[JerkChicken]

Good evening everyone,
Just a quick question concering my ADI-2 DAC outputs.
am i able to put a headphone in the "phones" out and a pair of headphones (super efficient) in the "IEM" output and play music so two people can listen at the same time?
A friend of mine wants to also listen to music with me.

Yes you can listen to both the IEM and phones output at the same time. Just bear in mind the sensitivity of each other’s HP

 

[technobear]

Good evening everyone,
Just a quick question concering my ADI-2 DAC outputs.
am i able to put a headphone in the "phones" out and a pair of headphones (super efficient) in the "IEM" output and play music so two people can listen at the same time?
A friend of mine wants to also listen to music with me.

See user manual page 36 (you did read the manual, right?)

DSP settings are remembered separately for each output (LINE, PHONES, IEM).

If you have not disabled Line Out when Phones are inserted, the Line Out settings will be used.

Otherwise whichever Phones you plugged in first will dictate the DSP settings.

As already stated by the last poster, you may have volume control issues depending on the sensitivity and impedance of the Phones and IEMs.

 

[mixman]

Furthermore thx789 is not proper balanced an their is a summing circuit on its balanced input, that introduces more op-amp in signal path, the ideal input for 789 is in fact SE in and balanced headphone out.

This has been discussed already and is clearly evident looking at 789 PCB. There's a bunch of ignorant people in the 789 thread who only believe marketing and know nothing of basic electronics. One guy even linked me the marketing page for the 789 AAA and said! look see, it's proprietary! it can only be made by THX! Another guy just assumed because it had balanced input, that was the obvious and clear/best choice, again, knowing nothing even on a basic level of how the device functions. Seems like alot of kids/young people purchased that amp and just believed the marketing spiel hook line and sinker.

It's a great amplifier for 350$, no doubt about it, with very clever engineering, and a unique topology. Well worth it's asking price. It's also, not proprietary, and does run it's balanced input though a summing circuit involving multiple 1602a op-amps, this does not happen on the SE input. It's also hugely Flavor of the Month, and massdrop will crank out 20k of them in no time, you'll see them widely available used for like 200 bucks or so in a year or less. Meanwhile, Chinese and other firm's will quickly clone this, and/or implement the feed-forward circuit into their own designs. It's a net win for everyone really, perhaps bring this tech to the masses.

OK, I tried several inputs and you were right. The SE input on the THX is better sounding. I also went back and forth between the sound of the THX and straight into the RME. While very close, I preferred the sound of the RME. Slightly more highs, clearer bass.

Now, what amp would be a clear improvement over that of the RME for under let's say $1K?

 

[Tsukuyomi]

OK, I tried several inputs and you were right. The SE input on the THX is better sounding. I also went back and forth between the sound of the THX and straight into the RME. While very close, I preferred the sound of the RME. Slightly more highs, clearer bass.

Now, what amp would be a clear improvement over that of the RME for under let's say $1K?

I've heard that the violectric HPAV100 is a better amp. but since i did own the HPAv200 before. i can tell you that in the v200s case its not true. the amp for the RME ADI-2 DAC is better imo.

 

[NickedWicked]

I've heard that the violectric HPAV100 is a better amp. but since i did own the HPAv200 before. i can tell you that in the v200s case its not true. the amp for the RME ADI-2 DAC is better imo.

I'd say the V281 is a neat little upgrade to the ADI-2 DAC amp, but I wouldn't say a clear improvement, it's just more compatible with different kinds of headphones.

 

[mixman]

I've heard that the violectric HPAV100 is a better amp. but since i did own the HPAv200 before. i can tell you that in the v200s case its not true. the amp for the RME ADI-2 DAC is better imo.

Seems like the little RME amp is not too bad, just not balanced. Seems like you have to pay a good amount to do better.

 

[jerick70]

Seems like the little RME amp is not too bad, just not balanced. Seems like you have to pay a good amount to do better.

The amp on the ADI-2 Pro is balanced and does preform better than the DAC amp. But the Pro also cost $1000 more than the DAC. I've owned both. Just food for thought.

 

[Tsukuyomi]

The amp on the ADI-2 Pro is balanced and does preform better than the DAC amp. But the Pro also cost $1000 more than the DAC. I've owned both. Just food for thought.

Thats exactly what ive heard before. I have to agree from popular opinion. The pro does have more power but the price is almost double..

 

[Tsukuyomi]

Seems like the little RME amp is not too bad, just not balanced. Seems like you have to pay a good amount to do better.

