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Measurements of RME ADI-2 DAC and Headphone Amp

VintageFlanker

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New firmware out! (and new USB driver as well)



Driver: http://www.rme-audio.de/download/driver_madiface_win_09685.zip
Unfortunately, neither the new Driver or Firmware "fix" the issue with Tidal Windows app. Still impossible to get the proper bitrate with Masters and it still locked at 44.1Khz. Unfortunately, I love the ADI-2 DAC so much but I don't understand this. All others DACs I have/had do proper bitperfect playback from Tidal app. No issue with Roon. But I have to subscribe for another year!...
 

Damian

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Did anyone read the comments in a superaudiofriends about this unit not being so great? Favoring SDAC a lot?
 

VintageFlanker

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Did anyone read the comments in a superaudiofriends about this unit not being so great? Favoring SDAC a lot?
"Not so great", or too great for SBAF in my book. This forum simply doesn't like proper engineering and fidelity.

Ok... I just got it! You can't change the power cable, that's probably why it can't sound good.
 
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Sparky

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God there's some hate on that site for the RME!
Surprised by that as I'm led to believe it's a good DAC hence the reason I've ordered one.
It's my first true DAC purchase so I hope I've chose well! :)
 

Sparky

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You did.

Would you say the RME reproduces a sound which is true to the source (analytical maybe) or does it colour the sound in some way?
This may be a question you feel us unnecessary but I truly am new to this so any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

@McFly has helped a lot with this too... :cool:

There's some hate about anything which isn't Schiit...
:facepalm:

Yeah, I'm finding that a LOT on a fair few sites really. People literally gush about everything they make.
I must be honest, I've never heard one so I couldn't comment but looking at the measurements @amirm has carried out, surely they can't be that good!
But who am I to comment on something I know nothing about... :(
 

VintageFlanker

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I must be honest, I've never heard one so I couldn't comment but looking at the measurements @amirm has carried out, surely they can't be that good!
But who am I to comment on something I know nothing about... :(
Funny fact is that anyone probably can't pick up neither the Yggy or the RME in proper double blind test... So that works both way, to some extent...
Many people on many forum believe to hear something that doesn't exist (I also did and still do).
 

Sparky

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Agreed. It has be proven time and time again that in blind tests, people cannot tell the difference at all.
Audioholics have done this to death in numerous videos.
I've listened to a lot of RMAF videos over the years and numerous examples have been discussed where the listener could not tell a £20k system from a 2k system.

I have a similar feeling when listening to a tube amp. Because of the warm glow of the tubes, my brain naturally assumes the sound I'm hearing is "warm".
Do you see where I'm coming from......
 

Damian

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I’m in the fence as maybe a JDS EL DAC would be sonically equal and much cheaper? Then EQ, crossfeed, etc can be managed by software right?
 

Veri

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I’m in the fence as maybe a JDS EL DAC would be sonically equal and much cheaper? Then EQ, crossfeed, etc can be managed by software right?
In a sense yes, for the RME you are definitely paying for the features/hardware, but also support, firmware updates... The JDS EL Dac is quite good and definitely recommended. Note that under USB it can have relay or other clicking when changing source/sampling etc, under s/pdif this doesn't happen (one of the quirks I noticed when owning it). Its SINAD is also slightly better with SPDIF.
 

Majestyk

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If you are not familiar with RME ADI-2 DAC, it is a DAC-only version of the RME ADI-2 Pro. The former costs US $1,099 and the latter, US $1,999. It is an all-in-one DAC, headphone amplifier plus remote control.

DAC-only? Is this a typo?
 

Sparky

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I think the PRO does both A-D & D-A.

I think that's what he was referring to anyway.
 

McFly

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I'm still waiting for a kick ass anniversary edition of the ADI2 DAC. @MC_RME please p.m. me if you're working on anything ;)
 
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