Thinking of selling my RME ADI-2 DAC and buying a single interface for my HD800s. Would I notice a difference using something like RME Babyface FS?

[knkkskknk]

I have HD800S connected to ADI-2 DAC FS

I have an original babyface blue I bought for 300$ connected digitally to the RME DAC...

I use the RME babyface drivers so I can plugin my Guitar / Microphone and work in daw, totalmix FX is also great.


I mean, this setup is working. I'm missing out on the "FS Clock" part of my dac since my babyface is the master and ADI-2 is the slave.

But for a while I've thought "I should just buy an RME Babyface Pro FS" or "I should Just get an Motu M4" and "Why do I have this RME ADI-2 DAC..."

so I've been thinking of just selling off the DAC and getting one interface to simplify things.

I heard the RME Babyface PRO FS has the same headphone amp as the RME ADI-2 DAC? Not sure though.

What are your opinions on this though? Would I notice a difference with my HD800s downgrading the DAC/Headphone amp?

 

[oleg87]

I heard the RME Babyface PRO FS has the same headphone amp as the RME ADI-2 DAC?

No, the specs are quite different. The ADI-2’s outputs have considerably more power. Doubt it would make a significant difference for most headphones/listeners though.

 

[knkkskknk]

No, the specs are quite different. The ADI-2’s outputs have considerably more power. Doubt it would make a significant difference for most headphones/listeners though.

Ah, you're right, viewing the specs the outputs are lower but I did find this, this is why I thought it was specced the same lol

"The Babyface Pro FS not only provides RME´s new SteadyClock FS pro audio clock with FemtoSecond accuracy. The ultra-compact box inherits now the same highest quality analog conversion and uses the same headphone preamp technology output op-amps as ADI-2 Pro now. It comes with an USB-C cable and provides a newly K-Slot for theft protection."

Since it's using the same preamp op amps, I'm guessing it'll be almost the same sound / resolution just can't turn it up as high

 

[unpluggged]

The BF is bus-powered (hence its HP output power is very limited) and lacks many nice DSP features of the ADI-2 Pro/DAC. I would keep the ADI-2 DAC and use it together with the BF Pro as a monitoring front-end. Or, even better, would add a fully-featured interface like the UCX II/UFX II/UFX III (and I actually do use such a setup — see my signature).

I'm missing out on the "FS Clock" part of my dac since my babyface is the master and ADI-2 is the slave.

1) How do you notice that you are "missing out" on it?
2) The purpose of SteadyClock FS is exactly for this use case: to be a robust clock slave for jittery incoming clock signals. Take a look at this video: