Findland, Findland, Findland. I know that’s the opening verse to a Monty Python song but it’s also the birthplace of Teemu Selanne, and the home of 188,000 lakes and one of the best spots on Earth to watch the Northern Lights. Finnish loudspeaker brand Genelec is far more popular in the pro audio space and after 43 years of success in that category, they are branching out. The new Genelec 6040R Smart Active Loudspeaker is designed for your home and while the industrial design might not be for everyone, I suspect this ‘active’ loudspeaker with DSP is going to attract some attention.
Has the success of Devialet inspired others to deliver more modern looking active loudspeakers with DSP and other wireless features that are only finally starting to show up from traditional loudspeaker manufacturers with boring looking boxes?
I think we know the answer to that question.
Genelec handed over the keys to Finnish Industrial Designer, Harri Koskinen, and he’s come up with something rather sleek and clean looking.
Koskinen (who might be related to NHL goaltender, Mikko Koskinen) is best known for his Block lamp which is a permanent piece in the MoMA in NYC.
Genelec has not gone the wireless route with the new 6040R but advanced DSP is a huge point of differentiation here.
The room is the most important component in your home stereo system but there is only so much one can do unless you are listening in a dedicated space where you can install acoustic treatments without having to worry about the aesthetics of panels and bass traps.
DSP allows one to tailor the sound based on the room itself. Without ugly acoustic treatments creating a domestic fight at home.
Harri Koskinen’s long association with Genelec began 20 years ago with the introduction of the timeless 6040A model, the first Genelec loudspeaker to feature the distinctive minimalist curves of the Minimum Diffraction Enclosure (MDE) – a cabinet design by Koskinen that now forms the core of much of Genelec’s current loudspeaker range.
Fashioned from die-cast aluminium, the MDE meant that the original 6040A produced exceptionally clean acoustic performance, delivered staggeringly wide frequency response from such a compact enclosure, and was free from the resonances that affected more traditional wooden cabinet designs.
The MDE also allowed the 6040A to feature Genelec’s now-familiar Directivity Control Waveguide, which produces smooth uncoloured reproduction both on and off-axis, with unrivalled imaging and minimal distortion.
The 20th anniversary of the 6040 launch has given Genelec the opportunity to re-imagine the technology within the 6040 as part of a new Signature Series – a collection of specially cherished loudspeaker models and design collaborations that have marked Genelec’s unique contribution to the world of audio over the last four decades.
Designed and manufactured to the highest environmental standards by Genelec in Iisalmi, Finland, the re-engineered 6040R now features the same LF driver design and proprietary bi-amplified Class D power amplifier technology as Genelec’s professional loudspeaker models.
Other refinements include both analogue and digital inputs (supporting AES/EBU and SPDIF formats), a digital output, universal mains voltage and sophisticated onboard DSP to allow each 6040R loudspeaker to be intelligently tuned for any acoustic environment via GLM room calibration software.
Having carefully positioned the 6040R loudspeakers in the room, this close integration of onboard signal processing and GLM software allows the user to enjoy pure, natural playback – even in spaces that were not originally intended for critical listening.
The 6040R accomplishes this through GLM 4.1’s new AutoCal 2 room calibration algorithm, which takes advantage of detailed background information of each individual loudspeaker in the system to precisely tailor the performance to the room.
Additionally, the re-imagined 6040R offers increased power output, higher SPL, wide phase linearity, lower power consumption and decades of reliable service. It also partners seamlessly with selected models from Genelec’s range of F Series and Smart Active Subwoofers, and can be used with Genelec wired and wireless volume controllers via either an F Series subwoofer or a GLM network adaptor.
Equipped with a 165 mm (6.5 inch) woofer and 19 mm (0.75 inch) tweeter, each driven independently by twin dedicated 150 W power amplifier stages, the 6040R stands at 999 mm (39.33 inches) high and delivers a frequency response of 43 Hz to 20 kHz with a maximum short term SPL of 110 dB. With the addition of one or two subwoofers, the SPL and frequency response of the system may be further extended.
With active crossovers and sophisticated protection circuitry, the 6040R offers clean, simple installation and only requires feeding with a high-quality audio source to produce exquisitely detailed playback – the kind of exceptionally accurate reproduction that has already made Genelec the loudspeaker of choice for audio professionals working in the worlds of music, film and TV.
Availability
The visual appeal of the 6040R is enhanced further through the color options of grey, black, white, black with white grilles and white with black grilles.
Specifications
SPL: 110 dB
Amplifier Power: 150 W Treble (Class D) + 150 W Bass (Class D)
Frequency Response: 43 Hz – 20 kHz (“-6 dB”)
Accuracy of Frequency Response: ± 1.5 dB (50 Hz – 20 kHz)
Driver Dimensions:
6.5″ Woofer + .75″ Tweeter (165 mm + 19 mm)
Dimensions
- HxWxD: 39-11/32″ x 9-11/32″ x 8-21/32″ (999 mm x 237 mm x 220 mm)
- Base W 10″ (250 mm) x D 10.5″ (266 mm)
Connections
- 1 x XLR Analog Input
- 1 x XLR AES/EBU Input
- 1 x XLR AES/EBU Output
- 2 x RJ45 Control
Weight: 14.9 kg / 32.8 lb
Frequency Response
For more information: genelec.com/6040R
