Rupert Neve RNHP Precision Headphone Amplifier Review.

This article will give you my impressions on the RNHP Precision Headphone Amplifier from Rupert Neve Designs that Christopher sent me over to review!  Thank you, again, brother, for allowing me to check out your Amp!  No one has compensated me for this review, and all thoughts and impressions are my own. 

 For this review, I will be listening to the RNHP headphone amplifier paired with my own Topping D90 Digital Analog Converter and A/B listening to the RNHP vs. the Topping A90 I currently own.

 As with all my audio reviews, I will utilize all the headphones in my collection or any headphones that I have in for review to search for synergies with the RNHP amp and comparisons to my current solid-state reference amp.

 I will cover 4 main topics, Build Quality, Specifications, Design, and Sound Quality. So, let’s get right into it — starting with the Build Quality, Specs, and Design.

 The RNHP is built in the USA by Rupert and his small team at Rupert Neves Design.

Their team is comprised of dedicated engineers who build and design professional audio gear and systems.  Neves and his team have over 80 years of experience in their field!

 Many of Rupert Neve’s consoles are used by some of the top music artists globally, such as A/C D/C, The Rolling Stones, and Adele, to name a few.

 The RNHP is based on the headphone output circuit of the 5060 Centerpiece Desktop Mixer.  The RNHP is a versatile headphone amplifier that can be used to mix, track, or listen to and enjoy music.

 The RNHP is a dedicated 24 Volt reference-quality headphone amplifier with +4 decibels left and right, ¼”/XLR combo jacks for balanced signals, left and right unbalanced RCA, and a 3.5mm input on the rear of the amplifier.

 On the front of the RNHP, you have a ¼” headphone output and three input selection buttons, A, B, and C, that light up bright green when you select one of them. The volume control has a nice metallic red finish marked clearly and has a great feel during rotation.

 The visual design is not flashy. Instead, it is durable and purposeful. The RNHP is housed in a rugged VESA-mountable steel chassis enabling it to be used on location for professional audio work.   The unit's face has a lighter grey front plate that, again, allows you to see everything when operating in a darker environment easily.

 This may not seem like a big deal to most people; however, professionals who work in the audio industry on location in darker environments will definitely appreciate these small details.

 The RNHP has a frequency response from 10hz to 120khz.  The measured noise via the XLR or input A is -101.9db.  From input B, the RCA‘s measured noise is -100.9db.   Lastly, from input C 3.5mm, the measured noise is -88.8db. Based on my personal listening, I preferred utilizing the balanced XLR input vs. the other two options. 

 The amp is a perfect size for small desktop use or on-the-go professional use, coming in at only 6 ½ inches wide, 4.6 inches deep, and just under 2 inches tall. 

 Included with the small power adapter are attachments for multiple countries. This is great if you decide to take the amplifier on your travels. I had no issue driving the Rad-0, Verité Open, Aeolus, or my 6XX with the RNHP!  Check out our links above to all of the technical specs of the Rupert Neve headphone amplifier.

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 So now that we talked about the design and build quality, let’s get into the most important part, in my opinion, how does it sound!?

 As we all know, the sound and the perception of sound is very subjective thing.  Whenever I give my impressions on how a piece of audio equipment sounds, it’s my subjective opinion. 

 You may have a different opinion or different audio chain than I do, which can also play a big factor in formulating your conclusions about different audio gear.

 With that said, I found the RNHP when listening via the RAD-0 from Rosson Audio, the Verité Open from ZMF, and the Aeolus from ZMF to my ears to have more intimate staging with good accuracy.  It is a fairly neutral-sounding amp with a touch of warmth and good impact. I found the RNHP to sound smooth with virtually a fatigue-free listening experience.  This is a solid-state amp that is a pleasure to listen to vs. many other solid-state amps that can give me listening fatigue.

 I formulated my impressions from listening to my Qobuz and Amazon MUSIC HD playlists, which I have included in the video description below, and listening to many other tracks and albums of music over the few weeks I had the amp in for review.

 So, to wrap up, let’s talk about comparisons to my reference amp, the Topping A90, then stick around, and I will give you my overall conclusions and who I believe will most appreciate the RNHP headphone amplifier.

 When A/B listened to the RNHP vs. the Topping A90, I found the RNHP to have a slightly warmer, more laid-back sound to my ears.  The A90 has a faster, more holographic presentation with wider staging.

 I found the RNHP to have slightly more impact than the A90 when listening to tracks with drums or bass hits.  The A90, to my ears, has better imaging and a blacker-sounding background compared to the RNHP. 

 However, the RNHP can sound less sharp at times for certain recordings, which some listeners might prefer for longer listening sessions.  Overall, the A90 is the more technical-sounding of the two amps, and the RNHP is the more natural sounding.  Both are great amps, with different takes on how to present sound.

 So, my overall conclusion to the question, who will most appreciate the RNHP headphone amplifier? In my opinion, this amp is for anyone wanting a headphone amplifier that can be used for both professional mixing, monitoring, and enjoyment listening in a durable portable form factor.

 The RNHP can be mounted with any Vesa 100 compatible mount, which will be much appreciated by musicians who want a professional, portable, durable headphone amplifier that allows them to monitor the sound they are creating via their instruments.

 I think the amp is a good choice for someone who wants to enjoy their music while also having the opportunity to own an audio product designed by the legendary Rupert Neve, RIP.

 I hope you enjoyed this review. Please don’t forget to subscribe to our email list and YouTube Channel for many more upcoming videos and written reviews and show your support by sharing this article with someone you think would appreciate it. 

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