Audio GD NFB-12

Gopher · « **Reply #100 on:** 22 May 2011, 09:40 pm »

That shouldn't be a cause to be uncomfortable posting your feelings. There is a ton of talk about the graphs, but little about peoples actual feelings as to how it sounds, so I find that valuable. Its a relatively inexpensive dac with no satisfaction guaranty--our buddy's opinions and our own speculation is pretty much all we have to go on.

HAL · « **Reply #101 on:** 22 May 2011, 10:13 pm »

John,
I will be interested in your long term impression of the NFB-12.

wushuliu · « **Reply #102 on:** 22 May 2011, 10:14 pm »

Sounds like Kingwa made a design choice to have the NFB-12 be more forgiving:

What cause the roll off at NFB12.
The WM8741 setting is no fault at NFB12.
This setting is for accept 192KHz input.
The NFB12 can had better specs on page.The two caps in the red loops cause the roll off.
The NFB11 is same with the NFB12 except the digital parts and TWO caps.
In NFB11 we applied 100PF, but in NFB12 we applied 470PF.

An electronical university man can easy design a excellent specs gear. But the sound maybe not excellent.
We also can build a excellent specs gear, but we want more listen not only meter test.
In NFB11 we plan to design its sound very revealing, so we choice 100PF caps for it.
The NFB12 is finished design with NFB11 at same time, we want to design its sound a bit smooth , and forgive so we spend more days than NFB11 just for adjust parameter and listen, final choice the 470P.

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/524263/audio-gd-nfb-12/525#post_7252522

eclein · « **Reply #103 on:** 22 May 2011, 10:40 pm »

John- Like Fred said your thoughts, his and everybodies here is what helps me choose the equipment I own. I never heard of Virtue Audio before coming here and there stuff is a huge part of my system now and I'm glad of it. Hearing from guys that enjoy finding out about the latest and greatest and ultimately how it sounds is what makes this place special...the neatest thing is finding stuff thats not bank breaking and sounds good, I figured everybody knew what these sounded like but the fact is no many do, they are just buying blindly. Not me, I wanna know if its good or if its bad or just "meh" before I plunk down my $237 for one, thank you in fact for having the _alls to call it like you hear it.

JohnR · « **Reply #104 on:** 22 May 2011, 11:27 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 22 May 2011, 10:14 pm

What cause the roll off at NFB12.
The WM8741 setting is no fault at NFB12.
This setting is for accept 192KHz input.
The NFB12 can had better specs on page.The two caps in the red loops cause the roll off.

Hm. I found the frequency response curves someone did here - http://supercurio.project-voodoo.org/audio/audio-gd/RMAA/audio-gd-NFB-12-samplerates.htm.

Not sure what to make of it. I suppose trying an upsampler at some point might be interesting. There's more to it than the FR though. Back to the burn-in bench it goes!

JohnR · « **Reply #105 on:** 23 May 2011, 08:31 am »

A minor issue to report at this point: the NFB-12 tells the computer that it is a high-power device (even though it is "self-powered.") So you may be unable to connect via a hub (not saying it's recommended, but "some" will try...)

JohnR · « **Reply #106 on:** 23 May 2011, 08:33 am »

Quote from: eclein on 22 May 2011, 10:40 pm

John- Like Fred said your thoughts, his and everybodies here is what helps me choose the equipment I own. I never heard of Virtue Audio before coming here and there stuff is a huge part of my system now and I'm glad of it. Hearing from guys that enjoy finding out about the latest and greatest and ultimately how it sounds is what makes this place special...the neatest thing is finding stuff thats not bank breaking and sounds good, I figured everybody knew what these sounded like but the fact is no many do, they are just buying blindly. Not me, I wanna know if its good or if its bad or just "meh" before I plunk down my $237 for one, thank you in fact for having the _alls to call it like you hear it.

Thanks Ed, appreciate it. The thing is, relying on others' opinions is pretty dodgy. I've been there myself, believe me

eclein · « **Reply #107 on:** 30 May 2011, 10:33 pm »

John got any lowdown for us on the NFB-12 now that you've had it a little while???

