Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones

I’ve used a few studio staples in the past and still have access to most, ATH M50, DT770, HD280. Decided to set up my own “B” room as the main room is getting more and more use and wanted something I could trust to mix on any time of the day in an untreated smaller room.These absolutely nailed that bill... image wise I do in fact feel more like I’m sitting in front of monitors than I usually do in the other studio headphones. But more impressive is how not hyped they are in any direction. It makes casual listening less exciting but it makes purposeful listening far more worthwhile. I can actually hear separation between the kick and bass, they may sound “dark” but I think that just actually means flat. If you can make something sound right in these then once you ... MoreI’ve used a few studio staples in the past and still have access to most, ATH M50, DT770, HD280. Decided to set up my own “B” room as the main room is getting more and more use and wanted something I could trust to mix on any time of the day in an untreated smaller room.These absolutely nailed that bill... image wise I do in fact feel more like I’m sitting in front of monitors than I usually do in the other studio headphones. But more impressive is how not hyped they are in any direction. It makes casual listening less exciting but it makes purposeful listening far more worthwhile. I can actually hear separation between the kick and bass, they may sound “dark” but I think that just actually means flat. If you can make something sound right in these then once you go back to monitors you just think “wow, nailed it”.I also happen to like that the cord is on the right... as a guitar player I find that I’m not fussing with the cord tangle as much because it’s not crossing over my body to get to my left ear. Incredibly well made as well, comfortable enough to wear for hours and even lay down with. Not super heavy though they are milled aluminum like an apple product. Expensive yes, but less expensive than treating a tough room and getting great monitors.

I reviewed this headphone for my YouTube review channel. This headphone is robust in build, but otherwise has no exceptional abilities whatsoever. It has a very narrow soundstage, below-average detail retrieval, and a rather veiled sound signature. I've read so many positive reviews for this headphone that I initially thought I had a faulty unit. I returned it, and got an other brand new pair from a different reseller. There was no difference in sound quality from what I recalled from the first pair.I did A/B tests with the NDH20, and compared to far cheaper products, and the NDH20 always underperformed in nearly every meaningful respect.Those who give positive reviews for this headphone have never actually done A/B comparisons with alternatives, and have not ... MoreI reviewed this headphone for my YouTube review channel. This headphone is robust in build, but otherwise has no exceptional abilities whatsoever. It has a very narrow soundstage, below-average detail retrieval, and a rather veiled sound signature. I've read so many positive reviews for this headphone that I initially thought I had a faulty unit. I returned it, and got an other brand new pair from a different reseller. There was no difference in sound quality from what I recalled from the first pair.I did A/B tests with the NDH20, and compared to far cheaper products, and the NDH20 always underperformed in nearly every meaningful respect.Those who give positive reviews for this headphone have never actually done A/B comparisons with alternatives, and have not critically examined Neumann's claims for this product. Indeed, the vast majority of the time reviewers for this headphone make grandiose and vague statements about the performance without pointing to any specifics. That is a telltale sign that the reviewers are not objectively stating what they heard, but instead promoting their own subjective sound preferences.The bottom line, as I outlined in several videos comparing this product to others, is that the NDH20 is NOT neutral. It is not clear or detailed. It does not have wide soundstage. If you want neutral headphones, I suggest you look to the Avantone Planar, Ollo S4X, or Shure SRH1540.

Great Sounding Headphones and Worth the Money!

I bought these for editing and for detail work in RX. They're very comfortable and just the other day I thought my KH-120s were on while these were on my head. This is my first pair of higher-end headphones. For the last thirty years I've used AKG for open and Sennheiser when I did drums or vocals (anything where bleed would be a problem). I have one issue with the NDH 20 headphones. The cable is on the right side. I use an HD Omni, which has been on my left for fifteen years, with a large format console on my right. At some point I'll make a 1 jack patch on my right-hand side but why mess with convention? That being said, these are awesome!

