Neumann NDH 20 Review
Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Introduction
In this article, we delve into a detailed analysis of 4,466 user reviews from various languages worldwide to examine the Neumann NDH 20. This analysis is performed by the RR artificial intelligence and updated daily with newly submitted reviews. The RR AI utilizes a complex algorithm to first scrutinize user reviews for credibility, filtering out unreliable ones. It then proceeds to dissect and evaluate the valuable insights within these reviews, providing users with ratings regarding the features of this product. Based on these assessments, users can make informed decisions about whether this product is suitable for them or not.
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Neumann NDH 20. For example, 82% of 215 users who have commented on the Comfort of the Neumann NDH 20 have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 20 of 20 Reviews
These reveal the musical truth like no other
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Lewis on B&H Photo Video
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 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. ... More
Superb headphones
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by John on B&H Photo Video
I have been using stereo headphones for over 50 years. First as an audiophile , then as a recording engineer and record producer and now just as an audiophile again. Im a headphone junkie. I currently own phones made by Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, Shure, NAD, Sony, Bose and FiiO. I listen to hi-res FLACS using several DACs and headphone amplifiers. While in the recording business, I used Neumann mics and mastered many records on Neumann lathes. Thus, I was immediately intrigued by their first headphone offering. I had to have a pair. For the purpose of testing testing the Neumanns I mainly used a FiiO X5III player and an A5 amplifier. Music was anything from classical, to jazz, to rock. I mainly listen to classical and jazz. Some tracks were 44.1/16, but most were 96/24 and 192/24 FLACS. Software was either Neutron or Onkyo HF. No equalization was used. Bottom Line: These are the best headphones I have ever used (so far). I dont write headphone reviews by comparing the set under review with other headphones. This is meaningless if you dont have the other phones on hand yourself. They have to stand on their own. The two words I would use to describe these cans are solid and textured. They reveal nuances in recordings that I literally never heard from any of my current phones. The are completely balanced and neutral with extreme clarity. They are also analytical. Great recordings sound great. Mediocre recordings sound mediocre. This is exactly what you want in a studio headphone. Listening to Bach harpsichord partitas revealed a texture that is nothing short of outstanding. The low registers were solid without being muddy and the highs were almost startling in their clarity. Jazz recordings by Christian McBride had both depth and clarity in the bass playing. By the way, recordings that are deficient in bass or high end sounded just that way. No heavy pseudo bass or treble here. Back on the technical side, I has initially concerned that it might be hard to drive these phones as they are 150 ohm. No problem. They are very efficient. The A5 on the low gain setting produced an excellent signal at about a quarter volume. I also drove them with a lightning adapter from my iPhone XS Max. Not optimal, but OK in a pinch. The construction is exactly what you would expect from Neumann. Comfort is excellent. I have a large head and had no trouble getting a good fit. Isolation is quite good. Not necessarily as good as active noise cancellation, but very good for normal background noise. The phones come with both a straight and a coiled cord. I found the coiled cord more manageable, but heavy and stiff. Right now Im using the lighter straight cable even though it is a little long. A few more points: They will disappoint those that are caught up in the balanced headphone craze. The have a single sided cord. This will bother those that can hear nanosecond time delays. And, yes, they are made in China, but so is your iPhone. They are true to the long Neumann line of excellent audio products even if they are not made in the old country. As an aside, I dont subscribe to the view that headphones need to be burned in. Thus, I did not spend hours feeding pink noise through them followed with hours of heavy metal. They sound great right out of the box. Can you buy a better set of headphones? Not in this price range. Since I have never spent in the thousands for phones, maybe I dont know what Im missing. For the time being I will just enjoy these. ... More
Neumann keeps its word
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Ben on B&H Photo Video
As a professional sound editor and mixer, I can fully vouch for Neumanns promise that these are true, neutral, and precise monitors. Ive spent the last two days with them and theyve been a pleasure to work with. I will happily alternate between the NDH 20s and the Sennheiser HD650s now, as both can be trusted for reference. The Neumanns are a little bulky, and heavier than the 650s, but not so much that they impede on a solid days work (in fact, for luxurious closed-back headphones they almost feel too light!). And they provide great isolation, too. I would recommend these for the professional sound engineers out there. ... More
The best.
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Scott on B&H Photo Video
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 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. ... More
Ben (con't)
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Ben on B&H Photo Video
Adding to my 5-star review from earlier, I found a flaw with these headphones. The cable is very microphonic, meaning it transmits any physical touch as sound directly to the right ear. You'll hear bumps or rubbing on the straight part of the cable (the coiled part doesn't seem to transmit at all). This might be a problem for some users, but it hasn't been a huge issue for me, and I'm still using these every day for sound editing and mixing. I wouldn't recommend them for field work where you're moving around. I think Neumann overlooked a pretty big design flaw here and forgot to isolate the cable from the headphones themselves. Hopefully they can fix it in subsequent updates. ... More
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Monitoring you can trust
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Aaron on B&H Photo Video
These are literally game changers. The quality that you would expect from Neumann. I'm able to hear subtleties in mixes that I was unable to hear previously in monitors and other headphones. These have taken my mixes to another level because the clarity I'm able to achieve with them. They make everything sound stripped down and bare so you actually get hear records sound, with no added gloss or low end. They are also extremely comfortable and collapsible which is great for being mobile. My only complaint is the headphone jack screwing that in can be tedious, but anyone looking to take their mixes to the next level I strongly recommend these headphones, they are worth the investment and great value compared to other monitoring headphones around this price. ... More
Perfect replacement pads....Here's how I put them on.
