[PinkyPowers]

You're telling a guy who has two DAPs with 2.5mm TRRS balanced outputs that more than just XLR can achieve balanced.

Thank you. That is a real eye-opener. When I'm building my next cable I'll be sure to reference your great wisdom.

 

[phthora]

Hello, everyone!
 
I've been trying to decide between an NFB-28 and an NFB-1DAC/NFB-1AMP stack. They each have unique advantages for my situation. But, the one thing I cannot figure out is which one offers better sound quality. Can anyone weigh in on this?
 
Thanks in advance.

 

[MadSounds]

I would go with the 28 mostly to save desk space and for simplicity's sake. these units aren't small and 2 stacked is a rather imposing tower if you don't have a massive desk. I would only consider the combo if you like playing the upgrade game.

 

[phthora]

I would go with the 28 mostly to save desk space and for simplicity's sake. these units aren't small and 2 stacked is a rather imposing tower if you don't have a massive desk. I would only consider the combo if you like playing the upgrade game.

 
I am considering the stack so that I have the option to upgrade the DAC later. But, really I am just trying to figure out how much is gained by having DAC section in its own shielded box with its own power supply.

 

[Kodhifi]

You're telling a guy who has two DAPs with 2.5mm TRRS balanced outputs that more than just XLR can achieve balanced.

Thank you. That is a real eye-opener. When I'm building my next cable I'll be sure to reference your great wisdom.

I'm  saying that 3 pin xlr and 3 conductor TRS cables have the same electrical and noise rejection properties and you're being an ass about it. You're also making an assumption that the equipment a person uses somehow makes them an expert in something when the reality is experience does. We call this an appeal to authority and it's a logical fallacy that many people outgrow at puberty.

 

[MadSounds]

Headphone balanced is a COMPLETELY different thing than traditional balanced for stage equipment. Read up on it. This stuff has only been around for a few years. Old-school balanced has been around for ages.

Let me step and and try to focus this argument before we all become children. I think what through me is the caps on COMPLETELY, like there's some giant difference that we're all ignorant of. I think theirs a small difference, and it has nothing to do with cables. Its a matter of how the balance point is created, traditionally all gear was 'floating balance' but in modern gear 'electrically balanced' is more common. for a better explanation see comment 5 in the link

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/geekslutz-forum/26505-floating-balanced-inputs.html

 

[elwappo99]

 

Headphone balanced is a COMPLETELY different thing than traditional balanced for stage equipment. Read up on it. This stuff has only been around for a few years. Old-school balanced has been around for ages.

Well yeah. Pro audio gear all uses XLR even on cheap throw away equipment but it's used so that long instrument cable runs do not pick up noise. The two signal wires are out of phase and summed in order to get the signal. So any noise in the line would be picked up by both wires, and since each is 180 out of phase with the other, when you sum them the noise becomes 0 and you are left only with signal. 
 
Balanced audio for headphones is only a big deal because you want 2 isolated grounds and independant audio paths in order to maximize sound stage and reduce cross channel talk. You don't technically need XLR to do that as even RCA would work provided the internal audio paths were not summed at any point. However 4 pin XLR was chosen by many because it had the 4 conductors and is more convenient than using 2 1/4" jacks (which technically are 3 conductor TRS aka the same number of elements as 3 pin xlr)

 
 

You're telling a guy who has two DAPs with 2.5mm TRRS balanced outputs that more than just XLR can achieve balanced.

Thank you. That is a real eye-opener. When I'm building my next cable I'll be sure to reference your great wisdom.

 
 
Tbh, I'm not even sure what you two are starting a discussion/argument about. Seems like you're both saying the same thing.
 
 
 

  Hello, everyone!
 
I've been trying to decide between an NFB-28 and an NFB-1DAC/NFB-1AMP stack. They each have unique advantages for my situation. But, the one thing I cannot figure out is which one offers better sound quality. Can anyone weigh in on this?
 
Thanks in advance.

 
 
When I purchased the NFB28 about 3 months ago I was searching for a comparison as well. At the time no one had been able to compare them side by side. Considering the $400 or so price difference I'd probably go with the NFB-28. I'd speculate the differences aren't worth that much more. More importantly (IMHO) Once you're pushing into the $1k+ range I think you should consider some other options. Lots of good stuff exist in that range. 

