Neumann KH120 II Monitor Review

[ernestcarl]

The resonances are the result of squeezing so much low end out of such small cabinets. These monitors chuff and fart under 50Hz when playing genres like rap and electronic music. The small front ports are not sufficient enough, and the rear panel also produces resonances when playing the lower range of frequencies. It's not as obvious below the 80dB level.

Most (if not all) "compact" bass reflex monitors will chuff if not highpassed passed a certain SPL (and absent some kind of overly intrusive DSP limiting) so that should be expected -- i.e. no surprise at all. The rear panel producing audibly bothersome resonances is a surprise to hear for me, however. I had heard background resonances from my speakers playing at higher SPLs but much it came from the surrounding mounting gear (like a loose L-bracket) and room structures or objects nearby. The only speakers I had with the most obvious bothersome resonating back panel/internal boards was from the cheaply made JBL LSR305s -- again, kind of expected.

 

[Oink-Oinko]

How loud do you play them? I use mine in nearfield, never with any such issues. Have Owned for about a year now. The red turns on when too loud is all.

 

[HilberTraum]

If you can cope with running python there's khtool.

@Dan1210

Once again taking the opportunity to plug my side project SSC Control (https://github.com/LeanderBlume/kh_network_control_mac): A macOS and iOS app to control these speakers in a more convenient way than with the official MA 1 software. It has progressed quite a bit and is now available on TestFlight. You can join the beta by clicking this link:

Join the SSC Control beta

Available on iOS

testflight.apple.com

Hope it's helpful to some of you.

By the way, also weighing in on the crackling issue: One of the two speakers I bought from Thomann also had this issue quite bad and they replaced it immediately. The replacement also has it to some degree, but much less, I don't notice it in daily use with the new unit. I've been too lazy so far to message Neumann or Thomann about it. Overall disappointing that it seems to be so common.

 

[Hemi-Demon]

Thank goodness I have never experienced any of these issues after having owned my pair for two years, as these are not cheap speakers. I always run my pair with the 750 and MA-1 processing, so I can't speak to any resonances. I would have been livid if I was hearing noises like some of the posted examples. I run my set through the digital input. I wonder if that makes a difference?

 

[Dimension]

@Dan1210

By the way, also weighing in on the crackling issue: One of the two speakers I bought from Thomann also had this issue quite bad and they replaced it immediately. The replacement also has it to some degree, but much less, I don't notice it in daily use with the new unit. I've been too lazy so far to message Neumann or Thomann about it. Overall disappointing that it seems to be so common.

I got a replacement but it took them more than month to replace it. This was the second faulty unit. What are you going to do if it becomes louder and you actually listen to it while playing music or doing mixing? This is unacceptable for a professional product that cost so much money.

 

[Dimension]

Thank goodness I have never experienced any of these issues after having owned my pair for two years, as these are not cheap speakers. I always run my pair with the 750 and MA-1 processing, so I can't speak to any resonances. I would have been livid if I was hearing noises like some of the posted examples. I run my set through the digital input. I wonder if that makes a difference?

It doesn't matter if you use the monitors analog or digital because the noise is there even with just the power cable with nothing connected.

 

[markstein]

Sounds like the implementation of the digital amplifier is problematic.
It would be interesting to get a feeling about the percentage of defect units know to Neumann, however, such info of course is top secret. We will never know.
Unfortunately, Neumann also does not comment the high number of failure reports in this forum. I personally find this concerning, and if I had to choose a new speaker right now, it would not be a new Neumann model.
Btw. never had any issues with my KH310.

 

[Dimension]

Sounds like the implementation of the digital amplifier is problematic.
It would be interesting to get a feeling about the percentage of defect units know to Neumann, however, such info of course is top secret. We will never know.
Unfortunately, Neumann also does not comment the high number of failure reports in this forum. I personally find this concerning, and if I had to choose a new speaker right now, it would not be a new Neumann model.
Btw. never had any issues with my KH310.

Yes if I could buy new monitors right now i would choose Genelec. From the first month I got the Neumanns I had problems.

 

[danila]

Folks, is everything really this bad with these KH 120 II? Thomann has very high reviews for them so I'm confused.

Or is it just because of the vocal minority effect?

Who bought them recently and experiences no hissing or other issues and is just silently happy like things are going as they should?

 

[shurioto]

I have a pair of them since 2 years and had no problems at all (hiss, defects etc.).

