[thomaspf]

Hi,

it has been a while since I created a thread on head-fi but I could not find an existing one covering Audio-GDs new DAC/headamp combo. I just took delivery and installed the NFB 27.38. I let it play for a couple of hours and have been trying it out with my HD-600 and HE-1000v2.

Kingwa predicted 21 days build time and it pretty much shipped exactly on time. It took 3 days shipping from Hong-Kong to Seattle with DHL and arrived in flawless condition.

I have it connected to my headphone PC via USB through an Intona USB isolator. Right out of the box it sounded a bit flat but it has gained a lot after warming up and playing for a few hours. More impressions after 100 hours burn-in ...

Cheers

Thomas

 

[thyname]

Do they have Amp only? With no DAC? If so, which is the best one?

Gotta say, their website is the most disorganized I have ever seen.

 

[macrog]

Their best headphone amp without DAC is the HE-9

http://www.audio-gd.com/HE/HE-9/HE-9EN.htm

I have owned the Master 9 and very much enjoyed it

http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-9/Master-9EN.htm

I am intending on getting a NFB27.38 very shortly

Regards Macrog

 

[thyname]

Their best headphone amp without DAC is the HE-9

http://www.audio-gd.com/HE/HE-9/HE-9EN.htm

I have owned the Master 9 and very much enjoyed it

http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Master-9/Master-9EN.htm

I am intending on getting a NFB27.38 very shortly

Regards Macrog

Thanks!

How does it compare with Auralic Taurus MKII or Cayin IHA-6?

Any US dealers? Or is it always directly shipped from China?

 

[Lickumms]

I am interested in the NFB-27.38 but is it worth the extra money over the NFB-28.38 or the NFB-1AMP + NFB-1.38?

They all seem to have similar stats and from as far as I can tell they have similar DAC setups.

 

[thomaspf]

Hi,

after a rather extended burn-in period I can share some comparative notes with a couple of headphones Hifiman HE-1000v2, Sennheiser HD-600, Audeze Isine-20, Hifiman RE-600. I am generally not a great believer in long burn-in but the sound of the NFB27.38 changed quite a bit and now seems to have settled after ~400 hours. The unit gets handwarm and it got really hot when the ambient temperature got up to 80 fahrenheit.


The source components I am comparing to are an Auralic Gemini 2000 and an LHlabs Go2Pro infinity. I am part of the remaining set of customers waiting for a Geek Pulse Xfi so I won't be able to give that data point. The DAC chips for the Audio-GD, Auralic, and LHlabs are the ESS 9018, ESS SABRE9028Q2M, and ESS 9038Pro respectively. The I/V and Class A amplification stages are all unique to these units. The Auralic and LHlabs sources ultilize digital volume control while the Auralic NFB27.38 uses a analog logarithmic stepped resistor array that is digitally controlled by relays.

I build a custom linear power supply (amb.org σ11) for the Auralic to replace the cheap laptop switcher and the source is a Dell Precision 5500 laptop with the USB feed galvanically isolated and regenerated by an Intona USB isolator. OS is the latest 1703 version of Windows 10.

As the playback application I am using Jriver Media Center with ASIO output into the XMOS drivers provided by LHlabs/Auralic and the Amanero driver provided by Audio-GD. I have tested with a mix of standard resolution and hires material and all three units work basically with no problems.

Since I am just using the Auralic Gemini 2000 and LHlabs Go2Pro as comparison I will only give short summary of hoe I perceive the sounds signatures.

The Gemini 2000 has a very lean sound with punchy bass and sparkling highs that can sound a bit shrill on some older recordings. Relative to the 2 other units the bass and transients seem to be a bit prominent in the sound signature. The LHLabs Go2Pro sounds much warmer and fuller with similar levels of resolution but without the shrillness. Both of these have previous generation ESS dac chips. With these differences there is a lot of commonality between how these units sound.

The Audio-GD NFB27.38 uses the relatively new ESS 9038Pro. The NFB27.38 sounds different from all the ESS9018 based DACs I have in my house. I don't know whether that is inherent to the chip or a result of the unique current based amplification. High order bit is that the highs are very clear and resolving without ever being shrill and the bass is very well integrated bordering on being polite. I can spot less difference in the mids.

I will wrap it with this very subjective initial high level comparison. Overall I have switched to the NFB27.38 as my main headphone listening rig. While I sometimes miss the added bass punch of the Gemini 2000 I prefer the smoother sound overall.

In the next post I will share impressions from specific tracks that I use for critical listening.

Cheers

Thomas

 

[Dickies]

I'm very interested to hear some impressions on the .38 I've been loving my nfb 27h for the last year ish and if impressions are positive I think I'll have to email Kingwa and ask him nicely if he'll upgrade my dac section