Neumann KH 80 DSP

I recently bought a pair of KH80 monitors to pair with my KH750 subwoofer. I initially owned the KH120 II + KH750 sub combination, but the need to work in two different locations arose. To address this, I set up the KH80s with the sub at location 1 and moved the KH120 IIs to location 2, ensuring I had a broad frequency range monitor in both places.

The first time I calibrated the KH120 II with the KH750 sub using the MA-1, it took around three attempts to achieve the perfect sound. Once calibrated, the sound was absolutely perfect—stunning and focused. The soundstage was beyond words, providing an unparalleled listening experience.

However, when I attempted to pair my KH80s with the KH750 sub, I couldn’t achieve the same perfect sound. The KH80s sounded harsh and overly bright, lacking focus. Despite trying three or four times, they still sounded like small, bright, and unfocused monitors. I attributed this to their older design, analog inputs, or their small size. Consequently, I decided to return the KH80s and invest in another pair of KH120 IIs, despite the higher cost.

My cat knocked over the monitor stand, causing one of the KH80s to fall from about 1.2 meters onto a hard floor. This fall resulted in a noticeable scratch, making it impossible to return them. Amazingly, despite the fall, the monitor only suffered a scratch with no apparent functional damage, a testament to its robust construction.

Faced with keeping what I initially thought were suboptimal monitors, I decided to make the best of it and recalibrate. Despite four more attempts, the sound remained boxy, too bright, and unfocused. It lacked the immersive quality of the KH120 IIs.

Then, on my last attempt, a miracle happened. I played the first song, and the sound was astounding. It was finally the same amazing sound as the KH120 IIs—pure and focused, with a soundstage that made the music come alive.

Here are my learnings for achieving the best calibration:

Precision is key. The more precise your measurements, the better the calibration. Measure with care and follow the program’s indicated centimeters exactly.
Point the monitors slightly behind your head, not directly at your face. This is crucial for achieving the perfect sound.
Place your subwoofer close to the wall. My sub is to the right, just before the right monitor.
Ensure no surfaces obstruct the space between the microphone and the monitor or subwoofer. Remove the studio table if necessary.
Maintain absolute silence during measurements. Even minor vibrations during the measurement process can affect the final result.
Be patient. If the sound and depth aren’t amazing, the calibration isn’t perfect. Repeat the process until it is.

Estoy encantado con estos monitores. Tenía dudas iniciales sobre su capacidad de respuesta con los graves pero me ha sorprendido su calidad. Realmente me ha sorprendido. Y los medios, para mí muy importante, se diferencian fácilmente.

En resumen, muy contento con la compra, con la calidad del producto y con el servicio, que como siempre ofrece Thomann.

A pesar de su precio para unos monitores de 4", totalmente recomendables y sobre todo muy portables.

After much research looking for some small sized studio monitors for my bedroom I decided to go with these KH80s. I was tossing up between these and the iLoud MTM monitors, as much as I've heard the bass response from the MTMs are amazing I'm glad I went with these as they are very, very impressive! Not only are the mids and highs extremely detailed the bass is definitely there, but more controlled and punchy for such a small speaker. I have to say one of the things that blows me away is the centre imaging, it's almost scary how well these monitors present the sound. Extremely impressed.

Anyway there's already plenty of reviews out there for these so if you're on the fence about getting them, just buy them...I love them and I can already tell after the short amount of time my mixing is better for investing in them.

Five stars.

I bought these about 9 months ago, so I've had time to learn them somewhat and get past the honeymoon phase. I'm a hobbyist now, but I ran a small-but-busy recording studio in the past, mostly working with local bands.

TLDR, I have nothing bad to say about these, I think they're fantastic.

I'm using them in a very small, but reasonably well-treated room in combination with the MA1 calibration system. Even without the calibration they're great, but it's a big help in my room, which has some pretty big issues with standing waves in the low and lower-mid range. I'd describe the character of the monitors as 'grey and unexciting, but not boring'.

Long story short, they're terrific. I'm very happy with my mixes and they translate well. I find the monitors accurate and unhyped, and they show me what isn't working. If something sounds 'off' through these monitors, then it's off. If it sounds good, then it probably is. For me, there's a lot less guess-work than I've had in the past. I simply mix so it sounds good on the monitor, no intellectual exercises required. Stereo imaging is great, centre imaging is great, depth-of-field is great.

I also have a single Mixcube to check mono compatibility, mid-range and transient response, but I usually don't have to make too many adjustments after working on the Neumanns. With this setup, I rarely get any surprises after I check on real-world systems (phone, laptop, earbuds, TV, clock radio, etc).

I also check the low end on Beyerdynamic DT880pros and Audio Technica ATHm50s', but I don't find too many surprises there, probably because I tend to high-pass quite a lot.

Less related to the monitors, but one unexpected benefit of my small room is that, if I stand 2m back from my mix position, the Neumann's (surprisingly) are still putting out frequencies as low as 40Hz, which gives me a ballpark idea of whether or not my hi-pass EQs are set right, especially when compared to reference mixes. It's a quirk of my room so won't apply to everyone, but it helps reveal woofiness in the low end.

I've had Yamaha HS50m's, Adam A7X's and Genelec 8030's in the past, but I prefer the Neumanns. For my purposes, I think they're all I'll ever need and I trust them 100%.