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

[Music1969]

Sure it can. I use the original AEON with it, and unless you want to enter real basshead territory (at least +20 dB gain below 60 Hz plus earth-shaking volume) it is fully ok.

Nice. Original AEONS had 92dB/1mW sensitivity.

New AEON 2 are quite a bit harder to drive 86 dB/1mW (into 13 ohms again). This is actually harder to drive than the Ether CX @amirm tested (23 ohms / 92 dB per 1mW) and said started to distort.

 

[LTig]

I wish RME would add mic pre's to the Pro version. Except for vinyl ripping, it's just not worth double the price of the ADI-2 FS.

Seems I was lucky. I got my RME ADI-2 PRO fs (no remote) for € 1416.- (€ 1499 with 5.5% rebate).

 

[LTig]

Speaking of which...

I'd really love to see a RME power amp in the future (more or less the same width as ADI-2 DAC/PRO, with heatsinks eventually). That would be great to see a similar kind of Benchmark's design language for their lineup.

This is unlikely. RME mainly supports the PRO studio world which has no need for separate power amps.

 

[Music1969]

@MC_RME

What is the max current output (RMS) for the 2 different 6.3mm headphone output modes, 'high power' and 'low power' ?

What's the reason 'high power' mode is recommended for 100 ohms and up? And not under 100 ohms?

 

[Sal1950]

Can anyone attest to whether this system is recognized and performs correctly with recent Linux distributions? I'm going to bet it does given RME's attention to detail, but I'd like to hear it from someone who's done it.

Linux correctly supported USB audio years before Windoz, any USB DAC that won't run under Linux is broken.

 

[Joachim Herbert]

I wish RME would add mic pre's to the Pro version. Except for vinyl ripping, it's just not worth double the price of the ADI-2 FS.

This is why I bought the babyface pro fs. I'd rather sacrifice some performance than have an additional box.

 

[Woody Stool]

Thanks to everyone who confirmed this box works fine with Linux. Now - where to buy one of these in the USA? I'm pretty wary of buying consumer electronic equipment on Amazon given their problems with co-mingling inventory from different sellers. Is there a good, reliable, and trustworthy mail order vendor of RME gear in the USA?

 

[Hoary]

There are number of options: rme-usa.com, B&H, etc. I got mine shipped from EU, the vendor mentioned in earlier review, the rme-shop.com. It was at my door in 2 days. Refer to Amir's post, at the very bottom of it:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...measurements-of-rme-adi-2-dac.2582/post-73713

 

[Labjr]

PCB Rev 3.1? (first picture of the 3) used TE Axicom made in Portugal, also good quality. You rarely see audio manufacturers cheap out on relays I feel like. At least I haven't seen it in a while here. I also thought using Neutrik XLRs was a standard (and luckily it is with RME!) among the mid to high-end devices, but sadly some others seem to cost cut there recently.

I wouldn't take anything for granted. Although I'm glad the competition exists, Chi-fi companies seem to have their fair share of issues.

 

[Maxicut]

This is why I bought the babyface pro fs. I'd rather sacrifice some performance than have an additional box.

That's why I got the UFX II, so I didn't have to sacrifice any performance

 

[feyded1020]

Thanks to everyone who confirmed this box works fine with Linux. Now - where to buy one of these in the USA? I'm pretty wary of buying consumer electronic equipment on Amazon given their problems with co-mingling inventory from different sellers. Is there a good, reliable, and trustworthy mail order vendor of RME gear in the USA?

I bought my RME from sweetwater.com, received it in 1 day. Figured since I didn't have to pay taxes to amazon, the 1 day shipping was still a bit cheaper.

Absolutely dont regret this purchase either, replaced my iFi iDSD micro black label.

