Neumann KH120 II Monitor Review

[Pearljam5000]

WOW,That's amazing,can I ask you some questions. I have a pair of KH80 + KH750, but I think the high-frequency isn't good enough. Would upgrading to a pair of KH120A/KHA20II improve the high-frequency quality? And what is the difference between KH120A and KH120II?KH120A is much cheaper.THANKS.

Try Genelec
Their tweeter sounds completely different

 

[teashea]

WOW,That's amazing,can I ask you some questions. I have a pair of KH80 + KH750, but I think the high-frequency isn't good enough. Would upgrading to a pair of KH120A/KHA20II improve the high-frequency quality? And what is the difference between KH120A and KH120II?KH120A is much cheaper.THANKS.

From what I have studied, the KH80 is a very good computer speaker. Even at very nearfield LP distances, I would never recommend the KH80 for serious work, even with the KH750. That being said, I have no personal experience with the KH80.

The KH120A is a very good monitor. I have two pairs that I use and have chosen not to replace with KH120 II's. However, the KH120 II is significantly better. I have two pairs of these also. The newly developed DSP and mechanical components do make a difference. To me, the price difference is worth it. The ASR review and SOS reviews of the KH120 II are rather breathtaking. The KH150 and KH120 II are a breakthrough in monitors. They raise the bar to new level.

As I always do (to the point where some people of sick of it) I note that the KH120A and KH120 II are designed for nearfield use. I do not recommend them for LP distances more than 2 meters and do not recommend then as pleasure listening speakers.

But all of that is just my perspective. Others may differ.

 

[dfuller]

Try Genelec
Their tweeter sounds completely different

I actually agree with this, Genelecs present high end in a completely different way from Neumanns.

That's not to say either is wrong, just different.

 

[SoutosPavlos]

Hello Guys! I have just ordered those monitors!
They will be arriving tomorrow.
Together with them I purchased the isoacoustics 130 as the isoacoustics selector suggested.
Is there any reason to get the 155 version instead of the the 130 one and go against the selector? Any of you guys have experience with those stands?

 

[SoutosPavlos]

Also upon further searching I can see that the Isoacoustics calculator suggests iso 130 for the normal Neumann KH 120 II and iso 155 for the Neumann KH 120 II Aes67 version, which is exactly the same monitor in terms of size and weight. Which stand do you think I should go for?

 

[Tovarich007]

As I always do [...] I note that the KH120A and KH120 II are designed for nearfield use. I do not recommend them for LP distances more than 2 meters and do not recommend then as pleasure listening speakers.

I agree with your first statement (in bold characters) : of course they are nearfield speakers ; they are indeed primarely designed for such a professionnal use. But it doesn't mean they can't be listened pleasantly at a (relatively) longer distance -say until 3 meters about- like most hifi bookshelf speakers are often used, though they perform their best at shorter distance.

But, as for your second statement (in bold characters), I feel quite puzzled. It sounds to me like an unproven assertion of your own and not as a technical explanation.
Why shouldn't they be also used as good pleasure listening speakers ? After all, they are better than most of the typical bookshelf hifi speakers.
I don't understand the separation you make between monitor and hifi. As for me, good speakers are good speakers, and bad ones are bad, whatever they're used for.
I know serious audiophiles and music lovers who use monitor speakers from PSI, Genelec, Neumann or Kali audio for their pleasure.

 

[Halbknapp]

Hello Guys! I have just ordered those monitors!
They will be arriving tomorrow.
Together with them I purchased the isoacoustics 130 as the isoacoustics selector suggested.
Is there any reason to get the 155 version instead of the the 130 one and go against the selector? Any of you guys have experience with those stands?

I had the old KH120A on the ISO 155 stands and they barely fitted on them (they were a bit too short and the monitor only touched part of the rear rubber feet. I can imagine thats similar with the newer KH120II but has to be checked with spec sheet.

