Audio-gd NFB-10 - Page 168

Underwhelmed in what way?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClintonL 

Hey guys, i have the nfb10se. Bit underwhelmed by it and my he400s. Wondering if i should use via usb or optical. Also what settings should i use? What filter/hi or low gain and what volume should i set it on the amp and then control it in windows at.

Cheers

My laptop leaves me only with the usb option.

The filters do not change the sound enough for me to bother. I have settled on leaving it at "2X oversampling , Linear phase 'brickwall' filter" just for the convenience of handling all bit rates.

I use it on high gain, having no particularly sensitive phones. But I am aware I prefer to hear louder than most in my acquaintance. Depending on your phones, whether you use it SE or balanced and your usual loudness level you can experiment a little to find a combination of gain/volume suitable to you.

All volume settings at Windows should be at max, volume control is preferable through the amp only.

In combination with HE500, it was too bright for me balanced and I used it SE. No real clue about your HE400.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClintonL 

hey mate what do you mean run it in balanced and SE? i'm using it out of the headphone port not the balanced port if thats what you mean? sorry not really familiar with the settings on the amp.

The unit is balanced (type of design aiming to reduce distortion) and has 2 headphone outputs:

1. A balanced one, usable if your headphone cable is terminated to 4 pin xlr (I understand that you have not tried it)

2. A usual single end (SE) one (6,3 mm)

The balanced output provides a clearer and much louder (for the same volume setting) sound

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClintonL 

yeah using it with the SE port as my headphones don't have a 4pin xlr cable.

You've spent enough for the unit so if you like it I'd get your cans a balanced cable. If it's anything like the LD MKVII+ there's a dramatic difference in SQ vs the SE output. Maybe it's a different design though because (much to my amazement) i019791 just posted he didn't like the sound of the balanced output.

Why anyone would pay a premium for a balanced amp and only use the SE output is beyond me, but to each their own.

After reading a good part of this thread I'm happy I lost the upgrade bug. I've been using a Matrix Mini-i and the LD MK-VII+ for ages and have never heard static or clicks regardless of the source/input/resolution used. I just can't afford the cost of (questionable) diminishing returns on new, higher priced gear. I have heard set-ups costing much more than mine that I didn't think sounded much better (if any).

Maybe someday I'll hear something that will convince me to spend more. For now I'm just enjoying the music while I look for a good USB/SP-DIF converter to cover the 88.2/176.4 native resolutions missing from Windows.

To be honest, I bought a like new Silver Poison 4-pin cable from the FS forum recently which significantly improved the SQ from my HD650s. I guess I haven't completely lost the upgrade bug 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellenback 

Maybe it's a different design though because (much to my amazement) i019791 just posted he didn't like the sound of the balanced output.

 

I did not like the Audio-gd NFB-10SE with the HE500 balanced, because I was annoyed by glare & sibilance. SE the sound was less detailed but the treble was ok for me.

With the Audio-gd NFB-10SE the Sennheiser HD650 was much better balanced than SE for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by i019791 

I did not like the Audio-gd NFB-10SE with the HE500 balanced, because I was annoyed by glare & sibilance. SE the sound was less detailed but the treble was ok for me.

With the Audio-gd NFB-10SE the Sennheiser HD650 was much better balanced than SE for me.

I concur. My HD 650s really sound fantastic balanced on the NFB-10 and is a definite improvement over SE. Unfortunately, I've not tried another set of balance headphones with it. I'm currently using with USB-32.

It might be my imagination, but some of the sibilance may have been tamed after upgrading the USB to USB-32. I am mostly speaking about the RCA line-out for listening with speakers as it's pretty hard to make the HD 650s sound too sibilant. Before USB-32, I definitely found some treble a bit much with my speaker setup. Now, this seems to have improved at least somewhat, but I have not done any A/B testing recently (which I would do using the Digital Interface Version 1 through COAX on the NFB-10 versus the USB-32 on the NFB-10).  

anyone know a decent cheap balanced cable for hd650?

Cheers

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClintonL 

anyone know a decent cheap balanced cable for hd650?

 

Cheers

You can easily take the stock cable and reterminate it into a balanced cable. Voila! 

Bought a used one of these today for use with my HE500's

Can't wait to try it out :D

I've been using the following setup: Music Bee >WASAPI > optical out > HP-A3 Will using the same chain provide best results over USB? I have been given the USB-32 chip to solder in, but if optical will provide as good/better results I may not bother opening the unit up straight away.

USB-32 is almost certainly going to give better results than most PC optical out interfaces. However, depending on your setup and preferences, the difference may be negligible for you.

Personally, I'm saving up for a this exact setup with an HE-6.  The He-500 just can't hold a candle, the difference in treble makes all difference for me.  YMMV.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cynan 

USB-32 is almost certainly going to give better results than most PC optical out interfaces. However, depending on your setup and preferences, the difference may be negligible for you.

Thanks - I might have to install the USB32 module then.

Does anybody know where I can find the documentation outlining the install? I had a look on the Audio-GD Website but could not locate it. I've also sent Kingwa an email - but I'm excited to get new stuff and I want to check it out as soon as I can 

::EDIT::

Found it: http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/TE8802/TE8802kitEN.htm

Didn't realise there was more to the page when I was browsing on my phone...