Audio-gd NFB-28

[kkcc]

I should really update my profile with more stuff I've owned, and what is here and gone.

 But-too much work lol.  Also-it's all about synergy and preference-it's not cut and dry 'this component beats that component' etc. I realize that the NFB would be technically behind the 27 and Master series-but as a cheaper all in one alternative, and balanced at this price-seems just phenomenal.

That's right-how's that guy treating you anyway? I can't remember what headphones you're using with it-but I bet most orthos would be pretty amazing with it.


On another note-I'm sorry to say that I've cancelled my NFB 28 order for the time being. Kudos to KINGWA for issuing me a refund with no questions asked in the span of ELEVEN MINUTES after emailing him with the request. 

 (I did mention all the prior products I've bought from him, sly me

). Reason for doing so was that I'm now contemplating buying the BDA-2 to match with my BHA-1 instead-so I'd have no need for a second ss, balanced rig at this point. I may be heading across country for work periodically now-and if so-I will DEFINITELY pick up a NFB 28 as that would be a pretty convenient, transportable, balanced, AIO.

Looking forward to your guy's impressions-and hope to be able to add my own sooner rather than later.

-Daniel

Oh bummer.... was really looking forward to some comparisons from your fine selection of components. But am equally excited for the BHA1+BDA2 impressions.

Cheers

 

[elwappo99]

Yea definitely a bummer you cancelled the order. Is anyone else ordered this?
 
I really like the fact that King-wa placed a volume knob on this unit and it still has a remote. Makes a sweet little package. Also really like the move back to the older casing. It's got a much sturdier feel over the NFB-10 I had, and I never had any concerns stacking stuff on it. 
 
I also wonder how this will compare to the older Roc and Phoenix units. With the sudden explosion of newer units, it's kind of hard to figure out how they compare.

 

[kkcc]

Yea definitely a bummer you cancelled the order. Is anyone else ordered this?

I really like the fact that King-wa placed a volume knob on this unit and it still has a remote. Makes a sweet little package. Also really like the move back to the older casing. It's got a much sturdier feel over the NFB-10 I had, and I never had any concerns stacking stuff on it. 

I also wonder how this will compare to the older Roc and Phoenix units. With the sudden explosion of newer units, it's kind of hard to figure out how they compare.

Mine should be shipped in the next week or two, but I don't have "better" rigs to compare it to so was looking forward to Daniel's comparison. Will share my noob impression nonetheless.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

Mine should be shipped in the next week or two, but I don't have "better" rigs to compare it to so was looking forward to Daniel's comparison. Will share my noob impression nonetheless.

 
Certainly look forward to your comments. Don't discount yourself immediately because you don't have experience with gear in this price category 

. I'll be checking in and eagerly awaiting.

 

[kkcc]

Certainly look forward to your comments. Don't discount yourself immediately because you don't have experience with gear in this price category 

. I'll be checking in and eagerly awaiting.

Will do. In fact I got the nfb28 to establish a baseline for me to compare to "better" rigs I am targeting like the bda2/mx+/hex/dp1, with bha1/taurus/wa5/hpa21 etc as this would be my first foray into desktop/headphone rigs and I have much to learn about their relative performances and my personal preferences.

 

[BournePerfect]

I am still very much interested in this unit-I do plan on getting one soon as a work rig or something. Looking forward to your thoughts, kkcc and elwapp.
 
I've been very much impressed with the BHA-1 to the degree that I wanna try the BDA-2 to match with it-that's the primary reason I passed on the NFB for now. I'll be posting my impressions of the BHA-1 vs Mjolnir soon-and I may be one of a few who think the Bryston is 'better enough' over the Schiit to justify it's price-especially at the used rates it's going for. /endofftopic
 
-Daniel

 

[preproman]

@Clem:
 
Can you compare the Audio-GD DACs that you've heard to the Ciunas?
 
This unit looks pretty cool.  A comparison to the ConductorSL ES9018 would be good.  I like this unit because of the 4-pin output.  The Burson does not want to go balanced and / or provide a 4-pin XLR just for convenience, they want to stay SE..  This unit looks more flexible. 

 

[Clemmaster]

Sorry I cannot really give you a decent input on this because I now know for a fact something is wrong with my USB setup (laptop, win7, JRiver MC18).
 
