[khaine1711]

Quote:

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...

The compass is an audio gd dac + the C2.2 (now replaced by the Nfb6) amp put together in the same box. You can use it as stand alone preamp/headamp/dac/variable dac output.
 
The Audio-gd dac/amp combos use current drive for the headphone out, that's why you cannot use it as a dedicated headphone amp.
 
Also is that paracord sleeving? where did you get that nice blue color 

 

[i019791]

Quote:

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.

Yes, you can use them as stand alone dac.
It is debatable whether the main feature of NFB-5 or NFB-10 is the dac and not the amp. I had found the amp part of NFB-10 to be very good (better , comparably, to the dac part - and I am not implying tha the dac part is bad).
Dacs happen to evolve faster than amps, so it is not unlikely that you will wish to upgrade the dac first.
If you go for Audio GD Compass you can for sure use either the dac or amp stand alone. Separate units have the advantages of not shared power supplies and the ability to resell whatever you upgrade.

 

[Contrails]

Also is that paracord sleeving? where did you get that nice blue color 

 
hehehe, from Papa smurf of course.  I will post more pics soon and will reveal more details.  What's paracord sleeving?

 

[nicholars]

Hmmm personally I am not really convinced that it is worth upgrading DAC's very much.... Once you have one which sounds reasonably neutral and not harsh which has async USB. I do not really see any point in upgrading because the sound quality difference between them once at a certain level is not proportional to the prices and it is debatable whether people can even tell the differences between some high end DAC's in a blind test.

 

[khaine1711]

Quote:

 
hehehe, from Papa smurf of course.  I will post more pics soon and will reveal more details.  What's paracord sleeving?

Basically you remove the core of a paracord, and use the outer jacket as cable sleeve. Really cheap and effective =p. I asked because I never saw paracord in such a vibrant blue before 

 

 

[i019791]

Quote:

Hmmm personally I am not really convinced that it is worth upgrading DAC's very much.... Once you have one which sounds reasonably neutral and not harsh which has async USB. I do not really see any point in upgrading because the sound quality difference between them once at a certain level is not proportional to the prices and it is debatable whether people can even tell the differences between some high end DAC's in a blind test.

An issue could be that the "certain level" you mention is not the same for all.
Your reasoning could perhaps apply equally to some high end (SS) amps - or anything high end by the way

 

[nicholars]

Quote:

An issue could be that the "certain level" you mention is not the same for all.
Your reasoning could perhaps apply equally to some high end (SS) amps - or anything high end by the way

 
Yep I agree.... Once at a certain level it is more "different" as opposed to "better"

 

[khaine1711]

I thought we all know high end isn't about price vs performance. Fun pic, you don't wanna know about the price vs performance factor of the two 

. Also, upgrade headphones before you spend on dac 

 
 

 

[pukeman]

Hey guys,
 
I am still using the stock cables for these and they are getting pretty annoying with the rubbing and twisting. any good cables anyone can recommend that can improve the sound quality as well? thanks
 

 

[davidsh]

Don't expect improved sound quality. I am forking out 250$ on a cable equal to the Toxic Silver Poison (xlr terminated with some different pigtail adapters, though), and I don't expect anything but a very slight change in sound if I'm lucky. 

 

[M-13]

Quote:

I thought we all know high end isn't about price vs performance. Fun pic, you don't wanna know about the price vs performance factor of the two 

. Also, upgrade headphones before you spend on dac 

 
 

LOL I can only imagine.

 

[hifimiami]

Replaced
 
 
 
   
 
 
 factory cable with Norse "Reign 4" aesthetically beautiful very light weight, no microphonics and the Sound Quality superb as if a veil has been lifted. Reasonable price and excellent service from Trevor.
 
norseaudio@gmail.com

 

[Limniscate]

Quote:

Replaced
 
 
 
   
 
 
 factory cable with Norse "Reign 4" aesthetically beautiful very light weight, no microphonics and the Sound Quality superb as if a veil has been lifted. Reasonable price and excellent service from Trevor.
 
norseaudio@gmail.com

So puuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrttttttttttttttttttttttttyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

 

[BobJS]

Quote:

3 different bags of worms: sensitive, current hungry, and high impedance 

. What's your definition of "cheap" and can you DIY?

 
You must be a real fisherman.  I'm not ---- my worms come in cans.
 
 

 

[Limniscate]

Does anyone else prefer the pleather on the HE500 and the velours on the HE400?  The velours sound flat to me on the HE500, i.e., they don't sound as airy.  Whereas it's the opposite on the HE400.