Neumann KH 150 Monitor Review

[HarmonicTHD]

I'm using an E70 DAC which has no tone controls.

However....I am streaming through Amazon Music and just poked around through the settings to find that exclusive mode was not set to on...I didn't realize or think about the fact that it resets back to off each time the app closes. For some reason, it was also not checked on under the sound settings in Windows. I switched it back on in both locations, and suddenly the bass improved at all volumes. This is more like it! I'll sit with this for a while and then run through MA 1 hopefully by the weekend.

Perfect. As you are using Windows to stream to your DAC anyhow you can for example do tone control with APO EQ or foobar or Roon or whatever other streaming software you fancy and which connects to Amazon and has tone control.

I would use MA1 to calibrate your room to the SPL level which you use most and do all tone controls on the streamer side. (Of course make sure that Windows is set to neutral, as you just found out when doing MA1 calib ;-)). Windows has another setting I think it is called Surround Mode or so, that needs to be off too for calibration.

BTW. I use Asio for the Windows audio interface driver.

 

[LTig]

I'm using an E70 DAC which has no tone controls.

If budget allows think about a RME ADI2 DAC. It has both tone controls and an adjustable loudness and many more useful features.

 

[gino1961]

i find a little misleading that on Neumann Web site the KH750 is specified up to 750Hz
what they really mean? it's just a sub isn't it?

 

[dshreter]

i find a little misleading that on Neumann Web site the KH750 is specified up to 750Hz
what they really mean? it's just a sub isn't it?

What aspect do you find misleading if that is its actual performance? If run as dual subs and positioned with monitors, the extended range could be used.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

i find a little misleading that on Neumann Web site the KH750 is specified up to 750Hz
what they really mean? it's just a sub isn't it?

Well it means that it can reproduce 18 to 750Hz within the limits of plus minus 3dB. And btw distortion is even lowest at higher frequencies measured at 95dB SPL (see below from Neumann).

Do you want to use up to 750Hz? That is up to you and your application. And yes in subwoofer applications the subs are mainly crossed over with the mains at much less than that.

 

[gino1961]

What aspect do you find misleading if that is its actual performance? If run as dual subs and positioned with monitors, the extended range could be used.

Thanks for the very kind valuable reply
i understand that is not a common practice anyway

 

[gino1961]

Well it means that it can reproduce 18 to 750Hz within the limits of plus minus 3dB. And btw distortion is even lowest at higher frequencies measured at 95dB SPL (see below from Neumann).

Do you want to use up to 750Hz? That is up to you and your application. And yes in subwoofer applications the subs are mainly crossed over with the mains at much less than that.

View attachment 259408

Thanks a lot for the very valuable advice
fwiu nobody does that? most people use it just as a sub i guess for good reasons

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Thanks a lot for the very valuable advice
fwiu nobody does that? most people use it just as a sub i guess for good reasons

Studios or live performer might use it, afterall this is the main target market for Neumann etc.

Imaging two KH750 left and right plus a KH120 or so on top and you get a quasi 3 way speaker with a lot of low frequency SPL capability and little distortion (because the mid woofer of the KH120 doesn’t have to play so low).

But yes in home applications one crosses the sub(s) at often 60 to 80Hz so they can not be located and you can place them at different locations than the main speakers to minimize room modes (peaks and nulls). Simply speaking.

 

[paudio]

Can you stack kh750 to deal with room nodes? Like the W371?

 

[gino1961]

Studios or live performer might use it, afterall this is the main target market for Neumann etc.

Imaging two KH750 left and right plus a KH120 or so on top and you get a quasi 3 way speaker with a lot of low frequency SPL capability and little distortion (because the mid woofer of the KH120 doesn’t have to play so low).

But yes in home applications one crosses the sub(s) at often 60 to 80Hz so they can not be located and you can place them at different locations than the main speakers to minimize room modes (peaks and nulls). Simply speaking.

Thanks a lot again
however the single speaker solution for a 3 way should be the more popular by far
again for some reasons

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Can you stack kh750 to deal with room nodes? Like the W371?

