No matter how hard I stare at that sentence I can’t make it make sense! It is ready, apart from the fact that it isn’t ready.
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Well perhaps one of the pieces is a backend system that runs in the cloud (for Lanspeaker/8C to talk to) and isn’t quite finished yet?
This is precisely why Roon do not release a roadmap or any associated release dates. You are forever being asked the equivalent of ‘Are we nearly there yet?’…
Perhaps, but they have really taken forever and have done a terrible job communicating with their customers and potential customers.
Unfortunately, the reality of the communication they have had does not support this assertion. I am sure they have the best intentions, but they need to do better at communication.
I still have not heard any mention of the differences (if any) in the slightly different I/O ports (and board?) that were posted further up in this thread. If there are differences in any of the specs, it would be nice to know. If there aren’t, it would also be nice to know.
I don’t think these basic expectations are unreasonable, especially considering the price point. As someone who has been closely looking to purchase the 8c, these omissions and delays impact my confidence in the company and the product.
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And how about a detailed description of the differences between the 8c and the studio version? Both this and the new board needs explanation with proper photos and all.
The information D&D posts may seem enough for their internal use, but certainly not for customers - existing or aspiring… the new I/O was revealed by a owner, not D&D by the way
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Very good point. I have just bought a pair and had 30 days to decide if I wished to keep them. They sound amazing so I certainly won’t be returning them on the basis of sound quality. My biggest concern is will the company be around to support them in the long term. If they are not then who will be able to fix them? The inconsistent communication and seemingly glacial pace of software development is puzzling. I seem to remember watching a video that mentioned they have five people in the software department. What are they doing? A volume slider for lanspeaker surely wouldn’t take much time. Navigation buttons (back and home) shouldn’t take too long either.
I expect they are actually busy on some other project. Perhaps the preamp box (which might be required for Roon to work). Or third party projects. Failing that I can only speculate what the issue is and that’s when the long term support concerns arise. Probably mistakenly.
In any case the product is awesome.
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I cant speak for what you think of the company guys.
But i had the 8C for over 1.5 years . I also had the beta version with ROON , and they sounded AMAZING. In my ears , streaming via lan took the speakers to another level. And the integration with ROON was smoot , power them on when pushing play and power them of by pressing the I/O button in roon. Volume control via ROON. Also used the convlution filter options , and the results where amazing. Great software , great hardware = magic.
It´s a little sad that the ROON implementation is delayed. But you guys really have something to look forward to. The company is young with great ambitions. Yes , we are frustrated , but dont forget that this small and young company has done something far bigger only could have dreamt of. The DD8C are truly amazing , and I for sure miss them.
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You seem to have been very pleased with them but mention you miss them. Did you sell and buy something else?
That´s right ! I love to try out new gear . Had them for 1,5 years and felt that i wanted to try something new . I only have space for one set up at the time , otherwise i would have saved them.
Out of curiosity what speaker are you listening to currently?
Impressive, any thoughts on relative strengths/weaknesses between the 8C and the Genelecs?
I asked @J.D this question in another thread and he was kind enough to reply:
Both speakers deliver the best sound for money ive ever heard. They actually (to my ears) sound very alike. Transparent with a tweeter that never becoms to harsh .
Genelec 8361A has a slighly better soundstage due to the coaxial design. The midrange on the 8361A is also just a bit better , more open , clearer.
Both speakers are really good, but you need to integrate them to the room via DSP . They become twice as good then. It´s day and night in difference .
That is an interesting observation, as one of the USPs of the D&Ds is making the room ‘disappear’ at those frequencies to improve clarity via reduced room interaction.
Dont get me wrong , had the DD for 1,5 years . They are AMAZING speakers . But this was the first thing that i noticed . The midrange of the Genelec plays with a bit nore ease. Its actually the first time I get the feeling that its very close to Beryllium properties. The sounds just "come off / come loose " in a very nice way. And the Coaxial driver is hands down one of the best ive heard . A lot of RnD has been put in to make that.
On friday i am gonna make some convolution filters in ROON and see if i can get them even better . I dont have the proper GLM know how to date.
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How does the bass compare?
I have followed this thread for a while. J.D. has contributed a lot when he’s having 8c. I knew he changed to Genelec 8361. At the end, I just bought 8c and wait for delivery. But I actually want to try both if possible. I see Genelec should have some advantages over 8c for its axial and the single source concept (assuming they both perform well in SQ). 8c’s inherent advantage however is something Genelec doesn’t have - designed to be put close to the wall (for Genelec, you could still put close to the wall but have to do something more to adjust) and its down to 100Hz directivity. I tried many speakers, 8c impresses me most with its extremely even directivity. I have a feeling that if you are not preparing to furnish the room with more panels or acoustics control, and you like to walk around the room and still enjoy high quality ‘room sound’, 8c probably is the one to deliver this the best among others. Both have its advantages over another at some particular areas, which may need to be thought about what one needs most. Having said all this, I may buy 8361a to play after experimenting enough for 8c … that should be fun! I actually like the 8351b and W391 combination. But I don’t know how to place them to fit my room decor haha. Reselling them is actually very difficult …
Thanks for the background information.
Had some 8c’s on a week’s trial. Good speakers, and excellent at the their price point.
Technology is impressive, and the measurements are excellent. But they sounded a little over-processed to me, whether with or without room-correction filters applied, and to my ears the vocals and higher frequencies were too forwards for extended listening. Clear, decent (though not outstanding) bass, tightly controlled. Analytical more than emotional. I’d seriously consider them for a difficult room/awkward positioning, but in a dedicated room which is relatively neutral, I’ve decided I have heard better things and so they went back. Well worth a listen if you’re interested in active speakers though.
Oh, and the lack of Roon readiness was a bit of a killer for me, as it meant an additional box and an additional D/A then A/D conversion step (though with other cabling I could have mitigated that). But with 2 emails on this question unanswered by the company, I don’t see it happening any time soon… and it didn’t help their sales case…
But thanks to Keith for the loan, and well recommended that you listen for yourself.
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Thanks! Very refreshing to get a different view on the 8c. A bit surprising that you found them forward sounding, but I haven’t heard the 8c yet so I do not know if I would hear the same myself. After reading quite a lot about the 8c I have the impression that they are actually rather dark sounding. They can still sound forward of course. I suppose the room would be a factor here.
Pity RAAT is still not available and D&D can be somewhat hit and miss responding to email unfortunately.
I don’t know. I’ve had the 8c for 5 months or so. They sound good to me. They replaced Klipsch la scala and Bottlehead amps. I tried A/B comparison with the La Scalas and they seemed about the same. But, when I listen to the D&D loud I convince myself they sound better. I think they do.