Neumann NDH 30 Review

[Vitali]

Hi. I have an issue with my NDH 30, the left speaker isn't working anymore. It might have fell on the floor before this but it really wasn't a heavy fall so i'm not sure it caused this.

It's under warranty but i'm curious if there's any way to troubleshoot this. I've check the cable with a multimeter and it seems fine. The mini-mini jack that's plugged in the headphones has 4 pins though, can anyone confirm the fourth one next to the ground is also ground ?

Thanks

 

[audiophilis]

Wow thank you !
Can you share how you opened the cans ? Does it void the warranty ?
If it's a simple fix i might do it instead of having to send it back to thomann

 

[solderdude]

Finally I found someone that would loan me an NDH-30 for review.

NDH 30

back to Neumannback to measurementshome published: Aug-04-2026, updated Aug-10-2026 NO SMOOTHING is applied to the shown plots. Most measurement sites have some smoothing applied which ‘irons flat’…

diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com

I was well impressed with this one and certainly is an excellent headphone with a sound signature that is very close to my target (horizontal line on the plot below)

Sad to see it go back to the owner and if I find one second hand I might snatch it.

 

[jean-benoit]

thanks for your review. i didnt hear that much about them before, seems they arent that popular. the pads on the NDH-30 look very comfy.
would you choose it over the HD 490 with the mixing pads?
a comparison to the MV1 would also be nice, as those are my two favourite dynamic open-backs.

since distortion is low, one should be able to boost the "missing" low a bit?

 

[solderdude]

thanks for your review. i didnt hear that much about them before, seems they arent that popular. the pads on the NDH-30 look very comfy.
would you choose it over the HD 490 with the mixing pads?
a comparison to the MV1 would also be nice, as those are my two favourite dynamic open-backs.

since distortion is low, one should be able to boost the "missing" low a bit?

Have just ordered one from Sony (there is a 30 day free return window).
Did ask them 2x for a review loaner but they don't react. So now I just buy one and return it.
Review in about 2 weeks if all goes well.

Without EQ I prefer the NDH 30 over the HD 490 pro with either pads.
With EQ and producer pads comfort on the HD 490 PRO 'wins' and tone could be EQ'ed similar.

You don't see them much as they are pretty expensive, mostly sold in pro shops and tonally not far removed from the cheaper HD 400 PRO/HD560S/HD550 (with a bit of treble reduction).

Bass is not missing 32Hz = 0dB and 20Hz (rumble) at -3dB.
Not enough for bassheads that prefer Harman bass + another 5-10dB.

 

[solderdude]

The NDH-30 are great and very usable for mixing (when near-field monitors are not an option) or when combined with calibrated monitors.
Regardless what our friend in the video waffles about....

 

[Feelas]

I actually took the bait and commented on this, since he started making claims about 8kHz response from HATS graphs... Seriously, misleading to a high extent.

 

[Apples]

The NDH-30 are great and very usable for mixing (when near-field monitors are not an option) or when combined with calibrated monitors.
Regardless what our friend in the video waffles about....

Well it's Oratory1990's measurements and he has a EQ for it where he has to do a lot of eq to the NDH 30

On your website it looks pretty flat which is interesting:

But even like I said in the video HD650 is better version with a little less bass so even on your target it would be better to get HD650 over NDH 30

With that said, I don't know what your target is and I tend to agree with the tonality of Oratory's measuring rig. This reminds me of the big mistake I made when I started reading graphs and I bought the HD 600 / 650 based on Sonarworks measurements only to find out that their target is literally just the HD650 frequency response of which I assume they did on purpose because it's a common meme in the audio community that the HD650 is the flattest headphone in the world:

With all of this said, The NDH30 measures somewhat similar to the HD650 so if you don't like that headphone for being shouty in the presence around 5kHz. Having a treble hole, and weak bass emphasis then I don't think you'd like the NDH 30 either. At the end of the day, besides a little more bass extension, I don't think you'll find a rig where the NDH30 measures better than HD650.

 

[Feelas]

On your website it looks pretty flat which is interesting:
View attachment 561301

Well he uses a custom flatplate rig, not a coupler but it requires reading rather than looking at pictures...

At the end of the day, besides a little more bass extension, I don't think you'll find a rig where the NDH30 measures better than HD650.

Good that rigs do the mixing and listen to music. I can't tell if you understand how much variance is there with HATS measurements? A little more bass extension is the name of the game for openbacks.

 

[Apples]

Well he uses a custom flatplate rig, not a coupler but it requires reading rather than looking at pictures...


Good that rigs do the mixing and listen to music. I can't tell if you understand how much variance is there with HATS measurements? A little more bass extension is the name of the game for openbacks.

Beyer been doing bass on openbacks the best for a while

 

[Apples]

I actually took the bait and commented on this, since he started making claims about 8kHz response from HATS graphs... Seriously, misleading to a high extent.

Lol

 

[Feelas]

Beyer been doing bass on openbacks the best for a while
View attachment 561358

What is the THD for DT1990 Pro & DT990 Pro in <250Hz region? Arguably worse, warmer tuning from both BD, regardless. Mids matching equal-loudness curves are important.

View attachment 561359

Not very surprised that open-backs are worse-off in terms of bass than IEMs. And your point is?

 

[Feelas]

Lol
View attachment 561360

Again, and what's your point? Having issues on a coupler or not is just a measurement method, a means to an end, not an end to itself. The fact is that couplers measure different, and real heads measure even with a wider variance. That's why some also use in-ear mics, where you get an actual testcase (disregarding ear canal reso).

I wasn't sure whether it was your vid or not; it is spreading terrible misinformation w/ no regards to limitations of the scientific process you're usinf to discuss the subject, so I just *had* to take the bait.

 

[solderdude]

My 'target' is a horizontal line but a few dB 'drop' in the ear-gain area is desirable for listening enjoyment (takes the edge off a bit) but this differs from person to person.

With all of this said, The NDH30 measures somewhat similar to the HD650 so if you don't like that headphone for being shouty in the presence around 5kHz.

I don't find the HD650 shouty in the presence area around 5kHz at all. That's what you perceive.

Having a treble hole, and weak bass emphasis then I don't think you'd like the NDH 30 either.

There is no treble hole, not in the HD650 and not in the NDH30.
There is substantial treble peaking in certain Beyerdynamic headphones.
The 'treble hole' you see in some measurements is caused by the measurement method which is not reliable above several kHz.
I would encourage you to research about industry standard test fixtures and the various targets.
There is, however, a treble peak in quite a few headphones, among them the DT990 which you do not perceive as a peak but rather as 'nicely detailed'.

But even like I said in the video HD650 is better version with a little less bass so even on your target it would be better to get HD650 over NDH 30

HD650 has less bass extension and a little more than desired upper bass/lower midrange (i.e. 'warmth')

I like the NDH 30 a lot and like it better than my HD 650 and much better than my original DT 990/600 as well.
I did like the orig. DT1990 with the 'obligatory for me' treble filter and 'analytic pads'.
Didn't buy one as I have slightly better sounding headphones but would have if I didn't have those.

This means I don't share your views and I don't perceive headphones the same way you do.
My reference is calibrated near-fields and not 'speakers in a room with an added 'smiley face' EQ.

Your perceptionally neutral is NOT my perceptionally neutral but is my 'smiley face EQ' tonality.
MUCH higher bass levels than Harman (which I find a dB or 2 too much) and can't stand as much treble as you seem to need, it is piecing to me and most others.

The fact that you don't perceive the NDH 30 as 'neutral' is because the reference you have is not 'neutral'. This is a reference and maybe even SPL related thing.