[alxw0w]

Ok I've been listening R2R 1 for like 2 hours - F*KIN AMAZING Just no words....
Cant wait to burn in time process to finish. But even now the combo: R2R 1 + NFB 1 amp + hifiman he560 (xlr Norne Zoetic cable) is just outstanding.
Will write more sometime later. Now I'm out for more listening - discovering my old/new music.

 

[alxw0w]

H@H@ GOOSEBUMPS, ladies and gentelmen GOOSEBUMPS !

 

[gLer]

Ok I've been listening R2R 1 for like 2 hours - F*KIN AMAZING Just no words....
Cant wait to burn in time process to finish. But even now the combo: R2R 1 + NFB 1 amp + hifiman he560 (xlr Norne Zoetic cable) is just outstanding.
Will write more sometime later. Now I'm out for more listening - discovering my old/new music.

That’s great news! What did you upgrade from? Have you heard the R2R-11?

 

[alxw0w]

About like month ago I was using Audio-gd NFB-2 (2xWM8741) (http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/NFB-2/NFB2EN.htm)
And before my "audio-gd era" I had couple of different DACs, but they were rather very medicore (cambridge audio, xduoo, smsl and some chinese DIY dacs)

 

[PopZeus]

I can’t say I’m familiar with 70s era analogue audio, although I do believe music quality (not reproduction quality - there’s a big difference) has declined steadily since the 70s. Exceptions to that are electronica and electronic music, which has been boosted by modern technology (again talking about he tools of the trade not the artists).

My question for you is if you feel this euphoric sound is really a trait of ladder dacs in general? Have you heard the R2R-11 for example? That’s what I currently use and feel much the same about the ‘musicality’ and organic, analogue-like sound yore describing. Just wondering what ‘more’ you would get from stepping up to a fully balanced NOS/OS ladder like the R2R-1?

Tbh, my experience with ladder DACs is very limited as most of them are out of my price range. So my only real experience with one is the R2R 1 and Mimby (which hardly counts). From what I'm hearing, it sounds like the core "house" sound for Audio-gd's ladder DACs is intact across the current lineup. Moving to the R2R 1 means greater technical excellence and the ability to customize the sound via jumpers just in case the default tuning wasn't bassy enough. Also, I upgraded the USB card, and added a second TCXO, which would further elevate it from the 11. At the time I was thinking I needed something to match or at least keep up with the raw technical performance of the Elex (I think I made the right choice but that's just my opinion). All that is to say, I got this DAC as endgame for me. I pretty much moved directly from my own workhorse combo (grace m9XX) to this + Cavalli LCX with a brief layover in Schiitville.

If you get the urge to start upgrading your cans or amp situation, then upgrading the DAC might make sense eventually. Otherwise, enjoy your music!

 

[Pharmaboy]

It's everything, in some ways. It's why I got into this hobby. Always a music fan first, before I could afford a truly great pair of headphones. The R2R 1 is something else though. Reminds me of a time when great hi-fi analog systems were a lot more common. Like, late 70s era gear.

Years ago I had a fine analog setup. Vinyl was king--even more when early digital came out (it sounded awful). I had a modded Philips CD player, said to sound as good as digital could ~'86...did many same cut vs same cut comps between vinyl & digital. It wasn't even close. Then we moved to this house in '91 and no vinyl setup since--all digital. Most music listening on desktop system in home office; starting ~2008, that included a DAC (a series of DACs).

I co-existed with digital all those years, but never mistook it for real high-end audio (not talking about $$, but fidelity to sources...violin sounding like a violin). That is, until I got an Audio GD NOS 19. It's the first digital that "clicked" for me, that actually sounds good in its own right. Soon after I got an AGD DAC-19 for backup purposes--also very good sounding, though not quite as good as NOS. Soon I'll try an R2R 1 (will sell the DAC-19 & keep NOS 19 as backup).

Does NOS multibit sound like vinyl? Not really. No digital does. It's not quite as simple as warm vs cold, non-exaggerated transients vs exaggerated ones. Vinyl had a slight phasey character (L/R channels were never 100% balanced on any cartridge) that somehow rendered a great amount of soundstage & sense of original recording space. Plus the bass was definitely better, deeper & more tuneful, on vinyl (true).

