As someone who has 3 sets of monitors that I rotate through for mixing, I can say without a doubt that the iLouds are a great addition, especially for the price. They come in very handy when doing long editing sessions well, when listening on my big monitors would be taxing on my ears. So switching to much smaller iLouds makes it a lot easier to listen for hours and hours. What is good sounding is really subjective anyway. I think getting that amount of low end at low volumes is pretty damn impressive as well. They're good little speakers for sure.
I keep seeing reviews of people who use them as a second speakers. Would you say they’re good enough to be the main speaker. And when you say editing I presume you don’t mean outright mixing. So how are they for mixing. Thanks for the comment!
At 9:30 you can hear what happens with very low frequencies: the Genelecs progressively disappear yet with a clean sound, while the iLouds start to distort (sort of squar-ish wave) and make horrible puff sound...
@@Toma.s I am still debating since I have to produce and mix my demos on travel speakers. On the video the Genelec sound boxy with less bass but I know that they are very accurate, the brand doesn't have anything to prove. How about the iloud? Are you making music at a professional or just as a hobby?
@@kpopbutlofi I play with audio as a hobby!! Do not, under any circumstances, take into consideration my comment when you make your decision. It's my first pair of expensive-ish speakers (they are cheap but you know what I mean), I would have been impressed with anything slightly decent. That said, great form factor, great build quality, never missed a single trick once including the Bluetooth which works flawlessly with my Android phone. That's why they are great for me, but it's the opinion of someone that doesn't have a deep understanding of audio quality in general.
The iLoud Micro Monitors are less than 1/2 the price of the Genelecs and in my opinion they sound every bit as good. The ILoud Micro Monitor offer several features that the Genelec 8010 does not such as bluetooth connectivity, direct mounting to a microphone stand, more direct connectivity options, and much smaller footprint for improved portability. To be fair, the Genelec does have an innovative rear plate mounting option which allows the speaker to be mounted to an array of optional mounting brackets. This allows the speakers to be mounted in locations that it would otherwise be impossible to mount conventional speakers. Genelec is the clear winner in the warranty department though with a FIVE year (upon timely registration) warranty compared to the iLoud's 1 year parts/90 days labor warranty. The Genelecs are geared toward the professional user while the iLouds are geared toward consumers who value cost, portability, and connectivity over reliability.
@@hollowludens5861 I think it works well. I use them with the built in LF-3db they have. This video does not let us know what settings they are using with the speakers, but I would guess everything is set to flat.
The IKs “sound” better as in more detail and bass but I suspect they have an extremely hyped low mid a bass characteristic. I would argue that the genes are much more accurate overall. Just my opinion though…
Well placement for the Genelec seems to not be within the specified MAX 60cm to the wall, so really hard to compare front bass reflect vs. rear reflects when they are not correctly placed close to a wall to reflect the lower frequencies off a wall to the listeners. How far is there to the back wall, it seems that they are placed in the middle of a room, and that is not ideal for any rear bass reflect speaker.
Seems a bit pointless to compare speakers by listening to a recording of them with some other speakers altogether. Sure, you can hear some difference, but most of the differences are either exaggerated or hidden (depending on the frequencies) by whatever headphones or speakers you're using to listen to this, and it's also colored by the mics, preamps, and room. This is like asking a blind man to draw you a map of a place that was described to him by someone else.
Thanks for posting this. I was almost convinced to prefer the iLoud's until the bass frequency tone comparison. That boost at 60Hz is unacceptable, that will make them difficult to properly blend with a subwoofer without using a high pass/low pass crossover. I had a similar issue with a pair of passive speakers, before I diagnosed the problem I thought every sub I tried was defective.
I absolutely love your videos. Thank you so much for sharing a direct comparison on how different hardware and their components affect audio signals. :)
The real answer when it comes to nearfields is to get both! Genelecs are definitely better for mixing but iLouds are better for listening, so really you should audition your mixes on both. However, if I had to choose one, as an owner of iLouds, then I would choose Genelecs. They really give you the information that iLouds hide.
This was awesome to see/hear! You don't happen to have access to Genelec G Two / 8020? Would be very interested to hear a comparison of the 8010 vs 8020!
Note: This is just my subjective opinion. I have tested these side by side on five mixes of different genres. The iLouds are very very good and sound great, almost too great, but if you want a more honest sound for critical listening, mixdowns and mastering you should pay the extra bucks and go for the Genelec. I would happily get 90% of a job completed on the Gene's and switch to my Dynaudio BM12s to finish off. With a good set of flat cans to reference the low end you could easily mix a complete professional-level project on the Gene's and I have. That said, the iLouds are incredible.
@Cristo Fuentes Yes definitely. You would probably need to check the bottom end on something else most likely, especially if you are making music aimed at club play. To be honest, in my humble opinion, if you get to know how your monitors translate to other systems there is no reason at all that you couldn't use these as the main monitors in a studio. It's all about learning the monitor and the space you are in.
Cristo Fuentes use the sonarworks plugin for referencing on headphones and the Audified Mixchecker for your speakers and I highly recommend the sony mdr 7506 headphones. iLouds are great little speakers! shop.audified.com/products/mixchecker?variant=20301040967 www.sonarworks.com
If you are looking for super portable speakers that are flat for mixing and listening those two are very good choices. I prefer the Genelec. The iLoud are good, but sound a tiny bit to trebly for me. IDK how they put such amazing sound into something so small and sometimes you don't need super huge monitors to get super good sound these days. Damn there is some amazing tech out there today.
@@BigPES0 for monitor, I think cut off early is better than distortion. you can add a sub for the bass but distortion is a lot harder to fix. But i am new to the speaker world so I could be wrong.
@@BigPES0 you are right. i am not interested in small studio monitors anymore, just got a pair of 8350, those can go to about 30hz in my testing. it is already super overkill since i am just using them as a desktop speaker. currently setting it to -42db on the back and my volume is always below 35%. i also got a 8341 to test the one series with smaller footprint. my 8350 have way better sub bass than 8341. my conclusion would be got a bigger speaker and turn the volume down is a way better option than small speakers with subwoofer unless it is a travel studio monitor and a back up solution. not sure what to do with my 8341. i am planning to build a diy bluetooth box that have aes output and use 8341 as a super premium party speaker
I think the iLouds are simply without alternatives. Not in terms of sound alone, but in the combination of sound, weight and size. Most and even the higher priced Monitors doesn't have that deep tuning, a speaker with -3db at 55hz can at least temporarily be enough to mix or create music. Especially in a room that fills up some db in the lower bass makes it easy usable down to 45-50 hz where a techno kicks root note sits. A speaker with a -3db point at 70hz can't play 50hz even with eq it is not easy, because you had to boost way below the tuning frequency of the bassreflex port, which causes high excursions on the driver. Those Monitors are meant usually for editing or for use with a sub, while iLoud is targeting more towards for people traveling or working at different locations. 1,7 kilos per pair is almost the half of the genelecs with 1,5 kilos each..
I think the Genelecs are superior, but since the iLouds are half the price it would be hard to go past them, especially if you wanted bass. Speakers are all about diminishing returns.
the ilouds have more bass response but the genelecs have more mid-range definition making for easy isolation of individual mix elements and depth perception. the ilouds suffer from a woofy bass while the genelecs maintain a well controlled low end throughout. given the price difference however, the ilouds deliver quite a lot.
80386 yeah I have been using the ilouds for a year and the distortion in certain low frequencies is very annoying. I am on my second pair because I sent the first in for warranty. I usually solve it by using a steep filter to cut everything below 80hz which gets rid of the buzzing/ resonance, but really sacrifices any ability to discern what’s going on with the low end. I don’t expect a ton of low end performance out of a 3” monitor, but still it should be designed so as to eliminate this problem because it happens even when the monitors are not being pushed hard at all. I plan to move over to the genelecs as they seem like a much higher quality monitor for the size.
