RIME ushers in a new era of personal monitoring, where virtual space and real experience merge seamlessly. When paired with either the NDH 20 or NDH 30, Neumann’s room simulation technology doesn’t just reproduce sound it delivers the sensation of sitting inside the Neumann Berlin control room, no matter where you are. Two configurations, two distinct approaches, one shared goal: accurate, studio-grade monitoring in your hands.
RIME - The Neumann Control Room in Your Headphones
RIME (Reference Immersive Monitoring Environment) is Neumann’s proprietary technology that accurately models the acoustic characteristics of a real control room.
Through advanced binaural processing and head-tracking algorithms, RIME creates a vivid three-dimensional listening experience, allowing users to perceive spatial depth, direction, and width as naturally as when listening through Neumann KH monitors.
With RIME, you don’t just hear a mix you feel its space. It’s a leap beyond the limitations of traditional headphones, bringing the “studio reference standard” beyond the confines of four walls.
NDH 20 and NDH 30 - Two Approaches, One Neumann Philosophy
Though both embody Neumann’s commitment to absolute sonic truth, the NDH 20 and NDH 30 represent two different approaches to professional monitoring.
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NDH 20, with its closed-back design, provides excellent isolation from external noise, delivering a balanced, stable response with precise midrange clarity crucial for engineers who rely on accuracy in this critical band.
It’s the ideal choice for recording, content production, and mobile monitoring, where the working environment constantly changes.
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NDH 30, by contrast, is an open-back design aimed at maximum naturalness and spatial openness. Each instrument, each layer of sound, and every depth cue in the mix is rendered with clarity, giving the sense of listening through studio monitors.
This makes it the perfect tool for mixing, mastering, and post-production, where the highest precision and soundstage accuracy are essential.
RIME + NDH 20 - Mobile Monitoring with Studio Precision
When RIME is paired with the NDH 20, the limitations of closed-back headphones are virtually eliminated.
RIME’s spatial modeling expands the soundstage, adds natural depth, and provides accurate localization within a 3D environment something once only achievable with real studio monitors.
This configuration is ideal for mobile producers, recording engineers, content creators, and podcasters who need to bring Neumann studio quality wherever they go.
Work confidently from a café, hotel, or on location your mix will sound just as precise as it would in the Neumann Berlin control room.
RIME + NDH 30 - Expansive, Natural Monitoring Experience
With the NDH 30, RIME unleashes its full potential.
The open, deep, and precise soundstage allows you to “see” the mix every detail, from reverb tails to instrument separation and bass integration, is faithfully represented with unmistakable Neumann accuracy.
This configuration is the ultimate choice for mixing and mastering, providing a sense of space and realism that mirrors a full Neumann KH-series monitoring setup only far more compact and portable.
Comparative Overview
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Criteria
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RIME + NDH 20
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RIME + NDH 30
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Headphone design
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Closed-back
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Open-back
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Working environment
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Mobile, noisy environments
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Studio, quiet spaces
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Soundstage
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Controlled, well-balanced
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Wide, natural, deep
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Detail level
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High
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Very high
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Best for
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Recording, content production, mobile monitoring
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Mixing, mastering, film post-production, broadcast
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Which Configuration Should You Choose?
If you often work on the move, in changing environments, RIME + NDH 20 offers the perfect blend of portability, reliability, and studio-grade accuracy.
If your work demands absolute precision and authentic spatial reproduction, RIME + NDH 30 is the superior choice delivering a monitoring experience indistinguishable from the Neumann Berlin control room.
Whichever you choose, RIME remains the core technology that bridges the gap between virtual acoustics and real-world experience.
Conclusion
Neumann isn’t just designing headphones or interfaces they’re redefining the future of personal monitoring.
Whether with the NDH 20 or NDH 30, RIME embodies the same philosophy: truth, precision, and inspiration.
The difference lies only in how and where you want to bring the Neumann studio with you.