Our most compact professional subwoofer, the 7040A brings controlled low-end accuracy to the tightest of production spaces.
7040A Studio Subwoofer

Active Crossovers

Bass Management System

SPL
100 dB

Frequency Response
30 Hz - 90 Hz (-6dB)

Dimensions
H 410 x W 350 x D 205 mm, (view in inches)

Not just ‘more bass’
A great subwoofer is about so much more than just delivering ‘more bass’. The laminar spiral design of the 7040A ensures that it can deliver high SPL performance that is precise, articulate and free from distortion, right down to 30 Hz. So when partnered with our 8010 or 8020 nearfield monitors, the 7040A creates a full-range system that is completely seamless. It just sounds ‘right’.

Superior management skills
Onboard bass management technology enables the 7040A to filter LF information from the main channels and take responsibility for handling it – thus increasing the headroom and reducing the distortion of the main monitors, which can then focus their energies on the rest of the frequency spectrum. Additionally, room compensation controls allow you to optimise the 7040A for your room environment in exactly the same way as our monitors, so you can still be confident of producing mixes that translate perfectly.
Genelec
7040A Studio Subwoofer
1 x 7040A subwoofer
1 x mains cable 1,8m
1 x user manual
7040A Studio Subwoofer
Awards
Technical Specifications

SPL
100 dB

Amplifier Power
50 W Bass (Class D)

Frequency Response
30 Hz - 90 Hz ("-6 dB")

Accuracy of Frequency Response
± 3 dB (33 Hz - 85 Hz)

Driver Dimensions
⌀ 165 mm Bass (view in inches)

Dimensions
H 410 x W 350 x D 205 mm, (view in inches)

Weight
11.3 kg / 24.9 lb

Connections
2 x XLR Analog Input
2 x XLR Analog Output
7040A Studio Subwoofer
Technical Specifications
System Specifications
Frequency Response
33 Hz - 85 Hz (± 3 dB)
Low cutoff -6dB
30 Hz
High cutoff -6dB
90 Hz

SPL
Short term max SPL Maximum short term sine wave SPL output averaged from 40 to 85 Hz, measured in half space at 1 meter.
≥100 dB
Self-generated noise
Self-generated noise Self generated noise level in half space at 1 m (A-weighted).
≤5 dB
Weight
Weight11.3 kg (24.9 lb)
Dimensions
Height
410 mm
Width
350 mm
Depth
205 mm

Enclosure
Enclosure material
MDF
Enclosure type
Reflex port
Drivers
Driver type
Cone
Diameter
165 mm
Harmonic distortion
Amplifier Section
Amplifiers
50 W Class D
A high-efficiency, low-distortion 50W Class D amplifier with integrated driver protection circuitry.
Mains voltage
100-240 VAC 50/60Hz
Power consumption
ISS Active
≤0.5 W
Idle
≤5 W
Full output
70 W
Signal processing section
Connectors
2 x Input Analog signal input connector XLR female, balanced 10 kOhm.
2 x Output XLR male.
For even more technical details please see product operating manual.
Key Technologies

