[dryvadeum]

The HE 500'S really need to be balanced to shine in my opinion. Well, really any ortho tbh.

 

[Andolink]

Quote:

I am quite tempted to try out the Audio-GD products because they seem to be well designed and are very good value for money... Especially the dac/amp combo's as the amp's in them seem pretty high powered compared to what you usually see in a dac/amp combo. However I am a bit reluctant to buy from China when I do not know what they will sound like or if they break it is a bit of a nightmare to return but I cannot find anything with similar specs in an amp/dac combo for anywhere near the same price as the Audio GD... Maybe the Yulong D100 I dont know...

I'm powering my HE-500 with an Audio-gd NFB-6 balanced from a balanced source and I love it!  Admittedly I have nothing to compare it with but it sounds terrific to my ears and the remote volume control (no potentiometer) is incredibly convenient.  I love being able to sit on the other side of the room making tiny volume adjustments while listening.  There are 80 steps each in high and low gain but I've settled into using low gain in the 10-35 range.  
 
Others who are using the NFB-6 as a preamp in their systems say very positive things about it in that role too.  
 
I'd certainly go back to Audio-gd in the future for gear as I need it.  Great bang for the buck! 

 

[i019791]

Quote:

However I am a bit reluctant to buy from China when I do not know what they will sound like or if they break it is a bit of a nightmare to return but I cannot find anything with similar specs in an amp/dac combo for anywhere near the same price as the Audio GD... Maybe the Yulong D100 I dont know...

If you buy an Audio gd from a European distributor and it breaks, it will probably be not a nightmare to return for repair

 

[nicholars]

How do the audio gd products sound? Are they bright or neutral? Do they have good bass? I dont want anything that is bright or has puny bass... I think I might give them a try because I cannot find any other good amp/dac combos in that price range except the Yulong D100 although I have read about these overheating and also the amplifier looks a bit weak.

 

[i019791]

Quote:

How do the audio gd products sound? Are they bright or neutral? Do they have good bass? I dont want anything that is bright or has puny bass... I think I might give them a try because I cannot find any other good amp/dac combos in that price range except the Yulong D100 although I have read about these overheating and also the amplifier looks a bit weak.

In my experience:
NFB-15 and NFB-3: slightly warm
NFB-10SE: single end neutral, balanced brightish
Good bass eveywhere
 
The more expensive ones are neutral, with the exception of SA series which is warm(er) and kind of "euphonic"

 

[nicholars]

I am looking at either the NFB-5.32 or the NFB-10.32
 
The audio GD products look like very good value for money... They are specced as high as products costing 3x the price. Have not heard any of them though...

 

[dryvadeum]

I am looking at either the NFB-5.32 or the NFB-10.32

I recommend you get the NFB- 10 so you can go balanced. Much more current supplied that way.

 

[i019791]

Quote:

I am looking at either the NFB-5.32 or the NFB-10.32
 
The audio GD products look like very good value for money... They are specced as high as products costing 3x the price. Have not heard any of them though...

Ok, just note that NFB-5 and NFB-10 do not function with other dacs

 

[dryvadeum]

Ok, just note that NFB-5 and NFB-10 do not function with other dacs

But you can use them as a preamp should you wish to upgrade your amp in the future.

 

[nicholars]

Quote:

Ok, just note that NFB-5 and NFB-10 do not function with other dacs

 
What do you mean?

 

[i019791]

Quote:

But you can use them as a preamp should you wish to upgrade your amp in the future.

Correct.
Replying to nicholars, you can not use them as stand alone preamp or stand alone head amp if you upgrade the dac, as they have no line in.

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

Correct.
Replying to nicholars, you can not use them as stand alone preamp or stand alone head amp if you upgrade the dac, as they have no line in.

 
Precisely the reason why I didn't end up going for the DAC/AMP combo by Audio-GD, even though their products offered insane specs at that price. I wanted more flexibility.

 

[nicholars]

But I presume you can use them as a DAC and plug in another standalone amp...
 
TBH I am not sure why you would want to use it as an amp and buy a standalone dac because the dac is the main feature of it anyway and the amp is more of an extra. If you plan to do that you may as well just buy a seperate amp and dac now.

 

[h4mm3r 0f th0r]

i am using nfb-11.32 as a dac/amp combo with he500 which gives about 2.7W into the headphones so it is above the recommended power input for he500. I can use the dac and another amp if i wish but i cannot use the head amp alone from the 11.32 and use another dac of my choosing. Although you can use the amp of compass2 if you do not use the dac.. atleast that is what i heard...

 

[Contrails]

Since my stock cable broke, I decided to invest in a sturdier cable.  Here's a sneak peak.  I know the colours don't match with the He-500, but they are my fav. team's colours.
 
 

 
Listening to [size=small]Perience-And I [/size][size=small]Love Him.  [/size]A very nice chillout song to listen to.  I love the piano solo in this song.  Highly recommended.