[Slaphead]

Does your computer have optical out?

I'd been using my RME-ADI 2 via USB with a Lenovo Tiny PC, no matter what USB port I used the treble was harsh and there was a metallic shimmer to the sound (but no drop outs), but when I used my old Galaxy Note 5 with an OTG cable the problem was absent. Because my little PC doesn't have optical out I purchased this USB to optical / coax converter, it completely solved the problem, now I run the RME via optical entirely, and IMO the sound better than USB anyway.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/392866127540

Yeah, within a PC you've got a ton of stuff that's creating HF interference. PSUs VRMs CPUs GPUs all create spurious HF interference, and a lot of this ends up being transmitted through a USB (or another electrically conductive cable such non optical S/PDIF) and that permeates through whatever DAC you are using thus leading to the glare that can be heard. Even though the RME is very good at signal rejection it will succumb to excessive amounts of HF interference

However this is somewhat dependent on the quality of your hardware. If you use a cheapass PC then you're more likely to have a problem than if you got something a bit more pricey. That said there's variability even at the high end of the PC market.

So, for computer audio it often makes sense to use the optical output, or use an optical converter to get the best out the DAC.

 

[simon740]

Hello,

which transport do you guys use with adi-2 dac? Now I have diy Linux player ( Igel 4210lx) with mpd client.

regards
Simon

 

[Forsaked]

Hello,

which transport do you guys use with adi-2 dac? Now I have diy Linux player ( Igel 4210lx) with mpd client.

regards
Simon

Laptop with Roon or RasPi 4 with RoPiee as Roon Client.

 

[Anathema123]

Yeah, within a PC you've got a ton of stuff that's creating HF interference. PSUs VRMs CPUs GPUs all create spurious HF interference, and a lot of this ends up being transmitted through a USB (or another electrically conductive cable such non optical S/PDIF) and that permeates through whatever DAC you are using thus leading to the glare that can be heard. Even though the RME is very good at signal rejection it will succumb to excessive amounts of HF interference

However this is somewhat dependent on the quality of your hardware. If you use a cheapass PC then you're more likely to have a problem than if you got something a bit more pricey. That said there's variability even at the high end of the PC market.

So, for computer audio it often makes sense to use the optical output, or use an optical converter to get the best out the DAC.

I don't have an optical out, only S/PDIF as an alternative to USB. From what I understand the ADI-2's USB implementation should be on par with S/PDIF, and I lack the needed cable to try it out anyway. For what it's worth, I can't hear any interference using USB. It probably helps that I have a high end motherboard (Asus C VIII Dark Hero), so its USB components and implementation should be above average, at least.

As for transport; Foobar2k for now. I have an SSD on the way for my DS918+ NAS which I'll use as a Roon Core.

And on the subject of stability: Still zero issues with the ADI-2. I think it's safe at this point to blame the issues I experienced on the game causing a partial driver crash rather than any issues with the ADI-2 DAC itself. Total non-issue as I don't use my good headphones nor care much for audio quality while gaming anyway.

 

[Slaphead]

I don't have an optical out, only S/PDIF as an alternative to USB. From what I understand the ADI-2's USB implementation should be on par with S/PDIF, and I lack the needed cable to try it out anyway. For what it's worth, I can't hear any interference using USB. It probably helps that I have a high end motherboard (Asus C VIII Dark Hero), so its USB components and implementation should be above average, at least.

As for transport; Foobar2k for now. I have an SSD on the way for my DS918+ NAS which I'll use as a Roon Core.

And on the subject of stability: Still zero issues with the ADI-2. I think it's safe at this point to blame the issues I experienced on the game causing a partial driver crash rather than any issues with the ADI-2 DAC itself. Total non-issue as I don't use my good headphones nor care much for audio quality while gaming anyway.

According to the specs as listed here your motherboard has optical out.

Ok, S/PDIF stands for Sony/Philips Digital InterFace. S/PDIF is a protocol which works over both coaxial cable and optical cable. The optical out is often referred to as TOSLINK (Toshiba Link) however the protocol layer is S/PDIF.

You do indeed have an S/PDIF TOSLINK output on that board - it's right next to the "Rear" 3.5mm output.

