Neumann KH120 II Monitor Review

[Pritaudio]

If you are using the MA1, you can store multiple profiles on your pc and load 1 at a time into the speaker via MA1 software. Also, you can control volume via MA1 software only after calibrating.
So, it will not work the way you hope.

How many multiple profiles can I store on my pc.
Also, can I store these profiles on storage drives for backup.
Or does it remain inside the ma1 software subject to uninstalling the program.

 

[vamp]

So, the Standby issue seems to be more serious than I though it was. Both of my speakers and kh750dsp sub had problems waking up on signal. Sub and one of KH120II did that every 3-7 days, and I had to power cycle them. The other speaker (speaker2 let's name it) failed to wake up 1 may be 2 times a month. However a week or two ago that one speaker2 stopped reacting on power cycle, and I had to wait 10+ minutes for them in Off mode to reset. It went back to normal. The other speaker failed the same way few days later, but I was not concerned as everything seemed to be okay. Until today. Today speaker2 failed to power cycle and stopped producing any sound after power on. The speakers connect to MA1 software, they update firmware from 1.1.1.0 to latest 1.1.1.1 but speaker2 does not remember the logo brightness level, standby mode on\off setting and doesn't produce sound at all. Hard reset didn't help. And I think there is a smell of burnt comes out from it.

So what do I do now? I have to send them back to Germany. I guess I have to send the both speakers as they according to their serial numbers are from the same batch. It is a big headache, because I am not in Europe at all. I also would like to send the sub but it is so heavy and sending these 2 speakers is already a bureaucratic risk due to customs restrictions and stuff..... I can't express my disappointment in these Neumann products - it is on par with excitement of the sound quality they gave. A big flop for heavy duty professional equipment.

 

[HQY]

So, the Standby issue seems to be more serious than I though it was. Both of my speakers and kh750dsp sub had problems waking up on signal. Sub and one of KH120II did that every 3-7 days, and I had to power cycle them. The other speaker (speaker2 let's name it) failed to wake up 1 may be 2 times a month. However a week or two ago that one speaker2 stopped reacting on power cycle, and I had to wait 10+ minutes for them in Off mode to reset. It went back to normal. The other speaker failed the same way few days later, but I was not concerned as everything seemed to be okay. Until today. Today speaker2 failed to power cycle and stopped producing any sound after power on. The speakers connect to MA1 software, they update firmware from 1.1.1.0 to latest 1.1.1.1 but speaker2 does not remember the logo brightness level, standby mode on\off setting and doesn't produce sound at all. Hard reset didn't help. And I think there is a smell of burnt comes out from it.

So what do I do now? I have to send them back to Germany. I guess I have to send the both speakers as they according to their serial numbers are from the same batch. It is a big headache, because I am not in Europe at all. I also would like to send the sub but it is so heavy and sending these 2 speakers is already a bureaucratic risk due to customs restrictions and stuff..... I can't express my disappointment in these Neumann products - it is on par with excitement of the sound quality they gave. A big flop for heavy duty professional equipment.

Sorry to hear this. My 120II has similar issues. It’s frustrating.

 

[Pritaudio]

I wouldn’t expect this from Neumann.
And definitely not a new product (minus the software issues).
It seems to be a health hazard.

I have a pair to test at home.
But I’m probably going to save some money and get Kali in8 v2 instead as I already have rme adi2 dac and Wiim pro for eq duties.

 

[Drew456]

So what do I do now? I have to send them back to Germany. I guess I have to send the both speakers as they according to their serial numbers are from the same batch. It is a big headache, because I am not in Europe at all. I also would like to send the sub but it is so heavy and sending these 2 speakers is already a bureaucratic risk due to customs restrictions and stuff..... I can't express my disappointment in these Neumann products - it is on par with excitement of the sound quality they gave. A big flop for heavy duty professional equipment.

Sorry to hear this. My 120II has similar issues. It’s frustrating.

Sorry to hear of your issues. For the sake of reassurance, it would be interesting to hear from one of the Neumann representatives that frequent this forum on the matter. My KH150 also occasionally (but thankfully seldom) don't start up from standby when I turn on my UCXII, although it's only the right hand monitor that doesn't fire up. The remedy is to switch off both speakers and wait a few minutes, and then turn on. However, I am not on the latest FW, probably the previous one.