I think I passive radiator instead might have been able to solve the port noise issue. Tuning a bass port to 50 so odd hertz is a challenge in a box that small. Honestly though the bass extension is shockingly good for it's size. The genelec is much larger and can't come close to the iloud extension. Unless you're working with hip hop or music that has more low bass passages relative to the rest does it become a problem, at least with my use with them.
+80386 To even compare both of these pairs of monitors to each other at their given price points,is just silly.Genelec is strictly professional grade,whereas iLoud caters to the budget crowd.Yes...a pair of Genelec 8010's would be ideal for critical mixing(but only so,if a sub is added...such as the Genelec 7040A.)However...for a home studio on a budget,$600 for the 8010A's and an additional $795 for the 7040A is unthinkable,for the average guy.In the budget arena and for someone who needs a space saving pair of monitors and the convenience of Blutooth capability,the iLouds are an amazing value.I ordered a pair of iLouds for my secondary PC workstation set up...but for my main PC workstation,I bought a pair of Presonus E44's(along with a Presonus T10 Sub) and it's the most impressive set up I've ever had and I only paid $734 in total.If I had bought the Genelec equivalent,I would have paid double(which would have been ridiculous for a home studio and totally unnecessary.)
@@Karizma231 Well....I think I had spoken too soon.At this point in time,I've come to realize that my Presonus sub-woofer is way too overbearing and completely drowns out my E44's.I've never really been hot on the idea of a 2.1 set up and now I clearly know why.Too many adjustments to make,in an effort to find a balanced sound and what I had bought,is utterly ridiculous.I started out with just the E44's,but there was no bottom end,so I was forced to buy the sub.Another major issue,is powering up the whole system.Aside from flipping the switches on the E44's,my subwoofer was on the floor,below my keyboard stand and every time I have to power that up,I have to get on my hands and knees.I chose the E44's,because they were on sale.Holy shit man,my IKmultimedia iLouds are my main go-to monitors(as they are perfectly balanced and thery completely blow away my E44's and absolutely no need for a sub!The Adams are very decent for the money(but I don't like the rear-mounted bass ports.) Yamaha is garbage,in my opinion.Honestly,I think the iLoud micro monitors are the very best choice,in the under $500 price range(as they are the most honest sounding monitors ever created,in this modest price range.As for the new iLoud MTM monitors...well...I predict that they will be thte very best monitor choice,in the under $1,000 price range.
iLoud plays with more drive, more boldly, more youth. Genelec is cleaner, more controllable. But when I was listening to a track with classical music, with Genelec I heard the same violin sound and acoustics that I heard at the conservatory, and with iLoud I heard just small speakers reproducing the sound of a violin. If I took the speakers for mini-parties or for a teenager - it would be iLoud, and if for the pleasure of solitary listening to music, then - Genelec. Genelec is truer, but more expensive (in Russia, the price per pair is $ 680), iLoud is more universal and cheaper ($ 340). Both speakers are decent.
nice to see affordable quality gear becoming a norm now. Those iLouds are really good. Will replace my altec lansing ACS340 2.1 system (incredible sounding, but time to move on) I've used for like 1000 years for online listening and tv shows.
Always wanted a nice set of budget Genelec monitors. Trouble is the budget Genelecs are still fucking expensive for the average bedroom dweller with responsibilities.
The Iloud doesn't have a bass boost and is actually linear. The genelecs simply does not have bass up until 90 hz, than has a bass boost to try to compensate, look at the measurement charts. Look at the charts on audio science review, the iloud is flat. The iloud, if you compensate for the port dips, IMHO make better studio monitors for any music that has lower bass frequencies. If you try to mix bass on these genelecs, your music is going to have much more bass then intended. You're going to need a sub with these Genelecs.
Of course Genelec has the “better” monitor BUT I paid 300 dollars for my iloud PAIR! Versus 350 per Genelec 8010 monitor....🤣) I’m laughing at everyone that left an unfavorable opinion about the iloud micro because of the fact that THERE ISNT THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE! I’m SO happy with my ilouds! Oh I’d rather have more breathing room when it comes to the highs and Mids than the lows .✌🏾
I have iLoud around 1.5 years and i love them very much, but yesterday happened sad and strange thing - it stopped play bass and, the sound goes only through tweeters. Plus doesn't work three switchers and volume knob. Looks like the problem in system block. Very strange... Already wrote about it to IK.
So crazy! I listened to these tests on the builtin speaker (iMac) then on the IK Micros I have. The opposite effect happened. The sound of the Genelics had higher mids and less bass (plastic), the IKs sounded slightly fuller in comparison. LOL. The switches more noticeable listening back on IKs. I suppose the IK is doubling it's footprint listening back on the same system that it was captured on. The voice on dream a dream sounded more "airy" and like more fidelity on the Genelics. Each time you switched to IKs the thump came back to the kick a little more. Overall the Genelic seemed to have more clear low-mid and the IK's more high-mid. Differences very subtle in my environment!
just ordered my iLouds yesterday. can't wait to hear them. have genelecs and Hedd's as well in the main studio so will be good to hear what all the fuss is about.
It's not really an issue most of the time because of masking. The only times it's apparent is with bass oriented music centered around the port tuning and louder volumes
I think having both of these speaker in the studio or even bedroom will pretty much cover all you need for mixing and mastering, you mix it with the Genelec then use the iloud for bass correction, no need for a stupidly large subwoofer in the small bedroom
Genelec EASY winner here. ILoud sounds muddy and overly sharp, even canny. Whenever genelec comes on i get the aaah feeling. Like it is opening up more. More alive.
Resting monitors on foam is not as great an idea as it might seem. The speaker housing is not held rigid so it moves back and forth inversely to the woofer/bass driver - reducing the effect of the bass driver. The Genelec's have specially designed rubber isolation feet, just use them - not wobbly foam pads. In fact in this price range I recommend headphones as a valid option, Yamaha MT5 (not the MT8's - or any other brand, just the MT5's).
They are nearly identically in character and quality, BUT: 1.) iLoud are 100% cheaper 2.) iLoud have 100% more bass. = iLoud are smart engineer's Genelecs and win hands down!
Genelec sounds good here but at a price close to that of the Yamaha HS7, it's a bit of an odd duck (what's it for ? I suppose if you want a high end 3in speaker ... but why not just get a slightly bigger speaker instead ?) whereas the iloud has a clear use (travel speaker)
iLoud have way more lowend for this size (or its just boosted internaly somehow), but when it comes to now low-end heavy content - genelec are still head above in terms of depth
Up until 'Man On Fire' I would have taken the iLouds if only for the price. Man on Fire really brought out the best in the Genelecs. Still, The iLouds are half the price and they compete very well indeed.
@John Magnus with a sub would be a killer setup. But surely you could do something with the iLouds for the same price as a Gen sub ... like buy a totally different pair of speakers. Love Gen, but I'm still with iLouds on this one!
Pretty sure that "New Orleans Jazz" track has sampled horns on it (and probably not the only sampled instruments on that track). My iPhone "named that tune" from an Audiosparx library. I suggest using a track with REAL instruments for the jazz genre test.
Thank you... can you please kindly make another comparison, but this time with LF switch "-3db"... just wanna hear the difference.... thank your very much...
genelec is 250 euro for one! speaker so 500 euro for two. iloud is 300 euro two speakers. so yeah genelec sound better but for nearly twice the price. think iloud would sound more close to genelec if the bass is tuned down on the input for iloud? maybe worth a try then compare it again can you do it pls?
As a musician: trombone 66 years, conductor 30 years, and as an audiophile the last 50 years, the iLouds are cleaner, and image each instrument being produced clearly. I can choose to listen to any single instrument I please. As can be done in person at a live performance. Assuming a venue with decent acoustics and a decent sound engineer where applicable. Conversely, the Genelecs muddle, especially in the mid to low range. The upper register is ok, but not more. Proof requires listening in person. I might need a new pair of speakers for my Synth! Thanks. Just my opinion, YMMV.
