@@veritas7010 the frequency plot of the Kh series are as flat as they can get. Kh80 has a deviation of less than 1 db on the whole frequency spectrum. Very few speakers are as linear. There is no boost. If there was it would show up in the measurements. Your mid boost is probably a room and setup result
Because he does not know what he is talking about. Like many audio reviewers, especially the ones that do not measure. I mean, this dude is telling you that a THD of -50 dB is "outrageous". No it isnt. It is among the best you you will not hear that distortion.
Thanks for providing an update on them! Especially valuable since it's so detailed and comprehensible. I know it would be of no benefit for you directly, but I'm sure a lot of us would highly appreciate this kind of insight/review for your personal recommendation for a pair of mid-priced monitors. I'm also hoping there's a review coming for the recently arrived SSL BUS+ :) Either way, thanks so much for doing these videos!!
Confusing. Streaky puts these in the top5 of all 3way monitors. Many forumd praise them as super mixing tools flat all over the spectrum. And here its a hissy distorted boxy mess. So strange 🤓
NS10s were used as the 'reference grade' mixing monitors for decades, and those always were and continue to be absolute garbage. There is a stark difference between the utility something has, and how it ultimately gets clouded by group identity, brand association etc. There is a whole subset of human psychology at play that one has to move past before they begin scratching at something resembling truth. To that end, I wouldn't put much stock in forum opinions, content creator opinions - even mine here in the video. You need to listen for yourself and make your own determination.
I’ve owned the KH 120s for almost the exact same amount of time (which have the same tweeters), and your critique of the tweeters is spot on. I’ve found I also need to reference quite a lot to get my cymbal balances right. It’s a shame, too, because I still think the KH 120 outclasses every other 2-way monitor in its size and price range despite this.
I bought the 120 and then the 310 with 750sub, but unfortunately both are not as precise in the treble as other speakers. the only way that helps, is the DSP .
I've got a pair of KH310's I find my mixes translate really well. The sound stage isn't as big as my previous speakers but I have got used to this and I find it easier to mix. It is really easy to place things in a mix on these and I've not had a problem with the top end, it is not hyped so not tiring to listen to. It's easy to focus on the mid range. I have positioned them close to the wall which they recommend in the manual which helped with any cancelation of bass frequencies. Also got the K&M 26795 stands to hang them on using the adapters which made a massive difference as I had them on isoacoustic pucks before. Not tried the sub but have tried room correction but don't feel I need it as I am happy mixing as is. I hope that helps they have loads of bass if you spend a bit of time working out where to put them in the room either over 2m (I think) from the back wall or close to the wall if in a smaller room and I have reduced the bass on the settings on the back of the speakers. It took me a while to get used to them though and position them. I hope that helps anyone thinking of getting them.
I also got the 310s and feel the same. These speakers are great and some of the best I‘ve tested. Mine are 1m away from the wall behind and the wall left/right, in treated room. I only produce and mix electronic music. They are brilliant. I can hear every instrument in the stereo field where it is placed, phenomenal. Tested it against Hedd Type20 II, Barefoot, Dynaudio Core and Adam. The 310 won all the way. Great Bass, not too much like the Barefoot and very detailed in the hi frequencies. Can‘t understand what this guy is talking about, but I think his ears doesn‘t work right.
@@cheopz_officialHave you ever listened to a sound with a frequency of 5 khz and above? It's like they said: When it reaches a frequency of 5 khz and above, the sound will sound bad, so I conclude that the kh 310 will be suitable for sounds in the upper mid-range and below.
@@akg123rider Yes of course I have listened to sounds over 5khz a lot. In all songs I mix, are sounds in the full eq range from 20 to 20.000hz. And nothing sounded bad. We talk about a 4000€ monitor system and you really want to tell people the Neumanns sounding bad. Maybe something is wrong with your ears or your room or your acoustic treatment. But to say 310s sound bad is simply not true. And to say the 310s are just for mixing sounds under 5khz is crazy. How long have you mixed on the Neumanns btw?
@@akg123rider How are you testing this are you using a high pass filter and what track are you using? I am interested to hear what you mean. If using a high pass filter to just focus on high end could that be colouring the sound and maybe produce the sound you are hearing. Also could it be distortion in the track or maybe DA converter not producing clean high end? I haven't heard this but I can hear mixing problems like metallic reverb or distortion in recordings creating issues but this is at the source and isn't the speakers. Also I am not pushing them hard so maybe this could distort the high end? No worries if they are not for you but I haven't heard any problems as described with mine. What speakers do you use now instead?
@rickmorty4921sorry for the late answer. I would buy the 310 if you decide between this two. If Adam, than I would buy the S series. What I also find very interesting are the Telegrapher speakers.
I used the Neumann KH310s for a year for writing/ preproduction sessions and your review is 'spot on'. There was always something that was unpleasant and inaccurate - maybe stuffy lower and upper mids and compressed highs...? Sounded like I hadn't installed them properly to my rig. The crazy thing is my reference mixes always sounded like the speakers. Maybe they made me 'crazy'. Lol! Anyway I really wanted to like them but... Thanks for sharing!
I own a pair of Kii Three and I can confirm they are mind-blowing; the only downside is everything you have described about working without a sub. They Kii can be pushed to be a lot louder than you would expect for their size, but they start sounding a bit strained in the bottom end. I have recently hear what they sound like when paired with the BXT extender (not a sub, but a whole new array of woofers to spread the load) and they become the best thing ever again. Too bad that's way out of my budget. But at normal listening levels in a normal size room they Kii Three are definitely mastering quality, super tight bass, incredible clarity in the mids, and tweeters that sound just 'right' (way better than the beryllium I have on the mid-field monitors). If you try they Kii, I recommend you pay attention to the mid-range presence of natural vocals in well-recorded pop songs. They tell me it's mostly thanks to the dsp, but every other monitor I have tried sounds scooped and distant in comparison.
