[TMRaven]

O2 arrived a couple hours ago.  Plugged it in and listening to a couple songs with it right now.  Will try to get a little comparison with it and the little dot using the HE-400 later.

 

[MattTCG]

Quote:

O2 arrived a couple hours ago.  Plugged it in and listening to a couple songs with it right now.  Will try to get a little comparison with it and the little dot using the HE-400 later.

 
I used the o2 for a while. Color me interested. Would like to know what your impressions are...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Matt how would you rate the NFB5 to the Asgard/Bifrost? I know you just got it, but I wonder if there is an appreciable difference.

I'm still dumbfounded that the NFB5 needs so much for the HE400. Even my Mixamp has a stable volume level for both the Pro 900 and HE400. Its like hella weird that I have to put it on high gain.

 

[MattTCG]

Quote:

Matt how would you rate the NFB5 to the Asgard/Bifrost? I know you just got it, but I wonder if there is an appreciable difference.
I'm still dumbfounded that the NFB5 needs so much for the HE400. Even my Mixamp has a stable volume level for both the Pro 900 and HE400. Its like hella weird that I have to put it on high gain.

 
I also am stunned. My assumption was that because my nfb5 was somewhat damaged during shipping was the reason that it needed some much of the pot to get to a reasonable volume. Then I saw your comment on the same amp. I will have to ask Kingwa this question. I'm swapping emails with him as we speak to see about repairing the nfb.
 
Off the cuff impressions, as I did just get it yesterday. The Asgard/Bifrost are better. The sound is more refined, natural and accurate. On the d5k the bass is more textured and impactful and is a little muddy and uncontrolled on the nfb. With the he 400 on the AG/BF, the sound stage and instrument separation were certainly better. You need to consider just how good the Bifrost really is versus the onboard dac of the nfb. The internal dac of the nfb just can't compete with the bifrost. They are not apples to apples though. Separate versus internal. You also have to consider the price difference.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

That's true. I didn't expect the NFB5's dac to compare.

You might wanna ask Kingwa about the DIR9001 chip for your optical input. My optical with the DIR9001 sounds noticeably better than my USB.

 

[wje]

Quote:

That's true. I didn't expect the NFB5's dac to compare.

 
I still think that it can be a bit odd that the DAC within the NFB line of Audio-GD products isn't a better performer.  The Wolfson DAC chips utilized are pretty good - and, up to date.  Then again, it could be the manner that Audio-GD implemented them that could be part of the problem. 
 
Also, it appears to be a statement for how good the Schiit gear really is.  I can understand that Schiit wants to grow as a company, but I'd also hope that they keep their product line small so they can continue to focus on quality as well as R&D for proper revisions to the products.
 
I'm assuming the Audio-GD NFB-5 doesn't have filter selectability like the NFB-12 / 12.1 have?  2x, 4x and 8x oversampling at various frequencies, etc. 
 
Edit: The amp / DAC discussion with the HE-400 has given me an idea.  I'm wondering if I have time tonight, I can use my HRT Music Streamer II as the DAC paired with the amp section on the NFB-12 and see how the sound results.  Hmm ...

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Yes it does. Its better than the NFB12. Better internals. Kingwa told me himself Its also more expensive.

The difference for Matt and I also might be if he has the optional upgraded chips. I have the standard USB, but upgraded optical.

I know Audio-GDs numbering is odd, as the NFB5 is a higher end amp/dac, but lower number. :rolleyes:

AFAIK, the NFB12 and NFB5 have no analog inputs. You're stuck using the internal dac.

The C-2.2 is the amp I was close to getting, as well as the NFB3 dac, but chose for an all in one instead, and saved a lot of money. The NFB5 is solid for the price. No desire to upgrade from it.

 

[MattTCG]

I have not determined if I have the upgraded optical or not. Regardless I have both modules. I just haven't had the time to do anything but troubleshoot other issues with the amp.
 
I had hoped to do some A/B comparisons with the nfb5 and the bifrost, similar to what WJE planned. But unfortunately I sold my bifrost today.

 

[Pulse14]

Quote:

 
That looks like a knife cut on the cable and the strain relief. 

With a closer look, I can see that the strain relief's diameter is smaller than the cables, which creates an awkward stress situation in the cable that make it bend into a football (american, that is) shape. The cable seems to be of a very dry rubber material, and because of the strain cracked at that point. The strain relief itself is fine, just some molding marks. 
 
What I'm worried about is the fact that, in that specific location, that that tear or crack could spread farther down the cable. The humidity where I live is something else, so it could accelerate the oxidization of the copper cables I think. It also just sort of makes me uneasy.
 
 

Spoiler: But%20maybe%20I'll%20get%20a%20replacement.

 

 
I haven't got a response from Hifiman yet, though. 
 
On another note- anyone know what that kind of coax connector is called? I've worked with coax before, and never seen this one. I scowered the internet only to find that there are a TON of connectors for just coax.

