[Josz27]

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?

The RNHP is not more diffuse than the asgard, it may even have a tighter/clearer imaging than asgard.
But the Stage Width, Depth and Height just cut off before the others, when volume matched, my ATH A1000Z almost sound like an open pair with asgard( I don't like soloist 1000z pairing but it is also bigger than rnhp).

The Rnhp has a very precise imaging , good textures and good imaging clarity, but the overall size and limit distances of the sounds that are placed in the soundstage, are smaller.

I still need to compare against the Asgard since I don't know if rnhp separation is better, but it could be.

It is just that the soundstage size is not as big as those discrete design Class A/B (asgard) , class A( burson) Amps.

Stage presentation it's also different, It may be smaller but it also made to appreciate things in way asgard/soloist does not.

I compared rnhp against ifi gryphon and it showed me more things in the soundstage, in that case I'm sure rnhp is "better" but against asgard I would have to compare much more since it is very different stage presentation.

Asgard is more forward but also bigger,wider sounding.

Rnhp has very very precise but "smaller" sounds, it has a sharp imaging, that is not the issue, is just that I noticed in ALL my a/b that it had less stage size than A3/3xp

 

[SunRa Fan]

It's a boring rainy day and I'm off work. So I pulled my RNHP out of storage to answer a burning question. Will the RNHP properly drive the ZMF Caldera? For the longest time my assumption was no because the Caldera, while not difficult to drive, is supposed to require good power...more than the 300mW the RNHP can provide. Yes. The Answer is YES. The Caldera sounds just fine on my RNHP at not even extreme levels of volume. Like 10 o'clock on the volume.

 

[Andii]

The RNHP is not more diffuse than the asgard, it may even have a tighter/clearer imaging than asgard.
But the Stage Width, Depth and Height just cut off before the others, when volume matched, my ATH A1000Z almost sound like an open pair with asgard( I don't like soloist 1000z pairing but it is also bigger than rnhp).

The Rnhp has a very precise imaging , good textures and good imaging clarity, but the overall size and limit distances of the sounds that are placed in the soundstage, are smaller.

I still need to compare against the Asgard since I don't know if rnhp separation is better, but it could be.

It is just that the soundstage size is not as big as those discrete design Class A/B (asgard) , class A( burson) Amps.

Stage presentation it's also different, It may be smaller but it also made to appreciate things in way asgard/soloist does not.

I compared rnhp against ifi gryphon and it showed me more things in the soundstage, in that case I'm sure rnhp is "better" but against asgard I would have to compare much more since it is very different stage presentation.

Asgard is more forward but also bigger,wider sounding.

Rnhp has very very precise but "smaller" sounds, it has a sharp imaging, that is not the issue, is just that I noticed in ALL my a/b that it had less stage size than A3/3xp

Thanks. That is a great detailed description. I haven't heard those amps and wanted to know the differences. I am also curious if the soundstage widths are sometimes intentional for something made for audio engineering to make the imaging more precise and audiophile amps might make it wider for a euphonic effect.

But I absolutely know that sometimes soundstage can be narrower on amplifiers that just aren't as good as another amplifier. And discrete components are usually better and/or have more desirable euphonic characteristics. The RNHP is just a really good chip implementation with the RN design philosophy and build.

The RNHP does the holographic thing for me, a completely gapless strong image, which is really good for audio engineering tasks when it comes to sound design with stereo effects, panning for placement in the stereo field etc. Sound stage size is bizarre effect on headphones. On speakers the effect of soundstage being affected by components happens differently but still involves the image extending farther and farther beyond the position of the transducers and in different directions.

Anyway I'm rambling now.

 

[Josz27]

Thanks. That is a great detailed description. I haven't heard those amps and wanted to know the differences. I am also curious if the soundstage widths are sometimes intentional for something made for audio engineering to make the imaging more precise and audiophile amps might make it wider for a euphonic effect.

But I absolutely know that sometimes soundstage can be narrower on amplifiers that just aren't as good as another amplifier. And discrete components are usually better and/or have more desirable euphonic characteristics. The RNHP is just a really good chip implementation with the RN design philosophy and build.

The RNHP does the holographic thing for me, a completely gapless strong image, which is really good for audio engineering tasks when it comes to sound design with stereo effects, panning for placement in the stereo field etc. Sound stage size is bizarre effect on headphones. On speakers the effect of soundstage being affected by components happens differently but still involves the image extending farther and farther beyond the position of the transducers and in different directions.

