[FredA]

Dude, I own the R2R-11 and Khadas tone board, which is one of the best measuring DAC on his site, and I love both DACs equally. Khadas tone board extracts all the details and subtleties in the music but the R2R-11 adds soul to them. Make of that what you will.

You can check those reviews:

https://m.youtube.com/results?search_query=R2r-11

And as you can see in thiis video, made by Kingwa himself, it is possible to produce relatively high distorsion with some specific setting with the nfb-28 combo, reminding anyone that specifications are alway produced under specifc conditions:

 

[FredA]

The link to this video was deactivated on the audiosciencereview forum.

[edit]

Ok, it is not allowed to be viewed directly from a linking site but it is still available on youtube.

One of the main selling arguments for audio-gd headamps and device in general is they are non feedback design. They are not the only one to promote this approach. Some of the most reknown manufacturers have used this approach, for instance: Dartzeel.

Audio-gd thinks such a design sounds more natural. One drawback is if you push those circuits to the limit, they will distort more than one using feeback generally speaking. That said, the nfb-28 can still drive hard to drive headphones to insanely high levels with limited distorsion, that is using the balanced output, which Amir did not do. The distorsion will come sooner using the single ended out. At 6v, like Amir used, you are at over 60% of the max output level, or at less than 6db down from the max output power. This is very loud already with the majority if not all the hp on the market. The balanced output will play 12db louder at that same volume level. Using the single-ended version of this combo, you get the same output power as the balanced one.

I for one was really pleasantly surprised with this naturalness when i acquired my first audio-gd gear in 2012 or so, the nfb-8 dac. I was shocked with how good it sounded, coming from a similarly priced Sabre dac that had started inducing fatigue on my ears.

 

[youurayy]

I don't see how R2R11 hides any details, with a good heaphone anyway. It's much worse when a device artificially amplifies details at the cost of damaging the overall feel of the scene. The cheapest delta sigma chip setup today will render all the details, but the scene image and dynamics will not be satisfying.

 

[PopZeus]

We all know that the task of any good equipment is to convey to us the sound (source) as it was recorded (recorded), without losing it, without hiding the details and without spoiling them.
That's why I ask, do you think device R2R 11 with such measurements - makes it?

In some ways, the analog smoothness of a resistor ladder DAC (even a relatively inexpensive one that measures unspectacularly) feels like a more complete representation of a recording than a D-S chip DAC that measures well but otherwise sounds brittle, dry, or clinical. But then again, if I could be a vinyl snob i would but it’s too high maintenance (and expensive) as a hobby.

 

[Nickol]

Wow, this is amazing.

Considering his unit wasn't faulty, this goes to show that measurements and precision mean absolutely nothing.

I have a very high-end Pro iDSD sitting right under the R2R11 (on top is NFB 11.38, also a killer sound), and the R2R11 gets the most playtime, and it would be the unit I would choose if I had to choose only one. Go figure. (Both for Utopia and PMx2.) LOL ! (Of course the top preference is to be able to switch the sound signatures over time, but if you own R2R11, you are correct to assume that you don't need to spend more money on a headphone DAC -- my opinion.)

By the way, please share more impressions about the NFB 11.38 and the difference with R2R11 (difference between them)
?

 

[youurayy]

By the way, please share more impressions about the NFB 11.38 and the difference with R2R11 (difference between them)
?

Let me put it this way -- I have about 30 of my top favorite tracks in TIDAL -- and you know, as the novelty wears off, it's down to the real interestingness or quality of the track, whether I still consider it favorite.
Now, with any other DAC than the R2R11, I will be skipping tracks in this list as I go through it, because some of them just aren't interesting enough for me.
But R2R11 manages to render every single of those tracks in a way that I can fully appreciate its quality and have the enjoyment of it.

So the NFB I can only compare with other delta-sigma DACs, e.g. the iFi Pro iDSD, and I'd say it's very very close in terms of being competitive, which is a lot to say given the massive price difference between the two. I think the SABRE chips are getting really good with the late releases, but hey, it's still not the magic of a ladder tech. A ladder DAC is more like a musical instrument, than a digital-analog conversion device.

 

[FredA]

I checked the r2r-11 review on audiosciencereview. It seems to me the signal level used is beyond 0db in the first diagram. And that the thd vs freq graph is not coherent with the 1k distorsion test.