Neumann Spare Earpads for NDH 20 Studio Headphones
Reviewed by James on B&H Photo Video
Everything said in the other two-star review is correct and I was in the exact same situation. I took a very thin plastic card (credit card too thick I used an old medical insurance card). I cut that card into four strips. As you get the pad lip to sit in the headphone cup channel anchor it by sliding in a plastic strip and work your way around the headphone cup. keep adding strips as you go around. After about halfway it gets difficult and must carefully be stretched as you gingerly get the pad lip to sit in the channel. Mine are now on perfectly but it takes the patience of a saint and a lot of finesse. Good Luck! ... More
Ouch! These are Great!
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Jeffrey on B&H Photo Video
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. 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. ... More
Problem is putting new earpads on
Neumann Spare Earpads for NDH 20 Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Heitzso on B&H Photo Video
I use my Neumann NDH20 headphones almost every day. A few months ago one split where the inside ring fabric pulls down over the foam so I purchased these official replacement ear pads. The new ones look and feel fine. But they are, for me anyway, impossible to put on the headphones. I know that the fabric/plastic/foam can degrade over time so I don't fault Neumann for the original earpads falling apart. I DO FAULT Neumann for either not designing the headphones for easy earpad replacement or not having official YouTubes and/or instructions on how to easily replace them. This problem will eventually hit all NDH 20 owners. Eventually the complaints will force Neumann to provide instructions/videos. But, for now, I'm stuck with good new earpads that I may have to simply tape to the headphones. (Aside ... I do appreciate the mostly flat studio grade audio of the NDH20 headphones.) ... More
No low end information
Neumann NDH 20 Studio Monitoring Headphones
Reviewed by Crosskid Nation on Guitar Center
Knew going in that this was supposed to be a flat, natural sounding pair of closed headphones. They aren't the most comfortable but they really create a boxy sound when just putting them on your head. I have ATs, Sonys, Shures, Beyers, and Audezes and none of them have this issue in quite the same way. Mid and top end response is flat, but it literally rolls off way to high and makes low end decisions impossible because you can't even hear it. Not looking for hyped bass in any way, but missing detail and accuracy in the low end. Don't usually mix on cans, but thought these may help when traveling but I gave up as the overall picture just wasn't clear enough to make decisions that I wouldn't have to completely rework later. ... More
What You'd Expect from Neumann!
Neumann NDH 20 Studio Monitoring Headphones
Reviewed by PaulM on Guitar Center
Great quality sound and build. Perfect for studio production work. Sound is very well balanced. Great isolation. The dual cord option is great! Given the sturdy build, they can get a little heavy after prolonged wearing.
Fine replacement.
Neumann Spare Earpads for NDH 20 Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Orland on B&H Photo Video
Bought these to replace an ndh20 pad where the inner seam had separated after only 2 years of use. Putting the pad onto the headphones was a bit of a challenge as many have stated, I wish there was a tool or instructions included to help with that. Helped to focus on pulling the thickest part of the pad around the headphones, it's stressful because it feels likes its going to rip in the same way that required the replacement while putting it on, but everything was fine! I hope the replacements last longer.
Premium fit and feel as expected, as good as new.
Neumann Spare Earpads for NDH 20 Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Graciela on B&H Photo Video
Perfect fit and feel, I wouldn't recommend any other off-brand cheaper option for this model of headphones. The pads are a bit difficult to put on since they have such a tight fit to the earpiece but I appreciate the fact that they are never going to come off unintentionally, unlike the Beyerdynamic 770 pads. I have used, and loved, these headphones every day since I purchased them 2 years ago. Inevitably the original pads started to show their age, mostly on the seam that holds them together as one piece gave out. Undoubtedly an expensive part but they are truly worth it. ... More
Not the same as original.
Neumann Spare Earpads for NDH 20 Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Rod on B&H Photo Video
Gotta say I was a bit letdown with these ear pads. The material isnt the same and it's not as comfortable. For how much these cost they could at least feel the same.
Hear what you've missed
Neumann NDH 20 Studio Monitoring Headphones
Reviewed by . on Guitar Center
Amazing headphones that justify the price tag. These show you all the nastiest frequencies you didn't hear from your monitors. Listening to songs you've heard for years, you'll now notice even more detail- new parts, deeper bass, cracks and pops, mistakes you wouldn't otherwise hear. One of the best purchases for my studio.
Like New! Easy to install if you follow Jame's review.
Neumann Spare Earpads for NDH 20 Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Dan on B&H Photo Video
James nailed it in his review. I spent 30 minutes trying to install 1 earpad with no luck. So, followed the advice is James and had installed in 5 minutes. Take you time and insert a piece or a thin credit card (about 1/2 long) every couple of inches. The pads are as good or better than the originals and B&H had them to me in just 3 days. Love B&H!!
If you use it with your glasses yo can hear good
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Horacio on B&H Photo Video
That's happen to me, I was use my glasses and the headphone is not close totally and the sound is horrible but when you remove yours glasses, uff the sound is great
Very good sound but too heavy on the head
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Patrick on B&H Photo Video
Very good sound but too heavy on the head after a while Patrick Mimran
It doesn't have bass, nothing
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by Horacio on B&H Photo Video
It's beautiful, but I telling you, this headset doesn't have any bass, I don't I know why.
Hoping for more
Neumann NDH 20 Closed-Back Studio Headphones
Reviewed by thomas on B&H Photo Video
Good, well-constructed head phones. Quality stuff. You need some power to drive these things. Dont think a cellphone will cut it. Curious about the 1/8 jack with the rated impedance. Sound? OK. But just OK. Kinda disappointed because we have a locker full of Neumann mics all the way back to the 1960s tube stuff. Prob my fault for having expectations set too high. Maybe wait for the NDH 30...?