Just take a look at prices: genelec monitor costs around 250euros vs 250 both the ilouds. Ilouds cost half the genelec. Ofc genelecs dont sound 2times better than ilouds. If you dont care about money im sure u can get what u want.
Thanks for the Wonderfull video comparison mate. while others got clarity i'm a bit confused. i'm not an editor or any professional. i just got an new 4K monitor connected to my MBP and using a very cheap jbl 2.1's, sounds decent enough. but looking for an upgrade. Any suggestions between these two are highly appreciated. cheers...
I have Neumann KH 80s, IK MTMs and IK ilouds. The small ilouds are perfect for setting volumes in the midrange. The mids and highs get super annoying when something doesn't sit right like snares, hats and stuff like that. I feel like the MTMs are missing some mids. I almost always mix my snare to loud on the MTMs and turn them waaaay down when I mix check on the small ilouds.
I know you don't have the genelecs, but do you think they would be better for music enjoyment? I had the iloud micro monitors and they had a nice sound but not really enjoyable because it felt too small in a sense, I don't have much more space though sadly.
@@pasi123567 I think the MTMs would be really good for casual music listening. they sound waaaay better than the small ones, very noisefree at low volumes, very big and detailed sound, not bad transient response and very very good bass extension. Just remember that they don't have Bluetooth like the micros.
listening both tests with my Dynaudio BM5A´s ....sensible better low/bass and wider soundstage of iLoud Micro, better overall sound for less price,of course.Both mids and highs are very similar. The sound of Genelecs sounds more canned to my ears(i got this same feeling when i listened the 8020 many years ago,too....) I like Genelec from 8030 series and higher.......and old series from 1030A and bigger....
The transient response of the genelec is cleaner and its slightly more neutral with better timing but the ilouds are a damn fine value since it gets very close in quality plus the fuller bass... plus bluetooth for entertaining people lol. The genelec paired with a sub though mmmm yummy
Very close in many areas except for the New Orleans Jazz where the 8010s sound awful. Not sure if the iLoud's bass is hyped and not what you would get on various systems. The Genelecs sound detailed but cold. I'm guessing that a good mix on these would sound excellent on everything else which is what they are designed for.
Ilouds are built with cheaper materials. Genelec will last longer. However, the Ilouds are meant for on the go musicians. They have Bluetooth, DSP, Volume control (not sure if the genelec do) More connections. Genelec need to do an update on this model, it's been around a long time. But yeah, so far, iloud is a better monitor if you are a beginner, have no space at home or you are starting out, haven't made tunes yet are are learning. Or a pro, who needs a reference monitor that brings top notch quality at a fair price and need something for hotels and tour buses. The Genelec are good mostly for the studio if your workspace is super cramped and you need a small reference monitor that will last you 10 years or more. Then genelec would be your pick.
I do think so. But I also think that it is going to be very expensive solution. I would rather get solid 2.0 system for less instead. The integration between bass and the rest of the spectrum will be better and the quality of bass should be as good if not better. Monitors like EVE SC205 for example should give Genelec combo run for its money and shoul be easier to dial in
Digital Stereophony Thanks for the suggestion. I will have a look to them. So in general you think it's better remove the sub for dj monitoring? Right now i'm using a LD Systems Dave 8XS for this purpose: the highs and mids are great, but i have to use it in a very low volume and because of this the bass doesn't sound as it should. So maybe is better to find another solution and use it as a normal PA.
It is the question of integration between subwoofer and speakers. In my experience it is hard to get proper integration, especially in desktop enviroment. I prefer to loose few hertz down low but have coherent and focused sound from 2.0 system. For bass monitoring get some headphones and crosscheck between them and speakers ;)
The iloud has a nice warm sound. The other one, I notice a slight boost near the 250 htz range. So, mixing congas can be a challenge on them. I’m totally sold on the iloud.
Frequency curve says you're wrong. There's no mid high boost - the genelecs just sound this bad in comparison. Also keep in mind there is loss from the mic recording and your actual output system.
Hey Digital Stereophony I'm considering s1000db and s2000pro they are $30 difference in price any thoughts. I didn't see a comparison done yet which one would you consider? Also do you have any other recommendations that have the same connections and Bluetooth.
Digital Stereophony I'll be ordering them in the next couple days. I used my laptops along with a switch and used your comparisons of both options against the jbl monitors. Quit a sound difference indeed. I also spoke to my uncle who has a recording studio and his reply was that he hated to listen to music on monitors but for what he does they will help source anything negative in the sound so they are a must. Thanx for the work you have done. I've been greatly aided by all of your reviews and responses in the last few months in making a decision. I look forward to receiving the s2000pros. Also price wise the jbl and edifier end up the same price after I priced the extra hardware and cables to give them similar functionality so I think they can't be beat. Thanks again. I'll let you know what I think also what my uncle thinks, he really wants to hear them live as well.
Cool! Regarding listening to music on studio monitors, I think that if You like Your music reproduced faithfully that monitors are good solution. Cheers!
Take heed mortals, iLoud must have made a deal with the devil to get that response out of a fucking 3x5 inch cabinet. Seriously, it's digital witchcraft, my favorite review so far said they were pretty good, oh and the bass response is: "off the walls bullshit levels of no fucking way possibleness"
its like switching from mono to stereo, the iloud sounds great for a casual user like me... bh had them on sale for 239 earlier this yr, i should have pulled the trigger :(
iLoud easy winner, I think, and an amazing design. One thing not mentioned in any comparison I've seen so far is how the tonality of the iLoud holds up at extreme angles off-axis compared to almost any other speaker I have heard. Also, they get the tone of a piano right and most smallish speakers do not. This Genelec, like all I've heard, has a smiley-face signature (a dip in the mid frequencies) which makes them ineffective as monitors which are capable of producing mixes that translate to the real world. It is difficult to know what to fix in the mix on them. I bought a pair of iLoud micro monitors purely for the extreme portability enabling easy transport to remote recording sessions, but find their rendering of audio accurate enough that I feel I could mix on them if I had to, and plan to try it as an experiment. It is important to adjust the controls on the back appropriate to the monitoring environment, though. I find they sound best on short desktop mic stands and all switches flat. When I have to listen on a desktop, I adjust the upper switch to "desk" or set the LF switch to "-3 dB", with the front legs raised.
I agree that iLoud has great off axis response, also the sweet spot is big so You can move around quite a bit and the images stay stable and sharp wich is nice. I also think that leaving all the tone controls set to neutral is a must, switching them ON introduces too much unwanted changes to the sound, degrades the sound quality IMO.
The iloud can take a beat, they been abused in several parties, under the sun, covered in sand (had to open them and clean them as sand got into the speaker coils), connectors and volume knob have also been abused and they still kick hard and clean. The plastics are durable hard but the stand legs are relatively fragile, in my pair both legs broke early, but I have to say they were being thrown around
Surprised at how good the iLoud sounds! It does seem to compress a bit though, less dynamic, I think I hear less transients on snare. Bass is crazy on it though. Which do you prefer? Genelec worth the price?
All the bass work that woofer performs means it is loosing some power and clarity in the midrange and compresses a bit especially when the volume goes up. For music listening I preferred iLoud, for production Genelec would be better choice, but overall if I had a space for bigger speakers I would go bigger for sure in both cases.
At low to moderate volumes (up to ~80 dB), the iLouds don't compress at all - they sound very dynamic and open. At higher levels, they start to compress the low end to prevent the woofer from being damaged by the bass. I use them on my desktop for general listening beside a 32" monitor and they work perfectly for this application. You generally don't need to turn it up loud for desktop listening and they are great at low levels like I already mentioned. I also set the LF adjustment to -3 dB for low volume listening, as the bass is a bit exaggerated at low levels actually on the flat setting. I used to have larger 5" speakers - JBL LSR305 and Neumann KH120. I think that in my room, the iLouds sound clearer than both of those in the low end... Might be due to the fact that my room doesn't have any treatment and the smaller iLouds don't excite the room modes as much as larger speakers. So if your room is small and untreated, small speakers may actually give you better sound than larger, even much more expensive speakers.
