• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Audio-GD NFB-11.38 Performance Edition Measurements (DAC, Preamp & Headamp)

JSmith

Master Contributor
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
5,153
Likes
13,211
Location
Algol Perseus
Flanker rating: Meh
index.php
:cool:


JSmith
 

DWI

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2021
Messages
495
Likes
437
AG publish their own measurements with an AP-2722 and the 2nd and 3rd harmonics seem a lot lower.

Here:
I would have liked to test different filters, but just like the fixed/variable setting, you have to put/pull jumpers inside... Even better, pins are inaccessible to me, being below the USB board. Am I supposed to remove the latter first? Since this is not my unit, that isn't going to happen.

It appears that temporarily removing the usb board is very easy - just two small external screws on the back panel. You don't have to put any tools inside the unit.
 

Matias

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
5,029
Likes
10,796
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
AG publish their own measurements with an AP-2722 and the 2nd and 3rd harmonics seem a lot lower.

Here:


It appears that temporarily removing the usb board is very easy - just two small external screws on the back panel. You don't have to put any tools inside the unit.
Not the first time that the manufacturer published great measurements that cannot be repeated by 3rd parties. Either he is measuring a prototype not representative of a production unit, or he cherry picked a good unit, or there is a lot of variation in production runs, or he is lying (hopefully not). Still all options are bad. The consumers should be able to get his numbers too with their units, not just an isolated good case in the factory.
 
Last edited:
OP
VintageFlanker

VintageFlanker

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 20, 2018
Messages
4,940
Likes
19,691
Location
Paris
Something has to be going on with the grounding for the USB and coax to be that dirty in comparison to Toslink.
It is not coming from my rig, actually. All measurements are done with a battery-powered laptop on purpose. I've got other products pending for testing which don't have this issue whatsoever with either USB or Coax. And more importantly, that having both S/PDIF inputs performing the same, as they should.
 

pma

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Messages
4,591
Likes
10,727
Location
Prague
There must be something wrong with RMA THD+N measurements, in general. Again, the 1kHz distortion here is higher A-weighted than unweighted. I get the same results with almost all equipment measured. I do not believe RMAA THD+N and IMD+N measurements, to me both REW and ARTA are much more reliable SW tools.

Talking about the DUT, I would not care about H2 -84dB at all. More important is that the high order components are low enough.
 
OP
VintageFlanker

VintageFlanker

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 20, 2018
Messages
4,940
Likes
19,691
Location
Paris
Was the unit asked for it did Audiophonics volunteer it?
I first asked Audiophonics to loan me some DACs for reviews. It was one of them. They agreed. That's it.

It appears that temporarily removing the usb board is very easy - just two small external screws on the back panel. You don't have to put any tools inside the unit.
I honestly don't care if it is easy or not. You agree that it is complete nonsense from a consumer point of view.;)
Seriously, how is that could even be a thing? Having to open a piece of gear, then remove a board, in order to play with jumpers to set filters? When others have the possibility to do it with a single button on a remote?
 

DWI

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2021
Messages
495
Likes
437
I first asked Audiophonics to loan me some DACs for reviews. It was one of them. They agreed. That's it.


I honestly don't care if it is easy or not. You agree that it is complete nonsense from a consumer point of view.;)
Seriously, how is that could even be a thing? Having to open a piece of gear, then remove a board, in order to play with jumpers to set filters? When others have the possibility to do it with a single button on a remote?
Because it's a DAC/pre/headamp for under €500.

I had a $3,000 valve phono-amp on demo and you had to take the top case off (6 small, fiddly screws) to fit the valves, then put the top case back on again, before the thing would work. Didn't buy it in the end.

Audiophonics seem to sell dozens of similar devices, almost all Chinese, I suppose there must be a lot of people sitting at desks listening to music through headphones. I was looking to get my son one for his new flat. I wonder which one is the star of the show.
 

beagleman

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 24, 2020
Messages
1,156
Likes
1,576
Location
Pittsburgh Pa
Why spend money on gear with clear issues if you can just get something that doesn't have them?
Because the idea, to me at least, would be to determine if the "Issues" are clearly audible, OR, merely measurements that are mediocre and do not affect the final sound in any true way.

Not talking about spending money on it, but he had the product hooked up and was reviewing it.

He did a great job, and I assume all this testing and write up took up a good portion of a day or at least several hours, and me being me, I would have been curious as to "Hey, its not great in all ways, but HOW does it sound", ....maybe I am different...??
 

Katji

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
2,990
Likes
2,273
How does it sound.
You mean like clinical, analytical, warm, air - like more or less...?
 
Last edited:

Frank Sol

Active Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2021
Messages
100
Likes
122
@beagleman 'Most' people here on ASR do not care (or lower on their priority list) how an Unit sounds to one's ears in one's listening room as a link in one's audio chain. (If anyone takes offense thats on them) 'Most' Readers here are about Objective Measurements

There are tons of sites on the 'net where one can get Subjective Opinions on audio equipment
 
Last edited:

beagleman

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 24, 2020
Messages
1,156
Likes
1,576
Location
Pittsburgh Pa
@beagleman 'Most' people here on ASR do not care (or lower on their priority list) how an Unit sounds to one's ears in one's listening room as a link in one's audio chain. (If anyone takes offense thats own them) 'Most' Readers here are about Objective Measurements

There are tons of sites on the 'net where one can get Subjective Opinions on audio equipment

Come on now, I get that all obviously.

But other sites do NOT have measurements. Why must it be only one or the other?

I mean I am more curious as to the sound being degraded BY the mediocre measurements. Not subjective impressions so much.

Like "Hey it measures rather blah, BUT IN NORMAL LISTENING I DID/DID NOT NOTICE THESE ISSUES>....." stuff like that is all I would "like" to see.
 

beagleman

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 24, 2020
Messages
1,156
Likes
1,576
Location
Pittsburgh Pa
How does it sound.
You mean like clinical, analytical, warm, air - like more or less...?
no, like does the actual sound output seem degraded when listened to or not.

In other words, if one listened to it FIRST, would these measurements be "Obvious" as to degrading the sound output., without knowing it measured blah?
 

Katji

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
2,990
Likes
2,273
Amir does give subjective impressions [as well as measurements.] Of loudspeakers.
 
Top Bottom