[campj]

Hi, I have a couple questions.
 
!) What is the difference between the NFB-28 and the NFB-10ES3? Is there any difference in sound, or is it just peripherals? I know very little about electronic jargon, so a simpler answer would be appreciated.
 
2) Is the DAC on the NFB models Windows XP compatible? I have a stand-alone computer for my tunes.
 
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kkcc]

Hi, I have a couple questions.

!) What is the difference between the NFB-28 and the NFB-10ES3? Is there any difference in sound, or is it just peripherals? I know very little about electronic jargon, so a simpler answer would be appreciated.

2) Is the DAC on the NFB models Windows XP compatible? I have a stand-alone computer for my tunes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

1. Only differences are nfb28 takes analog balanced xlr/single ended RCA inputs (so u can use it as a standalone amp with other dac), and it has a larger transformer than the 10ES3. They should sound very very similar.

2. WinXP is supported for the newer models with USB32. Not sure about older models with other usb interface module.

 

[campj]

Thanks!
 
Oh, on point two, do you mean newer model CPUs? Or newer model DACs? Nevermind, found it on AGD's site. Thanks for the help.

 

[customNuts]

  So $680 can compare with $1300 - excellent.
 
I'm buying ASAP. Too bad no DSD support, it would have made things so much easier and fun
 
And for the record, Wednesday I'll have a chance to listen to the Gryphon Kalliope DAC, will be interesting, I'll be listening it for a bit and then when I get my NFB-28 (If there won't be anything better at the time) I'll post my impressions and maybe at some point in the future, since I'm trying to get a local distributor for audio-gd, want to let him listen and compare, show that price is not everything.

Its actually $800+ vs $1300 so the gap is smaller than perceived. Audio-gd don't include the pay pal, & postage costs in the list price - they're added on when paying. Also the $40 TCXO clock upgrade isn't in the $680 either. $40 for an upgrade of the most important part of a dac is a no brainer imo.
 
Regardless, they are both stellar value - as are Audio-gd & Yulong in general. If u can afford it - go the DA8, if not, your only taking a small (but definitely noticeable) down grade with the 28.

 

[gevorg]

As a DAC only, a more fair comparison to Yulong DA8 would be Audio-GD NFB-7.32 at $1380+fees. And as a DAC+Amp combo, there is NFB-27 at $1480+fees. The Audio-GD turns out pricier in these cases, but the difference is smaller than ~$800 vs $1300.

My prediction for 2014: Audio-GD will come up with DSD modules and new DSD versions of their products.

 

[XVampireX]

So you're not saying this is a good DAC/AMP to choose until I go for something more serious?
 
I need a definite upgrade from the Asus Xonar Essence STX card, hopefully I'll find it in this.
This coming sunday I'll be testing out the BHA-1 and BDA-1 coupling, will be interesting, though I've heard it's still not quite so good ("wall of sound" kind of comments)
 
My Audeze dealer is getting a deal with Kingwa to sell Audio-gd

 

[gevorg]

"serious" is a very relative term in the audiophile world

 

[XVampireX]

I am just reading some reviews by people on some audio-gd equipment, some (Most) claim that it's godly, the other claim that it's inferior to anything and everything.
 
Are we talking about a definite upgrade on the STX?
 
I'm talking about using mainly the LCD-3's and perhaps I'll keep the HD700

 

[gevorg]

I am just reading some reviews by people on some audio-gd equipment, some (Most) claim that it's godly, the other claim that it's inferior to anything and everything.

Are we talking about a definite upgrade on the STX?

I'm talking about using mainly the LCD-3's and perhaps I'll keep the HD700

Its not godly nor inferior, its just a great bang for your buck. You can definitely raise the bar even higher than Audio-gd's top products, but will it worth it? Only you can decide. Not by reading forum comments, but by auditioning with your own system/environment.

