advertisement


RME ADI-2 Pro DAC... anyone have one?

occamsrazor

occamsrazor

pfm Member
Hi,

Anyone have one of these?

https://www.rme-audio.de/en/products/adi_2-pro.php

products_adi-2_pro_2b.jpg


Some reviews....

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/rme-adi-2-pro
https://headfonics.com/2016/12/the-adi-2-pro-by-rme/
https://sonarworks.com/blog/rme-adi-2-pro-review/
http://www.audioxpress.com/article/...l-converter-with-dual-headphone-amp-in-review

Seriously considering one of these to replace my Audiolab MDAC in the following setup:

Mac Mini > Roon w/upsampling > DAC > Hypex nCore monoblocks > ATC SCM11 + C1 sub
At some point I would likely try a microrendu/SOTM SMS-200 but not now.

I'm attracted to gear that has a pro heritage/background. Just interested to hear anyone's impressions, it seems a very interesting unit. I'm torn between that and the Mytek Brooklyn DAC or DAC+. I'd like to try upsampling PCM to DSD (which my MDAC can't). Not so much interested in headphone use or phono inputs. SQ aside, for me the features pro/cons are:

Mytek Brooklyn DAC/DAC+
Pros - USB HID volume control (for me a really big plus), also analog volume control could prove more flexible in future. Remote Control. Phono input maybe useful for future.
Cons - Price, it seems to have gone up a lot in recent year or so.

RME ADI-2 Pro
Pros - Super flexible feature set including equalizers (though can also do that on Roon), tone controls, ADC (not that I would use) etc. PCM goes up to 768khz (vs Brooklyn 384khz - why? when ESS 9028 supports 768khz?). Lower price.
Cons - Lack of USB HID volume control. Lack of Remote control.

@Purité Audio - I did read your post and blog entry on the RME ADI-2 Pro in the Trade Announcements... but couldn't reply on that forum. Would love to hear your thoughts on the above.

PS - You can't search for this thing on PFM, because every part of the name is 3 characters and search says that's too small.

Cheers.....
 
Purité Audio said:
I have one, it is a super bit of kit , would you like to try it for yourself?
Keith
Click to expand...

Kind offer, thanks, but sadly auditioning gear has to remain in my dreams, I'm based in Kenya and so have to buy gear blind, or rather deaf, without possibility of return. Hence the need to obsessively research on the net beforehand... :)
 
I understand, sound quality is as good as anything at any price, it is ridiculously versatile yet really simple to operate, I have asked RME about a remote!
Keith
 
Purité Audio said:
I understand, sound quality is as good as anything at any price, it is ridiculously versatile yet really simple to operate, I have asked RME about a remote!
Keith
Click to expand...

A number of people have on the RME forum about remotes but I can't see it happening. I could live without the physical remote if it accepted USB volume commands from the Mac side like the MDAC and Brooklyn and some others do. But Matthias on the RME forum confirmed it doesn't. I don't know if that's a limitation of the AKM chip or just lack of implementation. The Brooklyn didn't either at first but they later added it in firmware, but the Brooklyn of course has ESS chip. I was talking to another potential user on another forum who wanted to use it with DSD and Roon. But DSD would prevent the use of DSP volume control in Roon, leaving few options for volume control assuming you don't want to use a separate preamp, so he had to abandon the RME idea. That said as I haven't been able to try DSD with my MDAC, I find the whole DSD & volume control topic rather confusing.... I should add DSD isn't a dealbreaker for me, but I hate to close off options.
 
I use ROON here I can use that to attenuate volume with the RME, I probably have some DSD files somewhere I don’t see why they wouldn’t work, when ROON ( I believe) converts them to PCM anyway.
Keith
 
Purité Audio said:
I use ROON here I can use that to attenuate volume with the RME
Click to expand...

I assume you are using Roon > Device Setup > Volume Control Mode > DSP Volume or Core Audio?

I think you can certainly use this to vary the DSP volume in Roon itself, certainly for PCM. I honestly don't know if that works also for DSD converted to PCM in Roon, or DoP. I think the guy I was talking too wanted to use Direct/Native DSD and am pretty sure you can't use DSP volume or any volume control in Roon with that mode. That said I could live without Direct/Native DSD myself.

But what you can't do without a DAC that supports volume commands (HID) is use the Volume Control Mode > "Use Device Controls" whereby the application sends commands over USB to the DAC to alter the internal volume control of the DAC, same as turning the DAC volume knob. And any turns of the knob in return alter the volume slider in Roon. For some reason that I seem largely alone on :)... I find this really useful.
 
Purité Audio said:
Usually I keep the software volume ‘fixed’ and use the knob on the RME.
Keith
Click to expand...

Fair enough. I control everything (music selection and volume) from laptop or iPhone. And I'm lazy and don't want to get up off the sofa. They really should have just put in a small IR receiver.
 
I have one, it is really superb. Adding an external linear power supply makes it even more addictive. You can order it without a hesitation, very good value for the money.
 
endust4237 said:
I have one, it is really superb. Adding an external linear power supply makes it even more addictive. You can order it without a hesitation, very good value for the money.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Can you say any more about your setup and how you are using it, or any comparisons with others DACs?

As an aside, there was a new firmware update yesterday that would effectively allow you to use it as an active crossover between mains and subs, albeit limited to 192khz rate, that's pretty nice...

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=26367
 
occamsrazor said:
Thanks. Can you say any more about your setup and how you are using it, or any comparisons with others DACs?

As an aside, there was a new firmware update yesterday that would effectively allow you to use it as an active crossover between mains and subs, albeit limited to 192khz rate, that's pretty nice...

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=26367
Click to expand...

I am using it with my Macbook Pro - SOTM SMS 200 Ethernet - USB converter to one of my active speakers: Presonus R65 or Quested S6R. Playing high-res audio up to 384kHz/DSD256, icluding some of my own recordings. Cables are Wireworld, linear power supply from a local supplier, custom made for the RME unit. Used to digitize from tape, LPs and using it for simple live event recording too. Like PCM a bit more than DSD recordings, minimal difference however.
 
@endust4237 - Did you find that the SMS-200 added much to the sound quality of the ADI2 alone connected to MacBook directly? Or you are using it more for the functionality?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top