[tme110]

yea, if that was an issues it's guaranteed that people would have been complaining about it already.
 

 

[hfsub]

I often switch off my1.32 and let the computer on when I am away for a long time.
When I switch 1.32 on again, the gain setting loses track, originally Low, bounces back to the default High.:what: If I notice it, I switch back.:rolleyes: After some switch off and on, it will slip to Low.

Anybody also sees this happen?

 

[EraserXIV]

If you look at the USB input, you can see that it is actually separate from the mainboard and connected to the USB receiver through 4 wires. I assume one of these wires is the 5V from the USB. Rather than using the crude electrical tape mod, maybe you can disconnect the USB 5V from this end? I'm not certain and I don't have the knowledge of how to figure this out.. just throwing it out there for others who may have more knowledge on how to accomplish this.
 

 

[sayh]

     Quote:

If you look at the USB input, you can see that it is actually separate from the mainboard and connected to the USB receiver through 4 wires. I assume one of these wires is the 5V from the USB. Rather than using the crude electrical tape mod, maybe you can disconnect the USB 5V from this end? I'm not certain and I don't have the knowledge of how to figure this out.. just throwing it out there for others who may have more knowledge on how to accomplish this.
 
 

 
A user has written his feedback on the nfb1.32 product page about the usb32 being powered internally, not sure if this is what you meant.  
 
 
Quote:

I often switch off my1.32 and let the computer on when I am away for a long time.
When I switch 1.32 on again, the gain setting loses track, originally Low, bounces back to the default High.:what: If I notice it, I switch back.

After some switch off and on, it will slip to Low.

Anybody also sees this happen?

 
my 2cents!
The logic gets haywire could be due to the internal jumpers or connectors, related to the gain switch, having intermitten contact.
Try open up the top cover, plug out and in the connectors or jumpers a couple of times, or wiggle them a little if they are glued.
Check on the male pins if there are any residues on them, and the female molex connectors if any wires are breaking off where possible.
 
This is a something similar that happened to me, when i initially got one of my stuffs. There are some sorts of laquer-like residue that tainted few of the pins. when the amp gets warmed up, it sort of melted the coat, and i got no issues then.  

 

[EraserXIV]

I understand that it is powered internally, but it is still getting dirty power from the +5V line on the USB cable. There have been mods of people covering up that line with electrical tape so it doesn't get to the NFB-1.32, but I was wondering if a more elegant mod could be performed internally using those exposed wires.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

I understand that it is powered internally, but it is still getting dirty power from the +5V line on the USB cable. There have been mods of people covering up that line with electrical tape so it doesn't get to the NFB-1.32, but I was wondering if a more elegant mod could be performed internally using those exposed wires.

You could permanently cut the 5v line in the USB cable that you're using, I think some other people have said they've done that with the usb32 stuff

 

[simomat]

Quote:

So before I get into a review of the Audio-Gd NFB-1.32 I am going to explain my setup and what I have learned so far. My goal is to drive the NFB 1.32 from my 24" iMac using the mini pin fiber out. Reason for using the optical connection is due to the distance my computer is from my stereo 30 ft. I received the NFB 1.32 in pristine condition, fast shipping. The packaging was exactly what was needed to protect it and the build quality looks fantastic. It did come with a very small extra IC chip that I guess is older USB firmware that I read somewhere on this forum. It also came with extra jumpers to change the way optical can be routed through the DIR module for different sound preferences.
 
Rocky start: First I used a premium 16ft. USB cable and the DAC preformed as it should, it decoded digital audio and passed it to my preamp. I tried all various Hz and bit Integer values that the Mac has and the DAC still worked as it should. I had a brand new Apple Airport Express so I decided to try the mini pin optical out to the DAC and the audio played with constant intermittent pauses, as if someone was pressing a mute switch on and off randomly 3 to 4 times a second. So I tried the second optical in on the DAC with the same result. I checked my settings in iTunes and made sure that anything that could process or color the audio was turned off, same stuttering result. I hooked up a new Apple TV using it's optical out and got the same result. 

  I had another Apple TV that I purchased in early 2012 and it still stuttered but not as bad once every 2 to 3 seconds.
 
I emailed Audio-Gd at 11:00 P.M. and Kingwa immediately got back with me suggesting that the optical source may be inferior. He suggested to change the jumpers in the DAC to route the single through the DIR module, thought being that this may resolve the issue of the bad optical source. 
 
Before I changed the jumpers I dug out an original Apple Airport Express the kind that the new Apple Airport utility doesn't even support anymore and hooked it up to the DACs optical in and guess what, it worked perfect!

  Then I attached a 30ft fiber-optic cable from my Mac to the DAC and that worked perfect too. So, the NFB-1.32 is very sensitive to cheap optical signals i.e. Apple's new products.
 
