Rupert neve designs RNHP

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Vanheim, Aug 4, 2016.

  1. Vanheim

    Vanheim Acquaintance

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    Gathered from hf thread: Based on the headphone output circuitry from their 5060 Centerpiece Desktop Mixer, the RNHP is a dedicated 24V reference-quality headphone amplifier with level & impedance- calibrated +4dBu Line, unbalanced RCA, and 3.5mm inputs, housed in a rugged VESA- mountable steel chassis. It is designed with near-zero output impedance and high- power, high-headroom circuitry to drive any headphones on the market without compromise.

    From Rupert Neve Designs: “Whether you’re tracking, mixing, or just listening to music, your headphone amplifier is as important to the final sound quality as your headphones - yet the world is full of headphone amps with compromised sonics, headroom, and power. To address these shortcomings and provide a new level of clarity, Rupert and his team have developed the RNHP."

    MSRP of $549 USD

    Apparently folks call Rupert Neve an "audio god". As per Jude (the most trustable)
    person at least. Jude also apparently has been using this amp as a reference amp with his measuring rig as per his sneak peak video on the upcoming cam jam London.

    What do you guys think? Has anyone here heard this amp?[​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2016
  2. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

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    Looks like it has a shitty switching power supply.
     
  3. dpump

    dpump New

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    Comes with a plug-in external switching power supply which is easy to replace. Seems like a lot of manufacturers are doing this to keep costs down. I would agree it looks to be one of the cheaper ones though.
     
  4. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I don't see the power supply but from the website they recommend using the included supply because it's been optimized for the amp.

    I somehow don't think they use a random switcher. It could just be an external linear supply like the Woo WA7 or rhe ECP L-2.
     
  5. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Neve is one of those names in the pro audio world where even those in the field haven't heard of him... until you start getting into the really crazy rigs. He's been around a very long time, so his name is kinda at legendary status partly from sheer historical perspective. Most of his work has been in the preamp/line level world though, not so much with power devices. Granted, a headphone is not exactly a high power device.
     
  6. dpump

    dpump New

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    I can't get this laptop to copy a link, so if you do a search for RNHP amp and then click on Sweetwater Sound, you can see a picture of the power supply. Doesn't look very impressive size wise and just appears to be a standard switching supply that comes with a lot of lower cost electronics. Can't imagine that a decent linear supply wouldn't be an improvement. While I was searching on the amp yesterday I came across a review by one guy who had only had his amp a short time and the power supply had already failed. If you want to see what I would consider a decent 24V or 48V power supply look at what Garage1217 provides with his amps.
     
  7. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    I heard one at the Denver meet yesterday. It was hooked up to a Modi 2. Sounded pretty neutral, but I have to admit I'm not the best judge of gear. I will say that others at the meet were not flocking to it, but I didn't get any negative impressions. Just another amp was the general impression, IMHO.
     
  8. T.Rainman

    T.Rainman Acquaintance

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    That's a lot of money for a headphone amp made of a $5.- TPA 6120A chip.
     
  9. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    Well if we're painting with such incredibly broad strokes like that... the O2 uses $1 opamps and retails for $100-ish, to that means a 100x markup is perfectly valid.

    The TPA6120 is roughly $8, and the RNHP is $550. That makes it a better value than the O2.
     
  10. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    You can say the same thing about DACs
     
  11. AllanMarcus

    AllanMarcus Friend

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    I would dislike this if I could, but I can't. :-(
     
  12. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Size might not be everything. On the other hand... it might.

    What bothers be in the first-post picture is the gap in the case work. That is going to snag the pilling in my 1950's baggy Jersey pullovers.
     
  13. Psalmanazar

    Psalmanazar Most improved member; A+

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    This probably doesn't clip itself in as many ways as the O2 either.
     
  14. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    Here is an example of a Ruper Neve console in one of the larger studios:
    [​IMG]

    His console designs are in many of the large studios, often highly sought after. These consoles are VERY expensive. This one is a VR Legend 72.
     
  15. Huxleigh

    Huxleigh Almost "Made"

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    Although I have zero context from which to appreciate the design of that console, there's nonetheless something impressive about it. Good picture, perhaps? All those switches and dials, arranged symmetrically?

    Such a weirdo. :confused:

    The headphone amp certainly shares that console's retro-utilitarian aesthetic. Not my thing, but I can see others appreciating it.
     
  16. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Here is another Rubert Neve piece of gear:
    [​IMG]
     
  17. Mithrandir41

    Mithrandir41 Friend

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    Rage against the machine, Fleetwood Mac Rumors, so many legendary albums were recorded on Neve consoles. Something about the eq and compressor designs just make magic during tracking and mixing
    http://www.westword.com/arts/ten-gr...ity-studios-the-focus-of-sound-city-5781709/2
     
  18. Smitty

    Smitty Too good for bad vodka - Friend

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    I didn't know he designed that, the internet was fairly vague about what he actually designed for Focusrite. That thing was okay, and seriously benefited from a Wyrd since I was using it with Windows 10 (power saving features are the worst).
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2016
  19. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Wow. I didn't know. I was always dreaming of RME and Lynx, and never gave much though to Focusrite. Maybe that was one of my my mistakes.

    I've been near one or two tiny mixers, but nothing that would call itself a console, even in its wildest dreams. So far as the "retro" look is concerned, though, I think it is pretty much form following function. There is quite a lot to pack in a small space. eg the width of one input strip ---or whatever people in the trade call it.

    For any gadget freak, that stuff is utterly orgas.... Oh! Pass the tissues!
     
  20. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    I know Neve designed the original large format consoles and mic strips for Focusrite (mostly the ISA family I believe), but I don't know how much of a hand he's had in their newer compact stuff.
     

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