Do a bit of research on the Opals, as they were an absolute masterpiece of speaker design using all avaliable research and top-notch technologies of their time. The Woofer alone was such a monster, there are only one or two woofers of that quality (powerhandling, frequency response, harmonic distortion) availiable on the market today (PURIFI Audio or Accuton). Then the molded aluminium casing with special bracing and multi layered build to reduce modes and resonances, the 8th Order LR Crossover with an inverted allpass filter for a linear Phase response in the Crossover region, the CD characteristic and a berillium Tweeter, integrated user adjustable Room EQs. Absolutely phenomenal. 10 years ago I had the KH310s for about 8 months until I sold them and found them very underwhelming (boxy sound signature, fizzly white noise like high end, smeared mid but at the same time harsh metallic character. Back then I compared them directly to Amphion two18s in my studio and the Neumanns sounded like a mushy mess in direct comparison, especially the high mids and highs. But to be fair the low end was better, Amphions sounded a bit congested down there.) If it has to be Neumann the KH120+Sub offer clearer sound and better soundstage (my friend has this setup at his studio). Otherwise PSI Audio for accuracy, or Focal for inspiration/vibe would be my top picks nowadays.
Great review. I have KH 120 A's for mixing as well as Audeze MM500 earphones. Perhaps it's time to add a KH 750 to the 120's. My room is too small for bigger speakers. What do you think of that pairing? Cheers from Vancouver!
heard the Opal quite often at a friends studio , hes sending me always his stuff for referencing it on my kh310 soooo not sure what you talking about the tweeters - there sounding good
I have the KH310 so I know EXAXTLY what he’s talking about. I really love my KH310, for analytical mixing(they are insanely analytical) but these speakers just takes all the joy out of music. I rarely get emotionally touched by listening on anything on them(the first time I listen on my Adam a7x I actually started crying). And while they are very good for mixing(in another league than the Adams),boy do I miss the top end from my old Adam a7x’s, much more open, much more 3d. Even the cheap yamaha hs series is more open in the top end than the 310s…
@@theclaverman LMAO so what you're saying is the exact opposite of what this reviewer says, since he says the highs are strident. Shows how reliable you guys are.
@@InXLsisDeo You should learn to read properly before you give an answer. I say the EXACT SAME as the reviewer. He says the highs is not good (Strident) and so do I! I agree 100% with the reviewer!
@@theclavermanI came from Adam A7X to Neumann KH310…what are you talking about? 😂 The KH310 is way more precise. The A7X are great speakers, so don‘t get me wrong, but they are not really useable without a subwoofer. They lack heavy in bass. The KH310 costs 3 times as much and if you hear them in a good room and mix a track on them, you know why they are way more expensive. Way more detail in the sound. On the Adams I made a great mix but I had to check the sound on Mixcubes and other systems a lot to get it right. That is not the case with the 310 and they are way better for mastering too.
@@axoplanet6081Did I ever claim that the KH310 wasn’t presise?? You should learn to read properly before you give an answer. I clearly wrote that the KH310 are much more presice than the A7x….But not when it comes to the top end! The top end of Adam A7x beats the Neumanns completely to the ground. I will not get rid of my KH310 though, as the mixes translate extremely well to other system. But they are not very enjoyable speakers to listen to, and I have yet to experience a real goose-bump moment with the Neumanns. And after all goose-bump moments are the reason we do what we do. If the music does not manage to touch us on a emotional level, it’s almost wortless.
How about you try Dynaudio Core Line? I own a BM series pair and they're amazing. The Core series is their flagship on their pro audio line. The KH are as you put it, they make me exert myself more than I should.
@@aristotle_4532 Between the ATC SCM12 PRO, the Mackie HR824mk2, and the Dynaudio BM 6A, which pair would you recommend? How would you rate this list?
My experience with the 420s is that they're about as perfect as can be. They have the same mid and tweeter as the 310's but different amps and waveguides. I gotta say you might be trying to drive them louder than they're supposed to go, or you have an issue with the source material. Bad mixes or any harshness is so so so noticeable on these speakers that a lot of music straight up sounds like shit. But a good mix is heaven on earth. The level of detail is something I've never heard before from the deepest basses to the highest highs.
I’m totally confused again. These days on YT 99% of content is just product placement. Everybody is talking about everything as it is the best thing in the world. And from time to time somebody like you make a video about one of these great things and make a piece of 💩 from it. And I’m really confused. I wanted Adam Audio S3V, but somebody said that it has very small sweet spot and sound bad through analog inputs compared to digital. Then I wanted Focal Trio 11 be which should be great with their famous beryllium tweeters but somebody said that they are harsh and painful and piercing without bass definition. And that Neumanns are the way. So I checked many reviews and detailed measurements and everything looked almost perfect, till I saw your videos. Same with Genelecs, same with Dynaudios, Amphions, etc. So again. I’m confused and I have to buy some and check it in my place and then return it or keep it. From your video it seems like the expensive Pro Neumanns are worse than some cheap kids PC speakers from Aliexpress. Is your DAC OK? I never hear any hiss from Neumanns…
The biggest mistake you one can do is relying and base their choices solely on opinions of others and reviews. There is no way to know if you dont listen for yourself. I personally dont like the air motion transformer like in the adams Yet still the first thing i would say to someone asking my opinion is “ i dont like them. But give them a listen cause you might not agree” To the neumanns now,,, i understand if someone does not like them but calling them garbage is a bit too much
The KH310s are fantastic speakers and most of this video is subjective. If you look at objective measurements by 3rd parties you'll find they're some of the best speakers you can buy at their price. Perhaps the best value amongst all analog 3 ways. I had a pair for years and never had any issues with translation. Listen for yourself and decide, I found that nothing came even close at the pricepoint, particularly in the midrange.
