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

[VintageFlanker]

For all I know there once was an older non FS version.

Nope:

• RME ADI-2 DAC FS
• RME ADI-2 DAC FS v2
• RME ADI-2 Pro
• RME ADI-2 Pro FS
• RME ADI-2 Pro FS Anniversary
• RME ADI-2
• RME ADI-2 FS

 

[CMB]

Oh gosh, I stepped in this debacle...
Shame on me - How could I? shhhhh ...
I should have known it better, after all these threads about this .
Thanks to VintageFlanker for keeping this straight with so much endurance.

I meant the pro version.

Best regards to all
Sorry for this mess

 

[joeinabox]

I've been wanting to upgrade my SMSL SU-8 V2 that's feeding my Monolith THX-AAA-887 and, of course, the RME ADI-2 DAC FS V2 has been calling my name for a while. It was in consideration when I got the SU-8 v2 but I went with what my budget permitted. Now, that itch started up again last week and I' on the cusp of clicking that ''Complete Your Order'' button but of course, I'm hesitating. Maybe you could help.

My main question is; Is the RME ADI-2 DAC FS ver.2 still in 2020, one of or even the best DAC/AMP in it's price range (under 2000$) when considering the competition like Topping D90, S.M.S.L. M400, SMSL SU-9, Sabaj D5? Most of these are extremely quiet, most have Bluetooth (not a deal breaker) and they're all significantly cheaper than the RME. Then there's stuff like the Mytek product line but I have an issue with spending that much on a DAC. Just the screen and adjustment possibilities is enough to get me to geek out (I love to see those bouncing lines). I would keep my THX-AAA-887 since I have a couple hard to drive headphones with balanced cables.

So, is the RME ADI-2 DAC FS ver.2 still the king of the under 1500$ hill in 2020?

 

[MadMan]

As just a line-level DAC? Not really...it's the additional features that set it apart.

 

[infinitesymphony]

The real benefit to the RMEs is the extra stuff you can do with them, like making custom parametric EQ curve presets. And the headphone amp seems to be pretty good. If you're already covered for DSP and amping, there are better value prospects.

 

[Matias]

To me the killer feature in the ADI-2 is the AutoRef more than the PEQ and stuff. As he said, try to lower the volume some 20dB in the ADI-2 and the other digital volume DACs and see now who is king of the SINAD hill.

 

[ElNino]

If you're just looking at measured performance, the overall performance as measured by Amir is a hair behind the D90 and its really top-of-the-line friends via USB. However, there are still a couple of areas where the RME is measurably ahead:

* via S/PDIF, the RME has a little better jitter performance because it uses a steerable clock (DDS) rather than a traditional receiver architecture (this is especially true with respect to something like the M400)... but the advantage even there is almost certainly inaudible;

* if you can make use of higher output voltages in your system, the RME's autoref volume control (i.e., multiple gains+digital volume seamlessly integrated) preserves SINAD across a wider range of volumes than just a pure digital volume control.

But really, the reason to buy it is for the features (actual bass/treble knobs, parametric EQ, continuously variable loudness EQ, ability to feed it an S/PDIF signal and loop it through a full-duplex, low-latency processing loop on your computer, the bit-perfect testing function, the live graphic real-time analyzer, etc.)

 

[win]

Just a consideration, you could get an SHD Studio + 1 (or two) very simple DACs and have a shitload of functionality

 

[SimpleTheater]

So, is the RME ADI-2 DAC FS ver.2 still the king of the under 1500$ hill in 2020?

Based on measured performance there is not a human being capable of hearing a difference between the RME ADI-2 and a Topping D90 or anything else (regardless of price being above or below $1,500).

We've gotten to the point, thanks @amirm , where you can now choose a product based on price point and features, knowing all the while that you're getting completely transparent sound.

For me, the RME ADI-2 DAC filled multiple issues, and is the reason I purchased one. My reasons (which may not matter squat to you) were:
1. Very powerful headphone amp (I have some hard to drive headphones)
2. Built EQ (this is actually the #1 reason) because no headphone is perfect. I can have five different EQ settings a click away depending on which headphone I'm using (and that's just five for the headphone output) (there are over 20 EQ presets). I've eq'd my desktop speakers as well.

There are a ton of other reasons, but those didn't matter to me much (e.g. I don't use balance outputs), but I'm certain it was a reason for someone else.

Good luck, you can't go wrong in the market today if you get something that meets your needs.

