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

[RalphB]

To make sure that no product revision will be released in the near future, thereby avoiding buyer's remorse that may come from buying one now.

I like it

 

[RalphB]

My goal, in the short or medium term, is to acquire an RME — either the current version at around €800 or a more refined new version, at whatever price they set. After all, no device, however excellent, is ever final, and I’m quite sure I’m not the only one looking forward to its next evolution.

Good luck to you

 

[respice finem]

OK I was "scrooge" enough not to buy two units - maybe I will buy a second unit for my secondary setup, when a successor is there and the price of the old model comes down. More refined, well, I won't hear it at my age, that's for sure. For me to buy that hypothetical successor at an even higher price, would require more and interesting functionality to make sense. So, most probably it won't happen.

 

[RalphB]

OK I was "scrooge" enough not to buy two units - maybe I will buy a second unit for my secondary setup, when a successor comes and the price comes down.
More refined, well, I won't hear it at my age, that's for sure. For me to buy that hypothetical successor at an even higher price, would require more and interesting functionality to make sense. So, most probably it won't happen.

I can see that. I went through the same thought process. Still, tempted to buy another.

 

[respice finem]

For me the benefit would be to have EQ for all sources in my living room setup, but the room is "underwhelming" acoustically anyway, and I won't treat it (200 years old furniture doesn't blend with absorbers and diffusers). So I just have an el cheapo living room setup downstairs and the "serious" setup with the RME is upstairs. Maybe I should put up a signature with all my "junk" to clarify, been too lazy until now (done)

 

[RalphB]

For me the benefit would be to have EQ for all sources in my living room setup, but the room is "underwhelming" acoustically anyway, and I won't treat it (200 years old furniture doesn't blend with absorbers and diffusers). So I just have an el cheapo living room setup downstairs and the "serious" setup upstairs. Maybe I should put up a signature with all my "junk" to clarify, been too lazy until now.

They don't make furniture like they used to. Keep the furniture and use EQ.

 

[respice finem]

My family would lynch my ass if I sold the heritage furniture. And rightly so.

 

[masterhw]

We need not get nasty or personally defend the honour of brands and products. The RME is superb, thats why we're all interested. But its also conceivable that after many years, and with significant catchup from competition, that the ADI-2 hardware could be iterated. I have absolute confidence in RME engineers' own abilities to identify room for improvement... the customer may not be able to fathom further improvement but I promise you the engineer always can.

 

[amper42]

We need not get nasty or personally defend the honour of brands and products. The RME is superb, thats why we're all interested. But its also conceivable that after many years, and with significant catchup from competition, that the ADI-2 hardware could be iterated. I have absolute confidence in RME engineers' own abilities to identify room for improvement... the customer may not be able to fathom further improvement but I promise you the engineer always can.

I haven't found another DAC that offers the Loudness control options found in the ADI-2 DAC FS at any price point. Some have implemented EQ. Some well, some poorly, but no one offers expanded Loudness control options like ADI-2 DAC FS. AND no other product offers computer control in real time for these settings. As far as I'm concerned, RME is still light years ahead of the competition. I have tried many of them.

I can make a speaker sound exactly the way I want with the RME Loudness control, and do it while playing my favorite tunes. My lowly BMR Montors can be configured to sound within 90% of my REVEL F328Be speakers using the ADI-2 app. It's absolutely amazing and doesn't require immense study to accomplish. After I discovered how easy this was, I realized I could save thousands simply using an ADI-2 DAC FS on each setup rather than always looking for that special speaker to achieve my desired sound. No other tool works this well and offers a Loudness curve to keep that timbre intact through soft and loud passages.

Many audio fans are still looking for a special sound for their system. If they only had the RME ADI-2 DAC FS and knew how to use the ADI-2 app Loudness configuration their search would likely be over. It was for me. I can't do that with any other hardware. $1,000 for that capability is a bargain.

I'm sure engineers will always come up with new features and "improvements" but if the current feature set froze on the ADI-2 DAC FS I would still gladly hand over my $1000 for each new unit. It's that good. Nothing else comes close in my testing.

 

[masterhw]

I haven't found another DAC that offers the Loudness control options found in the ADI-2 DAC FS at any price point. Some have implemented EQ. Some well, some poorly, but no one offers expanded Loudness control options like ADI-2 DAC FS. AND no other product offers computer control in real time for these settings. As far as I'm concerned, RME is still light years ahead of the competition. I have tried many of them.

I can make a speaker sound exactly the way I want with the RME Loudness control, and do it while playing my favorite tunes. My lowly BMR Montors can be configured to sound within 90% of my REVEL F328Be speakers using the ADI-2 app. It's absolutely amazing and doesn't require immense study to accomplish. After I discovered how easy this was, I realized I could save thousands simply using an ADI-2 DAC FS on each setup rather than always looking for that special speaker to achieve my desired sound. No other tool works this well and offers a Loudness curve to keep that timbre intact through soft and loud passages.

Many audio fans are still looking for a special sound for their system. If they only had the RME ADI-2 DAC FS and knew how to use the ADI-2 app Loudness configuration their search would likely be over. It was for me. I can't do that with any other hardware. $1,000 for that capability is a bargain.

I'm sure engineers will always come up with new features and "improvements" but if the current feature set froze on the ADI-2 DAC FS I would still gladly hand over my $1000 for each new unit. It's that good. Nothing else comes close in my testing.

AcourateConvolver can do that in software. Yes I would prefer to have it in hardware as well, but there are alternative options. If performing EQ in software then you have a wide range of good headphone combo dac/amp options, many of which a fraction of the price.

