Short answer
Both are desktop amplifiers, $699 against $799.
The Schiit Lyr 5 reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here, the Rupert Neve RNHP on 566.
| Specification | Rupert Neve RNHP | Schiit Lyr 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Power into 32Ω | 262 mW | 6.0 W |
| Power into 150Ω | 175 mW | 1.5 W |
| Power into 300Ω | 88 mW | 900 mW |
| Power into 600Ω | 44 mW | 450 mW |
| Output impedance | 0.08 Ω | 0.4 Ω |
| Output noise | 8.03 µV | 3.99 µV |
| Price | $699 | $799 |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 566 | 567 |
| Load | Rupert Neve RNHP | Schiit Lyr 5 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 Ω | Derived | Published |
| 150 Ω | Published | Derived |
| 300 Ω | Derived | Published |
| 600 Ω | Derived | Published |
Both makers publish a power rating. Rupert Neve RNHP publishes at 150 Ω; Schiit Lyr 5 at 32 Ω, at 300 Ω and at 600 Ω. The other rows are worked out from those.
So the two columns are not equally firm row by row: at 150 Ω only the Rupert Neve RNHP figure is the maker’s own and at 32 Ω, at 300 Ω and at 600 Ω only the Schiit Lyr 5 figure is the maker’s own. On those rows the derived number is the one to doubt first.
1 headphone reaches 100 dB on the Schiit Lyr 5 but not on the Rupert Neve RNHP — Symphonium Titan.
1 headphone is left alone by the Rupert Neve RNHP under the one-eighth rule but coloured by the Schiit Lyr 5 (Symphonium Titan).
113 headphones stay below the audible-hiss threshold on the Schiit Lyr 5 but cross it on the Rupert Neve RNHP (64 Audio Aspire 1, 64 Audio Nio, 64 Audio Ocean, 110 more).
566 of the 567 models here reach 100 dB on both.
Headroom is at a 100 dB SPL peak.
The widest gap on the list is the Shure SE846: Schiit Lyr 5 has +51 dB of headroom there against +35 dB. 16 dB is about 39 times the power, which matters for peaks rather than for how loud the music sits.
Hiss below about 20 dB SPL is inaudible in a quiet room.
| Headphone | Impedance | Needs | Rupert Neve RNHP headroom | Schiit Lyr 5 headroom | Rupert Neve RNHP hiss | Schiit Lyr 5 hiss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 0.04 mW | +35 dB | +51 dB | 33 dB | 26 dB |
| Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 | 9 Ω | 4.0 mW | +15 dB | +31 dB | 13 dB | 6 dB |
| Audeze LCD-2 Classic | 70 Ω | 0.79 mW | +25 dB | +36 dB | 11 dB | 5 dB |
| Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 0.63 mW | +22 dB | +32 dB | 6 dB | 0 dB |
| HiFiMAN HE400se | 25 Ω | 7.9 mW | +15 dB | +29 dB | 5 dB | -1 dB |
| Audio-Technica ATH-R70X | 470 Ω | 1.6 mW | +15 dB | +26 dB | -1 dB | -7 dB |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 300 Ω | 6.6 mW | +11 dB | +21 dB | -5 dB | -11 dB |
| HiFiMAN Susvara | 60 Ω | 50 mW | +7 dB | +18 dB | -7 dB | -13 dB |
The Schiit Lyr 5 costs $100 more than the Rupert Neve RNHP. Out of the 567 models here, that difference buys 1 more model driven to 100 dB and 113 more models kept below the audible-hiss threshold.
It does not run one way only: the cheaper Rupert Neve RNHP leaves one model alone under the one-eighth rule that the Schiit Lyr 5 does not, which is the part worth checking against your own headphones before paying the difference.
Only published figures count here; blank axes are counted separately.
Each in full: Rupert Neve RNHP and Schiit Lyr 5.