MINIDSP Adept ADC & Phono Preamp Review

[morillon]

Adaptateur Transformateur d'Impédance SPDIF Coaxial 75Ω vers AES/EBU 110Ω - Audiophonics

Cet adaptateur et transformateur d'impédance vous permettra de convertir un signal SPDIF coaxial 75Ω en signal AES/EBU 110Ω et donc de brancher des appareils disposant de ces connectiques.

www.audiophonics.fr

(OR same toslink vs aes too)

 

[morillon]

Another minidsp product which ticks some boxes and lacks others and you still end up with extra adapters/ converters. I dont get this spdif output. People who want to digitize theirs LPs would use usb. Audiophiles would probably stick to analog side and those who use studio interfaces still need another converter.

ps the adept is not only phono...but also unbalanced and balanced line level...(and there, very efficient)

 

[lini]

ps the adept is not only phono...but also unbalanced and balanced line level...(and there, very efficient)

Max. input voltage for line-level signals would appear a bit limited, though - i.e., according to the specs just 2.2 V unbalanced/4.4 V balanced. Makes me wonder, why the Adept doesn't sport a low gain setting for line-level use, while it does for both phono MM and MC level use.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[stefanovesa]

Got one of these. unfortunately remote control doesn't work. I've written a line to the Importer and the Vendor. Hope not an issue of the IR receiver in the unit... Anyone knows if at default settings the digital volume is at 0 dB or lower? Tested with high gain in Phono MC mode and the signal seems a bit low. Cartridge is 0.3 mV. This apart, it seems very capable. I've not understood which internal sampling frequency DSP uses for record equalization, is the same sampling rate of the digital output?

 

[nothingman]

Got one of these. unfortunately remote control doesn't work. I've written a line to the Importer and the Vendor. Hope not an issue of the IR receiver in the unit... Anyone knows if at default settings the digital volume is at 0 dB or lower? Tested with high gain in Phono MC mode and the signal seems a bit low. Cartridge is 0.3 mV. This apart, it seems very capable. I've not understood which internal sampling frequency DSP uses for record equalization, is the same sampling rate of the digital output?

I don’t have any answers but the output is definitely low. They are being overly conservative with their gain settings. Considering the Adept has input and output clipping indicators I don’t know why they don’t provide us the control to boost the signal more. The defaults are too quiet.

 

[stefanovesa]

I don’t have any answers but the output is definitely low. They are being overly conservative with their gain settings. Considering the Adept has input and output clipping indicators I don’t know why they don’t provide us the control to boost the signal more. The defaults are too quiet.

thanks, can you please check if the digital volume is maximized at default? If you factory reset the unit and then try to turn up the digital volume with the remote, anything change?

To reset:

Factory reset - miniDSP ADept User Manual

docs.minidsp.com

 

[nothingman]

thanks, can you please check if the digital volume is maximized at default? If you factory reset the unit and then try to turn up the digital volume with the remote, anything change?

To reset:

Factory reset - miniDSP ADept User Manual

docs.minidsp.com

Sorry, I’m not going to reset my unit to troubleshoot your remote problem. I have no recollection of the default volume setting. I just know on full volume it’s still too quiet.

 

[Sokel]

Sorry, I’m not going to reset my unit to troubleshoot your remote problem. I have no recollection of the default volume setting. I just know on full volume it’s still too quiet.

Adept has selectable gain settings for its inputs, and also the option for either MC or MM cartridges.

One of those settings pretty much suits everything for decent (digital) output.

 

[stefanovesa]

Adept has selectable gain settings for its inputs, and also the option for either MC or MM cartridges.

One of those settings pretty much suits everything for decent (digital) output.

OK no problem! In the meantime MiniDSP has assured me that the digital volume it already at max value at default, so if it is quiet... it can be only quieter

 

[Sokel]

OK no problem! In the meantime MiniDSP has assured me that the digital volume it already at max value at default, so if it is quiet... it can be only quieter

If it's too quiet just set the gain a little higher.

 

[stefanovesa]

If it's too quiet just set the gain a little higher.

in my situation, with max analog gain in MC mode, is it OK. E.g. Classic Audio MC PRO has more gain, but Adept is quite usable

 

[nothingman]

If it's too quiet just set the gain a little higher.

Already at max MM gain and max volume with a 4mV cart.

 

[deercreekaudio]

Got one of these. unfortunately remote control doesn't work. I've written a line to the Importer and the Vendor. Hope not an issue of the IR receiver in the unit... Anyone knows if at default settings the digital volume is at 0 dB or lower? Tested with high gain in Phono MC mode and the signal seems a bit low. Cartridge is 0.3 mV. This apart, it seems very capable. I've not understood which internal sampling frequency DSP uses for record equalization, is the same sampling rate of the digital output?

Have you tried re-enabling the IR remote by this procedure?
To disable the remote:

1. Press and hold down the encoder button.
2. Wait for ten seconds until the currently-lit front panel LEDs briefly flash off, then turn on again.
3. Release the encoder button.

From then on, the front LEDs will flash off and on again when the ADept detects a command from the remote, but the command will be ignored.

