Neumann KH 150 Monitor Review

[Slyman]

Thanks for the review amirm. You are the man! It is as beautiful a speaker as one would have hoped for.

In regards to subbass and subwoofers... Is it really "necessary" to buy a subwoofer for speakers with F6 at 35hz? Is it because it declines to hard below 35hz?

 

[MCH]

Seems that the MA-1 mic+software can do room correction and even sub integration if you have the matching sub. Any opinions? Seems like a great alternative to Dirac as it does everything inside the monitors/sub. How does it compare to genelec's system?

 

[Fidji]

Thank you for the test !
But if you use this speaker with a Neumann subwoofer designed to work with it, doesn't it become a big speaker if you use one subwoofer per speaker?

If you pair KH310 with 870 you get a large speaker. But it looks funny.

 

[Waxx]

Seems that the MA-1 mic+software can do room correction and even sub integration if you have the matching sub. Any opinions? Seems like a great alternative to Dirac as it does everything inside the monitors/sub. How does it compare to genelec's system?

It's not cheap and require some technical skills to use it right, + a computer with a professional ad/da interface. That is why i prefer MiniDSP with the UMIK microphone and DIRAC. It's simple to operate for non-engineers, all in one (you just need a computer, no interface) and more universal. It will cost a bit more, but for my client who has the KH420 that was the least of his worries... The Neumann system is just to complicated to use for him, he is a musician, not an engineer.

 

[kencreten]

Can't wait for someone to open it

I opened my KH80s... weird. Here's those pictures.

This is someone else's picture:

From someone else.

 

[pierre]

No. On-axis is just one response with it's own acceptable tolerances. Using that tolerance for balancing LW, ER, PIR, SP and all-individual off-axis responses is the best what can be done for (that) speaker which sounds stuffy with factory settings to everywhere else than on-axis.

Here is an example. Nearfield I would not use an EQ. A bit farther away, you can improve a bit on the PIR by giving up some flatness for LW and ON.
Harman score is 6.9 and would be 8.6 with a perfect sub. EQ doesn't improve things much.

 

[respice finem]

Complaints about the caps in 3...2...1...

Since many manufacturers are using "non-premium" caps, with few complaints, I guess their general quality has improved.

BTW in the linked review, the biggest cap sits in a kind of "mug" - I wonder if this is against vibration, or in the event it becomes "incontinent" with age?

 

[Juhazi]

Its almost impossible the get results as good as this as a DIY:er.

You need a proper loudspeakerstand for these outstanding loudspeaker if you use them in a livingroom. Putting them directly on a tv bench and those fine measurement results will fly away. I would get a stand about 60-63 cm in hight . I use customdesign RS 304 for my 8340.
With a proper stand you can easily find the best loudspeaker position in the room.

Yes, there are many passive and active commercial mid-size 2-way speaker that match best diy-projects. It has been that way for some 30 years, at least. But to know the performance and overall quality to make one's choice is difficult! DIY is a hobby and hobbyists generally have (or will develop) better than average know-how. Esthetics and dsp with various connectivity/web properties of modern studio monitors are another question and not needed in typical diy projects. Ready-made dsp-amps like Hypex FA series and freeware measurement and simulation software have revolutionized the hobby.

For a diyer 2-ways are good for starting and learning, but extra value can be had only with multi-way speakers with specific directivity characteristics and cabinet shape/woodwork. Very large or in-wall subwoofers (or systems) can be had only as diy.

 

[LuminousMoth]

This is a review, listening tests and measurements of the Neumann KH150 DSP 2-way studio monitor (active speaker). It is on loan from the company and costs US $1,750 (each).
View attachment 248927

The design language is not changed of course. The main woofer is 6.5 inches now powered by 120 watt dedicated amplifier. While it is about 3X larger than the KH 80 DSP, it is still light and quite manageable. Here is the back panel with all the expected connections/controls:
View attachment 248928

As bad luck would have it, I yet again managed to test a Neumann speaker during colder weather here (around 56 degrees F). I kept the speaker indoor prior to testing with Klippel NFS speaker measurement system. Reference axis was on the outside top of the woofer.

Neumann KH 150 Speaker Measurements
As usual, we start with our "spin graph" of the anechoic frequency response:
View attachment 248929
I never stop being shocked when I run the computational phase of the Klippel NFS out and pops up a frequency response that is ruler flat! It is as if I am measuring a piece of electronics. There is tiniest bit of shelving down below 200 Hz and a bit of droop at the top end, neither of which Neumann sees in their measurements.

What is uniquely impressive here is the bass extension to incredible 39 Hz for such a small speaker! Very nice.

There is a change in directivity due to Tweeter waveguide which could have probably only been avoided if the crossover point was lower in frequency.

Early window reflections show the classic issue we see in 2-way speakers with vertical directivity not being as good:
View attachment 248930
You can help that as noted with absorption or high distance (from ceiling). Or let it be as vertical dispersion is not as important as horizontal. Predicted-far field response is still quite good:
View attachment 248931

Near-field measurements of the port and drivers shows extremely good control of internal resonances:
View attachment 248932

Most impressive bit is the very low distortion from such a compact speaker:

View attachment 248933

View attachment 248934

Once again, at 86 dBSPL we are talking THD numbers that are in domain of electronics! See how the response essentially hugs the 0 dB axis. Even at 96 dBSPL, speaker is cruising above 100 Hz. Very remarkable.

