Audio-gd NFB-10

[sayh]

Quote:

Quote:

Somestranger26 will hopefully receive his NFB-10ES tomorrow if his tracking is right. He has a HE-6. I'm Waiting for his impression too before I pull the trigger.
And just so you know it outputs 40W at 50Ω. I think it is going to drive the HE-6 just fine.

40W at 50Ω? A headphone amp? Are you sure?

That is some serious output, kingwa might want to verify that or is he referring to the power usage.

 

[Kingwa]

In the webpage was mark
 4W  /  100 ohm
700mW  /  600 ohm
In 50 ohm is more than 4W but much less than 40W.

 

[sayh]

Quote:

In the webpage was mark
 4W  /  100 ohm
700mW  /  600 ohm
In 50 ohm is more than 4W but much less than 40W.

Thank you kingwa. Some of us are probably hoping if you are able to come out with something magic to drive the Hifiman HE-6 very well.  *Hint*

 

 

[Baird GoW]

Sorry for the misinformation it was given to me by Edwin.

[size=x-small]"....
And the power output at 50[/size][size=small]Ω is more than 40W.
..."

Kingwa I have been told that you have a new English speaking customer service rep. If this is true can you please set him/her up with a direct email?[/size]

 

[Currawong]

The LCD-2s are rated (and individually tested) at 15W, though that's something like 130dB. The HE-6 production versions are reputedly easier to drive than the prototypes. It's not about pure wattage, it's about how well designed the amp is.  You could always buy a power amp for either of them though. I'll bet out of an FBI-500 they'd sound damn good.

 

[ulyses]

Unfortunately NFB10ES only avaible as non-usb version right now. And Roc chassis discount can't be avaible, so price gets higher. I won't change my order. Looks like I will in minority of WM version owners over here. 

 
Edit: I changed my mind and give up usb support. I ordered ES version with new chassis price difference. Good things must buy one time.

 

[somestranger26]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baird GoW /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Quote:
Somestranger26 will hopefully receive his NFB-10ES tomorrow if his tracking is right.

If it was shipped to the correct address, anyway...

 

[geek101]

Finally received my NFB-10ES with 2 BNC + 1 optical. Three months wait . I guess it is worth it. More later if I can find time.

 

[milosz]

OK, so DHL brought my NFB-10ES to my door today.  
 
Using it on Audeze LCD-2 with DIY balanced cable right now. Source: optical SPDIF input from Musiland 01 / USB / WDM drivers / Media Monkey / Windows 7-64 / FLAC files
 
I can make one observation with confidence:  It sounds quite good- I like it.
 
Anything else I can say doesn't fit the category of "observation" - these comments are just impressions, based on today's listening.  Since they are not comparisons of any kind, there is no reference.  Very likely my impressions have been influenced by what I've read about the NFB-10ES, although there may be objective info in my observations, too, which could be further elucidated by more careful evaluation, and especially by comparisons ( A / B listening of some kind)
 
IMPRESSIONS:

1. It seems to me that I hear and notice more treble from the NFB-10ES than the other stuff I've been listening to (Audio-GD  FUN off USB, Beta-22 & Cambridge DACMAGIC off SPDIF) However, I don't know that "brighter" quite describes my impression. It's not like there are "more" highs, but like the highs that are present "sparkle" more -  have a different, "sharpened" texture. Not "etched" -  the highs don't stand out in that "dry" sounding way that many listeners describe as "etched."  It's like sounds which are mostly in higher registers have more "separateness" from the rest of the mix- the treble component is not smeared into the general sound.  It's not like you EQ'd the treble -or cranked an old school treble knob. But I would say that the treble that is present seems more easily noticed.  Maybe this is all just my brain at work, expressing my expectations of treble emphasis based on what I've read.  I'll do some comparisons and try to compare apples to apples later on.  Let me sum up by saying: NFB-10ES does treble well.
2. It seems I can hear details in the music in all registers - midrange details, treble details -  that I had not heard before.  Little things back in the mix seem to have become possible to pick out.
3. The overall sound is a bit "juicy" somehow.  Maybe being able to hear certain previously obscure midrange details along with the fine structure of their treble overtones gives this impression? Juicy, but not "sweetened" like the euphonius coloration added by some tube gear.
4. Bass seems tighter than other amps I've listened to.  This may be the result of balanced vs. single ended.  (This is my first balanced amp.)
5. It seems possible there is a nice synergy with the treble performance of the NFB-10ES and the way treble is presented by the LCD-2.
6. The NFB-10ES  is nicely made. VERY nicely made. Overkill, like the current-mode relay-based volume control,  is a good thing.  Good value for money, for absolute sure.

 
I will add this to my A / B amp comparisons in order to try to put things on a more cogent basis.  Also, I am working on a method for DAC A / B comparisons and I will certainly include the NFB-10ES.

 

[Elanzer]

NFB-10ES is good synergy with the LCD-2 since the treble is a bit dark to begin with and the xabre32's slightly brighter signature would help open that up a bit. If you were using it with something like the HD800, T1, or K701 it would probably be "too bright" in comparison with the NFB-10WM, since those are already pretty treble biased.

