Neumann KH 120 II Black Edition

Usually, I don’t waste time writing reviews… but here we go.

I was a KRK user for years, always refusing to upgrade to a higher level, thinking: “If I master the sound of my monitors, I can mix just as well as any pro on high-end speakers.” Now that I have these babies, I only wish my KRKs had burned out much earlier! Lol.

I actually found out about this model thanks to ChatGPT. Surprisingly, there are almost no reviews on YouTube (or anywhere else) about them, so it felt like buying a cat in the bag. However, I managed to find a couple of articles showing frequency response measurements of the KH 120 II compared to more hyped competitors like Genelec, Adam, etc. The Neumanns had the most even response, so I gave them a try.

Some people say they might sound dry, even shocking to your ears because they don’t add color — but for me, that’s not the case.

Like the headline says: I fell in love with them from the first listen. Immediately, I could hear all the problem areas in my songs. You know that feeling when you check your tracks in the car and something in the mids or lows feels off, but back in the studio you can’t pinpoint it? With the Neumanns, I simply hear those areas and know exactly what to fix. Honestly, it’s hard to describe — you just need to experience it yourself.

From what I’ve learned, Neumann is a brand that doesn’t invest much in marketing. These monitors are made for musicians who value precision and honesty over looks. And if you’re considering Neumann against other brands, then you’re exactly the kind of person I just described.

I can totally recommend these speakers to anyone who values an honest sound, who’s a perfectionist, and who also has a limited workspace. The quality and precision of the low and low-mid frequencies these small speakers deliver are simply beyond expectations.

Perfectly flat response and fast transient response are usually things I expect from a much larger or much more expensive monitoring system. The KH 120 II surprised me because it manages to keep an almost unbelievable level of linearity while still delivering incredibly accurate transient response in a compact 5.25-inch format. Looking at the published measurement graphs, the flatness is not only something I hear/ it is clearly supported by the data.

What shocked me most was how believable the sound felt. Kick drums, snares, percussion, reverbs, and small editing decisions appear with a speed and precision that I honestly found hard to believe even after hearing it myself. It does not simply sound “detailed”; it feels like the speaker reacts immediately to the audio, without smearing the shape of the sound.

I was also surprised by the output. For a speaker of this size, the KH 120 II feels as if it goes beyond what I normally expect from a 5-inch class monitor. At the same time, the low end does not become overly boomy compared to the amount of output it can produce. The bass feels controlled, tight, and usable rather than simply exaggerated.

The KH 120 II already feels like an extremely high-resolution monitor on its own, but the bundle with the MA 1 makes the whole system feel almost complete. After room alignment, the speaker becomes not only accurate, but also much easier to trust in a real room. For me, that combination is the most impressive part of this bundle.

I genuinely feel that release-ready mixing, and even serious mastering decisions, are possible with this system. Of course, room acoustics and listening skill will always matter, but the KH 120 II gives me a level of confidence that I had not experienced from a monitor of this size before.

As I also mentioned in my MA 1 microphone review, I would like to thank Thomann for their fast customer support and smooth delivery! In their customer response, kindness and meticulous work is both exist.
Love from kr.