[feank]

I have a few questions, if anyone would be so kind as to answer them. I've been using a pair of Fidelio X2s and some Fiio FH5 iems for a number of years now with pleasure, and I have been saving money with a view to buying a high quality set of open backs that will last for the foreseeable future. I want to buy once, with no view to further upgrades, and I want them to be sturdy. These headphones have caught my eye, and I am hoping to pick up a pair next month.

I listen to a very wide range of different types of music, and want to make sure I'm not making a faux pas by buying something expensive that will not be suitable. Unfortunately, I am disabled with quite restricted mobility, so I am not able to sample headphones in a store.

I listen to a lot of 'classical music', particularly baroque era, and from the late romantic era through to modern music, running from Mahler and Bruckner through Schoenberg to Ligeti and Shostakovich. I strongly value natural timbres, capturing the natural characteristics of harpsichords, oboes, recorders, etc, as well as decent imaging required for large scale orchestral works and dense chamber ensembles.

Similarly I listen to a lot of jazz, from early and scrappily recorded dates all the way up to very dense large scale collective improvisations. Same goes for electronic music, where I listen with as much pleasure to home made lo-fi jams, all the way to the super precise pointilism of Autechre. I enjoy a similar range in pop and rock forms, but veer more towards the experimental side of things than the traditional, precisely mixed audiophile fare.

For me, I have no issue hearing the roughness in a recording when there is roughness present. I'm as happy listening through some grot on an old Melodya recording as I am on a lovely ECM disc. I am hoping for a pair of headphones that are entirely honest, and will accurately reproduce whatever I put through them. I understand that this is one of the main points of praise with these headphones, but would value input from any fellow crate diggers that like music off the beaten path.

With this in mind, do you think the Neumann NDH 30 will serve me well? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Hi my friend, I have Fidelio X2 and the way that present the music with the big soundstage and the bass filling all is superb, I tested a lot of headphones: Monolith M1060c, 1070, Sony z7, Emu teak, Focal Elex, Hifiman edition XS, he400, Beyer 1990, 990, dan Clark Aeon open X, and always back to Fidelio x2 is very difficult to find another headphone that present the music in that way with the big soundstage. I bough 2 times Fidelio X3 and the second time I decided to keep it, it’s wonderful HP, also big soundstage and voices sound better than usd1000 and more, recently bought Neumann NDH30 I listened and has a veiled to much difference with Fidelio , now I’m listened but eq, big +db in the upper region to listen some treble, it’s fine headphone but when back to X2 is like this has all that want for enjoy music , also have ibasso SR2 from last week: has better bass than Neumann more extended and detailed and better resolving overall but have a narrow soundstage and all sounds without space not good stereo image . I like a lot the focal bass, but Neumann for me is not too much for enjoy music , Fidelio X3 is natural overall have a good bass and good treble the way that present the music also is wonderful not so bright that x2 but not good sub bass extension , it feels and have a good punch overall is very uncolored and dynamic , I recommend to try is not expensive , for me the best headphone could me a Fidelio x2 soundstage , focal bass, Fidelio x3 mids and treble.

 

[jonathan c]

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/teac-vrds-701

But yours is just the transport?

Yes. The Mystique (by Mojo Audio) below it is the DAC.

 

[jonathan c]

Moving from a high-impedance h/p/a to a low-impedance h/p/a fazes NDH-30 not a whit.

In fact, with Tesla ECC802S tubes, Liquid Platinum makes a remarkable partner - in balance, clarity, dynamics, impact, staging.

 

[Rainblind]

Do you know why DMS/Golden Sound/Resolve/Chrono/Josh have never reviewed the NDH 30?
On the big-tier list, the first 3 guys only give it a note, without further comment. I also remember that Zeos in his video mentioned that DMS brought his attention to those headphones. Considering how many people liked NDH 30 it's... strange.

