RME ADI-2 DAC Thread

[project86]

I used it with some Adam Audio monitors - nothing ultra high end but the combo sounds very nice.

 

[simon740]

I need something for my Sonodyne SRP 205 active speakers.
In store where I buy this speakers, the dealer has SRP 205 and Resolution Audio Cantata 2.0.
Amazing sound... SRP 205 and Cantata 2.0 was a 10.000€ combo. And this was soo good like "passive system" in other room for about 26.000€.
But cantata is 6000€

I think this adi-2 dac will be goog match for SRP 205


regards,
Simon

 

[VRacer-111]

Hello,

anybody use rme Adi-2 dac with active speakers or power amp? So like a preamp and a dac ...ali in one solution..

regards,
Simon

Mine is used as a DAC pre-amp to drive a NAD C275BEE stereo amp which I use for both my STAX L300 Limited and Polk Audio Rti-A5s. Works extremely well and the Polks have never sounded better, very much like Argon Mk3 with more forward mids.

 

[Phoniac]

New firmware 26/24 is out:

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=27924

 

[devante1977]

Hello,

anybody use rme Adi-2 dac with active speakers or power amp? So like a preamp and a dac ...ali in one solution..

regards,
Simon

as my signature states. No experience outside of headphones since I am currently evaluating/researching for near field monitors to complete my "end game" desktop listening setup.

 

[AlanU]

as my signature states. No experience outside of headphones since I am currently evaluating/researching for near field monitors to complete my "end game" desktop listening setup.

I do not think the RME ADI-2 is remotely close to being end game for a headphone or DAC. I think it's safer to say conditioned satisfaction.

I'm not even certain if a person with well tuned ears would consider active speakers to be ideal for a hifi enthusiast. Many hifi stereo folks appreciate cross over cct and traditional amplifiers connected via speaker wires to the speakers.

For near field I would probably settle for a Kef LSX or even lower line X300A for non critical decent speakers for near field. Highly doubt I'd get the rich sweet mids using near field setup with wireless or USB implementation with a digital amplified self powered unit.

The beauty of headphones is that you can buy a different set of headphones to change the character of the music. DACs on the other hand all have a certain character but in many cases solid state dacs in the $1000-2000 grand range seems more of a subjective acceptance in how they sound. All depends on your music genre. Vinyl or tubes seems to be more emotionally moving for me vs highly detailed solid state dacs. Great thing about headphones is that you can swap your headphones depending on the mood you're in or the style of music you're going to listen too.

 

[tekkster]

New firmware 26/24 is out:

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=27924

Thanks for the info. Just updated.

Wish every manufacturer made updating this stupid easy.

 

[simon740]

I'm not even certain if a person with well tuned ears would consider active speakers to be ideal for a hifi enthusiast

I'm not even certain if a person with well tuned ears would consider active speakers to be ideal for a hifi enthusiast

Each one decides what his priority is, but I'm not going back to passive speakers. I only find a suitable dac / preamp, I sit down on the sofa and I enjoy.

 

[Tsukuyomi]

Nice setup!

 

[devante1977]

I do not think the RME ADI-2 is remotely close to being end game for a headphone or DAC. I think it's safer to say conditioned satisfaction.

well it's my end game...conditioned satisfaction or not.

 

[tekkster]

Yeah, to each their own.

I would not call it a case of conditioned satisfaction.

I own more expensive dacs (and amps, and headphones, and iems, and, and, and) but still use the adi-2 every day because it does things that other dacs don’t, provides plenty of detail in sound, and works well with a variety of headphones, iems, and amps. It’s also far above what a laptop or smart device can produce.

It very well could be an endgame dac for many people. And you can bet it’s one i would never sell, no matter what other gear i buy in the future (well, if rme came out with an upgrade, that might make me sell my current one...maybe). Heck, I sometimes wonder why i chase other gear when i already have a great setup with the adi-2 in the chain, but then, i’m a little obsessed with chasing sound, as are many on head-fi.

 

[AlanU]

well it's my end game...conditioned satisfaction or not.

In the world of audio especially in the subrange of 1000- 2000 you will definitely be tempted to experiment. The German brightness and excitement of this dac will be a different flavour of the music you are listening too. Digital filters cannot recreate note decay easily as it almost appears some filters just rolls off the highs to calm the music. Note decay on piano or string instruments this solid state dac is probably not it's strong points. Kind of like comparing a Focal Clear/HD800S vs a HIfiman Ananda/aging HD650 in the headphone world.

Depending on self powered speakers you choose it'll probably be Class D amplification. Kef's LS50W only uses Class AB for its tangerine tweeter but Class D for the driver so it's going to be punchy. You'll need to feed it a tube or vinyl source to produce a more realistic note decay with 3d holographic vocals and string instruments.

End game is powerful words that I know most of my audiofile friends can have difficulty including that in a sentence The more you audition the more you get sucked into the music and demand realism. Now if you talking about background music while being occupied with other things that's a different story.......

 

[Phoniac]

Lots of assumptions and guessing of someone who hasn't even tried this unit. But your posts already make clear you won't like it anyway. Something so cheap and small can't be that good...

 

[simon740]

Depending on self powered speakers you choose it'll probably be Class D amplification. Kef's LS50W only uses Class AB for its tangerine tweeter but Class D for the driver so it's going to be punchy. You'll need to feed it a tube or vinyl source to produce a more realistic note decay with 3d holographic vocals and string instruments

my Sonodyne have AB amp..for both driver
Sorry for OT

 

[robert766]

Thanks for all the reviews and impressions! Everything I've read about this here and on other forums makes it sound like a beautifully designed and well manufactured piece of gear. Definitely on my shortlist for my endgame setup.

About realism though I wonder if it wouldn't make more sense to actually spend more money on going to watch actual live music instead of on electronics trying to replicate the real thing?