Neumann has announced the KH 120 II studio monitor.
Building upon the success of its predecessor, the KH 120 II offers improvements in all acoustic parameters for deeper bass, higher SPL capability and increased resolution. In addition, its internal DSP engine allows for phase linear crossovers and room correction via Neumann’s MA 1 Automatic Alignment.
‘It is part of the Neumann ethos to never be satisfied with what has been achieved so far,’ says Portfolio Manager, Stephan Mauer. ‘The KH 120 garnered hundreds of five-star reviews, yet we knew that we could make it even better. For the KH 120 II we’ve developed a novel woofer design that reduces distortion audibly and allows for much higher SPLs.
‘In addition to an exceptionally flat frequency response from 44Hz to 21kHz (±3dB), the KH 120 II offers a linearised phase response. Which translates to clear mids with astonishing transparency as well as extreme accuracy in the time domain – precise impulse reproduction and finely resolved reverbs.’
This is made possible by DSP-controlled electronics whose crossovers avoid the phase distortion caused by analogue filters. The internal DSP also achieves new standards in tonal consistency. The KH 120-II is made to extremely low tolerances of no more than ±0.5dB, making stereo imaging sharp. Digital electronics also allow automatic room alignment using Neumann’s MA 1 hardware/software solution (sold separately).
‘Even the best studio monitor is dependent on its acoustic environment,’ says Neumann CEO, Ralf Oehl. ‘So, being able to use the KH 120 II with Neumann’s Automatic Monitor Alignment MA 1 is an enormous advantage in terms of real-world performance. Finally, you can work with reliable reference-class monitoring even in less-than-ideal environments such as small studios or makeshift control rooms for mobile recording. But of course, the KH 120 II is also an excellent solution for professional studios, editing suites, and even immersive set-ups.’
The KH 120 II is also an update in sustainability. Patent pending amplifier technology combines high audio performance with the energy efficiency of class-D. Although the amplifiers of the KH 120 II deliver up to 145W to the 5.25-inch woofer and 100W to the 1-inch tweeter, they only consume 17W at idle. Auto-standby reduces power consumption to 0.3W when the KH 120 II has rested for a while, but can be deactivated.
The KH 120 II offers analogue and digital inputs (S/PDIF). It will also be available in an AES67 variant with redundant AES67 audio network ports that are fully compliant with broadcast standards such as ST 2110, ST 2022-7 redundancy, and Ravenna. At the same time, the KH 120 II AES67 is compatible with Dante-generated AES67 network streams.
List price for the KH 120 II is €899/$ 999; and for the KH 120 II AES67, €1,195/US$1,250.
More: www.neumann.com/en-en/products/monitors/kh-120-ii
