[yupoet]

I have been using ThinkPad + Foobar 1.11 (usb-audio.de ASIO driver) --> FUN (WM8740 + Sun) --> CIA400s --> SP-5
as my major toys.

Today I just decided to sell FUN and would like to buy a new DAC for my combination.

Now I am having a few considerations
1. CIA400s is not a balanced AMP but is a CAST AMP.
2. I don't have a CD player yet and will not buy one. My major input is Thinkpad.
3. It seems that the audio-gd digital interface only uses DSP-3 which doesn't have a well designed driver, I am really concerned and might probally go for a external sound card instead.
4. The cost of NFB-1 and NFB-10ES are almost the same. But I will have to buy one more USB converter this is an addtinoal cost for me
5. It seems that NFB-1 uses 2 transformer while NFB-10xx uses only one, and the hi-end NFB-7 uses 3. is this the major diferrence?

Can anyone suggest me what I should choose?

or I am wondering even NFB-11 is better than my Fun but much cheaper ?!!





 

 

[borrego]

If you choose the NFB10, it has the variable output control and can function as a preamp... so you can actually consider selling your CIA400 can get the C10SE to replace it.
 
I have the NFB-1 and DI version B,  but if I am to make the choice again I would choose the NFB-10ES non-USB version as the other head-fier did, then buy the DI version A. It would be better price/features ratio.
 
I think whehter you can take advantage of the better power section of the NFB-1 or even NFB-7 depends on how good of your other gears (amp, headphones, etc). What I mean is the same amount of money can buy you upgrades elsewhere.
 
I didn't regret buying the NFB-1 though. But I did regret not buying the DI version A.
 

 

[haloxt]

If you are keeping the CIA400, I would think NFB-2, NFB-3, dac19df, dac19dsp, and ref 9 (discontinued, but ask them if they have in stock  if interested) are the best match. They are all single-ended and only dac's, meaning you will use CIA400 for preamp function. If you want a dac amp combo, you would be wasting some money on amp circuitry, UNLESS you want to use headphones too. Then I would recommend the single-ended dac amp combos above the FUN, or even the balanced dac amp combos above the FUN, to use balanced headphones with.

 

[yupoet]

 
Quote:

If you choose the NFB10, it has the variable output control and can function as a preamp... so you can actually consider selling your CIA400 can get the C10SE to replace it.
 
I have the NFB-1 and DI version B,  but if I am to make the choice again I would choose the NFB-10ES non-USB version as the other head-fier did, then buy the DI version A. It would be better price/features ratio.
 
I think whehter you can take advantage of the better power section of the NFB-1 or even NFB-7 depends on how good of your other gears (amp, headphones, etc). What I mean is the same amount of money can buy you upgrades elsewhere.
 
I didn't regret buying the NFB-1 though. But I did regret not buying the DI version A.
 

Many thanks. I am now wandering between NFB10WM and NFB12 instead!
Compared to NFB12, the NFB10WM is really better at the weight (10kg vs 2kg - I like the heavier) \ balanced design. Surely this will cost me a lot more.

 
I still cannot make a decision which to buy.
 
 
for the CIA400 , I don't think the preamp for NFB10 is as good as CIA400. So I am now going to keep the CIA400

 

[yupoet]

Quote:

If you are keeping the CIA400, I would think NFB-2, NFB-3, dac19df, dac19dsp, and ref 9 (discontinued, but ask them if they have in stock  if interested) are the best match. They are all single-ended and only dac's, meaning you will use CIA400 for preamp function. If you want a dac amp combo, you would be wasting some money on amp circuitry, UNLESS you want to use headphones too. Then I would recommend the single-ended dac amp combos above the FUN, or even the balanced dac amp combos above the FUN, to use balanced headphones with.

 
Thank you that's what I am after. I have got a new headphone recently and I am going to use combos of DAC/AMP product.
 
Now here comes another question for me : NFB12 or NFB10wm ?

 

[haloxt]

The CIA400 will likely be too revealing and reveal the shortcomings of the NFB-12. Going by my experience connecting lower tier dac's to my FBI500 and phoenix, I have to say NFB-12 should really not be used.
 
Although good if you want to balance your headphones, there is a problem with the NFB-10. Since it is balanced, it means some of the circuitry will be wasted connecting to the single-ended CIA400. Kingwa has said if using single-ended, dac19 will sound better than NFB-10.
 
Unless you want balanced headphones, I stick with my prior advice to use NFB-2, 3, dac19, or discontinued ref 9 if they still have some in stock. They may eventually make a successor to the single-ended ref 9, and I think that may be the best match for the CIA400.
 
What you'll notice with NFB-2/3 and dac19, is their not-so overbuilt psu's will be revealed by the CIA400. With one of audio-gd's huge psu single-ended dac's like the discontinued dac3se and ref 9, the sound will have less hash, more continuous and pleasant sound. The dac3se was a great bang-for-buck single-ended huge psu dac, and I hope audio-gd will make another one soon based on the es9018 and ~$700-800, it would probably be the best match for your CIA400. Then get a C2/C2SA for headphones. That's what I would do, but NFB-10 may be what you are looking for. Whatever you do though, please don't get the NFB-12 to use with the CIA400 LOL.

 

[yupoet]

 
Quote:

The CIA400 will likely be too revealing and reveal the shortcomings of the NFB-12. Going by my experience connecting lower tier dac's to my FBI500 and phoenix, I have to say NFB-12 should really not be used.
 
Although good if you want to balance your headphones, there is a problem with the NFB-10. Since it is balanced, it means some of the circuitry will be wasted connecting to the single-ended CIA400. Kingwa has said if using single-ended, dac19 will sound better than NFB-10.
 
Unless you want balanced headphones, I stick with my prior advice to use NFB-2, 3, dac19, or discontinued ref 9 if they still have some in stock. They may eventually make a successor to the single-ended ref 9, and I think that may be the best match for the CIA400.
 
What you'll notice with NFB-2/3 and dac19, is their not-so overbuilt psu's will be revealed by the CIA400. With one of audio-gd's huge psu single-ended dac's like the discontinued dac3se and ref 9, the sound will have less hash, more continuous and pleasant sound. The dac3se was a great bang-for-buck single-ended huge psu dac, and I hope audio-gd will make another one soon based on the es9018 and ~$700-800, it would probably be the best match for your CIA400. Then get a C2/C2SA for headphones. That's what I would do, but NFB-10 may be what you are looking for. Whatever you do though, please don't get the NFB-12 to use with the CIA400 LOL.

 
hmm, many thanks! I did think about your suggestion very seriously. A/C to the consideration given, I bought a second-hand DAC19dsp for 485 USD locally, which I thought might be a good c/p deal.
Audio-GD discontinued REF9 / DAC19dsp already. I don't want to go for es9018 either although the new NFB-1 (wm) looks nice for 780USD.
 
now I am going to buy a new C2 and DI as well. hope the DAC19dsp didn't limit my CIA400's performance - if so it will be a good reason for me to upgrade it next year

 

[sayh]

you are gonna have amazing synergy and sound after the DI is in your SE setup. Good choice you kept the CIA400 and went for DAC19. And remember to purchase a pair of ACSS cable soon.