Neumann NDH20 - Great Addition to the Studio

These tick a lot of boxes, but not in line with their marketing. Best used as a compliment to studio monitors when mixing or mastering, but certainly get you most of the way there.These are ideal for tracking guitar, bass, keys, vocals. Not as flat as they say, but certainly give great separation.The only detractor for me, is the comfort. You really start to feel the clamp pressure at about the 1 - hour mark. Having said that, they are worth enduring the clamp.I am writing this review after having to replace mine (theft, not build quality), testing many but still landing on the NDH20s.Even with the comfort issue, I still give these 5 stars.

Ouch! These are Great!

These are absolutely 5 Star headphones. The ding is for the circular design. And even that is beautiful, but I don't know anyone who has round ears.First things first; these are outstanding headphones. Full, unflinchingly flat representation. Crisp and immediate and can handle whatever you throw at them with ease. I rrrreally wish they didn't hurt so much to wear!Next, these have a nice, heavier than average weight. I like that - it feels nice and enhances the groove.Comes with two cables - a curly and a straight. Both with removable 1/4 tips and an 1/8 mini tip underneath. Quite long too. Twist lock on the micro tip that goes into the left cup.But the problem is, for me to wear these I had to push my ears into them so they didn't press my ears to my head. ... MoreThese are absolutely 5 Star headphones. The ding is for the circular design. And even that is beautiful, but I don't know anyone who has round ears.First things first; these are outstanding headphones. Full, unflinchingly flat representation. Crisp and immediate and can handle whatever you throw at them with ease. I rrrreally wish they didn't hurt so much to wear!Next, these have a nice, heavier than average weight. I like that - it feels nice and enhances the groove.Comes with two cables - a curly and a straight. Both with removable 1/4 tips and an 1/8 mini tip underneath. Quite long too. Twist lock on the micro tip that goes into the left cup.But the problem is, for me to wear these I had to push my ears into them so they didn't press my ears to my head. My ears are not round and so don't fit into these without help and for as often as I put phones on and off, it just wasn't worth it. It was a tough decision, but I sold them to my friend. (he loves them too)Aurally and aesthetically gorgeous, but a pain in the ears.

Phenomenal mixing headphones! Super clear and transparent.

The only negative reviews I've seen of these headphones seem to always come from people who don't understand what these are for. These headphones are designed and manufactured specifically for the purpose of mixing and mastering. They are intended to be extremely flat in frequency response and transparent in signal separation and in the presentation of the stereo field. Put another way, these are designed precisely to point out things that sound bad in the mix, not to put lipstick on any song and dress it up to fool you into liking it (like those horrible Beats do). They're also really good for tracking, having excellent insulation and isolation from outside noise. These are headphones for working professional audio engineers and music makers, not hanging out at the ... MoreThe only negative reviews I've seen of these headphones seem to always come from people who don't understand what these are for. These headphones are designed and manufactured specifically for the purpose of mixing and mastering. They are intended to be extremely flat in frequency response and transparent in signal separation and in the presentation of the stereo field. Put another way, these are designed precisely to point out things that sound bad in the mix, not to put lipstick on any song and dress it up to fool you into liking it (like those horrible Beats do). They're also really good for tracking, having excellent insulation and isolation from outside noise. These are headphones for working professional audio engineers and music makers, not hanging out at the beach. That said, they are the absolute best headphones for this purpose I've ever heard. When I mix with them then play it through studio monitors, my mixes sound like heaven exploding into my brain. Cheers.

