Audio GD NFB-12

toxteth ogrady · « **Reply #40 on:** 6 Jan 2011, 12:07 am »

I think I'll put an order in for the nfb-2. My Paradisea dac which has been a champ with every set up I've had over the last four years is adding annoying colourations in the bass and mid-bass with my class d amp and Ohm Walsh 5000 speakers.

Are you guys ordering these directly from Audio Gd or are you going through Pacific Valve?

wushuliu · « **Reply #41 on:** 6 Jan 2011, 03:08 am »

I went direct from audio-gd. They stopped taking new orders Jan.1 to catch up, but if you order now you'll get 5% discount for the Feb. 15th shipments. Dunno Pacific can get them any sooner.

Sparky14 · « **Reply #42 on:** 6 Jan 2011, 01:57 pm »

Right, Pacific Valve does not have the absolute latest from audio-gd.

However, buying from Pacific does all you to return or service things in USA, versus having to troubleshoot via e-mail from China, or returning the product to China....both of which are quite a slow pain.

So, if PV has the item, they are worth considering.

JohnR · « **Reply #43 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 10:53 am »

How do you order an NFB-12? (Sorry if this is obvious but I'm not seeing it...)

eclein · « **Reply #44 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 11:32 am »

Its not obvious at all....I couldn't find the prices for a long time but finally saw them in little Red print 3/4 of the way down the product page on the left side. I think you figure your own freight based on that webpage and do your total and send them email...its not easy thats for sure. They could use a revamped website...audio-gd that is

shadowlight · « **Reply #45 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 12:08 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 12 Jan 2011, 10:53 am

How do you order an NFB-12? (Sorry if this is obvious but I'm not seeing it...)

There is a link on the top of the English page that says price list and shipping cost. Took me awhile to notice that also. Anyone in US interested in purchasing the NFB-12 you can get it from www.pacificvalve.us for $237 (not sure if shipping is included) and pacificvalve is listed as authorized agents in US.

HAL · « **Reply #46 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 12:58 pm »

Another way is to email Audio-gd directly and tell them you want an NFB-12. Give them your mailing address and they will send a total cost. I used PayPal.com to send the payment.

The latest shipping time at this point is around 15 Feb.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #47 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 04:07 pm »

Has this unit been compared to anything yet? For about the same money I bought a Beresford 7520. The thing is so good I'm reluctant to try anything else. Not saying it's the end all-be all, but for the money and sound quality it represents tremendous value.

eclein · « **Reply #48 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 04:20 pm »

I haven't seen anything about them and my interest went south when they did away with using the ESS chip, I tried to get one right when they announced stopping them but the gentlemen declined to sell me one...doesn't mean anything that he was reluctant just sayin.

wushuliu · « **Reply #49 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 05:08 pm »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 12 Jan 2011, 04:07 pm

Has this unit been compared to anything yet? For about the same money I bought a Beresford 7520. The thing is so good I'm reluctant to try anything else. Not saying it's the end all-be all, but for the money and sound quality it represents tremendous value.

Not really that I can tell. It's still relatively new and Audio-gd product awareness has been confined largely to the head-fi forum until recently. I know the Beresford has its fans. I am an audio-gd fanboy though and just find it hard to believe any dac under $500 will sound as good as the NFB-12. The level of care and the quality of the design I just don't see in any <$1000 stuff I've researched. It think it would be more expensive to Diy these Dacs with his design. They seem to be taking a long-term quality-first approach using the dirt cheap costs of manufacturing and selling in and from China for the powers of good (audio). I can just stare at the internal pics for hours. Ears of course may say otherwise. Note the price is a promo, so a proper comparison to the 7520 would probably be the Sparrow or FUN.

To be honest I'd be more inclined to throw the NFB-12 against the Rega Dac - which uses the cheaper WM8742.

In other news, my NFB-3 arrived yesterday!

wushuliu · « **Reply #50 on:** 12 Jan 2011, 05:12 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 12 Jan 2011, 10:53 am

How do you order an NFB-12? (Sorry if this is obvious but I'm not seeing it...)

Basically have to email them and do a little back and forth. May take a day or two for the whole transaction. At this point I've some to accept this as standard procedure for ordering anything direct from China/HK. Allow a couple of days for transaction, then 2 weeks for delivery (if they're speedy). To USA anyway. I think Oz is much faster.

JohnR · « **Reply #51 on:** 13 Jan 2011, 01:43 am »

Cool, thanks. I got an email back, shipping on the NFB-12 for orders placed now is after Feb 15th.

Nick77 · « **Reply #52 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 05:28 pm »

Quote

In other news, my NFB-3 arrived yesterday!

Wush how about an update?

wushuliu · « **Reply #53 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 06:14 pm »

Quote from: Nick77 on 14 Jan 2011, 05:28 pm

Wush how about an update?

