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Neumann KH-120 II vs Genelec 8030c for casual desktop use

Hitecom

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Sep 22, 2024
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Hi! I'm currently planning to upgrade my audio listening setup and I eventually plan to get powered speakers to replace my current Kali LP-UNFs.

My bedroom is 13.5 ft x 12ft x 9ft, with the speakers on my desk at roughly arms length. The speakers sit in between the gaps for my 3 Displays. Anything bigger than 5.5" woofer size would be too and be in my face.

The room is currently untreated, I plan to fix this by installing acoustic panels and bass traps.

For some more context I want speakers to listen to music while I work. I don't make music or work with music professionally. I just want something that is really nice to listen to music, which brings out all of the detail in my music and helps me hear the music as the artists intended it and appreciate the detail in every track.

I live in India and I've been eyeing two speakers that were suggested to me in the 2k usd price range, namely Genelec 8030c and KH-120 II.

I've been reading on both of them and both of them seem really good to me. I have no current way to audition or listen to both of them before purchasing. So I'll have to go about this by trusting the internet, But I don't feel I can go wrong with anything at this price point.

As for the Neumann's, I've heard nothing but good things about them, People have been raving about their clarity. Their focus on neutrality, The vocal intimacy, The separation, the mids and it sounding super good to listen to in general. This was also the speaker that I was recommended on Reddit when I asked this question. People also mentioned its pairing with KH750 DSP and being able to room correct it, But I likely won't do this, (I'll explain more about this later). The only non positive review I heard was on here about them sounding too flat or something but given how much a room affects sound I don't know true that is. It also had a massive 6.7 pref score on here that is higher than the Genelec's 6.3.

About the Genelecs, I've also heard really good things that they're great, they apparently have excellent mids and imaging and have brighter treble than the neumanns, some cons that I've heard are that its treble can be harsh on some tracks, (I hate sibilance, and I'm a bit treble sensitive), Its a bit dull on some tracks. A person I talked to said they find the bass to severely lacking on the 8030 without a sub even on Singer Songwriter focused tracks. Some Genelec units apparently have some tweeter hiss. I don't want this either, where as the Neumann's are supposed to be fully silent. Some things that I quite liked about them is their styling, finish and build quality, They're made out of high quality aluminium, where as Neumann's are made of MDF and wood, I don't know how important this is but I expect both to be fairly long lasting, One other thing I noticed was that these Genelec's do not have the option for GLM or room correction whereas the KH120s do.

Like I said earlier, I do not plan on getting a subwoofer atm as I feel like bass for both of these models will be more than the kalis, which itself feels adequate to me for the room right now. Not to mention both the Subs from these companies when you include tax costs more than a pair of these speakers. So while I might get one a few years down the line, I'm not getting them right now.

Both the speakers I mentioned here cost the same here in India and given Its higher preference score and universal acclaim I'm leaning towards the Neumann's but I still have not made up my mind yet. What do you all think of this and what should I get?
 
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Hi @Hitecom! Welcome to ASR.

If you can afford both, the Neumann is a no-brainer.

It plays 10Hz deeper and flatter to boot:
Screenshot_20240922-102858_Chrome.png

Uses a digital crossover instead of analog, with the option of digital audio input.

And has built-in room correction, which I'd highly recommend you make use of.
 
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We carry both at work. In general I prefer Genelec but without sub I would go the Neumann in this instance. You would have to go to the 8040 to get similar bass response. FYI, on Genelec. Depending what one is connecting, it might preferable to get the home version G series with RCA inputs for less noise.
 
Has less hiss if sitting close and nothing is playing compared to using RCA to XLR on the 80x0 series. Not sure why, in theory should be the same.
 
Has less hiss if sitting close and nothing is playing compared to using RCA to XLR on the 80x0 series. Not sure why, in theory should be the same.
Which cable construction does the RCA to XLR use?
2conductorsor3 (1).png
 
I understand that, been in this business a long time. I don't have an explanation for you except there is something different in their circuity between their home model and pro model. Get them both and try it.
 
Hi, Thanks for the explanations! As you both said, I think we have a winner on our hands.. I'm gonna go with the Neumann KH-120s.

This leads me to my second question. How should I connect them to my PC? I currently have an audio interface, the Audient ID4 MK2. I tried using it to connect my PC to my Kali LP-UNF's via TRS to TRS cables but I noticed that connecting them this way led to higher distortion and lower clarity vs connecting them directly to the PC via USB-C. Now I'm not sure why this is?

