Measurements of RME ADI-2 DAC and Headphone Amp

[Oddiofyl]

Thanks, that's exactly what I want to do with my Quicksilver Headphone Amp.

 

[Tks]

I believe crossfeed only effect the jack sockets on the front, not the XLR or RCA outputs on the back.

The manual is available on-line: https://www.rme-audio.de/adi-2-dac.html

Works even for outputs (would be dumb if it didn’t considering people would hook the DAC up to their own amp).

Seriously considering this DAC.... question, whats it's personality ? (forward, laid back, big top bottom) I'm looking for super solid and neutral as I am using this for mixing music.
I'm comparing it to the Cranesong Avocet 2A, DANGEROUS Convert 2, Apogee Symphony MKii SE

You trying to listen to music or take this DAC out on a date?

 

[MC_RME]

Crossfeed can be switched on/off for all three outputs separately (the respective state is remembered in the unit), unless they are used simultaneously.

 

[Willem]

Seriously considering this DAC.... question, whats it's personality ? (forward, laid back, big top bottom) I'm looking for super solid and neutral as I am using this for mixing music.

Like some other top tier DACs this one is perfectly neutral, as it should be. Its additional advantage is that it has tone and balance controls, dynamic loudness etc etc.

 

[SoZo]

Works even for outputs (would be dumb if it didn’t considering people would hook the DAC up to their own amp).



You trying to listen to music or take this DAC out on a date?

So when you create music as I do these attributes are VERY important to remain neutral.

Take a vocal recording session..,
I have to choose the correct microphone for their voice. If the color is off say like and over saturates the honk or sibilance in the voice I need to hear that. If the converter is too euphonic and rich I cant. Kinda like trying to do color correction for say maybelline on a crap monitor with too much blue or red in the picture. Mixing if the sound stage is overly big I cant mix reverb tails into the mix correctly. I have tens of thousands in gear I record and mix through.... I need reference quality and need to know how that will translate.

Thank you @Willem exactly what I was hoping.

John

 

[Willem]

Yes it is a serious piece of profesional kit. There is also a version with ADC as well, which may be interesting for you.

 

[Marutks]

I am very interested in this unit....I think the above screen shot answers my question, but if you turn "crossfeed" ON does the crossfield output appear through Line Out?
Thx

yes , it does. There is seperate crossfeed setting for Phones / IEM and Line Out.

 

[SoZo]

I just saw they came out with the updated version with the AK4493 (previously 4490) to improve the signal-to-noise ratio from 117 dB to 120 dB (123 dBA).
Anyone try this version I have it on the way...
Thx
john

 

[Tks]

I just saw they came out with the updated version with the AK4493 (previously 4490) to improve the signal-to-noise ratio from 117 dB to 120 dB (123 dBA).
Anyone try this version I have it on the way...
Thx
john

I believe a few members have it. One of the top of my head is @VintageFlanker

Maybe if he sees this message he’ll chime in and tell you about it (spoiler, it’s just better in a few simple ways).

 

[mika91]

Hi,

I recevied my RME dac yesterday, and this little box sounds pretty awesome !
Just have a little concern: when I standy the DAC (red circle), I can ear some hum noise on my speakers. (audible >3m)
As soon as the dac is switch on (white circle), it's dead silent.

Do you experiment the same ?
My setup is: toslink -> RME DAC -> XLR -> ncore nc122mp

Thanks

 

[Count Arthur]

Switch the amp/speakers off as well.

 

[mika91]

Switch the amp/speakers off as well.

Unfortunately, this is my living room system, used by the whole family (including very young children) and the amp has no remote/trigger.

Whatever, I'd like to figure out why I have this noise on standby.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Anyone try this version I have it on the way...

Alright,

Wanna hear some thoughts? I really love the new remote. Much nicer feeling in hands. Lot of settings and, I'm 100% sure it is more responsive and has a wider angle range than the previous one. Before, I had to point it precisely towards the DAC, not anymore.

View attachment 40678

The new Low Dispersion filter, from the AK4493 chip, is available:

View attachment 40679

Strangely, the unit came with firmware 32, (not 33). As usual, update is a matter of few seconds!

Overall, I'm extremely pleased with the sound quality: I do feel an extremely precise imaging, a wide and accurate soundstage, a very realistic and uncolored sound signature, a mind-blowing dynamic range, no artificial harshness to speak of, no noise... blablabla... and any superlatives you wonder! All with flawless operation, but... Wait... Are these just everything the original ADI-2 DAC already had, in fact?!

For those who already own it, no need for "upgrading", really. Don't do the same I did and save your money. Just order that fucking remote and be happy forever!.

@mika91: most probably some kind of ground loop. I have exactly the same thing at home. That's precisely why I turn on my power amp after the ADI-2 (as I should anyway) and turn it off before the ADI-2. No one should keep a power/speaker amp on all the time, BTW.

 

[mika91]

@mika91: most probably some kind of ground loop. I have exactly the same thing at home. That's precisely why I turn on my power amp after the ADI-2 (as I should anyway) and turn it off before the ADI-2. No one should keep a power/speaker amp on all the time, BTW.

@VintageFlanker: Agree with you, I'm working to add a trigger input to my ncore ghent audio built, so that it could stay in standby smps.
I'm glad that my unit seems not faulty, as you and others have the same behavior, but it seems odd that the RME has such a noise in standby mode.

 

[Tks]

@VintageFlanker: Agree with you, I'm working to add a trigger input to my ncore ghent audio built, so that it could stay in standby smps.
I'm glad that my unit seems not faulty, as you and others have the same behavior, but it seems odd that the RME has such a noise in standby mode.

Does it happen just out of curiosity if you disconnect the DAC entirely but leave the amp on?

 

[Count Arthur]

I have a similar set-up:

PC -> USB -> RME ADI-2 -> Hypex UCD amps

With the ADI-2 in standby, there is a feint buzzing from the speakers; I have to put my ears within 6 inches of them to hear it. This goes and I get dead silence when I switch on the ADI-2.

My Hypex UCD amps have a linear PSU and have a softstart module, with a relay and a pushbutton switch on the front of the case whick puts the amps in standby mode, where they are also silent, whether the ADI-2 is on or in standby.

I have everything plugged into a mains filter/distribution thing, with a power switch on the front, so when I'm not using the system, I switch everything completely off.

As an interim solution, could you not plug the power amps into a mains extension/power strip that has switched sockets and place it so that you can more readlily reach the switches:

 

[mika91]

Does it happen just out of curiosity if you disconnect the DAC entirely but leave the amp on?

No, silent with only the amp

 

[McFly]

I believe this phenomenon has been explained by RME somewhere in the past... I think a thread with something to do with NC400s (probably hypex in general)... basically they all do it when connected directly to the adi2 dac. Turn the amp off or leave the dac on autodark mode

 

[Oddiofyl]

Has anyone owned or compared the NAD M51 to the RME? I like my M51 but this DAC intrigues me with its feature set.... just dont want to take a step back or make a lateral move in terms of SQ...

 

[Count Arthur]

The RME measures better:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-rme-adi-2-dac-and-headphone-amp.7546/

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ments-of-nad-m51-dac-and-digital-preamp.6681/

How audible those differences are, I couldn't say.