Neumann KH 310A Review (Powered Monitor)

[DJBonoBobo]

setup process to the AAVA C20's.

Trial and error. I ended up putting both on the back wall as the effect was biggest there - they seem to kill a SBIR around 25Hz from there. Some of the process is described in this older thread: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...eq-also-passive-absorbtion.12264/#post-359277

 

[Χ Ξ Σ]

The speakers are good. The problem resides in the electricity in my house that was built in the '70s. I plugged in a speaker in my friend's house across the street, which was built in the '90s, and there was absolutely no buzzing from the mid dome.

I have tried lifting the ground on the speakers and using a groundless power cord. Neither works. I then installed an extra grounding rod. The buzzing noise is still there. I suspect the power line in the wall is old, but fixing that would be more costly than the speakers themselves. Since I do plan to remodel the house in the future, I am not going to fix the electricity now just for these speakers.

I ordered an isolation transformer and it will arrive tomorrow. This is a shot in the dark. If that doesn't work, I will return the KH310 and get something less sensitive to bad electricity.

The isolation transformer works! Noise is now inaudible at the my listening position. The transformer hums by itself so I hide it in the closet. I am glad that I can keep the KH310!

 

[HerbertWest]

Thanks! I tried this today with the KH310+KH750 DSP and this is what i got in my 14 qm room (additional room-EQ applied). Changes are subtle, but i think i like it. Pity i don´t have time to listen to something other than pink noise most of the time...

Green: Estimated in room response KH310 only for reference, measured by Amir.
Red: Average of MMM-measurements (L + sub) + (R + Sub) with room EQ and settings similar to those you provided with the "score" settings (as close as it gets with the KH 750DSP).
Black: Deactivated additional EQ settings above 300Hz.

Var smoothing, listening distance: 1,6m

What crossover frequency did you choose, in the end?
I am wondering if the KH310 would benefit from a higher frequency crossover, e.g 120Hz or 150 Hz (maybe using different subs like Rythmik FM8).

 

[DJBonoBobo]

What crossover frequency did you choose, in the end?
I am wondering if the KH310 would benefit from a higher frequency crossover, e.g 120Hz or 150 Hz (maybe using different subs like Rythmik FM8).

The iPad-app uses 80Hz for KH750 + KH310, it is not possible to change (Neumann said months ago "maybe in one of the next updates", but it did not happen yet), so no choosing. What crossover the auto alignment (PC app + MA 1) uses i don´t know. Neumann says, 80Hz is "optimal" for the KH310, whatever that means.

 

[direstraitsfan98]

What is the TOTL reference KH Neumann system exactly? A pair of KH420 and several of their subs? Which sub would you go for though? There seems to be 3. The KH 750 DSP, KH 810, and KH 870.

 

[q3cpma]

What is the TOTL reference KH Neumann system exactly? A pair of KH420 and several of their subs? Which sub would you go for though? There seems to be 3. The KH 750 DSP, KH 810, and KH 870.

There's no real top of the line right now, as their best model (KH420) isn't DSP enabled and the KH750DSP is just too small to be of any real use to it. We'll have to wait for them to overhaul their bigger models, really. So, for now, I'd say the KH420 is their current flagship but the old O500C is still their technological peak; of course, it shows its age a bit by not using their newer and better midrange and tweeter.

 

[usern]

I have a pair of these with the KH 750 sub, I love them. Being commercial gear you can yolk mount them on PA stands.

View attachment 94886

Looks very nice, but do you get any resonances from the speaker stand metal tubes? First time I put my speakers on metal stands I did hear some resonance.

 

[monkeyboy]

The speaker+yolks is on the order of 35lbs, the stand is relatively flexible...if you give the speaker a bump, the natural response is on the order of 1hz or so...I don't think you excite any sway modes in the stands, the yolks are pretty effective in decoupling any excitation of the tubing...I don't perceive and issues..

 

[Sixte]

Hi,

It maybe has been discussed in the thread but I didn't see any mention of the digital version of the KH310. What are the use cases for which this version would be better suited than the analogue one?

Kind regards
Greg

 

[AnalogSteph]

Literally quoting from their product description:

Digital input and delay

The KH 310 D enables flexible digital signal connectivity (24 bit, 192 kHz, AES3 and S/P-DIF) via a digital XLR or BNC input and buffered BNC output. Audio-visual synchronization ensures a lip sync delay of 0 to 10/12 frames. The loudspeaker can be delayed up to 400 ms, in order to compensate for varying listening distances.