Also, you don't need to spend a lot of $ to get a nice jump in sound quality from Asus Xonar, even with power hungry LCD-3. For example, you can get a Centrance DACport LX as a DAC and Emotiva mini-X a-100 as an amp. Total ~$420, almost half the price of NFB-28.

IMHO

 

[steve2151]

  I am just reading some reviews by people on some audio-gd equipment, some (Most) claim that it's godly, the other claim that it's inferior to anything and everything.
 
Are we talking about a definite upgrade on the STX?
 
I'm talking about using mainly the LCD-3's and perhaps I'll keep the HD700

 
Audio-GD gear is not very pretty looking, but it's engineered well and you always get what you pay for from a parts/labor perspective. My classic example is the comparison of the Bryston BDA-1 and the Audio-GD Reference 7.1 that Mike did over at Headfonia here. 
 
While the sound is a matter of taste, you can tell right away that the Reference 7.1 is larger, heavier, and cost a lot more to assemble. I bet the price would be doubled if it were built in the US.

 

[daerron]

Spending about $500 will net you a very nice upgrade over the Essence STX. The Essence STX was my first DAC/amp and it took quite a while for me to make the jump to the next level as it offers such good value for money. As far I can tell the Audio-GD gives you no thrills good sound quality for the cost. They are well designed and over engineered products with build quality to match. I would be primarily interested in their more high end stuff as it seems like a lot of their $1000+ products compete very well with audio gear that can cost up to twice as much. At this stage I cancelled my plans to get the Audio-GD NFB-28 and I got the Resonessence Concero DAC to match my Emotiva Mini-X amp in stead. Audio-GDs shipping costs, additional paypal fees plus the TXCO upgrades and copnverting your headphone to a balanced connection kill the value factor a bit over here with their mid-level gear. I will definitely look at something like the NFB-27 one day where those additional costs don't matter as much.

 

[pmostert]

Hi, all. I have been listening to my nfb 28 for almost 2 weeks now and here are my impressions. Let me tell you somethin about my dac history. Sorry if this bores you but i think it helps to put this purchase and my impressions in perspective. Hope this is helpfull.

I listen with speakers most of the time. Speakers are Sonics Aquilla, amp is Sonneteer Alabaster (recently changed to Sonneteer from Naim), source is SB Touch with Teddy Pardo powersupply. Coaxconnection into nfb 28. I owned several dac the past years. First the dac 19 mkIII from Audio GD, the minimax from Eastern electric, metrum quad dac, nfb 3 Audio Gd and now the Audio GD nfb 28.

The dac 19, I changed because although i liked its weighty presentation felt i lost too much detail, so enter the EE, very clean sounding dac and airy with lots of detail but most of the weight i liked in the dac 19 was lost. Then i bought the metrum because it was a cheap dac in comparison to the EE and had raving reviews. Very similar sound to the EE in fact not much between them i thought, so sold the EE.

I did miss the dac 19's weighty presentation from day one so decided to go back to Audio gd's nfb 3 with dir9001 when it came out. The Sound signature i knew from the dac 19 was back but this time without the loss of detail, nice soundstage. So i guess i like the housesound of Audio GD as i think the nfb 3 was better than the metrum and the EE in my system.

I did experience a little sibliance in my system and started to look for an Audio gd dac like the SA1 and 1704 chipset and almost ordered but had a change of mind and decided to change the amp first. So enter the Sonneteer Alabaster. This amp has the speed and prat of the Naim but is just a little rounder, less in your face and it cured the Sibliance for sure. I just love this amp in fact i bought the Sedley phonostage to match it and am selling all my Naim components.

But all this looking for another Audio GD dac got me curious about the ES9018 dac from Kingwa and now with sibliance out of the way decided to try this even though it is said that it can be a bit too clean/clinical sounding. I decided to go for the nfb 28 after reading this thread, so thought to share my experience here.
I didn't expect much of a change as i was very pleased with the nfb3 already and so went for the nfb 28 because at least it also gives the opportunity to listen to some cans i just bought.

