de ramas y de nieve para finalmente convertirlos en montañas, una con la silueta de una mujer y el otro un volcán que de vez en cuando despierta; el nombre del guerrero es Popocatepetl.

Este volcán lleva varias semanas despierto. ¿Cómo es la vida de los mexicanos que escuchan el grito del guerrero? La mayoría continúa su vida diaria; la última gran explosión fue hace más de 1200 años, todos están acostumbrados a vivir junto al gran volcán y las autoridades evacuan únicamente en caso de peligro. Cada vez que el Popocatepetl presenta actividad me dan ganas de salir corriendo y me pregunto qué alcancé tendría una explosión fuerte. Curiosamente solo de vez en cuando se ven los volcanes, imagino será la contaminación, aunque el volcán te recuerda su presencia con las cenizas que esparce por todo la ciudad. En un día claro es todo un espectáculo ver estas dos figuras nevadas a través del paisaje citadino.

For the Silo, Rosa Maria Robinson Bours in Mexico City.

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