[audiofil]

Before I shoot Kingwa an email, does anybody know if the DAC modules are interchangeable?
I have the NFB-10 ES version but I'd also like to try the WM if it's feasible.
 
From the look of it both daughter cards share the same connectors, which might indicate Kingwa's logic of making them interchangeable (and possibly upgradeable)

 

[somestranger26]

Quote:

Before I shoot Kingwa an email, does anybody know if the DAC modules are interchangeable?
I have the NFB-10 ES version but I'd also like to try the WM if it's feasible.
 
From the look of it both daughter cards share the same connectors, which might indicate Kingwa's logic of making them interchangeable (and possibly upgradeable)

Pretty sure Kingwa would have already provided an option like his other gear (FUN, Sparrow, etc) if they were, but there's always a possibility they are and he hasn't.

 

[soberspine]

they are not. take a look http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/519166/audio-gd-nfb-10/195#post_7112023

 

[Jimmythemook]

Quote:

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Well, I pulled the trigger and bought the NFB10ES usb version this weekend.
Surprisingly big, it's going get some looks in the workplace.
 
I have it driving my beloved smeggy thunderpants, single ended.
 
Initial impressions are good, very good. The high resolution clarity pairs very well with the warm, rich sound out of the modded fostex.
A beautiful match actually.
 
Will post more impressions when I've had the run of it for a few more days, but so far it sounds fantastic with everything I send through it, 24bit flac vinyl rips, 192-320 mp3's, electronica all the way through to classical, everything sound gorgeous and detailed with tight, three dimensional imaging and clean instrument separation.
 
Very happy

did you seriously just say you got it the same week you bought it?

Yeah, I must've got lucky. I rang up Ampcity on Friday and they had one left so I bought it and collected it on Saturday. Very glad I did! I'd no idea how difficult it appears to be to get hold of them. It's a lovely device, the sound is outstanding. I'd tested the Music Fidelity DAC1 earlier that day and this baby knocks it into touch, the music just sounds more alive for want of a better word.

 

[audiofil]

 
Quote:

they are not. take a look http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/519166/audio-gd-nfb-10/195#post_7112023

 
That clarifies it perfectly. Thanks!
 
From a quick visual check under the hood I can see that at least one of the power supply inputs are indeed of different voltages (1.2V in my ES as opposed to 5V of the WM).

 

[erjifan]

You mean Musical Fidelity M1 DAC, right? I'm so glad I eventually ordered NFB-0ES.
 
Quote:

Yeah, I must've got lucky. I rang up Ampcity on Friday and they had one left so I bought it and collected it on Saturday. Very glad I did! I'd no idea how difficult it appears to be to get hold of them. It's a lovely device, the sound is outstanding. I'd tested the Music Fidelity DAC1 earlier that day and this baby knocks it into touch, the music just sounds more alive for want of a better word.

 

[sphinxvc]

 
 
This thing is looking great on paper & as per the impressions so far; but I'm still waiting for Head-fi'ers who've heard the best of the best to compare it to the SOTA stuff.  Even if it falls short, it'll be good to hear that it can compete with top notch balanced separates.  (I'm thinking B22, Phoenix, Apache, GS-X and the like.)
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Jimmythemook]

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You mean Musical Fidelity M1 DAC, right? I'm so glad I eventually ordered NFB-0ES.
 
Quote:

Yeah, I must've got lucky. I rang up Ampcity on Friday and they had one left so I bought it and collected it on Saturday. Very glad I did! I'd no idea how difficult it appears to be to get hold of them. It's a lovely device, the sound is outstanding. I'd tested the Music Fidelity DAC1 earlier that day and this baby knocks it into touch, the music just sounds more alive for want of a better word.

Sorry, yeah I meant the M1 DAC. We demo'ed it with the M1 HPA amp. Overall I thought it had quite a good sound but I felt it was a little flat and lifeless. The NFB-10ES just has amazing depth and vibrancy that the Music Fidelity pairing couldn't match no matter what expensive IC's we used.

 

[MrQ]

Just got my NFB-10ES. First impressions, using single ended output into a T1 Black Dragon. With some classical music it drives the T1's a bit more than my Apogee Duet did. I can turn the volume up to max and it's loud, but not unbearable. 
 
On a plus side I'm doing a quick a-b with the duet, using the same bit rates etc, both are plugged into my MacBook Pro. The soundstage on the NFB an hour out of the box has already put the Duet in it's place. It's like switching from 4:3 aspect ratio to 16:9 and throwing in hd as well.
 
I think I'll send my T1 back to Moon Audio and have a balanced 4 pin xlr fitted. Sorry wallet...

 

[MrQ]

I'm really enjoying the NFB. If I ever had a good excuse not to go to the gym today, this is it. 
 
One problem... Now I'm thinking, 'how does it compare to the Burson? Or the upcoming Luxman? 
That's how it starts isn't it? 

