[axw]

 
Couple weeks have passed, no more reviews -- nobody else purchased the NFB-7?  ccschua, is your unit burned in enough to post some impressions? thanks in advance!
 

 

[ccschua]

Hi
 
give me some more time. I am in the last stage of speaker isolation. have been trying the TAOC FS13.

 

[vrln]

Really looking forward to your impressions I´m looking into ordering an NFB-7 or 8 in the near future...

 

[axw]

Quote:

Really looking forward to your impressions I´m looking into ordering an NFB-7 or 8 in the near future...

Me too, exactly the same choice: NFB-7 or 8.

So far my choice is rather the 7 with upgraded clock and this is because I like Sabre as much as I can tell from the NFB-10ES.
 
But I never heard the Wolfsons. Kingwa describes NFB-8 as "warm" as compared to "neutral" NFB-7, while the review at Pacific Walve mentions NFB-7 as more warm than Ref-7. Then imagine how warm NFB-8 must be 

 Extreme heat 

 

[mandek]

Pacific Walve is a Audio-Gd's retailer - so, his pronouncement is not credible.  In the other words is a load of bull****. Marketing's gobbledegook.
 
I see that Sabre is on the roll - I doubt if it is worth.
 
My vote is for Wolfson (according to my comparison with Sabre's Audiolab 8200CD and WF's NFB-2).

 

[axw]

Quote:

Pacific Walve is a Audio-Gd's retailer - so, his pronouncement is not credible.  In the other words is a load of bull****. Marketing's gobbledegook.

 
While you are right that this comparison obviously is not very serious, I do not understand why you're being so offensive.

Extrapolating from what my ears tell me about DAC-19 DSP vs NFB-10ES, I could easily agree with most of their NFB-7 vs REF-7 ratings (perhaps except "resolution" and "warmth").

 

[borrego]

 
Quote:

Me too, exactly the same choice: NFB-7 or 8.

So far my choice is rather the 7 with upgraded clock and this is because I like Sabre as much as I can tell from the NFB-10ES.
 
But I never heard the Wolfsons. Kingwa describes NFB-8 as "warm" as compared to "neutral" NFB-7, while the review at Pacific Walve mentions NFB-7 as more warm than Ref-7. Then imagine how warm NFB-8 must be 

 Extreme heat 

I did the 1ppm 80MHz TCXO upgrade to my NFB-1 (involves de-soldering and resoldering of  the XO and 12 wires from the digital board). After the upgrade, it makes the NFB-1 sound warmer and thicker. Not sure if the NFB-7 with the 1ppm TCXO upgrade will also sound warmer.
 
The TCXO upgrade would make the DAC more thermo stable. It is not absolutely necessary if one does not experience drop out with the stock XO.
 
The NFB-1 with the TCXO upgrade is definitely "warm" enough for my taste. For some tracks I actually prefer the sound signature before the upgrade

 

[axw]

Quote:

I did the 1ppm 80MHz TCXO upgrade to my NFB-1 (involves de-soldering and resoldering of  the XO and 12 wires from the digital board). After the upgrade, it makes the NFB-1 sound warmer and thicker. Not sure if the NFB-7 with the 1ppm TCXO upgrade will also sound warmer.
 
The NFB-1 with the TCXO upgrade is definitely "warm" enough for my taste. For some tracks I actually prefer the sound signature before the upgrade

 

Thanks for sharing, interesting observations.
 
However, you may be better off waiting some days as things are likely to change, as Kingwa says "the clock burn in not myth, it is real effect the performance of the clock." 
[ http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/USBface/Clock.htm ]
I fully agree with it, in the case of Sabre NFB-10ES the sound evolved from thick -- exactly as you describe -- to more sophisticated, more musical, layered and detailed. During the first week, each day made a difference, initially I did not like what I heard. Only after 7-10 days of constant playback I could fully enjoy music.
 

 

[borrego]

 
Quote:

Thanks for sharing, interesting observations.  
However, you may be better off waiting some days as things are likely to change, as Kingwa says "the clock burn in not myth, it is real effect the performance of the clock." 
[ http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/USBface/Clock.htm ]
I fully agree with it, in the case of Sabre NFB-10ES the sound evolved from thick -- exactly as you describe -- to more sophisticated, more musical, layered and detailed. During the first week, each day made a difference, initially I did not like what I heard. Only after 7-10 days of constant playback I could fully enjoy music.
 

Kingwa also replied to me that he "forgot" telling me to use a battery to burn in the XO for hundreds of hours before soldering. Anyway... the XO is soldered in already so I won't be able to go back.
 
I have used the NFB-1 for 4 months now and the sound signature has pretty much stablized. I didn't expect change of sound signature from the TCXO, because the 80MHz XO is just supposed to be the clock for the Sabre chip and not for signal upsampling like in the DI.

 

[haloxt]

Is it supposed to matter if it is burned in with battery instead of just being used in the NFB-1?

 

[borrego]

Quote:

Is it supposed to matter if it is burned in with battery instead of just being used in the NFB-1?

Burn in using battery would allow you to immediate compare the old and new XO after soldering.

 

[mandek]

 
I Quote:

Originally Posted by axw /img/forum/go_quote.gif
[...]
I fully agree with it, in the case of Sabre NFB-10ES the sound evolved from thick -- exactly as you describe -- to more sophisticated, more musical, layered and detailed. During the first week, each day made a difference, initially I did not like what I heard. Only after 7-10 days of constant playback I could fully enjoy music.
 

I suppose your ears was "burn-it" rather then the DAC with the Sabre chip - I did not observed this "sophisticated" things with NFB-2, for example.
I suggest some useful lecture: http://www.theaudiocritic.com/back_issues/The_Audio_Critic_26_r.pdf
Art title: "The 10 Biggest Lies in Audio". Read lie No. 6, please.

 

[Currawong]

Mandek: The effect of the heat on the components from running audio gear is not a myth.  However, if you wish to discuss this kind of thing, there is an entire Sound Science forum for it.

 

[JaMo]

Hi!
 
Can anybody recommend the NFB-7 as a really good DAC well suited to serve in a high end system? I have bought the NFB-11 and the NFB-10ES for valuating if I like the ESS-chip, wich I very much do. Of course I bought them to listen and enjoy them too..
 
I wonder if anybody have experience of the difference between the NFB-10ES and the NFB-7... and how much difference the more sophisticated powersupply in the -7 really do.
 
I am thankful for any answer.
 
/Jan

 

[axw]

Quote:

Can anybody recommend the NFB-7 as a really good DAC well suited to serve in a high end system? I have bought the NFB-11 and the NFB-10ES for valuating if I like the ESS-chip, wich I very much do. Of course I bought them to listen and enjoy them too..
 
I wonder if anybody have experience of the difference between the NFB-10ES and the NFB-7... and how much difference the more sophisticated powersupply in the -7 really do.

 
I'll be able to help you in some days as I've ordered NFB-7 with the 80 Mhz TCXO. As is typical, shipping date remains unknown, but the first comparison I'll make will be with NFB-10ES exactly.

I am not really sure what to think about the PSU role. Powersupplies of some DACs considered reference do not look very sophisticated to say the least, but reportedly the devices sound great. Anedio's PSU section looks to my very unprofessional eyes quite similar to NFB-11's. Same with Ayre QB-9 dac. Not to mention weights of those units..