Neumann KH 310A Review (Powered Monitor)

[LTig]

Christ, I hope not. They're already pushing it at $5000/pr.

As long as my O300D (pre predecessor) work I don't see much need to replace them. With sub the major improvement in bass SPL of the KH310 plays no role for me.

 

[dfuller]

KH 320.2 is also on my list. News at CES Vegas? Hope it will not come too late in 2024. It is indeed 10 years old and no DSP / MA-1 (no go for me).

My guess is at NAMM 24 next month.

 

[PatriceA]

Too bad. 310.1 out in 2013; 10 years.

 

[PatriceA]

I probably misunderstood your post ; NAMM ?

 

[dfuller]

I probably misunderstood your post ; NAMM ?

The NAMM Show. Big music trade show.

 

[PatriceA]

Thanks, just after CES Vegas ?

 

[dfuller]

Thanks, just after CES Vegas ?

Late January. Not sure when CES Vegas is.

 

[PatriceA]

Jan 8th if I remember well.

 

[Samsonite]

Heard some info that the 310 II will be both DSP and ported.

I can’t help but feel slightly disappointed if it ends up being ported. I’m sure the Neumann engineers will smash it out of the park and bring improvements in all areas, but a big selling point of the original is the sealed design. Tighter transients, less ringing, less group delay. But yes, less bass. We’ll see I guess. I’m pretty much going to be buying it either way though. I already have the 750 sub and the 420s are just too expensive.

 

[dazzler9000]

Hello, also keen to wait for the new 310's, but due to their size I'm wondering if they can be used in portrait mode rather than landscape? All the images I've seen have them in landscape which led me to ask the question.

 

[dfuller]

Hello, also keen to wait for the new 310's, but due to their size I'm wondering if they can be used in portrait mode rather than landscape? All the images I've seen have them in landscape which led me to ask the question.

No; these are designed to be landscape.

 

[staticV3]

Hello, also keen to wait for the new 310's, but due to their size I'm wondering if they can be used in portrait mode rather than landscape?

The KH 310 A's directivity means that you really ought to use them in landscape like intended:


Flipped on its side, you will have a very narrow sweet spot side-to-side.

 

[dazzler9000]

Thanks, so landscape it is. This may force me to be sensible and look at the 150s.

 

[SlothRock]

Thanks, so landscape it is. This may force me to be sensible and look at the 150s.

Exactly what happened to me. Landscape + a likely price of $3k-$3.5k per speaker (looking at KH120 II, 150, etc. prices) made me go for the 150. They are absolutely fantastic speakers and worth every single penny (pairing mine with two KH 750's). Will be interested to see the 310 II when it comes out, regardless!

 

[boxerfan88]

Let’s guess what might be the KH310 II
* digital inputs
* support MA1
* same drivers?
* same directivity
* more power / higher max spl
* combo class-AB & class-D amp
* flatter FR
* more expensive

….

 

[Pearljam5000]

DSP
Same new generation woofers as KH150 and KH120II
Same mid and tweeter.
Similar design
Much higher price
If they keep raising the price it will be a sad thing , they used to be a bargain compared to Genelec , not anymore .

 

[holdingpants01]

DSP
Same new generation woofers as KH150 and KH120II
Same mid and tweeter.
Similar design
Much higher price
If they keep raising the price it will be a sad thing , they used to be a bargain compared to Genelec , not anymore .

They will still be less expensive than parallel Genelec model, in that case 8351B. Right now the KH310 sells for 1800€ where 8351B is 3900€ per speaker. KH80 to KH120 mk2 to KH150 are all priced in 55-60% steps from model to model and all of these use DSP and MA1. To keep the steps predictable they'll charge 2500€ for KH310 mk2 so it would make it 58% more than KH150. Still very competitive, much less than any competitor like Genelec, ATC, Ex Machina, Amphion, PMC, Meyer, Barefoot, even less than Focal Trio6, some Adams etc.

 

[dfuller]

@Markus @ Neumann this is mostly a post out of curiosity, but in theory, how low could the mid dome be crossed without running out of headroom? I'm sure it's not the unicorn-like 380hz of the double suspension ATC dome, but I'm betting... 450hz, maybe, with an LR4 cross?

 

[Markus @ Neumann]

Hello dfuller and happy new year to all of you here at ASR,

You may know that we used to have the ATC dome in our old flagship O 500C and up to this time it definetly was (IMHO) the best dome midrange driver available.
However, we developed our own dome midrange also to even improve the performance.
Driving a 3" dome down to 380 Hz has quite some disadvantages. That's the reason why we don't do that. This is independant on the raw performance of the driver itself.
You should consider all relevant acoustical parameters if you want to reduce the x-over frequency as:

• directivity
• THD
• intermodulation distortion
• max SPL

Of course it always depends on the design of the entire loudspeaker that you have in mind. For a more or less classical concept I wouldn't recommend to have such a low x-over frequency for a 3" dome driver.

Best regards,

Markus

 

[dazzler9000]

Exactly what happened to me. Landscape + a likely price of $3k-$3.5k per speaker (looking at KH120 II, 150, etc. prices) made me go for the 150. They are absolutely fantastic speakers and worth every single penny (pairing mine with two KH 750's). Will be interested to see the 310 II when it comes out, regardless!

I was trying to avoid having to buy a sub(s) by getting the 310s.... I have a super ultrawide 49" wide monitor on my desk, which makes speaker placement a bit tricky.