Audio-GD NFB-11.32 (Delivery & Impression Thread)!!! - Page 9

I am happy to read your report, Dannybuoy, thank you. After 2 weeks with mine, I am floored by the SQ of the DAC and the ability of the amp to drive my HD-800 quite impressively. Running it 24/7 and will report further later. It's a no-brainer for the price! Really.

New to the thread!

Thinking of getting either the NFB 15.1 or this, the NFB 11.32. I need some advice.

So, uh, I don't even know what bit-rate is or what it even means for music. All I know is once I stepped into quality headphones, I re-ripped my entire CD collection to iTunes in lossless format. So Idk if this "32 bit rate" improvement of the NFB 11.32 will matter to me?

I listen to music solely on my desktop computer via USB connection. I'd love a DAC/Amp combo that can sufficiently drive most headphones out there, so that I can focus more on searching for headphones than on amp/source. I'm looking to get into orthodynamics (HE-400 / HE-500), and the NFB 15.1 seems like the DAC/Amp for me to step into the power-hungry orthos. I say "the DAC/Amp" because I'm on a budget, and I can't really find another amp with that kind of power at that price. Ideally I'd like to stay under $300, but if the NFB 11.32 is an improvement sound-wise just in general (meaning, regardless of bit-rate), then I might consider going for it and then just not worrying about DAC/Amp for some time.

For reference's sake, I'm currently using the NuForce Icon HD, which lacks the authority amp-wise to take me into the world of orthos. Thus my interest in Audio-GD!

Thanks for the help!

Well, I haven't tried the 15.1. But I did try both the original NFB-11 and NFB-12 to test out the ESS9018 v. WM8741 DAC chips. I found the ESS9018 to be slightly better sounding. Just enough to notice. A little sharper and more detailed.

The change from the NFB-11 to the NFB-11.32 was a bigger difference. And yes, the 11.32 amp (same as 15.1) works great with the HE-400s.

I would guess that you would be very happy with the 15.1, and a little bit more very happy with the 11.32.

I'm not one of those who hears in the more/less musical stuff, sorry. For me, the background is more/less quiet, the instruments can/can't be more individually heard, the voices sound more/less real. Whether that makes something sound more or less musical, I don't know. I choose the headphones/speakers to provide the beauty of the sound (which I guess would be the musical aspect), and I want the amp/dac to provide the truest sound to the headphones.

Not that I am downplaying anyone who has the more/less musical opinion. I am sure some think that way, and their opinion is just as good as mine (probably better). I'm just not wired that way.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky14 

Well, I haven't tried the 15.1. But I did try both the original NFB-11 and NFB-12 to test out the ESS9018 v. WM8741 DAC chips. I found the ESS9018 to be slightly better sounding. Just enough to notice. A little sharper and more detailed.

 

The change from the NFB-11 to the NFB-11.32 was a bigger difference. And yes, the 11.32 amp (same as 15.1) works great with the HE-400s.

 

I would guess that you would be very happy with the 15.1, and a little bit more very happy with the 11.32.

Can you give details on the differences between the 11 and the 11.32? 

See post #17 in this thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky14 

See post #17 in this thread.

No idea how I passed over that... Just wondering, is that only through the USB implementation? Or across the board with Coax and TOSLINK as well? I keep on getting more interested in the NFB-11.32, but my 11 is serving me well as of right now. 

I didn't even test the opt/coax inputs, as there was no design changes to those paths - it was only an improvement to the USB implementation. So, I use my 11.32 for my PC based system at work, and the 11 serves at home where I need the coax and optical.

I just received my 11.32 and I am confused as to what is the difference between HP, variable and fixed output? 

Is it normal for me to have the volume at 2 o'clock in order to hear the details with my HD 650's?

Thanks in advance!

If I understand it correctly....HP means the signal comes out the headphone jack.

Fixed means the signal goes through the DAC, and a fixed volume signal goes straight to the RCA out for an external amp.

Variable means the signal goes through the DAC, and then through the NFB-11.32 processing and volume control, then to the RCA out for an external amp....and the volume on the NFB-11.32 still works.

Volume at 2:00? If the gain is on L, then that is about right where my normal listening volume was on DT990/600s. If the gain is on H, then it is about at Noon.

Hey guys I got my 650s about 2 years ago and until last night didn't realize what a gem I had and how badly I've been under-utilizing them.  I do listen to flac on foobar but nothing past that.  I know my soundcard is garbage and I have a few stupid questions that I'm having trouble getting answered by google.  

I'm very interested in this unit since it's a DAC/AMP.  My confusion is.... I'm using my laptop as the source, and the soundcard is trashy, since this is USB will it bypass my soundcard? From what I've been able to determine, USB bypasses and coax/optic is for direct soundcard.   I don't want to drop a chunk of cash and be crippled by a bad link in the chain.

My second question...does the NFB 11.32 do it all? will I need anything else?

Lastly, is this a good choice to power the 650's?  My laptop is a 17inch alienware with a monster power supply not sure if this makes a difference.

Thanks for fielding any of my questions, sorry they're dumb questions but I can't get a good answer. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by JakeP 

Hey guys I got my 650s about 2 years ago and until last night didn't realize what a gem I had and how badly I've been under-utilizing them.  I do listen to flac on foobar but nothing past that.  I know my soundcard is garbage and I have a few stupid questions that I'm having trouble getting answered by google.  

 

I'm very interested in this unit since it's a DAC/AMP.  My confusion is.... I'm using my laptop as the source, and the soundcard is trashy, since this is USB will it bypass my soundcard? From what I've been able to determine, USB bypasses and coax/optic is for direct soundcard.   I don't want to drop a chunk of cash and be crippled by a bad link in the chain.

 

My second question...does the NFB 11.32 do it all? will I need anything else?

 

Lastly, is this a good choice to power the 650's?  My laptop is a 17inch alienware with a monster power supply not sure if this makes a difference.

 

Thanks for fielding any of my questions, sorry they're dumb questions but I can't get a good answer. 

Just use WASAPI driver (download it free from foobar site and drop it to your foobar/components folder, then change your output setting in foobar for direct sound) and it will bypass your PC soundcard.
You don't need anything else it will do everything.
I don't know how 650 and 11.32 match, but compare to just PC soundcard you will get a huge improvement anyway.

I got few users feedback they consider the firmware No.3 is a level upgrade in Mac.