RME ADI-2 FS Version 2 DAC and Headphone Amp Review

[Svperstar]

Use the shap filter for accuracy, or the NOS for colouration

Yes but what about the brickwall filter?

 

[rbg]

Finally found smth I hate about this dac: it is so light so the force needed to switch the unit on by pressing the power button is enough to move it. I have to use other fingers to push it down on hold it from moving. Super annoying! Other from that super happy with the dac . I think audiophiles have some magic aluminum “presses” to improve the sound. May look at AliExpress

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Finally found smth I hate about this dac: it is so light so the force needed to switch the unit on by pressing the power button is enough to move it. I have to use other fingers to push it down on hold it from moving. Super annoying! Other from that super happy with the dac . I think audiophiles have some magic aluminum “presses” to improve the sound. May look at AliExpress

That’s what the audiophile crystals are for at several k each.

 

[JanesJr1]

Finally found smth I hate about this dac: it is so light so the force needed to switch the unit on by pressing the power button is enough to move it. I have to use other fingers to push it down on hold it from moving. Super annoying! Other from that super happy with the dac . I think audiophiles have some magic aluminum “presses” to improve the sound. May look at AliExpress

I use a velcro strip under my also-slip-slide Atom components. Costs cents, works perfectly.

However, I see the ADI has feet... maybe a small square of one of the thinner velcros on the bottom of each of the feet? Or use one of the more robust versions of two-sided tape ...

Sounds gimmicky, but I know that curing this little thing -- the slipping -- is a real peace-of-mind thing, once you've done it....

 

[Willem]

Yes but what about the brickwall filter?

I have the somewhat older AKM version and it has a so-called sharp filter that has a flat response to just above 20 kHz and then falls off like from a cliff. This is how it should be and is the default setting. My manual gives frequency response graphs for the various filters. I assume that the "brickwall filter" is the ESS equivalent of the AKM sharp fiter. NOS is the filter for audiophiles who prefer to ruin the perfect sound quality of the default setting.

 

[Trell]

I use a velcro strip under my also-slip-slide Atom components. Costs cents, works perfectly.

However, I see the ADI has feet... maybe a small square of one of the thinner velcros on the bottom of each of the feet? Or use one of the more robust versions of two-sided tape ...

Sounds gimmicky, but I know that curing this little thing -- the slipping -- is a real peace-of-mind thing, once you've done it....

One could also put more grippy rubber on feet of the DAC. There are non-slip pads that are self-adhesive on one side rust one can try.

 

[Veri]

NOS is the filter for audiophiles who prefer to ruin the perfect sound quality of the default setting.

Ha-ha agreed at low/ 44kHz but I guess there's also those that want to upsample through some other device. I guess HQPlayer is also popular among those audiophiles but I don't really get the need for such fancy filtering. But if they rely on it I suppose they'll set the internal filtering to 'OFF' .

 

[MC_RME]

I have the somewhat older AKM version and it has a so-called sharp filter that has a flat response to just above 20 kHz and then falls off like from a cliff. This is how it should be and is the default setting. My manual gives frequency response graphs for the various filters. I assume that the "brickwall filter" is the ESS equivalent of the AKM sharp fiter. NOS is the filter for audiophiles who prefer to ruin the perfect sound quality of the default setting.

Unfortunately that is not fully correct. All AKMs have relaxed filters, exactly like measured by Amir all the time, slightly above 1/2 sample rate. The ESS chip either has Brickwall (filter by the book, full attenuation at 1/2 sample rate), or allows us to add it (AKM does not).

 

[40th Anniversary]

The version of the RME ADI-2 FS DAC is not printed on the box. It is shown on the back serial number of the unit in the form of a sticker. If it has a "B" listed after the serial number it's the AK4493 chip and you have the larger remote and SD filter. If it has a "C" after the serial number you have the ESS chip.

Here is what the RME User's Guide page 4 discloses about versions:
"ADI-2 DACs with AK4493 and ES9028Q2M are neither sonically nor visually easily distinguishable. However, the ESS version is recognized by a small C at the end of the serial number sticker (B stood for AKM 4493). Furthermore, the units differ in the available filters. The unit with AKM has a filter called Short Delay Low Dispersion, while the one with ESS has a filter called Brick- wall (the other filters, SD Sharp, SD Slow, Sharp, Slow, NOS, are identical). Further Chip dependent differences are mentioned in this manual."

I have 2 RME ADI-2 DAC FS. None of them have a 'B' in the serial #. However the newer one has the newer remote + the SDLP filter: hence I think it has the 4493 DAC. This way I can identify which one is newer. Very useful information about the SDLP filter. Now, what does this filter do? Selling my original ADI-2 DAC FS and upgrading it to an ADI-2 PRO FSR Black Edition: just needed the analog input + the ability to rip old tape to digital.

