As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Looking for a new studio monitor? Music enthusiasts are always on the quest to find the best speakers that deliver the most impressive audio quality. In the battle of Yamaha HS8 vs. Genelec, we’ll analyze the features of each one to help you pick the right one for you.
A good studio monitor will help reveal all the imperfections in the sound so you can improve the result. We’ll study the pros and cons of the Yamaha HS8 and Genelec so you can decide on the one that should be added to your music studio.
Table of Contents
Yamaha HS8
For many years, the Yamaha NS10 was the industry standard in music studios. The Yamaha HS8 is its closest relative as it reveals all the details in your recording, the good and the bad. It’s an excellent choice for home and professional setup. Thanks to its crystal clear sound, this studio monitor is quite impressive, given its reasonable price.
Key Features
- The Yamaha HS8 features an 8-inch cone woofer for minimal distortion and clear audio output.
- The 1-inch dome tweeter minimizes distortion for crisp high-end output.
- With 120-watt amplification, you’ll enjoy high response in any studio setting.
- The frequency range is between 38Hz and 30 kHz, so all the details will be captured, allowing you to enjoy a clear audio image with all the details in the sound.
- The Yamaha HS8 weighs 28.8 pounds and measures 14 x 16 x 21 inches.
Design
Despite its compact size, the Yamaha HS8 looks exceptionally attractive. It’s a good choice for people who like minimalist designs, as the design of the cabinet eliminates unwanted resonance.
The enclosed cabinets are made of MDF and dampen the acoustic response to increase the quality of sound reproduction. The compact size makes it suitable for music studios where there isn’t much space available. It comes in 2 colors, black and white, so it suits all settings and decors.
Audio Quality
One of the best features of this studio monitor is the bass quality, which is enhanced with the 2-way bass reflex system. It eliminates the need for a subwoofer and boosts bass reproduction at a reasonable price.
The Yamaha HS8 produces decent sound quality for a good price. It’s an excellent choice for beginners who are still on a tight budget and professionals who need to invest in extra gear. Thanks to the bi-amp design with the 120-watt amplification system, you’ll enjoy high-quality audio with a flat response.
It also features High Trim Control, which allows music producers to control and tune the frequency response. This is essential, especially when you’re working with high-frequencies, adding to the flexibility of this studio monitor.
For best results, the Yamaha HS8 should be placed at least 5 feet away from the nearest wall. However, this might not be possible, especially if you’re using it in your home studio or a small professional studio. Nevertheless, the room control feature will eliminate the issues that happen from placing the speaker near a wall.
Pros of the Yamaha HS8
- Attractive and minimalist studio monitor for a good price.
- Highlights all the details in the audio mix.
- No need for a separate subwoofer thanks to the 8-inch woofer and 2-way bass reflex system that strengthens low-end frequencies.
- Two control systems; room control and high trim control so it can adapt to any studio setting.
- Decent noise reduction thanks to the MDF enclosure.
Cons of the Yamaha HS8
- If you’re listening to bass-extensive tracks, the Yamaha HS8 might not work, unless you buy a separate subwoofer.
- The quality of highs and mids is way better than the quality of lows.
- You’ll need to buy some cables to get it set up.
Genelec M040
The Genelec M040 active is a 2-way studio monitor that has been primarily designed for musicians and engineers who want to enjoy exceptional audio quality. With this studio monitor, you’ll be able to detect every detail, depth, and impact in your audio for an immersive and exceptional audio experience, whether you’re listening to music or mixing tracks.
Key Features
- The Genelec M040 features a 6.5-inch plastic cone woofer, so it’s an excellent choice for smaller studios.
- The cabinet is made of black plastic mixed with wood fibers.
- The 1-inch metal dome tweeter minimizes noise and distortion.
- The frequency range is between 48Hz and 20 kHz.
- It features 80W + 60W Class D amplifiers, so it powerfully amplifies low-end frequencies.
- The Genelec M040 weighs 15.4 pounds and measures 13 1/4 x 9-1/4 x 9 inches.
Design
The vented cabinets of Genelec M040 can be used as handles for lifting as they’re located under the woofer. It would help if you were careful while handling this studio monitor, as the cone woofers feature no protection, so you can easily poke them while you’re unpacking them.
The cabinets are made from what the company calls natural composite; plastic mixed with wood fibers. It’s quite durable, but it can’t be recycled. The front part is slightly wider than the back one, making the studio monitor quite appealing, especially that there’s nothing on the front but the woofer.
No power amplifiers are needed because these are active monitors. They feature two internal amplifiers and a low-level crossover so you can just plug them to enjoy exceptional audio.
Audio Quality
The Genelec M040 delivers exceptional sound quality in different genres. Thanks to the increased bass-driver diameter and amplifier power, the bass performance will definitely be better than most studio monitors.
Dynamics are expected to be delivered clearly, highlighting low-end and high-end details in every tune. The mids reproduction is exceptional, with a special emphasis on the details. The M040 delivers a clear and live audio image in the sense of space and depth. The 3 toggle switches for the bass level on the back adjust the output level for freestanding, corner, and wall positioning.
Treble and bass are never disconnected. The bass level will compensate for the distortions that you might face if you’ve placed the monitor in a corner or close to a wall. As a result, this monitor properly doubles as a hi-fi speaker for high levels of accuracy and details.
Pros of the Genelec M040
- Compact studio monitor with exceptional audio details.
- Clear low-ends with an exceptional bounce in all positions.
- Good frequency range at any volume level.
- Full and stable studio image with bass and treble.
- Suitable for smaller home and professional studios.
Cons of Genelec M040
- If you’re on a tight budget, this studio monitor might not work for you.
- There’s no trim option available to eliminate ear strain when monitoring medium to loud audio levels.
Conclusion
The Yamaha HS8 and the Genelec M040 are two exceptional studio monitors that provide excellent audio quality in a home or professional studio. The Yamaha HS8 is more suitable for beginners and music producers who are on a tight budget. It delivers excellent audio quality with great details.
If you’re looking for more bass control, you can take a look at the Genelec M040. It’s more expensive, but the equalizer controls are quite impressive. It’s also more compact. Both studio monitors will let you enjoy a full audio image, so you’ll never miss details if you choose to buy one of them.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.