Lehmann Rhinelander review

Best headphone amplifier £300-£500, Awards 2010. Lehmann's Rhinelander is one of the most sure-footed headphone amplifiers we've heard Tested at £400

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Best headphone amplifier £300-£500, Awards 2010. Its user-friendly sound makes this a very wise buy

Pros

  • +

    Very cohesive sound

  • +

    exciting listen

  • +

    great detailing

  • +

    well balanced in tone

Cons

  • -

    Nothing of note

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

With its austere looks and weighty feel, Lehmann's Teutonic-sounding Rhinelander is an imposing piece ?of kit that has a pleasantly dependable air about it.

?As well as accepting two inputs, it features a nice volume control and a front-mounted metal selector. The Lehmann is conveniently easy to use, despite a lack of markings on the rear.

During its running-in period, our test sample mellowed nicely from an initially bright sound, gaining a neutral, tonally balanced audio.

Bass is sure-footed and punchy, treble is crisp and confident, while the midrange is sweet, giving much depth and emotion to vocals.

Good sense of timing
Detailing from the Rhinelander is good, with production subtleties coming to the fore, and background instrumentation, such as percussion, standing out nicely.

We also like its sense of timing, with music sounding cohesive and packed with life and punch.

At £400 this Lehmann is an expensive amplifier, but it offers a lively sound that leaps out of your headphones without becoming wearing or brash over prolonged listening.

Its accomplished sense of neutrality is a great advantage and you really want to keep listening to the performance it gives. Give one ?of these an audition and you won't be disappointed.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.


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