[Josz27]

Not sure if 1 or 2.
There was only one available when I bought it a few years ago.
I use it with a Meanwell PSU that can provide higher amperage than the stock PSU.
Still working great, and from what I remember, better bass and dynamics than stock.
Also, dead silent.

Interesting, I found this one , I suppose this is the one you are talking about.
https://a.co/d/4b81jOM
It goes for around 20usd with shipping included but Delivery is like in 1 Month lol.
I have the I dc purifier 2 and I was wondering if I could use it with the stock PSU, seems some people had troubles with that

 

[brookbri]

Interesting, I found this one , I suppose this is the one you are talking about.
https://a.co/d/4b81jOM
It goes for around 20usd with shipping included but Delivery is like in 1 Month lol.
I have the I dc purifier 2 and I was wondering if I could use it with the stock PSU, seems some people had troubles with that

Never used my dc purifier with the stock PSU.
My Meanwell is 24V, 1.04A.
I use RNHP with a Schiit Bifrost 2/64, and Focal Clear MG.
Fantastic sound.

 

[OCC7N]

Ï wonder if this pop sound is also on the fidelice version of the headamp

 

[John Buchanan]

Ï wonder if this pop sound is also on the fidelice version of the headamp

If you're talking about turn on/turn off pops, even the Fidelice Precision DAC/headphone amp does that.

 

[jjss]

Isn't it that disconnect the HP before turning on/off can avoid this !?, At least this works for my RNHP amp ..

 

[trickyRoadsDummyTOOL]

I already read above about PSU and some of you used different ones from meanwell, also from IFI iPower Elite, even SBooster was mentioned somewhere. I wonder, if anyone tried this one from The Supplier: https://www.russandrews.com/eu/the-supplier-dc-24v-21mm-c/
Not inexpensive, but advertised as specifically created for use with, among others, RNHP.
I mean, I pay more than €50 more than I paid for my new RNHP.
Always on the hunt for better software quality, but I don't want to give up on RNHP, even if balanced output amplifiers and balanced Headphone-cables do have an/some advantage/s.
Any tips for suitable batteries sold in the European Union?

 

[Andii]

, but I don't want to give up on RNHP

If you are not liking it, the power supply probably won't give a radical enough of a change to change that. My impression of the RNHP is that it is really accurate. It was made for audio engineering and it is mercilessly precise like it says on the front in a really good way when the recording is really good and in a really bad way when something is off. It is not euphonic, but it is natural and great sounding. I really think that the RNHP with the stock PS is on a level where if you're hearing something that you don't like, the power supply isn't it.


The things that I have done to get the best from the RNHP:
-Using XLR. It's balanced which means it lowers the noise floor via cancelling deviations from the signal. It's also higher voltage. In my experience it's better than any connection by far.
-Building really good XLR interconnects. Mogami quad wire(EMF rejection via quadrupole cofiguration) and Neutrik connectors (equivalent to premade Mogami Gold cables) Completely black background. Turn the amp all the way to the max where I would never actually be able listen and NOTHING. SILENCE. No static, no EMF interference of any kind makes it through.
-Letting it warm up for a long time / leaving it on most of the time so that it's ready
-Gain staging. The potentiometer is not as linear to about 10 o' clock. The amplifier doesn't have a gain switch and my DAC has a pretty extreme output. I like to set the gain staging to where my average listening level is about noon. The stereo imaging is more stable and balanced. The really good interconnects make for a dead silent noise floor that helps the signal stay pure even where sending less signal through the lines.
-Learning what EQ I like, even if it departs what I would expect. But I keep it simple as to not go down a rabbit hole of obsessive tweaking. 2 bands on my LCD-X for me thanks.



As for software quality. I recommend ROON streaming qobuz with an ASIO driver at high latency. Don't use the Audeze presets if you use Audeze, they are implemented with impulse responses that degrades the signal and have some crossfeed. MUSE DSP EQ is pretty good.

 

[trickyRoadsDummyTOOL]

If you are not liking it, the power supply probably won't give a radical enough of a change to change that. My impression of the RNHP is that it is really accurate. It was made for audio engineering and it is mercilessly precise like it says on the front in a really good way when the recording is really good and in a really bad way when something is off. It is not euphonic, but it is natural and great sounding. I really think that the RNHP with the stock PS is on a level where if you're hearing something that you don't like, the power supply isn't it.


