Audio GD - bad rap in the past -new breed !!

[Deleted member 36131]

Keep not engaging with the substance. It's working out really well for you so far.

I don't understand....

I asked for a summary, one was provided....which I enjoyed reading and acknowledged such.

What type of engagement are you referring too....or seeking ?

 

[Deleted member 36131]

Architectural designer with experience in high end retail or office interiors and historical restoration. Fake materials are an epidemic in the former, and scorned in the latter.

Architectural designer....ahhhh okay I was thinking there was a link between your design experience and your claim of AudioGD using fake caps?

So you design furniture and restore old furniture. Thats great, I agree older furniture or even furniture created by a real craftsman does not only last a long time but is in itself much like a work of art.

 

[617]

Architectural designer....ahhhh okay I was thinking there was a link between your design experience and your claim of AudioGD using fake caps?

So you design furniture and restore old furniture. Thats great, I agree older furniture or even furniture created by a real craftsman does not only last a long time but is in itself much like a work of art.

Right, and the only reason people buy ****** furniture is because they can't afford the real thing.

 

[garbulky]

A DAC has one job and and one job only: to convert a digital signal to an analog one with utmost accuracy it is not there to sound "nice".

I also want it to sound nice.

 

[AdamG]

Let’s put a stop to the senseless off topic arguing. A Reply Ban was issued so let’s try to get along so I don’t have to come back and read more pages of this

Please and thank you.

 

[Human Bass]

I also want it to sound nice.

So listen to music that sounds nice. Or EQit til it sounds nice. The distortion of a incompetent dac isn't in any way more "pure" or "noble" than EQ.

 

[ziddy76]

When Audio-GD first became known to me was with their first generation Compass. And that was a game changer for me, because I now had a device for desktop setup that was a DAC/Headphone Amp and had variable output for powered monitors, or just a DAC output for speaker amps. There weren't any other devices that I found that did it all at that price.

That device served me well for many years and so had the NFB11 for the same purpose. I'm not big into spending $$$ in audio, Topping EX5 is the current replacement, but while I can understand why this forum may like to bash Audio-GD, but just throwing it out there, before the craze for headphone audio, and every brand trying to get their hands relying on their brand power, they provided a product that took little space on the desk and did it all. It was and is very convenient. I really don't care to have stacks of audio gear.

My media/movie setup is Su-8 to LSR308s, not ideal, but it works fine. USB from the desktop and optical from the TV. So I don't use Audio-GD in the main setups any more, but the NFB11 is still next to my bed. It still gets use and I honestly don't find anything wrong with it really in terms of sound. It works :/

TBH my laptop headphone output gets the most play from me, but that's where I am with audio. I just listen to music.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Amir never measured the NFB-11.38 but looking at the other Audio-GD models he did measure I'd say it a pretty safe bet to conclude the NFB-11.38 measurements will not be "pretty".

You don't say.

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

Audio-GD NFB-11.38 Performance Edition Measurements Hi folks, Here is my review, measurements-based, of the Audio-GD NFB-11.38 Performance Edition. This unit has been kindly loaned to me by @Audiophonics and costs 469€ tax incl. It is the last iteration to date of the NFB-11 DAC & headphones...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Lupin]

You don't say.

View attachment 201095

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

Audio-GD NFB-11.38 Performance Edition Measurements Hi folks, Here is my review, measurements-based, of the Audio-GD NFB-11.38 Performance Edition. This unit has been kindly loaned to me by @Audiophonics and costs 469€ tax incl. It is the last iteration to date of the NFB-11 DAC & headphones...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Thanks for the review.
In all honesty I have to say it is not as bad as I expected, certainly not good, but not as bad.

About the fixed output only working after setting the jumper. Guess it is kinda stupid but also at the same time I understand the decision to do it this way. Accidentally flipping the switch one position too far and end up in fixed mode on high gain will get your powered monitors insanely LOUD

This way it's an "opt-in" to be super careful with the input switch and not an "opt-out".

 

[ExEnemy]

Audio-GD is the old school "Chi-Fi" for ppl with specific taste. Most who like them describe the sound as thick, warm, tube-like with impactful bass, aka lots of distortions. Visually their dac/amp are always huge, with abundance of components to appear like a bang-for-buck diy Marantz.

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

Maybe this is an unpopular take from me, but I actually don't dislike AudioGD's sound quality at all. I doubt even half the readers on the internet have actually spent anytime with those products. Low SINAD does not always equate significantly worse sound quality.

