What Headphones I Use And Why - Neumann NDH 20 - Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy

[@cramletram]

Rocking both the Shure SRH1540 and NDH20. Man after my own heart! Been researching the Neumanns since they released, and your recommendation is what made me finally pull the trigger on them. They are a good as I hoped. Thanks for making this video, Ken.

[@kentamplin]

Glad you like them!

[@ronaldfrohling3221]

@@kentamplinAustrian Audio Hi-X55 vs Neumann NDH20 - Black & White / Night & Day

[@ezrashanti]

​@@ronaldfrohling3221unclear. Which ones do you prefer?

[@danielhipwell3607]

This guy is legit, this video is one of the best I've seen on this headphone, probably the best by far really. I ordered my pair today. This video really helped me. Thank you, Ken!

[@Rrek]

I have a pair of NDH 20s. This video makes me just makes me want to listen to music

[@stevestan6525]

This is another gem, not sure how I did not see it earlier! Explaining the WHY? question is always key and Ken delivers again.

[@DA-lt9tg]

Same here. Thanks Ken.

[@acousticsoundproduction387]

Thanks for your informative review and insight! I use the NDH 20s for live mixing, and purchased them based on a lot of the criteria that you mentioned in your video. I decided to buy them because of their flatter frequency response. I've been mixing live sound for more than 40 years, and after blowing through a bunch of cheap Sony and Sennheiser Headphones, I decided I deserve a set of headphones that I can actually mix with. I'm hearing things in my mix now that I never heard before, especially with the vocals and bass. I mostly mix acoustic music, so I usually have to do some EQing to get the instruments sounding like they're supposed to, and the Neumann's allow me to dial in the EQ much faster! I also love the comfort and build of the ndh 20s, and I found a small carrying case on Amazon that they fit in perfectly. That would be my only complaint is they came with a box and no headphone case. I also bought a Neve headphone preamp that sounds really good with all the headphones I've tried.

[@blatzman1]

So I was about to get the Beyerdynamic DT 770 pro. Then I saw this video. And I'm totally going for it. Just bought Neumann NDH 20. Strictly for vocal recording. Thanks for the video, and your total enthusiasm. Can't wait for them to show up!

[@kentamplin]

Good choice!

[@moscoenterprise8586]

How do you like them?

[@kierenmoore3236]

NDH 20 are a bit better than DT 770, but are also more than 3x the price … !!! 🤔

[@BikerMiceOne]

got these purely based off this review, They are amazing. worth every penny

[@kentamplin]

So glad they're working out for you. I'm really impressed with Neumann products.

[@Johnherlihy1]

Bought this at your suggestion Ken Tamplin - thanks so much and God bless you!

[@Z3NSEI]

Thank you for this in depth review. Just completed my purchase.

[@kentamplin]

Have fun!

[@omkardandekar]

OMG, Ken the knowledge you share is soo soo freakngly pracious! I have to always hear you more than thrice at least (not once ever for any video) so I can gather all the information and develop the understanding around the subject. Hats off and tons of Thanks and gratitude. God bless you!

[@kentamplin]

You are very welcome!

[@Icanbyorsuprman1]

I prefer a flat response and closed back. I'll have to give these a shot. I currently use Audio Technica ATHM50X.

[@kentamplin]

😀👍

[@tuneunleashed]

ATHM50x aren't even flat I will definitely give these a shot

[@kierenmoore3236]

50s have ‘bass boost’!

[@jameschandler_]

Ordered a pair today. Super excited to mix some of my own music :)

[@robertvondarth1730]

Check out the NDH -30s

[@rickomuzik]

Yea I had the 30’s first then bought the 20’s they are so not even comparable. The 30’s are so so flat

[@kevgh3869]

Wow! what a great review!

[@fireflare7344]

The quality of the microphone is excellent

[@kentamplin]

👍

[@deepakarora2402]

Sweet Compression going on ❤️

[@ALMAR-Music-Ltd.]

