[Risbo]

As far as i know you can only connect acss to acss and nothing else.

The acss system is current based and xlr or rca connections work voltage based (at least i think so...).

I have a NFB-1.32 DAC and an NFB-1AMP and use acss between them.
I did not compare with other connections, but i guess it should outperform the other connections since there are less components in the signal path.

Please take all the above as IMO, i only have a really basic knowledge of amp and dac design.

Thanks for your observation HirschiAUT. My understanding was that the I/V conversion (current to volt) is performed in the volume control within the pre/headamp and that from that point on the signal appears as voltage. But I'm completely out of my depth here, I know zilch about electronics. I asked Kingwa and received this answer from him : 
 
"The C2 had not XLR output, if you want to connect to you XLR input amp, you had to buy a RCA to XLR cable, and the ACSS can not connect to the XLR power amp.
Can you take a photo show the rear of the C2 let me check which socket it had?"
 
Frankly I don't know what to make of these words, on the one hand he is saying it can't be done, on the other hand he is asking to see the sockets on the amp (he is not realising that I'm his very recent customer). Still, for whatever reason, it looks like it can't be done. 

 

[HirschiAUT]

Thanks for your observation HirschiAUT. My understanding was that the I/V conversion (current to volt) is performed in the volume control within the pre/headamp and that from that point on the signal appears as voltage. But I'm completely out of my depth here, I know zilch about electronics. I asked Kingwa and received this answer from him : 
 
"The C2 had not XLR output, if you want to connect to you XLR input amp, you had to buy a RCA to XLR cable, and the ACSS can not connect to the XLR power amp.
Can you take a photo show the rear of the C2 let me check which socket it had?"
 
Frankly I don't know what to make of these words, on the one hand he is saying it can't be done, on the other hand he is asking to see the sockets on the amp (he is not realising that I'm his very recent customer). Still, for whatever reason, it looks like it can't be done. 

Afaik inside the amp all runs as current, there is conversion after the standerd (rca and xlr) inputs and before the standard outputs.
The benefit of using acss is that there is no conversion, so the signal runs as current throughout.
But this is only possible between Audio-GD and some krell units.

I guess he wants to see the backside because they customize a lot, so that he can give the best advice in your case.
I also have the AudioGD C-10 power amp and wanted to run acss from my pre, but after he got pics of the connections he confirmed that its not possible.
The power amp is an old version that needs some kind of data input to trigger the acss mode or whatevs... anyways, all my interaction with him was really helpful, but i admit his english is pretty challenging :-D

 

[Risbo]

Afaik inside the amp all runs as current, there is conversion after the standerd (rca and xlr) inputs and before the standard outputs.
The benefit of using acss is that there is no conversion, so the signal runs as current throughout.
But this is only possible between Audio-GD and some krell units.

I guess he wants to see the backside because they customize a lot, so that he can give the best advice in your case.
I also have the AudioGD C-10 power amp and wanted to run acss from my pre, but after he got pics of the connections he confirmed that its not possible.
The power amp is an old version that needs some kind of data input to trigger the acss mode or whatevs... anyways, all my interaction with him was really helpful, but i admit his english is pretty challenging :-D

 
Now I get it. Thanks for making it clear HirshiAUT, that question has been bugging me for days. All in all, Kingwa's been amazing so far but that Google translate of his does let him down sometimes. 

 

[Botudi]

anyone using the nfb 1 amp in a 2.1 system ?
wondering which device will benefit more from the xlr connection from the preamp: the amplifier or the sub ?

 

[gto88]

 
MrSpeakers Ethers, HD800s, HE1000s and LCD-X. 
 
It's going to sit for a while in the living room system as a pre-amp while it has some hours put on it. There was plenty of the usual Audio-gd spacious, get-out-of-the-way-of-the-music signature. A brief A/B with my Studio Six had the big tube amp besting it for micro and macro dynamics, but considering the vast difference in prices the smaller amp wasn't at all put to shame. What was nice was how it delivered the bass with the Ethers, especially given how I've rolled warmer tubes into the Studio Six.