They theoretically should sound just as good right? But analog sounded a bit inferior to me compared to direct audio via USB. What leads to this difference in audio quality? Is it something internal in the LP-UNF's or does it have something to with my cables or the DAC inside my ID4. I also used an USB-C to A adapter as my PC doesnt have a USB-C port. Did my cables have anything to do with it? They're gold plated and advertised as being balanced.

So how should I go about connecting my KH-120s? Should I go the analog route again with Going my PC>USB-C to ID4 > To speakers via TRS to TRS/XLR. The KH-120s also have a digital Input which is labeled as SPDIF but my PC has no outputs to connect to this (It only has RCA). I don't know how to go about converting an USB out to SPDIF.

So how should I go about connecting my PC to the KH-120s, What'll sound the best? Analog or Digital?
 
This leads me to my second question. How should I connect them to my PC? I currently have an audio interface, the Audient ID4 MK2.
I'd replace the Audient with a Komplete Audio 6 MK2, then connect to the KH120II via SPDIF.

I tried using it to connect my PC to my Kali LP-UNF's via TRS to TRS cables but I noticed that connecting them this way led to higher distortion and lower clarity vs connecting them directly to the PC via USB-C. Now I'm not sure why this is?
Could be due to the additional D->A + A->D conversion that this connection entailed, compared to straight USB.
Could also be placebo.
 
Thanks! Can you think of anything a little cheaper? I don't really need two mic inputs so it's a little overkill for just getting spdif support
 
Thanks! Can you think of anything a little cheaper? I don't really need two mic inputs so it's a little overkill for just getting spdif support
Afaik, the Komplete is the least expensive interface with SPDIF output.

If you don't need interface functionality, then a DDC like the SMSL PO100 Pro or Douk U2 would perform just as well for music playback.

That being said, if you want to use MA1 calibration, then you'll need an interface with phantom power anyway.
Considering that the Komplete would perform double duty in that case, it might be worth the cost after all.
 
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I think before buying anything I'll try running my ID4 with analogue first, I hope the conversion chain won't be that complex here and that it'll possibly sound better than the Kalis, Since every studio out there does it like this, I hope it'll sound good. do you think there is any quality difference between TRS to TRS and TRS to XLR?
 
Is there any difference between the normal kh 120 II and KH-120 II AES67
 
Is there any difference between the normal kh 120 II and KH-120 II AES67
AES67 has an additional Ethernet jack for audio input:
Screenshot_20240924-105616_Chrome (1).jpg Screenshot_20240924-105616_Chrome.jpg

The regular KH120II's Ethernet port is for MA1 calibration only.
 
So I'd be correct to assume that there would be no difference in audio quality? I'd be running audio through spdif anyways so idk what the difference in between that and another digital format would be
 
So I'd be correct to assume that there would be no difference in audio quality?
Correct.

I'd be running audio through spdif anyways so idk what the difference in between that and another digital format would be
No difference.

It's just that some audio systems are built around AES67 and so Neumann gave customers that option.
 
This leads me to my second question. How should I connect them to my PC? I currently have an audio interface, the Audient ID4 MK2. I tried using it to connect my PC to my Kali LP-UNF's via TRS to TRS cables but I noticed that connecting them this way led to higher distortion and lower clarity vs connecting them directly to the PC via USB-C. Now I'm not sure why this is?
You may have been overdriving the inputs. The spec'd input levels may be maximum instead of nominal, in which case up to +12 dBu out of the iD4 MkII could definitely clip an input that can only take +4 dBu. The KH120 II can take up to +24 dBu at lowest gain.
 
Out of curiosity, I have got to ask, how do the kh120s compare to the genelec ones? I know they're overkill for me but I'm curious nonetheless about how the 8331a and 8341a would compare to the KH-120 II. I could not find a direct comparison elsewhere so I wanna know what the differences in sound would be.
 
Out of curiosity, I have got to ask, how do the kh120s compare to the genelec ones? I know they're overkill for me but I'm curious nonetheless about how the 8331a and 8341a would compare to the KH-120 II. I could not find a direct comparison elsewhere so I wanna know what the differences in sound would be.
perhaps 8330 is the one to compare with 120II.
 
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