Actually the volume control is not 100% digital. When AutoRef feature is enable (which is factory default), it uses a brilliant combination of gain steps + digital attenuation. For the end user it is seamless: just turn the volume knob up and down and it does its thing. But the way that it is implemented means the bulk of the volume is set by the gain and only a little digital attenuation is used. This maximizes SNR, especially in low volumes.
@@dougschneider8243 Honestly, I doubt much would change. The improvements I hear were numerous, but any one area was subtle. Slight increases in SS depth, width, & height. Tonally it became a little richer. Air became more apparent and detail felt heightened despite a harshness on some transients being reduced. Bass punch/impact was slightly enhanced. Very pleasing. Not night and day. To me it was worth the $275 I paid from Amazon at the time.
@@dougschneider8243 I've had good experience with iFi. Also, note that I selected the 15v version over the 12v. I actually started with the 12v version of the iFi first (same as factory ps). The ADI-2 called for 9-15v. Based on the recommendation from a good friend, I tried the 15v version And found it to be more dynamic than the 12v. Improvement was still seen with the 12v iFi, but even more subtle.
@@DBravo29er I reviewed it for SoundStage! HiFi and only used it with the stock wall wart. That's great that you heard an improvement with the iFi psu. Really wish I could've had the opportunity to try that combo now!
Great product. The latest PRO version just released (RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE) has ADCs so you can use it as an analogue preamp and even more powerful headphone amp, digital outs as well if you need to connect it to an active monitor or some other device. You can even use it as a phono pre with built in RIAA equalisation for playing or digitising records.
I have followed Soundstage and your reports for decades and you are now an institution, a ray of light of understanding and good judgment in this over populated world of fake, unexperienced, sold and amateur reviewers, some even with technical pretensions. Great review for an awesome product, I sell it and also use it for my own listening sessions and product development due to its flexibility, low noise and neutrality. Also you said many truths about "audiophile mentality" stuck in decades old dogmas. Thanks for your fine work.
Would this work with Sennheiser 800s as an all in one? I stream Tidal. Using NAD C-658 presently with C-298. Looking to create a separate headphone set-up with a better DAC and sound than NAD C-658. The bass is thin with the Sennheiser 800s. Listened to Bryston but it is very expensive and requires a DAC and a streamer. Thanks in advance
Video might have been improved by showing its screen displaying real time analyzer of frequency spectrum and sliding bars for volume. This might be of interest to those trying to impress their buddies... Another addition--the parametric eq can save a variety of settings, even settings per the various outputs; however, where it may be most unique is in being able to store independent EQs per left and right channel. So if your hearing differs by ear, you can tailor very well for your needs with IEM or traditional cans. This is not affecting a more conventional EQ for listening to your speakers. Thank you for review.
I paid a lot of attention to this DAC a couple years ago when there were several favorable comparisons to the Chord Qtest. I believed about a year ago when I saw reviews of the ifi idsd neo rendered this a moot point because it costs ~50% more than the ifi which is a multi bit DAC and dare I say also renders MQA.
With the new Windows, Mac and iPad Remote software from RME (ADI-2 Remote), isn't it time to re-review this DAC? Whatever obstacles and understanding issues the unit caused due to its overcrowded display and functionality - it's all super-easy now...barely an inconvenience...
I use it as a preamp , in my system (Iphone Camera Adapter,PC,PS4, Sony UHD BluRayPlayer, Yamaha AX870 + Infinity Kappa 90, Teufel Headphone). Its few steps forward in sound stage. Best choice i made. RME make a very good job 👏🏻 Real Professional Stuff in HiFi World for Customer Enduser.
I have had the DAC for over three years now and I no longer use the preamplifier. The loudness function is truly incredible, you hear no difference between 50 dB - 90 dB of course the sound pressure increases, but the frequencies are not increased or decreased. There is one thing you definitely need to replace, the difference between the standard power supply and a linear power supply is enormous. It is best to compare the difference in reproduction quality with the solid state or a tube amplifier. Mind you, without distortion, it sounds warmer but certainly not woolly. The linear power supply costs almost the same as this DAC, but once you hear the difference, you will regret that you did not purchase this power supply directly.