For 95% of most audio enthusiasts, it will be more than enough. For the 5% they will usually avoid buying 2 in 1 units. And prefer to buy an amp and dac unit separately so they can have more freedom for changing and upgrading.

 

[mixman]

The amp on the ADI-2 Pro is balanced and does preform better than the DAC amp. But the Pro also cost $1000 more than the DAC. I've owned both. Just food for thought.

Is the HP amp in the Pro much more powerful than that of the DAC, will it sound better too? Same converters right, just two of them? With the Pro you lose the remote, but yes you do get balanced, also get AD conversion, which I understand makes it good for Vinyl conversion. It just seems like overkill for what we are doing.

 

[jerick70]

Is the HP amp in the Pro much more powerful than that of the DAC, will it sound better too? Same converters right, just two of them? With the Pro you lose the remote, but yes you do get balanced, also get AD conversion, which I understand makes it good for Vinyl conversion. It just seems like overkill for what we are doing.

According to the specs the Pro is more powerful. I thought the sound was better out of the Pro compared to the DAC. YMMV.

ADI-2 Pro taken from here: http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/adi_2-pro.php

Phones 1/2
As Output 1/2 TS, but:
• Output: 6.3 mm TRS jack, unbalanced, stereo
• Output impedance: 0.1 Ohm
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +22 dBu: 117 dB RMS unweighted, 120 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +7 dBu: 114 dB RMS unweighted, 118 dBA
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Ref Level +19 dBu, load 100 Ohm or up: +22 dBu (10 V)
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Ref Level +4 dBu, load 8 Ohm or up: +7 dBu (1.73 V)
• THD @ +18 dBu, 32 Ohm load, 1.2 Watt: -110 dB, 0.0003 %
• THD+N @ + 18 dBu, 32 Ohm load: -107 dB, 0.00045 %
• THD @ +14 dBu, 16 Ohm load, 0.94 Watt: -110 dB

Output Phones 3/4
As Output Phones 1/2, but:
• Output levels at 0 dBFS: Hi-Power off +7 dBu, Hi-Power On +22 dBu

Balanced Phones mode
As before, but:
• Output levels at 0 dBFS: Hi-Power off +13 dBu (9.8 V), Hi-Power On +28 dBu (19.5 V)
• Output impedance: 0.2 Ohm
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +28 dBu: 120 dB RMS unweighted, 123 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +13 dBu: 118.4 dB RMS unweighted, 122 dBA
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Hi-Power On, load 150 Ohm or up: +28 dBu (19.5 V)
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Hi-Power Off, load 8 Ohm or up: +13 dBu (9.8 V)
• Max power @ 0.001% THD: 2.9 W per channel

ADI-2 DAC taken from here: http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/adi_2-dac.php

Phones
As Cinch but:
• Output: 6.3 mm TRS jack, unbalanced, stereo
• Output impedance: 0.1 Ohm
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +22 dBu: 117 dB RMS unweighted, 120 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +7 dBu: 116 dB RMS unweighted, 119 dBA
• Output level at 0 dBFS, High Power, load 100 Ohm or up: +22 dBu (10 V)
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Low Power, load 8 Ohm or up: +7 dBu (1.73 V)
• THD @ +18 dBu, 32 Ohm load, 1.2 Watt: -110 dB, 0.0003 %
• THD+N @ + 18 dBu, 32 Ohm load: -107 dB, 0.00045 %
• THD @ +14 dBu, 16 Ohm load, 0.94 Watt: -110 dB, 0.0003 %
• Max power @ 0.001% THD: 1.5 W per channel

 

[mixman]

According to the specs the Pro is more powerful. I thought the sound was better out of the Pro compared to the DAC. YMMV.

ADI-2 Pro taken from here: http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/adi_2-pro.php

Phones 1/2
As Output 1/2 TS, but:
• Output: 6.3 mm TRS jack, unbalanced, stereo
• Output impedance: 0.1 Ohm
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +22 dBu: 117 dB RMS unweighted, 120 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +7 dBu: 114 dB RMS unweighted, 118 dBA
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Ref Level +19 dBu, load 100 Ohm or up: +22 dBu (10 V)
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Ref Level +4 dBu, load 8 Ohm or up: +7 dBu (1.73 V)
• THD @ +18 dBu, 32 Ohm load, 1.2 Watt: -110 dB, 0.0003 %
• THD+N @ + 18 dBu, 32 Ohm load: -107 dB, 0.00045 %
• THD @ +14 dBu, 16 Ohm load, 0.94 Watt: -110 dB

