Neumann KH 150 Monitor Review

[IamJF]

KH310 has a closed volume 8" bass driver! A reflex cabinet has 6-10dB gain at the resonance frequency - can easily play with a one size bigger speaker.
But has a lot of other downfalls ... why I only do closed cabinets when desingning speakers.

 

[holdingpants01]

Nice.

As you have heard noth and measured both, any advantage to one or the other in your opinion and listening?

As with all Genelec vs Neumann comparisons, people here will say they should sound about the same, but subjectively there's a little bit of difference between them. I prefer Genelecs for music creation and post-processing, as they seem more capable of being sharp and hard which helps me take better decisions in mixing and mastering, but for music consumption I would probably go with Neumanns. Both are fine choices

 

[Ze Frog]

As with all Genelec vs Neumann comparisons, people here will say they should sound about the same, but subjectively there's something different between them, I prefer Genelecs for music creation and processing, as they seem more capable of being sharp and hard which helps me take better decisions in mixing and mastering, but for music consumption I would probably go with Neumanns. Both are fine choices

Thankyou.

 

[IamJF]

As with all Genelec vs Neumann comparisons, people here will say they should sound about the same, but subjectively there's something different between them, I prefer Genelecs for music creation and processing, as they seem more capable of being sharp and hard which helps me take better decisions in mixing and mastering, but for music consumption I would probably go with Neumanns. Both are fine choices

That's exactly how I would also describe it but it's also the reason I would always go with Neumann. Even the Neumanns have a hard edge for me.
I have Berllium tweeters in my main listening monitors and these are deatiled and relaxed - perfect for long sessions and still hearing all the details. But you are right, Genelecs will put these details in front of your nose, it can be easier to work with.

 

[unpluggged]

as they seem more sharp

I thought they were more rounded in their shape

and hard

Again, I thought metal was harder than MDF

 

[Pearljam5000]

They sound completely different
I don't care what the measurements say.

 

[bodhi]

8340 have exactly the same low end extension as KH150 and are little cheaper, but I also generally recommend Neumanns for consumer stereo playback nowadays

The 8350 digs a bit lower so without a sub it's better. Still, even it benefits from a sub, at least the 7360, so...

Still, all these options are freakishly good. I would be just fine with any of speakers mentioned.

 

[Arnas]

any of you guys here use these for movies and gaming?
How is the imaging on these when using it on desk?
Thus far i like my Edifier s3000pro for movies and games and for bass heavy genres, but i wish more refinement in the mids and highs + imagining "My HD800S beat Edifier's easily when it comes to imaging" so i love something with better imaging and resolution.
Airpulse a300pro looks very good on paper, but cant imagine how it performs vs Neumann and on top of that its given that Neumann performs better in pc setup.

 

[Filio45]

How is the imaging on these when using it on desk?

I'm using them in a 1.1 m triangle (MLP 1.2m to 80cms range) and the imaging is superb, with the sense of sound emanating from the centre of my 27" monitor. I have the 150's sitting on Hola Music stands just to the sides of a 1 metre width desk (about a cm from the wall at their closest point), which feels preferable to having them on the desk itself. Really enjoying the 150's as nearfield monitors!

The only annoyance is that you have to wait 90 mins for auto-standby. @support_neumann Hi. Are there any plans to reduce auto-standby in line with other manufactures, who would set it typically at 20-30 mins rather than 90 mins? Thanks..

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[HarmonicTHD]

I'm using them in a 1.1 m triangle (MLP 1.2m to 80cms range) and the imaging is superb, with the sense of sound emanating from the centre of my 27" monitor. I have the 150's sitting on Hola Music stands just to the sides of my 1 metre width desk (about a cm from the wall at their closest point), which I feel is preferable to having them on the desk itself. Really enjoying the 150's as nearfield monitors!

The only annoyance is that you have to wait 90 mins for auto standby. @support_neumann are there any plans to reduce auto-standby in line with other manufactures that would set it typically at 20-30 mins rather than 90 mins? Thanks..

​

Can’t you set the standby time via the MA1 software? At least that’s how it works with my KH80, 750.

 

[Filio45]

Can’t you set the standby time via the MA1 software? At least that’s how it works with my KH80, 750.