Review of Neumann NDH 20 closed back studio headphones

I'm an electronic music producer making nearly all music in headphones as I don't have space for a good speaker set up at home. Previous headphones were the Audio Technica MTH50s which I enjoyed immensely, but the headband was literally disintegrating after so much time on my head. So, time for a new pair. As I use headphones so much, I wanted the best I could afford and something that was a step up from most other headphones in the £150-£250 bracket. I also had my eye on the Beyer Dynamic DT990 but from research, these looked like something too close in quality to my ATs.I'm enjoying these immensely, not only as a music making tool, but also for recreational listening. I've yet to try mixing with them, but the clarity is incredible, very easy to hear EQ and ... MoreI'm an electronic music producer making nearly all music in headphones as I don't have space for a good speaker set up at home. Previous headphones were the Audio Technica MTH50s which I enjoyed immensely, but the headband was literally disintegrating after so much time on my head. So, time for a new pair. As I use headphones so much, I wanted the best I could afford and something that was a step up from most other headphones in the £150-£250 bracket. I also had my eye on the Beyer Dynamic DT990 but from research, these looked like something too close in quality to my ATs.I'm enjoying these immensely, not only as a music making tool, but also for recreational listening. I've yet to try mixing with them, but the clarity is incredible, very easy to hear EQ and compression moves. The real test will be how any mixing translates, but so far small tweaks to tracks in progress are coming across well when I listen back on phone earbuds.The build quality is very nice, as you'd hope at this price. The headphones are super sturdy, even the cabling feels ultra high grade.As with researching any kind of expensive audio equipment on the internet, you'll find or wealth of conflicting information. I read reviews that said they were heavy (I've not found that), and that they were uncomfortable wearing for long periods of time. Again, I haven't found that.The sound you get from these is TRUE. You can really pick apart the music you're listening to. For example, listening to a lot of early dub, you can really hear the sound of the tape, and just how mono a lot of those recordings are. These cans do not hype the music in any way. It really is like being in the room.Isolation is excellent. Very hard to hear anything else when listening on these!I'm using these with a MacBook, straight in, no amp, no interface and they sound great. I'm sure some kind of amp might improve things even more, but I'd like to preserve my hearing as much as possible, and I'm not looking to colour things in any way.So far, the Neumanns have fulfilled my brief of the best sound quality I can afford to make music with. Hopefully they'll stand the test of time, they certainly feel like they will.

The best.

Headphones are a very personal choice. I am both an audiophile headphone listener and a production headphone user. To set the context for the this review of the Neumann NDH 20, it's worth mentioning what I have used.I have used a pair of Sennheiser HD280s for years; carried a pair for over 3 years in Afghanistan, have used then in environments all over the world, I use a pair with my field recording kit now and I even used them for my first documentary film edit.For music I have listened through a pair Sennheiser HD 820 and more recently settled into a pair of Grado RS2e's. I have even used the RS2e's for final audio mix downs and editing.As a professional podcaster, audio engineer and filmmaker, I spend hours editing. Comfort and sound accuracy across the ... MoreHeadphones are a very personal choice. I am both an audiophile headphone listener and a production headphone user. To set the context for the this review of the Neumann NDH 20, it's worth mentioning what I have used.I have used a pair of Sennheiser HD280s for years; carried a pair for over 3 years in Afghanistan, have used then in environments all over the world, I use a pair with my field recording kit now and I even used them for my first documentary film edit.For music I have listened through a pair Sennheiser HD 820 and more recently settled into a pair of Grado RS2e's. I have even used the RS2e's for final audio mix downs and editing.As a professional podcaster, audio engineer and filmmaker, I spend hours editing. Comfort and sound accuracy across the full spectrum of audio experience I am creating is not just critical, it is the difference between production success and failure. In my opinion, there is no better headphone on the market for audio engineering than the Neumann NDH20's. Their accuracy and fullness allows for audio mixes and edits to be done even without reference monitors... they are that good.I put off spending the money on these for almost a year. Once I did, I can't imagine being without them.As with Neumann mics, the Neumann NDH20 is simply the best. It is one of the best investments I have made in the studio.

