Neumann KH 150 Monitor Review

[respice finem]

For desktop usage the KH 310 is definitely on the big side, thus the various sizes of monitors offered from manufacturers.

Yes, and it's better to have them over the desk than on the desk because they're "landscape orientation only".
But there are enough good stands to do it. See here for example:

A Blind Test Attempt: Neumann KH310+Sub vs KH120+Sub, and My Thoughts on CEA2034 and Preference Rating

My desktop 2.2 system was a pair of the Neumann KH120 and a pair of JBL LSR310S subwoofers. I purchased the Neumann KH310s right before Amir tested his unit. The KH310s were not cheap. In order to prove that I could indeed an improvement, I decided to blind test myself and find out whether I...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Sidenote: The KH 310A is a closed design, the KH 150 is BR.

 

[kimmosto]

Yes, room acoustics matter there a lot but I think this also a matter of personal preference, there is a significant percentage of listeners who like to immerse into the (suitable for that) recordings like in nearfield listening and for such a high direct sound percentage is necessary.

As I said, proper acoustics can provide very high and balanced (from LF to HF) acoustic resolution to far field such as 5 m without very high directivity. But it does not have weaknesses of near field listening. It's a bit provocative to say but claimed preference without actual experience about really competitive system is just self-deception.

 

[thewas]

As I said, proper acoustics can provide very high and balanced (from LF to HF) acoustic resolution to far field such as 5 m without very high directivity

In my experience you need extreme acoustic treatment to have similar immersion at high distances without high directivity which is not really really feasible nor affordable in most typical living rooms.

 

[Trell]

Yes, and it's better to have them over the desk than on the desk because they're "landscape orientation only".
But there are enough good stands to do it. See here for example:

A Blind Test Attempt: Neumann KH310+Sub vs KH120+Sub, and My Thoughts on CEA2034 and Preference Rating

My desktop 2.2 system was a pair of the Neumann KH120 and a pair of JBL LSR310S subwoofers. I purchased the Neumann KH310s right before Amir tested his unit. The KH310s were not cheap. In order to prove that I could indeed an improvement, I decided to blind test myself and find out whether I...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Sidenote: The KH 310A is a closed design, the KH 150 is BR.

Here is an older picture of my home office that is still mostly the same, apart from an upgrade on the audio interface side as well as headphones. As you can see there is not much more place for something bigger than the Genelec 8330A, but I do have a subwoofer under the desktop.

As for Neumann vs Genelec it essentially came down to DSP and room EQ that works without a hassle, but I've not tried the Neumann DSP solution and just going by what I read.

 

[xaviescacs]

What a beast. Horizontal dispersion looks coaxial. Makes non-coaxial genelecs look flawed.

 

[Sokel]

In my experience you need extreme acoustic treatment to have similar immersion at high distances without high directivity which is not really really feasible nor affordable in most typical living rooms.

Is there recommended minimum distance as Genelec's?

 

[Trell]

Is there recommended minimum distance as Genelec's?

Yes, that is specified in the manuals for the various monitors.

 

[dtaylo1066]

A stellar performer. At what point will the era of separate components begin to die out? Feed this unit with a streaming device -- as simple as an RPi with AES out HAT -- and you are all set. By the stock photo I was a bit confused where the power supply and balanced XLR inputs were located on the unit. This photo shows them quite clearly:

 

[Arc Acoustics]

That is diffraction above XO range.

Well, I don't think so.
I assume the tweeter would have an off-axis peak around 3kHz in the horizontal plane due to its primitive baffle design, and that DI drop is intentionally filled by the directivity of the woofer.
So, because of the rest of the off-axis (vertical) response, the total DI shoots up, peaking at slightly higher than XO frequency, then back to the tweeter's directivity.
(You can see pretty symmetrical null in the vertical plane, which suggests the main cause is crossover and the distance between two drivers)

https://pierreaubert.github.io/spinorama/speakers/ASR Directiva Open Source Speaker/ASR/asr/SPL Horizontal Normalized.html
https://pierreaubert.github.io/spinorama/speakers/ASR Directiva Open Source Speaker/ASR/asr/SPL Vertical Normalized.html

 

[LTig]

Made to tolerance of +/- 0.8 dB so they are all effectively matched pairs.

That is the case for all Neumann monitors as it was for Klein & Hummel monitors before K&H was bought by Neumann.

 

[sarumbear]

Because of the law of reflection.

A graphical definition of a scientific law?

 

[D!sco]

I'd love to see a teardown of one of these things, including the software. They're not cheap, but they make magic.

 

[xaviescacs]

Is there recommended minimum distance as Genelec's?

As far as I understand, all two ways have a minimum listening distance, specified or not, below which the two directional sources are not blended and are individually identifiable, that is, not perceived as a single source. I understand this is one of the caveats coaxials tackle with.

 

[xaviescacs]

Because of the law of reflection.

Conservation of momentum.

 

[Trell]

I'd love to see a teardown of one of these things, including the software. They're not cheap, but they make magic.

Pictures on page 4.

 

[Trell]

As far as I understand, all two ways have a minimum listening distance, specified or not, below which the two directional sources are not blended and are individually identifiable, that is, not perceived as a single source. I understand this is one of the caveats coaxials tackle with.

Indeed, you can sit real close with coaxials like the Genelecs. Both Genelec and Neumann manuals says what's the minimum recommended distance for listening, and I used that to choose the Genelec 8330 over the 8340 (apart from the physical bigger size of the 8340 in my setup).

 

[ROOSKIE]

Maybe it was mentioned and I missed it, how are these in farfield? 12feet away (12'×24'+some added spaces room)In terms of output ability and overall strength above say 60hrz high passed to subwoofers.

Basically as a farfield DIY speaker design reference vs the JBL 708p set that I have been waiting on for awhile.

 

[Pearljam5000]

What a beast. Horizontal dispersion looks coaxial. Makes non-coaxial genelecs look flawed.

Measurements aside, there's still a chance you'd like the Genelecs more when you hear them.

 

[dtaylo1066]

Does anyone know what the sampling rate capability is on this unit?

 

[voodooless]

Does anyone know what the sampling rate capability is on this unit?

It’s 48 kHz.