Neumann KH 120A monitors

[Guy Johnson]

My review was just going to be “Utterly brilliant, buy some!” but I thought that I ought to add a bit more, so...

I’ve been living with my Neumann KH 120As for a quite a while now.

They are absolutely fantastic. Unbelievably good. No minus points.

There are some very useful controls on the rear: bass, low, mid, and treble adjustments, plus level switches along with a rotary gain knob. Very flexible options.

Construction is very good, with beautiful and well-damped metal enclosures that have a nice eggshell black finish, plus integrated grilles for the drivers. And a very cool Neumann logo that can be dimmed or turned off. Overload these little boxes, and the logo will flash red. Useful. They go quite loud, and sound accurate when very quiet, too – with hardly any noise.

Tonally, they are accurate, fast and with a tight bass. The bass is awesome in it's depth, not ‘porty’ – despite the ports. The bass switches are at -5 in my room, seems the best compromise. Unless I feel like reggae, then they go to 0! Mobile, in bigger rooms, the flat setting is often best.

Dispersion is even, with a big sweet spot. Really good imaging, and reverb depth.

A doddle to mix with and, with a touch of my REL sub set at it's lowest crossover point, I'm good to master with too. I bought the Neumann carrier bag, a neat thing, useful for location work. These speakers are very quick to set-up on location, and always sound good, especially the well-balanced bass.

Ten out of ten, Neumann.

[Hugh Robjohns]

[Dan LB]

+1000 to all of the above. I absolutely love mine.

I would add though that the carry bag I received with mine is not up to the same quality standard as the speakers themselves.
The zip on mine has been sewn in incorrectly. It does work but it's difficult to close - disappointing for a €120 bag.

There are some very useful controls on the rear: bass, low-mid, and treble adjustments

fixed that for you

Also I love that they are made in Ireland

Dan

[Guy Johnson]

Oops, yes low-mid. Any mod wants to fix tat, please do!
Actually I'd call it upper-bass, from what I hear.
My carrier bag is fine.

[ConcertinaChap]

Just a few thoughts on comparing these with a pair of Genelec 8030a's. I got a pair of KH 120's when they were going past at a price I didn't want to miss. I already had a pair of 8030a's which I was using to mix with but had another use in mind for them. In many respects the Neumanns are comparable speakers to the Genelecs, about the same price, very similar size, similar output, appearance and construction etc.

The Neumanns share with the Genelecs the same almost spooky precision of stereo imaging. In this respect there is nothing to choose between them. In terms of sound the two are closer than I was perhaps expecting. There is an improvement but it's not at all dramatic. Of the two the KH120 is definitely my choice to mix with, but I'm glad still to have the Genelecs. Having lived with both sets of speakers for a while I wouldn't consider it a sensible use of money to "upgrade" from the Genelecs to the Neumanns.

CC

[awjoe]

Is there a KH120 and a KH120A? Or is it just two labels for the same monitor?

[Dan LB]

There is a KH 120 A which has an analogue input only, and there is a KH 120 D which has both analogue and digital inputs and delay

Neumann website

[awjoe]

Thanks. Some of the places that sell them describe them simply as KH120.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Thanks. Some of the places that sell them describe them simply as KH120.

Which shows ignorance on the part of the retailer and so they might be best avoided if you want good service... But the chances are they are selling the slightly cheaper KH120A version. To be honest, there are few situations that would warrant the KH120D version.

H

[ConcertinaChap]

In that case I should make it clear I also was referring to the KH120A.

CC

[Guy Johnson]

I can't really see the point of a digi input; I already have a good converter.

[Zukan]

What's the low end sayin'?

[Hugh Robjohns]

I can't really see the point of a digi input; I already have a good converter.

Digital inputs on monitors don't make a lot of sense in most domestic and project studios, but they are increasingly a standard requirement in broadcast applications which is a very big market share for Neumann and others.

H

[awjoe]

What's the low end sayin'?

Zackly what I'd like to know. How can you hear what's going on down there with a 5" speaker? Or at least, that's what I thought Zukan was asking about. And even if it wasn't what he was asking about, it's still what I'm wondering about.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Everything you could possibly need to know is provided in pictures here:

http://www.neumann-kh-line.com/neumann-kh/home_en.nsf/root/prof-monitoring_studio-monitors_nearfield-monitors_KH120A#

And in numbers here:

http://www.neumann-kh-line.com/neumann-kh/home_en.nsf/root/prof-monitoring_studio-monitors_nearfield-monitors_KH120A#

Of course it's not a 'full range monitor' and, with a 5.25-inch bass/mid driver, its low end performance is inherently restricted. It is genuinely flat down to about 50-55Hz, though, and there are a lot of situations -- especially in domestic/project studios with limited acoustic treatment -- when such limitations are a major benefit.

H

[Guy Johnson]

As to the 'why' on the low end, I don't know much ... I just know what they DO
Thanks for the info, Hugh, I'll have a look.

[Stoney]

Got these too recently, largely off the back of Hugh's (many) recommendations

(Plus listening in stores - but the environments weren't that great).

I think I may still be in the burn-in phase, but already they are light years beyond anything I've heard in a home setting before.

Thanks Hugh! (and Guy for the review)

[Hugh Robjohns]

I think I may still be in the burn-in phase...

The Neumann gurus are adamant that their speakers don't require 'burning in', and I've not noticed any obvious character changes from first switch-on with any of the ones I've reviewed (or owned).

H

[Guy Johnson]

Nor have I — however, I did pink noise them for a few hours to start with.

[Stoney]

I think I may still be in the burn-in phase...

The Neumann gurus are adamant that their speakers don't require 'burning in', and I've not noticed any obvious character changes from first switch-on with any of the ones I've reviewed (or owned).

H

OK great - was just going off what I'd heard about monitors before, not based on the monitors' actual performance.

[ConcertinaChap]

One small thing. The basic volume of the speakers is determined by an input gain pot and an output level switch with four values. In both cases I have to have these on their minimum values or else I am limited in the control I have earlier in the chain. It's not a problem (and certainly doesn't affect my liking for these monitors) but it would be nice if both pot and switch allowed lower values. The Genelec 8030 has just one front mounted volume control and this certainly can go lower than the Neumanns.

CC

[Guy Johnson]

I should have mentioned that the KH 120s are very quiet.

[Forum Admin]

I should have mentioned that the KH 120s are very quiet.

By "very quiet" do you mean they are not very loud, or that they don't exhibit much background noise?

[Hugh Robjohns]

I'm pretty sure he means the latter!

[AdiT]

The Genelec 8030 has just one front mounted volume control and this certainly can go lower than the Neumanns.

CC

The Genelecs have front mounted volume control but on the rear panel are used dip switches that can't be used without a screwdriver, and this is a model to be used as a mobile device but you are not able to change the settings on different location.
Like Hugh says a few months there is no day and night.