Neumann KH 150 Monitor Review

[bachatero]

Yes easy to find but still quite rare.

The top 100 chart is literally just the top 100 songs, not what most music is like. By definition, it's rare to find a song in the top 100 if there's thousands of others.

 

[test1223]

Do you guys have ever listen to the charts nowadays? Every second modern song has some very loud deep bass content in it from Taylor Swift to Billie Eilish. In the charts there is also a lot of Hip-Hop and some Electronic Music both almost always contains very loud deep bass at least in a part of the song. So I don't know what you are talking about...

 

[teashea]

I received one of the two ordered KH150. In use I noticed it becomes really hot at the back. That was not what I expected from class D amps. Is this normal? Do others have the same experience?

For reference, the amps are not class D but have similar efficiency.

 

[Pritaudio]

Is the kh150 significantly louder than kh120ii.

 

[n1rvana]

1) Few instruments play lower 2) Few composers/writers write music with lower notes 3) Producers know that fewer than one in a hundred listeners listen on a system that reproduces sound below 60 Hz.

I think it really depends on the use case. I plan to get a pair when Sweetwater has them back in stock to produce and mix electronic music which will be heavily bass dependent. What should be asked is what the user intends to use it for and to determine from there if a sub is necessary.

 

[bachatero]

Is the kh150 significantly louder than kh120ii.

In Amir's review of the kh120ii, it couldn't get much above 96dB before limiting itself, while the kh150 didn't do that here. So, it looks like it can get louder.

 

[teashea]

And most music is not recorded in real studio's now, many artists, even big names, record at home in rooms that are minimal treated. Studio monitors of today are often targetted at that, with dsp and other means.

The time of the big studio's is largely over, at least here in Europe. Recording budgets are way smaller than 20 years ago so bands can't afford those big studio's anymore. Even world known mainstream artists like the Belgian Stromae works from small studio's like this Brussels based Air Studio, where the acoustic treatment is not that extensive.

And in the underground it's even worse. Belgian's most famous metal bands from now "Alkerdeel" and "AmenRa" record in their own studio's that are (in both cases) more an old barn that they use as rehearsal room/recording studio. I know both bands since longtime. They don't have budgets for real studio, so they do it themselves. And with modern tech that is not that difficult anymore. Belgian top reggae producers, like Pura Vida (worked with the Congo's, Lee Perry, Jah9, ...) Forward Fever (worked with Danny Red, Indica Dubs, Earl16, Danman) or Unlisted Fanatic (Wailers, Lyrical Benji, ...) work from a shed in their backyard or an room in their house.

The few big studio's that remain here like ICP in Brussels, are mostly surviving because they exist since longtime (investment in room was done decades ago), and work with broadcast companies or big international labels that fund them. They can't live from modern music production alone, because no artist can afford them on their own.

A lot of truth in that. Music production and the business of music have changed a lot. As a sidenote, the major streaming services like Amazon Prime and Spotify add 50,000 songs every day.

 

[teashea]

But recording itself also changed a lot!
Nowadays you record a dry guitar DI signal and do the amping in the DAW. Most drums are programmed, also in Metal. No need for ANY room with these techniques. You only need to record voice. SM7B is a top seller ...

In old times the bands also didn't have the money to pay the studios, but the record companies did and took it from record sales before the artist saw any money. Many medium size artist never got any money from their deals cause it was spend for studio time and promotion.
But nowadays there is NO money at all. That's not better. And recording quality is not going up ... just the end of loudness war is a nice chance ...

Nevertheless you need a good/controlled room when you want to work with speakers, esp. for mastering. When you can't hear the source but the room it makes work more dificult, a typical thing is low frequencies and the need to control listen a lot.
But you also don't need a big room for your control room any more. No huge mixer needed, vry little outboard, not 8 people in the room. Some acoustic concepts also work in a small room.

They money is sparce...... I have 15 albums, all on150 streaming services. While they vary, the ones that do pay average a payout of $0.0032 US. Spotify pays nothing unless a song is streamed at lease 1,000 in a year.