The things that I have done to get the best from the RNHP:
-Using XLR. It's balanced which means it lowers the noise floor via cancelling deviations from the signal. It's also higher voltage. In my experience it's better than any connection by far.
-Building really good XLR interconnects. Mogami quad wire(EMF rejection via quadrupole cofiguration) and Neutrik connectors (equivalent to premade Mogami Gold cables) Completely black background. Turn the amp all the way to the max where I would never actually be able listen and NOTHING. SILENCE. No static, no EMF interference of any kind makes it through.
-Letting it warm up for a long time / leaving it on most of the time so that it's ready
-Gain staging. The potentiometer is not as linear to about 10 o' clock. The amplifier doesn't have a gain switch and my DAC has a pretty extreme output. I like to set the gain staging to where my average listening level is about noon. The stereo imaging is more stable and balanced. The really good interconnects make for a dead silent noise floor that helps the signal stay pure even where sending less signal through the lines.
-Learning what EQ I like, even if it departs what I would expect. But I keep it simple as to not go down a rabbit hole of obsessive tweaking. 2 bands on my LCD-X for me thanks.



As for software quality. I recommend ROON streaming qobuz with an ASIO driver at high latency. Don't use the Audeze presets if you use Audeze, they are implemented with impulse responses that degrades the signal and have some crossfeed. MUSE DSP EQ is pretty good.

Thanks for giving your experience and your thoughts!
Warming up Rupert: check (minimum two hours), even mojo2 gets minimum two hours of warming-up time.
Staying above 12 w/ volume knob: check (got to go to min 14 o'clock anyway with Rupert combined with fixed volume of my basic StreamerDAC, which is also a preamp)
Going balanced from streamer DAC to Rupert (I think quality cables, from Sonorous): check

Changed yesterday one thing: bypassing my preamp introducing a direct (RCA) link between my poly/mojo2 and Rupert. This increased SQ (and set free a lot of volume which led to adjusting on Rupert/mojo2) making me pretty sure my NAD StreamerDAC somewhat veiled what the combination of Poly/mojo2/Rupert later were of revealing.

I acquired the RNHP 24 months ago as my first dedicated HP-amp for his versatility, aesthetics (visual and probably technically too), I love the SQ without even questioning if he could mask/hide any information mojo2 provides.
He is definitely a keeper and at most gets a companion which is able to work as balanced preamp (to Rupert) and balanced headphone amp. I like very much that immunity against RF especially that push/pull-technique balanced is capable of providing with regard to headphones.

Conclusion: trade the NAD and get another brick (PontusIIorV550, definitely not both) and possibly this PSU. (Qobuz already here, roon maybe later)

 

[Andii]

Thanks for giving your experience and your thoughts!
Warming up Rupert: check (minimum two hours), even mojo2 gets minimum two hours of warming-up time.
Staying above 12 w/ volume knob: check (got to go to min 14 o'clock anyway with Rupert combined with fixed volume of my basic StreamerDAC, which is also a preamp)
Going balanced from streamer DAC to Rupert (I think quality cables, from Sonorous): check

Changed yesterday one thing: bypassing my preamp introducing a direct (RCA) link between my poly/mojo2 and Rupert. This increased SQ (and set free a lot of volume which led to adjusting on Rupert/mojo2) making me pretty sure my NAD StreamerDAC somewhat veiled what the combination of Poly/mojo2/Rupert later were of revealing.

I acquired the RNHP 24 months ago as my first dedicated HP-amp for his versatility, aesthetics (visual and probably technically too), I love the SQ without even questioning if he could mask/hide any information mojo2 provides.
He is definitely a keeper and at most gets a companion which is able to work as balanced preamp (to Rupert) and balanced headphone amp. I like very much that immunity against RF especially that push/pull-technique balanced is capable of providing with regard to headphones.

Conclusion: trade the NAD and get another brick (PontusIIorV550, definitely not both) and possibly this PSU. (Qobuz already here, roon maybe later)

No problem! I am here to put my own experience forward.

I am trying to understand your rig. I might not completely get what you are doing.

After googling what gear you have, I would actually think that the NAD as a DAC via XLR->RNHP would be the best configuration that you could run for a desktop setup and just use the Mojo for portable.

The Mojo 2 is awesome for plugging in headphone directly, but it only has headphone outputs? I wouldn't use that as a line out. I never had any luck with 3.5mm to RCA setups in the past either.

Have you tried just running the NAD and RNHP?

 

[trickyRoadsDummyTOOL]

No problem! I am here to put my own experience forward.

I am trying to understand your rig. I might not completely get what you are doing.

After googling what gear you have, I would actually think that the NAD as a DAC via XLR->RNHP would be the best configuration that you could run for a desktop setup and just use the Mojo for portable.

The Mojo 2 is awesome for plugging in headphone directly, but it only has headphone outputs? I wouldn't use that as a line out. I never had any luck with 3.5mm to RCA setups in the past either.

Have you tried just running the NAD and RNHP?

