[curentatu]

Has anyone used the NOS Filter on the nfb 28, can you tell me how it sound compared to the default one.

 

[Tano]

Hi guys, I just bought an Audio Gd d 28.38 full option version and I have a question.

I have 2 really sensitive headphones in my collection (Kennerton Magni 33ohm, 114 db & Gjallahorn, 33 ohm, 116 db) and I am a bit worried they might clip o get too much noise because of the +10db on Low gain on this unit.

Does anyone have experience using low impedance & high sensitivity hps on the Gd 28.38?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Telin]

Hi guys, I just bought an Audio Gd d 28.38 full option version and I have a question.

I have 2 really sensitive headphones in my collection (Kennerton Magni 33ohm, 114 db & Gjallahorn, 33 ohm, 116 db) and I am a bit worried they might clip o get too much noise because of the +10db on Low gain on this unit.

Does anyone have experience using low impedance & high sensitivity hps on the Gd 28.38?

Thanks in advance!

Congratulations with your purchase. I'm sure you'll like the sound of this unit.

At the same time I can't stop wondering... Shouldn't you have figured that out before you buy the unit?

 

[Tano]

Congratulations with your purchase. I'm sure you'll like the sound of this unit.

At the same time I can't stop wondering... Shouldn't you have figured that out before you buy the unit?

I should have but Im a bit dumb tho. Found one at a decent price and pulled the trigger. Later I found that it was running on +10db on low gain and that got me worried. Anyways I don't think it would be too bad anyways because it says 80 to 115 db in the audio gd website.

 

[phthora]

Hi guys, I just bought an Audio Gd d 28.38 full option version and I have a question.

I have 2 really sensitive headphones in my collection (Kennerton Magni 33ohm, 114 db & Gjallahorn, 33 ohm, 116 db) and I am a bit worried they might clip o get too much noise because of the +10db on Low gain on this unit.

Does anyone have experience using low impedance & high sensitivity hps on the Gd 28.38?

Thanks in advance!

When I had mine, I tried out a cheapo set of very sensitive earbuds on the 28.38, just to see if I could run earphones on the amp. From that experiment, I discovered a couple of issues with using such easy to drive 'phones.

First, you will hear a great deal more distortion. Whether that was the noise floor or the result of overamping, I'm not sure. But there was what you might call tube sound if you're charitable or woolly slowness if you're not. I didn't care for it myself, but it is simply an extension of that class A sound that the Audio-gd normally has (that rich, dense, heft to music), but taken too far. Some people might enjoy the effect. Those earbuds never did clip, and I don't think I was damaging them. I never noticed any permanent change to the sound, any overheating of the transducers, any cutting out, or any noises coming from them. I ran them for several hours on my desk, just to be sure. On the other hand, I was never ballsy enough to try that experiment again with anything more expensive than 10 bucks. It may be worth your time to run this experiment for yourself with some earphones you consider essentially disposable.

Second, here is the real reason I think high sensitivity 'phones are barred from use by the manual: you are literally one button press away from frying them and your ears. If you are in low gain with music playing and you accidentally switch to high gain, you almost assuredly will damage both your ears and your 'phones. That jump is SPL is huge. Because of the poorly thought out remote and the cramped and oddly labelled front panel, accidentally switching the gain is far too easy to do. There's a way around it, but first it's a good idea to know exactly what the gain button actually does. Here's what the "Use Manual" says (in bold) for the 28.38:

Gain button:
Select the Fast / Slow volume control characteristics.
H: Fast. 64 steps range.
L: Slow. 100 steps range.
F: (Full ) High gain mode. 100 steps range. (For the low sensitivity headphone like the HE-6 or the source had low output voltage level)
S: (Super)High gain mode. 64 steps range. (For the low sensitivity headphone like the HE-6 or the source had low output voltage level)

Fast and Slow (H and L) are Low gain, while Full and Super (F and S) are High gain. From experience, this seems to be the case as well. The 64 step options are for quicker control of the volume. If you use the amp at 87 out of 100, switching to Fast means you can run around 48 out of 64 instead. The safest bet for high sensitivity 'phones is to stay in H, that way a single mistaken press of the gain button will actually lower the output volume and you won't have to listen in high gain to begin with. The downside is that you will have less granularity in dialing in your preferred volume just right.

Hope that helps!

