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Neumann KH120 II Monitor Review

Rate this monitor speaker:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 3 0.7%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

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

    Votes: 37 8.1%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 412 90.5%

  • Total voters
    455
I had the KH 120 ii at home, but I didn’t like it to listening. It has a bizarre boring character: it remembers me how my Genelecs sound when I connect the EQ (flat, no corrections).

Perhaps I’m a little bit exaggerated, but phase changes introduced by the FFT algorithms and their necessary reverse FFTs are quite audible to me. Till the point I don’t equalize except for very big issues, which I don’t have actually in my room.

Has any other experienced this difference? I’m open to the possibility that is psychoacoustic and not physical, but every time I connect digital EQ music decreases in quality.
 
Interesting post.

I’m more predisposed to amplitude changes rather than phase changes.

May i know how the phase changes sound to you? Does it affect tonal balance? imaging? depth?
 
Interesting post.

I’m more predisposed to amplitude changes rather than phase changes.

May i know how the phase changes sound to you? Does it affect tonal balance? imaging? depth?
More like tonal balance, a little bit smoother and contended in dynamic. Not dramatic, but is there (or at least I think is there, cannot measure any difference by room correction)

In reality I miss the expression “phase changes”, I was thinking in spatial (time in this case) displacement due to FFT^-1(FFT) composition.
 
I had the KH 120 ii at home, but I didn’t like it to listening. It has a bizarre boring character: it remembers me how my Genelecs sound when I connect the EQ (flat, no corrections).

Perhaps I’m a little bit exaggerated, but phase changes introduced by the FFT algorithms and their necessary reverse FFTs are quite audible to me. Till the point I don’t equalize except for very big issues, which I don’t have actually in my room.

Has any other experienced this difference? I’m open to the possibility that is psychoacoustic and not physical, but every time I connect digital EQ music decreases in quality.
My old KH120a were boring that's why I sold them.
Genelecs on the other hand are exciting
Obviously it's just personal preference
 
I don't have much experience with active monitors, so I'm wondering about flexibility controlling the KH120s with controls other than those on the backplate of the speakers themselves. Would something like the following work?

[Computer; streaming from Qobuz desktop/web app] --usb--> [DAC] --XLR--> [KH120s]? Would it be possible to control the volume of the Neumanns with the DAC's volume control if, say, you had input gain at/near maximum on the speakers?
 
[Computer; streaming from Qobuz desktop/web app] --usb--> [DAC] --XLR--> [KH120s]? Would it be possible to control the volume of the Neumanns with the DAC's volume control if, say, you had input gain at/near maximum on the speakers?
That's a widely used option. You can also control the volume via a network connection to the speakers, either using their own software or a 3rd party implementation like https://github.com/schwinn/khtool, and use a digital audio connection to the speakers.
 
I don't have much experience with active monitors, so I'm wondering about flexibility controlling the KH120s with controls other than those on the backplate of the speakers themselves. Would something like the following work?

[Computer; streaming from Qobuz desktop/web app] --usb--> [DAC] --XLR--> [KH120s]? Would it be possible to control the volume of the Neumanns with the DAC's volume control if, say, you had input gain at/near maximum on the speakers?
Is not recommended to have gain at or near its maximum if not needed: they force to use low digital volume which more artifacts. Also you will listen more hiss and harmonic distortion.

Set the Neumann’s on the lower input that allows you to reach the maximum volume you need with 0 dBFS.
 
maybe somebody can help me with this: on the website of neumann it states, that the KH 120 is to be used in smaller rooms. what is a small room, and isnt the listening distance and needed volume/loudness also an important factor when talking about room size?

i want to get the 120 as my main monitor and will be adding one KH 750 sub for bass duties. they will also be calibrated with the M1 system from neumann.
the studio (treated) measures 4m x 6.7m. listening/working levels are between 65 – 75db, for fun listening sessions sometimes near 80db.
it will be used as a nearfield monitor with a listeninc distance about 1.5m.

when i read the specs of the KH 120, it looks like they should be more than fine. but the "smaller rooms" note got me confused a little bit.
 
My room is 4,2m x 3,6m and I think with sub, and 1.5 meter distance at 65-75db they will be very good.