That said it appears that that board has some pretty good shielding (Audio Line Shielding in ASUS' words) which should make USB perfectly viable and any difference between that and optical is likely to be negligible. Though I'm not going to suggest that you don't try the optical interface.

 

[simon740]

What a bass
Adi-2 dac fs with Moondrop Aria iem

 

[Anathema123]

According to the specs as listed here your motherboard has optical out.

Ok, S/PDIF stands for Sony/Philips Digital InterFace. S/PDIF is a protocol which works over both coaxial cable and optical cable. The optical out is often referred to as TOSLINK (Toshiba Link) however the protocol layer is S/PDIF.

You do indeed have an S/PDIF TOSLINK output on that board - it's right next to the "Rear" 3.5mm output.

That said it appears that that board has some pretty good shielding (Audio Line Shielding in ASUS' words) which should make USB perfectly viable and any difference between that and optical is likely to be negligible. Though I'm not going to suggest that you don't try the optical interface.

Thank you for correcting my misconceptions!

I'll add a cable to my order the next time I get something else, if for nothing else just to sate my curiosity and try it out.

 

[Slaphead]

Thank you for correcting my misconceptions!

I'll add a cable to my order the next time I get something else, if for nothing else just to sate my curiosity and try it out.

I honestly don't think you'll find much difference if any - it is a quality motherboard with features to reduce, if not eliminate, that HF interference. Also consider that with optical S/PDIF you'll be limited to 24/192 in an absolute best case scenario, and that's with some special gear. 16/48 is probably the limit with a standard cheap cable, but your mileage may vary.

 

[CK Moustache]

Hello,

which transport do you guys use with adi-2 dac? Now I have diy Linux player ( Igel 4210lx) with mpd client.

regards
Simon

Mainly (nearly exclusively) my Pioneer PD-S 701.

 

[alexdemaet]

Which settings should I apply on a RME Adi 2 pro when I connect it to a Cayin CS 55A integrated amp unbalanced?

Specs are:
Power Output: 40W+40W (Ultra-Linear)
Frequency Response: 5Hz - 48kHz (-3dB)
THD: 1.0% (at 1kHz)
S/N Ratio (Line/Phono): 92dB/68dB
Line Input Sensitivity: 280mV
Line Input Impedance: 100kΩ

Here is an example:
"
If you are going to use YAMAHA AS-2100's "Main Input", there is nothing special to watch out, except that you should set ADI 2 DAC's:
• Reference level to +7dBu.
• Auto Reference Level to: Off.


YAMAHA AS-2100 main i/o's level is specified as 1V RMS.
ADI-2 DAC's Reference Level at +7dBu = +1dBu at the Cinch output, as Cinch's level is 6dB below the XLR's.
There is an additional range of 2.5dB on ADI 2 DAC's volume control.
So you end up with 7 - 6 + 2.5 = +3.5dBu = 1.16V RMS.
"

 

[Dogmatrix]

Which settings should I apply on a RME Adi 2 pro when I connect it to a Cayin CS 55A integrated amp unbalanced?

Specs are:
Power Output: 40W+40W (Ultra-Linear)
Frequency Response: 5Hz - 48kHz (-3dB)
THD: 1.0% (at 1kHz)
S/N Ratio (Line/Phono): 92dB/68dB
Line Input Sensitivity: 280mV
Line Input Impedance: 100kΩ

Here is an example:
"
If you are going to use YAMAHA AS-2100's "Main Input", there is nothing special to watch out, except that you should set ADI 2 DAC's:
• Reference level to +7dBu.
• Auto Reference Level to: Off.


YAMAHA AS-2100 main i/o's level is specified as 1V RMS.
ADI-2 DAC's Reference Level at +7dBu = +1dBu at the Cinch output, as Cinch's level is 6dB below the XLR's.
There is an additional range of 2.5dB on ADI 2 DAC's volume control.
So you end up with 7 - 6 + 2.5 = +3.5dBu = 1.16V RMS.
"

For .280v -9dBu

 

[alexdemaet]

For .280v -9dBu

Thanks

 

[simon740]

Im very satisfy with adi-2 dac

 

[robm321]

Very nice!

 

[simon740]

Very nice!

Thank you