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

[Music1969]

Can you hear this hump, is it even an issue?

I don't know but i never claimed it is an issue.

Just asking a technical query doesn't mean there is a audible issue.

It's been discussed a lot on this forum so is a fair technical question imho

 

[Music1969]

So I can understand that if you get an ESS version, you want no ESS hump.

Correct, just want to see RME Engineering prowess where many others have failed

 

[Rottmannash]

Do they make a DAC without a HP amp?

 

[G-rig]

Connected this to the pc, turned out to be a time waster.. will have to research in depth how to use something similar to Tidals's exclusive mode.
Works on the iFi and just simple. I didn't actually get it to use at the PC so all good. Just want to quickly know:
- settings/mode for pre-out aka full vol for RCA out to headphone amp.
- best settings for XLR (only seems to go to +13dBu not +19??
thanks
ps. I would expand this thread to archive view and search, but can't even do that..

 

[350Industrial]

Connected this to the pc, turned out to be a time waster.. will have to research in depth how to use something similar to Tidals's exclusive mode.
Works on the iFi and just simple. I didn't actually get it to use at the PC so all good. Just want to quickly know:
- settings/mode for pre-out aka full vol for RCA out to headphone amp.
- best settings for XLR (only seems to go to +13dBu not +19??
thanks
ps. I would expand this thread to archive view and search, but can't even do that..

It will only show you +13dBu, you need to add +6 for XLR connection (in your head, won't show on screen....)

Settings for DAC only mode to connect to a preamp are in the manual- not sure off top of head.

 

[Trell]

Connected this to the pc, turned out to be a time waster.. will have to research in depth how to use something similar to Tidals's exclusive mode.
Works on the iFi and just simple. I didn't actually get it to use at the PC so all good. Just want to quickly know:
- settings/mode for pre-out aka full vol for RCA out to headphone amp.
- best settings for XLR (only seems to go to +13dBu not +19??
thanks
ps. I would expand this thread to archive view and search, but can't even do that..

Have you look in the manual? It’s quite good.

Since you bought it used I recommend that you reset to factory state, page 11. You should see if the device has newer firmware updates available as well.

https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2dacr_e.pdf

 

[G-rig]

Thanks, so you recommend setting to +13dBu for active monitors?
I will just set and forget pretty much and use the hardware volume exclusively (I've got Volumio set to mixer type: none (ie 100%) and DSD direct (assume don't need DSD over PCM (DOP) according to Volumio help.

Thanks again!

 

[G-rig]

Have you look in the manual? It’s quite good.

https://www.rme-audio.de/downloads/adi2dacr_e.pdf

yes I've got it, nothing really says about toggling displays for the analyser, jsut start pressing buttons.
anyway how do you expand this thread onto one page while you're at it?

 

[Atanasi]

Thanks, so you recommend setting to +13dBu for active monitors?

It depends on their sensitivity. Genelecs are very sensitive at their default settings (100 dB @ -6 dBu), so I use the lowest output level for them.

 

[G-rig]

It depends on their sensitivity. Genelecs are very sensitive at their default settings (100 dB @ -6 dBu), so I use the lowest output level for them.

ok I've got Yamaha HS80M: Input Sensitivity/Impedance = -10 dBu/ 10 k-ohms
Probably best and easiest to leave things on the default setting (except spectrum analyser on amber )

 

[Trell]

ok I've got Yamaha HS80M: Input Sensitivity/Impedance = -10 dBu/ 10 k-ohms
Probably best and easiest to leave things on the default setting (except spectrum analyser on amber )

For gain/level matching you ADI-2 DAC to your monitors have a look at this post section Case 2:

I just got a Rupert Neve RNHP amp - best settings on RME ADI-2 fs? (Page 1) — ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series — RME User Forum

If you can't reduce the level enough on your monitors you might need passive attenuators:

Level mismatch solutions - fixed and variable attenuators (Page 1) — Tips & Tricks — RME User Forum

Level mismatch solutions - fixed and variable attenuators (Page 1) — Tips & Tricks — RME User Forum —

forum.rme-audio.de

In any case, since you bought your ADI-2 DAC used I suggest, as above, that you reset it to default settings. Do the same for your monitors as on the ADI-2 DAC you have PEQ as well as dynamic loudness and B/T tone controls.

 

[G-rig]

For gain/level matching you ADI-2 DAC to your monitors have a look at this post section Case 2:

I just got a Rupert Neve RNHP amp - best settings on RME ADI-2 fs? (Page 1) — ADI-2 & 2/4 Pro series, ADI-2 DAC series — RME User Forum

If you can't reduce the level enough on your monitors you might need passive attenuators:

Level mismatch solutions - fixed and variable attenuators (Page 1) — Tips & Tricks — RME User Forum

Level mismatch solutions - fixed and variable attenuators (Page 1) — Tips & Tricks — RME User Forum —

forum.rme-audio.de

In any case, since you bought your ADI-2 DAC used I suggest, as above, that you reset it to default settings. Do the same for your monitors as on the ADI-2 DAC you have PEQ as well as dynamic loudness and B/T tone controls.

