Short answer: the Neumann KH420. It ranks #5 of 119 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.8/5, at $11,198; the Genelec 8380A ranks #9, rated 4.7/5, and costs $22,150, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
The case for the Genelec 8380A: A large midfield studio monitor with a 15 inch woofer, very accurate sound, full range bass, and huge clean output. Watch for: The predicted in-room response is less smooth than the Genelec 8361A (smoothness 0.78 against 0.87) and the in-room bass is less even, so placement and a GLM calibration matter more to get the most from it.
The Neumann KH420 is the deeper-bass pick. Large three-way studio monitors with highly accurate mids and genuinely deep bass, built for bigger rooms and dynamic material. Its bass reaches about 27.8Hz before falling 3dB, against 33.8Hz for the Genelec 8380A. Watch for: It is a large, heavy studio monitor rather than an easy desktop speaker.
Buy the Neumann KH420. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Genelec 8380A and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
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Measured Differences
- Bass depth: the Neumann KH420 reaches 27.8 Hz (3 dB down) against 33.8 Hz for the Genelec 8380A, about half an octave deeper. You hear more of the lowest bass notes and kick drums.
- Close enough not to matter: preference score with a subwoofer (8.0 vs 8.1).
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Specifications Side By Side
| Genelec 8380A | Neumann KH420 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $22,150 per pair | $11,198 per pair |
| Ranked | #9 of 119 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #5 of 119 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 31.9”H x 18.9”W x 16.5”D (810 x 480 x 420 mm) | 25.4”H x 13”W x 17.5”D (645.2 x 330.2 x 444.5 mm) |
| Weight | 119 lbs (54 kg) each | 77.2 lbs (35 kg) each |
| Drivers | 15” (380mm) woofer, 4.9” (130mm) coaxial midrange with 1” (25mm) coaxial metal dome tweeter | 10” woofer, 4” dome midrange, 1” fabric dome tweeter |
| Amplifier Power | 950w Per Speaker (500W woofer, 250W midrange, 200W tweeter) | 555w Per Speaker |
| Frequency Response | 38Hz - 20kHz (±1.5dB), 29Hz - 43kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 31Hz - 21kHz (±3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Maximum SPL | 122dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) | 124dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) |
| DSP | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (via GLM software) | Yes (Room response controls) |
| App | Yes (GLM) | Yes (MA 1 alignment) |
| Inputs | XLR, AES/EBU | XLR |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| XLR Input | Yes | Yes |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 33.8Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 27.8Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 29.0Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) | 24.4Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.53 | 7.02 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.97 | 8.14 |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Genelec 8380A: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner and Stjernholm.
- Neumann KH420: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Audio Science Review.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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