I also re-read the older audio-gd product reviews. It seems like there is some Mandela effect going on as Amirm is now able to locate the user manual for the nfb28.... seems like he read my posts and edited his review without mentioning it. This Amir guy is giving us a hint of his lack of honesty. I also noticed that Smls and Topping are on the top of his chart. Quite big chinese cies that would have the financial means to finance this operation of his.

Another assumption of his, and certainly the key lie, is to assume better specs mean better perceived sound quality. Nothing could be more wrong. Pretty much everyone working in the audio industry knows this.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Another assumption of his, and certainly the key lie, is to assume better specs mean better perceived sound quality. Nothing could be more wrong. Pretty much everyone working in the audio industry knows this.

Hum... Perhaps you meant "everyone working in the audio industry *FEARS this"...?

This Amir guy is giving us a hint of his lack of honesty. I also noticed that Smls and Topping are on the top of his chart. Quite big chinese cies that would have the financial means to finance this operation of his.

Ridiculous accusations. Topping and SMSL have ten times more producing capacities than Audio GD and don't even see this brand as a competitor...

Maybe you may read ASR more often and see how much you're wrong.

 

[FredA]

Hum... Perhaps you meant "everyone working in the audio industry *FEARS this"...?

Well, if you are a designer and measure your gears, you must know this. Many designer will admit frankly that their equipement do not measure so well. They proceed to listening tests and unless some measurements are really bad, they won’t try to fix them. At least not if detrimental to perceived sound quality.

The specs are really not a concern when you get deeply drawn into music. Because of course, the specs are just numbers, and not something your perceived with your ears. For instance, distorsion and noise. If you don’t hear any, what do you care about the specs? It like the poor guy who needs someone he sees as figure of authority to decide whether or not he is happy. It’s sort of pathetic, one has to realize.

 

[FredA]

Hum... Perhaps you meant "everyone working in the audio industry *FEARS this"...?


Ridiculous accusations. Topping and SMSL have ten times more producing capacities than Audio GD and don't even see this brand as a competitor...

Maybe you may read ASR more often and see how much you're wrong.

The website should list its sponsors, don’t you agree? By selling 3000 r2r-11 units in one and a half year or so, don’t you think audio-gd competes with Smsl and Topping? The internet is full of people whose actions are made to influence buying decisions, and most often using unfair tactics. It is likely that audioscienfeview is just one more of these. I could be wrong, i could be right. But please, don ‘t be naive. Nothing in life is for free. Someone pays for this website.

 

[youurayy]

The website should list its sponsors, don’t you agree? By selling 3000 r2r-11 units in one and a half year or so, don’t you think audio-gd competes with Smsl and Topping? The internet is full of people whose actions are made to influence buying decisions, and most often using unfair tactics. It is likely that audioscienfeview is just one more of these. I could be wrong, i could be right. But please, don ‘t be naive. Nothing in life is for free. Someone pays for this website.

I'd say that's a valid logical reasoning. If I google 'r2r11', the third link is a negative measurements link (with a dead Imgur presentation), and its sublink is another reddit link that links to the aforementioned (newly released) measurements. So how do you smear a popular audio product that sounds great a people love? Yeah, that's how.

 

[FredA]

I'd say that's a valid logical reasoning. If I google 'r2r11', the third link is a negative measurements link (with a dead Imgur presentation), and its sublink is another reddit link that links to the aforementioned (newly released) measurements. So how do you smear a popular audio product that sounds great a people love? Yeah, that's how.

Right on.

 

[domho7]

Hi all gurus. Currently I am having a cayin dap N5. Mojo and aroma A100.
I have audeze lcd2 and fiio FH5 for listening. Thinking of getting another iem.
Can the R2 11 be able to drive the Lcd2 to its potential or should I get nfb11.28. Tks.

 

[ProLoL]

After listening to the R2R11 as dac only via different amplifiers, going back to the built in amp of the R2R11, although it doesn't have the biggest sound stage nor the cleanest sound, it's highly musical and fast, reminded me why I fell in love with the R2R11 in the first place.

 

[FredA]

After listening to the R2R11 as dac only via different amplifiers, going back to the built in amp of the R2R11, although it doesn't have the biggest sound stage nor the cleanest sound, it's highly musical and fast, reminded me why I fell in love with the R2R11 in the first place.

Top-notch musicality indeed!