[sumpao]

I still can’t say for sure the R-28 will be an improvement for what you’re specifically wanting, but I can tell you from my experience with the 11.28 (actually 11.32, close enough) and my own R2R-11, the R-28 is a significant step up form both. @xenithon in a post a few pages back covers the benefits he’s hearing in the R-28 having upgraded from an R2R-11 as well, so that’s worth a read.

As for taking a ‘hit’, and without making any assumptions, if you can afford the jump up to the R-28 financially speaking, the small hit you might take on the $350 NFB-11 shouldn’t be a train smash, and in fact you will probably take a very minimal hit - if any - given the quality of the 11.28.

Good luck with your decision either way. It’s all quality gear you have there!

I speak from someone who previous own 11.38 before. I don't think 11.38 amp part is that powerful.

For R28 yes it amp part is powerful it can drive any can to it peak level.
And it a step up from 11.38 in term of sound quality detail and harmonic that you will hear more think it the music.

The big question is this R28 a good matching for your HD800.

If you love the can you might have to find a best solution to feed them

 

[cbf123]

One of the headphones in my trifecta is the HD800. Sometimes thought of selling it but always came back to just how brilliant it does so many things.

I can tell you, as a treble sensitive listener (with tinnitus) the HD800 is sublime on the R-28. I do use Sonar Works, though have with all DAc/amps I have used.

What I enjoy most is the synergy which provides the speed, clarity and transparency the HD800 is known for while still having sufficient weight, bass punch and composure up top to not fatigue my ears.

I haven’t heard the x.28 but had the R2R-11 and it also had great control though felt it slowed down the 800 a little too much. One of the benefits of the R-28 is the adjustable OS/NOS modes so it can be tweaked to find the right setting for your preferences.

Thank you @xenithon, that was exactly what I was after. I use Sonarworks, too, and I do find that it helps, but I guess I still prefer having a hardware combination that does the work for me, as it were. Again, I bought the 11.28 when I had no intention of buying the HD800, but a deal came up for a new set for £649, and I didn't want to pass it up.

This is the 4th or 5th time I've owned the HD800 (only on Head-Fi could a statement like this not be seen as utter insanity!!) and I know that my musical preferences totally fit 99% of what I get from this headphone and my own taste in sound - if I didn't love the thrill of the chase so much, I'd have just stuck with these many moons ago! But I think that it also justifies better amplification than I'm currently feeding it, and I just keep going back to my time with the R2R and Master 11, and thinking how they would have probably been an excellent match for the HD800.

 

[gLer]

Ok then it good to know. thanks.
for it price it a very goods system.
And we can change the sound signature too.
Which I will try later.
What is burn in time for R28 did I have to pass 500 hour or so?

I think I just pass my 100 hour

The R-28 is burned in for 100h by Kingwa before shipping, so yours is up to 200h if you’ve added 100 already. Mine is Just over 350 all up. Can I hear a big difference? Yes, but probably more from ‘brain burn in’ than anything else. It was excellent out the box, and if anything I’m now more accustomed to the sound as I revisit my music library, so naturally it’s sounding better and better the more I listen.

Here’s some pics of our test setup from the weekend:

 

[gLer]

Thank you @xenithon, that was exactly what I was after. I use Sonarworks, too, and I do find that it helps, but I guess I still prefer having a hardware combination that does the work for me, as it were. Again, I bought the 11.28 when I had no intention of buying the HD800, but a deal came up for a new set for £649, and I didn't want to pass it up.

This is the 4th or 5th time I've owned the HD800 (only on Head-Fi could a statement like this not be seen as utter insanity!!) and I know that my musical preferences totally fit 99% of what I get from this headphone and my own taste in sound - if I didn't love the thrill of the chase so much, I'd have just stuck with these many moons ago! But I think that it also justifies better amplification than I'm currently feeding it, and I just keep going back to my time with the R2R and Master 11, and thinking how they would have probably been an excellent match for the HD800.

May I ask why you sold the Master 11? That thing is a beast!

 

[sumpao]

The R-28 is burned in for 100h by Kingwa before shipping, so yours is up to 200h if you’ve added 100 already. Mine is Just over 350 all up. Can I hear a big difference? Yes, but probably more from ‘brain burn in’ than anything else. It was excellent out the box, and if anything I’m now more accustomed to the sound as I revisit my music library, so naturally it’s sounding better and better the more I listen.

Here’s some pics of our test setup from the weekend:

Nice system and nice test.

Thanks.

 

[cbf123]

May I ask why you sold the Master 11? That thing is a beast!

Of course - I guess the answer is 'stupidity' and a period of feeling like I was getting nowhere with trying to find the sound I wanted. Due to having a small home and a young child, I had to really try and keep to using closed-back cans - and I tried A LOT. I listen primarily to dark ambient / glitchy stuff / modern ambient / electronic, and I found that I was losing all the soundstage I wanted from my music, which is obviously relatively par for the course with a closed back, as well as adding more bass than I like (I'd say I'm more bass sensitive than treble). Tried Fostex, Sony Z1R all the usual suspects, and I just got tired of switching, tired of listening. So I got rid of EVERYTHING and went back to use a cheap USB DAC and cheap headphones.