 

[40th Anniversary]

Yep.
My ADI-2 Pro fs and Pro R fs are set on amber since firmware allowed it.

And the latest firmware I upgraded to offers monochromatic, Red and Orange colours. Crazy!

 

[MC_RME]

You are a bit far behind

The SDLD filter is decribed in the manual, including what it does.

 

[40th Anniversary]

You are a bit far behind

The SDLD filter is decribed in the manual, including what it does.

I own an original ADI-2 DAC FS. I read the manual. I purchased a second one with the new chip + remote: I Never bothered to read the newer book. My bad!

 

[40th Anniversary]

Update: moved the newer ADI-2 DAC FS with the SD LP filter to my main system tonight: tried it tonight. I Liked it.

 

[DJ LP]

I've always pondered a dac only version.

I know I'm late to this post but I just sent RME an email asking do they make such a product. It would sell. Many of us already have amps and would just like to use dsp features to try and make headphones, which most of spend thousands of dollars on, sound more like how we want them to. Most of what you purchase in the headphone world doesn't allow tone adjustments, which is crazy. For those who don't like using them, just bypass them. Also, some, like myself do not use my headphones with a computer, which I know allows tone adjustments.

 

[DJ LP]

Actually he measured v 3.4. I would like to explain that these are just PCB version numbers, not model version numbers (then we would print them outside). The differences between these PCBs are very small, don't change the Tech Specs at all, and are mostly caused by components no longer available requiring to change soldering pads, or other small changes. Nothing to worry about. The Pro also has an upcounting number of PCB versions, and again nothing to worry about.

And as ShiZo just asked: the AK4493 equipped ADI-2 DAC started with PCB 3.3.

Hello. Separate question from the post above. Do you make a RME ADI FS DAC without the built in amps? Even though what you make is excellent, there would also be marketplace for what I'm asking about. For those who already have amps or who's headphones require more power than what you units provide, that would fill that niche.

 

[aurron]

hi, I recently got the RME ADI 2 DAC fs.
This is connected to the PC via USB and the PC with HDMI to the LG C1.
The LG C1 is also connected to the ADI 2 with opt.

I noticed that when I change the sound output from usb to TV (opt) in Windows and on the Adi 2, it sounds louder via opt.
What could be the reason? Settings are the same.

Thanks

 

[theblackangus]

One could also put more grippy rubber on feet of the DAC. There are non-slip pads that are self-adhesive on one side rust one can try.

Open the case up and put a few lbs of lead in there. (I too like heavy electronics, for no apparent reason other than, it feels good)

 

[Jimbob54]

Regarding the headroom in this thing to allow for DSP (20dB or so?). Does this mean if I EQ at source and apply some large gain filters , the DAC wont ever clip? Or does the headroom only apply to any DSP done internally?

In other words, is adding a negative preamp at source to allow for positive gain filters utterly pointless if this DAC is used?

 

[unpluggged]

Regarding the headroom in this thing to allow for DSP (20dB or so?)

It's actually 24 dB.

Does this mean if I EQ at source and apply some large gain filters , the DAC wont ever clip?

No. The 24 dB headroom belongs to the DSP. The DAC headroom in analog domain is 2.5 dB for line out and 1 dB for the headphone out. So if you feed the RME with full-scale digital signal, it should not clip in the RME, but will probably clip in the digital domain at the source, depending on the signal. And you cannot exceed 0 dBFS in the first place, so what you suggest makes little sense, because digital EQ filters will reach full scale and clip the signal before it is sent to the DAC.

This is similar to very high DR recording techniques that utilize two or more ADCs and record in floating-point format: although their DR in the digital domain is practically unlimited, the DR of the transducer still is, so it's possible to clip, say, the microphone with a 120 dB SPL signal way before you reach digital saturation that would occur at much higher levels. And such a recording would still be unusable.

 

[Jimbob54]

It's actually 24 dB.


No. The 24 dB headroom belongs to the DSP. The DAC headroom in analog domain is 2.5 dB for line out and 1 dB for the headphone out. So if you feed the RME with full-scale digital signal, it should not clip in the RME, but will probably clip in the digital domain at the source, depending on the signal. And you cannot exceed 0 dBFS in the first place, so what you suggest makes little sense, because digital EQ filters will reach full scale and clip the signal before it is sent to the DAC.

This is similar to very high DR recording techniques that utilize two or more ADCs and record in floating-point format: although their DR in the digital domain is practically unlimited, the DR of the transducer still is, so it's possible to clip, say, the microphone with a 120 dB SPL signal way before you reach digital saturation that would occur at much higher levels. And such a recording would still be unusable.

Makes perfect sense. Couple of beers last night and got to thinking I could claw back some headroom- wrongly!