Headphones impedance: neutral sound?

[forumuser776306]

I'm considering buying the Neumann NDH30 headphones, they have an impedance of 120 ohm. My audio interface (RME Multiface II) has a dedicated headphones output with an impedance of 30 Ohm.

I'm reading all these "rules of thumb" about impedance matching but can't figure out if the combo of my interface and these headphones would compromise the neutrality of the sound coming out of the Headphones. I usually monitor at low volumes.

Can somebody help me?

[Hugh Robjohns]

The Neumanns will work perfectly with the RME. Enjoy.

[James Perrett]

I don't think that there are any headphones that can't be driven by an RME headphone amp. Certainly the one on my interface has worked with anything I've plugged in to it.

The only time you need to be careful is when using phones or other portable devices with high impedance headphones. Some may not go very loud but you won't damage anything.

There are also more obscure combinations that won't work but if we are talking about modern commercial gear you won't encounter those.

[tea for two]

Just a few months earlier I had a 470 ohms, 99dB sensitivity ATH R70X for which I got a DAC Apogee Groove because the combination lower sensitivity and higher impedance meant it was quiet on my Audient iD4 interface.

Neumann NDH30 are a relative walk in the park in comparison with their higher sensitivity 103dB, lower impedance 120 ohms. Even plugging it into a laptop phone headphone out would probably be loud enough for me.