 

[phthora]

  When I purchased the NFB28 about 3 months ago I was searching for a comparison as well. At the time no one had been able to compare them side by side. Considering the $400 or so price difference I'd probably go with the NFB-28. I'd speculate the differences aren't worth that much more. More importantly (IMHO) Once you're pushing into the $1k+ range I think you should consider some other options. Lots of good stuff exist in that range. 

 
The big advantage of the stack, for me, is that I could replace the DAC portion later. (I doubt I will ever feel the urge to replace the amp.) I have heard that the NFB DACs are a little polite, lacking in dynamism, and less detailed. Now, I'm not entirely convinced I would find that, but if I do, I want to keep the amp and ditch the DAC for something else. Moreover, eventually, I will want something with a 9038 in it. (Currently, considering the Oppo Sonica, as well.) If the stack compares well against the NFB-28, the 400 extra is worth it for me.

 

[Scythe1]

Well on a side note I just received my NFB-28 and my God I'm a believer in Audio-GD products.  This unit is blowing my mind.
 
I'm afraid I won't be able to make it into work tomorrow due to bed sores from not moving.

 

[Magic1410]

Who of you people talking to Kingwa are actually thinking you are really talking to Kingwa and not some No Name doing Kingwa's job?

 

[phthora]

You post once every two years, and this is how you choose to do it? Way to enrich the community, pal.

 

[MadSounds]

Who of you people talking to Kingwa are actually thinking you are really talking to Kingwa and not some No Name doing Kingwa's job?

Its hard to tell because the language barrier is a big problem, but im incline to believe when you get a response 'from kingwa' its probably someone with a higher pay-grade then your standard costomer service rep. When i've asked basic questions the answer came from -grace while other questions that were much more technical were answered by -kingwa. I've found them very forthcoming with technical details, much more so then another manufacturer.

but ya for all I know its just one of their repair techs who also spends some time answering e-mails.

The big advantage of the stack, for me, is that I could replace the DAC portion later. (I doubt I will ever feel the urge to replace the amp.) I have heard that the NFB DACs are a little polite, lacking in dynamism, and less detailed. Now, I'm not entirely convinced I would find that, but if I do, I want to keep the amp and ditch the DAC for something else. Moreover, eventually, I will want something with a 9038 in it. (Currently, considering the Oppo Sonica, as well.) If the stack compares well against the NFB-28, the 400 extra is worth it for me.

I hear a lot of people say the Audio-gd sabre dacs are very polite for a sabre, which is to say they aren't bright like these chips stereotypically are. I found the 28 to be very neutral and the NOS 11 maybe a little too laid back in comparison (with my already warm LCD3).

If you know what flavor you like and might want an early 9038 unit you're doing the right thing buying the stack. I don't think there is any real improvement in sound quality going from a single box to a stack, audio-gd has great power supply regulation and anytime you can use less interconnects that can't be a bad thing. If a person really wanted that extra quality they would be much better off getting a used master 11, a small price bump (vs stack) for a product that is truly on another level.

 

[Kingwa]

It is me. 
I am very difficult find a worker can help me reply the email in English, we have try but don't work.
The new generation Chinese not as the old Chinese, they don't like work hard. Even though some of them had finished the university in English subject but they can not read and understand better than me while read in headfi.
So I send my daughtor to USA high school, I hope she can help me or tech me to improve the English in some years later.

  Who of you people talking to Kingwa are actually thinking you are really talking to Kingwa and not some No Name doing Kingwa's job?

 

[SeraphimZ]

It's been almost a year with HD800S & NFB28 (2016)
 
800S sounds great with NFB28 on balanced but is this amp/dac the best pair for 800S? i don't think so, after using ap2/pp i started to love the pair more (specially after 100+ hours burn-in) but i think i'll upgrade to v800/v280 soon anyways

 

[PinkyPowers]

It is me. 
I am very difficult find a worker can help me reply the email in English, we have try but don't work.
The new generation Chinese not as the old Chinese, they don't like work hard. Even though some of them had finished the university in English subject but they can not read and understand better than me while read in headfi.
So I send my daughtor to USA high school, I hope she can help me or tech me to improve the English in some years later.

That is quite the commitment. I can only imagine how much you miss her. May the time fly swiftly.

By the way, I still love the NFB-28 your team built for me. It makes my LCD-2.2Fazor sound incredible. I recommend it to others all the time.