 

[Tano]

Thanks, that really helps. I guess I'll have to try it by myself and then decide. They gain stuff is defo scary.
I usually listen to normal volume levels (about 65db) and all my headphones, even my planars, are easy to drive. So I'll see how they behave and will try pressing the gain button by error with the hps off my head to see what happens.

Really appreciate your help.

 

[Tano]

Well Im glad to inform that I received the Audio Gd D 28.38, the full upgrade version and it doesnt have any hiss or noise with extremely sensitive headphones like the Kennerton I mentioned above, which are 115 db of sensitivity. Didnt try Iems because I dont have any. This unit is extremely clean and no signs of distortion or clipping.
Compared it with my Asgard 3 to be sure and it perfomed really well.

This model only have 2 modes of gain so it doesnt have the problem that Phthora mentioned before. At my listening level ( between 25-35 out of 100) I can switch to high gain without a major difference so no risk for me of blowing my ears and hps.
I must say that Im really happy with it so far and I think it will perform better connected to my Adi 2 DAC.

 

[r343]

Anyone knows how D-28 differs from NFB-28?

 

[Michaelp]

Hello all, i have had the NFB 28.38 for about two years now. So got new computer that is running windows 11 old one was windows 10. So on old one i installed combo384 amanero drivers. I use amazon music unlimited so i hooked up usb to 28.38 and it works without installing drivers? Got me thinking is windows 11 compatible with amanero drivers? With no drivers installed am i getting high bit rate from amazon app? When i click on speaker icon on amazon music it has three opt. 1-speakers(combo384 amanero) default, 2nd speakers (realtek(r)audio) and 3rd is speakers(combo384 amanero). Just making sure i'm getting best sound i don't have golden ears.
thanks

 

[sajunky]

@Michaelp.
Since the Creators release, Windows 10 had UAC 2.0 drivers built-in. Amanero is compatible with this standard and should work without drivers. This is in theory as for next few years there were number of issues with Windows, requiring using Amanero drivers. This situation was stabilized over last two years or so, if you have updated Win10, you don't need to install Amanero drivers. This is not a Win11 feature, uninstall Amanero drivers, Windows 10 drivers will take over.

Speed wise or SQ there is no difference between drivers. However in both cases for the best sound quality the application must be configured for bit-perfect transfers and the exclusive access option enabled in Windows sound control panel. If application has no settings for bit-perfect transfers (which is frequently called WASAPI Exclusive mode), then sound is routed to the system mixer, it cause sound degradation.

While reading above you noticed that for the best SQ additional configuration is required and not always possible, depends on the app. Amanero drivers will install another sound interface, not available in Windows, called ASIO. There is less burden with ASIO, select this output in the application and you don't need to worry about sound degradation.

Note: In opt1 you select default sound device (as configured in Windows sound control panel) - in this case Amanero.

Opt2 or opt3 allows to select individual device independently to settings in Windows. I suggest to change default sound device in Windows to Realtek, it will free powerful speakers or headphones from annoying system sounds. It has nothing to do with SQ.

 

[Nolanh87]

Trying to find a used nfb 28.38 fully upgraded unit for sale in the us. Had to sell mine about 6 months ago, was buying a house. Cought up on finances and want to get back in. Let me know if anyone is interested.

 

[staticosaur]

Hi audio enthusiasts. I am having the D.28.38 (2020) fully upgraded.. I hear no difference in sound quality and volume level between the balanced and SE outputs. I am just switching the cables on my LCD-X. Is there anything else I should be doing? Cheers.

 

[staticosaur]

Looking for a dac/amp combo to us with my elear and lcd2

I’m considering the nfb28.38 and the conductor virtuoso v2+.

I’m believing something like a sabre dac will suit these better than my metrum hex dac (hence my two amp/dac options above)

Ive heard the v2+ and it’s lively with forward mids and tight bit punchy bottom end

I like the vibrancy but wondering how that and the mids will compare to the nfb 28.38. Could the nfb be too laid back for these two amps?

Anyone using the lcd2 and/or elear and/or have conpared the v2+ and nfb before?

Thanks

Did you ever try NFB28.38 with Susvara? What are your impressions specifically for how the amp is driving the headphones and whether power is sufficient for head room?

 

[thecrow]

Did you ever try NFB28.38 with Susvara? What are your impressions specifically for how the amp is driving the headphones and whether power is sufficient for head room?

No. Never ended up down that path after all

 

[staticosaur]

Does anybody know what the pure DAC line output voltage is?
I can read on their website pnly about the pre-amp (10V balanced and 5V RCA).

Cheers.