 

[kofk]

Good news....my NFB-10ES  (usb) finally arrived today. Ordered it from Amp-city on 19 dec 2010. I initially placed an order for the NON-USB, that is one with a BNC connector because i was unsure the USB issue would be fixed any time soon. As it turns out Amp-city gave me a call a few days ago telling me they had a USB version if i was interested, i jumped at the chance.
   First impressions..Really well packaged.....Solid industrial looking build quality that i really like. All sockets on the back look to be really good quality connectors. Volume knob and source selector are nicely turned aluminium knobs. Balanced and unbalanced connectors also look to be of good quality. Mine has no vents on the top (Im glad about that), however there are vents on the underside.
   Sound wise well what i can say is bad recordings sound just BAD.........Good recordings sound EXCELLENT. My personal preferance for sound is a very precise analytical and revealing sound and i think thats what i have here. I need to really give it some serious listening sessions and will report back later, but as it is i am really happy with my purchase. As i try to write this i am listening to pete murphy (should the world fail to fall apart) and it sounds excellent.

 

[matthewh133]

I have the option of keeping my current setup (Audio-gd FUN > HA-160 > AD2000), OR I could sell off the Audio-GD FUN and the Burson to get a NFB10ES and use it as a DAC AND Amp and then buy an LCD-2. With my current situation these two setups work out at about the same amount of money. Is this worth doing? Is the DAC and Amp that good on the combo that it would be just as good as my previous setup with a seperate DAC/Amp? Anyone have much experience using it as a combo? I also assume that I'd be able to hook up my powered monitors VIA XLR at the back as well as use it for my headphones? This would mean I'd need to purchase a separate volume control device for the monitors then.

 

[axw]

 
NFB-10ES is FANTASTIC. I could make full stop here 

 
Some minor remarks:

1. Volume control / preamp section degrades sound significantly enough not to use it; digital volume control is sonically superior wrt XLR outs. Obviously this is a very subjective statement and a matter of personal taste.. yet I regret not getting the NFB-1ES as I don't much need headphone outs.

1. When listening with preamp section turned off, my NFB-10ES generates a hissing noise audible only with, or rather _over_ very quiet sounds (song beginnings, quiet violin background passages etc.). No traces of noise when there are multiple sounds or they are relatively loud. Noise disappears also when I enable preamp / volume control (jumper placed in) - I guess it's because signal's amplitude is higher. No noise during silence periods. Probably this has to do with Sabre's handling of low level signals, since I hear no such issues in DAC19. Hopefully, dithering enabled resolves it entirely.
2. Sabre / NFB-10ES is awesome in dealing with jitter. For my ears M2tech Evo is not much if any better than the built-in usb input. Dac19's pcm1704 is sharply different in this regard - investiment in a good transport pays off immediately.

 

 

[somestranger26]

Quote:

 
NFB-10ES is FANTASTIC. I could make full stop here 

 
Some minor remarks:

1. Volume control / preamp section degrades sound significantly enough not to use it; digital volume control is sonically superior wrt XLR outs. Obviously this is a very subjective statement and a matter of personal taste.. yet I regret not getting the NFB-1ES as I don't much need headphone outs.

1. When listening with preamp section turned off, my NFB-10ES generates a hissing noise audible only with, or rather _over_ very quiet sounds (song beginnings, quiet violin background passages etc.). No traces of noise when there are multiple sounds or they are relatively loud. Noise disappears also when I enable preamp / volume control (jumper placed in) - I guess it's because signal's amplitude is higher. No noise during silence periods. Probably this has to do with Sabre's handling of low level signals, since I hear no such issues in DAC19. Hopefully, dithering enabled resolves it entirely.
2. Sabre / NFB-10ES is awesome in dealing with jitter. For my ears M2tech Evo is not much if any better than the built-in usb input. Dac19's pcm1704 is sharply different in this regard - investiment in a good transport pays off immediately.

 

1. Hmm that's nice to know. I have not tested it myself, but I might hold off on a power amp for a while if that's the case.
2. This sounds like a defect in your NFB-10. Testing with digital silence, cranking my receiver up to nearly max volume, I hear exactly the same noise level with fixed "preamp" output as with the DAC disconnected (just the noise from the receiver). So, the noise in my system is coming from my receiver and even that is far below listening volume. I would definitely ask Kingwa what the deal is.
3. I wish you had the BNC version, I'm sure BNC out from the Evo would make some marginal improvements due to being 75 ohm.

 

[Currawong]

mathewh133: Do it. You want the maximum resolution you can afford for the LCD-2s IMO.
 
I have a Fun + Parasound Zamp for my speaker rig and amp thinking of a serious upgrade to an NFB-10ES + Decware Taboo.
 
somestranger26: If whatever you are using the NFB-10 with is expecting the kind of output a DAC gives, possibly as a DAC only will give a better result.  Gear that expects to receive a signal with a higher output from a pre-amp will benefit from having the NFB-10 used in that manner I expect.  The same thing happens with my Phoenix: If I use it as a pre-amp to an amp expecting a lower-power signal, it doesn't sound as good.