 

[noiseconnector]

WOW,That's amazing,can I ask you some questions. I have a pair of KH80 + KH750, but I think the high-frequency isn't good enough. Would upgrading to a pair of KH120A/KHA20II improve the high-frequency quality? And what is the difference between KH120A and KH120II?KH120A is much cheaper.THANKS.

What you mean by not good enough? Resolution? Depth in highs? Or you just dont like overall sound?

 

[DJBonoBobo]

BTW, i just reduced my setup from 2x KH310 + 2x KH750 + 2x KH80 + 2x PSI AVAA to 2x KH120II + 2x KH80. Calibrated with MA1 of course as a quad system with multichannel license. For me in my small room (3x5m) it is perfect. I have bass almost down to 30Hz due to "room gain" and the sound is at good as it gets in this room. I don´t miss anything. The only thing really "missing" is the 20-30Hz range, but there is almost nothing anyway in the music i listen to. I am maybe 3 dB short of reaching the target in the area below 60Hz, but that is actually a good thing for me because of neighbours. It is more fun listening to music now, because i don´t have to worry so much.
YMMV

 

[teashea]

BTW, i just reduced my setup from 2x KH310 + 2x KH750 + 2x KH80 + 2x PSI AVAA to 2x KH120II + 2x KH80. Calibrated with MA1 of course as a quad system with multichannel license. For me in my small room (3x5m) it is perfect. I have bass almost down to 30Hz due to "room gain" and the sound is at good as it gets in this room. I don´t miss anything. The only thing really "missing" is the 20-30Hz range, but there is almost nothing anyway in the music i listen to. I am maybe 3 dB short of reaching the target in the area below 60Hz, but that is actually a good thing for me because of neighbours. It is more fun listening to music now, because i don´t have to worry so much.
YMMV

View attachment 408934

very nice

 

[bitels]

Hey

Just a quick update on port noise from kh 120II.

I really like this product sonic character, except of this port noise, but decided to exchange it for another pair to see, if it is a product perk or I recived faulty one.


I am always lucky with ordering electronics, if something can go wrong, for shure it will be my order...


So we go, second pair had same port noise, but except of this, one of speaker's was whining from time to time when powered on, and second had something loose inside. This made strange rattling noise, you can hear on video.

You can hear it from 00:13.

I've returned them...


Third pair is ok, but one box came without factory seal from Neumann. Also serial numbers are very far away.

Still port noise, but without any flaws.


I contacted Neumann, and they said seal should be on the box, but there was only tape with dots.




Also, few days later, Thomann launched kh120II bundle, with free ma1 mic.
I have ordered 4th pair, and these emits strange smell of plastic getting warm/some chemicals maybe.

It fills my whole medium sized control room, and I am really pissed, about wanting this monitors and obstacles I have

4th pair still have port noise, but this toxic plastic smell getting burn/hot makes me not want to keep them.

Does anyone recognize that kind of smell from new Neumann monitors or speaker's in general?
It happens only when playing at 60 percent volume or more.


Now I can keep third pair, but one monitor came without seal, and I am not sure if is it repaired unit, also serial numbers are very far off.


I can order 5th pair, but I am bit afraid, what will come this time.
Also Thomann might be not so happy with it.

 

[Pearljam5000]

It makes me worried to order a pair

 

[teashea]

Who did you buy them from?

 

[Tovarich007]

@bitels, maybe you are particularly unlucky. That's not at all the level of quality control a firm like Neumann is reputated and expected for.
Are you certain you bought real Neumann and not counterfeits or a specific flawed production batch not allowed to sell by the company ?
have you been in contact with Neumann or with a reseller ?

If you're sure you bought genuine authorised Neumanns, this kind of repeated incidents and flaws are defintely unacceptable. You should claim strongly for a significant discount.
There's defintely something going wrong in our world, if even the best long established companies lose respect for their products and clients.

