Thank you for all the replies from everyone! I think Zeos had mentioned it, and most of the reviewers who for the most part review studio equipment and not headphones in general mirrored that. I could be mistaken.
That's right - the first version of the headphones that you got was a defective unitI hesitate to post this, but I feel that I should, if only because it affects my previous comments about the NDH 30.
In a previous post I mentioned that when I first tried the NDH 30 I was aware of some kind of channel imbalance. My first thought was that I hadn’t inserted the cable into the phones correctly but having checked that I assumed that I simply hadn’t put them on my head symetrically and that the sensitivity of the driver placement to the ear was the reason for the perceived channel imbalance. This problem also obviously affected the stereo image and soundstage. Well, after a week or so I just couldn’t get comfortable with them, and although I could hear their potential I just could not understand why I was having so much trouble with them given all the good reviews. I decided that I had to order another example. I received them yesterday and suddenly everything was correct. No channel imbalance and slightly strange stereo image. Soundstage was wider and now there was also depth and height. I’d previously stated that the HD660S was better in this respect. Not anymore - now the NDH 30 easily surpassed the HD660S (and HD650) in every respect.
I’m not sure really what the problem with the first pair was, and I have to say that the difference between the two pairs was not great, but enough for me to feel that the first pair was not right. There is always some sample variation, and I have never heard two ‘identical’ headphones which sounded exactly the same, but I’m pretty sure (and I would hope) that whatever was up with the first NHD 30’s I had went beyond what one would normally expect from sample variation. I’m sorry to report this as I have no desire to bash Neumann, in fact having the black edition NDH 20 and now a good NDH 30 I can’t praise them highly enough, but as I had previously stated that the soundstage depth and height was lacking I wanted to report that that is not the case - at least with the second pair I have now. I really now understand what all the fuss has been about!
The channel imbalance is something that can happen sadly and can definitely impact the soundstage and imaging of a headphone, it's actually the reason I returned my HD 660 S a few months ago. I confirmed the issue after listening to a friends HD 660 S and HD 600 neither of which had the channel imbalance to my ears.I hesitate to post this, but I feel that I should, if only because it affects my previous comments about the NDH 30.
In a previous post I mentioned that when I first tried the NDH 30 I was aware of some kind of channel imbalance. My first thought was that I hadn’t inserted the cable into the phones correctly but having checked that I assumed that I simply hadn’t put them on my head symetrically and that the sensitivity of the driver placement to the ear was the reason for the perceived channel imbalance. This problem also obviously affected the stereo image and soundstage. Well, after a week or so I just couldn’t get comfortable with them, and although I could hear their potential I just could not understand why I was having so much trouble with them given all the good reviews. I decided that I had to order another example. I received them yesterday and suddenly everything was correct. No channel imbalance and slightly strange stereo image. Soundstage was wider and now there was also depth and height. I’d previously stated that the HD660S was better in this respect. Not anymore - now the NDH 30 easily surpassed the HD660S (and HD650) in every respect.
I’m not sure really what the problem with the first pair was, and I have to say that the difference between the two pairs was not great, but enough for me to feel that the first pair was not right. There is always some sample variation, and I have never heard two ‘identical’ headphones which sounded exactly the same, but I’m pretty sure (and I would hope) that whatever was up with the first NHD 30’s I had went beyond what one would normally expect from sample variation. I’m sorry to report this as I have no desire to bash Neumann, in fact having the black edition NDH 20 and now a good NDH 30 I can’t praise them highly enough, but as I had previously stated that the soundstage depth and height was lacking I wanted to report that that is not the case - at least with the second pair I have now. I really now understand what all the fuss has been about!
I’ve not actually come across it before, but I noticed the first time I put these NDH 30’s on my head. It was, however, quite subtle, and I put it down to other factors. I even started to doubt my ears! Moral of the story is always to trust your ears rather than what you believe must be the case (in this case that there couldn’t be an issue with a product from this manufacturer or at this price point).
A channel imbalance of a first sample has been reported elsewhere too (by Oratory1990). I have been "lucky" from the start with mine, as it sounds and measures extremely well channel balanced. It's accurate channel balance has impressed me since the first measurements as it was even better than that of my HD 650 (also very accurate). Some very minor differences were only associated to the earpads' fabric ripples and stitching which can never be absolutely identical between L and R.I hesitate to post this, but I feel that I should, if only because it affects my previous comments about the NDH 30.
In a previous post I mentioned that when I first tried the NDH 30 I was aware of some kind of channel imbalance. My first thought was that I hadn’t inserted the cable into the phones correctly but having checked that I assumed that I simply hadn’t put them on my head symmetrical and that the sensitivity of the driver placement to the ear was the reason for the perceived channel imbalance. This problem also obviously affected the stereo image and soundstage. Well, after a week or so I just couldn’t get comfortable with them, and although I could hear their potential I just could not understand why I was having so much trouble with them given all the good reviews. I decided that I had to order another example. I received them yesterday and suddenly everything was correct. No channel imbalance and slightly strange stereo image. Soundstage was wider and now there was also depth and height. I’d previously stated that the HD660S was better in this respect. Not anymore - now the NDH 30 easily surpassed the HD660S (and HD650) in every respect.
I’m not sure really what the problem with the first pair was, and I have to say that the difference between the two pairs was not great, but enough for me to feel that the first pair was not right. There is always some sample variation, and I have never heard two ‘identical’ headphones which sounded exactly the same, but I’m pretty sure (and I would hope) that whatever was up with the first NHD 30’s I had went beyond what one would normally expect from sample variation. I’m sorry to report this as I have no desire to bash Neumann, in fact having the black edition NDH 20 and now a good NDH 30 I can’t praise them highly enough, but as I had previously stated that the soundstage depth and height was lacking I wanted to report that that is not the case - at least with the second pair I have now. I really now understand what all the fuss has been about!
You praised NDH 30 already more than I praised ... I'm starting to envy)))
You have compared carefully your first example of NDH 30 with HD 800 and other headphones. Now that you have a well balanced example would you add or change something of the initial results?
Only my comments about soundstage. The soundstage width is still not HD800 territory (nor would I want it to be) but the depth (forward backward) and height (up and down) are now at least as good if not better than the HD660S and 650.