 

[ThEvil0nE]

Do you know why DMS/Golden Sound/Resolve/Chrono/Josh have never reviewed the NDH 30?
On the big-tier list, the first 3 guys only give it a note, without further comment. I also remember that Zeos in his video mentioned that DMS brought his attention to those headphones. Considering how many people liked NDH 30 it's... strange.

They are all NDH 30 snobs. They think it’s not worth reviewing the phone for it’s price but all of them are clamoring to review the HD490 which is an overpriced Senn studio phone.

 

[Rainblind]

I don't get it. DMS & Golden reviewed ZMF's headphones which are much more expensive. Does it have anything to do with the Sennheiser split into 2 separate companies?

 

[Luckyleo]

.

 

[headstef]

Do you know why DMS/Golden Sound/Resolve/Chrono/Josh have never reviewed the NDH 30?
On the big-tier list, the first 3 guys only give it a note, without further comment. I also remember that Zeos in his video mentioned that DMS brought his attention to those headphones. Considering how many people liked NDH 30 it's... strange.

Most well known reviewers devote much time and money to make well presented reviews. They are commercial reviewers, it is their job, so they have to support it. Even as freelancers they are actually working for importers, makers or big dealers. They sell their "opinion". Thus they are not going to loose their big clients in the consumer market by accepting/revealing that a € 600 pro headphone is doing better than some much more expensive "audiophile" models that they promote. They prefer to stay silent about it or they have to lie. One or two commercial "listeners" however, have produced laughable "reviews" about the NDH 30 (in purpose misleading and inaccurate). It's all in the game. But that's where forums are very useful offering the possibility to read many true users' reviews and comments. They are not totally invulnerable to biased/paid opinions though.

 

[BobG55]

.

I guess you made your point Leo.

 

[Luckyleo]

I guess you made your point Leo.

Yes! I'm making a habit of it. LOL

 

[equalspeace]

Do you know why DMS/Golden Sound/Resolve/Chrono/Josh have never reviewed the NDH 30?
On the big-tier list, the first 3 guys only give it a note, without further comment. I also remember that Zeos in his video mentioned that DMS brought his attention to those headphones. Considering how many people liked NDH 30 it's... strange.

Neither of Golden Sound, Resolve and DMS thought NDH30 was that gd in the tiers list vid they did. They all gave it a C grade. I don't think it's quite that bad, but i also don't rate as highly as some of you guys do in here.

 

[ThEvil0nE]

Neither of Golden Sound, Resolve and DMS thought NDH30 was that gd in the tiers list vid they did. They all gave it a C grade. I don't think it's quite that bad, but i also don't rate as highly as some of you guys do in here.

For what's it's worth, majority of the praise is about NDH 30 being natural sounding. Nothing in it's sound is over hyped or unnatural. For somebody looking for that type of sound signature, it's hard to find something similar. Now while that could be good for some, it can be a con for many and in many ways specially if seen in the audiophile space.

 

[jonathan c]

I guess you made your point Leo.

.... ?? .... idea for a Head-Fi board game: What Did Luckyleo Edit?! Hours of fun, intrigue, suspense for those with too much ⏱ ....

 

[headstef]

For what's it's worth, majority of the praise is about NDH 30 being natural sounding. Nothing in it's sound is over hyped or unnatural. For somebody looking for that type of sound signature, it's hard to find something similar. Now while that could be good for some, it can be a con for many and in many ways specially if seen in the audiophile space.

On the other hand, speaking about halls (not headphones), the experience of being in a music hall that allows instruments sound natural with nothing over hyped, will never be described as a con by music lovers or audiophiles. It allows all that is contained in music to come out naturally: passion, expressiveness, delicacy, virtuosity. It is hard (for me) to understand what more an "audiophile" would want.
I am not saying that the NDH 30 is the most accurate or natural headphone, only that accuracy and naturallnes is the essence of audiophile reproduction.

 

[Rainblind]

On the other hand, speaking about halls (not headphones), the experience of being in a music hall that allows instruments sound natural with nothing over hyped, will never be described as a con by music lovers or audiophiles.

That's interesting point.