Considering what happened to you, if I'll have to buy a small good monitor in the future, I'll be strongly hesitating buying a Neumann.
Maybe I'll go for a more expensive Genelec or a PSI, (the latter being very very expensive, Swiss made of course).

And I'm a bit surprised by the port noise and the other strange nosie you hear. To tell the truth, I coudn't hear the strange noise you mention on the video.
Can you tell us a bit more about this ? what's the level of this noise and the type of noise ? At which distance can you hear it ?
It's the first time I read such a criticism about a Neumann monitor.

Waiting to hear more from you about all this

 

[teashea]

@bitels, maybe you are particularly unlucky. That's not at all the level of quality control a firm like Neumann is reputated and expected for.
Are you certain you bought real Neumann and not counterfeits or a specific flawed production batch not allowed to sell by the company ?
have you been in contact with Neumann or with a reseller ?

If you're sure you bought genuine authorised Neumanns, this kind of repeated incidents and flaws are defintely unacceptable. You should claim strongly for a significant discount.
There's defintely something going wrong in our world, if even the best long established companies lose respect for their products and clients.

Considering what happened to you, if I'll have to buy a small good monitor in the future, I'll be strongly hesitating buying a Neumann.
Maybe I'll go for a more expensive Genelec or a PSI, (the latter being very very expensive, Swiss made of course).

And I'm a bit surprised by the port noise and the other strange nosie you hear. To tell the truth, I coudn't hear the strange noise you mention on the video.
Can you tell us a bit more about this ? what's the level of this noise and the type of noise ? At which distance can you hear it ?
It's the first time I read such a criticism about a Neumann monitor.

Waiting to hear more from you about all this

It is quite curious.

Is this a design issue ? - unlikely since I have never hear this issue raised by anyone else - and how many thousands of these monitors has Neumann sold? In addition, I have not experienced even a hint of this with my Neumann KH120 II's or my KH 150's. In addition, this issue has not been noted by any of the tests of the KH120 II's by Amir, Sound on Sound or Sound and Recording.

Is it a quality control issue? Also quite unlikely. With so many samples of them.
So what is it? It leave only the realistic possibility that it has something to do with the OP - hearing, setup, acoustics, or whatever.

It is quite unlikely that this is a Neumann issue.

 

[Tovarich007]

@bitels A last question : what do you mean as you write : "serial numbers are very far off" ? far off what ? Can you read them or not on the monitors you've bought ?
If yes, I can't see any issue.
Maybe you can post a photo about this showing the numbers, so we can understand what you mean ?

@teashea As curious as it is, we can't be sure there is no problem issue with Neumann.

That's the reason why I've asked Bitels to tell us more details. He seems to be in bona fide

 

[unpluggged]

Also serial numbers are very far away.

Why does it concern you? Any two monitors are within ±0.5 dB tolerance of each other. Besides, Neumann themselves say that SNs are not assigned consequentially.

I have ordered 4th pair, and these emits strange smell of plastic getting warm/some chemicals maybe.

I don't recall any of my three speakers having such strong odor. I would ask for a replacement.

It happens only when playing at 60 percent volume or more.

Oh, so it did not smell right out of the box then? At which SPLs specifically? "60 percent" has no meaning.

 

[teashea]

Why does it concern you? Any two monitors are within ±0.5 dB tolerance of each other. Besides, Neumann themselves say that SNs are not assigned consequentially.


I don't recall any of my three speakers having such strong odor. I would ask for a replacement.


Oh, so it did not smell right out of the box then? At which SPLs specifically? "60 percent" has no meaning.

None of my Neumann monitors has even a slight smell.

 

[unpluggged]

None of my Neumann monitors has even a slight smell.

I think if they are pushed hard some odor could be carried from the warmed-up compounds on the PCBs inside by the airflow from the ports (the ports blow air out quite strongly at high SPLs, as we know). In this case it should not be a sign of a failure, and I expect the odor to fade away with time.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Can anyone from Neumann on this forum comment about all of the above?