 

[vamp]

Sorry to hear of your issues. For the sake of reassurance, it would be interesting to hear from one of the Neumann representatives that frequent this forum on the matter. My KH150 also occasionally (but thankfully seldom) don't start up from standby when I turn on my UCXII, although it's only the right hand monitor that doesn't fire up. The remedy is to switch off both speakers and wait a few minutes, and then turn on. However, I am not on the latest FW, probably the previous one.

I contacted the seller\distributor\small audio shop that brought the speakers to my country to arrange the return to Neumann, and the seller said that that i was not the only one with that issue.. So be prepared for a lengthy repair process.

 

[Randyman...]

I wouldn’t expect this from Neumann.
And definitely not a new product (minus the software issues).
It seems to be a health hazard.

I have a pair to test at home.
But I’m probably going to save some money and get Kali in8 v2 instead as I already have rme adi2 dac and Wiim pro for eq duties.

Have you compared the Kali in8 V2's (or in5's for that matter) to the KH120 or KH150? What was your take - and can you comment on output capability? I'm also in a similar dilemma, and the Kali's look too good to be true - but seem to have lots of trustworthy hype. I have them saved in my Amazon cart - but I'm still lusting after the KH's

Also -

Our 120 II speakers just got here from the German MusicStore.com. It took 3 weeks once they got back in stock in Germany although that was over Christmas, so probably less time normally. There was no customs tax and it took about 2 days to get through customs then 8 days USPS to delivery once landed in NYC. The only downside is that they came with cords with German plugs. Fortunately I had some old US cords from dead computers that work...

(Bolded for emphasis by me)
So @RDoc - No hassles with customs/taxes for the KH120 pair? I'm curious if a pair of KH150's L/R and a KH120II Center would trip any import flags / VAT charges from MusicStore.com? Seems the "trip point" is $800 USD - and a pair of KH120's is way past that (but under that "per unit"). The KH150's blow past the $800 limit "per unit". But a KH150 L/R + KH120 Center for $3100 is very tempting!!! But then a trio of Kali in8's for $1300 is a heck of a deal for my pocket book!

And what's the deal with USA warranty if purchased from MusicStore.com? Do they require shipment back to Germany, or can warranty repairs be handled by Neumann in the USA?

Thanks!

 

[HQY]

Have you compared the Kali in8 V2's (or in5's for that matter) to the KH120 or KH150? What was your take - and can you comment on output capability? I'm also in a similar dilemma, and the Kali's look too good to be true - but seem to have lots of trustworthy hype. I have them saved in my Amazon cart - but I'm still lusting after the KH's

Also -

(Bolded for emphasis by me)
So @RDoc - No hassles with customs/taxes for the KH120 pair? I'm curious if a pair of KH150's L/R and a KH120II Center would trip any import flags / VAT charges from MusicStore.com? Seems the "trip point" is $800 USD - and a pair of KH120's is way past that (but under that "per unit"). The KH150's blow past the $800 limit "per unit". But a KH150 L/R + KH120 Center for $3100 is very tempting!!! But then a trio of Kali in8's for $1300 is a heck of a deal for my pocket book!

And what's the deal with USA warranty if purchased from MusicStore.com? Do they require shipment back to Germany, or can warranty repairs be handled by Neumann in the USA?

Thanks!

You may contact local Sennheiser for help.

 

[Bambo]

Hello guys! I've already asked here, but I didn't get an answer. Has anyone compared the difference between the sound of the digital input and the analog input in the KH120II? I have an Audient ID4 MK2. There is no digital output, I use the analog output. And now I'm wondering whether it makes sense to buy an interface with a digital output if there is no difference to the ear. Thanks for your time!

 

[Randyman...]

You may contact local Sennheiser for help.

I don't believe they will have any answers aside from the warranty inquiry (and that's not entirely a deal breaker if I would have to ship back to Germany).