If this is your career and you’re making a very good living at it, your choice of the best headphones is in order. There are lots of people that do this for a hobby and would consider lower priced cans which I’m sure you would understand. As a retiree all I depends upon on my headphones to pick out the instruments being recorded, getting good separation in making great choices for the mix.

[@VlPULTRA]

Ok dude your commercial was to good and legit 😄I bought these nice high quality headphones! I hope my mixes will now sound incredible and I don´t need my Studio speakers anymore for the last touch 😜greetings.

[@kentamplin]

Great to hear, VIP CABE!

[@Ratter2E]

it took me months to find that I liked the old AKG 240's and I've had them since then, well over a decade, (maybe 2 decades)

[@kentamplin]

Cool! Rock on!

[@ChristineBroughton]

Thanks for the video Happy Monday

[@kentamplin]

Thank for watching, Christine!

[@samembog7330]

nice to see your video again...a new learning in music....thanks sir ken for being unselfish and sharing your knowledge to us.....salute!!!!!🙌 always an awesome guy!!!!👌👍

[@kentamplin]

My pleasure!

[@riceman78]

Thanks Ken - awesome review and very interesting to hear a musicians take on these. I have and love these headphones. I use them in an audiophile capacity. I've had Beyerdynamic, Seinheiser in the past and I much prefer the NDH20 now. My 2c is that I find the NDH20 are insanely good as monitors, i.e the detail is "all there". i.e. it is a super clear sound. But it doesn't "shout out at you" i.e its not bright or fatiguing. Its very neutral. The bass in particular is super accurate, textured and controlled. As with all high end headphones, need to be paired with a really good headphone amp to get the best out them (I use with older Headroom desktop amp) The noise isolation is the best i've ever had with any headphone i.e. when you have them on you hear almost nothing. and nobody else around you hears your headphones either. great for noisy environments and the excellent isolation really helps "bring out the sound". The only drawback i would say is that the staging is not the best. But I think that is just a side effect of closed back headphones. The staging isnt bad or terrible but if you are after a really wide sound stage your better off with some high quality open backed headphones like Seinheiser. Overall though awesome headphones and my favourite by far. Its a shame they don't get more coverage eviews as they really are a pretty special product.

[@kentamplin]

Thanks for the thoughts! Appreciate them. Rock on!

[@mrmooch2163]

I love when I find out ken is just as geeky as me (if not more) with his gear. Hes touching on psycho acoustics and all kinda of stuff. I believe those headphones are amazing after this video and he didny bog it down with the boring jargon.

[@agu383]

AMAZING KEN Could you make another video with more exercises to strengthen your head voice?

[@kentamplin]

I'll see what I can do...

[@agu383]

@@kentamplin THANK YOU KEN :)

[@abetteryou2025]

great video from a reliable source. Headphones seem very affordable too. Thanks ken

[@kentamplin]

You bet!

[@neverenoughcowbell809]

Ken does it all. He sings, educates, creates and performs. Ken would even have that missing piece you need for the furniture you bought from Ikea

[@kentamplin]

Never Enough Cowbell 😁

[@AntarcticGuitarEnthusiast]

Tried the Slate HP's "the veil between you and your music", returned in less than 2 weeks, thank you SW! What was I thinking, well that I could get all my $ back or I wouldn't have even considered his hype. Where's my FGX 2 from the beginning of Slate? But I digress...I have spent a few nights with some affordable Focals that the cushions are just too small for my ears and I noticed these Neumann NDH 20 in the beginning. Out of utter frustration and following my intuition I was led to you, someone I trust to tell the truth. Sold! 2/3rds the way thru your excellent intelligent video. TYVM! I accidentally ordered these on Amazon and guess what? They were $50 less than SW and faster delivery for 5-bucks more 2nd day. So thank you so much for your passion and credibility. Kind Regards, 👍 🙏 Maximum Respect, and Peace ~ Loo 👊 😎

[@kentamplin]

Awesome! Rock on!