These reveal the musical truth like no other

I submitted an earlier review of the Neumann NDH 20 Closed Back Studio Headphones to B&H. However, that review was flawed, mainly because I had not allowed enough time for them to play in. Upon unpacking and listening to these, the sound was foggy, dark and fuzzy. Not what I expected from Neumann, the manufacturer of some of the worlds most superb microphones and active nearfield monitors. So I was wrong to write that review, which in spite of my attempting to get B&H to remove, still remains. I now know, that one really should allow these headphones to play at a moderate volume 24/7 for at least 4 to five days before any critical listening is possible. It is only then that these will show how amazing they really are.Now for my assessment. I have been a member of ... MoreI submitted an earlier review of the Neumann NDH 20 Closed Back Studio Headphones to B&H. However, that review was flawed, mainly because I had not allowed enough time for them to play in. Upon unpacking and listening to these, the sound was foggy, dark and fuzzy. Not what I expected from Neumann, the manufacturer of some of the worlds most superb microphones and active nearfield monitors. So I was wrong to write that review, which in spite of my attempting to get B&H to remove, still remains. I now know, that one really should allow these headphones to play at a moderate volume 24/7 for at least 4 to five days before any critical listening is possible. It is only then that these will show how amazing they really are.Now for my assessment. I have been a member of a major US symphony orchestra for many years, and have also reviewed several high end audio components for publications in the US and abroad. I know what live music sounds like, as I play and hear it everyday in my work. Therefore, the only criteria I can use are my own commercially recorded performances, both as an ensemble player and soloist. I currently own 14 headphones, ranging from relatively inexpensive to well over 2 grand, both open and closed back. This over the top collection of headphones has been gathered in my quest to get as close to the musical truth as possible. With the NDH 20, I believe I have finally found what I have been searching for. My headphone amp/DACs for all of my listening is done through a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ and Grace Design m900. I dont use any portable electronics for critical listening.The real question here is what does one want from any high quality headphone...or loudspeaker... audio component or system? Do you want to hear the recorded performance as close to what actually occurred at the recording session, or do you want something that makes the music sound like you would prefer it to sound? I choose the former, while many audiophiles seem to prefer the second, and would rather play flavored audio to create something that has little to do with what actually occurred at the recording session. Audiophiles like to use descriptive language such as soundstage depth, height and width, bass extension, midrange transparency and high end clarity along with other terminology that has little to do with music.When the original musical event is properly and accurately reproduced, as it is so perfectly done with the NDH 20, then all of that audiophile speak is part of the overall musical presentation...but in a natural way. Live music doesnt have transparency, nor does it have low end, midrange, treble extension or soundstage. Live music (vs. electronically created) is organic, and consists of complex harmonic structures, dynamic contrasts that are sometimes big and very often subtle, and contains the collective physical and emotional energy produced by the performers. The acoustics of the recording venue is as important to properly reproduce as the performance itself. That is what these headphones do so well that no other have done in my many years of performing and listening.Microphones do not hear and interpret sounds like the human ear/brain processes. Non musical things such as added reverb, EQ, out of phase microphone issues, etc. can get in the way of us hearing what the performers really artistically created during the recording session. That is, unless the vehicle though with we listen has the ability to separate the kernel of the original musical performance from those unnatural effects of the recording process. In my opinion, the NDH 20 is the first headphone (or speaker) I have ever heard that allows me to hear what actually went on musically in spite of all the other stuff that has previously made it impossible to delineate what was real and what was added effect.In the final analysis, we either hear music or we dont. With these headphones, I hear music.

Top tier closed backs

The isolation these offer is great, they totally shut out noise from the outside world.Their midbass response is very emphasized, to the point of them sounding a little underwater-ish out of the box. I have it EQ'd down about 3db centered on 350Hz, spanning from about 150-800Hz and with that they sound immaculate. Definitely my favorite pair of headphones I've tried to date, I prefer these over DT 770 or Sundara (the other headphones I have experience with).They have a powerful bass response but not at the expense of other frequencies, if you're into electronic music or anything with substantial low-end, these will do it justice.The headband isn't padded extremely well, they are plenty comfortable at first but after a few hours of wearing them it can get ... MoreThe isolation these offer is great, they totally shut out noise from the outside world.Their midbass response is very emphasized, to the point of them sounding a little underwater-ish out of the box. I have it EQ'd down about 3db centered on 350Hz, spanning from about 150-800Hz and with that they sound immaculate. Definitely my favorite pair of headphones I've tried to date, I prefer these over DT 770 or Sundara (the other headphones I have experience with).They have a powerful bass response but not at the expense of other frequencies, if you're into electronic music or anything with substantial low-end, these will do it justice.The headband isn't padded extremely well, they are plenty comfortable at first but after a few hours of wearing them it can get fatiguing on the head, I added a few adhesive memory foam pads to the headband to remedy this.If you're after a perfectly flat response, look into the endless open back options. But if isolation and really present low-end response is what you want, these will take you to another world!