 

[teashea]

Is the KH150 really worth almost double the price of the KH120II when using as nearfield @1-2 meters ?
View attachment 337142

Using both in my studio at 1 meter, to me the answer is no unless you need the extra bass extension.

 

[teashea]

I have two 750 DSP’s and 120A’s right now, I was considering an upgrade to 150’s to provide more balance between what my main speakers are handling and the subwoofer is handling. Also to get the upgraded tweeter benefits. Figured there may be benefits in doing so. Sounds like it wouldn’t be an “upgrade” enough in that case?

KH 120 A's are quite good. There is, however, a significant difference between the sound quality of KH 120A's and KH 150's, aside from bass extension.

 

[teashea]

Anyone bought the white KH150 and can say if they look better than the black ones in real life?View attachment 351066

I have white and graphite. It depends on the rest of the decor. examples:

 

[teashea]

Thanks DJ, I have no idea if my room is lacking in that frequency range. One thing I did notice the other day actually was that if I sit back on the sofa which is just over 1 meters further back from where my office chair listening position is, the bass seems much more prominent. I did wonder if this is because I lied when room calibrating the system. I have a 49inch monitor on my desk and my listening position isn't 49 inches back from my speakers, so had to bring that distance in a bit (seemed a bit inflexible due to equilateral triangle requirement). Either way, they still sound great, it was just an observation.

I probably won't bother as I expect the gains will be very small in comparison to the additional cost. The 150s certainly don't lack bass on their own.

It depends on whether the music you listen to has content below 39 Hz. There is some music that does. ..... But just about none of the music I listen to (and none that I produce) has and content down there. I do have a KH750 but do not even use it with my main mixing workstation (which has KH 150's and KH 120 II's).

 

[teashea]

How do the 120 II and the 150 compare? I do have expectations based on measurements, but impressions are nice too, especially if you have had the opportunity to try them in the same room.

Also, I wonder if the 150 are too big for a desktop use, if the 120 II plus sub are enough for a 25 sqm living room, and if the 150 alone are good for that use if you're willing to sacrifice the last octave.

I read somewhere that the 310 II won't be ready until next year.

KH 150's are excellent if the listening distance is at least .75 meters.

 

[n1rvana]

My only gripe is I wish they came in all black! I will be getting the Anthracite / Grey color.

 

[teashea]

My only gripe is I wish they came in all black! I will be getting the Anthracite / Grey color.

I can understand that. Black would be a nice option.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Set to ignore, buh bye troll.

He's also on my ignore list

 

[DJBonoBobo]

It depends on whether the music you listen to has content below 39 Hz. There is some music that does. ..... But just about none of the music I listen to (and none that I produce) has and content down there. I do have a KH750 but do not even use it with my main mixing workstation (which has KH 150's and KH 120 II's).

You are missing the point. "That frequency range" in the post you are answering refers to the 70-100hz range.

 

[gino1961]

the THD graphs in the 1st post are very telling imho
we have just to agree on spl and acceptable THD levels and you will have the usable range for the speaker
small woofers have physical limitations in the bass

 

[mj30250]

the THD graphs in the 1st post are very telling imho
we have just to agree on spl and acceptable THD levels and you will have the usable range for the speaker
small woofers have physical limitations in the bass

Of course a single 6.5" woofer isn't going to offer world-beating output before audibly distorting / compressing, but how much better are we going to get in something of its size? Compare the woofer's distortion against a higher-end Revel floorstander with two 8" bass woofers:

 

[gino1961]

Of course a single 6.5" woofer isn't going to offer world-beating output before audibly distorting / compressing, but how much better are we going to get in something of its size? Compare the woofer's distortion against a higher-end Revel floorstander with two 8" bass woofers:...

Hi ! i think we can agree that the 6.5" woofer in the Neumann is very good indeed while the two 8" bass woofers in the Revel are not that good ?
not all same size woofers perform at the same level ... unfortunately
I have a powered speaker that resembles a lot to an old Genelec monitor The 1031a in the picture below

both have 8" woofers One single woofer of the Genelec costs like a complete pair of the similar speakers
Guess which are the best woofers ?