Neumann NDH 30 Dynamic Open-Back Headphone for Professional Mixing, Mastering, Twitch, YouTube, Podcast, Production, High Definition Music Listening, Titanium (509111) Large

Product Information

The 120Ohm load impedance makes the NDH 30 a viable option for OTL tube amps as well. Unfortunately, I’m out of tube amps, so I couldn’t test that theory. Bass All of that is a fancy way of saying that your typical pair of headphones puts more emphasis on the bass and treble because most people react more positively to that type of tuning from a listening pleasure perspective. That doesn’t make them accurate. That is not what Neumann has accomplished here, sonically. Instead they have changed the tuning, slightly, and increased the overall sonic resolution.

There are a few planar models making some headway in that department but within the studio environment, headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT series, Sony 7506, AKG 240, and Audio-Technica’s ATH-MXX Series are still widely used. Seine überlegene Linearität verdankt der NDH 30 u.a. frequenzselektiven Absorbern, die jene Überbetonungen im Hochton eliminieren, die bei vielen anderen Kopfhörern zu falschen Mix-Entscheidungen führen. So zeigt der NDH 30 genau auf, ob z.B. eine Stimme dumpf klingt oder einen De-Esser benötigt. Pegelt man die Lautstärke identisch ein, könnte man fast denken man würde über die Abhöre hören, wenn in Wirklichkeit die Kopfhörer aktiv sind. Faszinierend! Der Klang des Neumann NDH 30 The NDH-30 headphones are super comfortable thanks to large, soft earpads which mean long term wearing comfort is amazing.The NDH 30 is foldable, making it even easier to transport. The NDH 30 is basically a portable alternative to a Neumann KH line loudspeaker setup! Ultimately, though, the Neumanns’ sound quality creeps up on you. Though not ultra-exciting on the first or second listen, when we return to our usual (admittedly lower priced) studio headphones following an NDH30 listening session, we’re met with unacceptably fizzy high mids, scooped low mids and an indistinct, woolly bass performance that’s wholly disheartening.My first impression about the sound was very good straight out of the box. Nevertheless, I took the time for a burn-in period of 24 hours before running my tests. Of course, I was very curious about how these headphones compare to my two Neumann MA-1 speaker sets (set 1: 2x KH120 + 750 Subwoofer and set 2: 2x KH80 DSP + 750 Subwoofer). There is the Hifiman Sound..... which is......."we are Asian Audiophile Headphone makers, and we like it bright, very detailed, and not too much midrange". The Neumann.Berlin NDH 30 offer an upgraded level of performance over the aforementioned headphones at a rather affordable price. The tuning will certainly appeal to those who prefer a neutral and accurate tonal balance, combined with excellent speed, clarity, and detail retrieval. Von Beethoven zu Billie Eilish – der Neumann NDH 30 ist ein Allrounder, wie man ihn sich wünscht. Auch bei Countrysongs von Dolly Parton, brachial verzerrenden Gitarren von Nirvana oder funkigem Groove von Jamiroquai, ist der Neumann NDH 30 zu Hause.

The NDH 30 has a 12 Hz to 34 kHz frequency response, 120Ω impedance and a 104dB SPL sensitivity (1 kHz/1V RMS) compared to the 5 Hz–30 kHz, 150 Ω, 114dB SPL NDH 20. The .77 lb NDH 30 is also a tad lighter than its .86 lb predecessor.

Having previously owned a pair of the Neumann NDH 20s, I had some expectations in regard to what I would likely encounter with the NDH 30; the Neumann sonic signature is much more linear compared to other studio headphones in the market and it would be fair to describe them as slightly lean sounding. Its a "neutral reference" tone, which means its a touch dry and balanced, aiming toward neutrality with a midrange forward presentation. These are not lush sounding headphones so do not expect overly warm sounding vocals that smear detail somewhat. There is a slightly lean quality to female vocals that one can tune with EQ or a warmer sounding amplifier and source. As for mids-proper – wonderful! Clean, linear, and very detailed. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter how spectacular is any other aspect of a headphone if the mids aren’t right. And “right” is an understatement here. With the right recording, the Neumann NDH 30 deliver the goods here. Treble Objectively speaking, the NDH models are on the large and beefy side. The big circular ear cups give off a vintage broadcast booth/1970s home hi-fi appearance. Subjectively, I appreciate their classic elegant familial appearance and all-metal build. I also find them balanced and very comfortable for hours-long listening sessions. I also like how the cups surround but don‘t touch the ears.

