Setup
Supplying the amplified signal to this component system, I wired an Alpine CDA-9857 head unit directly to a TRU Technology C-7 amplifier (conservatively rated at 125 watts x 4). The driving channels were level-matched within 0.05 volts of each other. At no time was any processing used during the listening test.
I devised completely new baffles to fit the slightly oversized woofers and the odd-sized mid/high-frequency drivers. Since both drivers use an open-frame design, I added a small well-damped enclosure behind the mid/high-frequency driver. The supplied manual warns of reflections' having a negative effect on the speaker's clarity when mounting to a thick piece of MDF; therefore, Genesis recommends producing a baffle from aluminum or ABS plastic 5-6mm thick (the basket has no rear seating flange and its openings could easily be covered) and layering it with sound deadening. Since I didn't have either one of these materials on hand, I cut a cover baffle for the mid/high-frequency driver from 11/44" (6.3mm) MDF and fit it over a 5" diameter hole in the main baffle. The internal edges were chamfered at 45-degree angles on both openings to eliminate the possibility of reflections.
I bolted the new baffles to my well-damped 2.25ft3 test enclosures and finalized my setup with some brief listening. I determined the best position for the speaker cabinets to be just slightly turned in from on-axis, although the Genesis had such great off-axis response, it didn't really matter-a great benefit when installing them into a car. The best blend between the speakers came with the crossovers of the mid/high speakers set to -3dB.
Listening
R&B/Soul
Toni Braxton "Shadowless"
"Shadowless" is not the poppy R&B tune we've come to expect from Toni Braxton, but a composition driven to take advantage of her soulful side-one that promotes body sway, not head-bobbing. Hailing from center stage, Braxton's lofty vocal stretches from a deep, soulful low up to a fervent high with hints of breath and wisp complementing her words. An accompaniment of acoustic guitars mocks her very position and bloom to the extremes of the soundstage.
Braxton's smooth choral transitions make it easy to hone in on a system's ability to sound natural over a broad range and the Genesis did a pretty good job. Breath and wisp were well accounted for, yet the system struggled to bring Braxton to a complete, lifelike state. To my ears, the Studio 16 lacked total definition, and the vocals just didn't emerge with the exacting image and presence they should for a system at this level. On the other hand, the guitars nicely filled the plane of the soundstage, providing a naturalness that the vocals couldn't-even if they were a little thin on the lowest fundamental notes.
A quick squeeze of the volume knob and the Studio 16 exhibited a more brash personality. The vocals went from natural to rough, with certain notes in Braxton's midrange barking out in a slightly disturbing, distorted manner. I considered that this might be a baffle-related problem, so I trimmed slightly more material from the mounting hole and re-chamfered the internal edge. Unfortunately, this seemed to have little effect on the sound, which did affect its score.
Score: 7/10