Happy Birthday @SenyorC!
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Happy Birthday!
I hope you have a wonderful day.
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I am just using an inexpensive Nobsound NS-05P right now. I will eventually get myself a goldpoint or something like that. My cables are reasonably short and the NS-05P seems to be doing quite well so far. The Genelecs are quite sensitive (even with its attenuation dip switches on) and the RME starts to lose its dynamic punch once you get below the +7dBu Reference level.
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switches âonâ or âoffâ? - I thought with the switches âonâ they get more sensitive
Yeahh I realised the loss in dynamics, when I used my headphone amp with fixed volume the first days and controlled the volume (line out) via the RME over XLRâs to the hf AMP.
After I read some recommendations by Ian and others here on the forum, switched immediately to a fixed 13db out, etc
Thank you for pointing out - again- these small little details! They can make or brake ones experiance 
It may depend on the model. Turns out the 8020s use a rotary sensitivity control. I had a another pair of Genelecs here that used the dip switches to adjust sensitivity. The Dip switches on the 8020s activate various room mode controls and the Auto-off functionality.
I thought that the Neumannâs imaged super well, but these little guys put them to shame 
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I also did never hear anything but highest praise for the Genelecâs
Thanks for the info on the rotary sensitivity controls and the Dip switches- makes total sense!
The nice thing with the dip switches on Genelecs is that they allow you to adjust for room acoustics.
Genelecs are tested for flat frequency response in an anechoic room but they understand that nobody uses them in that way, thatâs why they offer the switches for desktop, bass tilt, treble tilt etc.
They are also one of the few companies (from my experience in studio monitors) that recommend you keep them a maximum of 60cm from a wall, helping avoid strange reflections.
Their website is very helpful but so are the guys who work there. We have been lucky (as a company) to have worked with Genelec for over a decade and we have offices in Finland where the Genelec guys come and visit to show us the âproperâ way to use their monitors.
It may sound weird but I think that Genelecs are some of the most forgiving monitors for rooms that are not treated correctly (that doesnât mean that they donât sound much better with a proper room)
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And thanks to you all for the happy cake day wishes!
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Interesting, @SenyorC and really great to hear your experience with the Genelecs. I thought the same just having them in my room. The Genelecs sound better than they should right now. The Neumanns worked better in my larger space.
Itâs a small untreated 9X13 room. I will be adding treatment in the coming months (this is a new space), but I feel that theyâre doing a pretty fine job given the lack of treatment and their proximity to the wall (about 8" actually).
Following the Genelec guides made tuning these for my room very easy. I was sure the imaging would suck until I put the treatment in, but it is surprisingly â shockingly good. I donât do much mixing, but a lot of editing, pencil mixes to hand off to the big boys and assessing of 2.0 mixes. OhâŚand a metric f**k ton of pleasure listening while I work.
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Sweet setup. 
Is that an Eamesâ management chair? 
Ahah. Good eye. Itâs the Herman Miller Eames Aluminum group. Iâm sadly going to swap it out as it kills my arms in long sessions. 
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Yeah, some of the designs arenât the most comfortable for long sessions (even though they espoused function over form).
But boy, are they gorgeousâŚ
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Gonna chime in here. Iâm generally not a fan of powered speakers. Too many good choices that are not powered, and I have at least two spare integrated amps. But in my headphone battlestation room (too messy now to photograph, nor is it a coll man cave) I have a pair of Sonos Play 3âs and a Sonos Sub. Elsewhere, Iâve got the Play 5âs, and for many rooms, Iâd say that is a plenty good system, plus it streams. I can use ROON, and even play YouTube videos on one of my screens while casting to the Sonos. If you want 5.1, add a soundbar and a couple of Play 1âs still under $2500
While the Sonos DAC may not be as good as what you get with headphones, other features, such as their room tuning more than make up for it.
That said, Iâd much prefer either a pair of Magnepan 1.7s (with modest quality amplifier) or LRSs (With a better amp like my old Sansui AU-919) or Martin Logan ESLâs (or for just over the price limit, ESL-X)
Take your pick.
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Different use cases. Iâve been looking for pair for Magnepans for a while now, but Iâm not going to put them on my office desk. 
I like tower speakers, but well placed near-field monitors can provide imaging and clarity that would cost many more monies in a different arrangement. That is, unless I move my head 2ft to either side.
In most cases, these types of monitors are how the music was created, so they might be the best translation of an artists intention-- but they have their limitations.
Controversial edit: This is why I think that the RAALâs should be reviewed against headphones and near-field monitors.
Personally, I like having all the options. 
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I donât think this is a bad idea. The RAALâs are so distinctly different from a âconventionalâ headphone that I can see these comparisons as fair.
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There was a craze for near field monitors back in the 80s. People attaching them to wicker hanging chairs. While they sound good, they really pin you down.
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I have a friend with a 9.2 cinema surround set up using Genelec. The system sounds absolutely amazing, as long as you are sitting in his chair 
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So, after some trying them I can finally answer your questions. It might well be the room I tried them in, which is not really ideal, but I found the LS50W to be a bit better than the LSX, not extremely better. This is all going by memory, so my impressions might be inaccurate. They are undoubtedly more technical, as they have more detail, better instrument separation and a larger soundstage (which is kinda surprising given how large it was on the LSX!). But as far as tuning goes, I honestly prefer the LSX - if my memory serves me right, they were more linear.
The LS50W offer way more connectivity options though and deeper bass, so in the end I think I would actually choose them. They can be used as near field monitors effectively, which is how I would use them most of the time - with the LSX itâs a bit more complicated as you canât use a direct USB connection to a PC and you have to go through the analogue â digital â analogue path which is not ideal, even though itâs a transparent transformation.
If I had access to both at the same time I would be able to give a more in-depth comparison, but as I have to rely on my memory I will say this: my opinion is that the both the LSX and the LS50W are exceptional speakers in their price range, with the LSX offering more value as they sound quite close to the LS50W while costing just half the money. In absolute terms the LS50W are better, sure, but the price/performance ratio of the LSX is superior.
My two cents, of course!
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Iâm sure that is amazing.
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