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RME ADI-2 DAC Thread

Jan 4, 2023 at 5:42 PM Post #5,416 of 6,226
Svperstar said:
Started reading Head-fi in 2003 and registered an account in 2004, so it took me 20 years to get an "end game" DAC lol
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started in 1989 with this kind of ADI FS2 ancestor https://audio-database.com/MARANTZ/amp/pm-95-e.html, actually one of the first non pro DAC/Amp, 6 times more expensive at time with less functionalities and easily beaten by the ADI FS2 nowdays :)

Anyway, I could live with the ADI as my Thekk doesn't need more power (far from it).
But, unless you plan to go with difficult canet to drive and want a less "straight" presentation, I would recommend to give a try to the Trafomatic head 2

ADI.jpg


Power amp are pretty the same, but listening pleasure is not.
Appart for a matter of a very subjective choice (like mine), i don't really see the point to bypass the integrated amp.
 
Jan 4, 2023 at 5:59 PM Post #5,418 of 6,226
Fun afternoon. My Audeze LCD-2 Classic came in the mail and I suddenly realized I had enough gear here to do some A/B testing.

I hooked up both of my Windows laptops next to each other. One running Topping D30 -> SMSL SP200 RCA connection. The other running RME ADI-2 -> SMSL SP200 balanced XLR connection.

Then I put on the same exact song in MusicBee and hit play at the same time, while the song was playing I was switching between the XRL and RCA connection so the music never stopped playing. I used my Hifiman Arya and brand new Audeze LCD-2 Classic.

s13opS1.jpg


At first the RCA connection was way louder so I raised the volume on the Line Out of the RME ADI-2 till they were earmatched.

I realize none of this is scientific but I don't hear much difference between the Topping D30 and the RME ADI-2. I mean the RME ADI-2 sounds like the soundstage is a little wider and more 3D but its not a big difference. Makes me glad I didn't spring for a AKM 4499 DAC because with my age and hearing damage I don't think I would notice a difference.
 
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Jan 4, 2023 at 6:10 PM Post #5,419 of 6,226
Mayza said:
Power amp are pretty the same, but listening pleasure is not.
Appart for a matter of a very subjective choice (like mine), i don't really see the point to bypass the integrated amp.
Click to expand...

At this point I have been in this hobby long enough that If I was going to get a new amp I would get something ridiculous like a Benchmark or some hybrid tube amp that gives out a ton of power. I already owned the SMSL SP200 before I got the RME hence why I am playing with it.
 
Jan 4, 2023 at 6:29 PM Post #5,420 of 6,226
Svperstar said:
At this point I have been in this hobby long enough that If I was going to get a new amp I would get something ridiculous like a Benchmark or some hybrid tube amp that gives out a ton of power. I already owned the SMSL SP200 before I got the RME hence why I am playing with it.
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I had Benchmark HPA4 with ADI-2. Sold the HPA4 as I didn't benefit from its features in my use case. There was also no difference in terms of sound - which is expected.
 
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Jan 5, 2023 at 3:19 AM Post #5,421 of 6,226
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Jan 5, 2023 at 3:28 AM Post #5,422 of 6,226
Svperstar said:
Fun afternoon. My Audeze LCD-2 Classic came in the mail and I suddenly realized I had enough gear here to do some A/B testing.

I hooked up both of my Windows laptops next to each other. One running Topping D30 -> SMSL SP200 RCA connection. The other running RME ADI-2 -> SMSL SP200 balanced XLR connection.

Then I put on the same exact song in MusicBee and hit play at the same time, while the song was playing I was switching between the XRL and RCA connection so the music never stopped playing. I used my Hifiman Arya and brand new Audeze LCD-2 Classic.

s13opS1.jpg


At first the RCA connection was way louder so I raised the volume on the Line Out of the RME ADI-2 till they were earmatched.

I realize none of this is scientific but I don't hear much difference between the Topping D30 and the RME ADI-2. I mean the RME ADI-2 sounds like the soundstage is a little wider and more 3D but its not a big difference. Makes me glad I didn't spring for a AKM 4499 DAC because with my age and hearing damage I don't think I would notice a difference.
Click to expand...
I was also pretty dissapointed when I figured out that the differences between neutral DACs are way smaller than what some people make you believe.

Still never regretted buying the ADI because it's super quiet, is well built, looks good and offers a huge variety of functionalities!
 
Jan 5, 2023 at 6:21 AM Post #5,424 of 6,226
Jan 5, 2023 at 7:31 AM Post #5,425 of 6,226
gimmeheadroom said:
Thank you, that's a very interesting site. I'm not yet convinced since the numbers vary significantly from what RME published. I didn't review it thoroughly (and probably will not, since it does not matter to me) but the THD at 300 ohms is quite bad. So we have at least two numbers that don't line up with what I and many other people hear.
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I have an OTL valve amplifier and I use the RME as a dac but the RME drives my HD6XX, HD800s and ZMF Aeolus without issues. To be fair based on your username the OTL has greater headroom :)
 
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Jan 5, 2023 at 12:21 PM Post #5,426 of 6,226
Nago said:
I was also pretty dissapointed when I figured out that the differences between neutral DACs are way smaller than what some people make you believe.

Still never regretted buying the ADI because it's super quiet, is well built, looks good and offers a huge variety of functionalities!
Click to expand...
Every once in a while somebody mentions the Holo May as if talking about the holy grail, and I wonder how much of a difference it would actually make.
 
Jan 7, 2023 at 2:36 AM Post #5,427 of 6,226
Jan 7, 2023 at 9:43 AM Post #5,428 of 6,226
Svperstar said:
Before I take the time to dial in all of my headphones in the EQ, is there any reason I can't just use something like AutoEQ?
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq#usage
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These work quite well: https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets_rme_adi-2/
These are 10 band but you can often get away with just EQ the most important parts of the band with 6 band EQ (bass has limited frequency settings): https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets/

Adjust to taste if you are not happy with the result. Bass can depend a lot on the seal so some of the presets are a bit bass light and some are bass heavy.
 
Jan 7, 2023 at 6:53 PM Post #5,429 of 6,226
Jan 13, 2023 at 10:38 AM Post #5,430 of 6,226
I just got a RME ADI-2 FS off Amazon for $1099 (open box). Apparently I got the older AKM chip version as there is a "B" at the end of the serial number. I guess some people prefer this chip over the saber?

I'm looking forward to using crossfeed, balance control, EQing my various headphones and my room and setting up separate EQ's for left and right ears. I played bass guitar in a rock band for years so my ears are certainly not balanced.

Btw, is there a support group for new RME owners?! Lol

I've never owned a new piece of equipment this difficult to navigate! RME needs to hire some educators for writing up manuals and planning out better menu navigation. The engineers should stick to engineering! I've spent a good 5-7 hours figuring out how to save EQs, mapping Saved Settings to the remote and none of this is obvious.
 
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