I would probably break this in for around 20-40 hrs, as it seemed to sound restricted and a bit nasal. After this, the sound is uncolored and has a wonderful soundstage, and I was able to hear Into the recording, and able to place singers, musicians, ect, right where they were located. There is no smearing of the image. It has height, breadth, and depth, and plenty of power. On good recordings, one can hear the hall sonics as well. It is ruthless with bad recordings, and does not make them sound better, revealing flaws and shortcuts. I noticed when using my Audio Technica ATH AD1000 phones that voices are sweet and effortless, and woodwinds and brass resonate realistically.Over all a great amp, though pricey, which is the only negative. Thanks to American Musical ... MoreI would probably break this in for around 20-40 hrs, as it seemed to sound restricted and a bit nasal. After this, the sound is uncolored and has a wonderful soundstage, and I was able to hear Into the recording, and able to place singers, musicians, ect, right where they were located. There is no smearing of the image. It has height, breadth, and depth, and plenty of power. On good recordings, one can hear the hall sonics as well. It is ruthless with bad recordings, and does not make them sound better, revealing flaws and shortcuts. I noticed when using my Audio Technica ATH AD1000 phones that voices are sweet and effortless, and woodwinds and brass resonate realistically.Over all a great amp, though pricey, which is the only negative. Thanks to American Musical for getting it to me so quickly.

Yes, it is a lot to pay for just a headphone amp, but you will instantly hear what your audio interface interface headphone amp is likely missing. I'm realizing that that listening to my headphones (Beyerdynamic DT 770 80 ohm and DT 1990 Pro 250 ohm) at similar volumes through the RNHP and my audio interface (Apogee Element) is eye opening, to say the least. The RNHP is clear, tight high and low end with an amazing sound stage while the Element is essentially starting to break up due to distortion at that volume. If you have professional grade headphones, this amp will really make them come to life. I justified this as part of my monitoring chain upgrade and it was well worth it!

A must-have for Headphone monitoring!

Overall:This HP amp has changed my entire mixing experience in seconds. First of all, if you have spent some money on your phones, you are still missing most of the quality you bought if you are using the HP amp of your interface or mixer. Run your audio outs into this little treasure first and hear your mix in extraordinary detail and smoothness, even at low volume. I can now mix with phones as long as want without ear fatigue. It just doesn't exist with these. And if you ever want to just lay back and listen to some music, this amp will "bring you" into the recording with depth and color you won't believe. Well worth the money. An exceptional value from the genius of Neve Designs.

Great sound, not loud enough.

The Neve RNHD sounds fantastic!However, don’t be fooled - the amp section in this little unit is very quiet. It simply won’t go loud enough for my tastes. If you need more volume then forget about this unit.As an example - my interface is as loud as the Neve, though not as good quality. Amplifiers should not only enhance the overall soundscape but the volume too! It’s as though there’s no amplifier in it at all, just very smooth analogue colour (which is very nice btw).I bought the Neve, hoping that I could increase headroom In my headphone mixes by turning the volume up and the faders down. The Neve doesn’t help with this at all unfortunately.Musicstore.de - so awesome to deal with, delivery in 3 days. You guys are great.

I am so happy that Rupert Neve (RIP) saw fit to make his amazing sound available to regular people. Just incredible!

I have had it for a year now and it is absolutely the best headphone amplifier I've ever heard. Immediately, I could not believe how much information was being lost in the amplifier! It makes the built-in amplifier in the Topping dx7 pro sound lifeless by comparison and it is a very good one. I just got some Sennheiser HD800S's and now I can really appreciate the Neve. It drives the 300 ohm HD800S's effortlessly at about half volume with plenty of room to adjust up and down for different music. It is astonishing to be able to hear all of the music for the first time in my life. If you use headphones, you should definitely get one of these. It will be the best $500 you have ever spent on audio equipment, for sure! After a few more months I can most definitely ... MoreI have had it for a year now and it is absolutely the best headphone amplifier I've ever heard. Immediately, I could not believe how much information was being lost in the amplifier! It makes the built-in amplifier in the Topping dx7 pro sound lifeless by comparison and it is a very good one. I just got some Sennheiser HD800S's and now I can really appreciate the Neve. It drives the 300 ohm HD800S's effortlessly at about half volume with plenty of room to adjust up and down for different music. It is astonishing to be able to hear all of the music for the first time in my life. If you use headphones, you should definitely get one of these. It will be the best $500 you have ever spent on audio equipment, for sure! After a few more months I can most definitely recommend the Neve RNHP and Sennheiser HD800S's combination. I am amazed.

If you mix with headphones... buy this now.