Yup, agree with you there on the iLouds. This review shows the compression you're talking about: noaudiophile.com/IK_Multimedia_iLoudMM/ At low SPL desktop listening, they should be pretty great! Surprised that you prefer them to the Neumann KH 120 though, those are fantastic speakers. The room mode excitement should be same provided that both KH and iLoud are functioning linearly without compression, and the listening SPL are the same. If anything, iLoud might be worse since it projects sound more omnidirectionally. One thing to note with the low extension of the iLouds... the highpass roll-off on it is crazy steep. I suspect this should result in quite a poor low frequency transient response -- delayed response (tens of ms) and slow decay (100+ ms). Should be apparent if you measure its waterfall plot. So while they extend deep, probably not quite punchy and accurate, rather sluggish and smeared. IMO worth the tradeoff for how small and cheap they are.
+Daniel Yeh I agree about the bass being a bit slow, it has a tendency to overhang. The punch is also not up to the same level as in bigger monitors, but overall iLoud is still very impressive considering its size
Definitely impressive! Another thing I'd guess about them... to keep the costs low, they probably have lower standards for speaker tolerance, and correct the frequency offsets for each individual speaker by DSP (as opposed to throwing away speakers that don't meet tolerance like Genelec might). I can't see otherwise how it'd be so cheap and have such a flat response. Just a guess! And no complaints, since it seems to be working just fine.
I think you should post at the end of the videos some HISS tests with the speakers. (Just an Idea.) :) The active ones have a problem in this regard. For example my JBL 305, with no sound source connected have an evident hissing noise (BTW, I have Benchmark DAC1, so this should not be a problem)
Impressive bass on iLoud but the frequency response is far from linear, also it misses some low ends frquencies. Genelec speakers sound more natural which is better for reference monitors. iLoud on vocals performs really bad.
I bought a pair of iLouds and so you understand my opinion on them let me just say a few things. I had (and still have) a pair of logitech z-2300 for years. These speakers are a 2.1 system with what is considered one of the best and most powerful subs in a desktop speaker system to this day. I always found the satellites on these speakers lack a bit of detail on the mids but had OK highs. Because I have these speakers for a long time it's just impossible not to try to reference the iLouds against them. And before you say that I'm referencing studio monitors against desktop speakers let me say that I know that. Now the iLouds. They have great detail on the mids and high end, which make it way more clear and pleasant than the z-2300. The lows, on the other hand, are not that present. This might not actually be that bad, since you'll be working for long periods of time with them and you don't want all that bass basting. I would still prefer it had a bit more though. In terms of volume they're fairly loud, for bedroom recording it's way more than enough, and I've never heard them distorting. Now to give you some extra info. I once had the chance of comparing Yamaha's HS5, HS7, and a two pairs of Focals in a store and, from what I recall, the iLouds are closer to the HS5 in sound, but in a smaller package. If you have the room and a bit more cash I'll definetely recommend the Yamaha HS7 though (not the HS5). Those speakers are really great for the money, they have very good detail in all frequency ranges (including the bass that's missing from the iLouds). It really surprised me that they sounded better than more expensive Focals (don't recall what models they were).
As someone who has 3 sets of monitors that I rotate through for mixing, I can say without a doubt that the iLouds are a great addition, especially for the price. They come in very handy when doing long editing sessions well, when listening on my big monitors would be taxing on my ears. So switching to much smaller iLouds makes it a lot easier to listen for hours and hours.
What is good sounding is really subjective anyway.
I think getting that amount of low end at low volumes is pretty damn impressive as well. They're good little speakers for sure.
I keep seeing reviews of people who use them as a second speakers. Would you say they’re good enough to be the main speaker. And when you say editing I presume you don’t mean outright mixing. So how are they for mixing. Thanks for the comment!
@@accentontheoff Yes, I would say they are good enough to be your main monitors for mixing.
@@GaragebandandBeyond Great, thanks for the reply.
Which are the other monitors. Could resist asking :)
@@accentontheoff No problem, I assume you've watched my review of these monitors. I love them!
At 9:30 you can hear what happens with very low frequencies: the Genelecs progressively disappear yet with a clean sound, while the iLouds start to distort (sort of squar-ish wave) and make horrible puff sound...
Does anybody know if there is a way to fix it?
@@vsemarno the only way is to eq your material cutting bass. Either on your computer or with the provided LF cut on the speakers
By the way, I’ve ended up buying the iLoud Micro and I’m really satisfied.
Are they still working? Would you recommend them today?
@@Toma.swhy not even today?
@@kpopbutlofi I don't know why I asked that but I ended up buying them and they're great.
@@Toma.s I am still debating since I have to produce and mix my demos on travel speakers. On the video the Genelec sound boxy with less bass but I know that they are very accurate, the brand doesn't have anything to prove. How about the iloud? Are you making music at a professional or just as a hobby?
@@kpopbutlofi I play with audio as a hobby!! Do not, under any circumstances, take into consideration my comment when you make your decision.
It's my first pair of expensive-ish speakers (they are cheap but you know what I mean), I would have been impressed with anything slightly decent.
That said, great form factor, great build quality, never missed a single trick once including the Bluetooth which works flawlessly with my Android phone.
That's why they are great for me, but it's the opinion of someone that doesn't have a deep understanding of audio quality in general.
The iLoud Micro Monitors are less than 1/2 the price of the Genelecs and in my opinion they sound every bit as good. The ILoud Micro Monitor offer several features that the Genelec 8010 does not such as bluetooth connectivity, direct mounting to a microphone stand, more direct connectivity options, and much smaller footprint for improved portability. To be fair, the Genelec does have an innovative rear plate mounting option which allows the speaker to be mounted to an array of optional mounting brackets. This allows the speakers to be mounted in locations that it would otherwise be impossible to mount conventional speakers. Genelec is the clear winner in the warranty department though with a FIVE year (upon timely registration) warranty compared to the iLoud's 1 year parts/90 days labor warranty. The Genelecs are geared toward the professional user while the iLouds are geared toward consumers who value cost, portability, and connectivity over reliability.
what the ilouds are also primarily intended for professional use
@@frosty6845 There's no way. The bass is WAY too emphasized to actually work as monitors. This is my opinion btw.
Genelec 8010 can be mounted on a microphone stand. If the bottom rubber pad is removed. ruclips.net/video/ZB5Qd30VNhE/видео.html
@@hollowludens5861 frequency curve on ilouds are flat, unless you boost freq on the back of them.
@@hollowludens5861 I think it works well. I use them with the built in LF-3db they have. This video does not let us know what settings they are using with the speakers, but I would guess everything is set to flat.
The IKs “sound” better as in more detail and bass but I suspect they have an extremely hyped low mid a bass characteristic. I would argue that the genes are much more accurate overall. Just my opinion though…
No the ilouds do not have hyped low mid bass characteristics, they are very balanced.
Well placement for the Genelec seems to not be within the specified MAX 60cm to the wall, so really hard to compare front bass reflect vs. rear reflects when they are not correctly placed close to a wall to reflect the lower frequencies off a wall to the listeners. How far is there to the back wall, it seems that they are placed in the middle of a room, and that is not ideal for any rear bass reflect speaker.
Doesn't matter whether a speaker is front- og back-ported, re: what you wrote.
Digital Stereophony
, thanks to your comparisons, I got wonderful Genelec 8010A monitors!
Same here :) I use them as my second monitors to mix and check. They are revealing and honest tools, not hyped sound.
