Does anybody have any knowledge or experience of the RME ADI-2 paired with a Beyer A20 amp? Thanks.
Qualitatively, the RME’s built-in headphone output is better.
Objectively it is too.
The A20 would really only make sense as a pairing with the RME if you wanted to drive 250 ohm and higher impedance headphones, of moderate sensitivity (e.g. Beyers), to more than 118 dB, as the A20 has a bit more power with higher impedance cans.
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Thanks for bearing with me Torq–I’m 74 and don’t always think or communicate as clearly as I once did.
Anyway I have an A20 amp and a Jotunheim currently paired with an SMSL SU-8 DAC (that’s connected to a good Marantz CD Player via Cardas digital cable).
I’m wanting to improve the sound quality out of these two amps with a better DAC, and need one that has balanced/XLR output for the Jotunheim and unbalanced/RCA for the Beyer A20.
Any thoughts on what might be a good DAC,or the best DAC, for what I’m wanting to do? Also, I prefer a DAC with some EQ function so I can use these amps with a number of different headphones.
(I was thinking of using the RME ADI-2 for this purpose, but maybe there’s another DAC that’s better suited.)
Thanks.
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If you want EQ on the DAC itself, then the RME ADI-2 DAC fs is the best way to go.
Other units that have on-board EQ are either much more expensive, require a PC to program and choose the EQ settings and/or don’t sound or measure nearly as well as the RME unit. For example, the miniDSP units fall into the latter two catgegories, generally.
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You’ve saved me countless hours of internet
research. Thanks very much…Lee
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Ok, so here’s my review of the ADI-2 DAC fs. I’m not a pro reviewer or wordsmith like you guys, so… bear with me.
First off, the audio chain. I am comparing the ADI-2 DAC fs (henceforth called 2DAC) against the Bifrost 2 DAC from Schiit (henceforth called BF2). The ADI-2 was set to 2V output on the line out - to match the BF2 output - via the following settings:
- Volume Lock = On
- Volume = +1.0 dB
- Auto Ref Level = Off
- Ref Level = +7 dBu
- All other settings = OFF (De-Emphasis, Dual EQ, M/S-Proc, etc.)
- DA Filter = Slow (Adjusted later to compare.)
Both DACs connected to my Windows 10 PC via Wireworld Ultraviolet USB A to B cables. Both DACs were connected to my Eddie Current Zana Deux Super via identical AQ Evergreen RCA cables.
Software used was Roon pulling songs from Qobuz. Both devices configured to use WASAPI (exclusive mode), were then grouped into the same zone, and were output the same signal simultaneously. Comparisons were then made simply by switching between input 1 and 2 on the ZDS. No DSP was used in the DAC2 or BF2 in Roon, and the PEQ was disabled on the DAC2.
Confirmed both were at the same level using janky smartphone app.
Headphones used: HD650
Test tracks used:
https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/2568985
https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/2568980
Review:
I’ve compared a few DACs during my time in this hobby. I started collecting audio gear and listening to home stuff seriously around 1998. My first “serious” headphone purchase was a Headroom mini DAC and amp paired to the HD650 in 2003. Anyway, enough about me.
I’ve found that most DACs can sound alike, but there are quite a few that really stand out and disprove that “they all sound the same” mentality rampant on reddit. For example, the differences between the Schiit Gungnir A2 and a Yggdrisil A2 are just blatantly obvious. At the very basic differences, the Gumby is much more “neutral” and in some places borderline sharp, and the Yggy leans to a more “warm” tone with a noticeable improvement in staging and slightly better resolution. This isn’t something you need a blind ABx system to hear.
In my comparison of the 2DAC and BF2, the differences were less obvious, but still discernable in direct comparison.
Overall, the BF2 seems to convey a more dynamic and holographic presence to the music. Mids have more texture to them. The entire bass and mid range seems to pop out of the track in a fluid and coherent way. Decay and resolution were easier to hear. Stage depth seems closer (more in your head than out in front of you), but the width is wider. Cymbals and your other typical upper treble percussion has more bite and attack. Detail retrieval is better. I listened to my entire Test Tracks playlist switching between the two from time to time.
