Back in December 2022, Graeme Hague wrote about the Sennheiser 660HS headphones and described them as”the kind of headphones that, if you haven’t experienced it before, make you think, “So that’s what good headphones are all about.”
Yes we are related, but he is also a sound engineer and trust me; knows his stuff in this area.
One of the features of the HD660Hs ‘phones was their inclusion of Sennheiser’s AMBEO technoloy (he describes it in the article), and now Neumann have utilised the AMBEO tech inm its new RIME 1.5 headphones, the latest update to its Reference Immersive Monitoring Environment plug-in. Designed tailor-made for Neumann headphones, RIME enables music producers and audio engineers to monitor immersive formats like Dolby Atmos with reference-grade precision—now with even more powerful features.
So what are the new features?
- Deeper Bass – Extended low frequency response for all non-sub speakers.
- Improved Transient Accuracy – Sharper dynamics for better mix decisions.
- 3DOF Headtracking – Tracks vertical and horizontal head movements.
- More Format Options – Adds support for 5.1 and 7.1.2.
- Ambience Parameter Range Extended – More control over room feel and spatial depth.
- Peak-Aligned Output – Prevents levels above 0 dBFS for cleaner signal integrity.
- Loudness-Matched Bypass – Seamlessly compare binaural and downmixed signals.
- Quick Solo/Mute Buttons – Instantly isolate horizontal or height channels.
- Standalone Version for macOS – Use RIME independently of your DAW.
It’s important to understand this is a technology, not the headphones themselves. If you have a set of Neumann headphones, you’ll receive a code and new purchasers can add the tech to the purchase for am extra $99.95
System Requirements:
- Mac: macOS 10.15+, Intel & Apple Silicon native
- PC: Windows 10+
- Formats: VST3, AU, AAX
- Compatible DAWs: Pro Tools, Pyramix, Logic, Reaper, Cubase, Nuendo
Neumann headphones in Australia start at $748 and go up to $1150 or so.