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

some times you gotta do what you gotta do...
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Looking for a new DAC that can also be used as a preamp and direct connect to active speakers. Is there any better choice than the RME? Is the preamp high gain?
 
Looking for a new DAC that can also be used as a preamp and direct connect to active speakers. Is there any better choice than the RME? Is the preamp high gain?

If the speakers are active, why would you need high gain?
 
If the speakers are active, why would you need high gain?
You misunderstood … I am not referring to amplifier level gain …You still want a preamp with high gain to drive the active speaker line level inputs … often DACs with advertised volume control capability are lower gain and really not a suitable preamp replacement. Actually, is the volume control on the balanced outs also, or only the headphone out?
 
Looking for a new DAC that can also be used as a preamp and direct connect to active speakers. Is there any better choice than the RME? Is the preamp high gain?
I am going down the same road and will be going RME to act as the preamplifier. Another consideration for you and one that made it a slam dunk for me is how RME utilizes AutoRef. You can read about this in this post from @MC_RME.
 
You misunderstood … I am not referring to amplifier level gain …You still want a preamp with high gain to drive the active speaker line level inputs … often DACs with advertised volume control capability are lower gain and really not a suitable preamp replacement. Actually, is the volume control on the balanced outs also, or only the headphone out?

I wouldn't consider needing to reach line level or slightly above it high gain, I'd call that mandatory!


from the manual about volume control

The encoders can be turned endlessly, but also pressed, adding a push button function. The
current functionality of all encoders is shown in the display. The big Volume knob usually controls volume for all outputs.

each output has reference levels as well
Line Output: Ref Level
Sets the reference level for the analog outputs. Choices are -5 dBu, +1 dBu, +7 dBu, +13 dBu atthe RCA output, referenced to digital full scale level (0 dBFS). The levels at the XLR output are 6dB higher, +1 dBu, +7 dBu, +13 dBu, +19 dBu.

Phones: Hi-Power
OFF, ON. Default: OFF. Reference level for 0 dBFS is +7 dBu at the output. With Hi-Power onreference level is 15 dB higher, +22 dBu.

IEM: No choice. The output IEM uses a fixed reference level of -3 dBu.

Auto Ref Level
ON, Off. Default: ON. See chapter 19.3 for details.
 
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Looking for a new DAC that can also be used as a preamp and direct connect to active speakers. Is there any better choice than the RME? Is the preamp high gain?
RME ADI-2 DAC FS owner. Active speaker owner (2 pairs, soon three). Passive preamp owner. Power amplifier owner. Tried headphone amplifiers as well.

Bottom line: RME is all I needed after trying many different equipment configurations, flavours and technologies. This for a preamp, headphone amp, DAC with the PEQ being a "must" have and so much more...but I digress.

The RME is quite outstanding with powered monitors as the output impedance is very low (100 Ohm RCA, 200 Ohm balanced): these drive my Genelec, Yamaha and soon Neumann powered monitors with ease.

PS: A friend of mine and I are doing test to lock the RME at higher output levels to note how this impacts musical enjoyment. We do this with a variety of external preamps such as Benchmark LA4, Schiit Kara and Khozmo passive pre): the verdict is still out. That is how good the RME is and has displaced expensive separate dac-preamp combos and not just mine, but a couple of my audiophile buddies as well.

Best of luck going forward.
 
A friend of mine and I are doing test to lock the RME at higher output levels to note how this impacts musical enjoyment.
If you don't hear noise, then you don't have any DR problem.
 
Another RME ADI-FS 2 owner here. It feeds a power amplifier with all the gain one might want.

But I currently have a preamp between the two components, and the volume controls as a pair may be of interest here.

I prefer the sound with the Van Alstine Transcendence RB 10 tube preamp in the path. So I keep its volume knob near full volume. To keep volume out of the speakers in reasonable territory, it is necessary to set the RME volume down as much as -35 dB (it depends on the source stream or .flac). If you study the RME manual, it makes a good case that audible details of the sound are not lost (unlike a typical analog pot such as the one in the Transcendence and unlike many DACs).
 
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Another RME ADI-FS 2 owner here. It feeds a power amplifier with all the gain one might want.

But I currently have a preamp between the two components, and the volume controls as a pair may be of interest here.

I prefer the sound with the Van Alstine Transcendence RB 10 tube preamp in the path. So I keep its volume knob near full volume. To keep volume out of the speakers in reasonable territory, it is necessary to set the RME volume down as much as -35 dB (it depends on the source stream or .flac). If you study the RME manual, it makes a good case that audible details of the sound are not lost (unlike a typical analog pot such as the one in the Transcendence and unlike many DACs).
We are doing the opposite: increasing the volume of the RME and use preamps to adjust the volume as desired. Interesting discussions.
 
If you don't hear noise, then you don't have any DR problem.
There is more to it than noise, and this tested on two separate systems with high end components.

I think we need to make further tests and revisit some data.

In my case, and it's not conclusive, but with my RME locked at a higher volume, it "seems" to offer greater dynamics. But I need to spend more time with more material to come to a sensible conclusion. And of course my standard condition applies: just one opinion.
 
I am looking for a dac+amp for Hifiman he1000se. Is RME ADI-2 DAC FS still the best bang for the buck around 1000,- euro in Europe?
 
I am looking for a dac+amp for Hifiman he1000se. Is RME ADI-2 DAC FS still the best bang for the buck around 1000,- euro in Europe?
Depends on what you mean with 'best'. Dac+amp+feature-wise: probably. But if all you need is really dac+amp there are a bunch of cheaper options which perform just as well.
 
Every now and then I see a cheaper alternative that might do the job, but in my opinion that’s still an excellent option, with many useful features, convenient and reliable. As someone who often overthink it and feel like I need to justify this kind of expense, I actually should have bought it earlier. Maybe I would go for the pro version with digital outputs.
 
Another REM ADI-2 DAC user here. I think it is superb. I use it as a DAC and as a preamp, or, to put it another way, as a modern preamp with digital rather than analogue inputs. It indeed has all the features of a classic preamp, such as balance and tone controls, plus a lot more, such as parametric filters, dynamic loudness, and much more. Inserting a preamp after the ADI-2 can only degrade the signal. And yes, it can produce more output than just about any preamp. What is there not to like?
 
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