[tedious1972]

tedious1972: Are you using iTunes only for playback? Are you playing back only CD-quality files or high-res files?

I have a review 10ES2 in which, so far, I think is very good. I have been playing with a Raspberry Pi and piCorePlayer with good results with the USB32. Once I can get everything stacked together, I'll compare it to the earlier NFB-10 and Anedio D2.

Hello Currawong, thanks for your quick reply. Yes, I am using ITunes icw Pure Music. Problem on the 10ES2 only exists through USB input. Software updates have not yet solved the problem. The "clicks" are not continuous but only occassionaly...

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Quote:

tedious1972: Are you using iTunes only for playback? Are you playing back only CD-quality files or high-res files?

I have a review 10ES2 in which, so far, I think is very good. I have been playing with a Raspberry Pi and piCorePlayer with good results with the USB32. Once I can get everything stacked together, I'll compare it to the earlier NFB-10 and Anedio D2.

Hello Currawong, thanks for your quick reply. Yes, I am using ITunes icw Pure Music. Problem on the 10ES2 only exists through USB input. Software updates have not yet solved the problem. The "clicks" are not continuous but only occassionaly...

 
I was playing music through my old 2006 MacBook Pro which is acting as a file server and was getting drop-outs with Amarra, but that was the result of Aperture on my main computer writing to the archives over the network to the it. You might want to make sure that the computer doing the playback has a enough memory and isn't doing anything intensive. Also, set Pure Music to use its memory cache.

 

[danielhfchung]

I'm sorry if this has already been asked, but what is the difference between 10.32 and 10ES2?
 

 

[fourwed]

10.32 uses WM8741, 10ES2 uses ES9018.
 
You better check it in the official website:
 
http://www.audio-gd.com/Products-EN.htm

 

[RickEC]

Have not posted here for years, as I've gone into speakers. In 2009, I ordered the legendary 19MK3 (with PMD100), that arguably THE product that made Audio-gd well known in Head-fi, and perhaps the world. Four years on, I found myself needing a preamp to drive monoblocks for my speakers. And so, yes, I ordered and received NFB-10ES2 several days ago.
 
Having owned 19MK3, I have an expectation - a rather high one- of the 10ES2. I am not ready to comment on the sound quality differences of the two DACs. Still running in. But what I can say is the two DACs are in different league in term of build. The 19MK3 being much better. From the external, one can easily tell that the casing and connectors used are from two different categories. Go figure.
 
That is just the exterior that I am less interested in. I may come back with report on the SQ.

 

[i019791]

Nfb-6 or sa-31se would be better preamps comparing to nfb-10, I think. Also you cannot by pass the dac of nfb-10, so if you do not like the dac...

 

[catcherfly]

Hi,
 
I just received my new NFB-10ES and a Maverick Audio A1 to a run a set of speakers (Axiom Audio M2 V3) and a pair of HE-400, with a balanced cable (also new). Presently I am running into the NFB-10ES through USB (3) from my Retina Macbook Pro.
 
I dont have anything to compare this to (previously using Grado SR225i into a Harmon Kardon receiver connected to computer via airport express),  but I am very happy with the sound, looks, and quality of everything but especially the NFB-10ES. The sound of the NFB-10ES is very clean and completely silent and the amp is powerful enough to push the HE-400 although I was expecting it to be louder. I am still spending time with it all so its too early for me to tell which components of my set up are contributing to the different elements of the sound. I listen mostly to lossless electronic music but some rock as well - Deerhunter's "Microcastle/Weird Era Continued" sounds damn good (a must have album if you don't know it).
 
As a DAC/preamp going to the A1, the NFB-10ES has a variable line level. When I play headphones through the A1 the sound is much louder than through the NFB-10ES (The  NFB-10ES amp is rated much, much higher than the A1). Is this because the NFB-10ES is serving as a second amp? and if so is it also adding power to the speakers?? Perhaps that is a stupid question. The sound of my speakers, BTW, coming out of the A1 is fantastic.
 
After much research on Head-Fi, this was the setup I went for. 

 

[cynan]

Quote:

Just saw one of the original NFB-10WM listed for sale on the FS section and I ended up checking the original specs on these units. It reminded how big of a value that unit was when it came out. Kingwa has continued to crank value out of this line. The second edition added more power, digital controls, digital DAC filters, better USB, and a REMOTE, all while lowering the price. Hats off to King-wa! 

 
Actually, the amp section in the original NFB-10WM puts out a little more power than the second edition (ie, 700mW vs 590mW into 600 ohms in balanced). 

 

[reiserFS]

Would the NFB-10 be a improvement over the NFB-5?

 

[i019791]

Would the NFB-10 be a improvement over the NFB-5?

Yes,on balanced output. Also you may get the Sabre dac version of Nfb-10, which you might (or not) prefer to the Wolfson dac version.

 

[Currawong]

Just a note that the volume does NOT represent power in any amp. It represents the overall gain of the amp. 

 

[Ghaunty22]

 I'm trying to decide on the NFB-10ES2 for my KH120 monitors if anyone can give some input.
 
Is this DAC clean enough or HQ enough? I was original going for the NFB-2.32 as it is just a DAC & probably better over the 10.
 
I dont know if the 10ES would be up to the job of driving HD800's?

 

[steve2151]

Quote:

 I'm trying to decide on the NFB-10ES2 for my KH120 monitors if anyone can give some input.
 
Is this DAC clean enough or HQ enough? I was original going for the NFB-2.32 as it is just a DAC & probably better over the 10.
 
I dont know if the 10ES would be up to the job of driving HD800's?

 
When I owned the NFB-10SE, I thought it was a very good match for my Swan T200b speakers, but the HD 800 needed a bit more finesse. However, it was a better pairing with my HE-6 and a borrowed LCD-2. 

 

[i019791]

Quote:

 
When I owned the NFB-10SE, I thought it was a very good match for my Swan T200b speakers, but the HD 800 needed a bit more finesse. However, it was a better pairing with my HE-6 and a borrowed LCD-2. 

I would say that, for the majority,  NFB-10SE would likely be too neutral for the HD-800

 

[steve2151]

In that case, isn't the NFB-10ES2 supposed to be brighter still? There was some feedback about the HE-6 and HE-500 being too bright on the NFB-10SE as well, but I feel most would find it more listenable. 
 
I do like the HD 800 more with a musical series dac in the chain though (SA-1, Reference 8).