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Audio-GD NFB-3 (2014) ES9018 DAC
May 9, 2014 at 1:40 PM Post #61 of 207
I'am not shure what exactly acss is. But the NFB-3 dac is not advertised as being balanced, may the acss output is only there for convenience.
If you have balanced headphones and want to use them in that mode, you are probably bound to the NFB-1 dac.
 
May 12, 2014 at 3:38 PM Post #63 of 207
asound said:
  I'am not shure what exactly acss is. But the NFB-3 dac is not advertised as being balanced, may the acss output is only there for convenience.
If you have balanced headphones and want to use them in that mode, you are probably bound to the NFB-1 dac.
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Acss is described in the Audio gd site. The acss output of NFB-3 is there as a superior way to connect the dac with an Audio gd headamp or preamp. Audio gd recommends the acss connection irrespectively of whether the dac is balanced or not.
 
May 12, 2014 at 5:24 PM Post #65 of 207
musica amantem said:
I'm planning on using my new NFB 3 (2014) solely with its USB32 input. Would there be any sound quality advantage by using any of the other two input alternatives instead?  Thanks.
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I found the usb32 to have a similar sonic signature to the DIR9001 SPDIF receiver board. The standard WM8805 receiver board sounds a bit smoother and warmer overall. This is via a Squeezebox Touch, with the EDO app installed to allow the Squeezebox Touch USB input to function as a USB output. I have confirmed the USB32 to be operating in asynchronous mode when connected this way.

At present, I have left the WM8805 SPDIF board installed so that I can alter the 'flavour' of the sound by switching from USB to SPDIF inputs.

I haven't tried the optical input, nor am I likely to ever try it. :wink:
 
May 13, 2014 at 3:11 AM Post #66 of 207
Just got my NFB1(2014) last night... I know it's not identical, but I assume the 2014 USB driver is the same for both.  Anyone else have trouble installing it?  Kept on failing for me, so I eventually hooked it up via S/PDIF which works fine, but it's bugging me that the USB driver wouldn't install (just says the Audio GD usb driver component failed to install...)
 
May 13, 2014 at 3:23 AM Post #67 of 207
Turn PC off, hook DAC with the USB cable provided by audiogd, turn DAC on, then PC on, and try again. If it doesn't work I would contact audiogd, you may have a faulty unit. Also make sure you're not hooked on a USB 3.0 port. Has to be 2.0 I believe.
 
May 13, 2014 at 4:57 PM Post #68 of 207
That is interesting ... Kingwa's driver installation instructions for the NFB 3 (2014) insist on having the PC ON and Windows running before powering up the USB-connected DAC. Then, after powering the DAC, we are supposed to follow the installation steps ... Now, this is what the installation instructions show, but I have not received my unit yet so I really don't know if I'm misinterpreting these instructions or if they will work at all ...  Any hands-on experiences from the new NFB 3 (2014) owners?  Thanks!
 
May 13, 2014 at 8:12 PM Post #69 of 207
I have done the USB32 install several times- follow -to the word- the instructions given on Kingwa's website -in order-. Read over it several times, translation is not perfect but understandable. Be sure to uninstall old drivers or previous installs first.
 
May 13, 2014 at 9:02 PM Post #70 of 207
errymoose said:
  Just got my NFB1(2014) last night... I know it's not identical, but I assume the 2014 USB driver is the same for both.  Anyone else have trouble installing it?  Kept on failing for me, so I eventually hooked it up via S/PDIF which works fine, but it's bugging me that the USB driver wouldn't install (just says the Audio GD usb driver component failed to install...)
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Hi, I'm assuming you are on Windows 8 or 7 or Vista...
 
Uninstall everything (whatever you installed) ->Reboot->Connect and turn on the DAC (Windows should try to install a driver but will fail)->Open Device Manager->Right click on "Unknown device" under your "Sound, video and game controllers" ->Chose install a driver from location you can specify->Point to unzipped Audio-gd folder (...Audio_GD\USB32 driver 2014\Audio-gd PC driver2014\viaudusb\Driver\Vista64\)->This should set the driver for "audio-gd"->Reboot (turn off your DAC before reboot though)
I did not want to use ASIO from audio-gd, so I use Asio4all - works great with Foobar2000
 

 
I had exactly the same problem with the driver installation by their instructions. This is something that finally worked for me.
Good luck!
 
May 14, 2014 at 2:52 AM Post #71 of 207
petemac110 said:
I found the usb32 to have a similar sonic signature to the DIR9001 SPDIF receiver board. The standard WM8805 receiver board sounds a bit smoother and warmer overall. This is via a Squeezebox Touch, with the EDO app installed to allow the Squeezebox Touch USB input to function as a USB output. I have confirmed the USB32 to be operating in asynchronous mode when connected this way.

At present, I have left the WM8805 SPDIF board installed so that I can alter the 'flavour' of the sound by switching from USB to SPDIF inputs.

I haven't tried the optical input, nor am I likely to ever try it.
wink.gif
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As you have installed the WM8805 module, so would you please test the COAX input with 24/192 & 24/96 Flac files? As I have reported before I am facing problem with COAX input with WM8805 installed when playing especially any 24/192  flac files. Noise is also there when playing 24/96 files but it is far less than 24/192. Any feedback will be appreciated. If you do not have any 24/192 file please download from here, http://www.2l.no/hires/ No problem with Optical input, but it do not support over 24/96 files.
 
May 14, 2014 at 3:37 AM Post #72 of 207
srisaikat said:
As you have installed the WM8805 module, so would you please test the COAX input with 24/192 & 24/96 Flac files? As I have reported before I am facing problem with COAX input with WM8805 installed when playing especially any 24/192  flac files. Noise is also there when playing 24/96 files but it is far less than 24/192. Any feedback will be appreciated. If you do not have any 24/192 file please download from here, http://www.2l.no/hires/ No problem with Optical input, but it do not support over 24/96 files.
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Hi,

I haven't forgotten our private messages... I just haven't had time for any listening lately due to being extremely busy. I might have some free time this weekend, but hopefully sooner.

Cheers
Pete
 
May 15, 2014 at 8:01 AM Post #73 of 207
Petemac110,
 
Since you were there and the device was yours, could you kindly elaborate in different words these statements about the new NFB 3 made by J. Darko, and did you wholly agree with him on this? I mean, how bad could it be to have better resolution?... 'In your face' sound is a different issue, independent of the level of data-mining involved. Did it sound too clinical? Thanks for any clarification.
 
"The control DAC, an Audio-gd NFB-3 (2014 version, US$499), bested both rivals in communicating finer details with greater energy and caffeination. The Audio-gd was also better extended at both ends of the frequency spectrum – more air, bigger bass.
That said, the Audio-gd might prove to be too in-yr-face for already highly resolving systems, for which the Essence HDACC (or Resonessence Labs) unit would be preferable."
 
(Of course, the other rival Darko refers to here is the Resonessence Concero HD)
 
May 15, 2014 at 1:01 PM Post #74 of 207
asound said:
  I'am not shure what exactly acss is. But the NFB-3 dac is not advertised as being balanced, may the acss output is only there for convenience.
If you have balanced headphones and want to use them in that mode, you are probably bound to the NFB-1 dac.
Click to expand...

 
 
ACSS connection on NFB-3 (2010)
 

 
May 15, 2014 at 1:18 PM Post #75 of 207
I know that it is a connection, but what the difference between this and xlr is for example, I have no idea. But there does seem to be a some.
 
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