• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Measurements of RME ADI-2 DAC and Headphone Amp

JohnPM

Senior Member
Technical Expert
Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Messages
339
Likes
899
Location
UK
The choice of colours for fonts & background on this website is absolutely terrible.
Or your browser doesn't like it? Looks fine on Chrome.
site.jpg
 

Nango

Major Contributor
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
1,463
Likes
984
Location
D:\EU\GER\Rheinhessen
@MC_RME I just wondering now that your gear is at the top of @amirm 's measurements if you wouldn't sell more than twice the units at half the price than you sell now at rate around €999, imagine that soon or later another rising star with appear in the market and consecutively your DAC will then be out of the mkt. At a certain point this site could contribute to kind of democratizing the process of purchasing "good" gear.
 
Last edited:

dinglehoser

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 19, 2018
Messages
108
Likes
226
@MC_RME I just wondering now that your gear is at the top of @amirm 's measurements if you wouldn't sell more than twice the units at half the price than you sell now at rate around €999, imagine that soon or later another rising star with appear in the market and consecutively your DAC will then be out of the mkt.

Preemptively destroy any margin because something else might be better in the future? Especially when the current unit is conclusively shown to be state-of-the-art even after having been on the market for something like two years? And thus jeopardize sufficient revenue to continue R&D efforts on its successor?
 

Frank Dernie

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
6,441
Likes
15,765
Location
Oxfordshire
@MC_RME I just wondering now that your gear is at the top of @amirm 's measurements if you wouldn't sell more than twice the units at half the price than you sell now at rate around €999, imagine that soon or later another rising star with appear in the market and consecutively your DAC will then be out of the mkt. At a certain point this site could contribute to kind of democratizing the process of purchasing "good" gear.
The RME is already a bargain IMO.
 

Willem

Major Contributor
Joined
Jan 8, 2019
Messages
3,652
Likes
5,273
Yes the RME is a bargain indeed. It does not really get any better, and that for far less than much of the audiophile cr*p. Even so, I guess in the professional market price will be far less important than quality, reliability and support.
 

Tks

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Messages
3,221
Likes
5,493
Preemptively destroy any margin because something else might be better in the future? Especially when the current unit is conclusively shown to be state-of-the-art even after having been on the market for something like two years? And thus jeopardize sufficient revenue to continue R&D efforts on its successor?

Truth be told, if the Okto Research DAC starts picking up the pace with units this year (and the center they said they're going to have in the US) there will be pretty stiff competition soon enough. Also with the latest DAC chips hitting the market, those that care for pure performance metrics may have a reason to hold off on purchases that were a no-brainer a few months ago.

I don't know why that guy said to sell the RME at half price, that makes no sense to me. But with devices hitting the market this year and early-next. The gaps are starting close. The RME still plows through many regardless because of relatively unheard of DSP options (along with having the warranty service the outdoes most, and the pedegree + people at the helm that aren't voodoo proponents). Though it's been a while, and a chip refresh(slapping on the latest 4497, as the 4499 would send the price skyrocketing)with perhaps 10-band EQ, built-in Bluetooth + Balanced phone-out would solidify it's position for years again. This doesn't have to come at serious cost (needing to be the same price as the current RME DAC) so as not to obsolete the current offering.
 

Nango

Major Contributor
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
1,463
Likes
984
Location
D:\EU\GER\Rheinhessen
I think due to this site that demand for a certain item could jump suddenly and unexpected in a different way it does under normal circumstances, this window RME could benefit from during a certain period. I think lots of people are tired from trying this and that and again this and the other gear and would be happy to snap the one which is expected to last 5 yrs or so ... and they are done for a long while.

Nothing else happens with the THX 789 each time the window opens up............... or make a (mass-)drop version at half the price and this is it!
 
Last edited:

VintageFlanker

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Sep 20, 2018
Messages
4,926
Likes
19,612
Location
Paris
Because they then would probably sell more than twice the units they sell now. Thats the assumption.
That's not at all how margin works... ADI-2 DAC is already a bargain if you look at the full package (not only SINAD measurements!), it is designed and built in Germany and comes with a 5 years warranty (here in EU). There is no reason, considering the high popularity of this device, to see this kind of price drop anytime soon.

when the current unit is conclusively shown to be state-of-the-art even after having been on the market for something like two years
Not so long. it has been released in T1 2018.;)
 

trl

Major Contributor
King of Mods
Joined
Feb 28, 2018
Messages
1,965
Likes
2,516
Location
Iasi, RO
  • Like
Reactions: Tks

soundwave76

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
729
Likes
1,362
Location
Finland
You know what... I sold my ADI-2 PRO Anniversary Edition about 6 months ago due to listening nowadays mostly near field with my Genelec 8331+7350 active speakers. I now have Atom+D50 combo for occasional hp listening, but I miss the ADI-2. The looks, the smart loudness function, the reliability etc... I may have to buy the DAC version back... :)
 

trl

Major Contributor
King of Mods
Joined
Feb 28, 2018
Messages
1,965
Likes
2,516
Location
Iasi, RO
I was reading now the datasheet (https://www.rme-audio.de/download/adi2dac_e.pdf) to check about RME loud ess implementation. I've also noticed how the NIS digital filter looks like. Quite an impressive hardware and firmware inside.
 

solderdude

Grand Contributor
Joined
Jul 21, 2018
Messages
15,839
Likes
35,808
Location
The Neitherlands
Non Inter Sampling ? :D
 
Top Bottom