[XUPX]

Just read that the Monoprice THX 887 is pretty much like the Drop 789 that both are not fully balanced. Huh now I'm thinking I might just go with plain ADI-2 and not bother with another amp.

If you really want to add an amp, I'm pretty sure that the new Topping A90 is fully balanced. You might want to look there (haven't heard it, just considering at this point).

 

[340519]

Yeah. Part of me thinks he and Matthias must have been mortal enemies in kindergarten.

Lol.

 

[Noobzilla]

If you really want to add an amp, I'm pretty sure that the new Topping A90 is fully balanced. You might want to look there (haven't heard it, just considering at this point).

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll read into it.

Has good review here. I wonder about their D90 DAC too.

 

[dakchi]

Hi
I read so many pages of this thread to figure out whether ADI-2 DAC is what I am looking for as a dac for my hifu setup. Unfortunately, most of you use it with headphones. I almost haven’t any feedback on how it performs with speakers. Has anyone tried it with speakers and stereo amp and can feedback ?
Thanks

 

[Tuneslover]

For Line-Out, how many of you keep Auto-Ref on?

Mine is off.

 

[Noobzilla]

Hi
I read so many pages of this thread to figure out whether ADI-2 DAC is what I am looking for as a dac for my hifu setup. Unfortunately, most of you use it with headphones. I almost haven’t any feedback on how it performs with speakers. Has anyone tried it with speakers and stereo amp and can feedback ?
Thanks

I do not have the ADI-2 DAC but I had played with headphones DAC into my stereo amplifier. My observation is if that DAC performs better than my other DAC using headphones, the result is also true when used for speakers. I initially had Peachtree DECCO amp for stereo but both my headphone DACs were significantly better. I upgraded to Peachtree Nova 150 which is better than the DECCO's DAC but my Chord Mojo still gives slightly better sound than the Nova 150.

 

[darmccombs]

Hi
I read so many pages of this thread to figure out whether ADI-2 DAC is what I am looking for as a dac for my hifu setup. Unfortunately, most of you use it with headphones. I almost haven’t any feedback on how it performs with speakers. Has anyone tried it with speakers and stereo amp and can feedback ?
Thanks

I use one of my RME ADI-2 in my home system with full size speakers. The RME acts as a DAC only. I have a BlueSound Node 2i that goes into the RME, then the RME goes into my Denon Receiver. The RME beat my old Mytek 192 DSD Dac. The RME has more depth and definition than the Node 2i or the Mytek have. It was a terrific upgrade.

As a bonus, I have a 10ft headphone cable so I can listen to my headphones in that room as well. The RME does a great job pulling double duty (speakers or headphones).

 

[Swisshead]

https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-dacs

 

[XUPX]

https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-dacs

I love that the DAC chip is "unknown "... it's not even hard to find on the RME website.

 

[technobear]

I almost haven’t any feedback on how it performs with speakers. Has anyone tried it with speakers and stereo amp and can feedback ?

The ADI-2 DAC is the heart of my PC/AV system. It's fed by a Quiet PC (via iGalvanic) and a Panasonic PVR (optical). Line out goes to an XTZ Edge A2-300 power amp and Mark Audo SOTA Cesti MB speakers. I use the PEQ in the RME to notch out the two main 'room boom' frequencies and to add a slight warmth contour to the sound. The result is amazing. I am very happy with the sound I get from this system on both music and movies/TV.

The headphone output is good too. I thnk it's neck and neck with my iFi micro gear and more flexible. It lets me correct the somewhat quiet treble in the LCD-X or tame the sometimes noticeable treble peak in the T1 while adding a little more low bass. The crossfeed setting is also often useful.

Personally I think EQ and crossfeed are essential features of any headphone listening system. The RME is the only device at this price point that gives you both in such a flexible way. The iFi Audio micro stuff has it too but to a more limited degree. Some of the Jan Meier gear also has both but the EQ is limited. Other than that, these features are hard to find in headphone gear. SPL amps have crossfeed but no EQ. The Manley has EQ but no crossfeed. There are a couple of units by McIntosh and T+A that have both but they come at a truly obscene price as does the Pro iDSD + Pro iCAN combo.

For me, the RME is the King of DAC-Amps at the moment and has few if any challengers. It sure makes it hard to consider anything else.

 

[kostas6a3]

I'm thinking of changing my DAC (Audiolab M-DAC plus) with RME ADI-2 DAC or Soekris 1421. With that I will drive my Focal Solo 6e with Sub 6 directly.
Is there a comparison between the two or is there another suggestion?
Kostas

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I love my Audiolab 8300CD and I know Audiolab knows how to do a good DAC implementation. I think when you start comparing top performing (not necessarily high end) DACs they are all going to sound great and in most cases not be that different. What starts to count for me at least is features and support. If the device is going to get firmware updates and has a support community it can have a long service lifetime. With pro gear you expect the software and firmware upgrades and of course the device to just work.

Neither RME nor Soekris do MQA.

 

[Slim1970]

Whoa!!!

 

[524419]

Dear lord man.

If you could only listen to it. Dear Lord!!! describes it appropriately.

 

[Swisshead]

Whoa!!!