I've bought a ton of great gear this past year setting up a new studio and this is near the top of the list of awesome pieces. Compared to the headphone outs of my interface (TC Electronic Konnect series (very good BTW, though I will be upgrading to Lynx converters soon)), the Neve is in a completely different universe. Bass is very clear and defined, instrument separation is sooooooo good, easy to hear mix adjustments clearly. It's hard to find a flaw - a bit pricey, yes, but wow.. I've never heard such clarity in headphones before. I mix on both monitors and headphones and this has become an indispensable tool for me.

It has changed my life!

First, I am an audiophile, composer, musician, and armchair recording engineer. I fully appreciate the fine details of great audio. This amp has changed my life! For years I've been listening through my Sony 7506 headphones directly from my computer, or through a Focusrite Scarlett Solo. I figured these were of high enough quality that I didn't think twice about it. I'm 66 years old and figured my ears were not as great as they used to be. Now matter what I listened to, I could hear and cringe at the shrill high frequencies. I got used to it and simply kept the volume down. I decided to see what a really good headphone amp would do. Maybe it wouldn't change a thing. Well, I got this Neve today and cannot believe my ears! The shrill is completely gone, and I can ... MoreFirst, I am an audiophile, composer, musician, and armchair recording engineer. I fully appreciate the fine details of great audio. This amp has changed my life! For years I've been listening through my Sony 7506 headphones directly from my computer, or through a Focusrite Scarlett Solo. I figured these were of high enough quality that I didn't think twice about it. I'm 66 years old and figured my ears were not as great as they used to be. Now matter what I listened to, I could hear and cringe at the shrill high frequencies. I got used to it and simply kept the volume down. I decided to see what a really good headphone amp would do. Maybe it wouldn't change a thing. Well, I got this Neve today and cannot believe my ears! The shrill is completely gone, and I can crank it up, no problem! It is so weird because I still prepare to cringe at the usual spots, and the shrill never comes! It'll take time to lose that reflex. The warmth is amazing, like a tube amp! My ears are fine, thank you! I love this thing! I can easily tell the difference in audio quality between various recordings. I'm going through a lot of DVDs and listening to my favorite music like I've never heard before! I may even upgrade my headphones to Sennheisers. Why not! My ears and new amp deserve it!

RUPERT NEVE DESIGNS Rnhp Precision Headphone Amplifier

I'm using it with Ua Apollo Twin X Duo and Audeze Lcd-Xc. The sound seems better. The high frequency is not that sharp and annoying. In general much more morbido and comfortable I would say.

Rupert Neve Precision headphone amplifier

This is one of the best headphone amplifiers I have owned over many years and almost certainly the most 'neutral' amp. It's surprising and compact, partly because it has a separate power adaptor. The latter seems to be better than most adaptors of its type, though its design is awkward and can block out an adjoining socket on a mains extension strip. I once owned an excellent Sugden Headmaster headphone amp but suspect the Rupert Neve under review would prove its equal and a much lower cost. Recommended without qualification, if you have good headphones and appreicate music as it was recorded in the studio or concert hall.

The one headphone amp to rule them all!

Stop reading this review. Just scroll to the top and buy it. The Rupert Neve RNHP headphone amp is nothing short of unbelievable. The RNHP is a desktop-sized amplifier based on the headphone amp circuitry in the 5060 Centerpiece Desktop Mixer. Technical specs aside (you can go read those elsewhere), listening experience with the RNHP is phenomenal. The longer I've been producing music, the more important I think it is to use a proper headphone amp like the RNHP to drive your headphones or in-ears. I primarily use 64 Audio A10 custom reference in-ears and the biggest thing I notice when listening through the RNHP is an amazing clarity and smoothness to the sound spectrum. Comparisons with other devices or amps leave me with this primary take-away: there is so much ... MoreStop reading this review. Just scroll to the top and buy it. The Rupert Neve RNHP headphone amp is nothing short of unbelievable. The RNHP is a desktop-sized amplifier based on the headphone amp circuitry in the 5060 Centerpiece Desktop Mixer. Technical specs aside (you can go read those elsewhere), listening experience with the RNHP is phenomenal. The longer I've been producing music, the more important I think it is to use a proper headphone amp like the RNHP to drive your headphones or in-ears. I primarily use 64 Audio A10 custom reference in-ears and the biggest thing I notice when listening through the RNHP is an amazing clarity and smoothness to the sound spectrum. Comparisons with other devices or amps leave me with this primary take-away: there is so much power with the RNHP and such a low resistance that it's able to deliver both powerful transients and amazing detail immediately following any transients. The best way I can describe it is that I feel like there's no recovery period following a strong impulse, a recovery period where there's usually a loss of detail. The RNHP is able to deliver an incredible amount of detail, distance, and depth. My life is changed.