In the over 500 euros price range, you should be expecting a lot. And indeed, the development department at Neumann has done its homework. The Neumann NDH 30 is no whitewash, but headphones for use in audio production. They sound comparatively neutral and are not intended to embellish any sources. According to the specifications, the NDH 30 is based on the sound of the KH monitor series, apart from the distinctly more pronounced stereo panorama, and this allows for overlapping mixes – a clever concept. The focus is on linearity and impulse fidelity: the aim is to transport the sound image of a listening position calibrated by MA1 with monitors from the KH series via the “tool” headphones, thus enabling the professional to transfer the mix. The NDH 30 are primarily designed to be the studio engineer’s tool for peering into mixes when monitor speakers are unavailable. What does it mean exactly? For all those of you using a Neumann MA-1 system, these questions will be a thing of the past once you team up with the NDH 30. It won’t add to the confusion. Instead, it will assure you that you can rely on what you hear. The NDH 30 was developed with the aim of making the reference sound of a Neumann studio monitor setup, perfectly calibrated via MA-1, available everywhere in the form of an easily transportable headphone. At the same time, the NDH 30 forms its own sound reference in terms of headphone reproduction, which has become a key to success with the consumer. Its superior sound characteristics make the NDH 30 the first choice for mixing and mastering. Thanks to its high long-term comfort, it is just as excellently suited to high-precision editing. If you listen to Planar's all the time then know that these are a totally different world regarding their sound.

Headstation: Lenovo M75t; Audio-gd DI-20, coax; Mytek Brooklyn DAC+; RME ADI-2 DAC FS (AKM, 2nd Ed., first batch in Europe); Violectric V280; SPL Phonitor 2; Bluesound Node 2i; Wireworld Chroma 8 coax. Airplane rig: Hiby RS2; Shure SE535 It has never happened to me before that music I listen to sounds similar on speakers and headphones. There is always a huge difference, as every headphone’s got its own distinct sound signature. During mixing, this can be the reason for lots of uncertainty and raise questions like “which system sounds right?”, “Can I trust my monitors, or should I trust my speakers?” As with many things, your opinion of the NDH 30 will depend on your expectations. No, they aren’t the second coming of HD650. We can all settle down and resume dreaming. They are, however, a pair of decently proficient modern headphones – with one serious flaw. When it comes down to headphones, I use them for specific tasks during mixing, but I hardly ever rely on cans for a mix if I can avoid it. I came across many good headphones in the past, but there was not a single one that would be perfect or sound neutral. In my studio, I have around ten different models of different brands like AKG, Audio Technica, Austrian Audio, etc., and they share one thing: they all sound very different from each other.

The high-end headphone market is dominated by planar magnetic and electrostatic headphones in 2022, so it is somewhat easy to forget that dynamic driver headphones are still the drug of choice in the studio. The midrange has a mild lift that is accentuated somewhat by the absence of a “V” tuning on either side; this allows strings to come across with excellent clarity and resolution. Piano notes have excellent weight and come across rather naturally. Suitable for a range of uses including studio recording, home recording, masterengineeringand more! Haptisch macht der Neumann NDH 30 eine hervorragende Figur. Die Verarbeitung ist durchwegs sehr hochwertig. Alle Bügel und Drehgelenke sind aus Metall gefertigt beziehungsweise wurden mit Metall verstärkt.

Unwrapped

The spatial resolution is impressive. The NDH 30 allows razor-sharp localization in the stereo panorama and makes the depth of the mix evident. To minimize channel crosstalk, the NDH 30 is supplied with a high-quality, cloth covered cable that is internally balanced.