Still, NOS is easily the best, most evolved digital sound I've ever heard. Instruments sound like themselves; highs & transients aren't enhanced; bass is the best I've heard from digital; and the sound is relaxed, yet rock solid & stable. NOS is so good that I've stopped thinking of my DAC as a variable, or possible limitation in the system. The only reason I'm joneslng for the R2R 1 is because it might be even better than NOS 19 (plus there are 3 live outputs vs 2 for the NOS 19).

NOS is now king IMO...

 

[peterzzz]

Ok I've been listening R2R 1 for like 2 hours - F*KIN AMAZING Just no words....
Cant wait to burn in time process to finish. But even now the combo: R2R 1 + NFB 1 amp + hifiman he560 (xlr Norne Zoetic cable) is just outstanding.
Will write more sometime later. Now I'm out for more listening - discovering my old/new music.

Clearly you like this combo; I've been on the fence a bit and got scared by the reviews on that other forum that called the NFB-1 all sorts of horrible -- compressed, smeared/blurry and lacking impact/dynamics were things said about it. Also a profound lack of bass (and me being somewhat of a basshead).

Is there anything to that you can relate to in your experience?

@Currawong's review of the NFB-1 here made it sound like a competent amp, so I'm most terribly confused and would really like more opinions.

 

[FredA]

Clearly you like this combo; I've been on the fence a bit and got scared by the reviews on that other forum that called the NFB-1 all sorts of horrible -- compressed, smeared/blurry and lacking impact/dynamics were things said about it. Also a profound lack of bass (and me being somewhat of a basshead).

Is there anything to that you can relate to in your experience?

@Currawong's review of the NFB-1 here made it sound like a competent amp, so I'm most terribly confused and would really like more opinions.

The nfb-amp is a smooth, slightly warm amp. It's got first rate volume control and channel balance. It pairs very well with planars like the he-560. I enjoy mine.

 

[gLer]

Clearly you like this combo; I've been on the fence a bit and got scared by the reviews on that other forum that called the NFB-1 all sorts of horrible -- compressed, smeared/blurry and lacking impact/dynamics were things said about it. Also a profound lack of bass (and me being somewhat of a basshead).

Is there anything to that you can relate to in your experience?

@Currawong's review of the NFB-1 here made it sound like a competent amp, so I'm most terribly confused and would really like more opinions.

Yeah don’t listen to that sh, um, nonsense they peddle over at that other place. They take great pleasure throwing rotten fruit at anything Audio-Gd. It’s like a sport of sorts for them. NFB-1/R2R-1 are endgame-worthy, certainly better value than some of the stuff that gets peddled for far too much money these days. Heck the R2R-11 is endgame-worthy with the right headphones, but try tell those guys a $350 dac/amp s**** all over their Schitts

 

[PopZeus]

Years ago I had a fine analog setup. Vinyl was king--even more when early digital came out (it sounded awful). I had a modded Philips CD player, said to sound as good as digital could ~'86...did many same cut vs same cut comps between vinyl & digital. It wasn't even close. Then we moved to this house in '91 and no vinyl setup since--all digital. Most music listening on desktop system in home office; starting ~2008, that included a DAC (a series of DACs).

I co-existed with digital all those years, but never mistook it for real high-end audio (not talking about $$, but fidelity to sources...violin sounding like a violin). That is, until I got an Audio GD NOS 19. It's the first digital that "clicked" for me, that actually sounds good in its own right. Soon after I got an AGD DAC-19 for backup purposes--also very good sounding, though not quite as good as NOS. Soon I'll try an R2R 1 (will sell the DAC-19 & keep NOS 19 as backup).

Does NOS multibit sound like vinyl? Not really. No digital does. It's not quite as simple as warm vs cold, non-exaggerated transients vs exaggerated ones. Vinyl had a slight phasey character (L/R channels were never 100% balanced on any cartridge) that somehow rendered a great amount of soundstage & sense of original recording space. Plus the bass was definitely better, deeper & more tuneful, on vinyl (true).