The Neumann KH 310 are top! No hiss at all!?! When I listen and compare with my Austrian Audio Hi-X60 studio headphones, they both sound incredibly similar and well balanced.
‘The 310 is beginning to show it’s age’ WTH 🤣🤣 What are you talking about? I use NS10’s and other speakers that are over 20-30 years old and still reference perfectly well on them. The 310s are only 10 years old, and they sound just the way a decent monitor speaker should sound. Neutral and honest.
I used the O300s - their predecessor monitors when I was 19, 17 years ago. So yes, the design is showing its age. And no, NS10s are and always were garbage. They caught hype decades ago because most people lack the critical faculties to delineate between functional utility and collective hivemind brand identity.
@@SystematicProductions I’m sure the majority of the well established mix engineers would disagree. The NS-10 is still a useful tool, period. And the 0300’s were also wonderful speakers, I worked with a pair myself. Apart from their lower SPL, they were great to mix on.
@@theredfaceofficial I agree. The O300s were lovely. Either my calibration shifted in the years since, or the 310s fundamentally changed something, but these speakers are less impressive than their predecessors were.
Yeah, I can see that, seems about right with what I remember, when I shot out monitors with my friend. One pair for him, one for me. (Pro bigger studio & pro but essentials only home studio) He didn't liked those as well and I didn't like the little brothers (I think KH120?) the best either. It's unbelievable how satisfied I am with the Kali Audio IN-8s I decided to go for. Could be because I didn't had more expensive monitors yet, but I just love them and they punched way over their price, when I shooted them out against others. Thought the reviews on yt are bought in, tried them, took em home. With that being said, I think innovation slowly starts to chime in into the studio monitor markets and there is just not much to justify objectively bad systems anymore, when you're one of the big manufacturers. And let's see what comes out on the market, thanks to the athmos thing that's happening. Great review, thanks Ermin!
The KH 310 is very good as a near field monitor. A muted speaker sounds a little more subdued than a bass reflex system. I can't understand the problems with the heights. The KH 310 is very analytical. I own the original version of the 310 from Klein & Hummel, produced until 2013 in Germany.
Hey hey. That's too bad about the KH310s. It's odd that they didn't port them. You've generalized to say that all monitors in the KH series need a sub. That's just not the case. The KH420s are ported, and they also have excellent LF extension without a sub. I'm sure they sound even better with subs, but I've flush mounted mine in a hard front wall so the effect of baffle step gives them more than adequate performance without a sub. Good comment and point about using a stereo sub array. Too many people get a single sub without realizing that now their entire low end is getting summed to mono. Not adequate for mixing. Regarding the tweeter, I've owned my KH420s for 8 months now. Not sure if they're using the same tweeter as the KH310s, but I really like the high end in the KH420s. The only comment I would make is that they sound a little bit (and I do mean a little bit) compressed. In general that's a very small nit picky issue. All round they are excellent monitors. Perhaps they'll update the KH310s and port them. I know they're a popular monitor. Cheers!
Hey Drew! Just a clarification question about your KH420s: when you say they sound like they compress a little bit, do you mean the tweeter compresses a little bit? Or the whole speaker?
I've got a set of 420s as well, same mid and tweeter as the 310, but different amps and waveguides. I think what these speakers do best is make things that are harsh sound like absolute torture. Bad mixes to me or overuse of saturation is borderline unlistenable, the only time i've heard clarity like these are on atc. I have a really really hard time believing the issue he's having isn't a source material problem because when things aren't cluttered and the top is done properly, these speakers are magic.
If you make music for release on vinyl OR music to be played in clubs everything below 150Hz is going to be summed to mono... I never set my subwoofer crossover over 100Hz so one sub can do the job...
A friend of mine has the A77H and is not very happy. The Adam S series is great. And for HipHop and if your room is not too small, maybe take the 310 + the dsp subwoofer. Or the Adam S series but not the 77H, but that is just my opinion.
I don’t know how big your room Size is to drive the KH 310 into distortion or how loud you need to mix, but in my medium Size well treated Room i had never any distortion issues. Not even once. Regarding to your Tweeter Problem, if you use the Ma1 Alignment System to optimize the Speakers.. the Highs will be as smooth and good as expected. The KH310+Subs+Ma1 in a well treated room are just mindblowing! Did you use the MA1 System?…. and what is/was your Monitor Controller to drive these puppies ? Cheers ✌️
yeah it's nonsense...the kh310 tweeters are ridiculously low distortion unless you're trying to give yourself hearing damage or you have them too far away...the bass and mid will distort first. he probably damaged his tweeters...they're actually easy enough to damage...I blew mine with a 0dBFS event, and had to send them both back, they fixed them for free though...they still work when you damage them, but sound like shit...the 120 has the same problem, very easy to damage...the 80s are more resilient with the digital limiter... (fwiw I have them at 94dB and trim around -6 now and hasn't happened in a few years, even with the odd accident...I had too much headroom before...my monitor controller puts out +20dBU though)
Why some people rave about the Opal I will never understand. He claims that the first run with beryllium tweeters were in a different league. The Opals were never a finished product and the company never stood behind their products. The new Neuman KH150's are very good. the PSI monitors are excellent as well.
I have to disagree completely with this. I have these speakers and absolutely love them. And they’re supposed to be very flat. They’re not HiFi Speakers nor should they be.
