tylerfutrell
Head-Fier
Perhaps someone can answer this question. I was comparing NFB-11.28 to Atom, using the NFB's DAC to isolate differences in the amp sections only. I was listening to "Apostolo glorioso" by Dufay on Spotify (Lorelei Ensemble). 10 seconds in, only when Atom and NFB's DAC are both in high gain (NFB has variable DAC output for some reason), there is a static/distortion sound, first in the left ear, then the right. This does not happen when using the NFB's amp section, or when using Atom in low gain, or when using SDAC instead of NFB's DAC (in either high or low gain on Atom) - even when turning the low gain on Atom up so that it's much louder than the high gain, it still only makes the static noise on high gain. This is bizarre, isn't it? If it were clipping (or something else) in the DAC, it would happen on NFB's amp section too, and if it's clipping in the amp, it would still happen with SDAC, but it doesn't. Changing RCA cables didn't matter. Anyone have ideas what's going on? My only thought is that Atom outputs more power/current/whatever in high gain, even at lower volumes, but don't know if that makes sense.
Summarized:
NFB DAC (high) -- Atom (high) = static
NFB DAC (low) -- Atom (high or low) = no static
SDAC -- Atom (high or low) = no static
NFB only (high or low) = no static
Summarized:
NFB DAC (high) -- Atom (high) = static
NFB DAC (low) -- Atom (high or low) = no static
SDAC -- Atom (high or low) = no static
NFB only (high or low) = no static
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