What I really wanted to do was to use USB but everything I tried didn't work. I bought one 16ft USB to mini USB to connect directly to a powered USB hub that I could place 16ft from my computer and then attach another 16ft USB cable directly to the DAC. Now you would think this should work but it doesn't, I had the same intermittent stuttering about once every 5 to 10 seconds. So I purchased the best 30ft USB cable with a supposedly embedded chip that is suppose to amplify the signal, that didn't work either. With that cable it just didn't work.
 
I'm currently writing this while listing to the DAC for the first time and so far everything is working the way it should. I don't want to give an off the cuff review so I'll wait until I have some time to properly listen to it but it does sound really good.

So there's no way of making the Apple TV (2nd generation) to work with this DAC through optical?
 
I am interested in this DAC because of the 5 digital inputs to connect MAC (USB), TV (opt) and Apple TV (opt).
 
Anybody tried the jumpers tweak? Or is there a new firmware to solve the problems?
 
Thank you.

 

[tme110]

It looks to me like he's using extremely long optical cable runs, I'm surprised that works with anything (the light can only go so far).  But I've seen from personal experience that the apple optical sender is not that strong.  I can use an optical splitter on other sources that don't work on apple stuff even with only 3 feet of cable.  I'm not sure why the new appletv wouldn't work, spdif is spdif.  I never felt that signal coming from my appletv sounded all that great anyway compared to other sources but it is pretty convinient.
 

 

[simomat]

It looks to me like he's using extremely long optical cable runs, I'm surprised that works with anything (the light can only go so far).  But I've seen from personal experience that the apple optical sender is not that strong.  I can use an optical splitter on other sources that don't work on apple stuff even with only 3 feet of cable.  I'm not sure why the new appletv wouldn't work, spdif is spdif.  I never felt that signal coming from my appletv sounded all that great anyway compared to other sources but it is pretty convinient.

 

I know for sure that the Apple TV is a poor source as is the Tv. My main source is a macmini via USB. I find very convenient though to use the Apple TV for Spotify from iPad or iPhone, to whatch some youtube videos, TV shows, And so on!

Anyway I will be' using very short cables no more than 1 m so I guess I won't have problems! That was really helpful! Thanks!

 

[Kenobi]

Hi all, New AGD NFB 1.32 owner here. Just took delivery of the unit with TCXO x2 upgrade and upgraded OCC wiring ($15) last week and is currently burning in 24/7 with Isotek Burn-in CD via coxial RCA. Had a brief listening session with lots of household noise last night after about 80hrs of burn-in. Initial impression is very postive--much better than I expected. Smooth, impressively rendered soudstage, vocal that is thick and fleshy, organic flow without glare or harshness whatsoever. Definitely not what I expected from this DAC. Spaciousness, detail and frequency extremes are what I have come to expect and delivered in spades, and in combination with the above attributes make for a very satisfying, intimate listening session--inspite of household induced noise. What can I say? I am now officially an AGD fan! More to come after burn-in.

 

[nigeljames]

Quote:

Hi all, New AGD NFB 1.32 owner here. Just took delivery of the unit with TCXO x2 upgrade and upgraded OCC wiring ($15) last week and is currently burning in 24/7 with Isotek Burn-in CD via coxial RCA. Had a brief listening session with lots of household noise last night after about 80hrs of burn-in. Initial impression is very postive--much better than I expected. Smooth, impressively rendered soudstage, vocal that is thick and fleshy, organic flow without glare or harshness whatsoever. Definitely not what I expected from this DAC. Spaciousness, detail and frequency extremes are what I have come to expect and delivered in spades, and in combination with the above attributes makes for a very satisfying, intimate listening session--inspite of household induced noise. What can I say? I am now officially an AGD fan! More to come after burn-in.

 
Welcome to the club

 

[Kenobi]

Thank you, Nigel. I give you partial credit for the good words and experience you conveyed throughout. I originally wanted the NFB 7.32 but couldn't come up with the dough. I don't feel that the 1.32 is too much of a compromise though and can't wait for full burn-in to take effect so I can sit down, relax in quietude and enjoy nothing but some music in the dark. I helped my brother buy the same unit and he's loving it too. Cheers! Kenobi

 

[zibra]

So anyone compared 1.32 to oter Sabre dacs on scene? Any impressions were it stands for SQ and Sabre implemantation?

 

[mowglycdb]

I haven't at least Zibra.
 
 Has anyone noticed the the 2014 firmware and drivers make the NFB-1.32  significantly more bright?  There is a raise in overall quality and realism of instruments though.

 

[zibra]

It could be a little bit better but Im not going to compare it by reinstalling software.
I bogut Crystek clock for Sabre DAC and replaced TCXO one. 100Mz Crystek allows to listen to 32/384 files but I avent done any comparisions in SQ yet - no time for critical listening. Maybe Ill try to test it at weekend.
If anyone listened to 1.32 and could compare to oter Sabre DACs it would be nice.