[PinkyPowers]

I'm looking for a setup with great soundstage and separation, light bass. I'm now thinking about HD 800 with balanced cable and NFB-28.38. Am I going in the right direction?

I'm using the older 2016 model of the NFB-28, but it pairs beautifully with the HD800. So clean, clear, yet rich and natural sounding.

You'll love it.

 

[xenithon]

Two quick questions:
- Has anyone yet compared the 28.28 to the 28.38 (or heard both and can describe the differences, if any)?
- Has anyone run ZMF headphones with these and if so, how is the synergy?

 

[iamjaymo]

Two quick questions:
- Has anyone yet compared the 28.28 to the 28.38 (or heard both and can describe the differences, if any)?
- Has anyone run ZMF headphones with these and if so, how is the synergy?

I have the 28.38. I have had the ZMF Omni and Vibro MkII (planars) in the past and the AGD ran both of them into oblivion volume wise and the synergy was, to my ears, just about perfect. The neutral characteristic of the 28.38 paired so well with the warm sounding ZMF planars. I have a new pair of Ori's, as well as an Eikon, on the way from Zach and I will let you know how those work out when they arrive.

Sorry but I have not directly compared the 28.28 to the 28.38.

 

[xenithon]

I have the 28.38. I have had the ZMF Omni and Vibro MkII (planars) in the past and the AGD ran both of them into oblivion volume wise and the synergy was, to my ears, just about perfect. The neutral characteristic of the 28.38 paired so well with the warm sounding ZMF planars. I have a new pair of Ori's, as well as an Eikon, on the way from Zach and I will let you know how those work out when they arrive.

Many thanks - appreciate the feedback. The pairings I would use it with is the LCD3, Auteur and HD800.

I understand the AGD implementation of the 9038 is quite warm; the big question is around the musicality versus a ladder DAC based unit.

 

[phthora]

Many thanks - appreciate the feedback. The pairings I would use it with is the LCD3, Auteur and HD800.

I understand the AGD implementation of the 9038 is quite warm; the big question is around the musicality versus a ladder DAC based unit.

The NFB-28.38 is not warm compared to any DAC I've heard and especially not compared to the R2Rs I've heard. It doesn't have that notorious "Sabre glare" that makes the treble sound harsh, but that isn't an issue for most new at-least-decent Sabre DACs either. The treble is present and neutral, but it is well-controlled and clean, so it doesn't aggravate the treble-sensitive as much as one would suspect. If you are looking for a warmer presentation, you would probably be better served by an R2R DAC or, if you want to keep it delta-sigma, maybe something in the Burr-Brown family of chips.

 

[Hogcryat]

I would like to hear comparisons of the sound signature with other similar products, especially Fostex HPA8mk2, Marantz HD-DAC1, Luxman DA-150.

 

[tas236]

Hi all,

I have read the last 10 or so pages of this thread (since the 28.38 came out in 2017) and am leaning pretty heavily towards a 28.38. I'd love to hear from current or past owners about how things have shaped up since you've had the unit.

I'd actually be using it mostly as a preamp for my powered speakers (repurposed studio monitors actually, ADAM A7X). To that end, I have a few specific questions:

1. Anyone else using it to drive a power amp or powered speakers? Thoughts, impressions?
2. How do you like the remote? I would upgrade to the aluminum remote. I saw earlier in the thread that someone was having an issue where holding the volume button down would not do anything, you had to actually press it one step at a time. Is that the case with the 28.38 with either remote?
3. Any thoughts on the quality of the analog input would be great. I was originally considering the Oppo Sonica DAC for this purpose but apparently the analog in on that unit is a poorly implemented afterthought. I'd be plugging my TT/phono pre into this input and want to make sure that it's as high quality as the rest of the unit seems to be.

 

[Nolanh87]

My thoughts are for the HE560 which I briefly demoed with my NFB 28.38, the amp is a very good value. Keep in min the HE560 is pretty difficult to drive. In balanced mode, the NFB 28.38 does not break a sweat driving the HE560. I would say the NFB 28.38 has a neutral, very non-fatiguing sound, and large soundstage.

The other amp I currently have is the Headamp Gilmore Lite Mk 2 ($500 amp only). I use the NFB 28.38 DAC with it. I do not know if it has enough power to drive the HE560, but for my headphones which are all pretty easy to drive, the Gilmore Lite Mk 2 has more detail/resolution. The NFB 28.38 feels like it has more body to the bass.

For its price category, I really enjoy my NFB 28.38 and recommend it. I guess the Questyle CMA400i would be a direct competitor but I do not know anything about it.

For the dac in the NFB 28.38, I highly recommend putting it in Linear phase slow roll off filter mode. The default minimum phase fast roll off filter gave me headaches. Apparently phase shift and I do not get along.