@@stephencosta6814 I ran my ADI-2 fs on a 12v battery and could perceive no difference between it and their power supply ! RME's engineers claim they have this taken care of and I am inclined to believe them.
Have in mind that the new ess version comes with a cable patch on pcb, that is manual soldered. Great device , but firstly make sure that it don’t mind you or that the one you take does not have it. There is much discussion at forums…
@@soundstagenetwork the pcb of a modern dac is generally well designed, clear and well arranged. However RME did not have time to design correctrly the new pcb for ESS version implementation, and had to do a patch with a cable which is hand soldered. Some got frustrated by this, because it seems like a rough job, quickie, in order not to stop the production line. Noone from RME ever confirmed that it is ok, that there is not quality downgrade ect, or that is is long term ok. There are forums like the asr forum, or even the official rme forum where threads are opened for this...but suddenly "closed" from the admins of the sites, something that raises questions. Also MC, the technician from RME never replied to any question about it. If you check online "rme pcb versions" you should find the threads and pictures...
You are great! You are so clear and concise. Can't ask for more than that. I decided I would be better off with a less "accurate" dac for many of my classical music recordings which can sound shrill on neutral dacs just like the vinyl versions of them did back in the day with neutral phono cartriidges. I decided on the D300 Rohm chip dac from SMSL whch sounds euphoically colored and reminds me s bit of the Shure V15 Type III G cartridge with the spherical sty;us. That is, less incisive than the eliptical stylus version but very lifelike and pleasant sounding on virtually all of my classical music recordings.
A lot of video on youtube praise the ADI-2 DAC as a reference quality but ironically non of them show the sound of it for the listeners to make the judment themself...only words... it sound very impressive bla bla...
Its hardly low-priced. The unit itself is so lightweight it slides back every time you press a button. Sorbothane pads fixes this. At least the sound isn't lightweight!
Honestly, I'd disagree with you on performance. Imo it's very overpriced based on sound quality alone. If you use all the features with frequency then sure it might be worth it to that individual.
@@dougschneider8243 i didn't spend too much time around this price range but from what i've heard I thought the chord mojo via line out outperformed the rme, one of the topping dacs (don't remember the exact model) had similar performance and signature for a much lower price. That being said, i personally don't like listening to music with the rme. To me, it's on the flatter side of stage and dynamics with also a bit of harshness. Not something you'd expect from a $1k DAC. My amp connected to it at the time was a thx 789 (which I regret) and a burson soloist 3xp. I did try the built-in amp as well... let's just say the DAC was better than the amp imo. I don't think it's bad but for the price I think it's asking for too much (DAC quality alone).
@@soundstagenetwork No one dares to! Audiophile and most reviewers wouldn't do it for fear of losing sponsorship. Amir (ASR) has challenged them before.
@@soundstagenetwork Some hi fi reviewers are really shilling for brands that sponsor them. 13th Note has openly criticised some reviewers such as Darko, British Audiophile, Hans, etc etc and of course Amir. If the products cost $$$$, it must be good. 🙊
Actually the volume control is not 100% digital. When AutoRef feature is enable (which is factory default), it uses a brilliant combination of gain steps + digital attenuation. For the end user it is seamless: just turn the volume knob up and down and it does its thing. But the way that it is implemented means the bulk of the volume is set by the gain and only a little digital attenuation is used. This maximizes SNR, especially in low volumes.
Do you know if its 'plug and play' no driver needed for use with linux distros?
I used the AKM4493 version for a few years and loved it. Great upgrade was an iFi Elite 15v power supply.
It would be interesting to put that on the test bench and see if/how the measurements change.
@@dougschneider8243 Honestly, I doubt much would change. The improvements I hear were numerous, but any one area was subtle. Slight increases in SS depth, width, & height. Tonally it became a little richer. Air became more apparent and detail felt heightened despite a harshness on some transients being reduced. Bass punch/impact was slightly enhanced. Very pleasing. Not night and day. To me it was worth the $275 I paid from Amazon at the time.
