[Boogirl]

   
DAC-19
 
It's an R-24 / multibit dac. The NFB-1DAC is just a better balanced version of the NFB-11 you have. It uses the same Sabre chip(s) with better components, and you don't need the balanced signal with your amplifier at all.
 
The DAC-19 is in a league above the NFB-1DAC in my opinion, as it's an R-2R PCM1704UK chip vs. a delta-sigma like the ES9018.

Thanks for taking the time to reply to me. 
 
 
Would it be possible to specify a bit more what you mean, perhaps in terms of sound quality,  when you say the DAC 19 is a league above the NFB 1?
 
Thanks

 

[Luckbad]

Before I send you to a thread to read up on the general differences...

To me, Sabre chips often sound a little bright in the treble and can be grainy and/or a bit sterile sounding. The best Audio-GD implementations are said to fix this.

Audio-GD PCM1704UK dacs sound more smooth to me. The best part to my ears is that real instruments sound more lifelike. I'm not sure why, but that's what my brain tricks me into believing.

Here's a good thread to read up in R-2R and Delta Sigma differences:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/779572/r2r-multibit-vs-delta-sigma-is-there-a-measurable-scientific-difference-thats-audible

 

[lukeap69]

 
Thanks for taking the time to reply to me. 
 
 
Would it be possible to specify a bit more what you mean, perhaps in terms of sound quality,  when you say the DAC 19 is a league above the NFB 1?
 
Thanks

There are some comparisons buried in this very thread - one example is my impressions http://www.head-fi.org/t/759872/new-audio-gd-dac-19-10th-anniversary-edition/270#post_11659460
 
I still have both NFB-1 (2015) and DAC-19 10th anniversary. The DAC-19 is used like more than 90% of the time. DAC-19 had even made my other amp (Lyr 2) pairing with my HD800 good. I didn't like it when paired with the NFB-1 DAC.

 

[Timmitus]

The pricing they get on DHL is probably different because they get corporate prices or the prices charged in China are lower. I've looked at multiple options, and USPS Priority Mail was indeed the cheapest way to get it shipped back.

I'm pretty sure the Chinese government subsidizes shipping out of China. That's why it's so cheap.

 

[Boogirl]

  There are some comparisons buried in this very thread - one example is my impressions http://www.head-fi.org/t/759872/new-audio-gd-dac-19-10th-anniversary-edition/270#post_11659460
 
I still have both NFB-1 (2015) and DAC-19 10th anniversary. The DAC-19 is used like more than 90% of the time. DAC-19 had even made my other amp (Lyr 2) pairing with my HD800 good. I didn't like it when paired with the NFB-1 DAC.

Thank for sending these links, which I am gonna read today. 
 
My main concern against the NFB 1 is based on what Kingwe wrote in an email to me email. He said If I am using the RCA outputs of the NFB1  (which is what I would be doing), not the XLR outputs, then I can expect only 90% performance of NFB1. This of course gave me reason to hold off buying the NFB1 and has led me to look into the DAC 19 instead.  I though the DAC 19 is single ended, there for the RCA outputs will be top quality. 
 
I tried to gain some clarification on this concern with Kingwe, but I am not entirely sure he understands my concern.  
 
 
Given that my headphone amp is single ended, shouldn't I be seeking the singled ended DAC 19 anyway?

 

[lukeap69]

 
Thank for sending these links, which I am gonna read today. 
 
My main concern against the NFB 1 is based on what Kingwe wrote in an email to me email. He said If I am using the RCA outputs of the NFB1  (which is what I would be doing), not the XLR outputs, then I can expect only 90% performance of NFB1. This of course gave me reason to hold off buying the NFB1 and has led me to look into the DAC 19 instead.  I though the DAC 19 is single ended, there for the RCA outputs will be top quality. 
 
I tried to gain some clarification on this concern with Kingwe, but I am not entirely sure he understands my concern.  
 
 
Given that my headphone amp is single ended, shouldn't I be seeking the singled ended DAC 19 anyway?

If it was me, I would buy the DAC-19 because you already have an ESS DAC and as far as my experience with my NFB-1DAC and DAC-19, I prefer the latter very much. And I agree with your last statement also.
 
BTW, my DAC-19 is feeding a balanced amp (Ragnarok) and an SE amp PIBE or Lyr 2 so need to worry so much. Dan (@Stillhart) tested a balanced DAC and DAC-19 feeding a balanced amp and did not find much advantage in the former.

 

[Boogirl]

  If it was me, I would buy the DAC-19 because you already have an ESS DAC and as far as my experience with my NFB-1DAC and DAC-19, I prefer the latter very much. And I agree with your last statement also.
 
BTW, my DAC-19 is feeding a balanced amp (Ragnarok) and an SE amp PIBE or Lyr 2 so need to worry so much. Dan (@Stillhart) tested a balanced DAC and DAC-19 feeding a balanced amp and did not find much advantage in the former.

