Neumann showcases a new white version of its compact KH 80 DSP monitor loudspeaker. “This white version has been designed for stylish project or home studios that prefer white monitors, for installations where the loudspeakers should not detract from the look of the room, and for home audiophiles,” said Wolfgang Fraissinet, President of Neumann.Berlin.
Since its launch earlier this year, the KH 80 DSP two-way active monitor has met with huge acclaim from users worldwide as it provides highly accurate, professional monitoring with a small footprint. Representing the latest in acoustic and electronic simulation and measurement technologies, the KH 80 DSP features the same distortion-minimizing features as the bigger Neumann models and the same innovative Mathematically Modeled Dispersion™ (MMD™) waveguide, which ensures wide horizontal and narrow vertical dispersion, thus making the monitor more forgiving of diverse acoustical environments and ensuring a smoother off-axis response, less reflections, and freedom of movement.
Meticulous mechanical and electrical design
The KH 80 DSP’s cabinet is made from a special polycarbonate composite that eliminates standing waves and ensures an ultra-fast transient response for the bass. It also reduces intermodulation distortion, particularly in the midrange. The front panel is made from one piece, which minimizes diffraction and ensures a smoother frequency response overall. Two large ports reduce the bass compression and are helpful when the monitor needs to be mounted in tight spaces.
Robust metal grilles protect the drivers from damage. The powerful alloy fabric tweeter dome guarantees low-distortion reproduction of high frequencies, while the bass driver cone is designed such as to provide extremely low distortion even at high sound levels.
Powerful amplifiers with a large headroom improve the transient response of the KH 80 DSP considerably and keep the heat dissipation low. To protect the power amplifiers and voice coils, both woofer and tweeter are fitted with independent thermo limiters, allowing the user to extract the maximum performance from the system. The woofer is additionally provided with a peak and excursion limiter. When a limiter engages, the dimmable Neumann logo at the front will turn red.
A universal switched-mode power supply (100 to 240 volts) ensures that the KH 80 DSP works in any country and is immune to fluctuations in the mains supply. The internal signal chain of the KH 80 DSP is completely symmetrical, which minimizes any noise caused by external electromagnetic interference. Also, the electrical design is double-insulated so that ground loops are impossible. When the monitor is not in use, an auto standby mode saves energy.
Fast acoustical set-up – future network control and room alignment
At its backpanel, the KH 80 DSP features a wide-range input gain control and an output level control. For mobile use, a four-position acoustical control helps to quickly adapt the monitor to the application at hand.
The KH 80 DSP is Neumann’s first monitor loudspeaker with a DSP engine – this not only contributes to the small size of the monitor but also opens up further possibilities with the Neumann.Control software, which will become available early in 2018. Via this software, it will be possible to precisely align the monitor to any acoustical environment, either in a fully automated or a guided way, or manually if desired.
Matched-pair quality for every monitor
Before it leaves the factory, every KH 80 DSP is individually aligned to the stipulated linear frequency response curve, meaning that any one unit is pair-matched to any other KH 80 DSP.
The KH 80 DSP is ideal for use as a near-field monitor, as a front loudspeaker in small multi-channel systems, or as a rear loudspeaker in compact multi-channel systems. It can be used in project and music studios, broadcast centers, OB vans, and post production studios for tracking, mixing, and mastering, and is also well suited for use in domestic environments. Extensive mounting hardware is available too.