@@DBravo29er Fair enough. Good price, too. One thing for certain is that iFi Audio does make products that work well.
@@dougschneider8243 I've had good experience with iFi. Also, note that I selected the 15v version over the 12v. I actually started with the 12v version of the iFi first (same as factory ps). The ADI-2 called for 9-15v. Based on the recommendation from a good friend, I tried the 15v version And found it to be more dynamic than the 12v. Improvement was still seen with the 12v iFi, but even more subtle.
@@DBravo29er I reviewed it for SoundStage! HiFi and only used it with the stock wall wart. That's great that you heard an improvement with the iFi psu. Really wish I could've had the opportunity to try that combo now!
That is my day to day go-to DAC. It’s a very good DAC indeed.
Great product. The latest PRO version just released (RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE) has ADCs so you can use it as an analogue preamp and even more powerful headphone amp, digital outs as well if you need to connect it to an active monitor or some other device. You can even use it as a phono pre with built in RIAA equalisation for playing or digitising records.
Great info!
The best audio product I have ever bought, I love the PEQ and Crossfeed options, it's incredible.
I have followed Soundstage and your reports for decades and you are now an institution, a ray of light of understanding and good judgment in this over populated world of fake, unexperienced, sold and amateur reviewers, some even with technical pretensions. Great review for an awesome product, I sell it and also use it for my own listening sessions and product development due to its flexibility, low noise and neutrality. Also you said many truths about "audiophile mentality" stuck in decades old dogmas. Thanks for your fine work.
Would this work with Sennheiser 800s as an all in one? I stream Tidal. Using NAD C-658 presently with C-298. Looking to create a separate headphone set-up with a better DAC and sound than NAD C-658. The bass is thin with the Sennheiser 800s. Listened to Bryston but it is very expensive and requires a DAC and a streamer. Thanks in advance
Video might have been improved by showing its screen displaying real time analyzer of frequency spectrum and sliding bars for volume. This might be of interest to those trying to impress their buddies... Another addition--the parametric eq can save a variety of settings, even settings per the various outputs; however, where it may be most unique is in being able to store independent EQs per left and right channel. So if your hearing differs by ear, you can tailor very well for your needs with IEM or traditional cans. This is not affecting a more conventional EQ for listening to your speakers. Thank you for review.
I am a proud owner of this unit and I really love it. Anyway, nice video
Not surprised!
Got this unit paired with a purifi power amp, 'chefs kiss'
Great idea!
Which Purifi-based amp?
@@dougschneider8243audiophonics hpa-s400et upgraded with OPA1612 opamps
Same here! I drive the NAD C298(Purifi modules) with my RME!
I paid a lot of attention to this DAC a couple years ago when there were several favorable comparisons to the Chord Qtest. I believed about a year ago when I saw reviews of the ifi idsd neo rendered this a moot point because it costs ~50% more than the ifi which is a multi bit DAC and dare I say also renders MQA.
With the new Windows, Mac and iPad Remote software from RME (ADI-2 Remote), isn't it time to re-review this DAC? Whatever obstacles and understanding issues the unit caused due to its overcrowded display and functionality - it's all super-easy now...barely an inconvenience...
I use it as a preamp , in my system (Iphone Camera Adapter,PC,PS4, Sony UHD BluRayPlayer, Yamaha AX870 + Infinity Kappa 90, Teufel Headphone). Its few steps forward in sound stage. Best choice i made. RME make a very good job 👏🏻 Real Professional Stuff in HiFi World for Customer Enduser.
I have had the DAC for over three years now and I no longer use the preamplifier. The loudness function is truly incredible, you hear no difference between 50 dB - 90 dB of course the sound pressure increases, but the frequencies are not increased or decreased. There is one thing you definitely need to replace, the difference between the standard power supply and a linear power supply is enormous. It is best to compare the difference in reproduction quality with the solid state or a tube amplifier. Mind you, without distortion, it sounds warmer but certainly not woolly. The linear power supply costs almost the same as this DAC, but once you hear the difference, you will regret that you did not purchase this power supply directly.
