Neumann KH 310A Review (Powered Monitor)

[HammerSandwich]

Now that Amir has reviewed the Genelec 8361a, how would folks say these 310s stack up? I realize the Neumanns are less than half the price of the Genelecs.

For my money, 310s + 2-4x subs at $7-8k total is the far better deal. Hitting the Powerball gives 8361s + IB DBA subs, no question.

 

[tmtomh]

Thank you for these helpful replies - appreciate the corrections and additional info.

The 8631s look so good, but my typical listening levels are way below any limit the 310s might have, and the price difference is massive.

 

[dfuller]

Thank you for these helpful replies - appreciate the corrections and additional info.

The 8631s look so good, but my typical listening levels are way below any limit the 310s might have, and the price difference is massive.

Better off doing a 2.2 setup tbh. 2 rythmik F12s, a MiniDSP Flex or SHD, and a pair of 310s still ends up being cheaper.

 

[tmtomh]

Better off doing a 2.2 setup tbh. 2 rythmik F12s, a MiniDSP Flex or SHD, and a pair of 310s still ends up being cheaper.

Honestly at my typical listening levels, and compared to my current speakers' low-end range, I think the 310s would be enough on their own - or at least, I'd be perfectly willing to just get the 310s and live with them before deciding whether or not to add subs.

And yes, adding a MiniDSP would, I suppose, solve my remaining issue of wanting to have room-correction DSP available. Apparently Neumann's own Neumann Connect DSP only works with the KH80 or if you have anther L-R speaker of theirs connected to their 750DSP sub, yes?

 

[dfuller]

And yes, adding a MiniDSP would, I suppose, solve my remaining issue of wanting to have room-correction DSP available. Apparently Neumann's own Neumann Connect DSP only works with the KH80 or if you have anther L-R speaker of theirs connected to their 750DSP sub, yes?

Right in one.

Honestly at my typical listening levels, and compared to my current speakers' low-end range, I think the 310s would be enough on their own - or at least, I'd be perfectly willing to just get the 310s and live with them before deciding whether or not to add subs.

That's totally fair. I honestly only added a sub because I have to really get the speakers moving to get low end I can feel and I'd rather tune that so I can get that same sensation at sensible volumes.

 

[tmtomh]

Right in one.


That's totally fair. I honestly only added a sub because I have to really get the speakers moving to get low end I can feel and I'd rather tune that so I can get that same sensation at sensible volumes.

Interesting RE the subs - it hadn't occurred to me that subs would be useful for enabling better bass at lower levels. That does complicate the equation a bit since I listen at relatively low levels compared to what seems to be the norm among many folks here. I rarely listen above an 80-85dB peak level - best for both my hearing health and domestic harmony.

Still, I can't imagine the 310s wouldn't provide good bass linearity with decent distortion levels at such listening volumes.

 

[Georgios]

Interesting, I am considering upgrading 310 to ATC SCM25a…

 

[Pearljam5000]

Thank you for these helpful replies - appreciate the corrections and additional info.

The 8631s look so good, but my typical listening levels are way below any limit the 310s might have, and the price difference is massive.

I wouldn't decide just based on specs and measurements
Genelecs have a unique type of sound and sound nothing like the Neumanns
Nothing will substitute listening to them side by side
I might get attacked for this opinion lol but I trust my ears

 

[tmtomh]

I wouldn't decide just based on specs and measurements
Genelecs have a unique type of sound and sound nothing like the Neumanns
Nothing will substitute listening to them side by side
I might get attacked for this opinion lol but I trust my ears

Side by side listening would indeed be ideal. However, I'd only want to do that in my own room as I feel it would likely be meaningless to do it a showroom... and the process of paying all that money for both, getting them shipped to my home, auditioning, then returning one pair, feels kind of daunting. It might be the only way though, perhaps.

 

[Frgirard]

I wouldn't decide just based on specs and measurements
Genelecs have a unique type of sound and sound nothing like the Neumanns
Nothing will substitute listening to them side by side
I might get attacked for this opinion lol but I trust my ears

I bought my kh420 without listening. Based on measurements.
The better choice I did in my audio life.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I bought my kh420 without listening. Based on measurements.
The better choice I did in my audio life.

There's a 50-50 chance
Anyways measurements don't tell the whole story even @amirm says that, who am i to claim otherwise

 

[dshreter]

I bought my kh420 without listening. Based on measurements.
The better choice I did in my audio life.

For real. Neumann and Genelec studio monitors are so flat, none of them sound like anything - which is a good thing. Bass extension and SPL requirements should be things you can figure out without a demo.

 

[tmtomh]

Well, figuring it out without a demo is indeed what I am most likely to do, as a practical matter. And I do agree that frequency linearity, self-noise/hiss, distortion, power/SPL, bass extension, and distortion seem like a pretty comprehensive set of measurements,

 

[DJBonoBobo]

The point is: What monitors do you need to forget about the speakers and start caring about the room?

 

[Frgirard]

There's a 50-50 chance
Anyways measurements don't tell the whole story even @amirm says that, who am i to claim otherwise

No 100% i have a k+h o300. And essential things I know my room . I performed more thousand measurements 2009 - 2016 (yes more thousand).
A room where the direct sound dominate strongly.

 

[dfuller]

For real. Neumann and Genelec studio monitors are so flat, none of them sound like anything - which is a good thing. Bass extension and SPL requirements should be things you can figure out without a demo.

I *mostly* agree with this. Genelecs in my experience have a different quality to the bass than KH310s do. The 310s are very punchy compared to most Genelecs that I've heard (1031s and 1032s notwithstanding).

 

[tmtomh]

I *mostly* agree with this. Genelecs in my experience have a different quality to the bass than KH310s do. The 310s are very punchy compared to most Genelecs that I've heard (1031s and 1032s notwithstanding).

To what could we attribute that?

 

[HiFidFan]

To what could we attribute that?

Sealed vs Ported? @amirm questioned this in his listening comments. Although he described the bass of the 310s as "clean". . .

"Elimination of bass port (I think) has resulted in very clean low frequency response."

 

[AnalogSteph]

Don't forget the limiters as a potential factor... Genelecs seem to be noticeably stricter than K+H/Neumann in this regard...

 

[tmtomh]

Sealed vs Ported? @amirm questioned this in his listening comments. Although he described the bass of the 310s as "clean". . .

"Elimination of bass port (I think) has resulted in very clean low frequency response."

Interesting - that was one of the things that drew me to the 310s when I first saw Amir's review of them, but I had since forgotten about that.