I was looking at the filters on my nfb-28.38 and noticed the design is different than what's posted on their website. Making me confused. How many jumpers we're installed when you first received your unit. Cause he also told me default is fast roll off minimum. And what was installed was only one jumper on FIR_2 which says fast roll off hybrid .Beyond confused if you cold help me out I would greatly appreciate it.

This is what I was assuming slow roll off linear should look like https://m.imgur.com/a/yC2upEG

Also other than the 2 pins that I installed this was the only location that there was a jumper installed
https://m.imgur.com/a/vvHiWC3

 

[mtmercer]

I was looking at the filters on my nfb-28.38 and noticed the design is different than what's posted on their website. Making me confused. How many jumpers we're installed when you first received your unit. Cause he also told me default is fast roll off minimum. And what was installed was only one jumper on FIR_2 which says fast roll off hybrid .Beyond confused if you cold help me out I would greatly appreciate it.

This is what I was assuming slow roll off linear should look like https://m.imgur.com/a/yC2upEG

Also other than the 2 pins that I installed this was the only location that there was a jumper installed
https://m.imgur.com/a/vvHiWC3

I’ve sold my NFB28.38 and moved up to the Audio-GD HE-9 for my amp. I don’t recall the details other than I was able to follow the labeling on the NFB 28.38 user manual site located here:

http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB28.38/NFB28.38EN_Use.htm

More specifically I attached the applicable table.

 

[Nolanh87]

I’ve sold my NFB28.38 and moved up to the Audio-GD HE-9 for my amp. I don’t recall the details other than I was able to follow the labeling on the NFB 28.38 user manual site located here:

http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB28.38/NFB28.38EN_Use.htm

More specifically I attached the applicable table.

Ok yeah thanks for the reply.

I’ve sold my NFB28.38 and moved up to the Audio-GD HE-9 for my amp. I don’t recall the details other than I was able to follow the labeling on the NFB 28.38 user manual site located here:

http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB28.38/NFB28.38EN_Use.htm

More specifically I attached the applicable table.

ok thank you, just as a question, what did you prefer as filter setting if you remember?

 

[mtmercer]

Ok yeah thanks for the reply.


ok thank you, just as a question, what did you prefer as filter setting if you remember?

I preferred slow roll off linear.

 

[jsmiller58]

Folks, newbie here... I received my 11.38 in the last week and need advice as to the best way to set it up. Posting in the 11-28 thread as I don't see a very active NFB 11-38 thread elsewhere, and I suspect the answers would be very similar to both...

To start with let me say that my question is about the windows drivers and how best to install and configure them... I have seen with some trepidation all around the net that the Audio-GD devices are a bear to set up to get the best out of them.

Some background on how I am using it and what I have already done...

First - it will be fed by USB from a Win 10 laptop running Tidal (Hifi / MQA).

Second - I have downloaded the Amanero USB driver and installed it. BUT, I installed it simply using the setup embedded in the download, and from what I have read this is way, way, way too easy and that there are several more steps I should actually have taken (and perhaps a sacrifice or two I should have performed along the way).

Third - I have modified in the Amanero driver (actually the Windows Playback devices / Digital output (Amanero) / Properties) the supported formats to be all of the sample rates (initially it is just set to 48 kHz)... Please note that this device is supposed to support up to 384, but the highest format shown is 192 KHz, so this is my first clue that I have done something wrong (besides the missing sacrifices, that is)... Any ideas?

Fourth - in the Advanced tab I changed the default format to be 24-bits 44.1 KHz (it was originally set at 16-bit and 48 KHz)... Why? Because this is what I did with my Topping D50 under directions of another forum to get the best out of that DAC. Is this OK??

Does it matter if I am using a USB 2 or USB 3 port on my laptop?

Besides the steps and questions above, is there anything else I need to do (or in the case of what I have done to undo) to get the best out of this great device?

Thanks!!

 

[curentatu]

just got a nfb 28 (2016) sounds good but i would like some info about the filters and jumpers.
on the website it says :

Push into the jumper is NOS, pull off is Oversampling . Available of PCM signal input from USB or I2S .Please operate while the unit power off .

so do i put the jumper on the pins for NOS and no jumper means it is set on Oversampling ?

also if anyone has the same model, pls do share the filters that you think sound best.

 

[Greg121986]

Spoiler: Jumpers

just got a nfb 28 (2016) sounds good but i would like some info about the filters and jumpers.
on the website it says :

Push into the jumper is NOS, pull off is Oversampling . Available of PCM signal input from USB or I2S .Please operate while the unit power off .

so do i put the jumper on the pins for NOS and no jumper means it is set on Oversampling ?

also if anyone has the same model, pls do share the filters that you think sound best.

• Push Into the Jumper
  • The jumper is connected onto both pins, shorting them together (NOS Mode)
  • 
• Pull Off
  • The jumper is removed from the device entirely so the pins on the circuit board are bare (Oversampling Mode)
  • 

 

[curentatu]

much thanks.