Nevertheless, there are some minor things that annoy me from time to time:

- It's not possible to set the auto stand-by time by using the software. They lowered it with an update some time ago and its about ~15min now, which is not enough for my purposes. Nevertheless, they start reliable - so no need to complain at all.
- the digital input does not work with my ADI-2 Pro reliable (both monitors mute and unmute permanently) - I switched back to analogue today but did not invest hours of problem solving before. It ma be an issue with the RME / not an Neumann thing. Nevertheless an additional DA+AD conversion is not useful at all.
- I had to redo the calibration with the MA1-Software last week because the input was set to analogue during the last calibration. It is not possible to change the input afterwards.
- The MA1 software on MacOS can only use one Interface. Therefore playing digital with my RME ADI-2 and capturing with an VOLT2 got complicated.
- I'm some kind of sceptical how long they will last. No complains about build quality, but the KH120 has an aluminum case instead of wood and plastics.

What else to say: The MA1 software is necessary to dim the Neumann-Logo (on KH120 it was possible on the backside). To use it you will need Windows/Mac and a network.

All in all I'm still very happy about the decision to buy them and do not regret it.

Would I buy them again?
I like them very much and they work fine for my purposes (nearfield on desk an well as living room).
I thought that I could buy the KH750 as an addition afterwards but the sub is gotten too expensive now, I think this won't happen anymore.
Maybe I would choose Genelecs today, but more because of their product design I like (not so "boxy", mor.e organic). Adding spearkes from a diferent brand like Genelc would cause additional equipment to use SAM (neumann needs the quite expensice microphone). Therefore the first invest might be an invest to a "system", not just a pair of speakers.

All in all I'm really happy with them and enjoy them a lot. I dont regret it and as mentioned in your comment - there may be smal quirks with other companies as well.

 

[jean-benoit]

Folks, is everything really this bad with these KH 120 II? Thomann has very high reviews for them so I'm confused.

Or is it just because of the vocal minority effect?

Who bought them recently and experiences no hissing or other issues and is just silently happy like things are going as they should?

have mine for some months and no problems so far. also have the KH150 for 2 years and no problems.

its likely that neumann sold a lot of KH 120IIs, so eventually youll see more reports of problems.

also they are still fairly new to the market.

 

[Karmacoma]

Or is it just because of the vocal minority effect?

Very much this. And in this minority some are more vocal than others. Like that dude up in the thread claiming he ordered four kh120 consecutively and they were all not working properly.
Fyi Neumann speakers QC tests them at a 0.5 dB tolerance, and that's pretty much what Neumann's measurements Vs Amir measurements show.

 

[dfuller]

he ordered four kh120 consecutively and they were all not working properly.
Fyi Neumann speakers QC tests them at a 0.5 dB tolerance

These are unrelated, FWIW.

 

[Karmacoma]

These are unrelated, FWIW.

No these aren't of course, just saying there's a systematic QC, it's a serious brand, and they're not throwing batches of faulty products in the nature as this thread sometimes could make it think. Trying to make a contrast here.

 

[dfuller]

No these aren't of course, just saying there's a systematic QC, it's a serious brand, and they're not throwing batches of faulty products in the nature as this thread sometimes could make it think. Trying to make a contrast here.

Most of the issues I've seen are more related to the amps failing (usually from poor quality electrolytic caps in an environment they aren't suited for - turns out high ripple current and high ambient temperatures without active cooling exposes crappy caps rather quickly...) more than anything else. Rattling drivers is rare but certainly not unheard of. The issues in the last few pages could be amp chips or power supply related, hard to know.

 

[Karmacoma]

hard to know.

Indeed.
And there's definitely also some bashing going on. My point.

 

[PristineSound]

I forgot that my DAC was set to DAC mode and not preamp mode. Freaking had a burst of volume, luckily the Neumann has built in excursion limiter. But kind of hurt my ears, luckily it was only a half a sec burst.

 

[Fongus]

I forgot that my DAC was set to DAC mode and not preamp mode. Freaking had a burst of volume, luckily the Neumann has built in excursion limiter. But kind of hurt my ears, luckily it was only a half a sec burst.

Similar thing happened to me when I used an SMSL PO100 with my KH120II speakers for a couple of seconds. I thought I had ruined the new speakers at the time. Good thing they still worked fine after that.

 

[danila]

Thank you for the responses, everyone! I decided to buy a pair when I'm back home.

By the way, they are on sale on Thomann now: https://www.thomannmusic.ch/intl/neumann_kh_120_ii_black_edition_bundle.htm

 

[Karmacoma]

Thank you for the responses, everyone! I decided to buy a pair when I'm back home.

By the way, they are on sale on Thomann now: https://www.thomannmusic.ch/intl/neumann_kh_120_ii_black_edition_bundle.htm

Basically an MA1 for free! Good deal.