User Manual

6040R Smart Active Loudspeaker
Back in 1999 Genelec founder, Ilpo Martikainen, had a vision. He wanted to create a loudspeaker
with curves reminiscent of a ball. And it wasn’t merely for looks. It was so that sound waves could
flow more freely. Ilpo knew that curves were the optimal shape for the acoustical use of space.
That same year Ilpo met Harri Koskinen, the internationally renowned Finnish designer. And you
might say the rest is history. Only this piece of history isn’t relegated to the past. Not anymore.
Harri recalls, “Even though Genelec’s quality was the best in the world, back then their loudspeakers
looked similar to others on the market. So we concluded that it was worthwhile considering an alternative.
Ilpo also explained to me the principles of the acoustic world, and he did it very well.” Harri remembered
that Genelec had already used aluminium in its 1029A model and he grasped its potential because
“It’s a very sympathetic material for a loudspeaker enclosure. It’s easy to shape and it’s also very stiff
which means it doesn’t resonate much.” Harri was realising that he could bring Ilpo’s vision to life.
Launched in 2001 and constructed out of die-cast aluminium to enhance volume efficiency, EMC shielding
and thermal conductivity, the 6040A sought to overcome the typical challenges that hindered a loudspeaker’s
acoustic performance. Then came its soft, fluid curves that brilliantly deliver pure, uncoloured sound in virtually
any acoustic space. As a result, the 6040A was hailed a success in many international design publications,
and in 2003 it was awarded an Honorary Mention in the esteemed Fennia Prize design competition.
In the subsequent years, we’ve worked tirelessly to refine the design of our
electronics and drivers, and we’ve also embraced Digital Signal Processing to
enable our loudspeakers to intelligently adapt to any room environment.
Now, the re-imagined 6040R features professional grade LF drivers, proprietary Class D power amplifier
technology, and tight integration with our GLM room calibration software. This results in a loudspeaker
with increased power output, higher SPL, wide phase linearity, lower power consumption and
performance completely optimised for your room – no matter how challenging the acoustics might be.