New Rupert Neve DAC

[Bronco]

I just received an email from headphones.com announcing the imminent release of the new Rupert Neve Fidelice Precision DAC. I was initially quite excited knowing how well regarded their very reasonably priced RNHP headphone amp is amongst members of the headphone community. The thought of having a similarly priced DAC companion piece struck me as something that would be very well received.

The design aesthetic is all RNHP.

The price? Not so much.

https://www.headphones.com/products...rLm5ldCIsICJrbF9jb21wYW55X2lkIjogIk1GekxVYiJ9

 

[JohnYang1997]

Unbalanced RCA Input to Unbalanced RCA Output (2V RMS Redbook)
Source Z = 470 Ω Unbalanced
Input Impedance: 10 kΩ
Output Impedance: 33 Ω
Maximum Input Level: +19.2 dBV
Maximum Output Level: +19.2 dBV
Noise @ FIXED Volume (10 Hz - 22 kHz BW): -109 dBV typical
Frequency Response (5 Hz to 112 kHz): +/- 0.1 dB typical
THD+N (@1 kHz): 0.0003% typical (10 Hz to 22 kHz)

Balanced XLR Input to Balanced XLR Output (FIXED Volume)
Source Z = 40 Ω Balanced with 30 ft Output XLR
Input Impedance: 10 kΩ
Output Impedance: 40 Ω
Maximum Input Level (+4dBu Selected): +23.5 dBu
Maximum Output Level: +21.3 dBV
Noise @ FIXED Volume (10 Hz - 22 kHz BW): -101.2 dBV typical
Frequency Response (5 Hz to 116 kHz): +/- 0.1 dB typical
THD+N (@1 kHz): 0.0005% typical (10 Hz to 22 kHz)

Doesn't seem to be very competitive even under 300usd.

Btw jude from headfi seems to be the only one that praised rnhp. O2 is better in every way let alone atom.

 

[Bronco]

Doesn't seem to be very competitive even under 300usd.

Something that might make the $5K price tag a little hard to swallow.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Something that might make the $5K price tag a little hard to swallow.

yea

 

[JJB70]

Neve is another outfit that has concluded that the very small but lucrative audiophile niche is well worth milking. If you want a superb external DAC headphone amp with a lot of functionality RME does it for a lot less and I RME have better industrial design. If you just want to enjoy listening to music most onboard DACs connected to a JDS Atom are all you need. However, for the target audience the 5k price is the attraction. If it costs 5k, has a name with audiophile cred it must sound better and it sets you apart from the riff raff and maintains your standing as a golden eared member of the club. It's like a lot of expensive headphones, some might question the price and point out it is completely divorced from performance and quality but those buying the things in many cases are doing so precisely because they are reassuringly expensive.

 

[Wombat]

Phew. Not this Neve, then.

 

[JohnYang1997]

Phew. Not this Neve, then.

https://rupertneve.com/company/history/
I think it's the same one. Recording and reproducing are very two different things.

 

[PaulD]

Phew. Not this Neve, then.

Well, sort of, yes... The old Neve company that Rupert Neve started was sold to AMS. That still builds old style studio equipment. Rupert Neve Design is a new company makes studio equipment and has obviously decided to milk the audiofool market with that "classic Neve colour" approach to audio design...

 

[Kane1972]

Neve is probably the biggest name in Pro Audio. There was no way a Neve DAC was ever going to be less than 4 figures. However, seems double the price I would have expected.

 

[Kane1972]

Btw, there is an interesting thread going on regarding high sample rate audio at Gearslutz which may interest some of you as there is lots of technical stuff about filters etc. https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/1288056-why-does-everyone-want-96khz.html

 

[Kane1972]

Btw, there is an interesting thread going on regarding high sample rate audio at Gearslutz which may interest some of you as there is lots of technical stuff about filters etc. https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/1288056-why-does-everyone-want-96khz.html

Some well l known names involved in the chat too.

 

[Marutks]

he says this dac is better than some others

 

[Bronco]

he says this dac is better than some others

“Now when it comes to DACs and amps, I’m not a measurement guy...”

No kidding.

 

[Celty]

Some how I cannot see Amir buying one of these to test

 

[NTomokawa]

With over five decades of experience producing equipment for the world’s finest studios and concert halls, Rupert Neve is revered by the world’s recording engineers and producers as the number one name in high-quality audio. Now, Rupert’s fifty-plus years of experience and engineering have been distilled into the superlative core of your home listening system: The Precision Digital-to-Analog Converter.

Great, another one of these hype products built upon "heritage" and "tradition". Just what we need...

jude from headfi

Pay him the right amount of money and he'll praise your bottle of snake oil over the other guy's too.

 

[Tks]

Great, another one of these hype products built upon "heritage" and "tradition". Just what we need...



Pay him the right amount of money and he'll praise your bottle of snake oil over the other guy's too.

Ah and how quickly that would go down the drain if an APx555 ever got connected to it I would imagine. But let me not get ahead of myself.. This is a man after all who built whole stations. And I a lowly forum rat.

 

[digititus]

Btw jude from headfi seems to be the only one that praised rnhp. O2 is better in every way let alone atom.

Jude. Lol. If he has praised it, then I know to steer clear.

 

[solderdude]

It's probably TotalCrap OEM..

 

[Kane1972]

No way Neve would put his name on OEM product. His headphone amp is praised by many who use them in studios btw. I’m happy with the Atom however.

Bare in mind that 90% (estimate) of all recorded music since the 60’s will have used Neve equipment, so you are hearing his “signature” weather you like it or not!

 

[solderdude]

No way TotaCrap would supply OEM products as well.