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Neumann KH 150 Monitor Review

Rate this studio monitor

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 4 0.7%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 45 8.2%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 499 91.1%

  • Total voters
    548
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?
How's the sound ?
 
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?
my 120iis are hot, same hot both of them. I did not expect them this hot but they work fine.
 
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?
Also Class D Amps are not 100% efficient and have to put the heat somewhere. But much smaller (heatsinks) required as compared to similar powerful other concepts. So don’t worry.
 
Did they shift to class D for the newer models?

I must have missed that info.
 
So they don't just run warm but 'hot'.

The SOS review of the KH 150 said that they used 'a patent-pending amp tech that combines superior audio performance with the energy efficiency of class D. The amp topography incorporates some novel techniques that take driver impedance into account with the feedback strategy..."

Neumann state 15w idle for the KH150, which is closer to what you would expect with class AB. In comparison, many 'regular' class D monitors tend to idle at at a mere couple of watts or so (eg Kali IN-5 even with three amps).

Could it lead to shorter lifespan of the electronics? (bearing in mind that they only have a two year warranty). Not to mention it being unwelcome in hot living spaces during summer.
 
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My KH120ii run warm but not hot. As they have the same electronics ... I would wait for the 2nd one and compare.
These monitors run in bigger studios 24/7 and need to stay up for many years - or Neumann will not sell any of them any more. I don't think they do planned obsolescence as you imply here.
 
What's "warm"? What's "hot"? Measure the temperature and report it here and to Neumann for guidance.

Speakers don't only get hot because of the amps. They handle immense sound pressure internally.
 
These monitors run in bigger studios 24/7 and need to stay up for many years - or Neumann will not sell any of them any more. I don't think they do planned obsolescence as you imply here
Good point, other than the planned obsolecence part, which I wasn't implying at all.
 
So they don't just run warm but 'hot'.

The SOS review of the KH 150 said that they used 'a patent-pending amp tech that combines superior audio performance with the energy efficiency of class D. The amp topography incorporates some novel techniques that take driver impedance into account with the feedback strategy..."

Neumann state 15w idle for the KH150 and, in comparison, many 'regular' class D monitors tend to idle at at a mere couple of watts or so (eg Kali IN-5 even with three amps).

Could it lead to shorter lifespan of the electronics? (bearing in mind that they only have a two year warranty). Not to mention it being unwelcome in hot living spaces during summer.

Heat can always be a factor in the lifespan of electronics, but I'm guessing Neumann designed the cooling to be sufficient to keep the amplifiers transistors well within their safe operating range.

If the heatsink is getting hot, that at least means there's a good interface between the amps components and the heatsink and that the heatsink is doing its job. Think I remember reading somewhere also that as a passively cooled heatsink heats up, it becomes more efficient at transferring the heat to the surrounding air. Could be wrong though.
 
Neither quantifies the temps. ???
Okay, I misunderstood the point Curvature was making and, yes, just saying hot isn't too helpful without measuring and preferrably stating ambient temps too, agreed.
 
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Think I remember reading somewhere also that as a passively cooled heatsink heats up, it becomes more efficient at transferring the heat to the surrounding air. Could be wrong though.
A higher temperature difference transports more energy into the air.
You have an exponential cooling curve for tea cause of this. (-> always wait with adding your milk, let it cool first with the big temp difference)
 
Not Class D but similar

I was wrong sorry, the following is the wording used by Neumann in their marketing material.

"Neumann engineers took great care to develop a patent pending amplifier technology which combines superior audio performance with the energy efficiency of Class D."
 
I was wrong sorry, the following is the wording used by Neumann in their marketing material.
It doesn't say it's not class D.
 
If it’s not class-D, possibly class-H then?
 
I have some questions for the owners of these speakers or for people who understand measurements better than i do, how loud would they go in a 20m2/215sq feet room? (i saw the SPL measurements but I'm struggling to put them in perspective since i have no SPL-meter)
Also does their dsp solution automatically select a crossover (and whatever else) if you add a kh750 in the system to relieve the 6,5" driver, or do you have to select some of the parameters by yourself? Is it reasonably easy to manage? To summarise I'm not very educated on these matters and i'd like to understand if this could be the perfect system for me, a casual audiophile with no experience in dealing with dsp.
thank you for your attention
 
I have some questions for the owners of these speakers or for people who understand measurements better than i do, how loud would they go in a 20m2/215sq feet room? (i saw the SPL measurements but I'm struggling to put them in perspective since i have no SPL-meter)
Also does their dsp solution automatically select a crossover (and whatever else) if you add a kh750 in the system to relieve the 6,5" driver, or do you have to select some of the parameters by yourself? Is it reasonably easy to manage? To summarise I'm not very educated on these matters and i'd like to understand if this could be the perfect system for me, a casual audiophile with no experience in dealing with dsp.
thank you for your attention
The KH 150's are designed as nearfiled monitors. Look at the Neumann website and what they recommend. What you suggest is a very bad idea and misuse of these monitors. I use mine at 1.2 meters distance at most. From 2 meters they are still fine.
 
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