Update is there's been a change of plans. I grabbed the (now discontinued) DAC19MK3 in the for sale section and will sell the NFB-3. It's not as future-proof as the NFB (limited USB), but otherwise looks like one heck of a DAC. Like HTcOz I'm looking for something that will be in my setup a while and I certainly couldn't DIY something like that for the same price.

Anyone want an NFB-3? Now you won't have to wait until after Feb. 15th

eclein · « **Reply #54 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 07:00 pm »

Looks like a nice DAC, actually both do....enjoy!!! Cash poor here, my prescription drug plan through medicare just went nuts, was paying $1.10/EA now for one script today it was $42.00...ouch!!!! I gotta sell some JBL's.

HT cOz · « **Reply #55 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 07:05 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 14 Jan 2011, 06:14 pm

Update is there's been a change of plans. I grabbed the (now discontinued) DAC19MK3 in the for sale section and will sell the NFB-3. It's not as future-proof as the NFB (limited USB), but otherwise looks like one heck of a DAC. Like HTcOz I'm looking for something that will be in my setup a while and I certainly couldn't DIY something like that for the same price.

Anyone want an NFB-3? Now you won't have to wait until after Feb. 15th

Oh the siren song of PCM1704UK! lol That should be a nice DAC and one to keeper for sure.

After reading about the powersupplies I decided the NFB-2 was the one for me. So I switched again.

Wouldn't be great to compare DAC-19 to NFB-2 and NFB-3 and see just how much differnce all this makes?

I'm not sure people apprciate just how hard it would be to make 6 discrete power supplies. Thats just insane! I can't WAIT

Cheers,
Robert

wushuliu · « **Reply #56 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 08:46 pm »

Quote from: HT cOz on 14 Jan 2011, 07:05 pm

Oh the siren song of PCM1704UK! lol That should be a nice DAC and one to keeper for sure.

After reading about the powersupplies I decided the NFB-2 was the one for me. So I switched again. Wouldn't be great to compare DAC-19 to NFB-2 and NFB-3 and see just how much differnce all this makes?

I'm not sure people apprciate just how hard it would be to make 6 discrete power supplies. Thats just insane! I can't WAIT

Cheers,
Robert

Exactly. How many PCM1704 Dacs can I get for that price? It was a tough decision. If I had gotten the NFB-2 I probably would not have gone for it. And not just discrete but Class A to boot. I'm positive the NFB-2 would be >$1500 msrp from an established brand and the 3 for not much less, hence my comparing the -12 to the Rega (heh, trying to be somewhat on topic).

For those that think it too good to be true that translated post on the a-g forum really shows long-term vision and planning. The QC section was cool, too. Something like 2%(?) returns/repair.

Would be cool to compare the two. Maybe down the road we can do a swap

toxteth ogrady · « **Reply #57 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 08:54 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 14 Jan 2011, 06:14 pm

Update is there's been a change of plans. I grabbed the (now discontinued) DAC19MK3 in the for sale section and will sell the NFB-3. It's not as future-proof as the NFB (limited USB), but otherwise looks like one heck of a DAC. Like HTcOz I'm looking for something that will be in my setup a while and I certainly couldn't DIY something like that for the same price.

Anyone want an NFB-3? Now you won't have to wait until after Feb. 15th

Funny you got that. I made an offer on that dac19 MK3 but the seller didn't accept. Another one popped up on Audiogon last night for a great price so I bought it. Should be here Monday.

I'm going a new direction for my digital set up. I'm using a squeezebox touch with these modifications. Since this is new territory for me I wanted to try the discontinued and less costly Dac19 MK3 first before commiting to one of Audio GD's higher end dac's like the Reference 5.

HAL · « **Reply #58 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 09:02 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 14 Jan 2011, 06:14 pm

Update is there's been a change of plans. I grabbed the (now discontinued) DAC19MK3 in the for sale section and will sell the NFB-3. It's not as future-proof as the NFB (limited USB), but otherwise looks like one heck of a DAC. Like HTcOz I'm looking for something that will be in my setup a while and I certainly couldn't DIY something like that for the same price.

Anyone want an NFB-3? Now you won't have to wait until after Feb. 15th

YGPM!

wushuliu · « **Reply #59 on:** 14 Jan 2011, 10:11 pm »

Quote from: toxteth ogrady on 14 Jan 2011, 08:54 pm

Funny you got that. I made an offer on that dac19 MK3 but the seller didn't accept. Another one popped up on Audiogon last night for a great price so I bought it. Should be here Monday.

I'm going a new direction for my digital set up. I'm using a squeezebox touch with these modifications. Since this is new territory for me I wanted to try the discontinued and less costly Dac19 MK3 first before commiting to one of Audio GD's higher end dac's like the Reference 5.

No way. Argh. When it rains, it pours. That seller is in my neck of the woods, too.