To enable the remote again, repeat the above procedure.

 

[stefanovesa]

Have you tried re-enabling the IR remote by this procedure?
To disable the remote:

1. Press and hold down the encoder button.
2. Wait for ten seconds until the currently-lit front panel LEDs briefly flash off, then turn on again.
3. Release the encoder button.

From then on, the front LEDs will flash off and on again when the ADept detects a command from the remote, but the command will be ignored.

To enable the remote again, repeat the above procedure.

yes. Already tested, doesn't work. The remote is dead or the IR receiver is faulty. Luckily I don't need to tune digital volume. MC gain is already set at MAX and the Vendor stated that digital volume is maxxed already at default. In this situation with a cartridge that outputs 0,3 mV, I'm far from clipping so no need to reduce anything. Anyway I would suggest the developer to add an alternate way to set digital volume. My case apart, if the remote fails somewhen, you have no chance to set it. Is there a way to set digital volume acting somewhere on the PCB, opening the box?

 

[marc_n]

yes. Already tested, doesn't work. The remote is dead or the IR receiver is faulty. Luckily I don't need to tune digital volume. MC gain is already set at MAX and the Vendor stated that digital volume is maxxed already at default. In this situation with a cartridge that outputs 0,3 mV, I'm far from clipping so no need to reduce anything. Anyway I would suggest the developer to add an alternate way to set digital volume. My case apart, if the remote fails somewhen, you have no chance to set it. Is there a way to set digital volume acting somewhere on the PCB, opening the box?

In my case, a firmware update brought the remote to life.

If you haven't updated this unit yet, it may be worth trying. The 03/11/2025 FW lists "Adept XMOS firmware v1.5 / Update for latest remote version". The newest version (04/12/2025) now also works from macOS. You'll need to be logged in to access it, then go to User Downloads > USB Audio Drivers > ADept drivers.

 

[stefanovesa]

In my case, a firmware update brought the remote to life.

If you haven't updated this unit yet, it may be worth trying. The 03/11/2025 FW lists "Adept XMOS firmware v1.5 / Update for latest remote version". The newest version (04/12/2025) now also works from macOS. You'll need to be logged in to access it, then go to User Downloads > USB Audio Drivers > ADept drivers.

Yes, I already done. Other thing. Not sure if it is a MacOS thing only, but in order to change sampling rate with MIDI app, I need to put the unit in standby mode. If I try to do that with the unit powered on, when I change sampling rate the unit disappears, that appears again in the MIDI panel, but sampling rate is unchanged.

 

[marc_n]

Yes, I already done. Other thing. Not sure if it is a MacOS thing only, but in order to change sampling rate with MIDI app, I need to put the unit in standby mode. If I try to do that with the unit powered on, when I change sampling rate the unit disappears, that appears again in the MIDI panel, but sampling rate is unchanged.

I am on macOS too. Not sure why your unit behaves like this with the MIDI app. I can set the unit without problem when it is powered up (I did not try to set the sample rate while in standby). You could try using a different USB cable, just in case.

 

[stefanovesa]

I am on macOS too. Not sure why your unit behaves like this with the MIDI app. I can set the unit without problem when it is powered up (I did not try to set the sample rate while in standby). You could try using a different USB cable, just in case.

if you can, please try that:

1) power up Adept
2) connect to MacOS device (mine is latest version of MacOS)
3) go to MIDI App and see wich bitdepth/sampling rate is listed
4) try to set other sampling rate and see what happens (e.g. from 192 kHz to 44.1 kHz or vice-versa)

in my case I can see a click from inside Adept, the unit disappears for a second, a click again, then the unit appears again but with the initial sampling rate.

Instead, if I put the unit in standby mode (only red led ON on the front), i can see the unit in MIDI, change sampling rate and all is fine. When I power on the unit the new sampling rete is set permanently in the unit memory.

 

[marc_n]

if you can, please try that:

1) power up Adept
2) connect to MacOS device (mine is latest version of MacOS)
3) go to MIDI App and see wich bitdepth/sampling rate is listed
4) try to set other sampling rate and see what happens (e.g. from 192 kHz to 44.1 kHz or vice-versa)

in my case I can see a click from inside Adept, the unit disappears for a second, a click again, then the unit appears again but with the initial sampling rate.

Instead, if I put the unit in standby mode (only red led ON on the front), i can see the unit in MIDI, change sampling rate and all is fine. When I power on the unit the new sampling rete is set permanently in the unit memory.

I am on the road these weeks, so not much of a help right now. Maybe someone else on macOS can jump in?

 

[nothingman]

yes. Already tested, doesn't work. The remote is dead or the IR receiver is faulty. Luckily I don't need to tune digital volume. MC gain is already set at MAX and the Vendor stated that digital volume is maxxed already at default. In this situation with a cartridge that outputs 0,3 mV, I'm far from clipping so no need to reduce anything. Anyway I would suggest the developer to add an alternate way to set digital volume. My case apart, if the remote fails somewhen, you have no chance to set it. Is there a way to set digital volume acting somewhere on the PCB, opening the box?

Aren’t you going to make them replace the remote or whole unit with one that works?