Anyway I'm rambling now.

Yeah I would perfectly say that it is a good chip implementation, for example the topping and SMSL that I tried had similar stage size than my 189usd HRT, while the RNHP is finally noticeably bigger sounding than all of them, just less than the other discrete amps I mentioned.
The rnhp manages to be better than the other chip based amps and even better than Asgard 3(discrete design , Class A/B) in some things.

Things may vary if you need too much power , then maybe A90 would be "better".

And yeah I have read that for studio or work purposes you don't need big stage at all and it's better to work with a more compact( but precise) soundstage size.

Maybe intentional or not but I have read some people mention that the rnhp was better to work with compared to other amps that had bigger stage

 

[martel80]

Has anyone ever powered an Hifiman HE6se v2 with that amp?

Again, in a critical listening situation. (Audio engineering)

I’m looking for an amp that can power them properly and that is portable so I can send them together for individual custom calibration to Sonarwork.

 

[Josz27]

Has anyone ever powered an Hifiman HE6se v2 with that amp?

Again, in a critical listening situation. (Audio engineering)

I’m looking for an amp that can power them properly and that is portable so I can send them together for individual custom calibration to Sonarwork.

I don't think it will do it, Burson Soloist 3XP can, if you want to do it more cheap, maybe Schiit jot2

 

[SunRa Fan]

Found this in a review:

“The HE6se V2 is advertised as a no-compromise headphone that delivers a transparent and completely natural rendition of the most complex recordings, and a power-hungry headphone that needs 2 watts per channel or more.”

The RNHP offers 300mW so no.

Look into the Mytek thx aaa headphone amp for something with the power and small form factor.

 

[martel80]

Thank you @Josz27 and @SunRa Fan . I really appreciate .

 

[RestonDR]

yes indeed ,)
I use the RNHP with the Arya SE and the DT1990, it's perfect, but with the He6 v2 the RNHP is not enough ... sounds really bad ...
I've bought this ( very very underestimated ) amp to use specially with the He6 : https://www.audiophonics.fr/fr/ampl...4573.html?search_query=HA 6120&fast_search=fs
and for the price ( you can find it used at 100 euros or less ) it's just perfect ...
very loud at 10 o'clock, so more than enough power ... it uses the same Ti TPA6120 as the RNHP ( to be exact : two of them as it's balanced ), you can change the opamps if you want to ...
the differences between the two are so subtle i 've never been able to define them properly ... a good sign i guess ...
it's a rebadged amp, the original can be found on aliexpress but i can't remember the name of the original brand ...

 

[martel80]

yes indeed ,)
I use the RNHP with the Arya SE and the DT1990, it's perfect, but with the He6 v2 the RNHP is not enough ... sounds really bad ...
I've bought this ( very very underestimated ) amp to use specially with the He6 : https://www.audiophonics.fr/fr/amplificateurs-casque-sedentaires/audiophonics-ha-b6120-amplificateur-casque-full-symetrique-tpa6120-muses8920-p-14573.html?search_query=HA 6120&fast_search=fs
and for the price ( you can find it used at 100 euros or less ) it's just perfect ...
very loud at 10 o'clock, so more than enough power ... it uses the same Ti TPA6120 as the RNHP ( to be exact : two of them as it's balanced ), you can change the opamps if you want to ...
the differences between the two are so subtle i 've never been able to define them properly ... a good sign i guess ...
it's a rebadged amp, the original can be found on aliexpress but i can't remember the name of the original brand ...

Thanks for that. I have the A30pro in sight right now. Have you ever compared both ?

 

[RestonDR]

no sorry ...

 

[Josz27]

Does anyone knows if the rnhp op-amps can be removable , interchangeable?

 

[lambdastorm]

Does anyone knows if the rnhp op-amps can be removable , interchangeable?

It's not. The op-amps are SMT parts, not thru-hole. Unless you're willing to go through the effort of desoldering them with a heat gun, they're not going to be replaceable.

 

[activestatic]

It's not. The op-amps are SMT parts, not thru-hole. Unless you're willing to go through the effort of desoldering them with a heat gun, they're not going to be replaceable.

Would Sparkos SS3602 or SS2590 fit on this board?

 

[jnorris]

This amp is far too complex for someone without intimate knowledge of its inner workings to swap opamps. Just leave it be.