# Where to hear Neumann KH310 in LA



## Gerhard Westphalen (May 20, 2017)

While I'm in LA I'm trying to listen to as many monitors as possible as I'm looking to upgrade in a few months. I've visited Pro Audio LA an Vintage King so far. I'm really curious to hear the KH310 but no one seems to have them here. Anyone know of anywhere I could hear them while I'm here?


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## synthpunk (May 20, 2017)

Westlake Pro perhaps? Ask for Stephen.

Try Dynaudio BM15A as well if you can.


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## heisenberg (May 20, 2017)

Might want to try Location Sound in North Hollywood

http://www.locationsound.com/


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## heisenberg (May 20, 2017)

When I was looking at monitors a number of years ago, I found that KH monitors were also sold in music gear stores that had gear priced in the several thousand dollar range.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (May 21, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> Westlake Pro perhaps? Ask for Stephen.
> 
> Try Dynaudio BM15A as well if you can.



I emailed them but never heard back. Maybe I should call.

Today I heard the new Barefoot Footprints for $3500/pair and they blew everything else out of the water (including the PMC twotwo's and Amphions which are more expensive). They're much much smaller than what I thought from looking at the pictures but they have more (and tighter) low end then any other speaker in that range (-3 at 36Hz). It looks like that might be what I'll go for. I'm already using Dynaudio BM5mk3 so I'd rather get something different and I'm not a fan of the BM6a (which I believe are similar to the BM15a).



heisenberg said:


> When I was looking at monitors a number of years ago, I found that KH monitors were also sold in music gear stores that had gear priced in the several thousand dollar range.



The stores all carry them but none have them in stock. They only have the smaller ones which I've heard before and really liked but they couldn't handle my levels/distance which is why I'd like to hear the 310.



heisenberg said:


> Might want to try Location Sound in North Hollywood
> 
> http://www.locationsound.com/



Thanks for the suggestion.


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## Scoremixer (May 21, 2017)

See if you can audition some ATC 25s if you can. Can't speak for the Barefoots but they made the 310s sound cheap by comparison when I listened to the two side by side (they are also correspondingly more expensive...)


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## wbacer (May 21, 2017)

If you've been to Vintage King, then you've heard the Barefoots, I spent two days at VK listening to monitors. To my ear the Barefoots were just the best and they ended up in my studio. VK also has excellent service.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (May 21, 2017)

Scoremixer said:


> See if you can audition some ATC 25s if you can. Can't speak for the Barefoots but they made the 310s sound cheap by comparison when I listened to the two side by side (they are also correspondingly more expensive...)



Yep, heard those. They're on the same level as the big Barefoots (not the Footprint) but they're different. Quite a bit darker than the Barefoots. I've seen a lot of people comparing the ATC to the 310's and saying that they're too similar for it to be really worth going with ATC for 3x the price which is why I was considering the 310's. Right now the Footprints are exactly at what I wanted to spend so I might go with those instead of waiting a few more years to get bigger ones.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (May 21, 2017)

wbacer said:


> If you've been to Vintage King, then you've heard the Barefoots, I spent two days at VK listening to monitors. To my ear the Barefoots were just the best and they ended up in my studio. VK also has excellent service.



Have you heard the Footprints? Curious to know what you think if those compared to the bigger Barefoots and if they do give the same quality (just a smaller size).


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## Scoremixer (May 21, 2017)

Gerhard Westphalen said:


> Yep, heard those. They're on the same level as the big Barefoots (not the Footprint) but they're different. Quite a bit darker than the Barefoots. I've seen a lot of people comparing the ATC to the 310's and saying that they're too similar for it to be really worth going with ATC for 3x the price which is why I was considering the 310's.



Ouch, that's quite a price differential. Don't think it's that big a difference in the UK. FWIW there's something about the midrange on the ATCs that sounds totally 'unfucked with' in comparison to others I've heard in vaguely similar size and price bracket- putting them up against the 310s (although they were K+H back then) particularly highlighted that. But if there's one thing engineers never agree on it's monitors, so defo try and listen to as many as you can humanly manage.