[@thehypnoticadvantage7103]

great video with lots of great info! thanks

[@pianonotes1010]

I'm currently using openback Beyerdynamics 1990-Pros that I run through an amp. I mainly use them for critical listening. They're a bit bright and fatiguing starting at the 8khz range, but man; their sensitivity is incredible, and once you've burned them in with listening and properly EQing (toning down the highs), they're Heaven. I've really come to appreciate just how some of my favorite tracks were mixed since I've used them. Little things like hearing Kenny Loggins take breaths on "Danny's Song" or hearing Lindsey Buckingham play a quick eighth note sequence as a lead-in to "Gypsy" are just a couple things I've discovered while owning these.

[@kentamplin]

Excellent!

[@RebootADude]

FINALLY! I'm so tired of gamers revewing headphones. If they can't explain Nyquist theorem I tune them out (pun only partially intended). Great review. #subscribed

[@greenspeed3619]

Great post, thank you. My background is in car / home audio. Love your technical details. Buying a pair of JBL L100 classics soon.

[@kentamplin]

Sounds great!

[@louisb5563]

Vice grip...YES!!!! I didn't think of the environment, how embarrassing...I'm a bass player and I hate when the music sounds heavy on bass/low register-I always want full spectrum. I appreciate your comments, will HAVE to check out the NDH20! RawkOhn Bruhhdah!!!

[@kentamplin]

Rock on, Louis!

[@TheCultureVultures.]

I'm loving these gear videos, thank you. Most of my gear right now is Roland, but I wouldn't be surprised if I end up with lots of Neumann.

[@kentamplin]

Glad you like them, Mental Arts!

[@BrunoNeureiter]

Ken, I'm doing your vocal training at the moment. What do you think of the vocal fry exercise? Do you advise singing into a straw?

[@kentamplin]

The best place to ask singing related questions is on the forum. Please join the discussion, enrollment is free. forum.kentamplinvocalacademy.com/

[@BrunoNeureiter]

@@kentamplin thanks!

[@eternal7559]

Ken, i know this is an old video but whats your opinion on the ndh20 being used for just listening to music through a phone,.ipod or computer? Or should they just be used for mixing purposes? I just want to listen to music haha cheers.

[@onetakeadventureswithjoeld4679]

"Check one,one,one" great info my brother...

[@kentamplin]

Sibilance. Sibilance.

[@ramirocastrocabanillas2196]

Good morning Ken have a nice week

[@kentamplin]

You too!

[@PatrickKCompton]

For recording, I've only used a Sennheiser HD280 pro 64ohm. They're not actually flat. They have a bit more bass to them, but are comfortable. The studio I go to I think has Audio Technica gear. Not sure the model. I'd love to try these Neumanns. Take care Ken. :)

[@kentamplin]

Thanks, you too, Patrick!

[@skyshade9106]

oh man the neuman blows audio technicas out of the water for abouslutety everyrtthng from soundstage to clarity to frequency response to build quality to comfort

[@robsonbatista2595]

Rob 🇧🇷 Ken 😎🎤👏👏👏 "you are The man"

[@kentamplin]

No, you are!

[@yeko68]

Very informative Ken!

[@kentamplin]

Glad you think so!

[@trushreitsam5802]

You get your point across, but I thought the doppler effect was something else than pressure... Well this is just a nitpick, but it caught me off guard.

[@teashea1]

Nice production values ---- excellent voice - very fine attitude - well done -------

[@keithmathson8190]

Could you please do a video on the lower range

[@kentamplin]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHeoo6yNr6dnf8k kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2GsmZ2lh7iCfbs

[@keithmathson8190]

@@kentamplin thank you!!!

[@tylerhackner9731]

Great tips Ken

[@kentamplin]

Hope they help!

