Neumann KH 150 Monitor Review

[danbei]

The kh150 were completely silent which was such a relief, and instruments fading into pure silence was absolute bliss, until unfortunately one of the monitors started to emit a faint fizzling or crackling sound from the tweeter heard up to 1.5m in silence, while the other monitor is still silent. Has anybody else had this with a neumann monitor and should I just get a replacement?

I got the exact same problem. Only with one of the KH150 pair I have. I contacted Neumann directly without getting any clear response. You remind me that I should follow up

 

[enricoclaudio]

Have had these for about three weeks replacing yamaha hs8. To me there's an incredible improvement with many sound details/instruments being way more audible than on the hs8. Strings particularly sound absolutely beautiful, didn't think a flatter frequency would affect it so much but there it is. I feel like I can work with string samples and sounds way longer before getting annoyed than with hs8. I expect MA1 to do magic once that arrives. Though like half the reason for ditching the hs8 was their self generated noise and prone to interference noise all being too loud.

The kh150 were completely silent which was such a relief, and instruments fading into pure silence was absolute bliss, until unfortunately one of the monitors started to emit a faint fizzling or crackling sound from the tweeter heard up to 1.5m in silence, while the other monitor is still silent. Has anybody else had this with a neumann monitor and should I just get a replacement? I've tried all the typical stuff of swapping and removing cables etc it happens when it's connected to any socket. Sometimes it disappears for a while and comes back later. Tried moving all the rear switches.
Additionally, something my hs8 never did, both the neumann monitors will a few times over the day randomly emit a popping or crackling sound. Thinking it was in the music I played it back and it did not repeat. Only one monitor does it at a time.

I had the same issue with one of my KH150s. Crackling noise which was increasing exponentially until I was able to turn it off. After rebooting the speaker came back normal. But I got scared so I asked Sweetwater for a replacement which they did immediately. These kind of issues are DSP software related and not hardware related as rebooting fix the crackling noise.

 

[Arnas]

I had the same issue with one of my KH150s. Crackling noise which was increasing exponentially until I was able to turn it off. After rebooting the speaker came back normal. But I got scared so I asked Sweetwater for a replacement which they did immediately. These kind of issues are DSP software related and not hardware related as rebooting fix the crackling noise.

I like to see Neumann response to that. Was looking forward to these speakers until now.

 

[enricoclaudio]

I like to see Neumann response to that. Was looking forward to these speakers until now.

Well, all I can say is that Neumann response was quick. @schallmauer contacted me over PM and asked for the KH150 serial number so they could get it back from Sweetwater to their facilities in Germany for testing. Did they get the defective KH150 from Sweetwater for testing? I have no idea but at least they showed interest in finding the root of the crackling noise issue.

 

[teashea]

Thank you for the answer. I think most often darkness and brightness perception is in the ear of the beholder rather than being a representation of performance.

Amen.................. That is why one needs to rely on the objective, scientific, true measurement data ----- (thanks to Amir here on ASR). Subjective impressions are just that - subjective and unreliable and variable.

 

[teashea]

View attachment 286819I was at Thomann‘s todays and did not come back entirely empty-handed. They look small in the photo, but feel enormous to me right now, coming from the KH120…

Very nice. You got the right color for your setup.

 

[Vadimchik]

ANYONE KNOW WHEN THE KH 310 DSP IS COMING OUT?

 

[Grotti]

ANYONE KNOW WHEN THE KH 310 DSP IS COMING OUT?

Nope.

 

[Pearljam5000]

View attachment 286819I was at Thomann‘s todays and did not come back entirely empty-handed. They look small in the photo, but feel enormous to me right now, coming from the KH120…

What's the difference between the KH120 and KH150 SQ wise ?

 

[teashea]

Nope.

Good question. Probably pretty soon

 

[Grotti]

Good question. Probably pretty soon

Do you know more?

 

[IamJF]

They needed about a year to reuse the parts of the KH150 and build the KH120ii? New LF driver, new cabinets. That's about a normal development timeframe.
So they have to do new electronics for the KH310ii, probably also new LF driver, I bet the new housing materials. That's more than a year for the same speaker development team.

And one additional year to get the software know the KH310ii ...

 

[Blockader]

Hello guys,

This is the official statement.

 

[boxerfan88]

Hello guys,

View attachment 291765This is the official statement.

Aaah... i just bought my KH310 this year...

NVM...enjoy it while waiting and saving up for KH430...

 

[teashea]

Do you know more?

No. Just my speculation. But the 310 is the model that would be next. It should not be too difficult for them to update since they have all of the experience with the 150 and 120 II. I have a pair of KH310's and like them very much but I am confident that the new ones will be even better. They will probably make it louder and extend the bass, in addition to a modified woofer and DSP.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Hello guys,

View attachment 291765This is the official statement.

With the price bump it'll be in Genelec Ones territory

 

[JustCoolin‘]

What's the difference between the KH120 and KH150 SQ wise ?

Deeper bass, obviously, and DSP, but they do sound *very* similar, which is what I wanted/expected. I could have achieved the same/more with the 750 DSP, I guess but living in an apartment, I was a bit “scared” of a sub, and the 120s serve a different purpose now, anyway.

If I may add entirely subjective impressions, being aware of where we are here: at nearly 2m apart, the 120s sometimes felt as if there was an ever so slight hole in the middle, which is now entirely filled.

And what I don’t quite get: the soundscape seems to be broader, and often goes slightly beyond the left and right of the respective speaker. I didn’t have this with the 120s at all. I will have to test this one of these days, I still have the 120s.

Generally speaking, every time I turn these one, I am just flabbergasted what kind of sound I have at home. They make me smile every day.

 

[IamJF]

And what I don’t quite get: the soundscape seems to be broader, and often goes slightly beyond the left and right of the respective speaker. I didn’t have this with the 120s at all. I will have to test this one of these days, I still have the 120s.

I also noticed that with 120 vs 120ii - soundstage goes wider AND more precise.
Beyond left or right is btw pretty often - this means there are out of phase paets of the music in the signal which makes that effect. You loose mono compatibility with that (at least for the signals you use the effect) but can be fun sometimes. The 150 is narrower for beamwidht - maybe you have a little less room influence now in mid/high frequencies.

 

[Pearljam5000]

What do you mean beyond left and right ?
Do you mean behind the speakers ? thanks

 

[IamJF]

More left as your speaker position. So "over" the stereo triangle.
Have a look at the correlator or similar stereo width analysis tool. Then you see these signals which go wider as the stereo width of your speakers.
Mixing 1x1