[WDitters]

Pfff .. First listening session almost made me consider immediately returning the RNHP .. I connected my FiiO M15 as a source, 3.5mm on the FiiO set to Line-Out and connected to the 3.5mm Line-In on the RNHP ... Denon AH-D9200 connected via a Forza Audioworks Noir HPC Mk2 ... Volume dial set to 1

Result: The volume and distortion at level 1 are completely unbearable. .. as if the FiiO M15 is overloading the 3.5mm input of the RNHP ....

That lead me to further investigate... And I found that the 3.5mm input and the RCA input actually have a completely different spec:

Max Input Level:
XLR Inputs: +22.8 dBu (1 kHz)
RCA Inputs: +14.7 dBu (1 kHz)
1/8" / 3.5 mm Inputs: +3.3 dBu (1 kHz)

Guess I have to wait for a 3.5mm to RCA cable to come in

 

[WDitters]

Update... Connected the FiiO M15 3.5mm line-out to the RCA input on the Neve and what a difference... Everything shifted into place.. Great sound and first impression. .... Now to properly burn in this Amp ... Anyone any ideas of and how much this Amp will settle and improve with burn in?

 

[jirams]

Update... Connected the FiiO M15 3.5mm line-out to the RCA input on the Neve and what a difference... Everything shifted into place.. Great sound and first impression. .... Now to properly burn in this Amp ... Anyone any ideas of and how much this Amp will settle and improve with burn in?

You will soon adapt to it ;0)

 

[WDitters]

You will soon adapt to it ;0)

I sure hope so .. I must admit that I do slightly worry about its relative unforgiveness towards lesser recordings .. The RNHP definitely shows recordings for what they are .. Bad recordings seem to be unmasked as easily as good recordings are given a stage to unveil their beauty .. A reason why I just decided to order a QED Performance Graphite 3.5mm to RCA cable to connect my M15 to the RNHP ... According to a friend of mine that cable might slightly mellow the overall forward presentation ...

 

[540828]

Hi. Personally I wouldn't get too hung up about cables until the RNHP is well and truly settled down. It is certainly capable enough of revealing the different sounds of cables though. The Neve is one of those amps that will reveal the true nuances of recordings as it has a totally flat response and is thus a great tool for analysing different mixes and masterings. It will give you a true sense of the material, warts and all. It won't give the typical coloured sound that many Hi-fi amps will as it is a pro-studio device. Depending on which headphones you use will also make a significant difference to the audible end result. So for instance, I have a pair of DT990 Pro's as well as AKG K271 mk2 and ATH-R70x and the Neve gives you the character of each can but they each sound different. My experience has been to try as far as possible to use a dead neutral cable and then you can tailor the sound with your preferred choice of can. IMHO The Neve doesn't have the crystalline mids of a THX 789 amp but its still as clear, just without the very icy tinge to the presence band, I also fancy that it has a wider and deeper soundstage than the 789. I get really good results using silver plated OFC cables and curiously enough I also find that the Neve's RCA input gives better results than the Balanced XLR but of course some will disagree with that. I use either the Quad Artera Play onboard DAC or the SMSL SU-9 which personally I find gives best results with the Neve.
Hope that helps to a degree.

 

[486892]

@R Stdik, make sure you have SW Reference software as well for your headphones as it will make your factory tuned headphones flat as well. Then you are be able to analyze the quality of mixing or mastering of sound. RNHP is the most dynamic headphone amp i have ever used. The way it controls the dynamics of whole frequenzy range while still staying clean and neutral is just insane. Most of the producers prefer a SSL right after Neve, because the Neve usually lacks a bit air = life. A common combo is first control the dynamics with Neve and then add life or air with SSL (4K effect). That trick can be used for just playing records or while mixing and mastering music as well. Everything sounds so good! Between SW and RNHP i have a RME ADI-2 DAC fs, which give you, beside the best DAC, an analyzer tool and four band hardware EQ! I prefer Neves RCA input from RME.

 

[540828]

@R Stdik, make sure you have SW Reference software as well for your headphones as it will make your factory tuned headphones flat as well. Then you are be able to analyze the quality of mixing or mastering of sound. RNHP is the most dynamic headphone amp i have ever used. The way it controls the dynamics of whole frequenzy range while still staying clean and neutral is just insane. Most of the producers prefer a SSL right after Neve, because the Neve usually lacks a bit air = life. A common combo is first control the dynamics with Neve and then add life or air with SSL (4K effect). That trick can be used for just playing records or while mixing and mastering music as well. Everything sounds so good! Between SW and RNHP i have a RME ADI-2 DAC fs, which give you, beside the best DAC, an analyzer tool and four band hardware EQ! I prefer Neves RCA input from RME.