May I ask, what is your take of NFB-1AMP driving HE1000.

 

[Currawong]

 

 
MrSpeakers Ethers, HD800s, HE1000s and LCD-X. 
 
It's going to sit for a while in the living room system as a pre-amp while it has some hours put on it. There was plenty of the usual Audio-gd spacious, get-out-of-the-way-of-the-music signature. A brief A/B with my Studio Six had the big tube amp besting it for micro and macro dynamics, but considering the vast difference in prices the smaller amp wasn't at all put to shame. What was nice was how it delivered the bass with the Ethers, especially given how I've rolled warmer tubes into the Studio Six.

May I ask, what is your take of NFB-1AMP driving HE1000.

Good question! I just plugged them in, and much the same deal as I already wrote. I like the way the smoothness in the treble of the NFB1AMP works with the HE1000s. Tempting me to consider a Master 9 for them now actually.

 

[gto88]

 
Good question! I just plugged them in, and much the same deal as I already wrote. I like the way the smoothness in the treble of the NFB1AMP works with the HE1000s. Tempting me to consider a Master 9 for them now actually.

Thanks for replied. That is great news to me. Some reviews on HE1000 report mixed on treble. While I am not sure I can sense the difference, but it is good
to know that this amp can go along with HE1000.

 

[Bruch]

I was looking for a balanced headphone amplifier in the $500-600 price range and hit upon the Audio-GD NFB-1 amp. There are not very many reviews on the internet but encouraged by the positive reviews of the Audio-GD Master 9 and on the basis that the NFB-1 amp adopted similar technology to its bigger brother I decided to take the plunge.
 
I am very pleased with the purchase.
 
My main listening headphones are Sennheiser HD650’s and Sony XBA-Z5 IEM’s. The NFB-1 works amazingly with both. I had previously been using an O2 amp, upgraded with a Burson Z5. I was expecting an upgrade in sound quality for the HD650’s, mainly because of the extra power but wasn’t sure if I would detect any noticeable difference with the XBA-Z5’s. I needn’t have worried. The difference is immediately obvious and worth the extra investment.
 
Most noticeable differences are in the micro-details. Instrument separation is much clearer and 3-dimensional placement much more discernible. Overall the listening experience is just much more satisfying.
 
This was my first purchase from Audio-gd and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from them again.

 

[Botudi]

^ as far as I know AGD amps are advertised as too powerful for in-ear headphones, so be careful and don't let yourself carried away by the newly discovered sound upgrade and keep the volume low
 
AGD stuff is quite impressive.....more so when you see the bill

 

[Bruch]

I suppose it depends on the sensitivity of the IEM. XBA Z5's are not so sensitive and work just fine. Amazing in fact. I built a very simple adapter from 4-pin xlr to twin 3.5mm jacks and run them in balanced mode.

 

[krzysmac]

G'day,
 
Does anyone use/heard LCD-X with NFB-1AMP? How do they pair up with the amp? Does it have enough power/current to drive low impedance LCD-X?
 
I'm considering getting NFB-1AMP and DAC-19 instead of Master 11. That combo will save me nearly 800AUD (not including import taxes and GST) - more money for music.
 
From what I've read here on Head-Fi, people recommend to have balanced NFB-1AMP plus DAC-19 over C2 (11 anniversary edition) plus DAC-19 if you have balanced phones. LCD-X come with SE and balanced stock cables. So there could be an advantage of using balanced NFB-1AMP over SE C2, wouldn't be?.
I don't have a lot of experience in audio, I'm learning a lot from you over here. I have never heard balanced amp so I don't really have experience between SE and balanced amp sound signature. I don't know what to expect . What is your opinion and recommendation? The price difference is minor between C2 and NFB-1AMP. Is it worth to get balanced over SE?
 
cheers
 
Kristof

 

[Youth]

  G'day,
 
Does anyone use/heard LCD-X with NFB-1AMP? How do they pair up with the amp? Does it have enough power/current to drive low impedance LCD-X?
 
