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Measurements of RME ADI-2 DAC and Headphone Amp

Jim777

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aand in my case, even on a fresh win1903 install, without installing RME drivers, it took Windows several reboots to properly recognize the ADI-2 DAC. Can it be due to some subtle bug in the unit's firmware?
I have no reason to believe there's a firmware bug and I don't know if WASAPI was working correctly before installing the RME driver (it's literally the first thing I did). Turns out the RME driver doesn't have that much value for me because it doesn't enable changing EQ settings, etc. (that would be an amazing feature!)
 

hadadzhi

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... Turns out the RME driver doesn't have that much value for me because it doesn't enable changing EQ settings, etc. (that would be an amazing feature!)

:) Funny, because I on the contrary very much like that on the ADI-2 all configuration is done on the device itself. I've had enough of fiddling with E-MU's PatchMixDSP ;) Though, as an option, it (software control) would be nice indeed.

Just as an update for anyone wondering, the device is now working completely as expected, without ever installing RME drivers this time. Even WASAPI seems to behave a little better. I selected push mode in Foobar2000 and set the buffer to 30s. Works fine, passes the testfiles and all :)
 

Sparky

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Summer is here and so are my results... Using a handheld laser to read the average temp of the top case, the two copper heatsinks dropped the temperature of the unit by 5 deg. F., measured after 3 hours (which is my usual listening session). The DAC was playing a looped track.

The fans, however, are total overkill! They are 3000RPM... 300 would be better! For the fan test, I placed them on the right hand side, evacuating air. They chill for sure and are about as noisy as my computers fan... I greedily got two - one for the dac and one for the headamp. I may consider something else (like using PWM to slow them down or even dropping their voltage) but for now I’m happy with the copper win!

View attachment 29942
Love this! They're like the heated rods in Total Recall (Original version) that press into the ice at the end in the alien chamber releasing the oxygen into the atmosphere...

Sorry.... Pure geek moment there..
 

mcgo

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Love this! They're like the heated rods in Total Recall (Original version) that press into the ice at the end in the alien chamber releasing the oxygen into the atmosphere...

Sorry.... Pure geek moment there..

Yes the copper looks great! Even with the case on! haha

I updated the post - Picked up a fan speed controller to tame the “wind” and now my audio exploration center is ready for summer!
 

Nango

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So he says it doesn't matter whether you use SMPS or batteries or premium SMPS. That is what @amirm also already told here. Good to know Archimago confirms this.
 
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Sparky

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Yes the copper looks great! Even with the case on! haha

I updated the post - Picked up a fan speed controller to tame the “wind” and now my audio exploration center is ready for summer!

Yeah but you know they're in there.... Quietly doing their thing. :)

Shame you can't machine the case and add a thin bit of perspex to see them!
That would be ace!
 

IHeartAudio

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snip the long post

I received the ADI-2 DAC yesterday and I'm in love. I want to say thanks to amirm for the measurements and review putting this on my radar as I was actually looking at pairing a Topping D70 with an Atom and THX789 but switched to this. The measurements simply let me know I was getting an excellently-engineered DAC/Headphone amp and the strong feature-set put it over the top. The size and build quality is great with attention to detail like the locking power adapter cable and slow ramp up of volume when switching outputs for safety.

Attempting to answer your three questions

- I use mine with USB (Main PC), SPDIF (Laptop) and Coaxial (Chromecast Audio). After I found out I needed to install the driver to update the firmware, and getting the auto-sample rate changes in Tidal situated with ASIO Bridge, it's been smooth sailing.
- No idea about DirectSound, sorry.
- The RCA outputs have full volume control. Just tested with my studio monitors.

I too wanted to EQ my headphones. I love my HD600 but they need some sub-bass help and this DAC not only makes it easy but the second you unplug them, it switches back to flat for my studio monitors unlike a software based solution.

The RME was flat out above what I planned on spending for all of this but I'm more than happy I did it.