Horizontal dispersion is a bit narrower at 50 degrees (as opposed to typical 60 degrees in my other tests):
View attachment 248935
View attachment 248936

Vertical dispersion as noted has the classic hole but otherwise, straightens out nicely:

View attachment 248937


CSD waterfall shows very nice control of resonances (as we could tell from spin data):
View attachment 248938

Finally, here is the step response for fans of that:

View attachment 248939

Neumann KH150 Monitor Listening Tests
As usual, I pulled up my female vocals to test for tonality. I was immediate hit with a warm signature that I am not used to hearing with small speakers/monitors. This persisted across many tracks which I contribute to nice bass extension. That led me into thinking subbass response would be good as well. That was not the case. Much of it is filtered due to sharp drop off in response. So for that, you still need a sub or a much larger monitor.

Listening across a range of tracks was a delight. In my near-field listening, the KH 150 could get as loud as I wanted. Bass response (above sub-pass) was substantial and quite clean (unless pushed hard). Detail was excellent as were the dynamics. My reference test track Io sono metà from the album Musica Nuda was superb:

The detail in strings and the warmth from subtle bass response was to die for.

Conclusions
Even though I expect excellence from Neumann I was still pleasantly surprised by the bass extension, very low distortion and manageable weight and size of the KH 150. The price is up there to be sure but so is the performance. For that cost you get a speaker that will surprise you in how full range it plays yet it is not a giant box on sides of your desk.

It is my pleasure to recommend Neumann KH 150.

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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

thas was the review I was waiting for!! I am between this and the KH310. I can actually get the KH310 cheaper which seems like a better deal, but this is a newer speaker with DSP included. which one did you prefer between the 2?

 

[thewas]

Exactly. I have listened many DIY speakers and speakers designed by ex-diyers which sound better than KH150 (due to unbalanced directivity and power). Also in category of small speakers with 6.5" woofer.

You mean that those DIY designs had unbalanced directivity and power response? Could you please post the links to some and the comparison sessions?

 

[fuzzychaos]

Wow. This or Genelec 8340?

For me, it was the KH 150.

 

[Ajax]

I prefer a large speaker in a large room unless that is not possible.

hi Amir,

Thank you for another excellent review, you really doing spoil us.

Can you pls enlarge on your preference for towers over say 2 high quality bookshelf speakers + 2 subs properly integrated with REW & DSP.

Is there a scientific reason?

 

[thewas]

I would say that the direct sound is about 60% important and 40 % for the inroom response from listening position. Because of the precedence effect and because the microphone and the ear/brain works very differently. The microphone takes up all the sound, the brain starts select sound after 5 ms soundtravel- starting fokusing on the direct sound and attenuating the sound from the room with up to - 10 dB, depending on the room size.

The ability to hear in this way, saved us from starvation when hunting 10 000 years ago.

Edit: below 250 Hz the inroom response is totaly dominant.

I agree, on the upper frequencies mainly the direct sound dominates our perception, which is one of the reasons why full EQ based just on LP measurements usually doesn't work perfectly. In the end of course it is a compromise if you have directivity deviations, ideally the early reflections and sound power are smooth that you don't need any room based correction above the transition frequency.

 

[thewas]

Here is an example. Nearfield I would not use an EQ. A bit farther away, you can improve a bit on the PIR by giving up some flatness for LW and ON.

The question though it what will be perceived as sounding most neutral, not which gives the higher score. After almost 2 decades experimenting with such I cannot even give a fixed answer to that as it depends on so many factors, so I usually invite all users to experiment and find what works for them best.

 

[DJBonoBobo]

Seems that the MA-1 mic+software can do room correction and even sub integration if you have the matching sub. Any opinions? Seems like a great alternative to Dirac as it does everything inside the monitors/sub. How does it compare to genelec's system?

There is a thread about this: https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...umann-ma-1-automatic-monitor-alignment.17902/

I haven't looked but I think it can play AES streams over it. I suspect they also have a control app/webpage as there is a switch to indicate local or remote control of the settings.

The AES67 version has 2 ethernet ports. 1 for controlling the built in DSP via network (MA 1 software), the other for the AES67 audio stream.
The standard version has only the first one.

 

[oivavoi]

This is as perfect as it gets. Wow! Hats off to Neumann.

Directivity is narrow though, so some people may still prefer less perfect but wider-dispersing speakers. But in the narrow dispersion segment, this seems like the speaker to get.

 

[abdo123]

But we are hearing the sum of on-axis and reflections from off-axis.
That's why Estimated In-Room Response comes in instead of on-axis only.

you're not hearing -/+ 40 degrees vertically off-axis, more like -/+20 degrees at best.

 

[pierre]

The question though it what will be perceived as sounding most neutral, not which gives the higher score. After almost 2 decades experimenting with such I cannot even give a fixed answer to that as it depends on so many factors, so I usually invite all users to experiment and find what works for them best.

my view:
-nearfield LW is the most important and I want it as flat as possible. 2dB are very audible in the midrange
- mid field: if there is only a small LP then still LW first. As soon as you have multiple listening window (aka couch situation) then PIR becomes more important.

With the level of quality of this speaker, it is a lot more room related than related to the speaker.
If the room is very good, then maybe a will have a preference.

 

[LearningToSmile]

Kind of a shame there's no room in the lineup for an 8 inch two-way - I wonder what Neumann would be able to achieve with that.

 

[MCH]

There is a thread about this: https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...umann-ma-1-automatic-monitor-alignment.17902/

Thanks! A lot to read there, but at first sight it looks like a bargain