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## heisenberg (May 21, 2017)

There are also the Quested V2108 Monitors that have been popular with film composers.

I know when I go monitor hunting again, I will be checking out this new breed of "digital monitors" that have several sonic signature settings: one for mixing, one for crappy speaker setting (Auratone, TV speakers, etc) and the other for slightly hyped for what used to be known as home hi-fi sound. I have heard a few users (not just marketing people) saying that now they have this option they wouldn't go back to the old way of buying just flat mixing near & mid field monitors. Think the Barefoots have this feature(at least the 27), some of the Focals do (SM9 comes to mind) and I believe the new Adam Monitors have this as well.

Has anyone been exposed to this new breed of monitor?


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## wbacer (May 21, 2017)

Gerhard Westphalen said:


> Have you heard the Footprints? Curious to know what you think if those compared to the bigger Barefoots and if they do give the same quality (just a smaller size).


Yes, the last time I was out at VK, the Footprints had just come out so they had them on display next to the MM45's and the MM35's so you could do a side my side comparison. It's just like everything else, you get what you pay for. They all sounded great but sonically out of the three, I liked the MM35's the best so they ended up as the rear monitors in my surround setup. As you know, everyone's ears and tastes are different so if you can get back out there and listen to all three side my side, it's the only way you'll really know for sure if they'll work for you.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (May 21, 2017)

heisenberg said:


> There are also the Quested V2108 Monitors that have been popular with film composers.
> 
> I know when I go monitor hunting again, I will be checking out this new breed of "digital monitors" that have several sonic signature settings: one for mixing, one for crappy speaker setting (Auratone, TV speakers, etc) and the other for slightly hyped for what used to be known as home hi-fi sound. I have heard a few users (not just marketing people) saying that now they have this option they wouldn't go back to the old way of buying just flat mixing near & mid field monitors. Think the Barefoots have this feature(at least the 27), some of the Focals do (SM9 comes to mind) and I believe the new Adam Monitors have this as well.
> 
> Has anyone been exposed to this new breed of monitor?



I've worked on the older Quested cubes and didn't like them. They have a good amount of detail but they're far from flat. OK once you get used to them. 

The Footprints are the only Barefoots without digital in. I asked the guy at VK about it and whether it defeats the potential to have higher end converters and he said that a lot of people like these because they're made to work well with the monitors whereas other converters aren't. 

One thing I learned about those cool settings on the Barefoots (and I really like the hifi over the flat which lowers some highs) is that it's not just an EQ they're putting on the speaker. They're modifying the levels of the different drivers and in the larger monitors they completely turn off some of the drivers.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (May 21, 2017)

wbacer said:


> Yes, the last time I was out at VK, the Footprints had just come out so they had them on display next to the MM45's and the MM35's so you could do a side my side comparison. It's just like everything else, you get what you pay for. They all sounded great but sonically out of the three, I liked the MM35's the best so they ended up as the rear monitors in my surround setup. As you know, everyone's ears and tastes are different so if you can get back out there and listen to all three side my side, it's the only way you'll really know for sure if they'll work for you.



Well they are twice as much as the Footprints so I'd expect there to be quite a jump. I just want to make sure that I'm not getting some low quality product that they're making for people who can't afford their normal ones but wish they could. It seemed to me like it was a step up from anything else remotely around the same price point but I'm just curious to hear other people's opinions. I liked the Amphion one18 almost as much (and it's somewhat more expensive) but it didn't put out nearly enough bass and that's a big issue for me. I need something which gives me at least around the same level and amount of bass as my Dynaudio BM5mk3 as I think I'm close to their limits. The Footprints seem to be able to handle it.


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## muk (May 22, 2017)

If you find them on display somewhere, give the Geithain RL906 a listen. Bigger sound than the cabinet might suggest, and they got the mids and imaging exactly right.


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## synthpunk (May 22, 2017)

Also call Neumann USA perhaps they can tell you who may have a pair on display in Cali.
https://www.neumannusa.com


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## Tiko (May 30, 2017)

I'd definitely try to listen to some Amphions as well!


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