[zakazak]

Hey there, I use a Audio-GD NFB 12.1 as DAC/AMP for listening from Laptop (via USB 3.0) to my Sennheisers HD 600. Now I wanted to use it as DAC only to listen via my Sony TA-F690ES + 2x Magnat Zero 8 speakers, how ever, I get a lot of disturbing hissing from it:
 
I start the amp (TA-F690ES) and have no hissing on any input channels I select. As soon as I select the Aux Input (where my Audio-GD NFB12.1 is connected to) I have some pretty bad hissing. If I disconnect the NFB 12.1 (so the cables on the AUX Input of my AMP as still connected) the hissing is gone.
 
So -> Audio-GD NFB 12.1 cinch output has bad hissing. The question is: Does any other DAC have a better cinch output ?
 
@edit: Gain was on "High" is that makes any difference.. I didn't try it out.

 

[tme110]

I'd post nfb-12 questions in the nfb-12 thread, you'd get more responses.
 
The -12 has a perfectly good DAC and like all AGD gear is actually very 'quiet'.  It's hard to say if you have a bad part or some bad synergy in your system.
 
And since you were using it as an DAC/AMP fine, you can tell the DAC is obviously in good shape.
 
If you were curious about the gain, you could just change it but the gain doesn't do anything except change where the volume is.  Though it would be good to go to low or at least make sure your volume is low in case you were causing clipping in your amp.
 

 

[1audioz]

Open the NFB-12.1 up to check if you have the DAC-level output set as variable or fixed line output. If it's on variable, changes in the volume knob and high gain will severely distort any sound coming through. I have yet to set it to fixed (laziness) but I use it with my WA2 on maxed out variable output with the switches set to:
 
DAC / Gain L / OPT / Max Volume / OS 2 / Filter 1
 
I haven't had any hissing issues from my unit.