Neumann KH310
Summary
Abstract
The Neumann KH310 is a 3-way active monitor that has earned a strong reputation in the community as one of the “usual suspects” alongside PMC and ATC. It offers excellent clarity but may benefit from a subwoofer for extended low end, particularly at lower monitoring levels. David Fuller ended his long monitor journey on KH310s, and they are recommended as a step up from budget monitors.
Key Characteristics
- 3-way active design with dedicated midrange driver
- Excellent clarity and detail
- May lack low-end “thump” at lower listening levels (70-75 dB) without a sub
- Well-suited for smaller to medium rooms
- Solid build quality and reliability
Use Cases
- Primary mixing monitors
- Nearfield monitoring in professional studios
- Pair with KH subwoofer for full-range monitoring
Settings & Sweet Spots
- Adding a sub crossed at around 80 Hz extends usefulness significantly
- Works well at moderate monitoring levels (78-80 dB+)
Comparable Alternatives
| Gear | Notes |
|---|---|
| PMC Monitors | Community favorite; different voicing |
| ATC Monitors | More midrange-focused |
| Barefoot Monitors | Higher price point; polarizing |
| Dynaudio Monitors Core 7 | ”Really good for the price & size” |
Common Mistakes
- Not adding a subwoofer — the low end can feel lacking at normal listening levels
- Comparing unfairly to full-range soffit-mounted systems
See Also
Source Discussions
Community Insights
“The usual suspects in this Discord are Neumann KH310’s, PMC’s, and ATC’s.” — Zack Hames
“For those of you on KH310, how are you finding the low end? I’m loving the clarity but missing the thump and feel of a sub.” — ChrisJobe
“I added a sub… not aligned or anything yet but I just have it crossed at about 80hz and it works fine.” — David Fuller
Monitor journey: “Equator D5 > Dayton BR-1 passives > Focal Alpha 65s > Adam S3As (ew) > Focal Shape 65s > Barefoot FP01s (lol) > Neumann KH310s” — David Fuller
sneaky_circuits — KH310 emotional experience (#monitoring-talk, December 2021, 3 reactions)
“After 2 weeks with the KH310 demos, I’m A/B testing against the ol’ JBL LSR308s as a sanity check […] I feel like the KH310 have taught me how to listen better and what to look for in music, like, I can hear the same elements on the JBLs if I TRY now but on the KH310 I notice things right away without trying. […] I think what’s causing the intense feelings is the space they reveal. Things aren’t clashing in the high end. […] I also still feel like producing on flat speakers is a vibe. So glad I tried it.”
Discord Source
Channel: 🔈monitoring-talk Messages: 82 Date range: April 2021 – March 2022 Key contributors: David Fuller, sneaky_circuits, Zack Hames, cian riordan, peterlabberton, h3x See also: monitoring-talk Channel Summary