Please tell me the name of the power supply or did you purchase it thanks
@@stephencosta6814 I ran my ADI-2 fs on a 12v battery and could perceive no difference between it and their power supply ! RME's engineers claim they have this taken care of and I am inclined to believe them.
What equivalent sound quality streamer would you suggest to pair with it ?
Parametric EQ could really come in handy.
Do you collect old school skateboard decks?
How can I use it as a DAC only? do I need to configure something on it?
Have in mind that the new ess version comes with a cable patch on pcb, that is manual soldered. Great device , but firstly make sure that it don’t mind you or that the one you take does not have it. There is much discussion at forums…
Can you explain more what you mean and to where discussions are?
@@soundstagenetwork the pcb of a modern dac is generally well designed, clear and well arranged. However RME did not have time to design correctrly the new pcb for ESS version implementation, and had to do a patch with a cable which is hand soldered. Some got frustrated by this, because it seems like a rough job, quickie, in order not to stop the production line. Noone from RME ever confirmed that it is ok, that there is not quality downgrade ect, or that is is long term ok. There are forums like the asr forum, or even the official rme forum where threads are opened for this...but suddenly "closed" from the admins of the sites, something that raises questions. Also MC, the technician from RME never replied to any question about it. If you check online "rme pcb versions" you should find the threads and pictures...
I don't have any issue with the ESS implementation. However they did it, they did it exceedingly well, as evidenced in the measurements.
You are great! You are so clear and concise. Can't ask for more than that. I decided I would be better off with a less "accurate" dac for many of my classical music recordings which can sound shrill on neutral dacs just like the vinyl versions of them did back in the day with neutral phono cartriidges. I decided on the D300 Rohm chip dac from SMSL whch sounds euphoically colored and reminds me s bit of the Shure V15 Type III G cartridge with the spherical sty;us. That is, less incisive than the eliptical stylus version but very lifelike and pleasant sounding on virtually all of my classical music recordings.
Is anyone using this DAC with an Atoll amplifier? Or with Focal speakers? Any feedback?
A lot of video on youtube praise the ADI-2 DAC as a reference quality but ironically non of them show the sound of it for the listeners to make the judment themself...only words... it sound very impressive bla bla...
Its hardly low-priced. The unit itself is so lightweight it slides back every time you press a button. Sorbothane pads fixes this. At least the sound isn't lightweight!
Considering all its features, we feel it is low priced.
What do you have it sitting on, ice? Mine never slides😮
Honestly, I'd disagree with you on performance. Imo it's very overpriced based on sound quality alone. If you use all the features with frequency then sure it might be worth it to that individual.
What would you recommend over it?
@@dougschneider8243 i didn't spend too much time around this price range but from what i've heard I thought the chord mojo via line out outperformed the rme, one of the topping dacs (don't remember the exact model) had similar performance and signature for a much lower price. That being said, i personally don't like listening to music with the rme. To me, it's on the flatter side of stage and dynamics with also a bit of harshness. Not something you'd expect from a $1k DAC. My amp connected to it at the time was a thx 789 (which I regret) and a burson soloist 3xp. I did try the built-in amp as well... let's just say the DAC was better than the amp imo. I don't think it's bad but for the price I think it's asking for too much (DAC quality alone).
There are people using this DAC with 3k$ AMPs and 4k$ speakers and disagree with you.
@@neofitsolovan3882 well good for them but that doesn't change my opinion in any way lol
I’m using it with 10k speakers and 2k amp and love it.
Comparing the both,as countless people say,Chord Qutest betters this one easily!
As it should for the price difference.
@@ASherrick02 We think it would be interesting to do a blind comparison!
@@soundstagenetwork No one dares to! Audiophile and most reviewers wouldn't do it for fear of losing sponsorship. Amir (ASR) has challenged them before.
@@strongchallenger2269 We're not afraid of that.
@@soundstagenetwork Some hi fi reviewers are really shilling for brands that sponsor them. 13th Note has openly criticised some reviewers such as Darko, British Audiophile, Hans, etc etc and of course Amir. If the products cost $$$$, it must be good. 🙊