RME ADI-2 DAC FS has everything covered nicely, thanks!
Respectfully, I would rather say "The RME has everything competently covered".
Now, the premise, I love my ADI-2 DAC FS. It is the smartest part of my setup.
For the
nice part, though:
• The HMI seems designed from an "enlightened engineer" point of view and it could very well use some input from the UX design world.
• Case design: consumers have desktops or living room furniture, not racks, as long as the device is smaller than a typical AVR we will be fine. Of course "the smaller, the better," but not smaller, this is important for:
• Buttons and knobs: those should be way bigger to be comfortable, the RME' volume knob is fine, but the others should err on it's size to be really handy, and with more space between them
• The display is too recessed, with the device on my desk I have he first line of text always covered by the case front panel.
Ultimately, the Ideal device would be an ADI 2 with a touch screen on top of it, maybe angled (adjustable?) and as big as an iPad mini, to wander through menus and easily set EQs, plus a real (digital) knob for the level.
Given the current market it could fairly cost 40-50% more than the ADI2, to be honest and maybe even wipe-out the competition.