"Immersive audio is the new standard. Streaming services favor content that can be enjoyed in spatial audio formats such as Dolby Atmos or Sony 360 Reality. More and more DAWs now offer immersive audio capabilities, and engineers, producers, and musicians alike are eager to explore these new possibilities. Reliable monitoring is essential for this," explains Yasmine Riechers, CEO of Neumann. "With RIME, we're offering an integrated solution that meets these evolving needs, providing a more cost-effective and mobile alternative to loudspeaker-based monitoring solutions. Our NDH headphones have the same carefully balanced sound as our studio KH studio monitors, making it easy to switch between the two. With RIME, this unique benefit extends to immersive monitoring as well."
RIME is a software plug-in for all major DAWs on Mac and PC (VST3/AU/AAX) and is typically used on the output or monitoring bus. It converts multichannel formats to binaural audio, retaining surround and height channel information, thus enabling users to monitor and mix content in formats such as Dolby Atmos using headphones.
To create this coherent listening environment, Neumann captured a real purpose-built studio room using reference-quality Neumann equipment throughout. Immersive setups of Neumann KH Line loudspeakers and subwoofers were installed by acoustics experts and fine-tuned using the MA 1 automatic monitor alignment system. The three-dimensional soundfield was captured using Neumann's KU 100 binaural head microphone connected to the latest MT 48 audio interface featuring cutting-edge preamp and converter technology from Merging Technologies. This state-of-the-art setup ensures pristine sound quality throughout the entire signal chain.
"As RIME is made for Neumann headphones exclusively, this perfect signal chain extends all the way to the user," explains Product Manager Jorma Marquardt. "Our NDH 20 and NDH 30 headphones are manufactured to extremely tight tolerances. And of course, we know all their acoustic parameters. Using groundbreaking AMBEO algorithms, we are able to realize true immersion with unmatched sonic consistency and razor-sharp 3D localization."
Unlike competing solutions that confound the user with a multitude of options and different sounding virtual spaces, RIME is intended to be easy to use and reproduce one single reference room as a single source of truth. "RIME is not a simulation but captures an optimal control room in ultimate quality. RIME sounds real, because it is real!", Marquardt adds.
For added realism, RIME supports OSC compatible head tracker devices to create a listening experience that responds to the user's head movements. Moreover, RIME can also be used for stereo playback to enjoy a loudspeaker-like listening experience without the in-head localization typically associated with headphones. This feature enables users to check their mixes for loudspeaker compatibility using Neumann headphones, allowing them to mix with confidence that their tracks will translate perfectly to all playback systems.
The software plugin is available for EUR 99.00 / USD 99.95 in VST3, AU, and AAX formats - compatible with all major DAWs such as Pro Tools, Pyramix, Logic, Reaper, Cubase/Nuendo - and runs on macOS 10.15 and above, Intel and Apple Silicon native, or PCs with Windows 10 and above. There is a 14-day free trial available for those with Neumann headphones. The Neumann NDH 20 is a closed-back studio model, while the NDH 30 is the open-back studio version.
www.neumann.com