I'm considering getting NFB-1AMP and DAC-19 instead of Master 11. That combo will save me nearly 800AUD (not including import taxes and GST) - more money for music.
 
From what I've read here on Head-Fi, people recommend to have balanced NFB-1AMP plus DAC-19 over C2 (11 anniversary edition) plus DAC-19 if you have balanced phones. LCD-X come with SE and balanced stock cables. So there could be an advantage of using balanced NFB-1AMP over SE C2, wouldn't be?.
I don't have a lot of experience in audio, I'm learning a lot from you over here. I have never heard balanced amp so I don't really have experience between SE and balanced amp sound signature. I don't know what to expect . What is your opinion and recommendation? The price difference is minor between C2 and NFB-1AMP. Is it worth to get balanced over SE?
 
cheers
 
Kristof

 
DAC-19 is single ended and NFB-1AMP is balanced, so you'd have to get the C-2 instead. And yes, it can drive the LCD-X with no problems.

 

[uelover]

  G'day,
 
Does anyone use/heard LCD-X with NFB-1AMP? How do they pair up with the amp? Does it have enough power/current to drive low impedance LCD-X?
 
I'm considering getting NFB-1AMP and DAC-19 instead of Master 11. That combo will save me nearly 800AUD (not including import taxes and GST) - more money for music.
 
From what I've read here on Head-Fi, people recommend to have balanced NFB-1AMP plus DAC-19 over C2 (11 anniversary edition) plus DAC-19 if you have balanced phones. LCD-X come with SE and balanced stock cables. So there could be an advantage of using balanced NFB-1AMP over SE C2, wouldn't be?.
I don't have a lot of experience in audio, I'm learning a lot from you over here. I have never heard balanced amp so I don't really have experience between SE and balanced amp sound signature. I don't know what to expect . What is your opinion and recommendation? The price difference is minor between C2 and NFB-1AMP. Is it worth to get balanced over SE?
 
cheers
 
Kristof

 
NFB-1AMP with LCD-X (balanced) is fine. 
 
You can connect the DAC-19 with NFB-1AMP with the ACSS cable (which is what I am doing now).

 

[Astral Abyss]

   
DAC-19 is single ended and NFB-1AMP is balanced, so you'd have to get the C-2 instead. And yes, it can drive the LCD-X with no problems.

 
You can use either amp with the DAC-19.  NFB-1AMP has both RCA and ACSS inputs, both of which sound great out of the DAC-19.
 
ACSS is how I connect my DAC-19 to my C-2.
 
krzysmac,
That's a great choice to save some money.  You won't be sorry.  Also, you could literally blow your eardrums out and smoke the LCD-X with that amp.  It's got loads of clean power.  My C-2 sounds wonderful with my LCD-2s.

 

[eschell27]

To the best of my knowledge though, I was under the impression that in order for it to be truly balanced what you really need is a balanced dac >balanced connection to amp> balanced amp then u can worry about whether or not you connect balanced headphones? But as far as power goes from the amp to headphones, if you have a balanced amp and connect SE headphones you end up getting roughly half the max output as compared to a pair of balanced headphones? So for this situation i would think it would depend on your collection of headphones you plan on using, if you have both SE and balanced headphones i would think going with the C2 would give u the best bang for the buck since you can connect balanced 4 pin XLR and SE 1/4in both getting all the power but if u get the nfb-1amp you would not be getting all the power with SE headphones. And since the dac-19 is not balanced anyway you aren't getting a real balanced signal no matter what?
 
I'm still somewhat new to all this so i may very well be wrong with some of that. Only trying to help! Set me right if i'm wrong! haha