Active Crossovers

Bass Management System

Intelligent Signal Sensing (ISS™) Technology

Laminar Spiral Enclosure (LSE™) Technology

Optimized Amplifiers

Protection Circuitry

Room Response Compensation
Active crossover operating at low signal levels.
Audio electronic crossovers allow to split the audio signal into separate frequency bands that can be separately routed to individual power amplifiers which then are connected to specific transducers optimized for a particular frequency band.
Active crossovers come in both digital and analogue varieties. Genelec digital active crossovers include additional signal processing, such as driver protection, delay, and equalization.
Genelec analogue active crossover filters contain electronic components that are operated at low signal levels suitable for power amplifier inputs. This is in contrast to passive crossovers that operate at the high signal levels of the power amplifier's outputs, having to handle high currents and in some cases high voltages.
In a typical 2-way system the active crossover needs two power amplifiers — one for the woofer and one for the tweeter.
The active crossover design offers multiple benefits:
- The frequency response becomes independent of any dynamic changes in the driver's electrical characteristics or the drive level.
- There is an increased flexibility and precision to adjust and fine tune each output frequency response for the specific drivers used.
- Each driver has its own signal processing and power amplifier. This isolates each driver from the drive signals handled by the other drivers, reducing inter-modulation distortion and overdriving problems.
- The ability to compensate for sensitivity variations between drivers.
- The possibility to compensate for the frequency and phase response anomalies associated with a driver’s characteristics within the intended pass-band.
- The flat frequency response of a high-quality active loudspeaker is a result of the combined effect of the crossover filter response, power amplifier responses and driver responses in a loudspeaker enclosure.
Using the active approach enables frequency response adjustments and optimization of the full loudspeaker system, placed in various room environments, without expensive external equalizers. The end result is a simpler, more reliable, efficient, consistent and precise active loudspeaker system.
Bass Management System handles multichannel low frequency content.
The principle of bass management is that the bass content of the main channels and the Low Frequency Effect (LFE) channel are directed and reproduced only by loudspeakers capable of handling them, whether they are main system loudspeakers or one or more subwoofer(s).
In stereo reproduction, signals from 20 Hz to 20 kHz need to be replayed. Large multi-way monitoring systems will reproduce such a wide bandwidth evenly. With multichannel audio, professional and consumer audio systems must also be able to reproduce audio between 20 Hz and 20 kHz for each channel. To achieve this, main monitors, subwoofers and crossover electronics should work together.
A Bass Management system uses either analogue electronic circuitry or software based filtering which will filter low frequency information from the main channels and route that information to one, or more, subwoofer feed.
The dedicated LFE channel can also be monitored via that subwoofer and added to the low frequencies of the other main channels. Therefore, the Bass Management’s basic and main goal is to ensure that the entire audio bandwidth of all channels can be accurately monitored.
The benefits of the Bass Management System:
- The subwoofer extends the system frequency response down the lower limit of the audible range
- Monitor can produce a higher maximum sound level when not reproducing low frequencies
- Optimized low frequency reproduction by selecting adequate subwoofer location; monitors can also be placed more freely
- Subwoofer’s output are aligned in level and phase with monitors allowing flat and accurate reproduction down to 19 Hz and across the crossover point
- LFE channel output level (0 or +10 dB re. main channels) can be selected for accurate reproduction depending on the source type
- The ability to bypass the subwoofer allows to evaluate the audible impact of the subwoofer
Intelligent Signal Sensing (ISS™) for power consumption reduction in stand-by mode.
Introduced early 2013, Genelec’s Intelligent Signal-Sensing technology has been developed to meet with both European Union ErP Directives and the company’s own wider sustainability commitments.
The Intelligent Signal Sensing, ISS™ circuitry tracks the signal input of the loudspeaker and detects if it is in use. If the ISS circuit does not find any audio on the input for a period of time, it sets the loudspeaker to a low-power sleep state and the loudspeaker will consume less than 0.5 watts. When an input signal is detected, the loudspeaker immediately turns itself on. Basically, the loudspeaker system will start saving power as soon as work is interrupted.
Additionally an ‘ISS Disable’ switch is located on each product’s back plate next to the other room response controls. First, when the mains power switch of the loudspeaker is set to “ON”, the ISS™ auto-start function (low-power sleep state on/off) of the loudspeaker is active.