No, I don't believe it is possible to change from 90 mins, at least the last time I went into MA1 a few weeks ago. I own 120II, 150, and one 750.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

No, I don't believe it is possible to change from 90 mins, at least the last time I went into MA1 a few weeks ago. I own 120II, 150 and one 750.

Hmmm. Let me check. I haven’t used MA1 in quite a while so I don’t remember.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

No, I don't believe it is possible to change from 90 mins, at least the last time I went into MA1 a few weeks ago. I own 120II, 150, and one 750.

I checked now, you are correct. MA1 does not allow for standby time change. Only the iOS App does - mine are set to 20min.

 

[Filio45]

@HarmonicTHD interesting. If you use the iOS app (just as a one-off and then stop using the app completely) only to change auto standby, and then use MA-1 later on to do measuring as normal, will the auto standby settings from iOS still remain? My understanding is that using the iOS app will cancel out any MA-1 settings but not sure about the other way around? I would have to borrow a friends iphone to use it, as I don't own one, nor intend to buy an apple device -)

 

[HarmonicTHD]

@HarmonicTHD interesting. If you use the iOS app (just as a one-off and then stop using the app completely) only to change auto standby, and then use MA-1 later on to do measuring as normal, will the auto standby settings from iOS still remain? My understanding is that using the iOS app will cancel out any MA-1 settings but not sure about the other way around? I would have to borrow a friends iphone to use it, as I don't own one, nor intend to buy an apple device -)

Yes you can use the iOS app once. Tbh I haven’t used it for ages and only opened it to check as I knew that mine go into standby after ca 20min.

As for the settings I think it asked me if I wanted to save them and I canceled it. But to be safe, just save your settings in MA1 to your PC’s hard drive and send them again to the speaker once you are done with the app.

 

[Filio45]

thanks, I might give that a try. That said, Neumann providing this function in MA-1, or simply setting it to 30 instead of 90 mins, would obviously be a better solution than messing around with iOS simply for this. I get the feeling that Neumann are unable to do this in MA-1 from a technical perspective, which is why it stays indefinitely at 90 mins, but that's just a guess..

Anyhow, back to the music -)

Edit: Before anyone chimes in, yes I know there's always the option of turning the monitors on/off remotely with a special plug but the speakers going into standby automatically is perhaps more 'gentle' electronically than doing it directly via the mains (??). And sometimes you just forget to do it too..

 

[feitaishi]

No, I don't believe it is possible to change from 90 mins, at least the last time I went into MA1 a few weeks ago. I own 120II, 150, and one 750.

Do you think 120ii+750 can beat 150 in terms of imaging and soundstage?

 

[Ze Frog]

thanks, I might give that a try. That said, Neumann providing this function in MA-1, or simply setting it to 30 instead of 90 mins, would obviously be a better solution than messing around with iOS simply for this. I get the feeling that Neumann are unable to do this in MA-1 from a technical perspective, which is why it stays indefinitely at 90 mins, but that's just a guess..

Anyhow, back to the music -)

I have read on another forum where apparently these last longer just left on constantly to save wear and tear on SMPS. Apparently a very few have had issues and one thing they are all seemed to have in common was switching them off when finished as opposed to just left constantly on in a studio setting. Not sure what to make of that myself, I don't see any problems reported here.

 

[Filio45]

I have read on another forum where apparently these last longer just left on constantly to save wear and tear on SMPS. Apparently a very few have had issues and one thing they are all seemed to have in common was switching them off when finished as opposed to just left constantly on in a studio setting. Not sure what to make of that myself, I don't see any problems reported here.

yes good point but you probably missed my edit to my last post, while you wrote yours.

 

[Ze Frog]

yes good point but you probably missed my edit to my last post, while you wrote yours.

Yeah, I think I was typing as you were.

I'd probably just leave mine to auto shut-off or on constantly also. Don't get me wrong, there's no denying how great these things measure, but I do have concerns with the capacitor's used as they seem very bargain basement. If I buy a pair, once warranty is up I think I'd rip those out and use something a bit less questionable for sure. Only that's the main thing preventing many from powered speakers I think, the fact they could go wrong and be junked.