 

[micard]

Itching so bad to get this, I had bought the Dx3 Pro for my AKG K812 and been quite happy since. It fit my budget back then. But there is nothing to play around with, however
Two questions before pulling the trigger:
1. I understand a good DAC itself is transparent (both Dx3 Pro and ADI-2 should be) but the AMP stage maybe not *so* much (warm, analytic, musicality, etc.). Myself, I cannot hear a difference between my Dx3 Pro, NX4DSD or the D50s+Creek IA. I can easily hear when e.g. the K812 are plugged directly in my onboard soundcard or directly into the iphone. I can also "mostly" hear the difference between 256kbit aac and tidal hifi tracks. But most of all i hear a huge difference between the K812 and all my cheaper headphones (jabra from work, bose IEM, wife's sony wh-1000xm3 sennheiser gaming headset, etc.). However I am very unsure about all that talk for different quality for higher end hifi-equipment.
--> Can I expect *any* audible improvement with the ADI-2 over e.g. the Dx3 pro? Would you call it crazy to buy a 1k€ DAC/AMP for headphones that cost less? (For the same amount of money i could also get e.g. an ugly Stax SRS-3100 set...)
2. Main reason why want to upgrade is the additional DSP features, of course. It's hard to judge tho, if this is worth it. I am coming from a point where i detested anything DSP or sound altering, because, in my experience, the only way is downwards regarding transparency/clarity. Now at the point to question this again, especially after reading all the positive reviews of the ADI-2
--> Is all the DSP features really worth it?

 

[vma]

I am a new owner, perhaps is there a user of AKG K701 headphones who might recommend me EQ settings. Thank you.

 

[dfuller]

--> Can I expect *any* audible improvement with the ADI-2 over e.g. the Dx3 pro? Would you call it crazy to buy a 1k€ DAC/AMP for headphones that cost less? (For the same amount of money i could also get e.g. an ugly Stax SRS-3100 set...)

Probably not. Though, the headphone amp is more powerful, if you have high impedance or low sensitivity headphones that could be useful.

--> Is all the DSP features really worth it?

Yes. It's very nice having a built in parametric. I don't really bother with the rest, but that alone is worth the cost of admission.

 

[Willem]

And then there are the dynamic loudness, the balance and tone controls, the auto reference level, and the sheer quality and support.

 

[LTig]

Itching so bad to get this, I had bought the Dx3 Pro for my AKG K812 and been quite happy since. It fit my budget back then. But there is nothing to play around with, however
Two questions before pulling the trigger:
1. I understand a good DAC itself is transparent (both Dx3 Pro and ADI-2 should be) but the AMP stage maybe not *so* much (warm, analytic, musicality, etc.). Myself, I cannot hear a difference between my Dx3 Pro, NX4DSD or the D50s+Creek IA. I can easily hear when e.g. the K812 are plugged directly in my onboard soundcard or directly into the iphone. I can also "mostly" hear the difference between 256kbit aac and tidal hifi tracks. But most of all i hear a huge difference between the K812 and all my cheaper headphones (jabra from work, bose IEM, wife's sony wh-1000xm3 sennheiser gaming headset, etc.). However I am very unsure about all that talk for different quality for higher end hifi-equipment.
--> Can I expect *any* audible improvement with the ADI-2 over e.g. the Dx3 pro? Would you call it crazy to buy a 1k€ DAC/AMP for headphones that cost less? (For the same amount of money i could also get e.g. an ugly Stax SRS-3100 set...)
2. Main reason why want to upgrade is the additional DSP features, of course. It's hard to judge tho, if this is worth it. I am coming from a point where i detested anything DSP or sound altering, because, in my experience, the only way is downwards regarding transparency/clarity. Now at the point to question this again, especially after reading all the positive reviews of the ADI-2
--> Is all the DSP features really worth it?

I totally second @dfuller's posting #592.

 

[f1shb0n3]

RME ADI-2 DAC is pretty much the perfect desktop solution for speakers and headphones. You would not be able to hear any appreciable differences with other audibly transparent DACs, but RME is much more than a DAC and you _will_ hear the differences that matter:
- Having EQ settings separate for headphone and line out means you can have your headphones speakers EQ'd to perfection.
- Loudness feature allows you to listen at low volumes later at night while preserving the fidelity of the sound. Dynamically boosts the lows and highs in a defined range making the transition between higher and lower volumes seamless, compensating for the quirks of human sound perception.
- Crossfeed for headphones. Took me awhile to appreciate the benefits of that but wow, what a difference it makes for certain songs. Have you had the stereo image of a song be so dynamic going left and right so aggressively that it makes your eyelids spin? Crossfeed makes headphones sound more like speakers by bringing certain frequencies to both ears and significantly reducing the eyelid spinning effect of these songs and overall creates a more enjoyable listening experience for headphones.
- Separate volume remembered for line out and headphones means you will not have your speakers explode in your face when you switch to them if you had your headphones at high volume as with many other preamps. Separate settings remembered and switched for everything else also - EQ, loudness, crossfeed, etc.
- Dedicated bass and treble controls with adjustable frequency and Q value. Want your earlobes vibrating or want "clarity" - just turn a knob.

