John Darko
This publication’s news radar was down for maintenance when Neumann announced its second-generation KH120 in April of this year. Today we correct that oversight, not least because this German manufacturer is one of the country’s oldest, is famed for its vinyl-cutting lathes and microphones and its headquarters is within spitting distance of Darko.Audio’s Berlin pad.
The KH120 II is a 2-way active monitor for smaller rooms that builds on the 2010 original with deeper bass response (-3dB at 44Hz), lower distortion and higher SPL capabilities (116.8dB). Inside each cabinet, a 145-watt amplifier powers the 5.25″ mid/bass driver and a 100-watt amplifier the 1″ wave-guided tweeter. Stitching the two together is a DSP-based crossover that not only divvies up the signal between the two Class D amplifier modules but linearises the drivers’ phase response so that all frequencies above 120Hz leave the loudspeaker at the same time — the intent of which is to provide the listener with a better-focussed look at the phantom centre channel playing between the speakers. Furthermore, according to Neumann, superior imaging is also assisted by the second-generation model’s tighter tolerances: “The KH 120-II is made to extremely low tolerances of no more than ±0.5 dB.”
On the back panel, we find RCA sockets for single-ended analogue and digital hook-ups as well as XLR sockets for balanced connections. That trio of connectivity – as well as bass/mid/treble shelf attenuators – are four reasons why the KH120 II are marketed predominantly to studio heads whose talk of mixes ‘translating’ and audio plugins has little to do with the hi-fi world. But isn’t the ‘neutrality’ pitched by Neumann here also what many audiophiles say that they crave when listening to music for pleasure? Pair the KH120 II with an Eversolo DMP-A6 or FiiO R7 running as streaming source / volume attenuator and you have a complete hi-fi system, nothing more to add. In fact, we subtract having to pay for the expensive casework that wraps our outboard amplifiers.
But there is more to add if we want it.
Neumann’s MA1 Automatic Alignment room compensation microphone kit (available separately) allows us to tune the KH120 II’s output to our room in both frequency and time domains. Applied correctly, the MA1’s time domain maths will correct for phase errors that present at the listening position, again for a cleaner look at the stereophonic illusion dancing between the loudspeakers. And because the MA1’s room compensation calculations live inside the KH120 II, they can also be applied to analogue sources.
The KH120 II sells for €1798/pair with a choice of black or white finishes. The MA1 Automatic Alignment kit is an extra €299.
Further information: Neumann