Something Good Coming by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - The subtle cymbal hits in the background are more apparent on the BF2, and they seem to sustain a little longer before you can’t hear them any more. Tom Petty’s voice has a little more texture to it when he sings, like when he prolongs the Ssss sound in the words Most, Kids, Chance, etc. Guitars seem a touch more present as well.
Tin Pan Alley by Stevie Ray Vaughan -
The BF2 renders subtle detail better, like fingers moving up and down the fretboard, the hum of Stevie’s Marshall stack. Pick attacks on strings are sharper. The bass guitar seems more up front in the track. This track is one of my favorites, and I’ve heard it a million times. I really think this track is as good as your system lets it be.
Miss Ida B by Buddy Guy - The BF2 gives immediate and sharper impacts to the snare hits at the beginning of the song. This is one song where the differences between DACs were much more obvious. Buddy’s voice holds more weight.
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson - Again with the cymbals. At the start of the song, on the BF2 they are crisper, more defined. This entire album is just so well mastered you can hear everything so well. The Bf2’s vivid rendering of this song is fantastic, but might actually approach shouty on bright headphones.
ADI-2 DAC -
The 2DAC takes a more even-handed philosophy to it’s presentation. It seems to me that it isn’t trying to present anything with any emphasis, which by comparison to the BF2 made it sound like it was holding things back instead of truly being more “neutral”. Honestly, my over all thought is that it was just a little more dry and a bit less resolving.
With that said, it did do a few things better. Instrument placement was a little more accurate and defined. Stage depth was a little better than the BF2, as things seemed to be just in front my my eyeballs instead of behind them. I tried switching filters several times, and settled on the SD-Sharp as being the most “musical” while the “slow” filter seeming the most… digital. NOS was not my cup of tea, as it seemed smudgey.
(That’s a new word now. Smudgey. It’s mine, but you can use it. For example, to use it in a sentence: “The guitar notes were blurry, akin to a pencil mark smeared across paper, and presented a less refined and smudgey sound.” You’re welcome, audiophile world, for my awesome contribution to your vocabulary.)
Despite all of my remarks favoring the BF2, I would NOT call the 2DAC boring, flat, or uninteresting. It hangs with the BF2 as a very good sounding DAC. I believe that in it’s basic performance it just does not bring out the last 10% of sound quality the BF2 can. Here is the game changer though…
Where the BF2 is extremely WYSIWYG, the 2DAC has so many features you can configure it will make your head spin. I’m not going to list them all. Go RTFM if you’re curious. 
Considering it almost BEGS you to connect studio monitors to it, use it as a fully configurable pre AND headphone AIO box, with a seriously capable parametric EQ… It really brings quite a strong value to the table if you need something that is more than just a DAC.
The 2DAC’s headphone amp is good, but kind of plain Jane sounding. Again, I think RME is playing it safe here, and keeping true to their professional audio roots by trying to keep things like distortion and emphasis out of the picture. It sounds clean and has a good amount of power. It has a dedicated IEM jack, although I didn’t use it. I think it would suit as a perfectly capable amp for a great many people, especially given the PEQ the DAC section has.
Another thing to note are the little creature comforts that you rarely - if ever - find on other products. For example, if you plug your headphones into the DAC2, it mutes the line outs BUT it also brings the headphone volume up slowly so you don’t blow your ears out. This is a very nice thing to have.
So… I’ll wrap this up now. RME ADI-2 DAC fs… should you buy it?
How the hell should I know? I’m not psychic.
My opinion is that if you simply need a DAC, then… well… no. There are better sounding DACs at the $1100-ish price point, and a few slightly better sounding ones for less.
However, if you need something that is broadly capable of doing many things in your chain, then this thing is a little gem. Mine is connected to my nearfield monitors, and it’s already proven to be a blessing for configuring how hot the line out is, getting rid of a few dips and peaks in the frequency response, and helping to adjust bass bloat from the left speaker with rear bass ports that is stuck 6" away from the corner of the room.
Thanks for reading. Please enjoy a terrible smartphone picture:
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Excellent review! You’ve just convinced me (including what we’ve collectively discussed) to buy the Bifrost 2.