Seems a bit pointless to compare speakers by listening to a recording of them with some other speakers altogether. Sure, you can hear some difference, but most of the differences are either exaggerated or hidden (depending on the frequencies) by whatever headphones or speakers you're using to listen to this, and it's also colored by the mics, preamps, and room. This is like asking a blind man to draw you a map of a place that was described to him by someone else.
I had to scroll way too far for a comment like this. It was all I was thinking from the start.
This was the comparison I was hoping for and I think the iLoud might be my next purchase. THANKS for posting!
Thanks for posting this. I was almost convinced to prefer the iLoud's until the bass frequency tone comparison. That boost at 60Hz is unacceptable, that will make them difficult to properly blend with a subwoofer without using a high pass/low pass crossover. I had a similar issue with a pair of passive speakers, before I diagnosed the problem I thought every sub I tried was defective.
There's no boost, also you can just use -3db lf
I absolutely love your videos. Thank you so much for sharing a direct comparison on how different hardware and their components affect audio signals. :)
The real answer when it comes to nearfields is to get both! Genelecs are definitely better for mixing but iLouds are better for listening, so really you should audition your mixes on both. However, if I had to choose one, as an owner of iLouds, then I would choose Genelecs. They really give you the information that iLouds hide.
I would choose Genelec for mixing and iLoud for listening.
Agree.
Да, да, именно так, ведь не нарочно люди ноют, что на дженелек переносимость миксов - полное дерьмо, ага.
and cash for givin away
Cool, you can mix midrange and up with thoses
I have a pair of ILouds. Bass turbulence in front hole is not acceptable. It sounds terrible. I am really disappointed because of this.
This was awesome to see/hear! You don't happen to have access to Genelec G Two / 8020? Would be very interested to hear a comparison of the 8010 vs 8020!
Unfortunately, I do not have access to 8020 at the moment
Note: This is just my subjective opinion. I have tested these side by side on five mixes of different genres. The iLouds are very very good and sound great, almost too great, but if you want a more honest sound for critical listening, mixdowns and mastering you should pay the extra bucks and go for the Genelec. I would happily get 90% of a job completed on the Gene's and switch to my Dynaudio BM12s to finish off. With a good set of flat cans to reference the low end you could easily mix a complete professional-level project on the Gene's and I have. That said, the iLouds are incredible.
@Cristo Fuentes Yes definitely. You would probably need to check the bottom end on something else most likely, especially if you are making music aimed at club play. To be honest, in my humble opinion, if you get to know how your monitors translate to other systems there is no reason at all that you couldn't use these as the main monitors in a studio. It's all about learning the monitor and the space you are in.
@Cristo Fuentes The AKGs are very good. Very flat IMO
Cristo Fuentes use the sonarworks plugin for referencing on headphones and the Audified Mixchecker for your speakers and I highly recommend the sony mdr 7506 headphones. iLouds are great little speakers!
shop.audified.com/products/mixchecker?variant=20301040967
www.sonarworks.com
Definitely when the strings begin to sound (at 2:56), it is remarkable that the genelecs are much more real and faithful than the iloud
Can't hear the sharpness of sounds on iLoud while on Genelec its clear.
Bass on iLoud is impressive.
because sharpness is an bug, artefact, flaw.
If you are looking for super portable speakers that are flat for mixing and listening those two are very good choices. I prefer the Genelec. The iLoud are good, but sound a tiny bit to trebly for me. IDK how they put such amazing sound into something so small and sometimes you don't need super huge monitors to get super good sound these days. Damn there is some amazing tech out there today.
The iLoud sounds bright & thin compared to the Genelec. Easy win for Genelec.
@@deanrobin9273 genelec doesnt have bass. Like they cut at 74hz. Wtf
@@BigPES0 for monitor, I think cut off early is better than distortion. you can add a sub for the bass but distortion is a lot harder to fix. But i am new to the speaker world so I could be wrong.
@@qupeter1224 Bro they don’t have lows. Listen to a pair of Adams. To buy a subboowet just save money and buy a 3 way speakers.
@@BigPES0 you are right. i am not interested in small studio monitors anymore, just got a pair of 8350, those can go to about 30hz in my testing. it is already super overkill since i am just using them as a desktop speaker. currently setting it to -42db on the back and my volume is always below 35%. i also got a 8341 to test the one series with smaller footprint. my 8350 have way better sub bass than 8341. my conclusion would be got a bigger speaker and turn the volume down is a way better option than small speakers with subwoofer unless it is a travel studio monitor and a back up solution. not sure what to do with my 8341. i am planning to build a diy bluetooth box that have aes output and use 8341 as a super premium party speaker
I think the iLouds are simply without alternatives. Not in terms of sound alone, but in the combination of sound, weight and size. Most and even the higher priced Monitors doesn't have that deep tuning, a speaker with -3db at 55hz can at least temporarily be enough to mix or create music. Especially in a room that fills up some db in the lower bass makes it easy usable down to 45-50 hz where a techno kicks root note sits.
A speaker with a -3db point at 70hz can't play 50hz even with eq it is not easy, because you had to boost way below the tuning frequency of the bassreflex port, which causes high excursions on the driver.
Those Monitors are meant usually for editing or for use with a sub, while iLoud is targeting more towards for people traveling or working at different locations. 1,7 kilos per pair is almost the half of the genelecs with 1,5 kilos each..
I think the Genelecs are superior, but since the iLouds are half the price it would be hard to go past them, especially if you wanted bass. Speakers are all about diminishing returns.
Diminishing returns have no objective value, they are entirely subjective.
@@enjoshi-godrez8775 Exactly.
the ilouds have more bass response but the genelecs have more mid-range definition making for easy isolation of individual mix elements and depth perception. the ilouds suffer from a woofy bass while the genelecs maintain a well controlled low end throughout. given the price difference however, the ilouds deliver quite a lot.
80386 yeah I have been using the ilouds for a year and the distortion in certain low frequencies is very annoying. I am on my second pair because I sent the first in for warranty. I usually solve it by using a steep filter to cut everything below 80hz which gets rid of the buzzing/ resonance, but really sacrifices any ability to discern what’s going on with the low end. I don’t expect a ton of low end performance out of a 3” monitor, but still it should be designed so as to eliminate this problem because it happens even when the monitors are not being pushed hard at all. I plan to move over to the genelecs as they seem like a much higher quality monitor for the size.
I think I passive radiator instead might have been able to solve the port noise issue. Tuning a bass port to 50 so odd hertz is a challenge in a box that small. Honestly though the bass extension is shockingly good for it's size. The genelec is much larger and can't come close to the iloud extension. Unless you're working with hip hop or music that has more low bass passages relative to the rest does it become a problem, at least with my use with them.
+80386 To even compare both of these pairs of monitors to each other at their given price points,is just silly.Genelec is strictly professional grade,whereas iLoud caters to the budget crowd.Yes...a pair of Genelec 8010's would be ideal for critical mixing(but only so,if a sub is added...such as the Genelec 7040A.)However...for a home studio on a budget,$600 for the 8010A's and an additional $795 for the 7040A is unthinkable,for the average guy.In the budget arena and for someone who needs a space saving pair of monitors and the convenience of Blutooth capability,the iLouds are an amazing value.I ordered a pair of iLouds for my secondary PC workstation set up...but for my main PC workstation,I bought a pair of Presonus E44's(along with a Presonus T10 Sub) and it's the most impressive set up I've ever had and I only paid $734 in total.If I had bought the Genelec equivalent,I would have paid double(which would have been ridiculous for a home studio and totally unnecessary.)
How is the eris sounding? did u consider the Adam tv5 and Yamaha HS5 etc?