Sure you can, but MA1 can’t do multiple subs yet ie it treats all subs as one. At least last time I checked, so please correct me.

 

[RobL]

Can you stack kh750 to deal with room nodes? Like the W371?

Sure you can, but MA1 can’t do multiple subs yet ie it treats all subs as one. At least last time I checked, so please correct me.

Ummm, 2 stacked KH750’s =/= W371A

 

[paudio]

Ummm, 2 stacked KH750’s =/= W371A

You could do something similar in concept though? Equality wasn't really what I meant.

 

[DJBonoBobo]

i find a little misleading that on Neumann Web site the KH750 is specified up to 750Hz
what they really mean? it's just a sub isn't it?

Frequecy response of the KH750 in full range mode:

Neumann KH 750 DSP – Subwoofer mit DSP-System im Test

Mit dem KH 750 DSP bringt der Berliner Hersteller Neumann seinen ersten Subwoofer mit integriertem DSP-System auf den Markt. Streng nach der Devise »Was lange währt, wird endlich gut« verfügt der neue Sub über einige Besonderheiten und Alleinstellungsmerkmale, die hier etwas näher betrachtet...

www.soundandrecording.de

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Frequecy response of the KH750 in full range mode:
View attachment 259456

Neumann KH 750 DSP – Subwoofer mit DSP-System im Test

Mit dem KH 750 DSP bringt der Berliner Hersteller Neumann seinen ersten Subwoofer mit integriertem DSP-System auf den Markt. Streng nach der Devise »Was lange währt, wird endlich gut« verfügt der neue Sub über einige Besonderheiten und Alleinstellungsmerkmale, die hier etwas näher betrachtet...

www.soundandrecording.de

It’s amazing isn’t it. One could easily run it to ca 250hz in a stereo config and still be perfectly flat. Or even further if ca 1 dB deviation does not matter to one (I think in live applications no one would notice 1dB especially after a few drinks. ;-))

 

[gino1961]

hi thanks a lot for the very kind and valuable information i did not see them in the Neumann Web site
impressive performance indeed

 

[HarmonicTHD]

hi thanks a lot for the very kind and valuable information i did not see them in the Neumann Web site
impressive performance indeed

On Neumann web site go to the KH750, scroll down a bit and there is a menu called Data. Click on the little arrow next to it and a whole bunch of data opens up. The graphs are at the bottom of that list.

(BTW. I wish other speaker manufacturers especially the so called high end ones, would publish that kind of data. Here Neumann, Genelec, KEF White Papers (maybe others) come to mind as setting a good example. Maybe others have to hide something ;-) or don’t have the capability, which is not reassuring either).

 

[gino1961]

On Neumann web site go to the KH750, scroll down a bit and there is a menu called Data. Click on the little arrow next to it and a whole bunch of data opens up. The graphs are at the bottom of that list.

(BTW. I wish other speaker manufacturers especially the so called high end ones, would publish that kind of data. Here Neumann, Genelec, KEF White Papers (maybe others) come to mind as setting a good example. Maybe others have to hide something ;-) or don’t have the capability, which is not reassuring either).

Thank you very much indeed And i agree completely on the data availability even if I guess that people who buy this kind of products don't pick them up by reading datasheets but they audition them first
Personally i look for
Frequency Response
IMD
Impulse response vs Hz
Dispersion H and V
Imho IMD at high SPLs is very telling of a speaker's sound quality
And as you very well point out is rarely reported in the datasheets

 

[neunoir]

That’s fine. Do you have the possibility of tone control on the DAC or streamer side? That’s what I do. I keep the room calibrated with MA1 and if I need more bass or treble at lower levels or just because I am in the mood I adjust the digital signal.

Thanks a lot for this tip. Obvious maybe, but it didn't occur to me until you mentioned it...

I experienced the same: wanting a bit more bass at lower volumes (dynamic EQ) in home setup. But I don't want to / cannot fiddle with MA1 all the time.
Now I enabled tone controls on the streamer after performing the MA1 calibration.

 

[Blockader]

Can you stack kh750 to deal with room nodes? Like the W371?

you can.