For the MDR-Z1R I would configure the Phones output as:
I wouldn’t use the IEM output with any of those cans, however, since even the MDR-1A is pushing the limits of what the IEM output can deliver. And the MDR-1AM2 actually draws more power than the MDR-Z1R.
Awesome info, thanks Ian. I’ve read many of your posts on SBAF and Head-Fi but never came to this forum before. After discovering it and this thread (and being an owner of the RME ADI-2 DAC fs for over a year) I read this thread from beginning to end. Some of the comments made me question my settings, so I thought I’d join and ask.
Thanks again. Cheers,
Mike
I tried those settings and was pleasantly surprised that Auto-Ref= OFF with Hi-Power=OFF (which forces Lo-Power mode) has a different volume scale than Auto-Ref= ON with Hi-Power=OFF (which also results in Lo-Power for my volume settings).
Keeping Hi-Power=OFF, with Auto-Ref=ON, “Lo-Power” is displayed on the Details page, and my average volume setting is at -36dB dBr. With Auto-Ref=OFF the -15dB attenuation mentioned in the manual for Lo-Power mode goes away, but “Lo-Power” is still displayed on the Details page, and my average volume is now displayed as -21 dB (no more ‘r’, for, I assume, ‘relative’).
So with your settings, the volume levels are more normal to me (I’m listening between -25 to -15 dB now. Same SPL but a better indication of the volume to me.
Cheers.
Mike
It looks like the updated RME ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition is now shipping in the US. I just got notification on mine (from B&H).
Ironically, every time I looked at RME’s official distribution point (Synthax), it was always a week to 10 days away from shipping (still shows being a week out as of this morning), and the only shipping options were either ground (free) or next day ($168!).
That’s kind of peculiar that they offer next day without even having the unit in their possession. 
Not unusual.
That’s just how it’ll get shipped once it is in stock; they don’t claim next day delivery from time of order.
It clearly tells you when the thing is expected to ship, and what the estimated delivery would be.
I was more surprised that a) those were the only shipping options and b) they wanted to charge $168 for next-day Fedex on a package that I’ve shipped myself clear across the US, fully insured, signature required, for half that.
With that scenario I imagine something out of “The Hudsucker Proxy” taking place with a chain of hand offs ending at your front door (with your RME rather than a hula hoop)!
Awesome. Looking forward to your impressions when you get it eventually. I bought my ADI-2 DAC from B&H over a year ago.
I’m thinking of upgrading to the new Pro FS R BE for the AES/EBU in/outs and the balanced headphone amp capability.
I’m a little concerned with the quality of a D-sub socket and breakout cable vs dedicated XLR connectors for the AES on the chassis. Any thoughts on the quality of the breakout cable and the internal PCB pathway for the digital I/O?
Also, WA sales tax (like my state) is high so I was wondering, did you used their Payboo card for the tax break? I haven’t signed up for it yet but probably will if I do this upgrade.
Cheers,
Mike
D-sockets, with snake-cables, are pretty much an industry standard way of handling digital I/O in professional/studio environments, especially with gear that supports multiple channels. Functionally it makes no difference, and you’re still on a differential signal path, with proper transformer isolation.
The cables included with the Pro units are fairly basic. You can buy “better” (more substantial, nicer connectors), but there’s really not much point in doing so unless you need them to be longer and/or are in a very EM/RF hostile environment.
The internal PCB pathway isn’t any different to that which would occur with an XLR connector, except that the final three board traces are closer together. Which is neither here nor there, as they are MUCH closer together as they come off the IC/buffers anyway.
No, I don’t use their Payboo card, though my ex-wife does, likes it, and was approved instantly - so it’s been a good experience for her.
just connected the RME ADI 2 DAC fs original USB cable to my ifi OTG cable and to my Android S10 phone with USB Audio Player Pro app running
it works flawless
The RME takes the signal like a Pro unit 
As I tried the same setup with my SMSL SU-8, the signal was weak and poor.
Maybe I add the ifi USB Purifier to the chain in the future
For now I am extremely happy!
I finally don’t have to bring our huge 18inch Laptop to the living room, every time I want to listen and pack it afterwards away.
My RME ADI 2 DAC + THX AAA 789 stack is leftside the sofa, in comfortable reach near my seating position
Thought first about buying a Surface Pro or another small laptop… I even considered a new Apple iPad for my wife to get hers- sorry sweatheart no new toy for you 
later this day I am going to try the setup with my old Android tablet with Micro USB connection- luckily I have the ifi OTG cables in both variants with 1x the Micro USB and even 2x of the USB C (got 1 of them as present from ifi support send)
So I can keep one of the USB C OTG OTG cables at home, while I keep the others in the Peli 1020 Micro Case I carry the ifi xDSD with other adapters(2.5 female to 3.5 male balanced for example) each day to the office
That’s awesome. I’m glad you’re enjoying your new dac. The RME is a beast!
I grew up on “The A-Team”!
I even had the 12” action figure of “Faceman” (my older brother had the “Hannibal” figure) and I remember playing with it all the time.
Have you seen the recent A-Team, with the tank over the lake? Nice popcorn-cinema - had a blast!
If I switch thru the channels and accidently see the old original… bit goofy but I stay for a few minutes.
Yes the RME grows on me day by day. Haven’t used the xDSD at home as DAC to the THX AAA 789 for a while.
Which is a good sign.
Tomorrow I add a 15m optical cable to our 4k pay TV Reciever, so I can use the ADI to watch TV, Netflix, Sky, Amszon and Youtube with the stack on headphones.
Hope the signal won’t get to bad with this cable lenght- however optical is maybe less of a problem.
Loved that show! A-Team , fun fact I have a picture of my dad and I somewhere when I was a kid lifting up the A-Team Van at universal studios.
My guess is the light won’t degrade on a 15m run. You should be fine.
Great memories… 
I have a couple of 15m runs without issues, as long as the fiber is decent.
Thank you “C” - this is good to read
Back in the days of my 7.1 setup. … I researched for some well build connections and this one should be decent from what I remember.
With some luck, I find the article/review/comparison I took my decision on.
Now it is on me to hide the cable running thru half of the living room tomorrow morning while my wife is still asleep
Both updated RME ADI-2 units together because … no good reason not to …
Yes, you can configure the remotes to work with a specific type of unit (so the left is configured for the DAC, the right for the Pro).
A day spent listening with the updated ADI-2 Pro FS R Black Edition (i.e. the updated AKM 4493-based version) …
DAC performance is indistinguishable from the recently revised DAC-only model. Which was largely indistinguishable from the prior 4490-based version, outside some specific elements.
I felt the headphone output on the new DAC version was a bit better than its predecessor and almost completely did away with the occasional sense of compression (dynamic). The single-ended headphone output mode (PH 3/4) here seems identical to the new DAC model’s output.
In BALANCED output mode (requires a special cable, terminating in dual 1/4" TRS jacks, one per channel), the revised Pro FS R BE model here is NOT exhibiting that dynamic compression as far as I can hear. Not audible with the Focal Stellia or Utopia (which were reliable ways to hear it previously), nor with the HEDDphone (with which there is AMPLE power in this mode).