@@Karizma231 Well....I think I had spoken too soon.At this point in time,I've come to realize that my Presonus sub-woofer is way too overbearing and completely drowns out my E44's.I've never really been hot on the idea of a 2.1 set up and now I clearly know why.Too many adjustments to make,in an effort to find a balanced sound and what I had bought,is utterly ridiculous.I started out with just the E44's,but there was no bottom end,so I was forced to buy the sub.Another major issue,is powering up the whole system.Aside from flipping the switches on the E44's,my subwoofer was on the floor,below my keyboard stand and every time I have to power that up,I have to get on my hands and knees.I chose the E44's,because they were on sale.Holy shit man,my IKmultimedia iLouds are my main go-to monitors(as they are perfectly balanced and thery completely blow away my E44's and absolutely no need for a sub!The Adams are very decent for the money(but I don't like the rear-mounted bass ports.) Yamaha is garbage,in my opinion.Honestly,I think the iLoud micro monitors are the very best choice,in the under $500 price range(as they are the most honest sounding monitors ever created,in this modest price range.As for the new iLoud MTM monitors...well...I predict that they will be thte very best monitor choice,in the under $1,000 price range.
iLoud plays with more drive, more boldly, more youth. Genelec is cleaner, more controllable.
But when I was listening to a track with classical music, with Genelec I heard the same violin sound and acoustics that I heard at the conservatory, and with iLoud I heard just small speakers reproducing the sound of a violin.
If I took the speakers for mini-parties or for a teenager - it would be iLoud, and if for the pleasure of solitary listening to music, then - Genelec. Genelec is truer, but more expensive (in Russia, the price per pair is $ 680), iLoud is more universal and cheaper ($ 340).
Both speakers are decent.
because genes here have no bass at all. no bass = no problem (distortion). even 65hz are a problem for genes here. The roloff is sharp.
Thanks for this side by side comparison. Very detailed covering pretty much all genre of music. Thanks. M
yeah, the iLouds are quite allright. They make formidable speaker stands for my genelec 1037s.
Great demo of the monitors. Actually a fabulous demo of the Tascam DR-22WL ! Might get one of those :)
Were the ilouds set to flat or desk? It sounds like they have the high end boost engaged, it's prominent.
I would like to know if the switches were set to flat or if they were boosting frequency here as well.
as a note. Genelecs axis is actually at the top of the woofer and not the tweeter. So the genelecs sound brighter then they should be.
nice to see affordable quality gear becoming a norm now. Those iLouds are really good. Will replace my altec lansing ACS340 2.1 system (incredible sounding, but time to move on) I've used for like 1000 years for online listening and tv shows.
Something doesnt seem right. How can the iloud have so much more deep bass?
Karizma231 Type of driver
Digital Signal Processing. It disappears when they get louder.
Always wanted a nice set of budget Genelec monitors. Trouble is the budget Genelecs are still fucking expensive for the average bedroom dweller with responsibilities.
I like them both a lot, however, the iLoud micro definitely has a bass boost. Thank you for this comparison.
I was interested in buying the ILoud, glad I did not. That bass boost is a no for me.
@@GBO76 they have ARC for compensating acoustic issues of the room.
The Iloud doesn't have a bass boost and is actually linear. The genelecs simply does not have bass up until 90 hz, than has a bass boost to try to compensate, look at the measurement charts. Look at the charts on audio science review, the iloud is flat. The iloud, if you compensate for the port dips, IMHO make better studio monitors for any music that has lower bass frequencies. If you try to mix bass on these genelecs, your music is going to have much more bass then intended. You're going to need a sub with these Genelecs.
The Ilouds had a bigger, more detailed sound than the Genelecs; I was shocked; both sound nice; however, I have to give this to the iLouds!
Of course Genelec has the “better” monitor BUT I paid 300 dollars for my iloud PAIR! Versus 350 per Genelec 8010 monitor....🤣) I’m laughing at everyone that left an unfavorable opinion about the iloud micro
because of the fact that THERE ISNT THAT BIG OF A DIFFERENCE! I’m SO happy with my ilouds! Oh I’d rather have more breathing room when it comes to the highs and Mids than the lows .✌🏾
I have iLoud around 1.5 years and i love them very much, but yesterday happened sad and strange thing - it stopped play bass and, the sound goes only through tweeters. Plus doesn't work three switchers and volume knob. Looks like the problem in system block. Very strange... Already wrote about it to IK.
your problem was solved?
So crazy! I listened to these tests on the builtin speaker (iMac) then on the IK Micros I have. The opposite effect happened. The sound of the Genelics had higher mids and less bass (plastic), the IKs sounded slightly fuller in comparison. LOL. The switches more noticeable listening back on IKs. I suppose the IK is doubling it's footprint listening back on the same system that it was captured on. The voice on dream a dream sounded more "airy" and like more fidelity on the Genelics. Each time you switched to IKs the thump came back to the kick a little more. Overall the Genelic seemed to have more clear low-mid and the IK's more high-mid. Differences very subtle in my environment!
just ordered my iLouds yesterday. can't wait to hear them. have genelecs and Hedd's as well in the main studio so will be good to hear what all the fuss is about.
So tell us about them...
So?,
Not until someone asks nicely. Until then, no.
@@specialistsound i bet they are shit speakers!!
@@specialistsound Hey man, I'm on the fence between the two, what would you recommend? appreciate you.
I have a feeling I'm gonna end up sending the iLouds I just bought back because of that resonance when playing back at 50hz
It's not really an issue most of the time because of masking. The only times it's apparent is with bass oriented music centered around the port tuning and louder volumes
If you need to drive little speakers that hard. You need a real studio mate
just put a corrective eq on your monitor bus
your mix just sucks LOL
@@ferrier3 you get the rattling at low volumes
Genelcs win hands down a muuuuch flatter response. Perfect production monitors
I think having both of these speaker in the studio or even bedroom will pretty much cover all you need for mixing and mastering, you mix it with the Genelec then use the iloud for bass correction, no need for a stupidly large subwoofer in the small bedroom
Genelec EASY winner here. ILoud sounds muddy and overly sharp, even canny. Whenever genelec comes on i get the aaah feeling. Like it is opening up more. More alive.
You've never listened to a set of iLouds in your life.
its because iloud have front firing bass port and Genelec have on the rear.
Ahah u serous ?
Genelec is the muddy one tbh
Where can i stream the song - Man On Fire?
Couldn’t find the same on the internet!
Resting monitors on foam is not as great an idea as it might seem. The speaker housing is not held rigid so it moves back and forth inversely to the woofer/bass driver - reducing the effect of the bass driver.
The Genelec's have specially designed rubber isolation feet, just use them - not wobbly foam pads.
In fact in this price range I recommend headphones as a valid option, Yamaha MT5 (not the MT8's - or any other brand, just the MT5's).
They are nearly identically in character and quality, BUT:
1.) iLoud are 100% cheaper
2.) iLoud have 100% more bass.
= iLoud are smart engineer's Genelecs and win hands down!
What is the singer of 'dream a dream' ? I can not find that song on apple music.
of whom is the song MAN ON FIRE, SOMEBODY knows what group it is?
Genelec sounds good here but at a price close to that of the Yamaha HS7, it's a bit of an odd duck (what's it for ? I suppose if you want a high end 3in speaker ... but why not just get a slightly bigger speaker instead ?) whereas the iloud has a clear use (travel speaker)
can you do the 8030B vs KRK rokit 5 cuz im going to get one and idk which one to choose for music
What dB are they played? How far are they from the listening spot?
iLoud have way more lowend for this size (or its just boosted internaly somehow), but when it comes to now low-end heavy content - genelec are still head above in terms of depth
The depth of the 8010a is very good. I can reliably level my kicks now.
5 years later is there something better than the iloud micro with such small size/sound quality/price ratio ?
Well, there are only some bluetooth speakers like Minirigs with sub or maby Vifa Helsinki which can compete
KRK GoAux 4 are very similar to the Genelecs in audio quality, so already better than iLouds.
de quien es la cancion MAN ON FIRE,ALGUIEN sabe de que grupo es?