 

[RalphB]

I do think we are expecting too much with all the upgrades. We've gotten used to upgrading our phones and computers every few years. Even when we reach SINAD perfection, we still demand better. Every time ESS upgrades their DACs we have another milestone to reach. As Rhett Butler said in Gone with the Wind, "frankly, I don't give a damn".

 

[napfkuchen]

Sound quality: 100%
amp power: plenty, maybe some improvement possible?
auto-dark display: check
display-technology: maybe OLED as an upgrade?
remote: check
remote-app for easy setup: check
awesome loudness function: check

Overall I think this product sets the bar very high in almost any functional aspect. For me this is endgame regarding industrial design, sound quality and user experience (since the app was released). Other companies are launching new product versions in ever shorter time frames. This is evident, for example, in the release of new Android versions, where it's no longer about making something better, but simply different from what was before. So the focus is less on genuine added and instead on generating new revenue (and thereby reducing the monetary value of older products). Hate this!
I feel the same way about the ADI2 DAC as I do about my Genelec speakers, which don't get a regular facelift either. These aren't short-lived fashion accessories. Even when I bought them, I knew they would definitely last for 10+ years.

 

[respice finem]

BTW, my phone is nearly 5 years old, and if it wasn't for the security of my banking apps, I would still have its predecessor.

 

[respice finem]

LCD longevity is better than OLED AFAIK, so it would probably be a "sidegrade". From an actual user perspective, I might want two things, one would be a metal remote matching the solid feel of the unit itself. And, for very "troubled" rooms, maybe 2-3 EQ channels more.

 

[RalphB]

Sound quality: 100%
amp power: plenty, maybe some improvement possible?
auto-dark display: check
display-technology: maybe OLED as an upgrade?
remote: check
remote-app for easy setup: check
awesome loudness function: check

Overall I think this product sets the bar very high in almost any functional aspect. For me this is endgame regarding industrial design, sound quality and user experience (since the app was released). Other companies are launching new product versions in ever shorter time frames. This is evident, for example, in the release of new Android versions, where it's no longer about making something better, but simply different from what was before. So the focus is less on genuine added and instead on generating new revenue (and thereby reducing the monetary value of older products). Hate this!
I feel the same way about the ADI2 DAC as I do about my Genelec speakers, which don't get a regular facelift either. These aren't short-lived fashion accessories. Even when I bought them, I knew they would definitely last for 10+ years.

I totally agree. Some of these companies that revise their product every few years don't always improve then. RME designers have improved their specs above the DAC chip mfg specs. This is a sign of good engineering and very few companies can do this.

 

[masterhw]

The Topping DX5 II has certainly had a troubled launch, but once those issues are worked through it probably represents some of the strongest competition to the RME ADI-2 DAC. If you don’t absolutely need hardware loudness correction, or potentially the app/remote, it does basically everything else at least as well as the RME. Even has “Hi-Res” bluetooth.

Wouldn’t be shocked if Topping does loudness correction in the next couple years either, I think that would reasonable to expect as the next major step in their commitment to hardware EQ.
Yes some of you would still choose RME and that’s allowed, but enough would balk at the roughly 2x premium that I imagine it would put this product in a tough place. I wouldn’t be waiting around for Topping to eat my lunch.

 

[RalphB]

The Topping DX5 II has certainly had a troubled launch, but once those issues are worked through it probably represents some of the strongest competition to the RME ADI-2 DAC. If you don’t absolutely need loudness correction, or potentially the app/remote, it does basically everything else at least as well as the RME. Even has “Hi-Res” bluetooth.

Wouldn’t be shocked if Topping does loudness correction in the next couple years either, I think that would reasonable to expect as the next major step in their commitment to hardware EQ.
Yes some of you would still choose RME and that’s allowed, but enough would balk at the roughly 2x premium that I imagine it would put this product in a tough place. I wouldn’t be waiting around for Topping to eat my lunch.

What's for lunch?

 

[respice finem]

@masterhw Loudness, yes, and while they're at it, crossfeed. And a coffee machine for the next generation

 

[amper42]

The Topping DX5 II has certainly had a troubled launch, but once those issues are worked through it probably represents some of the strongest competition to the RME ADI-2 DAC. If you don’t absolutely need hardware loudness correction, or potentially the app/remote, it does basically everything else at least as well as the RME. Even has “Hi-Res” bluetooth.

Wouldn’t be shocked if Topping does loudness correction in the next couple years either, I think that would reasonable to expect as the next major step in their commitment to hardware EQ.
Yes some of you would still choose RME and that’s allowed, but enough would balk at the roughly 2x premium that I imagine it would put this product in a tough place. I wouldn’t be waiting around for Topping to eat my lunch.

In my opinion, the DX5 II doesn't come close to the ADI-2 DAC FS. The Topping remote that comes with it is fatally flawed. It requires laser focus and is junk compared to ADI-2 DAC FS. Saying, "if you don't need "Loudness control" then something else will do." Is like saying if you don't mind pedaling a bike you really don't need a car in a 50 mile range metropolitan setting. It leaves you without - in every way.

Once I fully understood the RME Loudness feature and experienced it's power while playing back my favorite music in realtime - it was impossible to be satisfied giving up that control. Basically, if you have used it, no one is taking it out of your hands. It's not even a consideration.

People that say this or that product will do the same thing obviously haven't experienced the full impact of the RME Loudness feature and likely don't understand what they are missing.

 

[masterhw]

People that say this or that product will do the same thing obviously haven't experienced the full impact of the RME Loudness feature and likely don't understand what they are missing.

Yeah you're right, cause this feature is limited to literally one product in the entire world which otherwise doesn't do much more than devices half its price. How am I supposed to experience it!? I entertained other RME audio interfaces but lost interest when I realized they didn't have the feature either. Its difficult to justify in 2025 when I can software emulate loudness correction and use whatever hardware I desire.