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

[Strumbringer]

Thanks, Gents. So, the NOS filter…according to the graphs on pages 55-56 of the manual, NOS mode appears to really roll off high frequencies more so than the other options. Is this NOS filter simulating what people are excited about with NOS R2R DACs?

 

[LTig]

Thanks, Gents. So, the NOS filter…according to the graphs on pages 55-56 of the manual, NOS mode appears to really roll off high frequencies more so than the other options. Is this NOS filter simulating what people are excited about with NOS R2R DACs?

I don't know, but it shows the best impulse response (for square signals which violate the Shannon theorem). If you don't know how digital audio works you can be fooled into thinking that this leads to better sound, which is not the case at all.

 

[Gibsonian]

I don't know, but it shows the best impulse response (for square signals which violate the Shannon theorem). If you don't know how digital audio works you can be fooled into thinking that this leads to better sound, which is not the case at all.

I like the sound in NOS mode. Why is a great impulse response not desirable in the digital world?

 

[LTig]

I like the sound in NOS mode. Why is a great impulse response not desirable in the digital world?

Because it is fake and comes with serious problems: mirror images are not suppressed, bad frequency response. It violates the Shannon theorem which is the base for transparency in digital audio in the first place.

And as I wrote: it shows the best impulse response for signals which violates the Shannon theorem, which means signals not existent in proper sampled recordings. With NOS mode you get the problems shown above without a real audible advantage over sharp filters.

I do own the ADI 2 PRO fs and use its NOS mode only for creating square root signals for testing electronics.

 

[danadam]

I like the sound in NOS mode. Why is a great impulse response not desirable in the digital world?

Here's a funny experiment (or maybe not ).

In the attachments, "music.orig.flac" is 10s snippet from "Ola Gjeilo / Piano Improvisations / Ubi Caritas" (in the past it was available in 2L's test bench at https://www.2l.no/hires/):

I down-sampled it to 12 kHz: "lowres.flac"

Then I up-sampled "lowres.flac" back to 48 kHz: "music.proper.flac"

Here's the impulse response of this process:

Let's try zero-order-hold resampling, which has this "great" impulse response:

"lowres.flac" up-sampled to 48 kHz using zero-order-hold: "music.zoh.flac":

Listen to "music.proper.flac" and "music.zoh.flac" and compare them to "music.orig.flac". It should be obvious that "great" impulse response gives very poor results. The only reason it may not be immediately audible when starting from 44.1 kHz sampling rate is that all the generated garbage lands in ultrasonics.

 

[oleg87]

I like the sound in NOS mode. Why is a great impulse response not desirable in the digital world?

I would not characterize it as "best", it just looks "clean" to someone who doesn't understand what they're looking at. Practical reconstruction of a sampled signal prescribed by the math would have something that looks like a sinc impulse response.

This does not mean you get something that looks like that when you feed a properly mastered audio signal through the DAC. As mentioned, the impulse is an "illegal" signal. Granted, plenty of music *isn't* properly mastered (ie, it has clipping), but there's no way NOS is a sensible tradeoff to avoid the filter ringing.

 

[delta76]

I am this close to buying this one. Some reasons not to?

my cheap SMSL C200 just went dead and I bit the bullet - now I'm one of us

 

[Roland68]

my cheap SMSL C200 just went dead and I bit the bullet - now I'm one of us

This seems to happen more often with SMSL devices, where these in-house cheap SMPS are soldered directly onto the circuit board in individual parts.

 

[delta76]

This seems to happen more often with SMSL devices, where these in-house cheap SMPS are soldered directly onto the circuit board in individual parts.

I have no idea, but their device is not built for repair, that's for sure. I had troubles opening it up so I gave it up.

On other hand, my RME arrived today, it's an used device, 5y on its neck, and oh boy. Looks like new, and the quality is there - quite impeccable when I touch it.
I was slightly disappointed when it could not get my H400se loud as the C200 could, but then I realized I need to switch to Hi-power mode. All good now.

A friend who also owns this thinks it's "on another level", quite typical audiophile belief. I just smiled

 

[Eyesluna]

Good morning everyone! I was able to get a 2nd hand AKM variant of the RME ADI 2 DAC FS. I already took a look at the manual and have downloaded the pertinent software. While I wait for it to ship I wanted to ask if anyone had any tips or advice to get the most out of it? My usage is going to be mainly with HD800s which I currently use only 2 bands of EQ for (50 hz peak and 100 hz low shelf), the IE 600 with no EQ and my LCD2C, which I do want to use more EQ on to get better treble. I also use a multi system of macOS and a windows machine so one of the main reasons I wanted the RME was to have the all in one solution with EQ so I didn't have to fiddle on my end more when swapping around. I also wanted to use crossfeed more.