[@mihalissafras3159]

Gracias amigo

[@100chuckjones]

May I ask, did you buy these headphones or were they supplied to you by Neumann ? Because this seemed like you were doing an add for Neumann (Sitting next to a brand new box). And there is nothing wrong with that, it's just nice to know upfront. I really enjoy my Neumann headphones but after an hour or two I begin to feel ear fatigue. something that happens with a lot of closed back headphones. I may have missed it but I actually didn't hear you mentioned one con. Only the pros.

[@VIDEOHEREBOB]

Ken, Do you like Grado headphones?

[@kentamplin]

Yeah the PS2000e headphones are amazing!

[@Roses1401]

I use since over 10 Years Beyerdynamic DTX700 and i have buy those headphone 3 times over the years (it is my absolute fav headpone). It is simple great sound for exercising of songs as well by mixing and recording because of very natural sound. And i believe that your headphone Neumann NDH 20 is awesome too. I learned from you so much great things over the years. If you say it is great headphone then i am sure it is. Thank you very much Mr. Ken Tamplin!!!

[@kentamplin]

Great to hear! Thanks, Roses!

[@cadeevans4623]

I have a pair of headphones but i use them to listen to if I'm listening to music sometimes in a CD player or sometimes watching tv on my tablet or Netflix or KZbin or just listening to some of my favorite rock bands or other music I like but the headphones sound good that I got but their probably not as great as the one you use Ken

[@kentamplin]

Thanks, Cade.

[@cadeevans4623]

Your welcome ken

[@nickemfive8866]

I am upgrading my crappy cheap no-name headphones after watching and listening to this clip. New beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro 32 are now on their way from Germany. I hope the sound experience will be a lot better!

[@kentamplin]

Awesome! Let me know how you like them.

[@nickemfive8866]

​@@kentamplin Not sure if you will see this sir, but I can weigh in and say that the Beyerdynamic DT-770 rock! Solid German quality. They appear to be very well built. Nice low end, but not too heavy. You can hear the vocals in detail, the closeness to the mic and every little thing that is going on. They high end is more clear. Not a screamy diffuse high-end which my old ones had. On your recommendation I got closed-back and that suits me well. The ear pieces are also good. I did 2 hours today and no heat problems. Next step would be to replace the crap microphone. Thank you again for making the video! Great information as always.

[@benjimartinnc]

Thanks for sharing. Maybe I'll look into this brand of headphones. I've been using cheap headphones for years, and I currently use the Sony MDR-ZK110 that I've bought at Walgreens not too long ago. They work great though.

[@kentamplin]

Nothing wrong with that! Rock on!

[@Icanbyorsuprman1]

Would you mind giving us a review on what you use for audio recording chain? Not sure if you did that before or not. I know the microphone you've reviewed but would love to know what you use on DAW and hardware etc. Rock on

[@kentamplin]

Radar with Nyquist converters

[@Justin-el6ph]

Can I master my songs with these or do I need to get monitors?

[@kentamplin]

This is a great conversation for the forum, please consider posting there, you'll get great feedback! forum.kentamplinvocalacademy.com/

[@cadeevans4623]

Cool Ken thanks for recommending these headphones man and the tips they seem like awesome headphones I'll take your advice Ken you know what your talking about 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@kentamplin]

Any time!

[@cadeevans4623]

Thanks again

[@MatthewPolack]

Thanks Ken...I do a bit of home recording..but am mainly interested in enjoying the sound as I play various midi pianos and other virtual instruments. I actually have a pair of the classic Sony MDR-7506..but for whatever reason found them not very pleasant to listen to compared to my old Sennheiser 595's that I have had for decades. I understand for you recording professionals accuracy is very important...do you think the Neumanns would still provide an overall nice listening experience for just enjoying playing virtual instruments?

[@kentamplin]

Yes I do, Matthew. I like the product.

[@archie6440]

Good headphones 🎧 for singing

[@kentamplin]

👍👍👍

[@branimirgalic7208]

The 90% of headphones I tryed had way too much treble..& seems like I'm the only one in world saying that 'ath m50x' sound terrible because of that treble. I don't know why people buying it. But I never tryed this. So are these different? What do you think of this?