Any thoughts on the other points that will have most impact on this decision? Do the KH120II's "Sneak by" US customs because they are under the $800 limit per unit (but the pair @RDoc cites were obviously over the $800 limit, yet were still passed w/o any tariffs/taxes). Any chance of the $1190 KH150 sneaking by as well? And any input on the very popular Kali in-8/in-5 vs the KH120/KH150 experience?

Previously, I was pondering a pre-owned L-C-R set of 10+ year old KH120a's for $1500 or so with no chance of any warranty, and likely pretty banged-up. But I can get NIB L-C-R KH120II's for $2050 shipped from MusicStore.com / Germany - so this kind of makes my used KH120a option moot. And I have just enough budget to go with KH150 L/R and KH120II Center if the tariffs/taxes won't apply (their prices are shockingly good). I'd actually be OK with no warranty - but I also won't have ease of exchange as I might if purchasing domestically (but a domestic purchase puts L-C-R KH120II's at the same price as KH150 L/R + KH120II Center from MusicStore; and no way to afford KH150's domestically).

Looking to pull the trigger this month as my current Dynaudio AIR-15 system is causing me many issues with electronics/module failures (a circa 2000 active speaker - so well over 20 years old now, and numerous module repairs that have tallied in the thousands). Maybe I'll start with the Kali in-5 from Amazon - and return them if they don't put a smile on my face. But working with dozens of sets of 1st gen KH120a's at my day job in broadcast - I know they are a great speaker. We have dozens and dozens of them, and have only had 2 or 3 failures (and 2 Neumann sub failures). But I feel I will be somewhat "locked-into" the KH purchase from Germany (or pay return shipping and possibly a restocking fee). Are the Kali's as good as everyone says?

Thanks for any assistance helping me spend my limited money
Randy V.

 

[vamp]

Hello guys! I've already asked here, but I didn't get an answer. Has anyone compared the difference between the sound of the digital input and the analog input in the KH120II? I have an Audient ID4 MK2. There is no digital output, I use the analog output. And now I'm wondering whether it makes sense to buy an interface with a digital output if there is no difference to the ear. Thanks for your time!

There is a big difference. I used to have Adam A7V and got used to their ribbon twitters and KH120II sounded very dull at high ends, I switched to SPDIF and 120II started to sound almost as crisp at highs as A7V sounded.

 

[Bambo]

There is a big difference. I used to have Adam A7V and got used to their ribbon twitters and KH120II sounded very dull at high ends, I switched to SPDIF and 120II started to sound almost as crisp at highs as A7V sounded.

Thank you! Please tell me what interface you use for digital output?

 

[holdingpants01]

There is a big difference. I used to have Adam A7V and got used to their ribbon twitters and KH120II sounded very dull at high ends, I switched to SPDIF and 120II started to sound almost as crisp at highs as A7V sounded.

such big differences are either purely subjective, caused by malfunction or by user error, both inputs will sound and measure the same with only difference being noise level or the way the input stage distort with too big input signal, in normal operation they're the same

 

[vamp]

Thank you! Please tell me what interface you use for digital output?

Amanero Italian USB Interface Card Cpld Spdif I2S DSD512 Dop128 Coaxial Output Signal Processing And Conversion for bit-perfect playback

 

[Bambo]

Thank you!

 

[vamp]

So should I send both (may be even all three including SUB???) to manufacturer? 1 speaker is dead, other speaker had standby issue. I didn't face the issue since 1.1.1.1 patch so far, but I have no trust, and it may die any day any moment and I will have to send that unit by itself. However if I send it now they might not find a malfunction and return it back to me.... Sub by the way didn't receive a new firmware, and judging by the serial number it is older that speakers. The serial numbers of the speakers differ just by one last digit.

 

[holdingpants01]

I would fix the broken ones and sell them as soon as possible to get something reliable, I saw KH150 failing not even 30 days after the purchase

 

[DJBonoBobo]

German solution for standby-problems:

 

[goat76]

I had this thought about getting a pair of KH120 II as secondary monitors, but unfortunately, this standby problem seems to be a widespread one so I will put that idea on ice for a while.

I hope Neumann will fix this for all of you who have experienced this problem. Do they know what it is and is it just related to certain batches?

 

[HQY]

in my situation, sometimes pause playing may help to wakeup the 120II.