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

[DomieMic65]

View attachment 108979

If I was using the RCA out as a equalized DAC would the SINAD drop to as low as 109?



Since my active speakers have a input sensitivity of 700mV I cant use higher voltages than about 2V.



Since I already have an headphone amp, would another DAC like SU-9 be superior for my case? (losing eq though)

Try using attenuators as RME suggests.

 

[Music1969]

Since I already have an headphone amp, would another DAC like SU-9 be superior for my case? (losing eq though)

Are you listening over 100dB though? SINAD is over 100dB for both at 1Vrms.

In my opinion it's not worth adding an extra powered box (more noise added to overall system with each power supply you add) just to lose the ADI-2's EQ and loudness features and just to gain a better SINAD graph...

 

[Matias]

View attachment 108979

If I was using the RCA out as a equalized DAC would the SINAD drop to as low as 109?



Since my active speakers have a input sensitivity of 700mV I cant use higher voltages than about 2V.



Since I already have an headphone amp, would another DAC like SU-9 be superior for my case? (losing eq though)

0.7V RMS that your amp needs is about -1 dBu. If you use AutoRef feature on, this would be up to about 115 SINAD from the left side of the graph. Big advantage over using a normal DAC with digital attenuation!

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ac-and-headphone-amp-review.13379/post-401802

 

[ninetylol]

0.7V RMS that you amp need is about -1dBu. If you use AutoRef feature on, this would be up to 116 SINAD from the left side of the graph. Big advantage over using a normal DAC with digital attenuation!

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ac-and-headphone-amp-review.13379/post-401802

Thats very cool. Thanks for the reminder. RME knows their audio stuff! May need to safe some more cash for an RME ADI-2 DAC FS. Anyone knows if they got some student discount in germany?

 

[Grotti]

Thats very cool. Thanks for the reminder. RME knows their audio stuff! May need to safe some more cash for an RME ADI-2 DAC FS. Anyone knows if they got some student discount in germany?

I am located in Germany and I am pretty sure that they have no discount for students. Would be cool though

 

[Mark Dirac]

May need to safe some more cash for an RME ADI-2 DAC FS. Anyone knows if they got some student discount in germany?

I've noticed some ADI-2 DAC FS version 1 on eBay for good prices (£600 to £700), and version 1 is hardly any different really from version 2. Except for the remote control - and you could buy a cheap programmable remote control to make up for that. Which leads me to ask a question I have been wanting to ask...
cheap universal remote?
I need more than RME's four programmable buttons on their official remote control. But I'm too mean to pay for a swanky Logitech programmable remote control. Can anyone suggest a cheap (Chinese?) equivalent, which can be programmed with RME's codes? Surely it shouldn't be necessary to pay $40 for an item of kit as low-tech as a programmable remote control? (Note that it must be programmable - a learning remote control will not do for this use case.)

 

[Music1969]

I am located in Germany and I am pretty sure that they have no discount for students. Would be cool though

They do - audio engineering students...

https://www.rme-shop.com

 

[Grotti]

They do - audio engineering students...

https://www.rme-shop.com

Thank you: I wasn't aware of that. I wonder what the discount will be and if it's higher than what one can get from a dealer.

 

[Music1969]

Thank you: I wasn't aware of that. I wonder what the discount will be and if it's higher than what one can get from a dealer.

Actually, even without any student discount, if I order from the web shop to Australia, it's cheaper than any dealer price here...

Might be different for you in Germany I expect.

And different for others, depending on import taxes and exchange rates etc.

 

[DomieMic65]

Does anyone have any eq settings recommendation for the adi-2 for the HD25ALUM headphones?
Oratory1990 has some eq but not for the Aluminimum/ADI.

Thnx

 

[ninetylol]

0.7V RMS that your amp needs is about -1 dBu. If you use AutoRef feature on, this would be up to about 115 SINAD from the left side of the graph. Big advantage over using a normal DAC with digital attenuation!

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ac-and-headphone-amp-review.13379/post-401802

To be fair @amirm had Auto Ref Level setting on when you view his first picture in the review. Shouldnt he have gotten the above results?

 

[Matias]

To be fair @amirm had Auto Ref Level setting on when you view his first picture in the review. Shouldnt he have gotten the above results?
View attachment 109697

He did not use the volume of the unit, the AP generated lower volume instead (digital attenuation). That is why MC posted on page 7 the volume of the unit being used instead of digital attenuation of the AP.

 

[ninetylol]

He did not use the volume of the unit, instead the AP generated lower volume instead (digital attenuation). That is why MC posted on page 7 the volume of the unit being used instead of digital attenuation of the AP.

Oh got it! But general question: Isnt there a difference between lowering the input signal and lowering DAC volume with max signal? (for all other DACs i mean)

 

[ElNino]

Oh got it! But general question: Isnt there a difference between lowering the input signal and lowering DAC volume with max signal? (for all other DACs i mean)

Apart from vanishingly small differences in quantization distortion if the input signal is 24 bit instead of 32 bit, there’s no difference on most DACs.

 

[Music1969]

Hi @MC_RME

Does the Loudness feature work with headphones output too?

 

[Count Arthur]

Hi @MC_RME

Does the Loudness feature work with headphones output too?



View attachment 110054

You can enable or disable the loudness function individually for line out, phones or IEM. I have it enabled for the line out, but disabled on phones and IEM.

 

[Veri]

Hi @MC_RME

Does the Loudness feature work with headphones output too?

Sure, it's just a DSP that can be turned on.

 

[VariousArtists]

Does anyone connect both IEM and headphone to the ADI-2 DAC FS at the same time? It seems that both the front outputs are active at the same time and there is no way to switch one off, maybe I am missing something? The manual doesn’t say anything about this.

 

[JIW]

Does anyone connect both IEM and headphone to the ADI-2 DAC FS at the same time? It seems that both the front outputs are active at the same time and there is no way to switch one off, maybe I am missing something? The manual doesn’t say anything about this.

In the 'Setup', under 'Phones/DSD', you can set 'Mute Line' to 'Toggle Plugged'. See page 27 of the manual.

 

[VariousArtists]

In the 'Setup', under 'Phones/DSD', you can set 'Mute Line' to 'Toggle Plugged'. See page 27 of the manual.

That's done the trick - thank you so much!