Equalization in Roon vs. RME ADI-2? Which is better?

[Paolo]

Folks, the RME DAC is a complex machine and therefore its operation is complex too, that's unavoidable. Putting that amount of functionality in such a small screen is quite an achievement actually.

This is kind of a myth. Complex systems can have simple user interfaces.
If users keep making the same errors it is because of the human machine interface, not because they are unable to understand it.

For instance, a confirmation window asking if you are sure about the loading/saving of an EQ profile would prevent many mistake, while keeping on with the poor user experience.
An overhaul of the interface paradigms may accomplish way more than that, of course, but as an interface designer I’m aware of the difference in the required effort between an UX redesign versus some inexpensive but effective tweak. Sometimes you have to choose the lesser inconvenience if you can’t fix it right.
In this specific case it may be better to have users complain about the number of passages to apply an EQ, rather than them complaining about losing half an hour of painful fiddling with the small knobs.

 

[storing]

Folks, the RME DAC is a complex machine and therefore its operation is complex too, that's unavoidable. Putting that amount of functionality in such a small screen is quite an achievement actually.

As I mentioned already I do agree they did a fairly good job here, but that doesn't mean some UI constructs are more complex than they could be. There's definitely some room for improvement there, beyond RTFM. I think the RME is the only hardware device I've ever had or built for which, after going through the learning curve then leaving it alone for a couple of weeks, I'm struggling to operate it again beyond volume control. There's something counterintuitive, which is unlike other user interfaces, seemingly inhibiting building muscle memory for it. Not saying it's bad, nor that it can't work for others, but I really feel like the UI could be simpler and/or more logical in some places.

 

[xaviescacs]

This is kind of a myth. Complex systems can have simple user interfaces.

Yeah, I'm aware of this myth that UX designers keep spreading.

For instance, a confirmation window asking if you are sure about the loading/saving of an EQ profile would prevent many mistake, while keeping on with the poor user experience.
An overhaul of the interface paradigms may accomplish way more than that, of course, but as an interface designer I’m aware of the difference in the required effort between an UX redesign versus some inexpensive but effective tweak. Sometimes you have to choose the lesser inconvenience if you can’t fix it right.
In this specific case it may be better to have users complain about the number of passages to apply an EQ, rather than them complaining about losing half an hour of painful fiddling with the small knobs.

I agree, with a lots of more screens some mistakes could be prevented, not all of them, because people usually don't read, they prefer to push buttons. But then, many more users will complain about asking everything twice as if they were fools who doesn't know what are doing. Next step? Add an option if you want the device to ask twice for every operation that can lead to some permanent information loss...

Again, I think this a pro tool for people that are careful because they are used to operate equipment in a professional mood, that's, concentrated and paying attention. So I understand RME decision to assume that users know what they are doing.

Let's be clear, when you save a preset, you have the target name just above, if you make a mistake here, it only means you weren't paying attention.

 

[Phorize]

Everyone likes to sell products, but I don't think RME is targeting the average home user. Average home users want a button to start the music and another one to stop it. The average user in ASR is not the average user I don't think RME never left the professional segment, I think they spotted a kind of corner case where professionals and aficionados can have similar needs.

Agree re: the typical home user, I was thinking more the non-professional audiophile segment, the sorts of people that would buy new linear power supply for example

 

[Paolo]

Yeah, I'm aware of this myth that UX designers keep spreading.

You had me here.


But seriously, really well done pro tools are a breeze to use, no exception, otherwise you may call them capable, not well done.
The false idea of pro-tool needing convoluted UX is a byproduct of such tools being designed by engineers, in my experience usually smart people that, with the best intentions, tend to look at the UI from the point of view of the system, rather than the user’s one. I love working with engineers, because they let me know how things works, and often they are amazed by how simple things can get when a designer do his part…

By the way, an interface to manage complex system may rightly need some time to properly introduce itself to users, but then it must stay with him without requiring a look on the manual every time you try to manage it, this is a failure, there is not other way to put it.
It may be hard to grasp how frequency response work, that should be the hard and pro part, not how your tool to modify it works.