JohnR · « **Reply #108 on:** 31 May 2011, 03:51 am »

No, only just halfway though the two-week break-in period

tabrink · « **Reply #109 on:** 31 May 2011, 04:15 am »

I think giving the DAC time to settle in is wise. In my case I enjoyed my NFB-3 from day one and it only gets better. To my ears it has produced the best female vocals of any DAC I have owned. Granted at first I thought it a little bright (but brilliant "accurate" bright) it has definitely mellowed the last few months. Horns, strings and cymbals that float onstage and so easily placed. Just darken the room or close your eyes.
I liked it enough the Eastern Electric was sold as was the XDA-1. For the money it is next to my Virtue gear one of the best products I have purchased. Almost makes me think I got the one that they did something trying something different.
Thanks for looking,
Tom

JohnR · « **Reply #110 on:** 31 May 2011, 04:48 am »

The NFB-3 would be a better choice as a dedicated DAC, I'd be fairly sure of that. If you look at this diagram on the Audio-GD site, the I-V conversion is being done by the volume potentiometer. And of course the output is being taken through what amounts to a small power amp.

For DAC-only use, it might be possible to replace the pot with a high-quality resistor and take the output right there. But why bother... the NFB-3 is only $100 more.

eclein · « **Reply #111 on:** 31 May 2011, 10:05 am »

Thanks....I'll pass on the 12 and look at the 3 now, great info I think you just saved me from making an expensive error. Thanks again!!

HAL · « **Reply #112 on:** 31 May 2011, 01:01 pm »

John,
The Wolfson DAC is a voltage output device. No I/V conversion is needed.

The pot is acting like a load for summing the differential output to get a single ended signal so it can drive the HPA. It does set the volume in an unusual way.

Thanks for the feedback!

JohnR · « **Reply #113 on:** 31 May 2011, 01:12 pm »

Um. Did you look at the diagram?

HAL · « **Reply #114 on:** 31 May 2011, 01:30 pm »

Yes,
The Wolfson DAC outputs voltage. The AudioGD module takes the voltage drive and creates current drive. The resistor is the sum point for the differential output currents to create the voltage.

It is not the DAC that needs the I/V conversion, it is their module that needs it for getting voltage drive for the HPA.

Sorry, just pointing out the DAC chip is a voltage output device.

JohnR · « **Reply #115 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 12:37 am »

Yes, so the I-V conversion is being done by the volume potentiometer

Anyway, I was just suggesting a couple of reasons why the NFB-3 would probably be a better choice for a dedicated DAC.

Rclark · « **Reply #116 on:** 1 Jun 2011, 06:17 am »

Off the Cheap and Cheerful path for a moment; what do you think of their more high end products; their more expensive DAC's, and their highly photogenic preamps?

I'll be in the market for a supreme preamp in a matter of months and their stuff looks just wow. I mean, I don't understand what's going on under the hood, but even I can tell from those pictures of the innards that that must be some well built and well engineered .. stuff.

rklein · « **Reply #117 on:** 3 Jun 2011, 01:38 pm »

I have emailed Pacific Valve in regards to the NFB-2 with no reply yet. Where are you guys buying from? Direct from Audio G-D or elsewhere? There is not much difference in price either way. I am interested in the faster delivery of these two options.

Thanks,

Randy

Nick77 · « **Reply #118 on:** 3 Jun 2011, 01:44 pm »

I ordered my NFB-2 direct from China because it was cheaper, but i think since then PV lowered pricing to match. I got mine back in late Feb when the wait was 6-8 weeks. I think they are doing much better on delevery times now. They seem to answer email within about 12hrs or less so give direct a try.

rklein · « **Reply #119 on:** 7 Jun 2011, 01:01 pm »

Quote

ES9018 Sabre NFB11 will be available Mar. 1. Looks like there will be a 30% discount off the DI (Digital Interface) usb/spdif converter to go along with it since it does not come w/usb. Great deal since from what I've read the DI sounds almost (I said almost, jkeny) as good as the jkeny modified Hiface.

http://audio-gd.com/En%20audio-gd.htm

Will the above usb/spdif converter work with an Alix box (linux)? Presently, I am using a John Keny modified boxed HiFace MKII. However, the M2Tech drivers are not compatible with Linux.

Thanks,

Randy