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

[Zensō]

Looking for a little advise. Would the rme adi2 fs benefit for, something like the topping d10s usb converter or would it be a waist of money ?

The RME has a number of features above and beyond what the D10S offers, perhaps most importantly, built in DSP. Whether or not the extra functionality is worth it to you depends upon if you’ll use those extra features. Perhaps take a look at the RME website to see if it offers anything you might use that you don’t currently have in the D10S.

ADI-2-DAC FS - 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.

www.rme-audio.de

 

[Music1969]

Looking for a little advise. Would the rme adi2 fs benefit for, something like the topping d10s usb converter or would it be a waist of money ?

I like optical for its ideal isolation.

I use this converter which is bit perfect to PCM 24bit 192kHz

For optical output it is fully USB powered

If you find a different cheaper converter make sure it can pass the RME bit perfect test files

Mini XMOS XU208 USB to Coaxial /Optical /12S Converter Digital Interface DSD256 | eBay

With micro USB input and TOSLINK optical / coaxial /HDMI 12S output(can output at the same time), can work well with DAC, preamp, amplifier or speaker. Adopting XMOS XU208 chip solution, with 1000MIPS random access memory much higher than U8 (500MIPS), and more stable than Italian Amanero...

www.ebay.com

 

[carlymart]

Thank you for your reply’s I already have the rme and love it I am running a Mac mini into it with Dirac so don’t use the dap. I was offered a d10s cheep off a friend may give it a go just for the hell of it lol

 

[roog]

Thank you for your reply’s I already have the rme and love it I am running a Mac mini into it with Dirac so don’t use the dap. I was offered a d10s cheep off a friend may give it a go just for the hell of it lol

Hi @carlymart i am thinking of getting a Mac mini or intel nuc to run Dirac, can I ask what software you use to stream music from your Mac through Dirac please?

 

[carlymart]

Hi @carlymart i am thinking of getting a Mac mini or intel nuc to run Dirac, can I ask what software you use to stream music from your Mac through Dirac please?

I use mainly Apple Music all my music is Alac ripped and they have acces to there hi res on the mini as well as jriver. I tried audiovana room and a couple of others but did not find them worth the money and I hate these subscriptions for software as well I just have an irrational dislike of them.
I use soundsource to root all the music no matter what I use Spotify Apple Music or anything else though to Dirac and then out to the rme

I have used a mini windows pc as well and it worked fine but was noisy compared to the Mac mini but I have now gone down the full Apple root for all my computer needs so it made sense

 

[roog]

Thanks @carlymart , I don’t have either a NUC or Mac Mini at the moment so I am open to consider either hardware platform.
I had a quick look at ‘Soundsource’ and it seems to be quite a ‘do it all’ kind of package. I couldn’t figure out if it acts as a streamer managing the user interface for selecting music, or is it Apple Music that you use for this?

I have had a few streamers over the years and I have concluded that the usability of the interface is important to me.

Thank you for your thoughts.

 

[carlymart]

Thanks @carlymart , I don’t have either a NUC or Mac Mini at the moment so I am open to consider either hardware platform.
I had a quick look at ‘Soundsource’ and it seems to be quite a ‘do it all’ kind of package. I couldn’t figure out if it acts as a streamer managing the user interface for selecting music, or is it Apple Music that you use for this?

I have had a few streamers over the years and I have concluded that the usability of the interface is important to me.

Thank you for your thoughts.

I also use audio hijack and run my turntable though the system as well

 

[Music1969]

Thank you for your reply’s I already have the rme and love it I am running a Mac mini into it with Dirac so don’t use the dap. I was offered a d10s cheep off a friend may give it a go just for the hell of it lol

Nice. Just check run the RME test files through the D10s but I expect it to be fine

 

[Trell]

Nice. Just check run the RME test files through the D10s but I expect it to be fine

As long as any DSP is turned off at the source, at least.

 

[350Industrial]

Hello- first post here. Thanks for all the great info- this is a truly outstanding resource.

Just a note in case anyone is looking for an ADI-2, I received mine via Amazon yesterday and it's still the rev "B" with the AKM chip (which is what I wanted and was hoping for....)

Oh, and it sounds fantastic. A step up from the Oppo 105 do-it-all source/DAC I've been running for the last 7 years (using the ESS 32-bit Sabre chip.)

For reference I use hard-wired iPad with Apple Music lossless/highres lossless --> ADI-2 --> Emotiva XPA 2 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers w RAAL ribbons. Now just to find a way to send DSD directly into the ADI-2 from the Oppo using an HDMI extractor (without spending $1k on the D.Bob unit...)

Cheers and thanks again for the great community here.

 

[Music1969]

Just a note in case anyone is looking for an ADI-2, I received mine via Amazon yesterday and it's still the rev "B" with the AKM chip (which is what I wanted and was hoping for....)

Very interesting, some stock remains.

We don't know if the ESS model has ESS hump or not, so AKM model is still King for now

Even though ESS hump is probably not audible

 

[badboygolf16v]

Oh, and it sounds fantastic. A step up from the Oppo 105 do-it-all source/DAC I've been running for the last 7 years (using the ESS 32-bit Sabre chip.)

That was my upgrade path, I was surprised how dramatic the improvement was.

 

[350Industrial]

That was my upgrade path, I was surprised how dramatic the improvement was.

The first thing I noticed last night after getting it up and running was just how much more controlled and powerful the lower frequencies are. The bass weight and detail are now there in a way I had never heard before. Still early days, so I'm looking forward to more listening time and enjoyment.

 

[MaxBuck]

That was my upgrade path, I was surprised how dramatic the improvement was.

But ... but ... but ... I thought all good-measuring DACs were sonically indistinguishable.

Seriously, I don't believe it's anything near Established Science that that is the case. I do doubt that I personally would hear a difference, though.

 

[amper42]

But ... but ... but ... I thought all good-measuring DACs were sonically indistinguishable.

He may have loudness mode on? The loudness mode on the ADI-2 FS DAC can add a nice bass punch. Obviously, the EQ bands can do the same. Most DAC's don't have those features.

 

[tommykrebs]

At the moment I hear music with my UM Mest IEM's/Hiby R6 pro only. Will I improve the sound quality if I use the RME ADI-2 instead of the Hiby? My question is, is it worth to buy a RME ADI-2 or does it only make sense to invest in one if I use a full Headphone?

 

[350Industrial]

He may have loudness mode on? The loudness mode on the ADI-2 FS DAC can add a nice bass punch. Obviously, the EQ bands can do the same. Most DAC's don't have those features.

Not sure what his setting are, but I have all DSP/EQ off, flat. It's not a night and day difference, but it's there to my ears. The Oppo 105 I came from isn't exactly state of the art, as is probably a 10-15 yr old design.

 

[TunaBug]

Just a note in case anyone is looking for an ADI-2, I received mine via Amazon yesterday and it's still the rev "B" with the AKM chip (which is what I wanted and was hoping for....)

I see multiple stores selling this on Amazon. Do you recall which seller you purchased from?

 

[G-rig]

Is it worth trying to get the old model with the AKM Chip is it? Was set on an MQA decoding chifi offering but could maybe not worry about that and go for all out quality. It's to match up with some powered Yamaha monitors via balanced XLR.

Cheers

 

[Rja4000]

Is it worth trying to get the old model with the AKM Chip is it? Was set on an MQA decoding chifi offering but could maybe not worry about that and go for all out quality. It's to match up with some powered Yamaha monitors via balanced XLR.

Cheers

Knowing RME's maniac attention to details, I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter at all.
Go for it. You'll never regret.