Thanks for the suggestion. Its not something that I've investigated but I am assuming that it's essentially a parametric EQ with a collection of pre-set maps for various headphone / amp combinations? .... How do you find the RME-ADI-2 ... It was on my shortlist but in the end I opted for the cheaper SMSL SU-9

 

[486892]

Thanks for the suggestion. Its not something that I've investigated but I am assuming that it's essentially a parametric EQ with a collection of pre-set maps for various headphone / amp combinations? .... How do you find the RME-ADI-2 ... It was on my shortlist but in the end I opted for the cheaper SMSL SU-9

You should try out for free.. SW works well most of the headphones, but not for all, they say. For AKG K812 and Sennheiser HD-800's it does perfect job! It means your headphones will turn to studio monitors, so the frequency curve is as flat as possible as monitoring in studio's for mixing and mastering. Speakers are having different bass response that headphones though, so thats why the bass should be double check with speakers when mixing or mastering with headphones. Same goes for stereo image.

I'v been using RME audiointerfaces for some time and the quality is outstanding! Cannot be compared to most of others. As goes for ADI-2 DAC, the quality is same as expected. RME is having a singature sound of clean, neutral, analytical and wide. I prefer those features from the source over any coloration. Still there is a certain singature sound.

I don't like RME's amp part that much than RNHP, which is a much more controlled compressor over all! An amp is a compressor. RME has a very nice hardware analyser spectrum and an EQ, which are very useful features. Some say that Magni 3 is better than RNHP and that RNHP is not wide. Using RME DAC only with RNHP the sound is as wide as it can get vertically. Only a bit thin horisontally, so thats why they use a SSL with Neve in recording studio's. Neve is the best device for compressing sound and SSL's having the best EQ's. In the end Neve and SSL will color the sound a bit, but it is a high end level of coloration, pure honey! : )

 

[540828]

You should try out for free.. SW works well most of the headphones, but not for all, they say. For AKG K812 and Sennheiser HD-800's it does perfect job! It means your headphones will turn to studio monitors, so the frequency curve is as flat as possible as monitoring in studio's for mixing and mastering. Speakers are having different bass response that headphones though, so thats why the bass should be double check with speakers when mixing or mastering with headphones. Same goes for stereo image.

I'v been using RME audiointerfaces for some time and the quality is outstanding! Cannot be compared to most of others. As goes for ADI-2 DAC, the quality is same as expected. RME is having a singature sound of clean, neutral, analytical and wide. I prefer those features from the source over any coloration. Still there is a certain singature sound.

I don't like RME's amp part that much than RNHP, which is a much more controlled compressor over all! An amp is a compressor. RME has a very nice hardware analyser spectrum and an EQ, which are very useful features. Some say that Magni 3 is better than RNHP and that RNHP is not wide. Using RME DAC only with RNHP the sound is as wide as it can get vertically. Only a bit thin horisontally, so thats why they use a SSL with Neve in recording studio's. Neve is the best device for compressing sound and SSL's having the best EQ's. In the end Neve and SSL will color the sound a bit, but it is a high end level of coloration, pure honey! : )

I downloaded and tried it thanks. Very interesting and was good to see exactly where I am at with reference to being Tonally flat. RNHP is very flat anyway. It showed the DT990 to be lifted in the upper bass and recessed in the mids. ATH-R70x was very good indeed and it was nearly impossible to hear the very slight change in balance using the SW EQ the EQ just smoothed out the top a little.. It's certainly a useful bit of kit for studio monitoring with headphones.

 

[486892]

I downloaded and tried it thanks. Very interesting and was good to see exactly where I am at with reference to being Tonally flat. RNHP is very flat anyway. It showed the DT990 to be lifted in the upper bass and recessed in the mids. ATH-R70x was very good indeed and it was nearly impossible to hear the very slight change in balance using the SW EQ the EQ just smoothed out the top a little.. It's certainly a useful bit of kit for studio monitoring with headphones.

Good to hear. Yeah, ATH are well known for being flat for studio purposes. My K812 are very unpopular though, because they are so badly tuned, and it is true. Also difference with SW is huge. But with SW their value is same than with HD-800, because the hardware elements are as good. Result is even better with SW comparing to HD-800, because the sound is more dynamic overall. So, they are relatively cheap headphones with SW.

I like that RNHP is flat as well, because then it wont interfere your signal, keeping it flat. Coloring can be good thing but it should not affect wrong way. How is your SMSL SU-9 in that aspect? It has some features for coloring?