Possibly they got damaged in transit/use? Or they're up way too loud - that would raise the distortion across the board. These aren't optimised for rocking out in far field at ear-splitting levels. He's making a lot out of the -50db distortion @90db SPL in the treble in that graph and I'd naively blame that too if I were unfamiliar with THD and hadn't seen corresponding graphs for dozens of other speakers that were mostly worse or on par with that with no audible problem.
I think the problem with the percieved distortion comes from the tweeter design in these. I had KH310s 10 years ago for 8 months and the tweeter was one of their biggest downsides. After a bit of research it turns out that it is build like a silk tweeter, woven out of aluminium strains not a "one-piece" like most hard domes. This eleiminates the problem of breakup in the highest octave but the impedance matching to the air will be different. Althought only speculation, it is my best guess why the high end has that fizzly, noise like sound signature.
You seem to be more preoccupied with your looks, your UA-cam swag factor, and your communication skills, than with the sound of the speakers. And the KH310 sounding BOXY? Man I can't believe you just said that. That's a joke right? And "flat" and "mid-heavy" are totally contradictory statements. I can't take this video seriously. Nor the man behind it. The generic boring background music is just the icing on the cake.
Man, I wish I head your ear and knowledge at some point LOL. Great video btw - would love to have more videos of you reviewing pro audio gear (I assume a SSL Bus+ video is on the way some time soon :D ).
I don't own these, but a studio mate here in Nashville has them and with a pair of the 750 subs. She has them in her writing studio. She went thru all you have described. She ended up with the same crossover approach and has the 310s stacked on the 750s in a near field creating essentially a four way. This works nicely but of course she is synth based - sound design and does not mix or master. As an aside, I frequent a rehearsal space that has a pair of Neu KH420s soffit mounted and they are tres cool. Interesting since the mid and tweeter are the same drivers as the 310 I believe. Soffit mounting is the end all IMO. Very nice video you did there.
I agree with you. Had them for a while. Impressive at fist but I discovered more and more annoying things. Harsh upper mids, especially ugly on vocals but at the same time soft sluggish treble. Lack of punch. Great mixes sound boring in these. Despite the excellent measurements they present music in a sterile and slightly nasty way. All in my own opinion of course. Neumann is OK for the price but I much prefer Quested, ATC, Amphion, PSI, ProAc, Geithain and yes, Opal.
@@andynonimuss6298 Mackies are trash sorry. Adams are only great starting at the S series and Genelec is also only good in price ranges where I would not buy a Genelec speaker anymore. That your Genelecs sound better than the Mackie is no wonder. I use the 310s, a pair of Mixcubes, a mono Behritone and some Audeze headphones. Neumann 310 plus sub or the 420 are fantastic for mixing and mastering. If you nail the mix on the Neumanns, you just nail it. A lot of people think the flat sound of the 310 is bad, but that is how a studio speaker for mixing should be, not full of bass and full of highs. Maybe I buy some Barefoot just for producing in addition to the 310s for mixing. So I can switch between the two.
Interestingly, speaker manufacturers are some of the worst originators of bad or just confusing information about monitor placement. You need to listen to the advice of acousticians who professionally set up studios and tune rooms. GIK has the best video on UA-cam about speaker positioning: ua-cam.com/video/T10_MLGOBfc/v-deo.htmlsi=hgxlWlU8tPE_yqEZ
Hi I wish you had off done this video before spending all my money on these and the sub. It is running all my synths through them, and no mater what iv tried, the highs are way to piercing to my ears. I don’t really do mastering and it is for my own use to get ready to perform live. Any help would be greatly appreciated?
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What do you mean by “they are flat “ and in the same sentence “ mid heavy”? Its contradictory isnt it?
I got kh 120ii and I'd say they are mid boosted
@@veritas7010 the frequency plot of the Kh series are as flat as they can get. Kh80 has a deviation of less than 1 db on the whole frequency spectrum. Very few speakers are as linear. There is no boost. If there was it would show up in the measurements. Your mid boost is probably a room and setup result
Because he does not know what he is talking about. Like many audio reviewers, especially the ones that do not measure. I mean, this dude is telling you that a THD of -50 dB is "outrageous". No it isnt. It is among the best you you will not hear that distortion.
Thanks for providing an update on them! Especially valuable since it's so detailed and comprehensible.
I know it would be of no benefit for you directly, but I'm sure a lot of us would highly appreciate this kind of insight/review for your personal recommendation for a pair of mid-priced monitors.
I'm also hoping there's a review coming for the recently arrived SSL BUS+ :)
Either way, thanks so much for doing these videos!!
Confusing. Streaky puts these in the top5 of all 3way monitors. Many forumd praise them as super mixing tools flat all over the spectrum. And here its a hissy distorted boxy mess. So strange 🤓
The distorted mess is in the rest of his audio chain.
NS10s were used as the 'reference grade' mixing monitors for decades, and those always were and continue to be absolute garbage.
There is a stark difference between the utility something has, and how it ultimately gets clouded by group identity, brand association etc. There is a whole subset of human psychology at play that one has to move past before they begin scratching at something resembling truth.
To that end, I wouldn't put much stock in forum opinions, content creator opinions - even mine here in the video. You need to listen for yourself and make your own determination.
@@SystematicProductions the only problem is, that you think you know what you talking about
@@cheopz_official Well said.
There's so much misinformation in this video take it with a huge grain of salt.
Yes, this guy is clueless !
Lmao 😂😂😂 he got me looking at different kinds right now thanks
I’ve owned the KH 120s for almost the exact same amount of time (which have the same tweeters), and your critique of the tweeters is spot on. I’ve found I also need to reference quite a lot to get my cymbal balances right. It’s a shame, too, because I still think the KH 120 outclasses every other 2-way monitor in its size and price range despite this.
do you know if the KH 150s have the same tweeter?