Thanks for that, will definitely look into it over the weekend and see what seems best. DOn't get me wrong it's great anyway, just deciding on the best volume settings for the monitors/dac. My mate has only used it a handful of times and hasn't stuffed around with it but did a factory reset for good measure . the monitors are about at 1:30pm , will sus it out though.
Thanks,

 

[Malaj]

I have the RME adi-2 FS. I checked oratory1990s database and he has a list specific for rme adi-2. But he shows 10 band eq where RME ADI 2 FS and ADI 2 pro only support 5 band. So how is that possible?

Why do he list 10 band eq for rme adi-2 fs when such a feature don´t exist?

 

[TunaBug]

I have the RME adi-2 FS. I checked oratory1990s database and he has a list specific for rme adi-2. But he shows 10 band eq where RME ADI 2 FS and ADI 2 pro only support 5 band. So how is that possible?

Why do he list 10 band eq for rme adi-2 fs when such a feature don´t exist?

Which specific headphone are you looking at? And are you sure you're using the right link? On more than one occasion I was looking at his "normal" report thinking I was looking at the RME-specific report.

I'm using my ADI-2 DAC with my DCA Noire headphones, and here is Oratory1990's EQ for that:

He uses the 10-band table probably because it's convenient to have just a single template for all of these posts. You'll also note there are 7 bands, not 5 (and not 10), but per the comments on the right those two of those bands are implemented using the ADI-2 DAC's Bass/Treble controls which are actually PEQ in their own right. I think using the bass/treble this way is cool, the downside being that if you want to have multiple PEQ settings saved that bass/treble are not saved with it.

Personally, I have a have a high frequency hearing loss, and (making lemonade out of those lemons) I only use his bands 7, 1, 2, 3, and 4, which fit into the ADI-2 nicely.

 

[G-rig]

What does the manual say, 7 bands? Assume it is per side?

All this sounds interesting, I've got some spare DT990 lying around i could use our of the ADI- headphone output in the living room. They have a slight 10k kHz harshness that isn't so nice. Nice if could set the eq for headphone amp output only
edit: I assume Oratory is a pc based thing, guess could make the adjustments manually on the device but wold be nice to know what tweaks are recommended.

 

[Malaj]

Ether c Flow. He list 10 band för Flow och Flow 1.1 https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets/#wiki_list_of_presets_for_rme_adi-2

C Flow 1.1 is the old modded ether c and c Flow the current or other way around?

 

[TunaBug]

What does the manual say, 7 bands? Assume it is per side?

All this sounds interesting, I've got some spare DT990 lying around i could use our of the ADI- headphone output in the living room. They have a slight 10k kHz harshness that isn't so nice. Nice if could set the eq for headphone amp output only

As RME presents it to the user, there are 5 bands of PEQ. You can also save multiple configurations, so it's quite easy to set things up for each of your headphones as well as your main speakers. If you enable the option "Dual EQ" then you can configure the bands separately for left and right channels, but by default they are configured together.

There are also bass and treble controls. Those are adjusted +/- 6db via the dedicated knobs on the front. But in the settings you can also adjust their frequency and Q. So, effectively, bass is another PEQ band that is limited to +/-6db and can only be used as a low shelf. Ditto for treble, but as a high shelf. I have not played with the "Dual EQ" setting, so I cannot say for certain that bass/treble cannot be changed separately for left/right, but I would not expect that and did not notice any mention of it in the manual.

My assumption as that under the hood the DSP engine is basically implementing 7 bands of PEQ. That they're exposed to the user as 5 PEQ + bass + trouble would be a user interface decision.

 

[TunaBug]

Ether c Flow. He list 10 band för Flow och Flow 1.1 https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets/#wiki_list_of_presets_for_rme_adi-2

C Flow 1.1 is the old modded ether c and c Flow the current or other way around?

The link you provided is not for the RME ADI-2 DAC. It's probably why I accidentally end up at the full EQ settings.

Try https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets_rme_adi-2 instead. Unfortunately you're going to be disappointed that there is nothing there for the Flow.

 

[G-rig]

The link you provided is not for the RME ADI-2 DAC. It's probably why I accidentally end up at the full EQ settings.

Try https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets_rme_adi-2 instead. Unfortunately you're going to be disappointed that there is nothing there for the Flow.

I found that other reddit list as well.. shame your list doesn't include many headphones - keen to try for the DT250 / DT 990 Pros.
Surely there are too many combinations with different DAC's as well?
cheers,

 

[Malaj]

The link you provided is not for the RME ADI-2 DAC. It's probably why I accidentally end up at the full EQ settings.

Try https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets_rme_adi-2 instead. Unfortunately you're going to be disappointed that there is nothing there for the Flow.

Ah I see.

I did try the Flow 1.1 eq on my pc but suspect that was the wrong one lol. Still subtle difference a bit more warmth from the extra bass it was not horrible at all. Will try c Flow eq next.