 

[540828]

Good to hear. Yeah, ATH are well known for being flat for studio purposes. My K812 are very unpopular though, because they are so badly tuned, and it is true. Also difference with SW is huge. But with SW their value is same than with HD-800, because the hardware elements are as good. Result is even better with SW comparing to HD-800, because the sound is more dynamic overall. So, they are relatively cheap headphones with SW.

I like that RNHP is flat as well, because then it wont interfere your signal, keeping it flat. Coloring can be good thing but it should not affect wrong way. How is your SMSL SU-9 in that aspect? It has some features for coloring?

I find the SMSL SU-9 to be a good DAC. To my ears it has no obvious sound signature. I find it to be neutral and transparent with a slightly rolled off top end. In this implementation the ESS 9038 Pro chip has a natural non-fatiguing sound. I don't hear any colouration although some may describe the rolled off nature of the top end as warm sounding. I prefer to think of it as just rolled off, so a little softer than something like a Topping D90. Compared to the Quad Artera Play DAC and the Dragonfly Black, both of which use ESS chipsets, the SMSL gives a more transparent and fluid sound. Yes the SMSL SU-9 has several PCM and DSD Filters as well as a Sound Colour feature. Personally I don't hear any audible effect on the sound when they are engaged. Perhaps there may be an audible effect using super high end gear but as the SMSL is not intended to be used in that context that is a moot point. As a pairing with either the RNHP or the Drop THX AAA 789 the SMSL SU-9 is a good partnering DAC that allows the characters of different sources, in my case Roon via Mac mini and CD via Quad CD Transport / Coax to be heard. I think the SMSL represents good value for money in terms of performance vs cost. For many this would be an end game DAC and for others this would be the entry point to high end audiophile listening. The benefit of a DAC like this is that because of its relative neutrality it will suit a wide variety of partnering gear, withstand several component upgrades and have a minimal influence on the overall balance of the sound whilst maintaining a good level of detail.

 

[486892]

I find the SMSL SU-9 to be a good DAC. To my ears it has no obvious sound signature. I find it to be neutral and transparent with a slightly rolled off top end. In this implementation the ESS 9038 Pro chip has a natural non-fatiguing sound. I don't hear any colouration although some may describe the rolled off nature of the top end as warm sounding. I prefer to think of it as just rolled off, so a little softer than something like a Topping D90. Compared to the Quad Artera Play DAC and the Dragonfly Black, both of which use ESS chipsets, the SMSL gives a more transparent and fluid sound. Yes the SMSL SU-9 has several PCM and DSD Filters as well as a Sound Colour feature. Personally I don't hear any audible effect on the sound when they are engaged. Perhaps there may be an audible effect using super high end gear but as the SMSL is not intended to be used in that context that is a moot point. As a pairing with either the RNHP or the Drop THX AAA 789 the SMSL SU-9 is a good partnering DAC that allows the characters of different sources, in my case Roon via Mac mini and CD via Quad CD Transport / Coax to be heard. I think the SMSL represents good value for money in terms of performance vs cost. For many this would be an end game DAC and for others this would be the entry point to high end audiophile listening. The benefit of a DAC like this is that because of its relative neutrality it will suit a wide variety of partnering gear, withstand several component upgrades and have a minimal influence on the overall balance of the sound whilst maintaining a good level of detail.

Okay, thanks for your detailed info. I´v had first DF Red, then Chord Mojo and now ADI-2 DAC fs, and DF Red with ESS was not natural sounding for me. A very musical DAC, but a bit plastic sound. Mojo on the other hand was quite good - more spacious and realistic but didn´t work as preamp that well, i don´t know why.. and i prefer combining devices. It gets too hot as well, when you must charge it sometimes while it´s on. Then AKM's AK4493 in RME sound quite bright and strelile but very realistic and natural and deep/wide! The best so far, but its so clean that ears get tired quite fast, with RNHP as well, because it is also a very clean.. I have Burr Brown DAC in Teac amp as well, but the amp part is not transparent at all in the mid freq area, so i use that one for some hifi speakers only, without DAC part. So far i prefer AKM, even it might be not perfect, but i don´t know if there is a such thing : )

 

[486892]

Actually i have to add that i did change the filter setup from ADI now to ´slow´, and the sound is more pleasant, while it cuts some ´shrinking´ highs, which are just too bright with SSL and give more focus on mids. The SSL 4K after RNHP now adds some of those highs back with harmonic distorion and makes pretty solid end result. From SSL my signal goes to recorder and from recorder to K812.

 

[WDitters]

Rupert Neve, GRAMMY-Winning Audio Industry Icon, Dies at 94
www.rupertneve.com

 

[ThEvil0nE]

RIP Rupert