[Nickol]

Else might even go the NFB 11.28.

Well, then it might be better to choose NFB 11.38?

 

[jimmychan]

R28 debuts:

R-28

Fully Discrete R-2R Resistor Ladders DAC

Fully Discrete DSD Native decoder

Fully Balance Discrete Transistors Headamp And Preampamps

All In One
http://www.audio-gd.com/R2R/R28/R28EN.htm

 

[gLer]

R28 debuts:

R-28

Fully Discrete R-2R Resistor Ladders DAC

Fully Discrete DSD Native decoder

Fully Balance Discrete Transistors Headamp And Preampamps

All In One
http://www.audio-gd.com/R2R/R28/R28EN.htm

Yes indeed. So exciting! The perfect endgame upgrade from the R2R-11. Now we need a new R-28 thread...

 

[gLer]

New R-28 thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audio-gd-r-28-impressions-thread.882043/

 

[PopZeus]

Anyone use this as a fixed output DAC? Curious what you think of the performance.

 

[PopZeus]

Welp, I ended up ordering one of these for my living room. It sounds pretty fantastic, all things considered. The R2R 11 gives me that analog goodness through my speakers, which is how I prefer to listen to my music. It is definitely a piece of gear that sounds better after warming up.

 

[JimJames]

I ordered the R2R 11 more than a week ago and decided to go for EMS instead of DHL as Kingwa told me EMS had better feedback in Spain. My item was first posted the 14th and has done a lot of going around in China for some reason and now is been stuck in GUANGZHOU since the 18th... Is there something wrong with my package or is that normal?

 

[youurayy]

Have you guys used the R2R11 with the DSD transport (64, 128, 256, 512)? How is the level of noise/hiss, if any?

 

[gLer]

Have you guys used the R2R11 with the DSD transport (64, 128, 256, 512)? How is the level of noise/hiss, if any?

In my experience the R2R-11 has serious issues with DSD playback and low level noise. It’s inconsistent and not audible on all DSDs but a large selection of my DSDs were unplayable on the R2R-11. A real pity as it’s orgerwise an excelllent PCM player. The R-28 I upgraded to has no issues with DSD.

PS. Search the NFB-11.28 vs R2R-11 thread for a long discussion on this issue.

 

[youurayy]

In my experience the R2R-11 has serious issues with DSD playback and low level noise. It’s inconsistent and not audible on all DSDs but a large selection of my DSDs were unplayable on the R2R-11. A real pity as it’s orgerwise an excelllent PCM player. The R-28 I upgraded to has no issues with DSD.

PS. Search the NFB-11.28 vs R2R-11 thread for a long discussion on this issue.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction -- I had assumed nobody here really uses DSD (pre-render) apart from me The R2R11 is still worth having for the PCM but I think the DSD conversion (and native DSD, of course) sounds even better on it -- but mine has a hiss on the right channel (the left channel is just perfect).

Is the PCM sound (headphones) of the R-28 an improvement over the R2R11 / NFB-11? I'm of the opinion that single-ended is enough for headphones, and that balanced just bring more complexity and potential for error (not mentioning extra $$ spent for balanced HP cables).

 

[youurayy]

Guess what -- I bought the R2R11 along with the NFB11.38 so that I can compare, and I had them next to each other. Only turned on at a time, but both were connected to the mains. So now I unplugged the NFB from the mains and the hiss from the R2R11 is gone*! \o/

*update: only solved for the upconverted PCM->DSD though, not the native DSD... but good enough

 

[gLer]

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction -- I had assumed nobody here really uses DSD (pre-render) apart from me The R2R11 is still worth having for the PCM but I think the DSD conversion (and native DSD, of course) sounds even better on it -- but mine has a hiss on the right channel (the left channel is just perfect).

Is the PCM sound (headphones) of the R-28 an improvement over the R2R11 / NFB-11? I'm of the opinion that single-ended is enough for headphones, and that balanced just bring more complexity and potential for error (not mentioning extra $$ spent for balanced HP cables).

The DSD noise is more like ‘radio interference’ over the quiet parts of a track. Once the music starts you can’t really hear it. So it’s not a hiss in the way you describe it and definitely has nothing to do with other components interfering with the signal.

