[Aynjell]

So somebody asked me to come back and offer feedback on the paring of the Dac-19 NFB-2 and the C-2. In a word: Horrible.
 
THe only thing I can think of is i got a crap piece of gear from the member I bought it from, but without another identical part I can't confirm or deny that. Either way, this thing sounds TERRIBLE. It's flat, stale, and hard to listen to. I can't even get a good grip on what I'm hearing... and this is hooked up by ACSS.
 
When you swap to the C-2C, you get natural, warm, huge presentation. I'm relaxed by hearing my C-2C, but my C-2 just... confuses me. It actually crosses my eyes. O.o
 
Maybe I'm not using ACSS right? Seems like you can hook up the cables any kind of way, so I imagine that you just need to be consistent about how they plug in.

 

[Aynjell]

Nevermind, coming back to this thread made me toy with it, and now i'm happy with it. What
 
ACSS is crap for exactly this reason. at least acss classic anyway. ACSS classic used 4 prongs on each cable and the plugs weren't keyed. Maybe I just had 'em in wrong? O.o

 

[khaine1711]

Lol good to hear that. Almost makes me cancel my C2.2 order 

 
Quote:

Nevermind, coming back to this thread made me toy with it, and now i'm happy with it. What
 
ACSS is crap for exactly this reason. at least acss classic anyway. ACSS classic used 4 prongs on each cable and the plugs weren't keyed. Maybe I just had 'em in wrong? O.o

 

 

[aspenx]

Quote:

Nevermind, coming back to this thread made me toy with it, and now i'm happy with it. What
 
ACSS is crap for exactly this reason. at least acss classic anyway. ACSS classic used 4 prongs on each cable and the plugs weren't keyed. Maybe I just had 'em in wrong? O.o

You mean you had your DAC and amp hooked up wrongly and it sounded terrible? Hmmm... I have the "new classic" type so there isn't any way to plug it wrongly. Thank goodness. Anyways, good that you're getting good sound now. haha.

 

[villageidiot]

Can you guys give me a brief description on how ACSS sounds like with the 3.1/2.1 and c2 amp? Is the sound musical or is it too analytical?

 

[HaVoC-28]

 
Quote:

Can you guys give me a brief description on how ACSS sounds like with the 3.1/2.1 and c2 amp? Is the sound musical or is it too analytical?

Hum ACSS : Tending to neutrality , very liquid smooth-efortless sounding on most records , quite resolving but without beeing to much on the analytical side , i think it's a good compromise beetween musical and analytical . 

 

[Aynjell]

Quote:

Lol good to hear that. Almost makes me cancel my C2.2 order 

 


 

 
I wouldn't cancel the order. For the price you can't go wrong.
 
But I still prefer my C-2C. It sounds bigger, wider, and has more bass. It's just a warmer presentation, which is what I was going for.

 

[khaine1711]

Yea I still keep my order. So did the C2 sound sterile and flat or was that some trouble with the cable?
 
From audio gd site it seems the later C2 revisions were tuned to be more neutral, not sure if there's changes on the circuit or just different components (WIMA vs EVOX cap)
Quote:

 
I wouldn't cancel the order. For the price you can't go wrong.
 
But I still prefer my C-2C. It sounds bigger, wider, and has more bass. It's just a warmer presentation, which is what I was going for.

 

 

[ninjikiran]

Rather than the C-2c is you want that warm presentation with very strong impact pair the NFB-2 with the lyr and GE tubes.

 

[eclipes]

anyone here with experience for both the NFB 3.1 and NFB-12. I no longer need a dac/amp all in one, wondering if 3.1 as dedicated dac be any improvement.

 

[khaine1711]

I did email kingwa about this and this is his reply. 'nuff said, I am now saving for both nfb3.1 and dac19 

 
 
Quote:

I think if the amp and the music files are good, the different is clear, the NFB3.1 sound near neutral but a little smooth, the DAC19DSP consider sound monitor and neutral , can show the flews of the music files, if you don't like the monitor sound, the NFB3.1 is better.

 
 


 

 

[petemac110]

I did email kingwa about this and this is his reply. 'nuff said, I am now saving for both nfb3.1 and dac19 

 
 
 
 


 

I recently did a comparison at a friends place between the Rega DAC, Schiit Bifrost, NFB 2.1 and the DAC19DSP. We were both of the opinion that the DAC19 was the most realistic sounding DAC out of this bunch and it won the day. It is a very impressive DAC for the money! I in fact sold my NFB3 after I bought the DAC19 as I found the DAC19 bettered it. Buying both would give you two very capable, yet different sounding DACs.

 

[khaine1711]

That's what I think about DAC19 vs Nfb3. I kind of need the Nfb3 for my badly recorded metal stuff; and Dac19 for baroque/chopin. 
 
What are the major differences between the nfb3.1/2.1 vs Dac19 aside from the realistic timbre/tonal if I may ask?
 
Quote:

I recently did a comparison at a friends place between the Rega DAC, Schiit Bifrost, NFB 2.1 and the DAC19DSP. We were both of the opinion that the DAC19 was the most realistic sounding DAC out of this bunch and it won the day. It is a very impressive DAC for the money! I in fact sold my NFB3 after I bought the DAC19 as I found the DAC19 bettered it. Buying both would give you two very capable, yet different sounding DACs.

 

 

[petemac110]

Quote:

That's what I think about DAC19 vs Nfb3. I kind of need the Nfb3 for my badly recorded metal stuff; and Dac19 for baroque/chopin. 
 
What are the major differences between the nfb3.1/2.1 vs Dac19 aside from the realistic timbre/tonal if I may ask?
 

 
I found the DAC19 to be less coloured and more resolving of fine details. This is not to say that the NFB DACs are massively coloured though - I'm simply trying to tease-out the differences between the two. I always found my original NFB3 to be a massively enjoyable DAC to listen to. I just happen to be enjoying the DAC19 more in my system right now
 
 

 

[Aynjell]

Quote:

Rather than the C-2c is you want that warm presentation with very strong impact pair the NFB-2 with the lyr and GE tubes.

After switching from tubes to SS, I don't want to go tubes again. What is more, I'm 100% satisfied at the moment, with my setup.
 
X-Fi Titanium -> BJC Optical -> NFB-2 -> BJC RCA -> Audio GD c-2C
                                                           |-> Audio-GD ACSS -> Audio GD C-2
 
Not sure I'll sell the C-2, but so far I haven't ever wanted to hear the C-2 over the C-2C, but I'm looking for it to justify keeping it. If I can't find it in a few months I'll sell it. I don't know that I'd want more warmth or impact, as of right now it's amazing.
 
My normal listening experience goes as such:
 

• Turn on the dac
• turn on the amp
• Set the volume to the right level
• Put on my headphones
• TAKE OFF MY HEADPHONES
• verify my speakers aren't playing (it fools me all the time, seriously)
• Put my headphones back on and squee with joy