Neumann KH80 DSP Monitor Measurements #3

[thewas]

The written review is now also online:

Neumann KH 80 Studio Monitor Review

Neumann KH 80 Studio Monitor Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

 

[dfuller]

The written review is now also online:

Neumann KH 80 Studio Monitor Review

Neumann KH 80 Studio Monitor Review

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

As expected from a small speaker - lots of IMD at elevated levels. But then again, what can you expect from a 4" midwoofer?

 

[thewas]

As expected from a small speaker - lots of IMD at elevated levels. But then again, what can you expect from a 4" midwoofer?

Exactly, on the other hand the corresponding measurement at 87 dB is very good considering the size and bass depth.

 

[carlosmante]

I saw a video where Neumann is pronounced noy-menn. Is that the correct pronunciation.

Ja, das ist die richtige Aussprache.

 

[DJBonoBobo]

Ja, das ist die richtige Aussprache.

No, it is not. I cannot understand why people pretend to know german and spread false info.
As someone else said: Neumann rhymes with toy-gun.

 

[Matias]

Neu rhymes with toy ok, but mann is an open Ah.

 

[DJBonoBobo]

Neu rhymes with toy ok, but mann is an open Ah.

Ok, there are probably much more ways to pronounce "gun" in English than "Mann" in German.

Here, he says the name 4 times in the first 20 seconds.

 

[AudioJester]

I find it easiest if you say it with a Jamaican accent!

 

[isabido]

Being the owner of a Genelec 8020, would it make sense to make the change to these KH80? Thank you!

 

[Palladium]

Being the owner of a Genelec 8020, would it make sense to make the change to these KH80? Thank you!

YMMV. but I heard a calibrated KH120 II at a pro audio store and it didn't particularly impressed me. Another ASR member who ultimately bought his iLoud Precision 6 also shared the same view.

Oluv from YT also did a binaural recording video on the KH80 versus the ILoud MMs, and many still preferred the much cheaper iLouds.

 

[teashea]

Being the owner of a Genelec 8020, would it make sense to make the change to these KH80? Thank you!

Although I am a big Neumann proponent, I would not think so. The 80's have rather limited application. If you are going to change I would suggest you wait and get KH 120 II's.

 

[isabido]

Although I am a big Neumann proponent, I would not think so. The 80's have rather limited application. If you are going to change I would suggest you wait and get KH 120 II's.

I'm not really looking for an increase in SPL, I listen at 0.6 meters. in a very close field.

So a jump to a KH120 if it is for SPL would not interest me.

Currently I use the Genelec 8020 with a JBL SEALED DIY 10" SUB. With FIR filters made with Acourate. (audiovero). The result is spectacular, but as always we are thinking about changes. Well, I considered looking for some improvement even if it is not very OBJECTIVE .

Thank you for your answers.

 

[nat1]

Aren't the KH80/Genelec 8020's basically equivalents?

 

[teashea]

I'm not really looking for an increase in SPL, I listen at 0.6 meters. in a very close field.

So a jump to a KH120 if it is for SPL would not interest me.

Currently I use the Genelec 8020 with a JBL SEALED DIY 10" SUB. With FIR filters made with Acourate. (audiovero). The result is spectacular, but as always we are thinking about changes. Well, I considered looking for some improvement even if it is not very OBJECTIVE .

Thank you for your answers.

With regard to the difference between the 80's and 120 II's, it would then depend, I think, on two issues. 1) Do you want the substantially deeper bass extension than the 80's would provide? The 80's simply reproduce nothing down there where the 120 II's do. But since you would use that sub, this is probably not any issue of concern. 2) is the flatter frequency response and lower distortion significant to you?

I use my 120 II's at one meter, so like you, SPL is not an issue at all.

I would venture that a change to the 80's might not be worthwhile.

If you do get the KH 120 II's and do not listen to music with content below 44 Hz, the sub would not be necessary. (Except for organ music, a sliver of classical and EDM, there is very little music produced with content below 44 Hz...... For all of my productions of pop, country, hip hop and jazz, I cut everything out below 45 Hz.)

