Product Comparison: Genelec 8040B vs Focal Solo6 Be

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Genelec 8040B Bi-Amplified Monitor System

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Focal Solo6 Be 6.5 Inches Powered Studio Monitor

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General Specifications

Brand

Genelec

Focal

Model

8040B

Solo6 Be

Origin

FInland

France

About the Product

8040B Bi-Amplified Monitor System (Each) Black. "The Genelec 8040BPM Bi-Amplified Monitoring System Boasts performance comparable to much larger systems, but in a compact package, the bi-amplified 8040BPM is ideal for use in many situations.

The Solo6 Be monitor will surprise you in the very first minutes you spend with it, partly due to its size/extended bass response (40Hz at -3dB). The 6.5" “W” composite sandwich mid-woofer combines neutrality in the midrange, fullness in the midbass register and bass control.

Key Specs

Type

Active

Number Of Speakers

Output Power

180 W

250 W

Driver Configuration

6.5" woofer, 0.75" tweeter

6.5" woofer, 1" tweeter

What customers say about "Key Specs"

Genelec 8040B Bi-Amplified Monitor System

Overall, these are the cleanest of the lineup. They portray better separation the the lot.
I'm pretty impressed by these monitors. I can say that for the money, they are solid professional monitors that I can do pro work on.
I was unsure if these monitors were the ones for me, but once I go them into my room, I realized their incredible clarity and detail.
I would go with Genelecs for both, listening and mixing.
I’m sitting and feeling that the saxophonist is right now standing at the monitor and chopping. Beautiful sounding panorama, all instruments are neatly scattered.

Focal Solo6 Be 6.5 Inches Powered Studio Monitor

I knew that the Solo6s would be a great choice for me. If necessary Focal does make a realy good sub.
The speaker itself to be located closer to a wall creating fewer standing waves, perfect result.
The Solo6's have actually been used to master a multi-platinum recording, wow, i'll take it.
When it comes to monitoring it really is about personal preference. To me, these make sense to my ears (and my bank balance). I recommend.
Mid/low driver can not reproduce exceptionally low tones, it's more common these days.

Size & Weight

Height

13.81 in.

13 in.

Width

9.37 in.

9.5 in.

Depth

8.81 in.

11.4 in.

Weight

20.7 lbs.

24.2 lbs.

What customers say about "Size & Weight"

Genelec 8040B Bi-Amplified Monitor System

The generic capsule that they are in looks dated when compared to other offerings, but is also something of a trademark
You can't go wrong with these. For the size there are very smooth, accurate, excellent bass.
Their weight speaks only for what is collected soundly.
There were personal use of various models of monitors. In the end, I decided to stay at Genelec. I chose 8040, because the standard 4-5 inches is not enough, but here the size is just right.
They are a little bit overweight for the size. And the round design look weird.

Focal Solo6 Be 6.5 Inches Powered Studio Monitor

After listening to them and doing an A/B comparison to other monitors of similar size(but less expensive), there's just no comparison!
Oh, and as a side note, the solid and accurate bass is surprising - given the woofer's size.
But what I can say is that they're crystal clear, balanced, uncolored and very accurate for their size.
Sound is so pure and clarity of voices incredible bass for its size exactly what you need to hear and feel.
Bass response is quite good too, especially considering their size and size of cabinet.

Audio

Min. Frequency Response

41 Hz

40 Hz

Max. Frequency Response

21 kHz

40 kHz

Input Impendance

10 kOhm

Sensitivity

105 dB

113 dB

What customers say about "Audio"

Genelec 8040B Bi-Amplified Monitor System

Low ear fatigue, great performance. Probably the last speaker you'll ever buy if you have a decent to well treated room.
The midrange is beautifully warm, and hi-end provides an almost 3 dimensional stereo space. Lows are thick and balanced.
They have incredibly flat frequency response and the final point.
They are very clean and the bass is also very tight. Genelec has done a great job here.
Great bass! More than enough volume for a medium sized room. No fatigue from music for hours.

Focal Solo6 Be 6.5 Inches Powered Studio Monitor

I play and record dub step, house and jungle and all the music sounds incredible.
You can work on these monitors at a very low SPL and all the clarity, punch and fullness of the music remains.
So since the Solo6's are so clear, even at a very quiet level, you can work and work without the need for a break.
These monitors make bad mixes sound poor and good mixes sound quality, but where they really shine is they make GREAT mixes sound AMAZING.
The audio image is not spectacular and you can't really hear where all your sounds/instruments are placed in the mix.

Features

Color

Black

Red / Black

Enclosure Material

Die cast aluminium

MDF

Cabinet Type

Ported

Interfaces

XLR

Magnetic Shielding

Yes

Controls

Input Sensitivity, Bass Tilt, Treble, Bass Roll-Off, Desktop Control, Iss Disable, Power ON / OFF

HF Control, LF Control, Input Sensitivity, Power ON / OFF

Extras

Active crossovers, Directivity Control Waveguide, Intelligent signal sensing, Iso-Pod stand, Minimum Diffraction Enclosure, Optimized amplifiers, Protection circuitry, Reflex Port Design, Room response compensation, Versatile mountings

Beryllium inverted dome tweeter, “W” composite sandwich cone, 2-way Powered Studio Monitor

Cabinet Type
Magnetic Shielding

What customers say about "Features"

Genelec 8040B Bi-Amplified Monitor System

They also feature calibration settings on the rear that you can manually adjust to tune just right, given, you know what your room needs.
The curvature of the chasis is also said to aid in sound resonance coming from the monitor as well, which I would say stands true.
The build quality is outstanding and the sound appears to be relatively uncolored. Absolutely no distortion when played at high volume.
Bass articulation is great, and there's plenty of it. I doubt you'll find need for a sub.
They have a wide sweet spot for listening which is due to the shape design, whereas most monitors are cuboid these are the optimal rounded shape for dispersing sound.

Focal Solo6 Be 6.5 Inches Powered Studio Monitor

Combine these with a Dangerous Monitor ST control system and you'll be set!
I have a system dedicated to ultra-realistic piano sound with A Kawai VPC1 controller and VI Labs Ravenscroft 275, sounds good with this monitor.
I purchased the Focal Solo6 Be, which are perched upon angled Primacoustic recoil stabilizer pads. This is a revelation in pure sound reproduction.
A superb addition to any creative listening space, I highly recommend these beautiful studio monitors. Thanks for HF and LF controls.
These are bad monitors, not works controls hf and lf, input sensitivity too.

Warranty / Certifications

Manufacturer Warranty

2 year(s)

Certifications

Other Information

Manufacturer

Link

Manual

Download