Neumann NDH 30 Review
With the triumph of the award-winning NDH 20 headphones, the NDH 30 has been designed for probably the most demanding mixing and mastering purposes in each stereo and spatial format.
The NDH 30 replicates the linear sound image of a Neumann loudspeaker configuration, calibrated through MA 1 Automatic Monitor Alignment, in a transportable format.
Neumann NDH 30 is the second pair of headphones from this manufacturing giant. Introduced in 2022, the NDH 30 is an open-back reference-class model made for modifying, mixing, and mastering inside the studio and low-noise environments.
The producer properties in on wearing consolation and linear audio copy ‘much like a perfectly calibrated Neumann loudspeaker system’ as standout options of the NDH 30.
The NDH 30 is a circumaural, open-back design created with the aim to make the original sound of a Neumann studio monitor setup available on cans. The NDH 30 can also be meant for checking headphone compatibility and creating binaural mixes for VR, gaming, and different mediums.
Linear audio replica and reasonable stereo panorama are guarantees on which the NDH 30 will most definitely deliver. Extra poetically, Neumann speaks of ‘extraordinarily quick transient response, dry bass, uncolored mids, and clear highs.’
Sound quality apart, the headphones boast a foldable metal and aluminum construct with dynamic 38 mm transducers working as acoustic dipoles. This method is deemed optimum for the model’s intended use and sound traits.
Frequency-selective absorbers eradicate the high-frequency overemphasis which is a typical headphone mixing downside. The NDH 30 can also be provided with an internally balanced, cloth-covered cable alongside a 6.3mm adapter and carry bag.
The headphones supply a large frequency range, with a low end that goes all the way down to 12 Hz and a high end extending up to 34 kHz, ensuring essential harmonics and nuances are reproduced. An impedance of 120 ohms ensures ample volume with minimal distortion on a variety of headphone amplifiers.
Also, the NDH-30 dovetails properly with loudspeaker methods calibrated utilizing Neumann Automatic Monitor Alignment, together with their KH Series, so you can begin a mix on headphones seamlessly and test it over your loudspeakers or vice versa. The circumaural design is padded to offer all-day carrying comfort you’ll admire throughout prolonged mixing, editing, and mastering sessions.
The headphones fold up for travel and storage and embrace an internally balanced, removable 3.5mm cable that plugs into the right earcup and comes with a 1/4″ adapter. The cable and earpads are additionally available for buy individually if both must be changed.
Neumann NDH 30 Design
The NDH-30 headphones are tremendously comfortable due to massive, delicate earpads which suggest long-term carrying comfort is superb. The NDH 30 is foldable, making it even simpler to move. The NDH 30 is principally a portable alternative to a Neumann KH line loudspeaker setup!
Neumann has additionally added an internally balanced cable promising uncompromised signal high quality with considerably much less crosstalk than typical studio headphones, which are sometimes connected through unbalanced cables and share one ground for each channel.
Harness an exact, clear sound with razor-sharp localization in stereo imaging that simply surpasses comparable high-quality units.
Words from the Neumann NDH 30 Developers
“The NDH 30 owes its superior linearity, among different things, to frequency-selective absorbers that get rid of the overemphasis on the high frequencies that results in incorrect mixing choices in lots of different headphones. For instance, the NDH 30 will precisely reveal whether or not a voice sounds muffled or needs a de-esser.
The spatial resolution is spectacular. The NDH 30 permits razor-sharp localization within the stereo picture and makes the depth of the mix evident. To reduce channel crosstalk, the NDH 30 is equipped with a high-quality, cloth-covered cable that’s internally balanced.
With its high linearity and element decision, the NDH 30 is completely appropriate with a loudspeaker system that has been optimally calibrated utilizing Neumann Automatic Monitor Alignment. Mixes that started at home or on the road utilizing the NDH 30 will be seamlessly continued within the studio utilizing KH-Line loudspeakers – and vice versa.
At the same time, the NDH 30 is really helpful as a headphone sound reference; Headphones, in spite of everything, have long become the dominant playback system amongst customers. The NDH 30 is right for checking headphone compatibility and creating binaural mixes of immersive content material.
As consistency and reliability are important in mixing and mastering, the NDH 30 is manufactured to extraordinarily tight tolerances so every headphone sounds precisely the same.”
- Impedance: 120 Ohm
- Sound pressure level: 103 dB SPL/1kHz/1Vrms
- 38 mm Neodymium transducer
- Maximum power handling: 1000 mW
- Rated power handling: 200 mW
- Distortion factor at 1 kHz and 100 db SPL <0.03 %
- Replaceable fabric foam ear pads
- Single-sided cable routing
- Replaceable 3 m smooth cable with 3.5 mm jack connector
Why You Need the Neumann NDH 30
Open-back studio headphones are always a tool that most mixing engineers rely on when checking their mixes, but in this case, you will be able to use the NDH 30’s even as your primary monitoring system. Neumann aimed that to be the purpose of these headphones, so you would not need to fret if you can use them to mix or not.
Even with the software adjustments that you can make, you have the ability to shape the sound even more precisely if you found some bumps or dips in the frequency spectrum. Not that there is a need for adjustment, but if you wish – you can!
Conclusion
Maybe not on the cheap side, but the value is most certainly compensated for the quality of these headphones. Neumann tirelessly works on giving their clients the ultimate systems and units and they are right to charge for that. Not that we all are not aware of the price from Neumann, but also we are very aware of the quality they produce.
While being famous for their microphone selection, they are providing us with monitoring systems that will go amazingly in sync with the microphones from them. In case you are having any more questions about these headphones, please let us know in the comment section or reach out to Neumann for more details.
