Audio-gd R2R 11 DAC/amp Detailed Review and comparisons with Schiit Audio Modi Multibit and Magni 3.
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- čas přidán 1. 08. 2024
- As part of my Under $500 series, I take a detailed look at Audio-gd's R2R-11, which takes the NFB-11 and adds a dedicated resistor ladder R2R DAC instead, making it the smallest DAC/amp of its type. I checked out how it stacks up against Schiit Audio's Modi Multibit (Mimby) and Magni 3.
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Very good review ! I love to see you actually open it to view whats inside.
I still use my Zero with an Audio GD Sun HDAM to this day (with my older TV when I need to use headphones)! I've also been an audio-gd fan since the compass came out and still buy their stuff. Actually I think I still have my Compass from the very first run. Nostalgia...
Thanks for the review, Curra. Been reading/watching your stuff since those days, too!
Good to see you around Scottie! Drop me a line on Head-Fi when you have time.
Very good review,thanks :)
Awesome review :)
Great display, thanks.
Remember the Compass shipping fiasco?
My arrived undamaged, and still works.
I remember! All the more so because another Chinese manufacturer just shipped me something via a cheap, local shipping company and it took a month to clear customs in Japan!
I used a Schiit Modi 3 with an iFi power supply and wanted to upgrade to match some improvements I had made to my vinyl system. I wanted to go for the Modi Multibit expecting a moderate improvement after seeing a review of it on this channel. However, most Schiit products have long been largely unavailable here in Europe due to the Covid lockdowns, so eventually I went and ordered the Audio-GD 11 Performance Edition from Magna HiFi in Holland. I installed it right next to my old setup, so I could easily make A/B comparisons and also the (to me) far more important long-term listening comparisons, with both DACs run through a preamp and into active speakers/a valve headphone amp (I never even listened to the headphone output on the Audio-GD due to its lack of balance control, which to me is an essential function). For the first 3-4 days, the Schiit/iFi combination was clearly leading the race; then quite suddenly there was a significant improvement in the Audio-GD, which from then on has grown steadily. I have now had the Audio-GD for a bit more than a week, leaving it on 24/7, and by now it simply blows the Schitt/iFi combo totally out of the water. I honestly never even imagined that CDs could sound so natural, open, deep and warm. Furthermore, the Audio-GD still keeps getting better, which some say will continue all the way up to c. 500h. Perhaps around that time, it will even surpass my Clearaudio Concept tt/Ortofon Rondo Red/Smart Phono vinyl setup. What I don't quite understand is the notions I have been getting from this channel, i.e. that the Schiit Modi Multibit is only moderately better than the standard Modi 3, and that the Multibit is at the same level as the Audio-GD. I find the Audio-GD vastly superior, but perhaps what makes the big difference is that I have the Performance Edition, which is clearly not the version tested here (then again, my Modi 3 was also improved due to the iFi). Finally, I would like to point out that according to EU rules, customers now have a two-week return right on everything they buy, so HiFi freaks like you and me no longer have to rely on the goodwill of individual sellers but can test equipment in their own home and simply return it if it disappoints them (in mint condition and paying all postage expenses, of course). Not sure if that also goes for non-EU buyers, but probably not.
I confirm. I didn't believe it, but there is actually a major positive change after 400-500h burnout
Perhaps the problem with Audio GD R2R 11 poor reviews is that the reviewers DON'T listen to a specimen that has been adequately 'burned in' 🤷♂️
From your experience with dac/amps would the audio-gd nfb-12 be any good for pc gaming running 250 ohms beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro Studio
Any info will do thanks
I would love to see your take on the hyped thx789 amp
So would I!
As a newbie, i went ahead and dove into buying the modi/magni stack. Currently have a pair of audio engine a2 + desktop speakers as my outsource. Looking to get a good pair of headphones that would be driven nicely by this particular stack. Do you have any expert recommendations on what headphones i could utilize with this beginner stack? Budget is around 500 and less. Any input is greatly appreciated and im learning alot from you. Thank you once again.
Are you telling me you're responsible for the creation of my decade old audio-gd all-in-one? wow
Yup.
When comparing to the ifi micro idsd,i realize that this dac has a more real life-like analog sound,but the ifi sound cleaner,both have a very detailed sound.
Audio gd r2r 11(2019) vs topping D30 vs fiio BTR5 s topping D90. I am fan of classical music. Which is your recommendation?
How does this compare with nfb 11.38 of even 11.28?
Hi Amos which one would you choose between Aurender Flow (Massdrop $400) or R2R 11 for desktop use..please share your opinion. You are the only reviewer I trust ever since Tyll retired.
The Aurender Flow at $400 is a bargain. I reviewed it a while back when it cost way more: czcams.com/video/gMvu5AnZlxU/video.html
What would you recommend for listening to classical solo & chamber music?
what is your budget?
speakers or headphones?
How does this compare to the nfb-11.28?
Hi i have a chord mojo - would this audio gd sound better? Assume a hugo2 sounds better again ?
No, a Mojo will sound better (have better resolution) than any $350 device or set-up. A Hugo 2 is considerably better, assuming you listen to good-quality recordings with good headphones or IEMs.
What's that thing on the Vali 2 tube..? Does Vali 2 stand up at all compared to Lyr 3?
The "thing" is a tube damper. It absorbs micro-vibrations. Sometimes they help. Sometimes not. At least they stop the tube rolling around the desk when I take them out. For the Lyr 3, see my review of it: czcams.com/video/xB8eVKDuGVw/video.html
Which is the best ?
HI Amos, wanted to ask if you had any experince with audio gd nfb 11? if so is that a good system in 2021? or are there newer and cheaper systems today? Thanks
Not recently. It'd be interesting to do an NFB-11 vs. Schiit Modi/Magni stack, but the Schiit stack is going to be cheaper, and they just updated both.
