Styled in a finish dubbed “producer” by the manufacturers, the Genelec 8331 is a point-source, near-field monitor for pro-audio applications. It features a coaxial design, which houses its midrange driver, treble tweeter, and dual 5.1” woofers in one location, thereby aligning their acoustical axes and ensuring an accurate point of sonic radiation. The monitor can accept both analog and digital AES/EBU signals from separate XLR jacks, using Intelligent Signal Sensing technology (ISS) to detect automatically what kind of audio is being fed into the monitor.
To coordinate multiple 8331s, you can make use of Genelec’s GLM software to tune your monitor to your room, facilitate and coordinate the daisy-chaining of monitors, override the ISS function, and more. Routing is accomplished by means of a few Cat5 cables and a GLM adapter, which is available separately. You’ll note that two RJ45s are provided for GLM connectivity. An XLR output jack is also on hand for sending identical copies of incoming AES/EBU signals to other monitors.
DIP switches and a rotary control for level are offered on the rear of the monitor for offline use. Here, you’ll also find a reflex port to better direct low-end energy. An Iso-Pod stand is included to facilitate isolation from aurally deleterious surfaces. Other assets, such as the 8331’s acoustically concealed woofers, minimum diffraction coaxial construction, and a proprietary waveguide, are further expounded upon in the features section.