Audio-GD NFB-11.28 Review: Where Craftsmanship Meets Sound

The video is in Arabic.

Hey everyone,

The Audio-GD NFB-11.28 Performance Edition is a DAC/amp combo with very strong specs, and the best DAC/amp I’d used up to the time of the review. Thanks to my brother Sultan Al-Harbi, who owns it. An ES9028 Pro chip, support for PCM up to 384 kHz and DSD512. It puts out 3500 mW at 25 ohm and 10 volts according to the company. Inputs: USB, coax and optical, and the output is 6.35 only. It weighs 2.2 kg. It was between $339 and $389 at the time of the review.

Who is it for?

• Headphone users, especially those with warm headphones who want more detail. Not for IEMs.

Strengths

• The biggest soundstage I’ve heard, and the effect is clear: the Sennheiser HD650 got much better, and the SeeAudio Bravery turned into a different IEM.
• Neutral, and it cuts extra warmth and brings the sound back to balanced.
• Layering and separation are very good.
• It drives any headphone, even from the single ended output.
• Separate circuits for PCM and DSD, and it’s fully made of metal.

Weaknesses

• 6.35 output only, no balanced.
• Too much power for IEMs: you have to lower the Windows volume and control it from the unit.
• It heats up fast.
• A “tick” sound every 20 to 30 seconds in the first hour.
• Changing filters and DAC only mode means opening the unit, and DSD on Windows needs a driver.
• It changes the headphone’s sound, and that doesn’t suit my work rating headphones and IEMs.

Verdict

For headphone users I definitely recommend it: I haven’t seen anything this strong at this price.

Note: this review is from 2025, so the price may have changed.

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