[@branimirgalic7208]

@kentamplin What do you think of that? Does headphones like ath M50x have too much treble to you?

[@PaulPoGoaIndia]

Thank you ❤️🙏

[@kentamplin]

You are so welcome!

[@yaboitint.9944]

Okay, you sold me

[@kentamplin]

Rock on!

[@robertmedina3982]

Turn my headphone up, is going double uranium!

[@rikgreen520]

What vocal mic do you use Ken..?? Thanks Rik

[@kentamplin]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXysZYZ8n51pjdU

[@rikgreen520]

Thanks alot Ken, I'll definitely be looking into these....I've been using a Rode NT1-A for the last couple of years.

[@marcotronic]

Thanks to your video I finally got the Neumann NDH 20 headphones for my voice overs and I couldn't be happier! Absolutely awesome sounding little thingies! :) My wallet wasn't amused, though... 😂

[@kentamplin]

Great to hear that! I wanted you to know that KZbin no longer sends email notifications about new releases. If you would like to know when a new video is going to drop you can sign up to receive updates at: kentamplinvocalacademy.com/get-notified/ Rock on!

[@marcotronic]

@@kentamplin Thanks, Ken. I have a youtube window open more or less 24/7 and immediately see when one of your videos is online ;)

[@kentamplin]

@@marcotronic Appreciate that!

[@iphoneten5156]

please talk about your vox tracking signal chain!!!!

[@kentamplin]

Thanks for the suggestion!

[@ppsayl1235]

Great question. Very interested in your thoughts in this matter. I do production and currently was looking at 3 or 4 different brands (closed and open).

[@kentamplin]

Hope it was helpful!

[@DavidKrautscheid]

you should buy the focal utopias! great headphones

[@kentamplin]

Rock on, David!

[@DavidKrautscheid]

@@kentamplin you too man.

[@eduardoe.6978]

Wow! Thank you professor. I learned a lot!!

[@kentamplin]

Glad to hear that, Eduardo!

[@texasrwayne31]

I am a singer looking for IEMs that have a flat response for live performances. What would you recommend?

[@kentamplin]

Russ- That's a great question for my free singing forum. It is a great community of singers, currently doing the KTVA method, chatting about all things related to voice. You can join the discussion by enrolling, it's free. Check it out!: forum.kentamplinvocalacademy.com/

[@Lilja2022]

Ken! I have a question! I looked on Google what headphones would be the best and I found out that the Sennheiser HD 559 are the best and have bass but what i notified when I wore them a long time they start hurting over my ears and overall I find that they do not have any bass at all and also the same with the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II I thought that they had bass but they have litlle to none bass but I have to say they are way more comfortable then the Sennheisers. I don't remember if it were the Sennheiser HD 595 or 569 or 559 they were expensive. Please answer me. I am not a singer but I listen to music all the time and I like to have a pair of headphones that is a good Allrounder with some bass in it but not too much bass.

[@kentamplin]

This is a great conversation for the forum, please consider posting there, you'll get great feedback! forum.kentamplinvocalacademy.com/

[@mattyc.9332]

That's really interesting. I like a good balance. I agree with the ones that press against your ears too much and the fatigue. I have a big head and big ears, so there's nothing worse that pinching. I can really understand now why it takes a while sometimes to record music and get everything "just right" before it becomes a finished product. One question: when you sing, are usually both cups on your head or do you you have one off? Or does it all depend on the situation at hand?

[@kentamplin]

Thanks for watching, Matty!

[@Mike_Spor]

Can you imagine if Ken did guitar pedal effect reviews? Most companies would probably go out of business. The real truth by Ken Tamplin.

[@kentamplin]

Rock on!