If this function is not desired, the ISS™ function can be disabled by setting the “ISS Disable” switch on the back panel to “ON” position. In this mode, the monitor is only powered on and off using the mains power switch.
Note that the mains power switch will always turn the monitor off completely.
Highly efficient Laminar Spiral Enclosure (LSE™) provides accurate low frequency reproduction.
The demands placed on subwoofers over the last years have increased substantially to the point where traditional design concepts are no longer valid. For Genelec, in order to achieve the absolute best performance possible, bold initiatives must be taken.
Drawing on years of acoustic research and knowledge, Genelec's engineering group accepted the challenges placed upon them in the beginning of the 21st Century. The totally unique, curvilinear shape of the LSE™ Series Active Subwoofer enclosure is the revolutionary patented result of their efforts.
All of the Genelec LSE™ series subwoofers feature this innovative Laminar Spiral Enclosure™ (LSE™) bass reflex cabinet. It provides excellent laminar flow characteristics with minimal turbulence noise and enables an optimal packing of a very long reflex tube into a small space.
The learnings from the LSE Technology are also utilized in the reflex port design of our aluminium enclosure products.
The spiral-shaped design yields an extremely rigid enclosure exterior while also forming the subwoofer's integral port. The fact that one is part of the other means that air flow in and out of the enclosure's interior through the port is totally unrestricted. This results in an extraordinarily accurate and responsive low-frequency system with measured second and third harmonic distortion levels typically better than 30 dB below the fundamental.
When combined with Genelec stereo and multichannel bass management active electronics, the LSE™ Series Subwoofers provide a low-frequency listening experience like no other. The result is a product range with impeccable technical performance: The Genelec LSE subwoofer range is unique, complete, functional, different from any other products on the market, and consistent.
Each transducer is driven by its own optimized amplifier.
Audio electronic crossovers allow to split the audio signal into separate frequency bands that can be separately routed to individual power amplifiers which then are connected to specific transducers optimized for a particular frequency band.
In a typical 2-way loudspeaker system, the active crossover needs two power amplifiers — one for the woofer and one for the tweeter. The power amplifiers are connected directly to the drivers of an active loudspeaker, resulting in the power amplifier’s load becoming much simpler and well known. Each driver-specific power amplifier has only a limited frequency range to amplify (the power amplifier is placed after the active crossover) and this adds to the ease of design.
The active design principle offers multiple benefits:
- The power amplifiers are directly connected to the speaker drivers, maximizing the control exerted by the power amplifier’s damping on the driver’s voice coil, reducing the consequences of dynamic changes in the driver electrical characteristics. This may improve the transient response of the system.
- There is a reduction in the power amplifier output requirement. With no energy lost in the passive crossover filter components, the amplifier power output requirements are reduced considerably (by up to 1/2 in some cases) without any reduction in the acoustic power output of the loudspeaker system. This can reduce costs and increase audio quality and system reliability.
- No loss between amplifier and driver units results in maximum acoustic efficiency
- Active technology can achieve superior sound output vs. size vs. low frequency cut-off performance
- All loudspeakers are delivered as a factory aligned system (amplifiers, crossover electronics and enclosure-driver systems)
Sophisticated drive unit protection circuitry for safe operation.
When working in critical audio production environments it is essential that monitoring systems remain reliable and functional at all times. One of the main reasons behind Genelec’s excellent success in broadcasting environments is the reliability of our products and a key element behind the reliability is the internal protection circuitry found in all products since 1978.
The protection circuitry prevents driver failures by detecting signal levels, and in case of sudden peaks or constantly too high levels, taking the signal level down automatically. Of course this feature does not affect the sound quality in any way when working within the specifications of the loudspeaker, but only prevents inadequate input signals from breaking the loudspeaker.
Protection circuitry features and benefits:
- Reduces the output level when required, (e.g. when driver voice coil temperature reaches the safe limit) which highly improves the system reliability
- Appropriate protection circuitry design in every loudspeaker and subwoofer enables to maximise system output sound level.
Precise room response compensation for optimizing in-room performance.
The interaction between room acoustic and loudspeaker radiation is complex. Each room changes somewhat the monitor’s response in a unique way, e.g. reflective vs. damped rooms, or placement against a wall vs. on a stand away from the walls.
