Audio-gd NFB-1 (2015)

[spurxiii]

Please someone have this and write that its good so I can hit the buy button! 

 

[lukeap69]

Burning in ATM (don't know what I am burning in though).
My initial impression is very good (maybe placebo effect )
The problem is I can only compare it Theorem 720 as I do not have other DAC. The instruments separation, dynamics and better with NFB-1.
IDK, Theorem 720 seems to be warmer. This is all using PM-2. I will try AKG Q701 later.

 

[lukeap69]

Wow! I've never heard Eric Clapton's Unplugged album this good. The instruments and vocals are so real (to me). I never thought that I will immediately notice the difference because the Theorem 720 is a very able DAC. When I 'upgraded' from FiiO E18 to Theorem 720, the sound difference wasn't this apparent and I expected the same with NFB-1. But no, the guitar sound is so real and brilliant. I can't take my pair of cans of my head. If this is still going to be better after hours of use, then Audio-gd, this DAC really is a good deal!
 
BTW, not all is positive though. When using Audirvana plus on my Mac, there is this loud 'click' sound after playing the DSD song and moving to FLAC.  i didn't notice this with Amarra though.

 

[Asound]

  BTW, not all is positive though. When using Audirvana plus on my Mac, there is this loud 'click' sound after playing the DSD song and moving to FLAC.  i didn't notice this with Amarra though.

 
The click is normal. It's a relay which redirects the data stream internally. Since dsd and pcm streams are processed apart from each other.
Amarra may converted the dsd stream to pcm, before it even reached the dac.

 

[lukeap69]

   
The click is normal. It's a relay which redirects the data stream internally. Since dsd and pcm streams are processed apart from each other.
Amarra may converted the dsd stream to pcm, before it even reached the dac.

Oh, thanks for the info. The click is just annoying.

 

[lukeap69]

I was worried that NFB-1 would be analytical since it is using Sabre ES9018 chip, I did not find it to be  the case at all. The treble is also controlled that even with the AKG Q701, I am not bothered (I prefer dark and warmer sound and can easily be troubled by bright cans.) I have not enjoyed Q701 as much as now. The background is also very clean. This DAC will serve me for a long time. Now, it's time to save up for Master 9 and/or a good tube amp!

 

[nigeljames]

As I have mentioned in other another thread, Audio-gd don't do 'bright'.
 
They do neutral, dark and warm.

 

[lukeap69]

That's very good. It seems I made the right choice.

 

[spurxiii]

I understand much more now on what you say when you mean Audio Gd don't do bright. The Master 9 is definately not a bright amp by any stretch of the imagination

 

[lukeap69]

I don't have HD800 but on my AKG Q701, I have not heard any additional brightness compared to the Theorem 720 although I thought the treble is clearer and more natural.

 

[darren700]

EDIT: PROBLEM SOLVED.

The NFB1 does not like X58 USB2.0 ports. I used the USB 3.0 ports and it works perfect with all sample rates including DSD, 24/196, 24/96, 24/176
 
 
I received my NFB-1 (2015) with both upgraded clocks yesterday.
I cannot get anything other than 16/44 and 24/44 to work for the life of me.
I used the drivers from "Audio-gdUSB32driverversion1.rar"
24/96, 24/176, 24/192, and DSD all dont work at all and cause errors to popup.
I tried both Jriver and Foobar2000 on two different computers, Ive tried ASIO, WASAPI, Kernal Streaming, nothing.
16/44 works great and sounds awesome. But i want to use this for DSD and High res as well.
In the windows options it only shows 16/44, 16/48, 24/44 and 24/48 none of the other sample rates even show up.
I have a couple emails back and forth with King-wa so far and no luck. Im thinking maybe I need to try older firmware and drivers.
Any advice?
Pictures below:



 

 

 

 

 

[lukeap69]

  I received my NFB-1 (2015) with both upgraded clocks yesterday.
I cannot get anything other than 16/44 and 24/44 to work for the life of me.
I used the drivers from "Audio-gdUSB32driverversion1.rar"
24/96, 24/176, 24/192, and DSD all dont work at all and cause errors to popup.
I tried both Jriver and Foobar2000 on two different computers, Ive tried ASIO, WASAPI, Kernal Streaming, nothing.
16/44 works great and sounds awesome. But i want to use this for DSD and High res as well.
In the windows options it only shows 16/44, 16/48, 24/44 and 24/48 none of the other sample rates even show up.
I have a couple emails back and forth with King-wa so far and no luck. Im thinking maybe I need to try older firmware and drivers.
Any advice?
 

Try to follow this additional steps. Worked for me.
http://www.audiostream.com/content/how-play-dsd-file-using-foobar2000
 
PS - do not tick 'use 64 bit ASIO drivers' mentioned on the how-to above.

 

[darren700]

  Try to follow this additional steps. Worked with me.
http://www.audiostream.com/content/how-play-dsd-file-using-foobar2000
 
PS - do not tick 'use 64 bit ASIO drivers' mentioned on the how-to above.

Ive already set all that up. DSD and high res works perfectly with my Yulong DA8 in foobar2000.
Just nothing over 24/48 works with the NFB1 at all. Two different computers, both setup correctly (Win 7 pro and 8.1 pro), No go. Its like the usb32 received is locked out from sample rates over 24/48

 

[Chodi]

 
Ive already set all that up. DSD and high res works perfectly with my Yulong DA8 in foobar2000.
Just nothing over 24/48 works with the NFB1 at all. Two different computers, both setup correctly (Win 7 pro and 8.1 pro), No go. Its like the usb32 received is locked out from sample rates over 24/48

Your first screen shot is of the windows mixer and device setting. The bit rate setting in windows is completely bypassed when using the asio driver. So it doesn't matter what you set there for bit rate however all available bit rates for your device should be showing there. The fact that they are not means that the driver is not installed correctly or it is in conflict with another driver on your pc. I don't own a via usb device so I can't offer more specific help. I can only say that it is either a driver problem or the receiver in the nfb-1 is defective. More likely a driver problem. I'm interested in how this gets resolved as I was thinking of buying one of these myself. I would also love your comparison with the Yulong DA8 since you have one one hand. I think we would all like to hear your comments on that.
 
Hope you get this resolved without too much pain.

 

[lukeap69]

On my system, the Output is foo_dsd_asio which is different from your setup.

To do this, click on ASIO

Double click foo_dsd_asio

On the pop-up dialogue box, select VIA ASIO Driver, the ASIO Native on the DSD Playback Method.

You can also copy the parameters on SACD and hopefully, your issues will be sorted out.

DSD playing

24/96 FLAC playing.