Audio-gd NFB-10

[sphinxvc]

So is this the only balanced dac+balanced amp combo unit out there under $1K at the moment?

 

[Wulvy]

Quote:

So is this the only balanced dac+balanced amp combo unit out there under $1K at the moment?

Its the only one I know of but I wouldn't be the person to ask.
 
My NFB10-ES (USB) just arrived in NZ. Should be here within 2 days. Can not wait. Should be a good step up from the FUN I've been using.
 
Thanks hardtarget666 for the writeup. I'll be very happy if my impressions are along the same lines.

 

[sphinxvc]

Quote:

Its the only one I know of but I wouldn't be the person to ask.
 
My NFB10-ES (USB) just arrived in NZ. Should be here within 2 days. Can not wait. Should be a good step up from the FUN I've been using.
 
Thanks hardtarget666 for the writeup. I'll be very happy if my impressions are along the same lines.

Looking forward to your impressions..what phones are you using by the way?

 

[Wulvy]

Quote:

Looking forward to your impressions..what phones are you using by the way?

I have stock AKG K702's. I have a pair of recabled balanced K701's incoming (by APureSound) which will probably be another few weeks. The NFB10 is my first balanced component, it will be very interesting to compare the K70x balanced and unbalanced. Hardtarget666's comparisons are promising.
 
I've been on the LCD-2 waiting list for a while. Will most likely make the jump when I'm offered one. And I'm also on the lookout for a cheap pair of 650's/600's.
 

 

[hardtarget666]

Looking forward to your review Wulvy and if my experience is anything to go by then get ready for detail overload with your AKG's

  

 

[vrln]

From what I´ve heard the AKG´s in particular benefit a lot from going balanced, you´ll be pleased I´ve also bought some balanced K701´s that should arrive this week...

 

[.Sup]

Quote:

Quote:

Looking forward to your impressions..what phones are you using by the way?

I have stock AKG K702's. I have a pair of recabled balanced K701's incoming (by APureSound) which will probably be another few weeks. The NFB10 is my first balanced component, it will be very interesting to compare the K70x balanced and unbalanced. Hardtarget666's comparisons are promising.
 
I've been on the LCD-2 waiting list for a while. Will most likely make the jump when I'm offered one. And I'm also on the lookout for a cheap pair of 650's/600's.
 

Is there any difference between k702 and k701 besides the detachable cable?

 

[Wulvy]

Quote:

From what I´ve heard the AKG´s in particular benefit a lot from going balanced, you´ll be pleased I´ve also bought some balanced K701´s that should arrive this week...

 
Yes I'm really looking forward to it. Nice I'm sure you'll receive yours before mine... APS are being very slow with me at the moment and I'm not the only one.


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Is there any difference between k702 and k701 besides the detachable cable?

I can't say for myself but I've throughly looked into and the consensus is that sonically there's zero difference. K702 is a black (vs. white), supposedly of more durable construction (I don't believe it is though, just what AKG say) and a detachable cable as you said. Both are still in production with K701 aimed at home users and the K702 aimed at sound professionals e.g. sound engineers.
 
 
Its been a good 24 hours for me. Audez'e sent me the order form for the LCD-2, and it has just been picked up by FedEx. ETA 1 week. Oh and a package from China arrived...
 

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Wonder what it could be? ​

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Smells like China...​

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Power Cable, Optical Cable, Jumpers, USB A-B Cable​

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Well packaged​

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Nearly there...​

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Looking good! Wait a minute...​

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Audio-gd Roc?​

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TBC​

 

[.Sup]

Thanks for info Wulvy.
 
They probably used the same chassis as they use for Roc for your NFB 10.

 

[BoyNamedSue]

Congrats Wulvy at receiving your NFB-10s! I am happy for you but jealous at the same time 

.

 

[somestranger26]

Nice unboxing, makes me even more anxious to get mine.
 
