[feank]

Hi, Today I got a new NDH30, I sold my first one month ago and this new one I felt that miss the deep soundstage that my other had....not sure if it's a real fact or only a perception but I'm concerned about this issue, one of the main reasons cause i bought again was this characteristic, there different tunning??, or maybe there are fake ones around, anyway i bought from Ebay same seller than last time

 

[Nkam]

Hi, Today I got a new NDH30, I sold my first one month ago and this new one I felt that miss the deep soundstage that my other had....not sure if it's a real fact or only a perception but I'm concerned about this issue, one of the main reasons cause i bought again was this characteristic, there different tunning??, or maybe there are fake ones around, anyway i bought from Ebay same seller than last time

Our hearing memory is pretty bad.
That said, our hearing is also influenced a ton by circumstances. Since it’s not only our ears which hear but moreso our ear/brain.
I’ve had that happen before.
Heard a new piece of gear in a certain mood and was surprised. Then listened again and didn’t have the same effect.
I’m pretty even keeled so it doesn’t happen often. But it happens for sure.

 

[feank]

Could be a possibility …… I was checking Neumann web site and they has this warning

 

[chesebert]

P65 is total BS IMO.

 

[chesebert]

Hi, Today I got a new NDH30, I sold my first one month ago and this new one I felt that miss the deep soundstage that my other had....not sure if it's a real fact or only a perception but I'm concerned about this issue, one of the main reasons cause i bought again was this characteristic, there different tunning??, or maybe there are fake ones around, anyway i bought from Ebay same seller than last time

Typical unit to unit variation. Shouldn’t have sold if you liked your last pair.

 

[Nkam]

Could be a possibility …… I was checking Neumann web site and they has this warning

And?

 

[Mike F]

Normal sample variation as @chesebert says. I’ve listened to 4 – all different. All headphones have that in common. Some people are more perceptive of sample variations than others, and contrary to popular belief here, I think that our aural memory is better than most people think. If it wasn’t capable of discerning very subtle variations without reference over a long period of time there would be no point in having anything but the cheapest capable headphones on the market.

 

[activestatic]

Which companies sell the 2.5mm locking balanced connectors for the NDH series headphones. So far all the ones I see are cheap plastic body connectors. Hart Audio, Lavricables and Fog City Audio all use plastic bodied connectors for their custom cable builds. Moon Audio has one with a metal screw on body but the neck/shank is too short to fit in the headphone socket. I guess if I’m going to spend $300 or more on a custom cable I’d want a more premium look and feel. Has anyone had any success finding the unicorn I desire?

 

[Nkam]

It sucks that the connectors to the headphones aren’t the industry standard ones so we can make our own cables.

It’s not even the Senheiser Jack.

Why oh why couldn’t they just make it a 3 or 4 pin mini XLR??


Ugh

 

[headstef]

Which companies sell the 2.5mm locking balanced connectors for the NDH series headphones. So far all the ones I see are cheap plastic body connectors. Hart Audio, Lavricables and Fog City Audio all use plastic bodied connectors for their custom cable builds. Moon Audio has one with a metal screw on body but the neck/shank is too short to fit in the headphone socket. I guess if I’m going to spend $300 or more on a custom cable I’d want a more premium look and feel. Has anyone had any success finding the unicorn I desire?

According to physics (electromagnetics) no cable can ever compromise audibly an audio signal, if it is properly made - good connections (and good shield where necessary). This means a few dollars cost for DIY solutions. Cables start to affect very slightly a signal at much-much higher frequencies, totally unrelated to the audio spectrum of human hearing. Needless to say that all blind tests show exactly the same, invariably. Expensive "upgrade" cables are pure marketing (in a bad sense). Of course, many will disagree but I think it is good to write here, from time to time, what science indicates.
Using balanced cables for headphones is a more complicated matter: the balanced output of a head-amp may give a better or different sound than its single-ended output. Again, this is not an effect of cables used but the effect of different circuitry. All other things being equal, a single-ended amp will give higher quality sound than a balanced amp OF THE SAME COST, simply because the construction and materials cost goes to two channels (SE) instead of four (Balanced).