The nfb 28 is a fair bit larger and heavier than the nfb 3. Outer case is much better. I left it playing for 48 hours straight before i did some serious listening. I'm not good at describing things like this but this is what i hear. It's got more authority and weight and yet is much more detailed and natural musical, it is superb, its fast and stops/starts on a dime. This is by far the best dac i have owned. No trouble with sibliance at all. I got a BNC to rca lead from Kingwa but i did'nt even bother to try it yet as it is playing so nice.

So i was wrong this dac is..as good as the nfb 3 may be..much better. Somehow Kingwa managed to keep the sound I like and bring it to the next level with this dac compared to the nfb 3. I know it's a different chipset so it must be something in his design. I' m no expert just very happy that his 9018 implementation is so good.

Did not try the headphoneamp but may post some impressions on that later.

 

[customNuts]

Nice impressions pmostert! 
Over the years Kingwa has built many of the nfb-10 variations and has improved them along the way. 2 years ago I asked Kingwa if he was going to build one with the sabre chipset and he said probably not. He wasn't comfortable with it for some time, hence it was all wolfson & pcm1704uk for ages.
Anyway, once he was finally comfortable with the advanced 9018 dac, he has really been able to make them shine. 
So after many variations, the nfb-10 seems to have hit maturity and the 28 really is like a statement product for that line imo. Its got all the options - great case, big R-core, occ wires, 9018, totl usb & optional TCXO. Having owned the nfb10SE , the 28 is definitely a more mature dac/amp.  Its also more ruthless (as you would expect a higher end dac to be). This thing is super detailed, fast as hell, neutral yet with heft & musicality. For $800, I'm pretty impressed - as I've always been with AGD.
Pmostert, make sure you keep burning it in - Audio-gd products, most notably the bigger ones, really improve with burnin. Theres a lot of parts in there that need to settle. Mine has improved so much, and still is. I've probably got 250hrs, maybe 300hrs. Also, definately give the balanced amp a go! I think AGD is even better at their amps than their DACs. Its a seriously powerful unit.
cheers

 

[VTV]

Hi can somebody help me with this selection. I have a Hifiman HE-500 which I feel is a bit bright.

I was trying between the NFB10ES3 and NFB28 but apparently they sound the same and have only minor upgrades. Actually I was recommended the NFB10.33 because of its warmer and smoother sound. It is obviously cheaper. I read somewhere in this thread that the PCB of the newer models being more future proof than the older PCB of the NFB10.33.

Now reading through this thread, I am leaning towards the NFB28, especially if it can be made to sound warm by a simple adjustment.

How do the NFB10.33 compares to the NFB28 sonically?

I intend to by the 30 dollars kit from Kingwa to modify the stock cable of HE500 to balanced.

Any feedback is welcome. Also has anyone got any idea how either of the models sound with the Hifiman?

Thanks.

 

[i019791]

Hi can somebody help me with this selection. I have a Hifiman HE-500 which I feel is a bit bright.



I was trying between the NFB10ES3 and NFB28 but apparently they sound the same and have only minor upgrades. Actually I was recommended the NFB10.33 because of its warmer and smoother sound. It is obviously cheaper. I read somewhere in this thread that the PCB of the newer models being more future proof than the older PCB of the NFB10.33.



Now reading through this thread, I am leaning towards the NFB28, especially if it can be made to sound warm by a simple adjustment.



How do the NFB10.33 compares to the NFB28 sonically?



I intend to by the 30 dollars kit from Kingwa to modify the stock cable of HE500 to balanced.



Any feedback is welcome. Also has anyone got any idea how either of the models sound with the Hifiman?



Thanks.

 


A predecessor of NFB-10.33 (NFB-10SE, also with Wolfson dac) was bright & sibilant for me with HE500 (velour pads & balanced). It was less bright single end or with pleather pads. The same NFB-10SE was superb for me with the non bright Sennheiser HD650.
NFB-10s are very neutral. I eventually got less neutral gear for the HE500.