Up until 'Man On Fire' I would have taken the iLouds if only for the price. Man on Fire really brought out the best in the Genelecs. Still, The iLouds are half the price and they compete very well indeed.
So - except for that one track, for everything else it's obviously the iLouds!
@John Magnus with a sub would be a killer setup.
But surely you could do something with the iLouds for the same price as a Gen sub ... like buy a totally different pair of speakers.
Love Gen, but I'm still with iLouds on this one!
Thank you amazing comparison test.
I Really love Genelec but comparing the price between two monitors with I like I loud make me more surprise
Pretty sure that "New Orleans Jazz" track has sampled horns on it (and probably not the only sampled instruments on that track). My iPhone "named that tune" from an Audiosparx library. I suggest using a track with REAL instruments for the jazz genre test.
Genelcs for professional use Ilouds for consumers
Hi there... is the iLoud LF switch in "Flat" or "-3dB" position? Thank you...
All flat
Thank you... can you please kindly make another comparison, but this time with LF switch "-3db"... just wanna hear the difference.... thank your very much...
I wonder a comparision with Sonos five or stereo pair of Sonos one’s.
iLoud micro monitor are incredible
the separation on the ilouds omg
genelec is 250 euro for one! speaker so 500 euro for two.
iloud is 300 euro two speakers.
so yeah genelec sound better but for nearly twice the price.
think iloud would sound more close to genelec if the bass is tuned down on the input for iloud?
maybe worth a try then compare it again can you do it pls?
good idea !
"so yeah genelec sound better but for nearly twice the price."
Were we listening ot the same demo?
Wonderful video :) I'm actually stunned by the amazing iLoud Micro Monitors.
As a musician: trombone 66 years, conductor 30 years, and as an audiophile the last 50 years, the iLouds are cleaner, and image each instrument being produced clearly. I can choose to listen to any single instrument I please. As can be done in person at a live performance. Assuming a venue with decent acoustics and a decent sound engineer where applicable. Conversely, the Genelecs muddle, especially in the mid to low range. The upper register is ok, but not more. Proof requires listening in person. I might need a new pair of speakers for my Synth! Thanks. Just my opinion, YMMV.
Just take a look at prices: genelec monitor costs around 250euros vs 250 both the ilouds. Ilouds cost half the genelec. Ofc genelecs dont sound 2times better than ilouds. If you dont care about money im sure u can get what u want.
what usb interface did you hook the monitors though?
Thanks for the Wonderfull video comparison mate. while others got clarity i'm a bit confused. i'm not an editor or any professional. i just got an new 4K monitor connected to my MBP and using a very cheap jbl 2.1's, sounds decent enough. but looking for an upgrade. Any suggestions between these two are highly appreciated. cheers...
I have Neumann KH 80s, IK MTMs and IK ilouds. The small ilouds are perfect for setting volumes in the midrange. The mids and highs get super annoying when something doesn't sit right like snares, hats and stuff like that. I feel like the MTMs are missing some mids. I almost always mix my snare to loud on the MTMs and turn them waaaay down when I mix check on the small ilouds.
I know you don't have the genelecs, but do you think they would be better for music enjoyment? I had the iloud micro monitors and they had a nice sound but not really enjoyable because it felt too small in a sense, I don't have much more space though sadly.
@@pasi123567 I think the MTMs would be really good for casual music listening. they sound waaaay better than the small ones, very noisefree at low volumes, very big and detailed sound, not bad transient response and very very good bass extension. Just remember that they don't have Bluetooth like the micros.
I have the Genelecs. They are really heavy you can’t carry them around like portable speakers. Like two lumps of cast iron.
Genelec sounds a bit darker when Ilouds reveal more high mids and top end...weir as Genelecs tend to be on the brighter side of speakers
Or maybe ilouds are kinda too harsh in the high end?
iloud is more open sounding & midrange focused but genelec sounds more balanced and warm
listening both tests with my Dynaudio BM5A´s ....sensible better low/bass and wider soundstage of iLoud Micro, better overall sound for less price,of course.Both mids and highs are very similar. The sound of Genelecs sounds more canned to my ears(i got this same feeling when i listened the 8020 many years ago,too....) I like Genelec from 8030 series and higher.......and old series from 1030A and bigger....
The transient response of the genelec is cleaner and its slightly more neutral with better timing but the ilouds are a damn fine value since it gets very close in quality plus the fuller bass... plus bluetooth for entertaining people lol. The genelec paired with a sub though mmmm yummy
Very close in many areas except for the New Orleans Jazz where the 8010s sound awful. Not sure if the iLoud's bass is hyped and not what you would get on various systems. The Genelecs sound detailed but cold. I'm guessing that a good mix on these would sound excellent on everything else which is what they are designed for.
Ilouds are built with cheaper materials. Genelec will last longer. However, the Ilouds are meant for on the go musicians. They have Bluetooth, DSP, Volume control (not sure if the genelec do) More connections. Genelec need to do an update on this model, it's been around a long time. But yeah, so far, iloud is a better monitor if you are a beginner, have no space at home or you are starting out, haven't made tunes yet are are learning. Or a pro, who needs a reference monitor that brings top notch quality at a fair price and need something for hotels and tour buses. The Genelec are good mostly for the studio if your workspace is super cramped and you need a small reference monitor that will last you 10 years or more. Then genelec would be your pick.
Most importantly Ilouds sound better
Do you think the 8010 with the 7040 sub are good for dj monitoring in a bedroom? Thanks
I do think so. But I also think that it is going to be very expensive solution. I would rather get solid 2.0 system for less instead. The integration between bass and the rest of the spectrum will be better and the quality of bass should be as good if not better. Monitors like EVE SC205 for example should give Genelec combo run for its money and shoul be easier to dial in
Digital Stereophony Thanks for the suggestion. I will have a look to them. So in general you think it's better remove the sub for dj monitoring? Right now i'm using a LD Systems Dave 8XS for this purpose: the highs and mids are great, but i have to use it in a very low volume and because of this the bass doesn't sound as it should. So maybe is better to find another solution and use it as a normal PA.
It is the question of integration between subwoofer and speakers. In my experience it is hard to get proper integration, especially in desktop enviroment. I prefer to loose few hertz down low but have coherent and focused sound from 2.0 system. For bass monitoring get some headphones and crosscheck between them and speakers ;)
Digital Stereophony Yes it's hard to find a good compromise with speakers and sub. So thanks for the tips ✌️✌️✌️
The iloud has a nice warm sound. The other one, I notice a slight boost near the 250 htz range. So, mixing congas can be a challenge on them. I’m totally sold on the iloud.
Thx so much for this great video! I was wondering if you will compare Genelec G1 vs KEF LSX?
Thanks for this. Going Genelec.
Sounds like the ilouds have some kind of mid high boost going on. The genelec's seem much more balanced .
Frequency curve says you're wrong. There's no mid high boost - the genelecs just sound this bad in comparison. Also keep in mind there is loss from the mic recording and your actual output system.
No actuslly the genelcs hsve a drop in the high mids about 2-3khz
wow how is the ilouds producing that sub?
Hey Digital Stereophony I'm considering s1000db and s2000pro they are $30 difference in price any thoughts. I didn't see a comparison done yet which one would you consider? Also do you have any other recommendations that have the same connections and Bluetooth.
I would definitely spend 30$ more and go with S2000Pro. I do not have better alternative for You at this price point though
Digital Stereophony I'll be ordering them in the next couple days. I used my laptops along with a switch and used your comparisons of both options against the jbl monitors. Quit a sound difference indeed. I also spoke to my uncle who has a recording studio and his reply was that he hated to listen to music on monitors but for what he does they will help source anything negative in the sound so they are a must. Thanx for the work you have done. I've been greatly aided by all of your reviews and responses in the last few months in making a decision. I look forward to receiving the s2000pros. Also price wise the jbl and edifier end up the same price after I priced the extra hardware and cables to give them similar functionality so I think they can't be beat. Thanks again. I'll let you know what I think also what my uncle thinks, he really wants to hear them live as well.
