[Mad Lust Envy]

Looks like Low and High Gain gives out slightly different sound signatures. I find low gain to be a bit too smooth for my taste with the D7000. High Gain at the same volume level produces a clearer sound. Though I don't have much play with the volume knob, there are no channel imbalances, and the D7000 sings off the NFB-5 on high gain. Looks like my NFB 5 stays at high gain from now on.

 

[carlchip78]

Can anyone help me with this question about the NFB-5? Can you select between the headphone amp, and the DAC RCA out from the outside of the unit? Or do you have to open the unit to switch between RCA and headphone?
 
Ok, found the answer. Switch is on the front panel.
 

 

[rictee]

I'm thinking of getting a NFB-5. 
 
Have a Matrix Cube at the moment, would it be a worthwhile "upgrade"?
 
How do people like it with their AKG cans?

 

[Slawo]

I have atypical request
if someone can measure DC voltage at the output of a headphone amplifier
in my NFB-5 they are 23mV and 27mV - these are not excellent value

 

[MattTCG]

How does the nfb 5 work with orthos? Secifically the he400? Anyone tried this pair?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Considering it gives out a whopping 3.5watts to 25ohm and 1.8watts to 50ohm, the HE500 at 38ohm should get over 2 watts. That's a ridiculous amount of driving force for orhtos outside of the HE-6. I highly doubt it will present any issues.

I'm a month late replying, but I just felt like posting how pleased I am by the NFB5. I know the NFB5.2 is out with upgraded USB, but I don't even use the USB, I use the Optical with the DIR9001 chip with the ACSS option, since I didn't find the stock or Moon op-amp to do anything different to the sound, except sound slightly worse than ACSS (I stress slightly).

 

[robertdarzi]

Hey guys,
 
Has anyone used the NFB-5 as a preamp for stereo amplifiers? 
 
Also, I am finding the amp slightly harsh and fatiguing, especially with anything more than mezzoforte. String on orchestral pieces come to mind...
 
Anyone sharing the same opinion?

 

[Currawong]

How new is it? They tend to need a couple of hundred hours of being switched on for the electronics to settle. After that the harshness disappears.

 

[robertdarzi]

Perhaps that's why... Thanks though for the tip.

But the NFB5 and DI have at least 200/250 hours of gentle background music since they were given to me as a present three months back. They still sound fatiguing esp with choruses and full orchestral crescendos. The low gain settings expands the soundstage and adds a lower noise floor, but the main vocals are split into coming from both left and right. :S

Anyhow, am selling them both as I'm relocating to a different country at the end of the month.

If anyone's interested in them give me a shout! They are no different then when I got them new 3 months ago...

 

[DuckSoup]

Hi, I am thinking of buying new amp/DAC to replace my current Fiio E7 and NFB-5.2 is on the candidates list. Other amps I am considering are M-Stage (or Asgard, but I at the moment I am leaning towards M-Stage) + probably HRT MSII (or maybe even E7 with line out dock, until I get something better). I am listening mainly to old school metal (Slayer, Death), but also industrial (Nine Inch Nails, etc) and a bit of other genres. From the descriptions M-Stage can provide the SS I am looking for: punchy but controlled bass, slightly on the warm side, fast and aggressive. However I cannot find too much descriptions of sound provided by NFB-5.2 and NFB-5.2 seems to be cheaper alternative than M-Stage with additional DAC (at least in Europe). For now I want to use my current headphones - Ultrasone HFI-780 with it, but in future I will probably check out other ones just to compare different SS. I also don't plan on upgrading DAC/Amp for quite some time after buying it. My main concerns regarding NFB-5.2 are: Will it suit my music preferences? Won't it be too slow/muddy for thrash metal? I would appreciate any advice.

 

[mrAdrian]

One thing to think of is the output impedance of the NFB is 2ohms while the M-stage is 5 or 10 ohms.

 

[DuckSoup]

M-Stage has a 5 ohm output impedance according to website, I doubt it would be a big problem especially as M-Stage is recommended even for Denons. Anyway instead of M-Stage or Audio-GD I went for O2 and ODAC, it's cheaper than any of previously mentioned units and I figured I can give it a shot, but that's different story .