[@Lintary]

I am just a listener and a PC gamer, for me I went with the Sennheiser HD650. They fit my needs perfectly as I enjoy their sound (unlike the HD600 or HD660 and others I tried), being open they are cooler to which for me is really key. Finally they allow noise through from the outside which I find very calming, if I cannot hear anything around me it makes me jumpy. Also I guess they look cheap which was useful when my apartment was broken into, they stole the 120 euro audio interface to which they where plugged into, but they left the headphones :D

[@kentamplin]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Carde!

[@ruka_bm]

Hello Ken ♥️ Do you know about Dimashs new song Qairan Elim? He gets 1 million views in one week. We Dears would be glad if you react to it. I promise you a Dimash you have never seen before. He directed his Mv too. No CGI... all shoots are real and from Kazakhstan. Only 2 elements are CGI. Thank you very much. Greetings from Germany 🇩🇪 and Italy 🇮🇹

[@kentamplin]

Thanks for the reminder, Xaver!

[@FlyMeToBas]

Hello Ken ! What microphone Do you use for vocals? 😁

[@kentamplin]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXysZYZ8n51pjdU

[@kentamplin]

Neumann M 149! 😎

[@Zarabozo]

They are comfortable for small ears only. Otherwise, people/reviewers keep saying they start feeling some pain after about one hour.

[@kentamplin]

Sorry you had a bad experience.

[@Zarabozo]

@@kentamplin No, I haven't had a bad experience. I'm just noticing reviewers keep saying that.

[@paulaoki5474]

Here is a throwback to you...just watched....Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man?

[@kentamplin]

Rourke/Johnson

[@Opeth1483]

how it comparable with shure's 1540?

[@kentamplin]

Really great conversation for the forum. Please post there, beneath "General Singing". Other singers will benefit from the reply and you will receive great feedback from either myself or one of my commentators. It's free! forum.kentamplinvocalacademy.com/

[@mycroftholmes7003]

I was using Blue Headphones. I'm switching. total vice grip. They sound well but to get the best sound out of them you have to power them up with a usb plug into a wall. otherwise they sound ok....but meh. These are pro headphones. Even response and clarity/separation of sounds in said mix is what one needs. They are currently on backorder at musicians friend.

[@kentamplin]

Thanks for listening! Rock on! 🎸

[@gautamm_parihar]

👍👏

[@kentamplin]

Thanks for listening! 😀

[@melissadias6493]

I am regularly practicing vocal excersises but i want someone to give me a feedback

[@kentamplin]

The KTVA forum is a great community of singers, currently doing the KTVA method, chatting about all things related to voice. You can join the discussion by enrolling, it's free. You are welcome to post your demo, there, and receive feedback from one of my commentators. Check it out!: forum.kentamplinvocalacademy.com/

[@chickenlickin3820]

i have a pair and they are nice, but the cables are absolute trash, they never straighten out. its ok if you like a big long mess of curly cables : ( come on Neumann what the hell were you thinking!

[@dspoet1]

I had these for about a month. Couldn’t rock with them.

[@Sasha_May]

The NDH 20 is a torture to wear in the first place. Secondly, there are waterfall graphs apart from just frequency response and they show not only the amplitude of the frequencies but also how long they "ring" in the headphones after the actual sound is already vanished in the music. These NDH 20 is horrible in that respect because the ringing in the low frequencies is enormous. This is the cause for masking. You absolutely can't judge the lows because of their muddiness (bassists might love that fat actually, but it's not true reproduction of the sound anyway). Thirdly, the weird upper mid area is appalling in the NDH 20 regardless of loudness which means there is no linearity or flatness for proper monitoring. The sound in these headphones is unnatural. Considering how expensive they are, this is inexcusable. I used to have these NDH 20 because of the hype and sold them in a month, that's how I hated them. I haven't even mentioned their worst stock cable. The only advantage is that they are the most sealed headphones in the world, true that. BTW, I love Neumann mics, I'm a sound engineer, not the worst hearing, mind you. However, my point of view might be different from that of a musician or singer.

[@kentamplin]

Thanks for the thoughts!

[@louselfridge517]

So what headphones you recommend?

[@andrewmalcolm79]

Thank you!