Bookshelf Speakers — Genelec 8010A

The 8010A is the smallest professional monitor in the Genelec range, a two-way active speaker in a die-cast aluminium housing. Genelec lists portable studio work, mobile recording, bedroom studios, outside broadcast vans and hotel rooms among its uses, and the company describes it as an extremely compact design for professional applications.

Key specs that matter

A 76 mm bass cone and a 19 mm metal dome tweeter each have their own 25 W Class D amplifier, with the band split at 3 kHz by an active filter. Response spans 67 Hz to 25 kHz at the -6 dB points, with accuracy of ±2.5 dB from 74 Hz to 20 kHz. A single sine tone on axis at 1 m can reach 96 dB over the short term, two speakers together with music peak at 105 dB or higher, and long-term output, limited by the protection circuit, is 91 dB or more. With its Iso-Pod stand fitted the speaker measures 195 mm high, 121 mm wide and 115 mm deep, and it weighs 1.5 kg. Colour choices cover black, white, dark grey and an unpainted RAW version.

Engineering and use context

The enclosure is die-cast in two parts, front and rear, and its Minimum Diffraction Enclosure shape is rounded to reduce edge diffraction. The tweeter sits in a Directivity Control Waveguide, and a reflex port exits at the rear. The included Iso-Pod stand is made of a lossy rubber-like material that decouples the cabinet from the surface below and allows the speaker to be tilted by up to 15 degrees. Three pairs of threaded holes accept Omnimount, VESA and Sanus brackets, and Genelec offers floor, wall, ceiling, truss and table mounts. The balanced XLR input has an impedance of 7 kOhm. In the normal sensitivity setting the speaker reaches 100 dB with a -6 dBu input, and a rear switch lowers this to 90 dB. Mains voltage is 100 to 240 V AC. Intelligent Signal Sensing puts the unit in standby below 0.5 W after playback ends and wakes it when signal returns, idle draw is 5 W and full output needs 30 W. The manual requires a gap of 2.5 cm or more on the sides, top and rear, with ambient temperature kept under 35 degrees Celsius.

Pairing

Any balanced line source works, such as an audio interface, mixer or monitor controller, and unbalanced RCA outputs can connect through an adapter cable. The speaker must never be fed from the speaker terminals of a power amplifier or receiver.

Alternatives

Moving up one step, the Genelec 8020D uses a 105 mm woofer and 50 W amplifiers for each driver.