All the above means that in an environment with no electromagnetic noise issues (that may require the use of balanced appliances), one has no reason to throw money on balanced appliances or cables. The "highest end" sound can be achieved with SE solutions and, of course, with decent low cost cables. The only effective upgrade is always better electronics (mainly dacs) for your beloved headphones.

Having said these, I must add that I too was unable to find a fitting mini TRRS plug (2.5 mm, 4 contacts) able to be inserted in the NDH-30. All commercially available plugs have wider handle that will not fit in the deep socket of the Neumann. I ended up using a Sennheiser replacement cable for HD-560S to thin its plug handle with a cutter, the locking part too. My end purpose was to re-terminate its other end with a Pentacon balanced plug to test the balanced output of a dongle-dac (extensive descriptions in older posts). An other solution is to re-terminate a Neumann replacement cable at the amp end, if you have to use a balanced amp. Ready made solutions from other companies are nice too, as long as you don't pay silly money expecting sonic upgrades due to "special" materials or obscure theories.

 

[activestatic]

Here is a pic of the adapter from Moon Audio. The shaft is too short. I am out roughly $22 total including shipping. Not a big deal. I think it would be perfect due to metal screw on body. The connector is only $10. The remaining pictures are of my amp, EQ and DAC.

 

[Angel III]

According to physics (electromagnetics) no cable can ever compromise audibly an audio signal, if it is properly made - good connections (and good shield where necessary). This means a few dollars cost for DIY solutions. Cables start to affect very slightly a signal at much-much higher frequencies, totally unrelated to the audio spectrum of human hearing. Needless to say that all blind tests show exactly the same, invariably. Expensive "upgrade" cables are pure marketing (in a bad sense). Of course, many will disagree but I think it is good to write here, from time to time, what science indicates.
Using balanced cables for headphones is a more complicated matter: the balanced output of a head-amp may give a better or different sound than its single-ended output. Again, this is not an effect of cables used but the effect of different circuitry. All other things being equal, a single-ended amp will give higher quality sound than a balanced amp OF THE SAME COST, simply because the construction and materials cost goes to two channels (SE) instead of four (Balanced).

All the above means that in an environment with no electromagnetic noise issues (that may require the use of balanced appliances), one has no reason to throw money on balanced appliances or cables. The "highest end" sound can be achieved with SE solutions and, of course, with decent low cost cables. The only effective upgrade is always better electronics (mainly dacs) for your beloved headphones.

Having said these, I must add that I too was unable to find a fitting mini TRRS plug (2.5 mm, 4 contacts) able to be inserted in the NDH-30. All commercially available plugs have wider handle that will not fit in the deep socket of the Neumann. I ended up using a Sennheiser replacement cable for HD-560S to thin its plug handle with a cutter, the locking part too. My end purpose was to re-terminate its other end with a Pentacon balanced plug to test the balanced output of a dongle-dac (extensive descriptions in older posts). An other solution is to re-terminate a Neumann replacement cable at the amp end, if you have to use a balanced amp. Ready made solutions from other companies are nice too, as long as you don't pay silly money expecting sonic upgrades due to "special" materials or obscure theories.

I completely agree with everything you wrote. I would also add the silver and gold fuses in the darkness of the self-convincing of the miraculous sound. In my Lehmann that I bought used, I found one of these wonders inside. I did all kinds of tests with my 16 ohm closed-back headphones and premium fuse, but it didn't bring any kind of improvement (and this amp absolutely doesn't need it). Lehmann, which has been making amplifiers for years, uses standard fuses and I inserted these (approved for maximum safety). Be careful because some fuses with the same amperage, even if delayed, can be less sensitive to blowing (This is why I prefer standard approved fuses).