The R2R is definitely worth having for PCM. After all a ladder dac is a native PCM dac - it can’t decode or playback DSD, so somewhere in the R2R-11 there’s an unspecified DSD decoder doing the business. Oddly enough I found my DSD files converted to high-res PCM sounded better on the R2R-11 than the DSD originals.

As for the R-28, it’s an upgrade over the R2R-11 and NFB-11 in every department, not just balanced power output. It’s more resolving and more dynamic, although if your taste is warm and punchy, the R-28 has that if you want it but is more true to the source rather than being warm or neutral by default (both R2R-11 and to a slightly lesser extent the NFB-11 are tuned slightly warm with a hint of bass emphasis).

It’s really designed as a balanced amp, with the SE output there for convenience, so it’s not more complicated or needlessly expensive if you ask me. If you have balanced-ready headphones they’ll definitely benefit from the R-28.

 

[joostdh]

A few users reported that adding the Eitr improved the sound. I’ve now got the Topping D10 hooked-up as an USB to SPDIF converter. With MacOS I can output to multiples sources simultaneously (Create Multi-output Device in Audio MIDI Setup) so I can switch between USB straight to R2R and via the D10 on coax.

First impression is there is either no difference or if there is one it must be very small.

 

[exsomnis]

A few users reported that adding the Eitr improved the sound. I’ve now got the Topping D10 hocked-up as an USB to SPDIF converter. With MacOS I can output to multiples sources simultaneously (Create Multi-output Device in Audio MIDI Setup) so now I can switch between USB straight to R2R and via the D10 on coax.

First impression is there is either no difference or if there is one it must be very small.

What it means is that the asynchronous Amanero USB interface is doing its job - it is successfully mitigating jitter. And it also shows that you have a USB port and cable combo that is operating according to spec, with little to no RF interference. USB port and cable manufacturers are not all created equal - some of them ignore spec to cut on costs and some people have very noisy USB ports/cables. I've had an over-used PC USB port and cheap throw-away USB cables affect the SQ negatively - replacing the PC and getting a solid USB cable solved that problem, to the point that there was no discernible difference in SQ compared to when a USB decrapifier and reclocker was in the chain. Also, Macs are known to have great USB ports for USB audio purposes.

SPDIF is not invulnerable to digital audio jitter but apparently there are a few successful methods for mitigating it in SPDIF interfaces, which is why many people swear by it. Also, RF interference and noise tends to be mitigated too since coaxial cables are usually well shielded, whereas with optical/toslink this is non-existent, since RF is not light.

So if both USB and SPDIF are working according to spec, the DAC should be getting the exact same PCM digital audio stream for it to digest and spout analog. Thus, resulting in no discernible difference between the two.

Where you would possibly hear a difference is if you played DSD files over USB. The Audio-gd SPDIF interfaces don't do DOP or D2P, so you can't play DSD through them. 'Course, that is if you think you can hear a difference between hi-res DSD and normal sample rate audio to begin with.

 

[benirohit458]

Hey there guys
I've had my HD6XX for a while and received my R2R11 about a month ago.
I might have to face some flak from the audiophiles for this but here is my experience.
I dont know too many of the audiophile terms so ill share my experience in layman terms.
Before i got my R2R11, i was using my HD6XXs with my Ipad Air2, listening to 320kbps music.
And when i received the R2R11, very honestly i wasnt overwhelmed.
I was expecting to be blown away considering the amount of money I'd spent on it.
Rather, I might sound stupid saying this, but other than the loudness of the R2R, I dont see it as much of an upgrade from my Ipad.
Instead the R2R seems to be chopping off the punch from the music, it makes the music sound a little muddy if that is a term.
It is just taking the excitement away from the music, the HD6XX being a warm pair already.

However what the R2R has done is made my 4 year old HD518s sound much better.
So much so that the HD6XX seem like only a marginal upgrade from the HD518s.
So I dont know if I should be regretting my purchase or what....
Would like to know your views on this.
A I missing any settings here?
I had a look at the settings on my computer:
Digital Output Properties>Advanced>Default Format> it seems to be running at 2 Channel, 16bit, 44100 Hz (CD Quality)

Am i supposed to change anything under this setting?