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

AlfieFroud

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I meant connecting the impacto via USB via the camera adapter kit. At this point, it is either the RME or the camera kit adapter that are misbehaving.

Also, maybe don't connect any headphone to the impacto first and see if it turns on and what lights up and when you connect something start from a low volume.
So for the late reply, I ended up falling asleep lol. I’ll give those a try and get back to you. I’ve also noticed that classical music is really quite and its peaking about -35 on a lot of the ones I’ve tried.
 

Jimbob54

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Ah so that would be £864 with VAT. I got mine for £836 from Scan.

Ditto just this week.
See you in a week. ;)

A minor gripe from me as a new user. The manual describes what all the different settings do more than it describes how to make it do it.

An example, the button presses to store /load settings is not very clear and even now after doing it right, it's a bugger to do again.
 

AlfieFroud

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I meant connecting the impacto via USB via the camera adapter kit. At this point, it is either the RME or the camera kit adapter that are misbehaving.

Also, maybe don't connect any headphone to the impacto first and see if it turns on and what lights up and when you connect something start from a low volume.
Impacto wouldn’t work with the camera adapter kit as it kept saying the impacto drawing too much power. I even tried it with the iPhone charger connected to the camera kit at same time.
 

AudioSmell

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Ditto just this week.


A minor gripe from me as a new user. The manual describes what all the different settings do more than it describes how to make it do it.

An example, the button presses to store /load settings is not very clear and even now after doing it right, it's a bugger to do again.

I have now tested an idea. It is possible to load multiple setups via one key (one on the unit and one on the remote). So pressing this key repeatedly would cycle through the setups - one press would offer confirmation, second press would confirm, display the name of the setup and load the setup, third press would again offer the confirmation for activation of the next setup etc.
The trick is to remap the selected key to point to the next setup. Let's say it is the "I/O" key which will bear the new load setups meaning ("2" on the remote). For the Setup 1, the key will be mapped to "Setup 2", for Setup 2 to "Setup 3" ... for the final used setup it will be mapped to "Setup 1".

To achieve this, it is necessary to enable key remapping in Settings (SETUP -> Options -> Remap Keys / Diag. -> Remap keys), set the value to "On".
Thus both keys on the unit (VOL, I/O, EQ, SETUP) and their counterparts on the remote (1, 2, 3 ,4) would be remapped equally.
Then after full customizing of the unit as the final step prior storing the setup, the selected key (e.g. I/O) needs to be remapped to load the next setup (e.g. Setup 2 in case of storing Setup 1).

I recommend naming the setups, e.g. Setup 1 as "Factory", Setup 2 as "Bitperfect D/A Sharp" etc.

If you plan to use different headphones, I think it is worth saving minimal volume settings with each setup, so fast cycling through all the setups with the most sensitive headphones plugged in while the music plays is safe.

Edit: Equalization presets 1-20 are not affected by settings setups. Loading a setup cannot activate/preselect or change a specific saved EQ preset (1-20). However, each setup can have its own private equalization enabled after loading, thanks to Manual preset. It holds the EQ which was active when the setup was stored. And with this technique, one can also name setups after headphones or speakers like "hp Foo eq".
 

luisma

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I was planning to purchase this Dac January last year, specifically for an audio show (I'm not a manufacturer but a friend is a speaker manufacturer and I built a digital rig for him) and to try it, the pandemic hit made me change my plans, one year later I still get excited reading about this dac and the features.
Does anyone knows if RME on its roadmap plans to release any time soon an updated revision of the Dac? I'm asking because IIRC the difference in time between 4490 and 4493 releases was about a year and half? I'm also would need DSD512 (I upsample).
 

Zensō

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I was planning to purchase this Dac January last year, specifically for an audio show (I'm not a manufacturer but a friend is a speaker manufacturer and I built a digital rig for him) and to try it, the pandemic hit made me change my plans, one year later I still get excited reading about this dac and the features.
Does anyone knows if RME on its roadmap plans to release any time soon an updated revision of the Dac? I'm asking because IIRC the difference in time between 4490 and 4493 releases was about a year and half? I'm also would need DSD512 (I upsample).
The last I heard there are no updates in the works, but you’d want to ask @MC_RME to confirm.
 

AlfieFroud

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I have a quick question regarding the pro version. Are the analog inputs only for ADC or can it be used as a preamp to play to some active monitors connected to the XLR output?
 

ElNino

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I have a quick question regarding the pro version. Are the analog inputs only for ADC or can it be used as a preamp to play to some active monitors connected to the XLR output?

It can be used as a preamp for analog sources, but there’s always ADC->DAC in the loop; it’s not an analog preamp.
 

KSTR

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The AD to DA conversion is as "neutral" as it can be. My experience.
Yep. Most definitely if you a) stick to the recommended operating sample-rate of 192kHz and b) have set up your input and output reference levels properly (so as to neither clip the input nor having tons of useless headroom only boosting residual noise).
 

Music1969

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Hi @MC_RME

I want to use a pair of ADI-2 FS DACs for DSP crossover with pair of DIY 2-way DSP speakers.

I'd prefer to use their USB inputs.

What box can you recommend to manage clocking ?

If USB is not your recomendation, then I assume RME Digiface will do what I need, feeding ADI-2 DAC via TOSlink inputs?
 

KSTR

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The ADI-2 DAC's have no syncing option as there are no digital signal ouputs. USB cannot be used for syncing by design (as the device is the clock master, not the USB source). You will have to use the digital inputs and feed them with already sync'ed streams. Digiface seems to be the correct option.

I'd suggest one single ADI-2 Pro as it has two seperate stereo outputs (two DAC chips), then USB can be used.
 

Music1969

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I'd suggest one single ADI-2 Pro as it has two seperate stereo outputs (two DAC chips), then USB can be used.

Thanks, I forgot ADI-2 Pro has 2 pairs of balanced outputs.

Reason I preferred USB is because I'd like (option) to send DSD256 to both pairs of balanced outputs (ie all 4 channels) - I assume with ADI-2 Pro i can use 'DSD Direct' and both pairs of balanced outputs simultaneously ?

Using a separate mic pre and I can use the ADI-2 Pro's analogue inputs and thus for measurements, the ADI-2 Pro controls everything. No issues with clock drift etc ?


3511546B-5983-4AA0-9F21-FE0FCEAB77B8.png
 

Atanasi

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ADI-2 DAC supports receiving sound from USB and the clock from SPDIF. I suppose multiple DACs can be synchronized by giving them a common SPDIF signal.
 

Music1969

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If you want to use the 2 pairs of outputs as separate channels, doesn't one have to be unbalanced on the Pro?

Ah crap, those are TS outputs, not TRS - my mistake.

Hmmmm can the balanced headphones be used as outputs to balanced amps?
 

Music1969

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I suppose multiple DACs can be synchronized by giving them a common SPDIF signal.

Yes using RME Digiface

But then with TOSlink i am "limited" to PCM192kHz. I do DSP with higher sample rates that ADI-2 supports on USB input.
 

Music1969

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I guess ideally I might need to wait for the 6-channel (or more) version - ADI-6 FS DAC Pro (with built-in mic pre...) - @MC_RME !!

I know there is FireFace but performance is behind ADI-2 FS DAC.
 
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