Still, NOS is easily the best, most evolved digital sound I've ever heard. Instruments sound like themselves; highs & transients aren't enhanced; bass is the best I've heard from digital; and the sound is relaxed, yet rock solid & stable. NOS is so good that I've stopped thinking of my DAC as a variable, or possible limitation in the system. The only reason I'm joneslng for the R2R 1 is because it might be even better than NOS 19 (plus there are 3 live outputs vs 2 for the NOS 19).

NOS is now king IMO...

Yeah, the sound is far too precise and clear to be confused with vinyl. I wouldn't equate it to that medium exactly. An experience that gets closer to (but not quite) my memory is listening to a reel-to-reel copy of an album for the first time though a well-kept high fidelity 1/2" tape deck. It's simultaneously accurate, smooth, and alive. I think that's why vocals seem to benefit the most from upgrading to an R2R. It's really noticeable in something like Bohemian Rhapsody.

The most surprising thing about this DAC is how well it makes redbook CD audio or even 256 kbps AAC sound pretty involving (in NOS mode). I think that's a testament to the quality of the conversion that it doesn't feel like anything is missing. Of course when you switch to a 24-96 FLAC file, you get more micro detail from the improved separation and dynamics along with the lower noise floor.

It reminds me of a thing from the movies where sometimes the CG artists have to "degrade" their work in a variety of ways when compositing the footage to match the film stock, which ironically makes everything seem more realistic to the human eye. Sure, Infinity War or Dunkirk looked incredible in IMAX with all the latest toys but there's a different delight that's almost as potent in seeing CGI blended seamlessly in with old school grainy 16mm footage (although redbook is more like the 35mm film of digital audio).

 

[Currawong]

Clearly you like this combo; I've been on the fence a bit and got scared by the reviews on that other forum that called the NFB-1 all sorts of horrible -- compressed, smeared/blurry and lacking impact/dynamics were things said about it. Also a profound lack of bass (and me being somewhat of a basshead).

Is there anything to that you can relate to in your experience?

@Currawong's review of the NFB-1 here made it sound like a competent amp, so I'm most terribly confused and would really like more opinions.

It's a dead-neutral amp, that's for sure. Some people like their gear to give a meaty presentation -- I certainly get that, and I think that's what drove those opinions. With the NFB-1AMP I like the results with the DC servo mod, where you replace the DC servo opamps with Muses 8920. It sounds a bit more dynamic then. If you otherwise want something a bit more interesting-sounding, getting a tube amp would be a better option. It'd be interesting to try an R2R 1 + Mjolnir combo (with tubes), for example.

 

[gibosi]

It's a dead-neutral amp, that's for sure. Some people like their gear to give a meaty presentation -- I certainly get that, and I think that's what drove those opinions. With the NFB-1AMP I like the results with the DC servo mod, where you replace the DC servo opamps with Muses 8920. It sounds a bit more dynamic then. If you otherwise want something a bit more interesting-sounding, getting a tube amp would be a better option. It'd be interesting to try an R2R 1 + Mjolnir combo (with tubes), for example.

Soon I will have an R2R 1 + Glenn OTL combo.

Currently I am using the DAC-out of an Audio-gd Fun into the OTL and have no complaints. But colleagues have suggested that I might be surprised at how much better a newer, dedicated ladder DAC might sound. Unfortunately, Yggdrasil, Holo Spring and similar are out of reach, so when I learned about the much more affordable R2R 1, I decided to go for it....

 

[bitsnbytes]

With the NFB-1AMP I like the results with the DC servo mod, where you replace the DC servo opamps with Muses 8920. It sounds a bit more dynamic then.

Hi Currawong

Are there any guides on doing this?

Thanks

 

[Currawong]

Hi Currawong

Are there any guides on doing this?

Thanks

No, but it's not any harder than removing the top, unscrewing the volume relay modules and swapping out the opamps themselves. It's fiddly more than anything due to their placement.

 

[borrego]

Another good option for the DC Servo opamp is the OPA2132P (the PA version is good but the P version is even better). Another benefit of replacing the stock OPA2134 opamp is much shorter warm up time required.