Notice I said nothing about the sound. I think you can get comparable or better sound for cheaper, it's the features that make this unit a standout.
 

VintageFlanker

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I use mine with USB (Main PC), SPDIF (Laptop) and Coaxial (Chromecast Audio). After I found out I needed to install the driver to update the firmware, and getting the auto-sample rate changes in Tidal situated with ASIO
Tidal app won't work "bit perfect" with ASIO even with the last driver/firmware. Roon with Tidal will.
(Wait. Coaxial with Chromecast Audio?!?)
 

IHeartAudio

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Tidal app won't work "bit perfect" with ASIO even with the last driver/firmware. Roon with Tidal will.
(Wait. Coaxial with Chromecast Audio?!?)

I'm using ASIO Bridge for Tidal and I have an optical to coaxial converter for my CCA. I know the bridge won't do the full MQA but I'm just after the sample rate changing automatically.
 

Joachim Herbert

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To make it work bitperfect and change bitrates as required under windows

- remove ASIO driver
- remove ADI-2 DAC from device manager
- restart Windows
- use wasapi

enjoy!

(unfortunately you will have to reinstall asio driver to update firmware)
 

Music1969

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Hi @MC_RME

Can you please expand on the highlighted below, with 'DSD Direct' enabled.

What are the exact coarse output level adjustments?

1564718189472.png


With DSD Direct enabled, are these 'coarse output level' adjustments basically a toggle between these below output levels?

1564718542644.png
 
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Music1969

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If wanting to experiment with a 12Vdc battery PSU, what DC plug size is required?

From the photo, it looks like 5.5mm x 2.1mm plug? I don't see it mentioned in the manual.

1564757074658.png
 

orangejello

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I would appreciate some help understanding parametric equalization. I have a specific exercise in mind for the RME. According to the manual, the NOS filter has essentially perfect impulse response at the expense of a slow roll off of the high frequencies beginning at 5kH and ending up down 3dB at 20kH. The graph for the rolloff of the filter is shown in the manual.

I would like to correct this rolloff so that a I get flat response to 20kH when I use the NOS filter. I have five bands to work with. But I don’t know how to overlap them in order to get the flattest response. My first attempt which sounds pretty good is just based on playing around. And looks like this:

Band 1: .5db, 7.5 kH
Band 2: 1.0db, 12.5 kH
Band 3: 1.5db, 15 kH
Band 4: 1.5db, 20 kH

All bands have a shelf filter and a Q = 1.

All I know is that the highs are no longer rolled off and it sounds pretty good. I don’t have a good sense of what Q is doing for me and how the overlapping bands sum.

Any help, in particular, what would be theoretically correct, to fix the rolloff of the filter would be both interesting and appreciated. I am curious how the NOS perfect impulse response will sound without the rolloff.
 

MC_RME

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I would appreciate some help understanding parametric equalization. I have a specific exercise in mind for the RME. According to the manual, the NOS filter has essentially perfect impulse response at the expense of a slow roll off of the high frequencies beginning at 5kH and ending up down 3dB at 20kH. The graph for the rolloff of the filter is shown in the manual.

I would like to correct this rolloff so that a I get flat response to 20kH when I use the NOS filter. I have five bands to work with. But I don’t know how to overlap them in order to get the flattest response. My first attempt which sounds pretty good is just based on playing around. And looks like this:

Band 1: .5db, 7.5 kH
Band 2: 1.0db, 12.5 kH
Band 3: 1.5db, 15 kH
Band 4: 1.5db, 20 kH

All bands have a shelf filter and a Q = 1.

All I know is that the highs are no longer rolled off and it sounds pretty good. I don’t have a good sense of what Q is doing for me and how the overlapping bands sum.

Any help, in particular, what would be theoretically correct, to fix the rolloff of the filter would be both interesting and appreciated. I am curious how the NOS perfect impulse response will sound without the rolloff.
https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=26952
 
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