All Genelec loudspeaker systems feature room response adjustments to compensate for the room influences and retrieve a flat frequency response at the listening position.
Analogue Systems
Genelec analogue loudspeaker systems provide versatile Room Response Controls. They include (depending on models):
- Bass Roll-Off and Bass Tilt
- Treble Tilt and Treble Roll-Off
- Bass Level
- Midrange Level
- Treble Level
- Desktop Control
At low frequencies two main controls are provided. The Bass Tilt control, which acts as a shelving filter together with the Bass Roll-off control allowing you to optimize the low and very low frequency response of the system in different installations. Bass, midrange and treble level controls are provided in large systems. These controls allow to optimize the relative balance between the various pass bands.
The operating manual and datasheet of each loudspeaker contains a list of preferred room response control settings for different installations. These have been specified out of long practical experience and measurements of various kind of typical acoustic environments.
Smart Active Monitor (SAM™) Systems
Genelec SAM Systems offer a comprehensive, solution-oriented, intelligently networked product range which all feature Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM™) software and its automatic calibration system called AutoCal™.
Genelec AutoCal provides the industry’s first integrated process for complete automated measurement, analysis, and adjustment of every monitor on the GLM control network. The system measures the response in the listening area and applies relevant compensation in the low and low-mid frequencies to minimise the detrimental room acoustic anomalies as well as the differences between various listening positions. AutoCal also aligns relative levels, time-of-flight, as well as adjusts correct crossover phase (called AutoPhase) for all subwoofers on the network.
The Acoustic Response Editor provides accurate graphical display of the measured response, filter compensation and the resulting system response for each monitor, with full manual control of acoustic settings.
The Amerikalinjen building located in the most central and vibrant part of Oslo has a rich and colourful history. It was inaugurated in 1919 as the headquarters of the Norwegian America Line, a hugely successful passenger and freight shipping company that opened up the New World for hundreds of thousands of Norwegians.
100 years later the architectural landmark has been reborn as one of Oslo’s premier urban boutique hotels, complete with a comprehensive Genelec sound system supplied by Norwegian pro audio specialists, Benum. Occupying some of Oslo’s most prime real estate, Amerikalinjen - owned by the Nordic Choice Hotels group - has retained all of its authenticity whilst providing today’s travellers with a thoroughly modern experience.
You know that once they are in, the client will have trouble-free service for years.
The remit was clear – Amerikalinjen wanted the best possible sound in all areas of the hotel, to match the rest of the high quality services and fittings. The requirement was for four separate areas: reception; the restaurant; the cocktail bar; and the beautifully luxuriant conservatory at the heart of the hotel. Everything should sound extraordinary.
“Genelec was a completely natural choice for this installation,” declares Ronald Hernes, Benum CEO who oversaw the Amerikalinjen project. “Firstly, the sound quality is second to none. Secondly, they are active speakers which are therefore easier to cable and install, and there is no need for an amp rack room. Finally, you know that once they are in, the client will have trouble-free service for years. There’s no doubt that, for a project of this calibre, Genelec ticks all the boxes.” Nevertheless, he recalls that the mission was not without its challenges:
“From an architectural point of view, the building is beautiful with lofty ceilings and large windows,” says Hernes. “It looks wonderful, but it’s not ideal when it comes to speaker placement. Our main concern was achieving the required coverage with such large volumes of space to cover. In the conservatory, we also had to think about the reflections off the glass roof. Fortunately there’s quite a lot of greenery which helps deaden the room a little.”
We are getting positive feedback on the sound on a weekly basis.
Benum suggested increasing the amount of loudspeakers in each area in order to achieve optimal coverage and sound quality even at low levels, yet still conserving sufficient headroom to be able to turn up the volume when required for a more party-like ambience.
“We opted for eight of the larger 4030Cs in the cocktail bar to make sure they had enough power for the late-night crowd. For reception, the restaurant, and the conservatory ‘garden’ we used lots of 4020Cs. Each area also benefits from a pair of 7040A subwoofers (except reception which only has one) to provide a subtle, but critical boost to the low end without
being too physically imposing. In total we installed thirty-eight 4020Cs, eight 4030Cs and seven 7040A subs. Everything is on a Dante network distributed via an Allen & Heath dLive DM0 MixRack which is broken out into analogue at each zone via a Neutrik interface, and then to the loudspeakers via Sonifex active balanced splitters. Each zone is equipped with an A&H IP1 network controller which gives local operators access to source selection and