If you would like to fill the room with them, with urban music, low end will choke limiter before it happens without sub.
 
maybe somebody can help me with this: on the website of neumann it states, that the KH 120 is to be used in smaller rooms. what is a small room, and isnt the listening distance and needed volume/loudness also an important factor when talking about room size?

i want to get the 120 as my main monitor and will be adding one KH 750 sub for bass duties. they will also be calibrated with the M1 system from neumann.
the studio (treated) measures 4m x 6.7m. listening/working levels are between 65 – 75db, for fun listening sessions sometimes near 80db.
it will be used as a nearfield monitor with a listeninc distance about 1.5m.

when i read the specs of the KH 120, it looks like they should be more than fine. but the "smaller rooms" note got me confused a little bit.
don't worry to much about it.

It's marketing. They need to give reasons to sell their bigger (more expensive) monitors.
For a Distance of 1,5m the kh120 should be fine.

If you add a sub, it schould be anough power lvl for your room.
Would be more important to use the MA1 calibration system. I guess, this would make a bigger difference.
 
thanks. thought about the KH 150 as well. but i think with the addition of the KH 750 sub, the 120 should be able to play reasonably loud without too much distortion.
and the price difference when jumping from the 120 to 150 is kind of crazy.
 
My room is 4,2m x 3,6m and I think with sub, and 1.5 meter distance at 65-75db they will be very good.

If you would like to fill the room with them, with urban music, low end will choke limiter before it happens without sub.
We use them along with a subwoofer and KH 80 as center channel with a 3 m listening distance and they are excellent.
 
but i think with the addition of the KH 750 sub, the 120 should be able to play reasonably loud without too much distortion.
I won't be surprised if that turns out to be unreasonably loud, in fact.

I once tried to provoke my K+H O110s (this model's grandad from pre-2011) with IMD test tones, but my hearing was waving the white flag first... Mind you, my ears are not particularly tolerant of high levels (90-100 dB peak tops) and my room isn't heavily treated, but still, these guys can clearly take a beating. I would take their specifications literally.
 
The KH120a had a crazy amount of bass for their size when I had them
Too bad the KH150 are almost double the price because I'd buy them without hesitation
 
Hey,
I just received my Kh120 II a few days ago, now I try to adapt to them. Unfortunately, today, when listening to my reference tracks, I heard a strange rumble, at part where only a synth and bass play.

I cannot hear it on the Yamaha Hs8 even at much higher volume, either on the EV SC207.
During further investigation, I played 50 Hz and 60 Hz sinus waves and found my 120II ports have very bad noise when playing those frequencies.
I can hear it from 65 db, and at 75 db it is very bad.

Could anybody check with their pair? Do ports resonete too?

Speakers are decoupled with isopad 155, port noise is there with speakers on a stand, and on the desk too.

Is it maybe a limitation of this speaker, or did I receive a broken pair?


Both units produce the same port noise.

Regards
 
Hey,
I just received my Kh120 II a few days ago, now I try to adapt to them. Unfortunately, today, when listening to my reference tracks, I heard a strange rumble, at part where only a synth and bass play.

I cannot hear it on the Yamaha Hs8 even at much higher volume, either on the EV SC207.
During further investigation, I played 50 Hz and 60 Hz sinus waves and found my 120II ports have very bad noise when playing those frequencies.
I can hear it from 65 db, and at 75 db it is very bad.

Could anybody check with their pair? Do ports resonete too?

Speakers are decoupled with isopad 155, port noise is there with speakers on a stand, and on the desk too.

Is it maybe a limitation of this speaker, or did I receive a broken pair?


Both units produce the same port noise.

Regards

I would test the Neumann physically moved over the HS8 position as well just to make sure it's not physical transmission to the desk surface. I've heard "farting" noises from my (original) KH120, but from test tones/bass line tracks whose peaks occur closer to ~70Hz -- so even higher or earlier possibly. I suppose this newer version is a slight improvement? :p

Do remember, however, the size in comparison to other speakers.
 
I would test the Neumann physically moved over the HS8 position as well just to make sure it's not physical transmission to the desk surface. I've heard "farting" noises from my (original) KH120, but from test tones/bass line tracks whose peaks occur closer to ~70Hz -- so even higher or earlier possibly. I suppose this newer version is a slight improvement? :p

Do remember, however, the size in comparison to other speakers
I've switched positions with hs8, and kh120 produce same port noise.

From what you say, Mk II is improvement, indeed.

I understand size difference, but hoped to find no flaws in kh120 II.
 
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