I've been fighting against hardness, harshness and glare for a long time now and I still didn't fix all of it.
I recently tried my Western Digital WDTV (TV media player) as an UPnP media - connected through my Chord QuteHD through optical - on my dad's speaker setup.
The sound was really good compared to what I experienced with all my other DAC in USB lately (NFB-27, DP-1, Cinuas, ..). note: on this very setup, the Ciunas lacked scale and the mids were quasi-absent, so was PRaT 

 
This fortunate experience had me move the WD TV in my head-fi setup and tried it with my DACs through optical: no harshness, no hardness or whatsoever! At last! A sound that I can listen and enjoy for hours!
I now it's not optimal - my NFB-27 still didn't get all it's glory back - but I was much much better than through USB because I could focus on things and hear what they have to say.
I really need to figure out what's wrong with my USB and how I could mess it up to the extent of not being able to focus on any part of the sound.
 
Since my experience with the Cinuas was not optimal, it wouldn't be fair to compare it to the NFB-27. I need to wait for my Squeezebox Touch to come home again and redo some testing through USB. That said, I have the feeling the NFB-28 would fare well against it as a DAC only (if not outclass it).
 
From my experience, nothing can touch the NFB-27 all-around, not even the DP1, IMO. The Eximus lacks authority and musicality. It has the same level of refinement but lacks in other areas where the Audio-Gd excels at.
The Chord QuteHD is not as refined (through optical, it might greatly benefit from a USB -> SPDIF converter) but is much more musical (better PRaT) and sound big (in terms of height), even bigger than the NFB-27.
The sound stage is a bit flat (small depth, good width) though.

 

[BournePerfect]

Quote:

 The Eximus lacks authority and musicality.

 
W.T.F.?
 
Please tell me you weren't just using the DP-1's built in headamp, either. :/
 
-Daniel

 

[Clemmaster]

Hehe, no...
I was running it through optical, which might not be the best input and not the best source (WD TV), but then again I ran both the NFB-27 and the QuteHD the same way.

The DP-1 is a fine DAC, no doubt, but I just cannot love it.

The built-in amp is unusable with my ortho so I can't say much about it. I wish I still had the TH-600 for it.
I tried the Momentum: this "little" headphone is very very nice! The tonal balance is top notch. If not for the slightly boomy bass, I would buy it in a heart-beat (and regret it because I have no real need for it )

 

[BournePerfect]

Well if the Eximus isn't musical to you-I'd LOVE to hear what you think of the M7/M8 combo.

 
-Daniel

 

[Clemmaster]

The M7 shouldn't be much different from the NFB-27 in terms of technicalities but with an even more organic and natural tone and probably better all-around.
That's a sound I like a lot. The soundstage can feel a bit unnatural because the scene is big with plenty of air around the instruments. I like this presentation but I also like the Chord which has more height and less space.

note that I pair the NFB-27 (or any other DAC for that matters) with the SA-31 to add some musicality.
Since I'll most likely use the EF-6 soon, I might get the SA-2 to get the musical sound back.

 

[BournePerfect]

Quote:

The M7 shouldn't be much different from the NFB-27 in terms of technicalities but with an even more organic and natural tone and probably better all-around.
That's a sound I like a lot. The soundstage can feel a bit unnatural because the scene is big with plenty of air around the instruments. I like this presentation but I also like the Chord which has more height and less space.

note that I pair the NFB-27 (or any other DAC for that matters) with the SA-31 to add some musicality.
Since I'll most likely use the EF-6 soon, I might get the SA-2 to get the musical sound back.

Bingo. That stuff doesn't exist (with HD800 anyway) on the M7/M8 combo. I'm with you on the entire SA series-extremely enjoyable gear with a good touch of musicality. My Diamond differential stuff (Ref 9, C-2 SA) was probably the most musical gear I've owned-and the M7/M8 reminded me NOTHING of those. Kingwa's SA line vs his self proclaimed dead neutral stuff is a lot different sounding than people wanna believe. Kingwa states minor differences-real world useers tend to think the gap is much larger. Assumptions with his gear based on specs or topology isn't an accurate estimate, ime.
 
-Daniel

 

[Clemmaster]

What did you pair the DP1 with then?
The Eximus adds no musicality over the NFB-27 DAC - at least none I'm sensitive to - IMO. The chord does.

 

[BournePerfect]

Mainly the ZDSE. A number lesser ss amps. (Master 8, Auditor, Mjolnir, m-Stage). Hard to say everything that was at play since the ZDSE is a clear level above all the others ime.
 
-Daniel