 

[MC_RME]

Amir's measurement of the improved SINAD at higher levels than 4 Volt output inspired me to show the superiority of the ADI-2 DAC's multiple hardware reference levels, that anyone can use without having to think about it by using the default AutoRef setting. What happens is that when you lower the volume every 6 dB (4 x ) the discrete hardware lowers its amplification and the DAC's digital level is ramped up again. So lowering the volume will not make you loose all the THD+N, or SINAD.

First I replicated Amir's measurement (pretty much identical), then added the SINAD states that occur when the hardware level is changed. That didn't fit completely into the measurement, and also requires a logarithmic scale on the x axis for the lower levels. Then I set the reference to +19 dBu and schwuppdiwupp had the SINAD that one gets when changing the volume at the unit. Finally I added the ref levels in balanced and unbalanced mode on top as text. I hope this is understandable. Also please don't get confused: this is about manually setting volume digitally at the unit, not about a swept generator with automatic output level action - that would make no sense.

So what it shows is that when you use a standard DAC and only look at the SINAD at 0 dBFS you miss it all. How often do you use 0 dB volume? Most of the time people lower the volume, definitely so when using phones. You can take the best DAC ever measured at ASR- it has no chance against the ADI-2 DAC at a real-world volume setting of (for example) -20 dB.

 

[LTig]

This is why I bought the babyface pro fs. I'd rather sacrifice some performance than have an additional box.

That's why I got the UFX II, so I didn't have to sacrifice any performance

Looking at the specs the inputs of the UFX II are (slightly) worse than those of the Babyface PRO fs.

 

[kn0ppers]

You can takle the best DAC ever measured at ASR- it has zero chance against the ADI-2 DAC at a real-world volume setting of (for example) -20 dB.

I obviously don't know every product, but what makes you so sure nobody else uses this approach like you do? It's not an uncommon approach, maybe just not as widely spread in the audio world as it is for lab equipment.

 

[MC_RME]

I obviously don't know every product, but what makes you so sure nobody else uses this approach like you do? It's not an uncommon approach, maybe just not as widely spread in the audio world as it is for lab equipment.

I wrote ASR (and DAC) - check them. I never saw this here anywhere.

 

[Maxicut]

Looking at the specs the inputs of the UFX II are (slightly) worse than those of the Babyface PRO fs.

Once you reach the threshold of pro-level, specs mean nothing in real world use. Many Pro-Studios use the UFX for their in the box work. You'd be surprised how many album's have been run through a UFX at some stage of their production. There's a famous guitarist who is recording his new album using only a UFX as we speak. Don't get me wrong, the Babyface is a great piece of kit too!

 

[kn0ppers]

I wrote ASR (and DAC) - check them. I never saw this here anywhere.

I meant every product tested here, forgot to say that. Tschuldigung

You might very well be right. I won't bother checking all of them, I am satisfied if the RME does well.

 

[LTig]

Once you reach the threshold of pro-level, specs mean nothing in real world use. Many Pro-Studios use the UFX for their in the box work. You'd be surprised how many album's have been run through a UFX at some stage of their production. There's a famous guitarist who is recording his new album using only a UFX as we speak. Don't get me wrong, the Babyface is a great piece of kit too!

You are absolutely right. It was more a kind of joke.

My ADI-2 PRO fs is better than both by quite a margin, but I need this kind of performance only for measuring purposes. I'm quite sure that I'm not able to detect THD of 30 dB or even more above the level of the RME.

 

[Maxicut]

You are absolutely right. It was more a kind of joke.

My ADI-2 PRO fs is better than both by quite a margin, but I need this kind of performance only for measuring purposes. I'm quite sure that I'm not able to detect THD of 30 dB or even more above the level of the RME.

The only spec I'm anal about is jitter, where less gives you so much more!

 

[JDragon]

I wish they came in an all silver chasis so that it could better match my setup.
Thanks for the review, Amir. I guess it is time to buy myself a graduation gift.

The ADI-2 Pro comes in silver. I have one that I got to match my silver gear then I switched it to desktop use where all my gear is black... might sell it and get one of these for color matching purposes.