[darmccombs]

Hello i'm considering buying the ADI-2 DAC FS. I have a few questions.

So far i'm using a chord Mojo as DAC. Is the ADI a significant improvement in terms of sound quality?

I could get a used Violectric HPA 200 for around 500€ which i could add to the Mojo. May this be the better option?

I could also get a Violectric DAC V800 and the HPA 200 for around 1000€. Is this comparable to the Adi? Better or worse sound or just different signature?

I don't use things like equalizer and all the gimmicks the Adi offers. Is it still worth the money then or should i just stick with the mojo instead?

My source would be an Ipad with Amazon Music HD. Is that sufficient?

Headphones are Grado GS1000e and Inear Prophile 8.

Thanks for any responds.

I went from a Chord Mojo to the ADI a couple of months ago. The ADI has more detail, and less warmth right out of the box. You need to decide if that will be good with the headphones you have. For me, it was a significant improvement.

Like you, I was against using EQ. I never have liked EQ before. But if your headphones have any significant peaks or drop in FR, then you may get a pleasant surprise if you try the EQ. I didn't use it the first month, but then I tried it because my headphones has a couple of peaks/drop. I found some eq settings online and tried them. It really cleaned up the sound even more (less congestion and better separation of instruments).

I am very happy with the change from the Mojo to the ADI. I think it comes down to weather lossing some warmth, and gaining detail, will be a good match with your headphones.

I also use an ipad (Pro, with USB-c in my case), see my signature. I use use Qobuz but also have tried Amazon HD. Both are sufficient to take advantage of sound changes between the Mojo and ADI.

 

[SupperTime]

Hello i'm considering buying the ADI-2 DAC FS. I have a few questions.

So far i'm using a chord Mojo as DAC. Is the ADI a significant improvement in terms of sound quality?

I could get a used Violectric HPA 200 for around 500€ which i could add to the Mojo. May this be the better option?
Rme offers great dsp/eq/crossover it's more feature full. I think it is better than the mojo in sound and features, idk anything about vioelectric other than they sound warm
I could also get a Violectric DAC V800 and the HPA 200 for around 1000€. Is this comparable to the Adi? Better or worse sound or just different signature?

I don't use things like equalizer and all the gimmicks the Adi offers. Is it still worth the money then or should i just stick with the mojo instead?

My source would be an Ipad with Amazon Music HD. Is that sufficient?

Headphones are Grado GS1000e and Inear Prophile 8.

Thanks for any responds.

 

[PointyFox]

You can't run a Mojo continuously without destroying the battery.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

You can't run a Mojo continuously without destroying the battery.

Turns out (based on Rob Watts' response on the Mojo thread and many other users) that you can. The unit is built such that the battery does not constantly recharge when plugged in. It reaches full charge then the unit runs from the USB power. Rob did recommend to turn it off when not in use. And it does get hot, so I prefer not to use it this way.

More disappointingly, that thread also had a number of posts on how to remove the battery altogether and run it as a desktop amp/dac. Turns out that if you do that (super easy to do), the unit starts buzzing loudly when turned on with no battery connected. It does in my case and in the case of others. Not sure why.

 

[Slaphead]

You can't run a Mojo continuously without destroying the battery.

You can once you've pulled the battery out, and disposed of it in an environmentally friendly way.

Honestly that battery is the Mojo's Achilles heel. Fortunately the Mojo will run without battery (not by design it must be said) as long as it's connected to a 10 or 12 watt PSU (12 watt is better)

Turns out (based on Rob Watts' response on the Mojo thread and many other users) that you can. The unit is built such that the battery does not constantly recharge when plugged in. It reaches full charge then the unit runs from the USB power. Rob did recommend to turn it off when not in use. And it does get hot, so I prefer not to use it this way.

More disappointingly, that thread also had a number of posts on how to remove the battery altogether and run it as a desktop amp/dac. Turns out that if you do that (super easy to do), the unit starts buzzing loudly when turned on with no battery connected. It does in my case and in the case of others. Not sure why.

It's coil whine - a completely normal phenomenon and often happens with high end video cards. Although in the case of the Mojo it sounds particularly nasty, it won't do any harm at all. Unfortunately Chord does not seem to be able to design a competent low cost charging circuit, a problem that all other electronics manufacturers solved two decades ago.

 

[CaptainFantastic]

You can once you've pulled the battery out, and disposed of it in an environmentally friendly way.

Honestly that battery is the Mojo's Achilles heel. Fortunately the Mojo will run without battery (not by design it must be said) as long as it's connected to a 10 or 12 watt PSU (12 watt is better)



It's coil whine - a completely normal phenomenon and often happens with high end video cards. Although in the case of the Mojo it sounds particularly nasty, it won't do any harm at all. Unfortunately Chord does not seem to be able to design a competent low cost charging circuit, a problem that all other electronics manufacturers solved two decades ago.