Quote:

Thanks for info Wulvy.
 
They probably used the same chassis as they use for Roc for your NFB 10.

I don't see how there's any confusion about this. It says right on their site that they're putting it in a Roc chassis and you get an $80 discount because of it.
 
The images on their site even show it in the Roc chassis.

 

[Wulvy]

I'm going to post my impressions but forgive me for not going into too much a detail. I have a few reasons...
 
1. I'm not that experienced around here, I've had a AKG K702 and Audio-GD FUN for a few months. That's how long my ears have had to appreciate/learn qualityish sound.
 
2. I've only been able to run it via the single-ended out at present, which isn't using it maximum potential.
 
3. I have a lot of better complementing gear coming soon... A decent power cable for the NFB10, balanced K701's, balanced LCD-2's.
 
4. I just got it... I'm not familiar with it enough to go into detail.
 
 
Compared to the FUN, it seems to provide a wider frequency extension, with greater detail across the whole frequency spectrum which is very involving. The adjective lush comes to mind. It definitely does not seem cold or harshly analytical, some words I've seen sometimes assosciated with detail. It seems very neutral to me but I can hardly profess to know what neutral exactly is.
 
I'm really happy with it and impressed with how well my K702's have scaled from the FUN to the NFB10.
 
 
Now to compensate for the brief impressions... pics:
 

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Check out those legs​

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Its really quite big. AKG K702's aren't small...​

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The switch on the back is a +12dB gain.​

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NFB10-ES after all...​

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By the way I realised it was a NFB-10ES pretty much straight away. Just the first second I looked at I had forgotten about the ROC chassis discount.
 
I think a hardtarget666 touched on the fact that volume knob audibly clicks as you change the level. Rarely on a certain level it gets "stuck" and clicks like mental, but it takes half a second to rectify (just slightly increase or decrease the level) and a very worthwhile tradeoff for better sound. This is all due to the A-D volume control, and is explained on the NFB10 page.
 
One thing I happened to miss on the product page - By default the NFB-10 is set to fixed level output on the line outs. ACSS is disabled when the line outs are sets to variable (which is changed by modifying jumpers inside). I previously came from using a FUN which had variable line out so I only used the power amp section of my integrated amp to power my speakers. I had been looking for a good second hand power amp ever since paying for the NFB10 (and luckily hadn't found one) but I will in fact ideally want an integrated amp. Maybe I should man up and get an Audio-GD integrated amp.

 

[geek101]

Wulvy,
 
When did you order your NFB-10ES?.
 
Quote:

I'm going to post my impressions but forgive me for not going into too much a detail. I have a few reasons...
 
1. I'm not that experienced around here, I've had a AKG K702 and Audio-GD FUN for a few months. That's how long my ears have had to appreciate/learn qualityish sound.
 
2. I've only been able to run it via the single-ended out at present, which isn't using it maximum potential.
 
3. I have a lot of better complementing gear coming soon... A decent power cable for the NFB10, balanced K701's, balanced LCD-2's.
 
4. I just got it... I'm not familiar with it enough to go into detail.
 
 

 

[geek101]

Wulvy,
 
It looks like the Roc chassis you have gotten does not have vents on the top. The picture in Audio-GD for NFB-10ES in Roc chassis does have vents. Is it ok to use without the vents?.

 

[somestranger26]

Quote:

Wulvy,
 
It looks like the Roc chassis you have gotten does not have vents on the top. The picture in Audio-GD for NFB-10ES in Roc chassis does have vents. Is it ok to use without the vents?.

I can't find it right now, but in one of the Phoenix threads this was brought up and Kingwa replied with some numbers showing the amp would last like 60 years with normal use even without the vents, and the Phoenix undoubtedly gets warmer than the NFB-10. Extrapolating from what Kingwa said, I would say there's no harm in not having the vents. Personally, I like it without and hope mine comes that way since I'll be putting my headphone stand on top to save some space.