I gradually found myself drifting back into things, and a change of home setup meant that I can get away with open-back use a lot more than I could, and I just use some cheap closed-back when I have to keep the noise down. Now I wish I'd kept it, because it would have been the heart of my system, and I also lost a boatload selling it. Ack, such is life, but I don't want to keep making these mistakes again. I've done it WAY too many times. Normally I'd just jump back in on the R-28 and to hell with it, but I really just want to get it right.

Sorry for the long reply!!!

 

[sumpao]

Of course - I guess the answer is 'stupidity' and a period of feeling like I was getting nowhere with trying to find the sound I wanted. Due to having a small home and a young child, I had to really try and keep to using closed-back cans - and I tried A LOT. I listen primarily to dark ambient / glitchy stuff / modern ambient / electronic, and I found that I was losing all the soundstage I wanted from my music, which is obviously relatively par for the course with a closed back, as well as adding more bass than I like (I'd say I'm more bass sensitive than treble). Tried Fostex, Sony Z1R all the usual suspects, and I just got tired of switching, tired of listening. So I got rid of EVERYTHING and went back to use a cheap USB DAC and cheap headphones.

I gradually found myself drifting back into things, and a change of home setup meant that I can get away with open-back use a lot more than I could, and I just use some cheap closed-back when I have to keep the noise down. Now I wish I'd kept it, because it would have been the heart of my system, and I also lost a boatload selling it. Ack, such is life, but I don't want to keep making these mistakes again. I've done it WAY too many times. Normally I'd just jump back in on the R-28 and to hell with it, but I really just want to get it right.

Sorry for the long reply!!!

Thanks for a great story it very real life one.

 

[Dnguyen926]

Given that the amp is extremely transparent and powerful, and it’s passing on the signal from the dac, I’d say it’s a combination of both. That after all is the point of an all-in-one like the R-28. If it sounds equivalent to the NFB-1/R2R-1stack - which I firmly believe it does - and costs about $400 less, it’s an exceptional package, considering how good that stack sounds.

Sorry I don't mean to repeat things but I just want to make sure. Base on this if I were to use the balance and SE preouts from the R28 going into another amp, its safe to say that the R28 is only passing on the signal of the dac? I plan to get the R28 and use its balance preout to go into a tube amp so I want to make sure the sound signature won't change.

 

[cbf123]

Well, to avoid the torture of decision-making, I've ordered my R-28. I'll put my 11.28 up for sale once it arrives, although I'm not planning to test the two against each other (I've made my purchase at this point, I'm sticking with it). Looking forward to it, and looking forward to hopefully sticking with this setup for a long time.

Thanks for the advice again, everyone!

 

[sumpao]

Well, to avoid the torture of decision-making, I've ordered my R-28. I'll put my 11.28 up for sale once it arrives, although I'm not planning to test the two against each other (I've made my purchase at this point, I'm sticking with it). Looking forward to it, and looking forward to hopefully sticking with this setup for a long time.

Thanks for the advice again, everyone!

welcome to the club please give us some comment once your arrive.

 

[gLer]

Well, to avoid the torture of decision-making, I've ordered my R-28. I'll put my 11.28 up for sale once it arrives, although I'm not planning to test the two against each other (I've made my purchase at this point, I'm sticking with it). Looking forward to it, and looking forward to hopefully sticking with this setup for a long time.

Thanks for the advice again, everyone!

Congrats! I have no doubt you’ll love it. Look forward to reading your impressions once you get it.

 

[cbf123]

welcome to the club please give us some comment once your arrive.

Congrats! I have no doubt you’ll love it. Look forward to reading your impressions once you get it.

Thanks guys, for sure I'll be back in with my impressions once it's here.

 

[sumpao]

Guy this seem like a silly question.

in the back how did you know which is Right side and left side in term of input and out put.

I feed my by the side of the front panel if the front is right hand it right hand side

 

[gLer]

Guy this seem like a silly question.

in the back how did you know which is Right side and left side in term of input and out put.

I feed my by the side of the front panel if the front is right hand it right hand side

Red is always right, so where you see the red analogue connectors, that’s the right in/out, and therefore the white connectors are the left in/out. So if you’re looking at the R-28 from the front, right in/out is on the right and left in/out is on the left. (If you’re looking at it from the back, as in the photo below, it’s the opposite - right is on the left, left is on the right).

 

[sumpao]

Red is always right, so where you see the red analogue connectors, that’s the right in/out, and therefore the white connectors are the left in/out. So if you’re looking at the R-28 from the front, right in/out is on the right and left in/out is on the left. (If you’re looking at it from the back, as in the photo below, it’s the opposite - right is on the left, left is on the right).

Ok thank you very much