[Cacophonix]

When you turn on the unit, is it normal to have the display blink for a little while before it starts to function?

 

[moimd]

^I dont know if NFB-10 is the same as when I bought it 2 years ago, but everytime you power on the unit the display will blink, after that you either
1) Hold the Volume Up button to return to the last volume setting it was at before it was powered off
2) Hold Volume Down to return the volume back to 0

 

[fourwed]

Quote:

When you turn on the unit, is it normal to have the display blink for a little while before it starts to function?

 
I could answer on that. This is normal and acts as a safety mechanism to keep you from deaf.
 
You are able to view the volume before it sounds, especially useful if you are using it as a preamp and headphone amp at the same time.

 

[Clemmaster]

The NFB-27 doesn't have that feature. It blinks for 3 secondes also but goes back to the last saved volume right after that.

 

[Cacophonix]

Awesome, thanks guys!
I picked up a used NFB-10SE recently and have started playing around with it. I don't have a good headphone like many of you have here. I wanted to use it more as a DAC/pre with my dynaudio BM-5a mk2 monitors in my office. It was set up to operate as a DAC by default, and i removed the jumper to get it function as preamp. Even with low gain, i find the volume to be quite loud at level 1. When i read it is digitally controlled with 48steps, i assumed that i'd get better control over the volume. Does this reflect your experiences as well? I might have to go back to using the squeezebox volume control ... 
 
Also , is there a difference between 10SE and 10.32SE? How can i tell which is which?

 

[reiserFS]

I've been considering upgrading from a NFB-5 to a NFB-10ES2, do you guys think it's a major upgrade? Especially tempting now while the $580 promo is going on.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

I've been considering upgrading from a NFB-5 to a NFB-10ES2, do you guys think it's a major upgrade? Especially tempting now while the $580 promo is going on.

 
Tough to say. Kingwa cranks out so many units there isn't a chance for people to really compare them. I would guess that you wouldn't get a huge upgrade, unless you really committed your headphones to being balanced. Come to think of it, is the NFB10 a balanced version of the NFB5?
 
Also you'll lose the volume control knob. I really wish Kingwa would continue to put volume knobs on these newer units. I never was super fond of the button pressing.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

Awesome, thanks guys!
I picked up a used NFB-10SE recently and have started playing around with it. I don't have a good headphone like many of you have here. I wanted to use it more as a DAC/pre with my dynaudio BM-5a mk2 monitors in my office. It was set up to operate as a DAC by default, and i removed the jumper to get it function as preamp. Even with low gain, i find the volume to be quite loud at level 1. When i read it is digitally controlled with 48steps, i assumed that i'd get better control over the volume. Does this reflect your experiences as well? I might have to go back to using the squeezebox volume control ... 
 
Also , is there a difference between 10SE and 10.32SE? How can i tell which is which?

 
Sorry, but it's been awhile since I've owned one of these, hope I can help from my memory of this unit.
 
1. Are you sure removing the pin turns on the preamp functionality?
2. Is there any sort of volume setting on the monitors, or way to trim the sound by a flat set of decibels?
3. I don't recall, but I believe the unit's high/low gain affects preamp. Make sure you're set at the lower. 
 
Hope this helps. Other than that, I'm fresh out of ideas :/

 

[Cacophonix]

Quote:

 
Sorry, but it's been awhile since I've owned one of these, hope I can help from my memory of this unit.
 
1. Are you sure removing the pin turns on the preamp functionality?
2. Is there any sort of volume setting on the monitors, or way to trim the sound by a flat set of decibels?
3. I don't recall, but I believe the unit's high/low gain affects preamp. Make sure you're set at the lower. 
 
Hope this helps. Other than that, I'm fresh out of ideas :/

Yeh, removing the pin does enable the variable line out functionality. Or else it is fixed line (works as a DAC). I do have it set to low gain ... else it way too loud (+12db). I can still control the vol on the squeezebox... which is what i might go back to. No point in having multiple vol controls. But as a headphone amp, it is by far the best i've had. Almost startlingly good.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

Yeh, removing the pin does enable the variable line out functionality. Or else it is fixed line (works as a DAC). I do have it set to low gain ... else it way too loud (+12db). I can still control the vol on the squeezebox... which is what i might go back to. No point in having multiple vol controls. But as a headphone amp, it is by far the best i've had. Almost startlingly good.

 
Gah! Sorry I couldn't help ya then. 
 
Nice monitors, btw. I'm about to grab some higher end speaker and I don't know if I should get monitors or not. 

 

[Cacophonix]

Quote:

 
Gah! Sorry I couldn't help ya then. 
 
Nice monitors, btw. I'm about to grab some higher end speaker and I don't know if I should get monitors or not. 

Oh, to me its a no brainer. Active monitors are head and shoulders above passive ones for the same money. You can get a pair of dynaudio bm5a mk2 for under $800, and there is nothing that can come close to them in a small to mid sized room. The imaging is spooky, and they just sound -right-.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

Oh, to me its a no brainer. Active monitors are head and shoulders above passive ones for the same money. You can get a pair of dynaudio bm5a mk2 for under $800, and there is nothing that can come close to them in a small to mid sized room. The imaging is spooky, and they just sound -right-.

 
 
Man, that does sound great. I'm hoping I can get a nice set, and then just kind of move out of headphones 

 

[i019791]

Quote:

 
Also , is there a difference between 10SE and 10.32SE? How can i tell which is which?

Better usb input chip in 10.32 (there is no 10.32SE)
If it plays 88.2 khz through usb it is not the 10SE

 

[i019791]

Quote:

 
Tough to say. Kingwa cranks out so many units there isn't a chance for people to really compare them. I would guess that you wouldn't get a huge upgrade, unless you really committed your headphones to being balanced. Come to think of it, is the NFB10 a balanced version of the NFB5?
 

+1

 

[bruiselee]

Hi guys,
 
Any comparison between the NFB 10SE and NFB 3.33? Which will give me better sound quality? 10SE or 3.33?
 
Was initially planning to get a NFB 3.33 new, but came across the NFB 10SE second hand in the same price region.
So i thought if the 10SE is a better choice, i might go for it instead.
 
While reading, i read something like the USB module needs to be installed? it doesnt come pre-installed?
I be connecting the  dac from my computer, so the usb connectability is quite important..
 
Comp > dac > active speakers (Adam A3X)