The KH310A doesn't have any of that.

 

[Sixte]

OK thank you AnalogSteph

 

[infinitesymphony]

It's interesting to note that the KH310D and KH310A have identical specs outside of the A/D/A conversion. With other manufacturers (I'm thinking Genelec?) it's not uncommon for the DSP models to have revised specs because they're an incremental upgrade that arrives after the analog version.

 

[hyperplanar]

It's interesting to note that the KH310D and KH310A have identical specs outside of the A/D/A conversion. With other manufacturers (I'm thinking Genelec?) it's not uncommon for the DSP models to have revised specs because they're an incremental upgrade that arrives after the analog version.

I wouldn’t call the KH310D a DSP version of the KH310A, it’s literally just the KH310A with a DAC expansion card added in. Same goes for the KH120D. I guess it’s meant to fulfill a niche in the broadcasting market?

 

[infinitesymphony]

I wouldn’t call the KH310D a DSP version of the KH310A, it’s literally just the KH310A with a DAC expansion card added in. Same goes for the KH120D. I guess it’s meant to fulfill a niche in the broadcasting market?

"Audio-visual synchronization ensures a lip sync delay of 0 to 10/12 frames. The loudspeaker can be delayed up to 400 ms, in order to compensate for varying listening distances."

 

[thewas]

"Audio-visual synchronization ensures a lip sync delay of 0 to 10/12 frames. The loudspeaker can be delayed up to 400 ms, in order to compensate for varying listening distances."

Such a delay is done by a DSP but in the end as @hyperplanar the crossover of the 310D is the same analogue active one like the 310D and thus not what is usually meant nowadays under the term "DSP monitor".

 

[Frank Dernie]

It's interesting to note that the KH310D and KH310A have identical specs outside of the A/D/A conversion. With other manufacturers (I'm thinking Genelec?) it's not uncommon for the DSP models to have revised specs because they're an incremental upgrade that arrives after the analog version.

I don't think any of the Neumann monitors have any DSP except the KH 80 DSP. If you want to add DSP to the others you need a KH750 DSP sub.
This gives DSP correction to all the other monitors, though the 750 produces less bass with the KH420 than without, for some reason.

 

[thewas]

I don't think any of the Neumann monitors have any DSP except the KH 80 DSP. If you want to add DSP to the others you need a KH750 DSP sub.
This gives DSP correction to all the other monitors, though the 750 produces less bass with the KH420 than without, for some reason.

Yes, the 80 and 750 are the most recent designs and only ones with a DSP crossover, am sure the successors of 120, 310 and 420 will be also like this.
Just for historic completeness, Neumann monitors (back then still under their original name Klein + Hummel) also offered in the past an extra FIR DSP controller for their top main monitor O500C.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Yes, the 80 and 750 are the most recent designs and only ones with a DSP crossover, am sure the successors of 120, 310 and 420 will be also like this.
Just for historic completeness, Neumann monitors (back then still under their original name Klein + Hummel) also offered in the past an extra FIR DSP controller for their top main monitor O500C.

The 420s and 310 appeal to me because they are so good without DSP

 

[infinitesymphony]

I'm not claiming the digital Neumanns have a full suite of DSP, but it's also not correct to say that they have no DSP. In the future, I'll just say digital.

The thrust of my comment was intended to be that with other manufacturers, it's not uncommon for the specs to be different between analog and digital versions even with the DSP completely disabled, simply because components were swapped or otherwise improved.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I'm not claiming the digital Neumanns have a full suite of DSP, but it's also not correct to say that they have no DSP. In the future, I'll just say digital.

The thrust of my comment was intended to be that with other manufacturers, it's not uncommon for the specs to be different between analog and digital versions even with the DSP completely disabled, simply because components were swapped or otherwise improved.

I may be wrong but as far as I can see studying the data and the fitting instructions for the KH 420 (the KH 420 can have the digital input retro-fitted) there is no DSP in any of the Neumann monitors unless it is in the model number. It is just an onboard DAC, so the performance is bound to be the same.
DSP corrections (of some sort) for each model number are only incorporated into the 750 DSP sub and selectable from the app.