@@iSirTaki I believe they do. It’s not a serious flaw, though.
I bought the 120 and then the 310 with 750sub, but unfortunately both are not as precise in the treble as other speakers.
the only way that helps, is the DSP .
@@bashkim4053 with the M1 room correction/ DSP does it fix the tweeter issue?
I've got a pair of KH310's I find my mixes translate really well. The sound stage isn't as big as my previous speakers but I have got used to this and I find it easier to mix. It is really easy to place things in a mix on these and I've not had a problem with the top end, it is not hyped so not tiring to listen to. It's easy to focus on the mid range. I have positioned them close to the wall which they recommend in the manual which helped with any cancelation of bass frequencies. Also got the K&M 26795 stands to hang them on using the adapters which made a massive difference as I had them on isoacoustic pucks before. Not tried the sub but have tried room correction but don't feel I need it as I am happy mixing as is. I hope that helps they have loads of bass if you spend a bit of time working out where to put them in the room either over 2m (I think) from the back wall or close to the wall if in a smaller room and I have reduced the bass on the settings on the back of the speakers. It took me a while to get used to them though and position them. I hope that helps anyone thinking of getting them.
I also got the 310s and feel the same. These speakers are great and some of the best I‘ve tested. Mine are 1m away from the wall behind and the wall left/right, in treated room. I only produce and mix electronic music. They are brilliant. I can hear every instrument in the stereo field where it is placed, phenomenal. Tested it against Hedd Type20 II, Barefoot, Dynaudio Core and Adam. The 310 won all the way. Great Bass, not too much like the Barefoot and very detailed in the hi frequencies. Can‘t understand what this guy is talking about, but I think his ears doesn‘t work right.
@@cheopz_officialHave you ever listened to a sound with a frequency of 5 khz and above? It's like they said: When it reaches a frequency of 5 khz and above, the sound will sound bad, so I conclude that the kh 310 will be suitable for sounds in the upper mid-range and below.
@@akg123rider Yes of course I have listened to sounds over 5khz a lot. In all songs I mix, are sounds in the full eq range from 20 to 20.000hz. And nothing sounded bad. We talk about a 4000€ monitor system and you really want to tell people the Neumanns sounding bad. Maybe something is wrong with your ears or your room or your acoustic treatment. But to say 310s sound bad is simply not true. And to say the 310s are just for mixing sounds under 5khz is crazy. How long have you mixed on the Neumanns btw?
@@akg123rider How are you testing this are you using a high pass filter and what track are you using? I am interested to hear what you mean. If using a high pass filter to just focus on high end could that be colouring the sound and maybe produce the sound you are hearing. Also could it be distortion in the track or maybe DA converter not producing clean high end?
I haven't heard this but I can hear mixing problems like metallic reverb or distortion in recordings creating issues but this is at the source and isn't the speakers. Also I am not pushing them hard so maybe this could distort the high end?
No worries if they are not for you but I haven't heard any problems as described with mine. What speakers do you use now instead?
@rickmorty4921sorry for the late answer. I would buy the 310 if you decide between this two. If Adam, than I would buy the S series. What I also find very interesting are the Telegrapher speakers.
Did you also try the MA-1 measuring software/mic by Neumann?
I used the Neumann KH310s for a year for writing/ preproduction sessions and your review is 'spot on'. There was always something that was unpleasant and inaccurate - maybe stuffy lower and upper mids and compressed highs...? Sounded like I hadn't installed them properly to my rig. The crazy thing is my reference mixes always sounded like the speakers. Maybe they made me 'crazy'. Lol! Anyway I really wanted to like them but... Thanks for sharing!
I own a pair of Kii Three and I can confirm they are mind-blowing; the only downside is everything you have described about working without a sub. They Kii can be pushed to be a lot louder than you would expect for their size, but they start sounding a bit strained in the bottom end. I have recently hear what they sound like when paired with the BXT extender (not a sub, but a whole new array of woofers to spread the load) and they become the best thing ever again. Too bad that's way out of my budget. But at normal listening levels in a normal size room they Kii Three are definitely mastering quality, super tight bass, incredible clarity in the mids, and tweeters that sound just 'right' (way better than the beryllium I have on the mid-field monitors).
If you try they Kii, I recommend you pay attention to the mid-range presence of natural vocals in well-recorded pop songs. They tell me it's mostly thanks to the dsp, but every other monitor I have tried sounds scooped and distant in comparison.
Hard to believe the opal’s rivaled these Neumanns. Generally 3-ways completely defeat 2-ways
The original run Opals with beryllium tweeters were quite a specimen. The ones which replaced them were, sadly, hot garbage.
Do a bit of research on the Opals, as they were an absolute masterpiece of speaker design using all avaliable research and top-notch technologies of their time. The Woofer alone was such a monster, there are only one or two woofers of that quality (powerhandling, frequency response, harmonic distortion) availiable on the market today (PURIFI Audio or Accuton). Then the molded aluminium casing with special bracing and multi layered build to reduce modes and resonances, the 8th Order LR Crossover with an inverted allpass filter for a linear Phase response in the Crossover region, the CD characteristic and a berillium Tweeter, integrated user adjustable Room EQs. Absolutely phenomenal.
10 years ago I had the KH310s for about 8 months until I sold them and found them very underwhelming (boxy sound signature, fizzly white noise like high end, smeared mid but at the same time harsh metallic character. Back then I compared them directly to Amphion two18s in my studio and the Neumanns sounded like a mushy mess in direct comparison, especially the high mids and highs. But to be fair the low end was better, Amphions sounded a bit congested down there.)
