[Vitalstatistix]

How does the NFB-28 compare against the Jotunheim?

 

[floppiness]

How does the NFB-28 compare against the Jotunheim?

Also wondering this if anybody has any impressions. 

 

[Stillhart]

 
Also wondering this if anybody has any impressions. 

 
I used to own the NFB-28 for a while and I heard the Jot at the Schiit Show recently.  I think the 28 has a significantly better DAC section as the one in the Jot was pretty poor.  The 28 is a Sabre DAC, which I'm not a fan of these days, but it's a lot more resolving than the one in the Jot.  The one in the Jot has a better tonality, but it's kind of muddy (not the bass, just the overall detail resolution).  
 
I couldn't say from memory how the amp sections compare.  I didn't hear any obvious weaknesses in the Jot's amp section and, in fact, it sounded pretty good with the HD800.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Stillhart, how do you know the fault was in the DAC and not the Amp, or both? Did you have a separate DAC and Amp to individually test both stages? Just curious, as I too have been wondering about the Jotunheim.

 

[Stillhart]

Stillhart, how do you know the fault was in the DAC and not the Amp, or both? Did you have a separate DAC and Amp to individually test both stages? Just curious, as I too have been wondering about the Jotunheim.

 
Yes, I tested it with the DAC in my AK320 vs the DAC in the unit (both amped with the Jotunheim).  Both are dual AKM implementations but one was far superior.  Perhaps it's not fair to compare a $100 DAC to a $1800 DAP, so take that into consideration. 

 

[Aleksandr-Rus]

Answer please, position jumper default nfb-28, NOS  mode ON (without upsampling) or OFF (with upsampling) by default? all jumpers are closed Or not?

 

[CarlosUnchained]

Anybody can compare the 28 with Jot+dac and/or Jot+Mimby?

 

[jodgey4]

Anybody know of a good SE to balanced convertor that wouldn't be an obvious weak link for analog inputs? SE just isn't giving me the volume I need from my phone.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Anybody know of a good SE to balanced convertor that wouldn't be an obvious weak link for analog inputs? SE just isn't giving me the volume I need from my phone.

You want what now?

 

[heart banger-97]

  Anybody know of a good SE to balanced convertor that wouldn't be an obvious weak link for analog inputs? SE just isn't giving me the volume I need from my phone.

Hi, it seems that you are going to hurt your nfb28. I strongly recommend you not to do that.

 

[jodgey4]

SE is a +2V signal and GND. Balanced is one +2V and one -2V channel, which is double the voltage. I just want more input volume, and thought maybe there was an easy choice for SE->bal.

 

[Suopermanni]

Jodgey4, there is no such thing as a single ended to balance converter. It does not go that way. You can only go balanced to single ended or same to same. Ive asked around.

 

[heart banger-97]

  SE is a +2V signal and GND. Balanced is one +2V and one -2V channel, which is double the voltage. I just want more input volume, and thought maybe there was an easy choice for SE->bal.

You can't have a "male balance" to "female SE" connector as it can cause short circuit. 
you can have "male SE" to "female balance" connector as the only thing that it does is that it cut signal into half.

 

[k4rstar]

For those wanting a comparison between the NFB-28 and Jot+Mimby, I recently sold the Jot+Mimby in favor of the NFB-28 (2016) and I think the NFB-28 is clearly better to me in virtually every battleground. The Jot has some quirks about it that make it a good pairing with the HD650 in specific but ultimately I think it's too fatiguing and has serious issues with staging and vocal presentation. The Mimby is a pretty good DAC for $249 but the ESS9018 implementation in the NFB-28 is more resolving to my ears with better extension at extremes and less colored sound overall.
 
I think the NFB-28 is a much better value at $750, and will pair better with leaner/brighter headphones such as HD800/HE-560 that Jot cannot handle at all tonally.

 

[CarlosUnchained]

  For those wanting a comparison between the NFB-28 and Jot+Mimby, I recently sold the Jot+Mimby in favor of the NFB-28 (2016) and I think the NFB-28 is clearly better to me in virtually every battleground. The Jot has some quirks about it that make it a good pairing with the HD650 in specific but ultimately I think it's too fatiguing and has serious issues with staging and vocal presentation. The Mimby is a pretty good DAC for $249 but the ESS9018 implementation in the NFB-28 is more resolving to my ears with better extension at extremes and less colored sound overall.
 
I think the NFB-28 is a much better value at $750, and will pair better with leaner/brighter headphones such as HD800/HE-560 that Jot cannot handle at all tonally.

 
Thanks k4star.
 
I have a LCD-2 incoming. Which one do you think would pair better being the Audeze a dark headphone?