 

[borrego]

Quote:

NFB-10ES is good synergy with the LCD-2 since the treble is a bit dark to begin with and the xabre32's slightly brighter signature would help open that up a bit. If you were using it with something like the HD800, T1, or K701 it would probably be "too bright" in comparison with the NFB-10WM, since those are already pretty treble biased.

The ES9018 details retreving power is across the frequency spectrum, not only in the treble range. It is just that the bass details would only be "let out" after the analog section of the DAC has sufficient burn in time.
 

 

[hardtarget666]

[size=10pt]Follow up on my initial impressions:[/size]
 
[size=10pt]I finally managed to resolve the issue of coax not working on the NFB-10ES. To my relief, culprit was the sound card. Updating it to the latest drivers from Realtek website resolved the issue.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]With my setup, I would rate the following inputs for NFB-10ES in the order of preference: Coaxial --- USB --- Optical. [/size]
[size=10pt]Optical is the most polite of them all, very neutral but not as engaging as the other two. USB improves on the optical but is limited to 24/96 and falls short of coaxial's performance.[/size]

[size=10pt]Now to talk about the performance of coaxial - There is a marked improvement going from optical to coaxial. [/size][size=10pt]Coaxial improves upon everything that optical does. If you read my initial impression with the optical out, I said that the bass was extremely tight and went deep but felt slightly short of absolute quantity. With coaxial, the bass has improved significantly. It still goes deep and hits hard but there is more of it now. Highs have even better extension without sounding sibilant although I must admit, the mids haven't changed that much. But its a good thing as they are still part of the presentation and still have all the qualities that I noted in my first impressions (i.e. very life like)[/size]

[size=10pt]Listening to some of the tracks of "Dark Knight-OST" was phenomenal, especially half way through the track "Why so serious?" where the sub-terrainian bass kicks in. Other minor improvements that I noticed was that sound stage has improved but I think this may be to do with "burn-in".[/size]

 

[axw]

Quote:

I can make one observation with confidence:  It sounds quite good- I like it.
 
Anything else I can say doesn't fit the category of "observation" - these comments are just impressions, based on today's listening.  Since they are not comparisons of any kind, there is no reference.  Very likely my impressions have been influenced by what I've read about the NFB-10ES, although there may be objective info in my observations, too, which could be further elucidated by more careful evaluation, and especially by comparisons ( A / B listening of some kind)
 
IMPRESSIONS:

1. It seems to me that I hear and notice more treble from the NFB-10ES than the other stuff I've been listening to (Audio-GD  FUN off USB, Beta-22 & Cambridge DACMAGIC off SPDIF) However, I don't know that "brighter" quite describes my impression. It's not like there are "more" highs, but like the highs that are present "sparkle" more -  have a different, "sharpened" texture. Not "etched" -  the highs don't stand out in that "dry" sounding way that many listeners describe as "etched."  It's like sounds which are mostly in higher registers have more "separateness" from the rest of the mix- the treble component is not smeared into the general sound.  It's not like you EQ'd the treble -or cranked an old school treble knob. But I would say that the treble that is present seems more easily noticed.  Maybe this is all just my brain at work, expressing my expectations of treble emphasis based on what I've read.  I'll do some comparisons and try to compare apples to apples later on.  Let me sum up by saying: NFB-10ES does treble well.
2. It seems I can hear details in the music in all registers - midrange details, treble details -  that I had not heard before.  Little things back in the mix seem to have become possible to pick out.
3. The overall sound is a bit "juicy" somehow.  Maybe being able to hear certain previously obscure midrange details along with the fine structure of their treble overtones gives this impression? Juicy, but not "sweetened" like the euphonius coloration added by some tube gear.

Thanks for sharing, interesting reading.
 
The kind of treble experience and details you described are consistent with my expectations from Sabre and exactly the reasons I ordered an NFB-10ES. Hints of it are audible in the tiny Sabre 9022 based uDAC-2. I must say that your review of NFB-10ES is much closer to my expectations from a Sabre design than NFB-7 impressions described here by DBB1. Especially the order of dacs under "Resolution" is puzzling somehow.. I wonder if what you describe as "juice" translates as  "musicality" in case of the NFB-7 review mentioned (assuming that tonal characteristics of NFB-7 is not much different but an improvement over NFB10-ES).

I don't quite grasp the thing about "musicality" and "warm sound" of the top Sabre NFBs. Even Kingwa has this description (quoting from AGD): If you are looking for a DAC which can always deliver quite warm or tube sound, the NFB-7 is maybe not your cup of tea. 

 

[Danutz]

Hi,
 
Uff, my NFB10WM has finally arrived 50 days after leaving the dispatch center! 

 
It is much more revealing than the V-Dac, which has been sounding warmer and more forgiving... but lets wait, as it was very cold on arrival and is now playing for only 3 hours...
 
For the moment I listen trough my Emitter Exclusive Akku and Tannoy DC10T....PC: ulilith player - SPL Vitalizer (software plugin) - M-Audio 24/96 spdif-out - Oehlbach Coax-cable - Coaxinput on NFB10WM - cinch out (XLO cable)
 
(I plugged in my D7000 single ended for a short try and it sounded very powerfull... I would say: GREAT)
 
Will it change after more hours of burn in? 

 

 

[Omega17TheTrue]

I hope we can still order the NFb-10 with roc chassis for the discount.
 
@Danutz: yes it require lot of burning because it is fully discrete.