volume. Finally, we put an A&H IP6 in reception which provides control over multiple zones.”
Wilhelm Hartwig, Amerikalinjen’s general manager, is delighted with the results. “High quality audio, especially in the common areas, was an early focus,” he explains. “We chose Genelec as a premium Scandinavian brand and we are incredibly happy with the results. We are getting positive feedback on the sound on a weekly basis. I’ve worked at many hotels but I can’t ever remember guests commenting on the sound quality before! That is really quite something.”
A powerful blend of Genelec products delivers exemplary audio performance at leading martial arts gym in Sweden.
The SPR Athlete Factory is a premium gym in the heart of the Swedish capital of Stockholm, specialising in functional physical performance training, or body mechanics, and high-level martial arts. Founder, Waldo Zapata, was keen to create the best possible environment for his athletes, both during their training sessions as well as before and after, and this included a state-of-the-art sound system based on Genelec’s 4000 Series installation loudspeakers installed by systems integrators, MA Ljud & Bildmontage - who had already installed a Genelec system into Zapata’s first gym in Södermalm.
“As with the first venue, our primary objective was to ensure a consistently good audio performance throughout the building,” says Morgan Askeholt, owner and founder of MA Ljud & Bildmontage. “One of the main reasons for selecting Genelec initially was the impeccable sound quality, and the fact that you know that they will continue to deliver that quality for many years to come. I particularly appreciate the Directivity Control Waveguide technology which enabled us to deliver a flat frequency response for excellent sound both on- and off-axis. This was important for the Södermalm installation which, as a retro-fit, meant that the positioning of some of the speakers was not perhaps as we would’ve liked. However, for the City venue, we were able to integrate the audio design into the build, which means our results were better still.”
“The best sound is what you feel and experience without it being an intrusion or a distraction.”
Nevertheless, the acoustic environment in any gymnasium is a challenging one, and the new city centre SPR Athlete Factory was no exception with a large amount of hard, reflective surfaces, including stone. “My goal was to fill the respective sound zones with the right number of speakers to ensure that the system can be heard everywhere, even at low levels, despite the challenging environment,” explains Askeholt. “The best sound is what you feel and experience without it being an intrusion or a distraction.”
A total of nine zones have been set up on the premises, facilitated via Sonos CONNECT players. Mono summing adapters were used with every Sonos player in order to provide a mono signal to all the Genelec speakers. As the Sonos units don’t have a designated subwoofer output, Askeholt used the bass management feature of Genelec’s 7040A subwoofer to resolve the issue. The result is that music can be easily streamed and played in different zones through the entire Genelec speaker setup, providing outstanding audio clarity and precision.
In the larger areas such as the gym and the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) combat area, Askeholt opted for Genelec’s powerful 4040A active loudspeakers, and thanks to their impressive low frequency performance there was no need to install additional subwoofers - saving space and ensuring a more streamlined setup. The 4040A’s phoenix-type connectors made installation straightforward, allowing them to be daisy-chained together.
“The fact that they are all active is a big bonus as it simplifies installation and saves space."
A combination of 4030C and the slightly smaller 4020C loudspeakers are used throughout the rest of the facility including the juice/coffee bar, the locker rooms, and reception - which also features a Genelec 7040A subwoofer to reinforce the low end. “The volume in the reception area needs to be at very low levels, so the addition of a subwoofer helps to improve the sound considerably,” explains Askeholt.
“In addition to their excellent sound quality, Genelec’s 4000 Series installation loudspeakers offer a number of other benefits,” he continues. “The fact that they are all active is a big bonus as it simplifies installation and saves space, since we don’t have to find room for an amplifier rack. There is also a very wide choice of mounting accessories making it very easy to adapt the installation to the constraints of the room. The results across both gyms have been excellent, both from an audio point of view, and also the experience of working with Genelec equipment. I shall definitely be specifying Genelec loudspeakers much more for commercial projects in the future.”
The Finnish Sports Museum housed at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki has recently reopened to the public with a completely revitalised permanent exhibition after extensive renovations closed the venue for five years. The new exhibitions celebrate Finnish sport using the best of what modern technology has to offer, including a state-of-the-art Genelec Smart IP audio solution. All audio, video and control technology was supplied by AV integration specialists Studiotec Oy, with AV and sound design by building services engineering experts, Granlund Oy.