Btw I learned to not be afraid of digital EQ - the massive improvement I can actually hear from it outweigh any theoretical drawbacks I've read. Not necessary for the perfect speaker in the perfect room from a perfect listening position, but who has that? Getting it as close to Harman target as possible using RME's 5 PEQ bands has been the biggest improvement in my sound quality so far, outweighing any speaker, amplifier or DAC upgrades I've done.

 

[micard]

RME ADI-2 DAC is pretty much the perfect desktop solution for speakers and headphones. You would not be able to hear any appreciable differences with other audibly transparent DACs, but RME is much more than a DAC and you _will_ hear the differences that matter:
- Having EQ settings separate for headphone and line out means you can have your headphones speakers EQ'd to perfection.
- Loudness feature allows you to listen at low volumes later at night while preserving the fidelity of the sound. Dynamically boosts the lows and highs in a defined range making the transition between higher and lower volumes seamless, compensating for the quirks of human sound perception.
- Crossfeed for headphones. Took me awhile to appreciate the benefits of that but wow, what a difference it makes for certain songs. Have you had the stereo image of a song be so dynamic going left and right so aggressively that it makes your eyelids spin? Crossfeed makes headphones sound more like speakers by bringing certain frequencies to both ears and significantly reducing the eyelid spinning effect of these songs and overall creates a more enjoyable listening experience for headphones.
- Separate volume remembered for line out and headphones means you will not have your speakers explode in your face when you switch to them if you had your headphones at high volume as with many other preamps. Separate settings remembered and switched for everything else also - EQ, loudness, crossfeed, etc.
- Dedicated bass and treble controls with adjustable frequency and Q value. Want your earlobes vibrating or want "clarity" - just turn a knob.

Btw I learned to not be afraid of digital EQ - the massive improvement I can actually hear from it outweigh any theoretical drawbacks I've read. Not necessary for the perfect speaker in the perfect room from a perfect listening position, but who has that? Getting it as close to Harman target as possible using RME's 5 PEQ bands has been the biggest improvement in my sound quality so far, outweighing any speaker, amplifier or DAC upgrades I've done.

Thanks a lot for the detailed answer, exactly what I needed to understand what will be the real benefit

 

[Pritaudio]

Based on measured performance there is not a human being capable of hearing a difference between the RME ADI-2 and a Topping D90 or anything else (regardless of price being above or below $1,500).

We've gotten to the point, thanks @amirm , where you can now choose a product based on price point and features, knowing all the while that you're getting completely transparent sound.

For me, the RME ADI-2 DAC filled multiple issues, and is the reason I purchased one. My reasons (which may not matter squat to you) were:
1. Very powerful headphone amp (I have some hard to drive headphones)
2. Built EQ (this is actually the #1 reason) because no headphone is perfect. I can have five different EQ settings a click away depending on which headphone I'm using (and that's just five for the headphone output) (there are over 20 EQ presets). I've eq'd my desktop speakers as well.

There are a ton of other reasons, but those didn't matter to me much (e.g. I don't use balance outputs), but I'm certain it was a reason for someone else.

Good luck, you can't go wrong in the market today if you get something that meets your needs.

How about jitter. The d90 has a faster femtoclock. Is it possible there is a nonmeasurable difference in presentation. How about detail retrieval.

 

[VintageFlanker]

How about jitter.

The d90 has a faster femtoclock

Doesn't seem to work any better...

Is it possible there is a nonmeasurable difference in presentation.

I guess this lacks some question mark (?) So: No.

 

[SimpleTheater]

How about jitter. The d90 has a faster femtoclock. Is it possible there is a nonmeasurable difference in presentation. How about detail retrieval.

No, there's not.

 

[Harmonie]

@VintageFlanker

DACs:

Seems that ADI 2FS has the cleanest/lowest jitter while some competing cheaper DACS have now "better" SINAD's.
All of them are out of of audible threshold.

Among all, which is better then ?

PS- Only ABX testing is valid with perfect db matching > Dacs have no sound signature. If so, does the human ear give a preference to a higher output dac ?