What I dislike about AudioGD though, is that they sort of take advantage on the less-informed passionate audiophiles (I was one of them) with false marketing, mumbo jumbo voodoo audiophile buzzwords, and false measurements that thanks god Amir and others had some good chance to reveal.
They did not even approach the market with something like "we're all about analog and oldschool sound", they advertise themselves as true bringers of fidelity. Besides that I've also read numeral safety issues about their products, maybe its easy for seasoned DIY-ers to fix those issues on the spot, but for typical consumers that are not so knowledgeable, it's dead weight.

 

[Katji]

Audio GD in the past has been bashed more then a pumpkin on Halloween.
In some respects I can understand that before 2020,2021 there were older technologies, and lower spec parts used. That being said with the New higher R8-MK2 using quality FPGA and other processors used into Ram buffer
Before outputting to the high performance Femto clocks ,and now using servo controlled makes this a much better performer ,running much cooler,

Riiiight.

and Dual Femto clocks take a minimum of 500 hours to get 95+% and
Another 500 hours to get that last few % . Several owners in Europe as well as Audio GD said,it is far better then

ok, that does it.

 

[Veri]

Maybe this is an unpopular take from me, but I actually don't dislike AudioGD's sound quality at all. I doubt even half the readers on the internet have actually spent anytime with those products. Low SINAD does not always equate significantly worse sound quality.

What I dislike about AudioGD though, is that they sort of take advantage on the less-informed passionate audiophiles (I was one of them) with false marketing, mumbo jumbo voodoo audiophile buzzwords, and false measurements that thanks god Amir and others had some good chance to reveal.
They did not even approach the market with something like "we're all about analog and oldschool sound", they advertise themselves as true bringers of fidelity. Besides that I've also read numeral safety issues about their products, maybe its easy for seasoned DIY-ers to fix those issues on the spot, but for typical consumers that are not so knowledgeable, it's dead weight.

I dislike all those weird no-brand yellow with black marking capacitors. No one uses them, just audio-gd. I can only imagine the durability....

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

I dislike all those weird no-brand yellow with black marking capacitors. No one uses them, just audio-gd. I can only imagine the durability....

I know a few brands have an odd habit of hiding the exact components in their design, like they will wrap the caps with another layer of insulation, or remove the name somehow (scratch it off?) for whatever purpose. Some said it's to keep their "secret" recipe..... a secret.
Personally, for a solid state product, I prefer widely known components as oppose to off-the-shelf or exotic ones.

 

[mightycicadalord]

not to mention usually tied to small post count

Cause they're probably bots.

 

[raistlin65]

Audio-GD is the old school "Chi-Fi" for ppl with specific taste. Most who like them describe the sound as thick, warm, tube-like with impactful bass, aka lots of distortions. Visually their dac/amp are always huge, with abundance of components to appear like a bang-for-buck diy Marantz.

Just to note that the NFB-11's were never described at Head-Fi as warm.

 

[dasherzx]

they already have the big, heavy and expensive part nailed down. but with such poor reviews here in terms of measurements one might as well get a heavy duty yamaha amp like the as1200 that costs the same and is equal part large and heavy but at least has an analog meter for the luls

 

[hucifer]

As a happy owner of an NFB-15 DAC/amp, I will say in their defense that their entry-level units offer quite a lot of nice features in a single package:

• an integrated PSU (rather than a wallwart)
• solid physical front switches
• switchable integrated pre-amp for use with powered speakers
• good connectivity options
• lots of power

I've had mine for 8 years and the only issues I've had have been with Windows USB drivers (switching to Toslink fixed that).

Also, not everyone cares about SINAD numbers - I actually like a little harmonic disortion with my tea, thank you vicar.

 

[dkinric]

Welcome to ASR, @hucifer!
I think you offer reasonable arguments for liking your unit, and I think most here have no issues with your preference of a little THD. Not the way I would approach it, but as long as we can all agree on what are (mostly) proven scientific principles vs preferences, I think we can all get along swimmingly. People who stick around here with an open mind can really learn a lot - about what really matters in Audio vs common misunderstood fallacies and snake oil. Welcome!

 

[Lupin]

I dislike all those weird no-brand yellow with black marking capacitors. No one uses them, just audio-gd. I can only imagine the durability....

Well so far my NFB-11.38 outlived the SMSL M200 I had...
Lets see what survives longer, the NFB-11.38 or D30 Pro

ymmv ofc