Very concise, articulate, and funny!
Well done, good sir. 
Edit:
The RME sounds like a great feature-rich dac. If I currently had a use for said features I’d definitely buy one, but I don’t.
Unless it’s @Torq’s Anniversary Edition which I already called dibs’ on well before @TylersEclectic.
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Thank you!
I’ve always said reviews are hard, not from a writing aspect, but because you put yourself, your ideas and opinions out there for the world to criticize, and let’s face it, the internet can get ugly. I feel a bit more safe here though.
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Honestly, there’s always going to be sad, angry, hate-filled people that are always looking to bring other people down with them.
I sincerely feel sorry for them, and when I encounter that kind of person/situation on a forum (I only frequent two), then I just ignore them and they usually go away.
Don’t ever let anyone dim your Light.
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Very well said Christopher @ValentineLuke,
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Thank you.
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Really nice review @ProfFalkin!
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I feel the same way you do about the people that do these sorts of things and I do what you do as I ignore them.
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thank you very much for the review and having the strenght to share your thoughts on 2 DACs
you have here kind of a safe net, within this friendly forum
I learned a bunch, again… first “smudgey” is a thing
I saw the fixed output level thing, though been used to use the DACs remote for volume, while I left the Amp at a fixed volume. Will set it up as you showed above, because I did not use the RME ADI 2 remote yet at all.
I need this janky output measuring app
Tin Pan Alley and Bilie Jean are in my first Test Songs
I don´t know any Schiit products yet. What I know are some chord products like the Qutest and Hugo 2 and I can absolutely see, why you say RME is playing it safe. Even the xDSD(pre GTO) is a bit more coloured.
Have to stay strong now and not give my few days young RME back 
there will always be a bigger fish in the sea and the neighbours grass is more green
I like the sound and want the functions … I like the sound and want the functions …
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Great review @ProfFalkin! I really enjoyed reading it! I feel the same way, this forum really allows me to be a bit more adventurous, hell I started an Instagram account and I’m learning to live that hashtag life 
! Even thinking of trying my hand at some b-roll filming… not quite ready to put my ugly mug on the internet yet though lol…
I’m already missing the demo Bifrost2 I had… I’m probably going to be picking one up for myself in the near future! I agree with your review a lot, I’ve become a bit of a Schiit fan boy as of late, I will be listening some gear I don’t use much anymore soon to rotate out and in some gear (most of the new stuff on my radar is Schiit lol)
The RME is awesome but with so many options comes sometimes decision paralysis lol… Plus sometimes I go down the rabbit hole of tweaking things on it and then have to reset the whole dang thing cause I can’t remember the original settings lol. But, the fact that I have those options is huge! It’s a great piece of kit for tweaking your setup… plus that screen and meters 
The Bifrost2 was just a joy, to just plug in and gooooooooo!!! Ha!
Man, this thread has made my way to early awake can’t turn off my brain morning! You all warm the heart and faith in humanity raises a lil bit… reminds me of that scene in the grinch when his heart starts to grow 
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Awesome review!
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@MartinTransporter, I think @TylersEclectic stated very well what I was going to say. The RME is a great piece of gear that does so much.
If anything, I think you’ll eventually add another dac to your collection like many RME owners do. Enjoy your new dac because it’s a good one, and it’s yours. 
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enjoy the xDSD at office right now but really needed this consolation - thank you buddy
why is it always, while you reach a step you aimed for a long time, the next immediately comes in mind 
my notebook has already all 3 USB ports occupied 
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Because that’s the trait of a successful person. Always on to the next goal!
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Great, great review. Thanks.
Near the end you said “There are better sounding DACs at the $1100-ish price point, and a few slightly better sounding ones for less.”
Which ones sound better in the $1100 range?
And which sound slightly better for less money?
Finally, I’m personally interested in a good sounding dac, costing about a thousand dollars, that has at least a little EQ (enough for a “musical” setting plus bass and treble control), that also has both XLR and RCA outputs. If its not asking too much and a hassle, do you know of any DAC’s that have those characteristics?
Thanks again…Lee
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