[luiztfc]

 
I guess the question is, what are you upgrading from?
 
The ES9018 chip is inherently a little bright with good details, but the Audio-GD implementation is very good, making it smooth, detailed, punchy and dynamic.   It should work great with the LCD's,I loved it with my HE-500.
 
If you use USB than the upgrade is worth it, as the USB-32 sounds great.

 
I'm starting from scratch. I bought the LCD2 (which haven't arrived yet) and I'm the market for an amp/DAC. I was almost buying a Lyr2/Bifrost combo, after doing more research, I stumbled upon this thread and the NFB-28 seems a very combo amp/dac combo, at least for my budget (1,000 USD). 
 
Since I'll be using my desktop as a source, I think I'll upgrade. 

Thanks!

 

[WhiskeyJacks]

   
I'm starting from scratch. I bought the LCD2 (which haven't arrived yet) and I'm the market for an amp/DAC. I was almost buying a Lyr2/Bifrost combo, after doing more research, I stumbled upon this thread and the NFB-28 seems a very combo amp/dac combo, at least for my budget (1,000 USD). 
 
Since I'll be using my desktop as a source, I think I'll upgrade. 

Thanks!

I think that this would be a good combination with the LCD2 given that it will balance it out a little more, and also have more than enough power for the headphones, it drives my HE-560 and ZMF x Vibros effortlessly. It is a very capable DAC/Amp and it is a balanced unit which is even nicer imo. Hope you decide and are happy with what you end up with.

 

[jodgey4]

I use it with 2.2F's, also consider the 29 if you don't have all your cans wired for balanced operation. Smooth and powerful and clean are the words for this gear.

 

[Stillhart]

Anyone in here have any experience comparing this against things like the Matrix X-sabre, Oppo HA-1, Schiit Gungnir/Mjolnir or Geek Pulse?

 

[gevorg]

Anyone in here have any experience comparing this against things like the Matrix X-sabre, Oppo HA-1, Schiit Gungnir/Mjolnir or Geek Pulse?

In my experience with HD800:

X-Sabre/BHA-1 > NFB-28 > Gungnir/Mjolnir

The biggest weakness of the Schiit combo was that it was too aggressive/forward sounding with HD800s and exhibited some "digititis" (relatively to the clean and smooth sound of Audio-GD, not that Schiit combo is bad).
The biggest weakness of NFB-28 was that its amp section did not match with HD800 that well.

 

[Stillhart]

In my experience with HD800:

X-Sabre/BHA-1 > NFB-28 > Gungnir/Mjolnir

The biggest weakness of the Schiit combo was that it was too aggressive/forward sounding with HD800s and exhibited some "digititis" (relatively to the clean and smooth sound of Audio-GD, not that Schiit combo is bad).
The biggest weakness of NFB-28 was that its amp section did not match with HD800 that well.

 
Thanks, that's very helpful.  I'll be using it with the LCD-2.2f right now, which is a lot warmer than the HD800 so the pairing preferences might not match up well.  But the fact that it's in the running at all speaks volumes for its price/performance ratio.
 
Man I bet that X-Sabre and BHA-1 are a classy looking pair.  :-D

 

[gevorg]

Yes, the Audeze is a completely different animal that can reverse my ranking or drop them all.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

In my experience with HD800:

X-Sabre/BHA-1 > NFB-28 > Gungnir/Mjolnir

The biggest weakness of the Schiit combo was that it was too aggressive/forward sounding with HD800s and exhibited some "digititis" (relatively to the clean and smooth sound of Audio-GD, not that Schiit combo is bad).
The biggest weakness of NFB-28 was that its amp section did not match with HD800 that well.

Can you explain "digititis"? I have no idea what that means.

 

[gevorg]

In my experience with HD800:

X-Sabre/BHA-1 > NFB-28 > Gungnir/Mjolnir

The biggest weakness of the Schiit combo was that it was too aggressive/forward sounding with HD800s and exhibited some "digititis" (relatively to the clean and smooth sound of Audio-GD, not that Schiit combo is bad).
The biggest weakness of NFB-28 was that its amp section did not match with HD800 that well.

Can you explain "digititis"? I have no idea what that means.

Quite hard to explain, you have to hear it and/or be sensitive to it to know what it is. Like a hard edge and "harshness" in the sound, mostly audible in the treble. Its one of the reasons why some folks resort to R2R or even NOS DAC designs.

 

[zach915m]

Quite hard to explain, you have to hear it and/or be sensitive to it to know what it is. Like a hard edge and "harshness" in the sound, mostly audible in the treble. Its one of the reasons why some folks resort to R2R or even NOS DAC designs.

The 10.33 Wolfson chip is also not quite as up-front in it's presentation, it's warmer and has more bloom to the sound while still being punchy and dynamic. 

 

[Liu Junyuan]

Well he was talking about the balanced Schiit combo, not the Sabre on the A-GDs. 
 
I am wondering if that harsh sound came more from the Mjolnir or the Gungnir. I find my Gungnir incredibly smooth up top, but the dynamics (even with the USB upgrade) can be aggressive at times. 

 

[Solude]

Mjolnir, it's not even debatable.  The Gungnir is actually quite warm and forgiving.  Easily my second favourite DAC but too dark for the GS-X mk2.  The Mjolnir with the PWD2 I have is too forward and bright for me and that was with the LCD-3, nevermind the HD800.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

Mjolnir, it's not even debatable.  The Gungnir is actually quite warm and forgiving.  Easily my second favourite DAC but too dark for the GS-X mk2.  The Mjolnir with the PWD2 I have is too forward and bright for me and that was with the LCD-3, nevermind the HD800.

That's what I thought. I very much like the Gungnir as well.

 

[zach915m]

Mjolnir and Gungnir are fantastic, but I would put them in another price bracket because together they cost around $1500-1600 bills, and even at that price they are good deals.   The NFB-28 will get you a ton of sound for $700 bucks with great Sabre implementation.  I haven't been able to compare the NFB-27/28/29 to the Mjolnir Gungnir but that would be quite fun.  They are all exceptional.

 

[Stillhart]

  Mjolnir and Gungnir are fantastic, but I would put them in another price bracket because together they cost around $1500-1600 bills, and even at that price they are good deals.   The NFB-28 will get you a ton of sound for $700 bucks with great Sabre implementation.  I haven't been able to compare the NFB-27/28/29 to the Mjolnir Gungnir but that would be quite fun.  They are all exceptional.

 
Can you think of any balanced DAC/Amp combo in the NFB-28's price bracket, new or used?  The closest I can think of is a Used Oppo HA-1 for around $1000.  I think the backer price of the Geek Pulse X ($777) is the only other one I can think of that priced comparably.  Used Gungnir+Mjolnir can be had for around $1200.
 
There just seems to be a large gap between the SE offerings and the Balanced offerings, price-wise.  NFB-28 seems to be the cheapest best balanced offering I can find.  
 
Honest question:  are there any other competitors under $1000 that are ACTUAL competitors (for example, not the Alo Island)?