Output Phones 3/4
As Output Phones 1/2, but:
• Output levels at 0 dBFS: Hi-Power off +7 dBu, Hi-Power On +22 dBu

Balanced Phones mode
As before, but:
• Output levels at 0 dBFS: Hi-Power off +13 dBu (9.8 V), Hi-Power On +28 dBu (19.5 V)
• Output impedance: 0.2 Ohm
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +28 dBu: 120 dB RMS unweighted, 123 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +13 dBu: 118.4 dB RMS unweighted, 122 dBA
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Hi-Power On, load 150 Ohm or up: +28 dBu (19.5 V)
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Hi-Power Off, load 8 Ohm or up: +13 dBu (9.8 V)
• Max power @ 0.001% THD: 2.9 W per channel

ADI-2 DAC taken from here: http://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/adi_2-dac.php

Phones
As Cinch but:
• Output: 6.3 mm TRS jack, unbalanced, stereo
• Output impedance: 0.1 Ohm
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +22 dBu: 117 dB RMS unweighted, 120 dBA
• Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) @ +7 dBu: 116 dB RMS unweighted, 119 dBA
• Output level at 0 dBFS, High Power, load 100 Ohm or up: +22 dBu (10 V)
• Output level at 0 dBFS, Low Power, load 8 Ohm or up: +7 dBu (1.73 V)
• THD @ +18 dBu, 32 Ohm load, 1.2 Watt: -110 dB, 0.0003 %
• THD+N @ + 18 dBu, 32 Ohm load: -107 dB, 0.00045 %
• THD @ +14 dBu, 16 Ohm load, 0.94 Watt: -110 dB, 0.0003 %
• Max power @ 0.001% THD: 1.5 W per channel

Same converter chip, just that the Pro has two correct?

 

[jerick70]

Same converter chip, just that the Pro has two correct?

Yes. AKM4490EQ

 

[MikeW]

I recently purchased a Monoprice liquid platinum to go with my ADI-2. Will give impressions once I receive it and give it some listening, you can't hardly buy a pro-ish, product without a built in headphone amp they all have em... lavry, benchmark, mytek, rme, dangerous, etc.. I find your comparison to the 789 interesting. I've not heard the 789 but I figured it would be a little better then RME's headamp, but it seems like it's mostly comparable from your impression. Im glad I decided to not get one, at least with the Liquid Platinum it's a tube hybrid so even if it's not technically better, it will give some nice tube coloration. I've been without my RME for about a week now, sent it back to Synthax for RMA of defect, still waiting for a replacement, im ready to have it back.. I will say I was/am pretty impressed and surprised by the headamp's performance, as some had led me to believe that it was nothing special and an afterthought/convenience amp. While it may not be the last word in amp power, i'd certainly not describe it as "just there for convenience" or low performance.. not at all. Considering the price of the DAC, it's often paired with end game amps and 1k-3k amps, im sure it does not compare favorably in that scenario, nor should it. But these people forget what a 500$ head-amp sounds like.

 

[lukeslens]

I recently purchased a Monoprice liquid platinum to go with my ADI-2. Will give impressions once I receive it and give it some listening, you can't hardly buy a pro-ish, product without a built in headphone amp they all have em... lavry, benchmark, mytek, rme, dangerous, etc.. I find your comparison to the 789 interesting. I've not heard the 789 but I figured it would be a little better then RME's headamp, but it seems like it's mostly comparable from your impression. Im glad I decided to not get one, at least with the Liquid Platinum it's a tube hybrid so even if it's not technically better, it will give some nice tube coloration. I've been without my RME for about a week now, sent it back to Synthax for RMA of defect, still waiting for a replacement, im ready to have it back.. I will say I was/am pretty impressed and surprised by the headamp's performance, as some had led me to believe that it was nothing special and an afterthought/convenience amp. While it may not be the last word in amp power, i'd certainly not describe it as "just there for convenience" or low performance.. not at all. Considering the price of the DAC, it's often paired with end game amps and 1k-3k amps, im sure it does not compare favorably in that scenario, nor should it. But these people forget what a 500$ head-amp sounds like.

Will be VERY interested in your impressions of the LP and the ADI-2. I'm hoping to have a similar set-up for my Clears. Am pretty hooked on the balanced performance of the Clears so landed on the RME for a Dac (hopefully soon) but I do like a little color to my sound, especially on the Clears which I love but I feel will probably benefit from some EQ and tubeness. So I'm hoping the LP+ADI2 is the ticket there, but it may be awhile before I can snag the two so will very much be looking forward to your impressions.