Thanks for the info. As you said, it's particularly nasty on the Mojo. Can you help me understand how then it can still be stated that the Mojo can run without a battery? Who is willing to put up with that kind of noise while listening to music? Is it supposed to work with closed-backs? I just don't understand how anyone in this hobby could live with that when we are all trying to get nothing but the music from our systems. I am just honestly surprised several people posted in the Mojo thread that the battery can be removed and did not also offer this issue which basically = no, it cannot be used without the battery connected.

 

[Slaphead]

Thanks for the info. As you said, it's particularly nasty on the Mojo. Can you help me understand how then it can still be stated that the Mojo can run without a battery? Who is willing to put up with that kind of noise while listening to music? Is it supposed to work with closed-backs? I just don't understand how anyone in this hobby could live with that when we are all trying to get nothing but the music from our systems. I am just honestly surprised several people posted in the Mojo thread that the battery can be removed and did not also offer this issue which basically = no, it cannot be used without the battery connected.

IME once the Mojo is put under load the noise reduces to a certain degree - I'm going to have to pull out my Mojo out and give it a try to confirm this. However I listen at volumes that effectively cover up that hissing, and listen to genres of music that may very well be not affected by the noise, or may even be improved by the noise

 

[LONZO]

 

[SupperTime]

Love it.
Whats that on top?

 

[Deolum]

Love it.
Whats that on top?

I think it's a Bluesound Node 2 streamer.

 

[LONZO]

Love it.
Whats that on top?

Yes. It's the Bluesound Node 2I. Digital streamer extraordinaire. I have the coax digital out to the Adi DAC. Its sweet.

I think it's a Bluesound Node 2 streamer.

 

[darmccombs]

Yes. It's the Bluesound Node 2I. Digital streamer extraordinaire. I have the coax digital out to the Adi DAC. Its sweet.

I run the same Bluesound Node 2i Coax -> RME ADI-2 at home. The RME really makes the Bluesound sound nice.

 

[Mutsu]

In a stereo speaker setup what power amp are ADI-2 users using (if using a power amp)?

I just got an XTZ Edge A2 300 amp to try out with my ADI-2 versus my Aura Groove integrated (has inbuilt dac) and the sound is so so different I'm not sure if I like it or not yet (I really want to).

I definitely need the volume higher on the ADI-2 -> A2 300 for it to sound full and punchy, the Aura Groove has the punchy impact-full sound from low volumes. This is even with Loudness function enabled on the ADI-2 (although it helps). I think this is the most disappointing thing as I often listen at lower volumes.

Maybe I'm used to a more 'colored' listening experience and the ADI-2 -> A2 300 is closer to flat and to my ears a little metallic, bass weight light.

Given that the A2 300 amp is a forth the cost of the Aura Groove I think it does a lot of things better than it, just not sure if it's my tastes yet. Maybe I can learn to enjoy it.

I was really hoping to find a small form class-d power amp to pair with an ADI-2 that I plugged in and loved immediately. Same feeling I had when I got the ADI-2 for headphones.

 

[Slaphead]

I think what a lot of people miss is that the ADI-2 DAC isn't really aimed at the readership of this forum, although it's good that so many people like it.

It is a professional audio interface without the ADC functionality, and with a sonic signature designed to be as flat and as detailed as possible so that producers, mixing engineers and mastering engineers can make accurate decisions on the final musical product.

With that in mind I can believe that a lot of people find it not so punchy, or a bit thin in some circumstances. For me this sound signature is fantastic. I've not yet come across an audio interface that lays it out like this one, and it enables me to produce as a hobby knowing that whatever I do will work well with other listening gear.

Personally I don't like "HiFi" sounding gear like Chord or Audeze - it sounds artificial to me. Pleasant and musical, but ultimately lacking in realism from my point of view - I couldn't work with products from either brand. That said I do understand people who enjoy that flavour.

So with that in mind, if you're somebody looking for a device that will reveal everything, warts and all, then the RME ADI-2 will do that superbly. However if you're looking for something a bit more "HiFi" and coloured then "this is not the droid you're looking for".

 

[betula]

I think what a lot of people miss is that the ADI-2 DAC isn't really aimed at the readership of this forum, although it's good that so many people like it.

It is a professional audio interface without the ADC functionality, and with a sonic signature designed to be as flat and as detailed as possible so that producers, mixing engineers and mastering engineers can make accurate decisions on the final musical product.

With that in mind I can believe that a lot of people find it not so punchy, or a bit thin in some circumstances. For me this sound signature is fantastic. I've not yet come across an audio interface that lays it out like this one, and it enables me to produce as a hobby knowing that whatever I do will work well with other listening gear.

Personally I don't like "HiFi" sounding gear like Chord or Audeze - it sounds artificial to me. Pleasant and musical, but ultimately lacking in realism from my point of view - I couldn't work with products from either brand. That said I do understand people who enjoy that flavour.

So with that in mind, if you're somebody looking for a device that will reveal everything, warts and all, then the RME ADI-2 will do that superbly. However if you're looking for something a bit more "HiFi" and coloured then "this is not the droid you're looking for".

Just to be clear, are you saying, Chord TT2 or Dave sound artificial?