 

[wje]

Quote:

With a closer look, I can see that the strain relief's diameter is smaller than the cables, which creates an awkward stress situation in the cable that make it bend into a football (american, that is) shape. The cable seems to be of a very dry rubber material, and because of the strain cracked at that point. The strain relief itself is fine, just some molding marks. 
 
What I'm worried about is the fact that, in that specific location, that that tear or crack could spread farther down the cable. The humidity where I live is something else, so it could accelerate the oxidization of the copper cables I think. It also just sort of makes me uneasy.
 
 
I haven't got a response from Hifiman yet, though. 
 
On another note- anyone know what that kind of coax connector is called? I've worked with coax before, and never seen this one. I scowered the internet only to find that there are a TON of connectors for just coax.

 
I think you could also take matters into your own hands and apply some shrink tube over the strain relief areas where they mate with the cable.  Then, you would have a very solid (and protected) connection.
 
The coax connectors are referred to as "SMC Connectors".  If you Google them, you'll see many companies that sell them.  Also, Head-Direct sells them, as well as Double Helix Cables, for about $12.00 a pair: http://www.doublehelixcables.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4

 

[wje]

Quote:

Edit: The amp / DAC discussion with the HE-400 has given me an idea.  I'm wondering if I have time tonight, I can use my HRT Music Streamer II as the DAC paired with the amp section on the NFB-12 and see how the sound results.  Hmm ...

 
Yes, I'm quoting my own post.  I realized that the NFB-12 can't be used just as an amp.  However, one can use it as just a DAC.  Earlier, I thought I could try the Music Streamer II as the DAC with the NFB-12 for the amp.  However, I'll run the NFB-12 as the DAC and use my Little Dot I+ as the amp and see how the Wolfson DAC performs with that combination.
 
Matt,  ... Congrats on the sale of your Schiit gear.  Did your Bifrost only have the digital input?  Or, did it have the USB, too?  Also, did  you try the NFB-5 with the digital inputs to see how the sound performed compared to the Bifrost?  Or, just the USB input?  
 
Thanks ...

 

[MattTCG]

Quote:

 
Yes, I'm quoting my own post.  I realized that the NFB-12 can't be used just as an amp.  However, one can use it as just a DAC.  Earlier, I thought I could try the Music Streamer II as the DAC with the NFB-12 for the amp.  However, I'll run the NFB-12 as the DAC and use my Little Dot I+ as the amp and see how the Wolfson DAC performs with that combination.
 
Matt,  ... Congrats on the sale of your Schiit gear.  Did your Bifrost only have the digital input?  Or, did it have the USB, too?  Also, did  you try the NFB-5 with the digital inputs to see how the sound performed compared to the Bifrost?  Or, just the USB input?  
 
Thanks ...

 
My Bifrost did indeed only have the optical and coaxial input. A nice young man from GA Tech bought it from me and got a great dac!! I made comments a page or so back about the difference...no I'm not going to quote myself here. Although I find it funny that sometimes I'll google for the answer to a computer question and I find myself in the results. Sometimes I even answer myself. 

 
The bifrost is a much better dac than the BF IMO.

 

[Hakone]

8 hours straight wearing, listening on and off, playing games, the lot. Still doing fine, no noticeable discomfort 

The weight is really not a big problem after all, and the temperature is really not a problem anymore.
 
After switching to the velours though I feel the need to mention how impressed I am with the amount of air being moved about by these headphones. It now makes a lot of sense that the orthos require a lot of juice. Kind of gives the impression of planar magnetics being the heavy (no pun intended) artillery of the headphone world.

 

[TMRaven]

Long story short, I didn't really find the O2 to be hugely better over the Little Dot, but then again I'm talking about amp vs amp, even if they're both radically different approaches to amping.  My main question was whether the Little Dot actually had a bass rolloff- judging off a lot of people's comments over bass extension on the forum-- including MLE, and it turns out it doesn't.  The O2's bass was around the same, perhaps a little more impactful with high dynamic range songs.  The O2 I found to be a tad more clear overall, but nothing that's night and day.  Resolution I found to be the exact same, but I wouldn't know why I'd get into resolution with amps in the first place, unless there was something seriously flawed with their design.  The O2's high gain setting plays bad with my Music Streamer II, the MSII's output is too strong for the O2 when it's in high gain, resulting in severe clipping.  Might try a Lyr at some point, but probably not.  I rather not waste time musing with amps, dacs or cables and cut straight to the element in the chain that matters most. For what it's worth though, I think the O2 is a little bit of incrementally better, so I'll probably keep it and sell off the Little Dot, if anything just to avoid the hassle of tubes.  LCD-2 is still my end of the road.  
 
Tracks used:
 
Dark Knight Rises Soundtrack: Imagine the Fire
Rage Against the Machine: Take the Power Back
Trentemøller: Moan
Jethro Tull: Up to Me
Johnny Cash: Highwayman
Rebecca Pidgeon: The Raven
Mumford & Sons: Dust Bowl Dance
Arne Damnérus et. all; Jazz at the Pawnshop: Now's the Time
Audacity test tones

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Huh? Me?