Cool! Regarding listening to music on studio monitors, I think that if You like Your music reproduced faithfully that monitors are good solution. Cheers!
genelec is my favorite but iloud are good too
Iloud micro all the way, more clear and open sound
Take heed mortals, iLoud must have made a deal with the devil to get that response out of a fucking 3x5 inch cabinet. Seriously, it's digital witchcraft, my favorite review so far said they were pretty good, oh and the bass response is:
"off the walls bullshit levels of no fucking way possibleness"
its like switching from mono to stereo, the iloud sounds great for a casual user like me... bh had them on sale for 239 earlier this yr, i should have pulled the trigger :(
iLoud easy winner, I think, and an amazing design. One thing not mentioned in any comparison I've seen so far is how the tonality of the iLoud holds up at extreme angles off-axis compared to almost any other speaker I have heard. Also, they get the tone of a piano right and most smallish speakers do not.
This Genelec, like all I've heard, has a smiley-face signature (a dip in the mid frequencies) which makes them ineffective as monitors which are capable of producing mixes that translate to the real world. It is difficult to know what to fix in the mix on them.
I bought a pair of iLoud micro monitors purely for the extreme portability enabling easy transport to remote recording sessions, but find their rendering of audio accurate enough that I feel I could mix on them if I had to, and plan to try it as an experiment. It is important to adjust the controls on the back appropriate to the monitoring environment, though. I find they sound best on short desktop mic stands and all switches flat. When I have to listen on a desktop, I adjust the upper switch to "desk" or set the LF switch to "-3 dB", with the front legs raised.
I agree that iLoud has great off axis response, also the sweet spot is big so You can move around quite a bit and the images stay stable and sharp wich is nice. I also think that leaving all the tone controls set to neutral is a must, switching them ON introduces too much unwanted changes to the sound, degrades the sound quality IMO.
WOW WOW WOW.... iLoud deep sounds reaally awsome!
The iloud can take a beat, they been abused in several parties, under the sun, covered in sand (had to open them and clean them as sand got into the speaker coils), connectors and volume knob have also been abused and they still kick hard and clean. The plastics are durable hard but the stand legs are relatively fragile, in my pair both legs broke early, but I have to say they were being thrown around
Surprised at how good the iLoud sounds! It does seem to compress a bit though, less dynamic, I think I hear less transients on snare. Bass is crazy on it though.
Which do you prefer? Genelec worth the price?
All the bass work that woofer performs means it is loosing some power and clarity in the midrange and compresses a bit especially when the volume goes up. For music listening I preferred iLoud, for production Genelec would be better choice, but overall if I had a space for bigger speakers I would go bigger for sure in both cases.
At low to moderate volumes (up to ~80 dB), the iLouds don't compress at all - they sound very dynamic and open. At higher levels, they start to compress the low end to prevent the woofer from being damaged by the bass. I use them on my desktop for general listening beside a 32" monitor and they work perfectly for this application. You generally don't need to turn it up loud for desktop listening and they are great at low levels like I already mentioned. I also set the LF adjustment to -3 dB for low volume listening, as the bass is a bit exaggerated at low levels actually on the flat setting.
I used to have larger 5" speakers - JBL LSR305 and Neumann KH120. I think that in my room, the iLouds sound clearer than both of those in the low end... Might be due to the fact that my room doesn't have any treatment and the smaller iLouds don't excite the room modes as much as larger speakers. So if your room is small and untreated, small speakers may actually give you better sound than larger, even much more expensive speakers.
Yup, agree with you there on the iLouds. This review shows the compression you're talking about:
noaudiophile.com/IK_Multimedia_iLoudMM/
At low SPL desktop listening, they should be pretty great!
Surprised that you prefer them to the Neumann KH 120 though, those are fantastic speakers. The room mode excitement should be same provided that both KH and iLoud are functioning linearly without compression, and the listening SPL are the same. If anything, iLoud might be worse since it projects sound more omnidirectionally.
One thing to note with the low extension of the iLouds... the highpass roll-off on it is crazy steep. I suspect this should result in quite a poor low frequency transient response -- delayed response (tens of ms) and slow decay (100+ ms). Should be apparent if you measure its waterfall plot. So while they extend deep, probably not quite punchy and accurate, rather sluggish and smeared. IMO worth the tradeoff for how small and cheap they are.
+Daniel Yeh I agree about the bass being a bit slow, it has a tendency to overhang. The punch is also not up to the same level as in bigger monitors, but overall iLoud is still very impressive considering its size
Definitely impressive!
Another thing I'd guess about them... to keep the costs low, they probably have lower standards for speaker tolerance, and correct the frequency offsets for each individual speaker by DSP (as opposed to throwing away speakers that don't meet tolerance like Genelec might). I can't see otherwise how it'd be so cheap and have such a flat response.
Just a guess! And no complaints, since it seems to be working just fine.
How about comparing iLoud and Behringer? Those should cost about the same.
I view the video & listened, and I Loud Better Bass Than Genelec ?
I think you should post at the end of the videos some HISS tests with the speakers. (Just an Idea.) :)
The active ones have a problem in this regard.
For example my JBL 305, with no sound source connected have an evident hissing noise (BTW, I have Benchmark DAC1, so this should not be a problem)
I thought about it, but it is not easy to capture it with the gear I have at the moment
sir, will you try the test on EVE SC203 & also Fluid audio F5?
They both are in my plans but I can not forsee when I will test them
Impressive bass on iLoud but the frequency response is far from linear, also it misses some low ends frquencies. Genelec speakers sound more natural which is better for reference monitors. iLoud on vocals performs really bad.
Thanks to Your video I got Genelec 8010's. Cheers!
iLoud are incredible. Genelec falled asleep?
I’m happy I’ve ordered iLoud micro monitors (while on sale for $199). Can’t wait to hear them in my room. Hope I made a right choice.
You should be happy with them ;) Come back with Your impressions though!
Vlad What do you think of them?
Where you found this NICE PRICE for iLoud !! ?
so how was it? im planning on buying a pair too.. did you made the right choice?
I bought a pair of iLouds and so you understand my opinion on them let me just say a few things.
I had (and still have) a pair of logitech z-2300 for years. These speakers are a 2.1 system with what is considered one of the best and most powerful subs in a desktop speaker system to this day.
I always found the satellites on these speakers lack a bit of detail on the mids but had OK highs.
Because I have these speakers for a long time it's just impossible not to try to reference the iLouds against them.
And before you say that I'm referencing studio monitors against desktop speakers let me say that I know that.
Now the iLouds.
They have great detail on the mids and high end, which make it way more clear and pleasant than the z-2300. The lows, on the other hand, are not that present. This might not actually be that bad, since you'll be working for long periods of time with them and you don't want all that bass basting. I would still prefer it had a bit more though.
In terms of volume they're fairly loud, for bedroom recording it's way more than enough, and I've never heard them distorting.
Now to give you some extra info.
I once had the chance of comparing Yamaha's HS5, HS7, and a two pairs of Focals in a store and, from what I recall, the iLouds are closer to the HS5 in sound, but in a smaller package.
If you have the room and a bit more cash I'll definetely recommend the Yamaha HS7 though (not the HS5).
Those speakers are really great for the money, they have very good detail in all frequency ranges (including the bass that's missing from the iLouds). It really surprised me that they sounded better than more expensive Focals (don't recall what models they were).
Man those ilouds blow me away, and that song man on fire is 🔥 what is the band name? There are 20 songs called man on fire on Spotify haha
edifier mr4 vs genelec 8010 or 8020 please
make a video ranking all the speakers you have tested out?
Something like that is coming soon. Stay tuned!