[Flagellin]

These are the two DAC/Amp combos I'm considering at the $200 pricepoint. I was wondering if I could get some perspectives from people who have owned/listened to both. 
 
My headphones aren't very high end (M50s) but primarily, I need a USB DAC because my onboard laptop is horrendous. What I would like is room for improvement. 
 
The reason that these two are comparable is that they're both essentially solid state DAC/amps. The D1 also has a tube pre-out, which is a bonus, if I choose down the line to get a separate amp. 
 
Since I'm not using particularly high fi headphones, I don't think the amp part matters as much as the DACs do, especially since most people observe that the M50s don't really respond that much to amping. So with regard to further upgrading down the line (in both headphones and amps), how would the DAC chips in these two units compare? 
 
Of course, if the DACs are comparable, I would definitely go for the D1 for the extra connectivity and tube features. It also looks way better, IMO. 
 
Thanks to all in advance for your feedback! 

 

[The8thst]

/subscribed

I am looking for the same problem solver. USB DAC+Amp since my work computer uses the internal Realtek ALC860 with no digital outputs. I am using Grado SR225i phones so, like you, the amp part isn't as important as the DAC.

I would also add two more models into the pool for consideration:
Audio-Gd Sparrow $140
Audio-Gd NFB-12 $200

That list of 4 is the exact list that I am considering.

 

[Flagellin]

Reviews about the NFB-12 seem decent. I shall add that to my list of contenders also. The ability to change the sound by changing the sampling filters is really appealing, but I know nothing about this technology. Can someone explain it to me like I'm five? 
 
The sparrow is less appealing because I want RCA outputs. 

 

[Flagellin]

Okay, I pm'ed Spanky since he had the D1 and now has the NFB-12, here's what he had to say: 
 
 
 
Quote:Spanky 

I like the NFB-12 more. Not because of the sound quality but there's just features that I like about it. I know that on paper, it has better specs and a better analog section than the D1. It has the better USB chip which accepts 24/96. It has absolutely no noise at all (unlike the D1's USB). The headphone amp section is I think better than the D1 but not as good as the A1, probably due to the tubes.
 
Keep in mind that the NFB-12 costs $50 more due to shipping and it took longer for me to receive it than it did my D1. All in all, the D1 is a great all-in-one if you swap the opamps and use coaxial or optical input. The NFB has a better DAC (on paper. I never A/B'd them) but the headphone section is so-so. I don't like that the NFB's power switch is in the rear and it's also long (front to back) and skinny (side to side) so it makes organization difficult. I'm happy I have it though, mostly because I know I won't have to upgrade for a while and when I do, it should retain most of it's value.
 
 
One other thing I should note is that if you want to use the NFB-12 as a DAC out to various equipment (maybe a headphone amp and a power amp) you will have to get some quality RCA splitters since it has only 1 pair of output.
 
I should also mention that case quality is about the same when comparing Audio-GD and Maverick Audio. My NFB-12 was wobbily, just like my Maverick stuff. Even on different surfaces.