 
 
Can I ask what music you are mainly listening to through your DAC 19?
 
Thanks

 

[Luckbad]

Thank for sending these links, which I am gonna read today. 

My main concern against the NFB 1 is based on what Kingwe wrote in an email to me email. He said If I am using the RCA outputs of the NFB1  (which is what I would be doing), not the XLR outputs, then I can expect only 90% performance of NFB1. This of course gave me reason to hold off buying the NFB1 and has led me to look into the DAC 19 instead.  I though the DAC 19 is single ended, there for the RCA outputs will be top quality. 

I tried to gain some clarification on this concern with Kingwe, but I am not entirely sure he understands my concern.  


Given that my headphone amp is single ended, shouldn't I be seeking the singled ended DAC 19 anyway?

You are correct that you should get a single-ended DAC for your single-ended amp.

You're wasting potential using a balanced DAC with a single-ended amp.

Much of the cost of balanced components is making them balanced.

I want to say the Sabre single-ended DAC is the NFB-3DAC. Maybe the classifieds here would have one.

So you're paying for a bunch of stuff you don't need getting a balanced DAC.

 

[Youth]

Just installed foobar2000 with ASIO, I think. How do I check if I have ASIO installed correctly?
 
When I go under file > preferences > playback what do it set it to?
 

1. ASIO : Combo384 ASIO 1.03
2. DS : Primary Sounddriver
3. DS : Digital Output (Amanero Technologies USB Driver 1.0.57)

 
Anything else I need to change on foobar? 

 

[Boogirl]

You are correct that you should get a single-ended DAC for your single-ended amp.

You're wasting potential using a balanced DAC with a single-ended amp.

Much of the cost of balanced components is making them balanced.

I want to say the Sabre single-ended DAC is the NFB-3DAC. Maybe the classifieds here would have one.

So you're paying for a bunch of stuff you don't need getting a balanced DAC.

Yes thats what I am thinking. Its just a shame about lack of DSD support on DAC 19, or maybe this is not a big deal.
 
What do people on this forum think about DSD? Does it really matter that DAC 19 does not support this file?

 

[sheldaze]

I have not personally heard anything from DSD (or SACD) that wasn't surpassed by my recent experiences of sound playback from R2R chip implementations.
 
I feel the chip in the DAC-19 is aimed at the majority of music out there. It processes the 99.99% of the available music the right way (the resistor-ladder way), versus adding the feature of processing the 0.01% of music that is DSD and doing a poor job with the majority of music you have (the delta-sigma way).
 
This is my opinion - not trying to open discussion. Just trying to answer your question.

 

[Boogirl]

  I have not personally heard anything from DSD (or SACD) that wasn't surpassed by my recent experiences of sound playback from R2R chip implementations.
 
I feel the chip in the DAC-19 is aimed at the majority of music out there. It processes the 99.99% of the available music the right way (the resistor-ladder way), versus adding the feature of processing the 0.01% of music that is DSD and doing a poor job with the majority of music you have (the delta-sigma way).
 
This is my opinion - not trying to open discussion. Just trying to answer your question.

 
 
I think I agree with your on your point about the 99.99% vs 0.01% of available music. Would you also vouch that a DAC 19 can even make flawed music sound wonderful?

 

[aamefford]

The Dac-19 is a really, really nice Dac. It is not an alchemist. It won't turn lead into gold. It might make the lead nice and shiny though

 

[Luckbad]

  Just installed foobar2000 with ASIO, I think. How do I check if I have ASIO installed correctly?
 
When I go under file > preferences > playback what do it set it to?
 

1. ASIO : Combo384 ASIO 1.03
2. DS : Primary Sounddriver
3. DS : Digital Output (Amanero Technologies USB Driver 1.0.57)

 
Anything else I need to change on foobar? 

 
Combo384 ASIO is what you want. You shouldn't need to change anything else generally.
 

 
 

   
 
I think I agree with your on your point about the 99.99% vs 0.01% of available music. Would you also vouch that a DAC 19 can even make flawed music sound wonderful?

 
DSD is completely unnecessary in my experience. I have had DACs that do it, and they're all worse than every good R-2R DAC I've used (except the Bifrost Multibit--some were better than that).
 
You can use JRiver or foobar2000 to change your DSD files if you have any. I dumped the few I had because they didn't sound better than high rez normal files and limited me too much. It says something that major players like Schiit have given up on DSD. It's going away.

 

[Youth]

   
Combo384 ASIO is what you want. You shouldn't need to change anything else generally.
 

 
 
 
DSD is completely unnecessary in my experience. I have had DACs that do it, and they're all worse than every good R-2R DAC I've used (except the Bifrost Multibit--some were better than that).
 
You can use JRiver or foobar2000 to change your DSD files if you have any. I dumped the few I had because they didn't sound better than high rez normal files and limited me too much. It says something that major players like Schiit have given up on DSD. It's going away.

 
Thanks. And how do I check if I have ASIO installed for it?