Short answer: the Neumann KH80 DSP for better sound quality, the KRK Classic 5 for the lower price. The Neumann KH80 DSP ranks #6 of 36 powered bookshelf speakers at $599. The KRK Classic 5 ranks #24 at $280, $319 cheaper.
What the Neumann KH80 DSP offers: Compact 2-way nearfield monitor - a 1” tweeter in an elliptical waveguide over a 4” mid-woofer, crossed over around 1.8kHz with steep 48dB/octave slopes. Watch for: High price for its size, at roughly $1,000/pair.
What the KRK Classic 5 offers: Good soundstage Watch for: More hifi than studio monitors.
Buy the Neumann KH80 DSP if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the KRK Classic 5 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Neumann KH80 DSP | KRK Classic 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.00 | $280 |
| Ranked | #6 of 36 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #24 of 36 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 13.6"H x 10.8"W x 9.6"D (345.4 x 274.3 x 243.8 mm) | 9.7"H x 7.4"W x 11.2"D (246.4 x 188 x 284.5 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 57 Hz - 25 kHz (+-3 dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 56Hz-30KHz (+-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR | RCA, TRS, XLR |
| Weight | 9 lbs / 4.1 kg each | 12.9 lbs / 5.87 kg |
| Drivers | 4.1" woofer, 1" fabric dome tweeter | 5" (127mm) woofer |
| App | Yes (MA 1 alignment) | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 57Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| DSP | Yes | - |
| EQ | Yes (via DSP) | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Max SPL | 110.7dB @ 1m | - |
| Sensitivity | 91.9dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Output Power | 140W (90W woofer + 50W tweeter) | 50w RMS Per Speaker |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Neumann KH80 DSP: $599.00 Amazon
Pros: Compact 2-way nearfield monitor - a 1” tweeter in an elliptical waveguide over a 4” mid-woofer, crossed over around 1.8kHz with steep 48dB/octave slopes. Exceptionally linear on-axis response, within about ±1.5dB, with essentially nothing worth equalizing beyond a minor, likely port-related wrinkle around 800Hz. Vertical dispersion is unusually wide and consistent for a monitor this size, holding together to roughly ±40° versus the ±20° or so typical of similarly compact designs - a benefit of the steep crossover slopes and waveguide minimizing comb filtering, so listening height and seating posture matter less than on most small monitors. Back-panel switches (freestanding, small/medium/large desk) tailor the low-mid response to compensate for desk-boundary reflections. Distortion in the midrange doesn’t change when high-passed to a subwoofer at 80Hz, showing the drivers already have a clean distortion profile on their own. Maintains good composure and linearity up to about 96dB SPL down to roughly 80Hz before an active protection circuit engages; tested with dense multitone program material rather than a sine sweep, output around 96dB costs only about 1dB in the midrange, putting realistic maximum SPL near 95dB.
Cons: High price for its size, at roughly $1,000/pair. The horizontal pattern stays wide and essentially constant out to about ±30° before beaming and narrowing further out (then flattening again near 2kHz) - a wide, controlled pattern in absolute terms, but one that reflects more high-frequency energy off nearby sidewalls than a narrower design would. At greater listening distances or in more reflective rooms (tested around 6 feet away at 75-80dB), that shows up as a top end that reads a bit hot despite the speaker measuring essentially flat on-axis - a byproduct of its directivity rather than its tonal balance, and mostly moot for genuine nearfield desktop use inside about a meter. The estimated in-room response shows a shallow dip around 1-2kHz and a treble trend running 2-3dB above the midrange in that same far-field estimate. Multitone distortion for a single speaker climbs into the 3-5% range at 96dB SPL, though that’s only really relevant well above typical nearfield listening levels. Bass rolls off below its F3 of 57Hz (F10 48Hz), so the 4” mid-woofer still needs a subwoofer for real low-end content. The companion app for EQ/setup is iPad-only, with no Android or Bluetooth option despite being control-only, and the in-room calibration microphone is a separate purchase in most cases. In a separate comparison test, the smoother-measuring KH80 actually sounded smaller and less present than the cheaper JBL 305P MKII, which had more perceived bass and clarity despite measuring worse on paper.
Full Neumann KH80 DSP review and specifications →
| App | Yes (MA 1 alignment) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 57Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| DSP | Yes |
| Dimensions | 13.6"H x 10.8"W x 9.6"D (345.4 x 274.3 x 243.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 4.1" woofer, 1" fabric dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (via DSP) |
| Frequency Response | 57 Hz - 25 kHz (+-3 dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Max SPL | 110.7dB @ 1m |
| Output Power | 140W (90W woofer + 50W tweeter) |
| Sensitivity | 91.9dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 9 lbs / 4.1 kg each |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Neumann KH 80 Studio Monitor Review. Excellent Performance. Small Size.
- Erin’s Audio Corner Review Measurements
- Audio Science Review Measurements
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs Genelec 8020D Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs Yamaha HS8 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs Focal Shape 40 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs JBL 305P MKII Sound & Frquency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: KEF LSX vs Neumann KH80 DSP Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Adam Audio A3X vs Neumann KH80 DSP Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: 🎃🔥 UBoom X - Halloween Rock Special 🎸🤘
- Reddit Search for Neumann KH80 DSP Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Genelec 8020D
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Kali LP-UNF
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Focal Alpha 50 EVO
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs JBL 305P MKII
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Genelec 8030C
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Neumann KH120 MKII
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Adam Audio T5V
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Yamaha HS5
- See all 18 comparisons
KRK Classic 5: $280 Amazon
Pros: Good soundstage
Cons: More hifi than studio monitors. Elevated, splashy highs above 4kHz stem from port/woofer resonance glitches, plus directivity error at the crossover dips the upper midrange. Distortion exceeds 100% below 50Hz, and the lack of a waveguide narrows the tweeter’s beam sharply, so toe-in and listening position matter a lot. Not recommended out of the box, but the reviewer said EQ correction turns it into a capable, high-power monitor.
Full KRK Classic 5 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 9.7"H x 7.4"W x 11.2"D (246.4 x 188 x 284.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" (127mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 56Hz-30KHz (+-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | RCA, TRS, XLR |
| Output Power | 50w RMS Per Speaker |
| Weight | 12.9 lbs / 5.87 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- Reddit Search for KRK Classic 5 Review
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