Granlund’s Aki Päivärinne and Timo Muurinen were responsible for the AV design. “Our aim was to put the visitor in the middle of the action, to make them feel as if they are really there,” says Päivärinne. “It’s hard to think of any sport where sound is not a crucial part of the experience. Sounds from various sports are accompanied with occasional musical layers specially composed for the exhibition, and UX (User Experience) sounds. The sound design was realised using object-based sound design tools – immersive audio is the key to making the experience as complete as possible.”
The Smart IP speakers are definitely the most important element of
the audio solution.
Päivärinne specified Genelec’s Smart IP range of loudspeakers for most of the sound design, as they met all of his criteria for quality and particularly for ease of deployment. “The ability to use the museum’s existing CAT cabling infrastructure for both power and audio signal transport simplified the system design and installation enormously, as we didn’t have to worry about any analogue cables – everything just sits on the existing network.”
Project manager Pauli Lamsijärvi from Studiotec agrees. “The Smart IP speakers are definitely the most important element of the audio solution and certainly made life easier for us in terms of installation,” he notes. “They operate on the Dante network which carries both audio and control signals. It even delivers power to the speakers via PoE, which is something of a revolution in the audio world. The audio quality is what we’re used to hearing from Genelec – in other words, world class – so we’re very pleased with the results.”
The result is a fully immersive experience that truly brings the action to life for the visitor.
One of the largest exhibitions is Finnish sporting heroes across the ages. Visitors are treated to a massive video projection by Finnish visual artist, Janne Ahola, combined with a 10-channel immersive sound design using Genelec 4430s that places sound objects in space relative to what is happening on the screen. The result is a fully immersive experience that truly brings the action to life for the visitor.
Another exhibition is dedicated to winter sports. “Winter sports are important for us Finns, so this was another area where we wanted to make the experience as real as possible,” says Päivärinne. “Once again, we have a multichannel sound system using eight 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers in a stretched diamond layout that works with a short movie projected onto a 98” LED screen. Visitors will find themselves amongst children playing in the snow, skating on a frozen lake or even swimming in the lake – since Finns are a bit mad like that! Another part of the winter sports section takes us up onto the slopes with skiers and snowboarders. There is even an authentic double chair lift from 1965 with a huge screen behind it to reinforce the impression of being out on the slopes. Here I used four 4430s.”
The final area to use a Smart IP solution is the water sports exhibition which is brought to life using a 4-channel immersive sound system with four 4430s. Visitors experience the thrills of scuba diving below the waves to sailing above them, before being hurled into a canoe to negotiate the rapids.
Where the requirement was for stereo rather than immersive sound, Päivärinne opted for Genelec 8010 and 8030 loudspeakers, as the media players are located close to the loudspeakers. The larger installations with immersive multichannel sound designs all use Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers run from dedicated media servers capable of outputting Dante signals.
All of the museum's AV equipment is controlled from a single touch screen linked to the control system. All the projectors and dozens of monitors can be turned on and off at the touch of a button. It also enables control of all the loudspeakers and the content fed to them, and the control system also manages signal delay to keep the pictures and sound in sync.
The museum’s development director Kaisa Laitinen is delighted with the results. “Through spectacular visuals and a strong world of sound, the museum visitor's experience is better than ever,” she declares. “Studiotec and Granlund have done a great job in bringing our vision to life. The use of the latest technology enables visitors to share in the adrenalin, the triumphs and the disappointments along with all the emotions and feelings that sport brings. I’m very proud of what we have achieved and I’m excited to share it with the public.”
"Genelec wirft mit dem 7040A einen für Genelec-Verhältnisse sehr kompakten Subwoofer auf den professionellen Markt, der mit innovativem Design als ideale Ergänzung für die kleineren Monitorsysteme 8010, 8020 und M030 dienen soll."
-Felix Klostermann, the author of the review article
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"Genelec wirft mit dem 7040A einen für Genelec-Verhältnisse sehr kompakten Subwoofer auf den professionellen Markt, der mit innovativem Design als ideale Ergänzung für die kleineren Monitorsysteme 8010, 8020 und M030 dienen soll."
-Felix Klostermann, the author of the review article
7040A Subwoofer online review in German by Bonedo Magazin (DE). August 2015.
Read the full review: Bonedo Magazin 7040A Review