A question I did have was, would it be possible to do something like being able to have different EQ profiles per output active at the same time? for example say the XLR out and for the 1/4 out applied at the same time? As in say I have my HD800s connected via the 1/4 out and then have an external amp connected via the XLR which in turns connects to my LCD2C.

 

[staticV3]

A question I did have was, would it be possible to do something like being able to have different EQ profiles per output active at the same time?

No. The ADI-2 DAC is a Stereo DAC and as such, can output only two distinct signals via its various outputs, or in other words one distinct Stereo signal.

For more, you'd need to upgrade to the ADI-2 Pro or ADI-2/4.

 

[Eyesluna]

No. The ADI-2 DAC is a Stereo DAC and as such, can output only two distinct signals via its various outputs, or in other words one distinct Stereo signal.

For more, you'd need to upgrade to the ADI-2 Pro or ADI-2/4.

I see, Thanks for letting me know. I suppose i'll need to go digging into the differences between the ADI line up.

 

[Eyesluna]

sorry to double post but does anyone have a universal remote they like to use with the RME ADI 2? The stock remote is fine but I'd like more options for more EQ profiles.

 

[sonitus mirus]

sorry to double post but does anyone have a universal remote they like to use with the RME ADI 2? The stock remote is fine but I'd like more options for more EQ profiles.

In the online manual you can get from RME's website, in section 9.2 Other Remote Controls, they have a zip file with a list of codes documented.

9.2 Other Remote Controls

The ADI-2/4 Pro SE can also be remotely controlled using third-party remote controls and custom IR transmitters. The well-known manufacturer Logitech has added the ADI-2/4 Pro SE to its remote control database. Others can use the codes documented here: http://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi24pro_ir_commands.zip Available are the original keys of the MRC and 52 Remap commands with direct access (without remapping).

A short discussion about remotes with a link to a model that someone was using, but I don't see that exact model for sale in the US.

Remote died for ADI-2 DAC (Page 1) — ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series — RME User Forum

Remote died for ADI-2 DAC (Page 1) — ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series — RME User Forum —

forum.rme-audio.de

 

[Eyesluna]

In the online manual you can get from RME's website, in section 9.2 Other Remote Controls, they have a zip file with a list of codes documented.

9.2 Other Remote Controls


A short discussion about remotes with a link to a model that someone was using, but I don't see that exact model for sale in the US.

Remote died for ADI-2 DAC (Page 1) — ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series — RME User Forum

Remote died for ADI-2 DAC (Page 1) — ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series — RME User Forum —

forum.rme-audio.de

Yeah I had seen that on forum prior but it left me with more questions. Do you need a Logitech harmony remote to have access to 31 reprogrammable buttons or does any universal remote work?

 

[Egbert]

Anybody found a "nicer" remote for the RME? After around 1 year of use I'm still fully satisfied with this small box. It's nearly impossible to find something with all the EQ/DSP functions, so for me it's the perfect preamp for a stereo system in an apartment.

Only the cheap feeling plastic remote feels a bit like out of place.

. You can download the RME app and use your i-pad to make all adjustments to the RME Dac in a very accessible way.

 

[respice finem]

Anybody found a "nicer" remote for the RME? After around 1 year of use I'm still fully satisfied with this small box. It's nearly impossible to find something with all the EQ/DSP functions, so for me it's the perfect preamp for a stereo system in an apartment.

Only the cheap feeling plastic remote feels a bit like out of place.

The visually identical "successor" has a metal top. I know because I have two RME ADI-2 DAC - one 5 years old and one new.

 

[wavetrade]

I tried a cheap programable/learning remote off Amazon. Couldn't get it to work.

 

[Eyesluna]

I was actually thinking that something like an IR hub which you can then control via your phone or another remote might actually work great in this situation having given it some thought. I actually don't have an issue with the remote it feels fine in the hand to me, but I do wish there were more reprogrammable buttons for various EQ profiles.

 

[respice finem]

I'm not quite sure if it's really IR? It works without having to "aim" at the unit.
The description states it is IR:

RME MRC (Multi-Remote-Control) for ADI-2 Series - RME Audio Interfaces | Format Converters | Preamps | Network Audio & MADI Solutions

RME Audio Professional Live, Studio, Recording and Broadcast Solutions. Unrivalled Quality, Performance & Stability MADI Interfaces, Converters & Preamps.

rme-audio.de

P.S. It is indeed IR, as the "camera test" shows.