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Review and Measurements of RME ADI-2 DAC

tusing

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Hmm then I am curious if the ~200€ is worth it to upgrade to the RMI ADI-2 DAC over the Daccord FF.

The RME has a lot of more features but does one really need them? Are there any features/options on the RME that you would miss a lot on a different DAC?

As mentioned above, you can do most of the stuff the ADI 2 does in EqualizerAPO or similar freeware. The appeal of this DAC is having a nice all-in-one box for this functionality.

Whether you should upgrade from the Daccord or not is kinda dependent on how it performs. We don’t have this information. Statements like “founded by a respected engineer” are kinda meaningless as the same sort of statements were thrown around for Schiit before the measurement fiasco. Without the data, the Daccord is a risky buy and should be out of the running.
 

graz_lag

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Hmm ... you do not stay in business for 30 years - especially as a small operation, if you do not built up your reputation with quality items ...
Your comparison with Schiit is too stretched, IMHO.
Clearly, at Schiit they are marketing-driven audio electronic manufacturers, and they are extremely good on that, definitively much more than in engineering ... Jan Meier is a pure technician, who sells many of his electronics "in-situ" at his listening show-room, there is no possible comparison between the two cases, IMHO.
But I am not a sales person from Meier Audio ... just dropping my feeling into the discussion ... ;)
 

graz_lag

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Hmm then I am curious if the ~200€ is worth it to upgrade to the RMI ADI-2 DAC over the Daccord FF.

The RME has a lot of more features but does one really need them? Are there any features/options on the RME that you would miss a lot on a different DAC?

With the RME ADI-2 DAC you get the remote, I do not know whether Jan Meier supplies that, you can drop him an email ... provided the remote has any value for you ...
Browse his site and go thru the "crossfeed" technical page, I believe it is a feature one can appreciate.

Last but not least, with the goal of the best value for money, I would buy the CORDA Daccord @ 612 EUR, skipping the "ff" upgrade, you add another little saving of 150 EUR ...
The 14-days return policy allows one can test the electronic into his environment and setup.
 

zakazak

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With the RME ADI-2 DAC you get the remote, I do not know whether Jan Meier supplies that, you can drop him an email ... provided the remote has any value for you ...
Browse his site and go thru the "crossfeed" technical page, I believe it is a feature one can appreciate.

Last but not least, with the goal of the best value for money, I would buy the CORDA Daccord @ 612 EUR, skipping the "ff" upgrade, you add another little saving of 150 EUR ...
The 14-days return policy allows one can test the electronic into his environment and setup.

Ye well my thinking is that I will get the Classic FF and the Daccord without FF.
That way I get the FF feature anyway?

I don't really need a remote for the DAC. The only thing that makes the RME ADI-2 more interesting to me at the moment is the spectrum with its jumping bars on the sexy display ;P
 

Dro

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If you want to save money, there are cheaper audibly transparent solutions to get. If you want to spend more, you should ask for more. The ADI-2 DAC offers more. The Meier Audio devices only offer crossfeed, but the ADI-2 DAC has that as well.

If you don't think you need any special features, get a cheaper DAC/amp and better headphones instead.
 
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agr

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Hi all,
Please help me to solve my concern:
My current audio setup is: Dedicated PC as a source, Roon, Mytek 192 DSD DAC connected via USB to PC and via balanced connection to Emotiva XPA-2 Power amplifier. Mytek is used in this configuration as DAC, preamp, headphone amp (HD600 headphones).
I consider swapping Mytek 192 DSD DAC out with RME ADI-2 DAC. Would you recommend such change? I have some doubts whether this change will be audible for me. I know that this is highly subjective but I just try to assess probability before involving RME dealer. Please advice.
 

Purité Audio

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It almost certainly won’t be audibly different, but the RMe has some interesting features, also the Mytek designer has stated that his dac will be improved by a linear power supply, that I find disturbing.
Keith
 

SightUp

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Hi there! I am brand new to the forums and new to the ADI-2 DAC. I upgraded from a Schiit stack and suffice it to say, I bought something way above my skill level. Reading the manual did help but not enough which is why I am here now.

I am looking for the general concensous of things I need to change on the ADI-2 DAC out of the box for a better user experience. Thus far, I have only reassigned the remote bottons and enabled the auto timeout feature. Surely though there are some other things that would benefit me to change in terms of quality of sound. The speakers I have are the Neumann KH 120's if you need that information.

What else can I do?
 

Chippyboy

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Another quick question from a newbie, if you don't mind?

I'm using an nVidia Shield TV as my music source and to my great surprise, I find it passes the RME "bit perfect" tests, when suitably configured.

I am now trying to play some DSD files (DSD64 and DSD128) using Kodi as the media player. Again to my surprise, they play beautifully. However, I am not entirely sure what's going on and whether in fact the Shield TV (or Kodi) are converting them to PCM.

Is there any way to tell what type of file the ADI-2 is actually playing? I had hoped it would tell me whether it's PCM or DSD somewhere, although I cannot find it.

I guess I could enable DSD Direct and see what happens, but that will doubtless be insanely loud since no volume control is possible and I don't have a preamp, so I cannot try that option.
 

graz_lag

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... Mytek 192 DSD DAC ...

The Stereo 192 DSD DAC has one very interesting feature : it is BRUTUS !
(In the ancient Rome urban slang, BRUTUS = physically UGLY o_O)
Hey, just jocking a bit ... ;)

1547061632282.png
 

agr

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It almost certainly won’t be audibly different, but the RMe has some interesting features, also the Mytek designer has stated that his dac will be improved by a linear power supply, that I find disturbing.
Keith

Keith,
thank you for your quick reply. I expected such answer :(.
I hoped that at least in headphone amplifier It would make difference.
Adam
 

DosThou

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You should give it a try. Maybe get from somewhere that allows return. At the very least it will be a good experience for future purchase plans.
 

VintageFlanker

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I hoped that at least in headphone amplifier It would make difference.
According to the specs only, it probably would. Headphone out of Mytek 192 is rated at 500ma (500mW? but at what impedance?) while the ADI-2 DAC provides up to 1500mW at 32ohms. According to some reviews (but no tangible measurements) Mytek's headamp is not so great. RME's amp is nearly considered as "Endgame" for most SE headphones!
 

linnlingo

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Anyone using the Loudness feature. I've been using it and seems quite good SQ wise.
 

derp1n

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