Can I connect my android DAP through usb?
If you would choose between the NFB-11.28 or the Asgard with dac card. Witch one would you select?
That's a tough question. I'd say the Asgard if you think you're likely to buy a separate DAC to use with it in the future.
Would your pair the magni3+ with the Audeze LCD-2?
My DAC is the Atoll DAC 100.
If your budget is $99, and you don't like blasting your ears out, then yes.
Hi-mos here...
So the switch / jumper situation seems a bit odd, should not just switching to fixed enable this without the need to move the jumper, if the jumper is set to fixed i presume the other modes still function as normal?
Yes. The "fixed" setting is just for the RCA outputs. It's disabled by default to prevent people accidentally blowing up their speakers.
@@Currawong Thanks, now to figure out if i go for this new or a few others dacs on ebay 2nd hand about £100 less having been without my dragonfly since i squatted it by accident.
does the r2r.11's dac sound analog just like other r2r dacs?
Pretty much.
@@Currawong thanks
Are you reviewing the "2019" Updated version for the R2R-11?
Yes. I should have that done soon.
@@Currawong Why I was asking is because the 2019 update started shipping in October of 2018. So I'm sure there are updated models with the 2018 date code like the one in this video. Your unit also has the updated switches with the legends on them. I'm not sure exactly when that started. I know my 2015 es9018 nfb-11 doesn't have the switches with the legends.
My mistake, I'm reviewing the 2022 version, not 2019 version. I don't review products that are out of production.
Can we see nfb 11.38 vs schiit stack plz?
Mimby video coming soon. :)
@@Currawong we love to see it , thx
Good one Amos..
I am interested in the audio-gd compass that you showed in this video.
Is their any chance to show it a little more? Maybe as a part of vintage gear series. It should be interesting.
Could do. There was also the "Fun" which allowed you to roll DACs and amp circuits.
You seem very competent. But, it seems you choose a "safe" review style without expose yourself too much. It will be nice to hear your opinion on which gear you like more when you make comparison.
Thanks. It's probably more fair to say I present as many of the different perspectives on a product as I can, and let people make up their own minds.
I can already hear the audiosciencreview spergs going off about how bad this measures and how a topping is better
Fun fact though that if you listen carefully he explains with his own words the faults that are measured at ASR: compressed dynamics, missing soundstage depth, soft presentation. These are all marks of missing bitdepth, blurred transient response, having harmonic distortion, and stuff like that, which can be precisely measured. Also Schiit has its huge harmonic distortion problems making it sound sharp and sibilant. Even my 40€ Behringer audio interface does no do that to my headphones!
I had the Schiit stack, and later bought some better designed gear, like a Focusrite Scarlett DAC and an Arcam rHead, and I never looked back. Better resolution, tighter bass response and no sharpness at all. And guess what, the rHead measures quite well. See any connection here?
The "I want to listen to music kind of presentation" is simply sugarcoating poor amp desing. But to each his own, I guess.
More so the designers get bugged by customers to make cheaper and cheaper R2R DACs, so they do, even though that will compromise the performance.
The Yggy has very good measured performance. Only one person, who thought using a heat gun would substitute for leaving it on a week, and who, among other things, overloads the input signal on devices to make the distortion look worse than it is, has said otherwise.
My "reference", if I were to call it that, would be the Hugo 2
If you want a good R2R DAC get a soekris, this is cheapest R2R DAC worth buying.
Well done R2R is quite amazing in its own unique way compared to delta sigma, but I wouldnt say its better than any of the much cheaper well implemented chinese (Topping,SMSL) Sabre and AKM delta sigma DACs , both have strength and weaknesses in how they produce sound and it would be a matter of preference which you prefer but DS has significantly better price to performance... there is nothing '''horrible'' about the sound of a cheaper DS DAC if its well made.
I am emailing audio-gd regarding R2R-1 new for 2021! Thanks!
What kind of black glass tube is in your Lyr?
A NOS Tung Sol at the moment. It's more even-sounding than the new ones.
I own the R2R 11 and while I like the DAC quite a bit, the headphone amp in this unit is awful. Tons of distortion and noise. You can really hear it on things like cymbals through something like HD650s. I have the DAC in this outputting to a JDS Labs Atom right now which is far cleaner and better sounding than the amp in the R2R 11.
waiting patiently for an atom dac to be released... I thought about changing my atom amp out for an EL stack, but the atom amp is better than the EL amp so how could I justify spending $600?
It's funny I was just comparing the Asgard 3 to the R2R-11. Makes you wonder why Audio-GD didn't publish the THD...
I used to be a super “oh if it measures bad it’s garbage” guy before listening to the R2R11... This is “””technically””” bad but it sounds good. I still read graphs and stuff, but use your ears also
Why spend for objectively bad equipment when you can get better gear for less?
@@PrestonGranger "better" gear can become garbage when it become so accurate that 50% of your music become shit because of recording.
"Accurate" does not equate musicality.
That's why the term "Hi-Fi" is meaningless. And also why R2R Dacs and Tube amps are popular.
That volume knob looks like it came from the same supplier as Schiit Audio gets there’s
Similar design, but definitely a different knob.
I'm still not able to understand, how everything I see inside + package + a seller fee + taxes can cost 300 euros. This is not 2x5532 and couple of NichiKons from China obviously.
PS Their 2x9038Pro, that adds $100, are for 1300 euros. A huge difference. Their 1x9038Pro is for 700 euros. This is mad, unpredictable price policy imho.
And now it's no longer available for that very reason -- the cost of the parts increased too much.
@@Currawong It is still on sale on Audiophonics for 290 eur VAT exc. A shipping date is 26.10... So, I'm thinking =)
Don't do it