If it has to be Neumann the KH120+Sub offer clearer sound and better soundstage (my friend has this setup at his studio). Otherwise PSI Audio for accuracy, or Focal for inspiration/vibe would be my top picks nowadays.
Had the exact same thoughts about these speakers.. Looking to demo a pair of PSI A21Ms soon
Did you like the PSI? Planning to do the same
@@ILove_808 no dealers in my area sadly, and they’re too expensive to buy without trying out first :(
Great review. I have KH 120 A's for mixing as well as Audeze MM500 earphones. Perhaps it's time to add a KH 750 to the 120's. My room is too small for bigger speakers. What do you think of that pairing? Cheers from Vancouver!
heard the Opal quite often at a friends studio , hes sending me always his stuff for referencing it on my kh310 soooo not sure what you talking about the tweeters - there sounding good
I have the KH310 so I know EXAXTLY what he’s talking about. I really love my KH310, for analytical mixing(they are insanely analytical) but these speakers just takes all the joy out of music. I rarely get emotionally touched by listening on anything on them(the first time I listen on my Adam a7x I actually started crying). And while they are very good for mixing(in another league than the Adams),boy do I miss the top end from my old Adam a7x’s, much more open, much more 3d. Even the cheap yamaha hs series is more open in the top end than the 310s…
@@theclaverman LMAO so what you're saying is the exact opposite of what this reviewer says, since he says the highs are strident. Shows how reliable you guys are.
@@InXLsisDeo You should learn to read properly before you give an answer. I say the EXACT SAME as the reviewer. He says the highs is not good (Strident) and so do I! I agree 100% with the reviewer!
@@theclavermanI came from Adam A7X to Neumann KH310…what are you talking about? 😂 The KH310 is way more precise. The A7X are great speakers, so don‘t get me wrong, but they are not really useable without a subwoofer. They lack heavy in bass. The KH310 costs 3 times as much and if you hear them in a good room and mix a track on them, you know why they are way more expensive. Way more detail in the sound. On the Adams I made a great mix but I had to check the sound on Mixcubes and other systems a lot to get it right. That is not the case with the 310 and they are way better for mastering too.
@@axoplanet6081Did I ever claim that the KH310 wasn’t presise?? You should learn to read properly before you give an answer. I clearly wrote that the KH310 are much more presice than the A7x….But not when it comes to the top end! The top end of Adam A7x beats the Neumanns completely to the ground. I will not get rid of my KH310 though, as the mixes translate extremely well to other system. But they are not very enjoyable speakers to listen to, and I have yet to experience a real goose-bump moment with the Neumanns. And after all goose-bump moments are the reason we do what we do. If the music does not manage to touch us on a emotional level, it’s almost wortless.
How about you try Dynaudio Core Line? I own a BM series pair and they're amazing. The Core series is their flagship on their pro audio line.
The KH are as you put it, they make me exert myself more than I should.
BM6A is a good reference and BM15A is an excellent reference and almost full range.
@@aristotle_4532 Between the ATC SCM12 PRO, the Mackie HR824mk2, and the Dynaudio BM 6A, which pair would you recommend? How would you rate this list?
My experience with the 420s is that they're about as perfect as can be. They have the same mid and tweeter as the 310's but different amps and waveguides. I gotta say you might be trying to drive them louder than they're supposed to go, or you have an issue with the source material. Bad mixes or any harshness is so so so noticeable on these speakers that a lot of music straight up sounds like shit. But a good mix is heaven on earth. The level of detail is something I've never heard before from the deepest basses to the highest highs.
Ohhhh he just pick shit mixed music 😂😂😂😂
I’m totally confused again. These days on YT 99% of content is just product placement. Everybody is talking about everything as it is the best thing in the world. And from time to time somebody like you make a video about one of these great things and make a piece of 💩 from it. And I’m really confused. I wanted Adam Audio S3V, but somebody said that it has very small sweet spot and sound bad through analog inputs compared to digital. Then I wanted Focal Trio 11 be which should be great with their famous beryllium tweeters but somebody said that they are harsh and painful and piercing without bass definition. And that Neumanns are the way. So I checked many reviews and detailed measurements and everything looked almost perfect, till I saw your videos. Same with Genelecs, same with Dynaudios, Amphions, etc. So again. I’m confused and I have to buy some and check it in my place and then return it or keep it. From your video it seems like the expensive Pro Neumanns are worse than some cheap kids PC speakers from Aliexpress. Is your DAC OK? I never hear any hiss from Neumanns…
The biggest mistake you one can do is relying and base their choices solely on opinions of others and reviews.
There is no way to know if you dont listen for yourself. I personally dont like the air motion transformer like in the adams
Yet still the first thing i would say to someone asking my opinion is “ i dont like them. But give them a listen cause you might not agree”
To the neumanns now,,, i understand if someone does not like them but calling them garbage is a bit too much
The KH310s are fantastic speakers and most of this video is subjective. If you look at objective measurements by 3rd parties you'll find they're some of the best speakers you can buy at their price. Perhaps the best value amongst all analog 3 ways. I had a pair for years and never had any issues with translation. Listen for yourself and decide, I found that nothing came even close at the pricepoint, particularly in the midrange.
The Neumann KH 310 are top! No hiss at all!?! When I listen and compare with my Austrian Audio Hi-X60 studio headphones, they both sound incredibly similar and well balanced.
This simply means this reviewer is unreliable. His audio chain isn't flat and he blames the speakers.
The 310s are fantastic speakers. When I listen on my Audeze LCD-X and after that on the 310s it is all good and fantastic on both
‘The 310 is beginning to show it’s age’ WTH 🤣🤣
What are you talking about? I use NS10’s and other speakers that are over 20-30 years old and still reference perfectly well on them. The 310s are only 10 years old, and they sound just the way a decent monitor speaker should sound. Neutral and honest.