NAD was a basic start with streaming on standalone devices, it provides built-in high-current HP amp. Connecting RNHP (via XLR) introduced this much of SQ and HP-control, was the best move so far.
Basically I have to run a simple and very static setup (due to … . KISS is almost always a good approach, so it is in this case too.).
I can only recommend to try and include mojo2 (optimal with poly) in a chain. Quite a few people do this. SQ very much depends on your amp/preamp, but it's definitely better than my built-in ess 9028pro DAC. Mojo2 feeds the NAD via 3.5 to RCA. Spent €100 for a .6 m and €150 for 3.0 m cable. Only three advantages just for me besides the SQ: mojo2 introduces very special 4-band EQ, crossfeed to my chain (HP) and by carrying it to another room together with poly I just hook it in my speaker chain (again 3.5 to RCA).
I forgot one major advantage: because Mojo2 has 2 HP outputs, RNHP allows me to A/B preamp chain and the pure poly/Mojo2 to RNHP chain. Poly is a proprietary streamer only usable with mojo2 and thus this combination is quite an expensive one, but together with RNHP in the same price range as the NAD (c658).
All in all yet another reason I do not want to miss RNHP anymore.

EDIT: I am pretty sure to test a comparable (to RNHP in price) balanced HP-amp just out of curiosity in a week or two (lake people g108, provides single ended and balanced output).

 

[GoobVibrations210]

So I guess I’ll give me two cents. Just picked up a used RNHP a few days ago. Really enjoying this unit. As others have said the words precision amplifier are perfect. It’s not adding really any color to the music, very clear and neutral. Im used to adding eq, but with these I really don’t feel it’s very necessary. It’s what I’ve been searching for as far as clarity. Even though the amp is clean and neutral it’s not sterile sounding. It is a very fast amp with great transient information, depth, and detail retrieval. The sound stage is not as wide, but this amp is not about exaggeration it’s about accuracy. I’m using them with Focal Clear Mg’s which are not high impedance, so I can’t speak to how the are with higher impedance headphones, but I’m very happy. It’s very source dependent and it’s not going to help bad mixed or recorded music, but great recorded and mixed music sounds glorious. For studio and listening I would recommend it’s been out since 2016 and it’s still worth a listen.

 

[Josz27]

I also have one.
I have 2 Burson Soloist 3xp and Asgard 3 too.
Ifi Gryphon and HRT microstreamer as portables.
I notice it increases stage size over the portable gear but it is less than asgard and burson.
@brookbri could you comment about how much the Meanwell PSU increases the Stage size, if it does that?

I'm very interested about how much bigger stage size could be since I got used to the soloist and Asgard stage size.

 

[Josz27]

Yesterday I tried the Burson Supercharger 3A and the stock burson psu on the Rnhp.

With the stock burson psu sound was considerably muddier, significantly less black background, no stage size increase but it had nice vocals, just not worth overall by any means.

Tried the Ifi Dc purifier 2 on it and It did a minimal change, but it was not even close to save the sound.

Going to the supercharger, it was a significant upgrade over the burson stock psu, significantly better background.

Adding the Ifi DC purifier 2 to the super 3A was a clear improvement to treble clarity and since I was hearing a much better sound compared to the stock burson psu I questioned myself if it was better than the RNHP stock psu.

Going for more A/B... to then conclude that the supercharger , even with the Ifi Purifier dc as help, could not reach how clean the RNHP stock psu sounded, stock rnhp psu had a very very dark background.

I did not notice that the Supercharger increased stage size, and speaking of the stock burson psu, maybe that one made the stage smaller lol.

That one just sounded bad.

The sad thing is that I can't use the Ifi purifier dc 2 with the stock rnhp psu for reasons people already mentioned.

This points the Meanwell PSU, I wonder if it does not degrade the black background of the rnhp PSU and if it increases stage size.

In conclusion the Burson Power Supplies are not for the RNHP, no one gave something special to the RNHP, the signal was degraded in some way.

 

[Andii]

I also have one.
I have 2 Burson Soloist 3xp and Asgard 3 too.
Ifi Gryphon and HRT microstreamer as portables.
I notice it increases stage size over the portable gear but it is less than asgard and burson.
@brookbri could you comment about how much the Meanwell PSU increases the Stage size, if it does that?

I'm very interested about how much bigger stage size could be since I got used to the soloist and Asgard stage size.

What is your perception of the strength of the stereo image of the Asgard and Burson vs the RNHP? Is it just as defined or slightly more diffuse? What about the strength of the center of the image?

 

[brookbri]

What is your perception of the strength of the stereo image of the Asgard and Burson vs the RNHP? Is it just as defined or slightly more diffuse? What about the strength of the center of the image?

Unfortunately, I can’t comment on the stage size of the RNHP compared to other headphone amps, as I don’t have any other amps.
With the Meanwell/DC purifier combo, I get very solid imaging and a black, noiseless background. I also have the volume turned up full on the RNHP and use the remote volume control on my Saga+ pre-amp for final control.
I have taken some cheap XLR cables, connected them to the RNHP and then connected the ground wires to a grounding port on my surge protector/current purifier. I then took another ground wire and connected it to the ground port of the Ifi AC purifier I have plugged into my outlet.
Everything is noiseless, and from what I can remember, better than before.
I did this years ago.