 

[isabido]

With regard to the difference between the 80's and 120 II's, it would then depend, I think, on two issues. 1) Do you want the substantially deeper bass extension than the 80's would provide? The 80's simply reproduce nothing down there where the 120 II's do. But since you would use that sub, this is probably not any issue of concern. 2) is the flatter frequency response and lower distortion significant to you?

I use my 120 II's at one meter, so like you, SPL is not an issue at all.

I would venture that a change to the 80's might not be worthwhile.

If you do get the KH 120 II's and do not listen to music with content below 44 Hz, the sub would not be necessary. (Except for organ music, a sliver of classical and EDM, there is very little music produced with content below 44 Hz...... For all of my productions of pop, country, hip hop and jazz, I cut everything out below 45 Hz.)

With these KH120, by listening so close and listening at low SPL I could force my FIR to go down to at least 40hz, this way I could save myself from using the SUB, although I will surely have greater distortion than I have now, where the genelecs are cut at 80hz.

 

[teashea]

With these KH120, by listening so close and listening at low SPL I could force my FIR to go down to at least 40hz, this way I could save myself from using the SUB, although I will surely have greater distortion than I have now, where the genelecs are cut at 80hz.

No, I do not think so. The DSP of the KH120's would prevent that.

 

[dfuller]

Aren't the KH80/Genelec 8020's basically equivalents?

In nearfield? May as well be.

 

[thewas]

Aren't the KH80/Genelec 8020's basically equivalents?

Rather the KH80 and 8320 due to measurement based DSP option.

 

[Hexspa]

YMMV. but I heard a calibrated KH120 II at a pro audio store and it didn't particularly impressed me. Another ASR member who ultimately bought his iLoud Precision 6 also shared the same view.

Oluv from YT also did a binaural recording video on the KH80 versus the ILoud MMs, and many still preferred the much cheaper iLouds.

That’s the thing about subjective tests - particularly if they’re as uncontrolled as this one: crowd opinion means almost nothing without further qualification. Who are these majority? I just listened and don’t prefer the iLouds. At what point do my years of critical listening and making music outweigh the opinion of 100 casual listeners? It’s like asking how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

 

[Hexspa]

Speaking of subjective assessments, I got one of these used. Initially it sounded much bassier than my HS5s. However, after some measurements and applied anti-modal filters my current opinion is that it's a different class of speaker altogether. I want to avoid poetic language but suffice to say it's interesting hearing the "difference" between a flat speaker and one that has an anechoic boost of nearly 10dB in the ~1kHz midrange. I put the word difference in quotes because that was my initial impression: that this speaker is like the photographic negative of the Yamahas. Not the inverse, per se, but more like the deviation charts we see in the spin data that shows how far a FR is removed from a particular target in that I was hearing what was missing via the absence of it. This was pre-EQ, mind you.

Anyway, given that a perfectly flat frequency response is the same as a single full scale sample it makes sense to me how people would perceive this speaker as "too forward in the low mids" or whatever they say. It's literally as close to an impulse response of your room as you can get (within reason). A little EQ and all that weirdness clears right up; and thankfully this speaker takes EQ well according to the spins. I've only had it calibrated for less than 24 hours and I was expecting to take longer to form an opinion but these are my initial perceptions and thoughts. Compared to the Yamahas, the increased or extended bass plus the wider directivity makes one speaker sound like two (I only have one KH80 right now).

And yeah it's crazy small but it definitely goes louder than my reference levels of high 60, low 70dBC. Also the LED, while larger than on the Yamahas, is not as objectionable as I thought it might be given the vehement disapproval some have aired about it. I haven't tested the network settings yet and I've heard that the iPad Control app is no longer supported but I do intend to try hooking that up.

Mainly I say these things as a counterweight to recurring themes in existing reviews: "too polite mids/too much low mids", bright LED, too quiet, etc. Of course it depends on your needs and preferences but as someone without a ton of experience with different monitors but who is pretty sensitive to light and sound, this thing is fine for me so far.