I used the O300s - their predecessor monitors when I was 19, 17 years ago. So yes, the design is showing its age. And no, NS10s are and always were garbage. They caught hype decades ago because most people lack the critical faculties to delineate between functional utility and collective hivemind brand identity.
@@SystematicProductions I’m sure the majority of the well established mix engineers would disagree. The NS-10 is still a useful tool, period. And the 0300’s were also wonderful speakers, I worked with a pair myself. Apart from their lower SPL, they were great to mix on.
@@theredfaceofficial I agree. The O300s were lovely.
Either my calibration shifted in the years since, or the 310s fundamentally changed something, but these speakers are less impressive than their predecessors were.
@@SystematicProductions There were some fundamental changes - the KH310s cross the tweeter 1300hz lower!
Yeah, I can see that, seems about right with what I remember, when I shot out monitors with my friend. One pair for him, one for me. (Pro bigger studio & pro but essentials only home studio) He didn't liked those as well and I didn't like the little brothers (I think KH120?) the best either.
It's unbelievable how satisfied I am with the Kali Audio IN-8s I decided to go for. Could be because I didn't had more expensive monitors yet, but I just love them and they punched way over their price, when I shooted them out against others. Thought the reviews on yt are bought in, tried them, took em home.
With that being said, I think innovation slowly starts to chime in into the studio monitor markets and there is just not much to justify objectively bad systems anymore, when you're one of the big manufacturers.
And let's see what comes out on the market, thanks to the athmos thing that's happening.
Great review, thanks Ermin!
The KH 310 is very good as a near field monitor. A muted speaker sounds a little more subdued than a bass reflex system. I can't understand the problems with the heights. The KH 310 is very analytical.
I own the original version of the 310 from Klein & Hummel, produced until 2013 in Germany.
Hey hey. That's too bad about the KH310s. It's odd that they didn't port them. You've generalized to say that all monitors in the KH series need a sub. That's just not the case. The KH420s are ported, and they also have excellent LF extension without a sub. I'm sure they sound even better with subs, but I've flush mounted mine in a hard front wall so the effect of baffle step gives them more than adequate performance without a sub.
Good comment and point about using a stereo sub array. Too many people get a single sub without realizing that now their entire low end is getting summed to mono. Not adequate for mixing.
Regarding the tweeter, I've owned my KH420s for 8 months now. Not sure if they're using the same tweeter as the KH310s, but I really like the high end in the KH420s. The only comment I would make is that they sound a little bit (and I do mean a little bit) compressed. In general that's a very small nit picky issue. All round they are excellent monitors.
Perhaps they'll update the KH310s and port them. I know they're a popular monitor. Cheers!
Hey Drew! Just a clarification question about your KH420s: when you say they sound like they compress a little bit, do you mean the tweeter compresses a little bit? Or the whole speaker?
I've got a set of 420s as well, same mid and tweeter as the 310, but different amps and waveguides. I think what these speakers do best is make things that are harsh sound like absolute torture. Bad mixes to me or overuse of saturation is borderline unlistenable, the only time i've heard clarity like these are on atc. I have a really really hard time believing the issue he's having isn't a source material problem because when things aren't cluttered and the top is done properly, these speakers are magic.
Dude 420's have 10" drivers, so they are essentially a subwoofer :)
If you make music for release on vinyl OR music to be played in clubs everything below 150Hz is going to be summed to mono... I never set my subwoofer crossover over 100Hz so one sub can do the job...
@@Genital.Wartzenegger Spot on, even on the smallest Neumann (with sub) I can hear the "loudness" war thing, crushed dynamics etc...
Are you planing to do similar videos about next monitors you get?
KH0300 owner here. I would also like to know if neumann changed the tweeter as well.
Adam A77H or KH 310 ? For scoring cinematic soundtracks to hiphop and mix master???
A friend of mine has the A77H and is not very happy. The Adam S series is great. And for HipHop and if your room is not too small, maybe take the 310 + the dsp subwoofer. Or the Adam S series but not the 77H, but that is just my opinion.
Great and very detailed review! What about Focals or Genelecs and their top speakers? Have you consider those brands, any thoughts on these?
I don’t know how big your room Size is to drive the KH 310 into distortion or how loud you need to mix, but in my medium Size well treated Room i had never any distortion issues. Not even once. Regarding to your Tweeter Problem, if you use the Ma1 Alignment System to optimize the Speakers.. the Highs will be as smooth and good as expected. The KH310+Subs+Ma1 in a well treated room are just mindblowing! Did you use the MA1 System?…. and what is/was your Monitor Controller to drive these puppies ? Cheers ✌️
yeah it's nonsense...the kh310 tweeters are ridiculously low distortion unless you're trying to give yourself hearing damage or you have them too far away...the bass and mid will distort first.
he probably damaged his tweeters...they're actually easy enough to damage...I blew mine with a 0dBFS event, and had to send them both back, they fixed them for free though...they still work when you damage them, but sound like shit...the 120 has the same problem, very easy to damage...the 80s are more resilient with the digital limiter...
(fwiw I have them at 94dB and trim around -6 now and hasn't happened in a few years, even with the odd accident...I had too much headroom before...my monitor controller puts out +20dBU though)
What are you thoughts on Amphion speakers?
Get the ATC SCM 25a's
These are double the price, so it's not comparable at all...
@Strepite True , well there are the Focal Trio's
@@revelationsoundstudio Overhyped sound for my taste…
Great insight to the KH series! Still would love your take on adam s3h.
Great insight ? LMAO Terrible video, this dude doesn't know what he's talking about.
Why some people rave about the Opal I will never understand. He claims that the first run with beryllium tweeters were in a different league. The Opals were never a finished product and the company never stood behind their products. The new Neuman KH150's are very good. the PSI monitors are excellent as well.
I have to disagree completely with this. I have these speakers and absolutely love them. And they’re supposed to be very flat. They’re not HiFi Speakers nor should they be.
This video is hilarious and far from the truth.
I'm sorry. Perhaps you can articulate my life experiences better than I can.
@@SystematicProductions The claims you make are plain false. Has nothing to do with personal experiences.
Big yes!
😂😂😂
After this video you have to send a statement to Neumann so that he can fire all his engineers. 😀😀😀
I think your room is the problem, not the speaker.
I think this guy can‘t mix or his room treatment is bad. The KH310 are great speakers with a flat response and this is how it should be when you mix.
Possibly they got damaged in transit/use? Or they're up way too loud - that would raise the distortion across the board. These aren't optimised for rocking out in far field at ear-splitting levels.
He's making a lot out of the -50db distortion @90db SPL in the treble in that graph and I'd naively blame that too if I were unfamiliar with THD and hadn't seen corresponding graphs for dozens of other speakers that were mostly worse or on par with that with no audible problem.
I think the problem with the percieved distortion comes from the tweeter design in these. I had KH310s 10 years ago for 8 months and the tweeter was one of their biggest downsides.
After a bit of research it turns out that it is build like a silk tweeter, woven out of aluminium strains not a "one-piece" like most hard domes. This eleiminates the problem of breakup in the highest octave but the impedance matching to the air will be different. Althought only speculation, it is my best guess why the high end has that fizzly, noise like sound signature.
You seem to be more preoccupied with your looks, your UA-cam swag factor, and your communication skills, than with the sound of the speakers. And the KH310 sounding BOXY? Man I can't believe you just said that. That's a joke right? And "flat" and "mid-heavy" are totally contradictory statements. I can't take this video seriously. Nor the man behind it. The generic boring background music is just the icing on the cake.
👍
What a load of nonsense
Really? I haven’t experienced any of this whatsoever. They have been some of the most flat balanced monitors I have ever heard in my life.
You should also try the Dutch & Dutch 8c's! Got a pair here and it feels like cheating
Wow made in Holland but… 12k for a pair, kinda unfair comparison heheh
Man, I wish I head your ear and knowledge at some point LOL. Great video btw - would love to have more videos of you reviewing pro audio gear (I assume a SSL Bus+ video is on the way some time soon :D ).
This guy knows nothing about what he talks.
@@axoplanet6081 True
years agaauuugh 😊
I don't own these, but a studio mate here in Nashville has them and with a pair of the 750 subs. She has them in her writing studio. She went thru all you have described. She ended up with the same crossover approach and has the 310s stacked on the 750s in a near field creating essentially a four way. This works nicely but of course she is synth based - sound design and does not mix or master. As an aside, I frequent a rehearsal space that has a pair of Neu KH420s soffit mounted and they are tres cool. Interesting since the mid and tweeter are the same drivers as the 310 I believe. Soffit mounting is the end all IMO. Very nice video you did there.
i would never use a subwoofer for my KH310 :p
Its definitely not an infinite baffle lol, its just a sealed enclosure.
who is shorley? 😂
I agree with you. Had them for a while. Impressive at fist but I discovered more and more annoying things. Harsh upper mids, especially ugly on vocals but at the same time soft sluggish treble. Lack of punch. Great mixes sound boring in these. Despite the excellent measurements they present music in a sterile and slightly nasty way. All in my own opinion of course. Neumann is OK for the price but I much prefer Quested, ATC, Amphion, PSI, ProAc, Geithain and yes, Opal.
what about for hifi use? are they nice to listen to? what about the imaging?
@@ProfessorJohnSmith For Hifi even more of the Quested + ATC + Geithain sound.
I'm avoiding Neumann and going all Genelec. You should also consider the Genelec 10" 1032C when you start a new round of reviews.
This guy should not make reviews at all. And Genelec speakers sucks, sorry.
@@cheopz_official I own Mackies, Adams, and Genelecs. The Genlecs are more accurate and sound the best.
@@andynonimuss6298 Mackies are trash sorry. Adams are only great starting at the S series and Genelec is also only good in price ranges where I would not buy a Genelec speaker anymore. That your Genelecs sound better than the Mackie is no wonder.
I use the 310s, a pair of Mixcubes, a mono Behritone and some Audeze headphones. Neumann 310 plus sub or the 420 are fantastic for mixing and mastering. If you nail the mix on the Neumanns, you just nail it. A lot of people think the flat sound of the 310 is bad, but that is how a studio speaker for mixing should be, not full of bass and full of highs. Maybe I buy some Barefoot just for producing in addition to the 310s for mixing. So I can switch between the two.
I find they dont translate well, at least the ones I've used lol
so, you consider yourself to be more knowledgable than the professional engineers at Neumann...???
Interestingly, speaker manufacturers are some of the worst originators of bad or just confusing information about monitor placement. You need to listen to the advice of acousticians who professionally set up studios and tune rooms.
GIK has the best video on UA-cam about speaker positioning: ua-cam.com/video/T10_MLGOBfc/v-deo.htmlsi=hgxlWlU8tPE_yqEZ
Mate, you don't have a CLUE what you're talking about...
This video is bad, real bad.
Hi do you have an instagram account 🍀
Hi I wish you had off done this video before spending all my money on these and the sub. It is running all my synths through them, and no mater what iv tried, the highs are way to piercing to my ears. I don’t really do mastering and it is for my own use to get ready to perform live. Any help would be greatly appreciated?
Maybe you should first learn how to mix, before you spent 5.000 on gear you can‘t understand.