RME ADI-2 DAC FS Ultra-Fidelity PCM/DSD 768 kHz DA Converter

The ADI-2 DAC includes an improved SteadyClock, a fine-tuned to perfection analog circuitry, new MRC remote control, Extreme Power headphone output and a very special IEM output. It has all the bells and whistles that made the ADI-2 Pro famous, including its perfectly transparent sound signature and full DSP processing with Bass, Treble, Loudness, 5 Band Parametric EQ, Crossfeed and much more. With its simplified operation and stunning design it is the ideal center piece from home listening up to studio reference playback.

The ADI-2 DAC is the home and hi-fi optimized version of the ADI-2 Pro, a studio AD/DA converter of the highest quality. With many fresh ideas, innovative features and numerous useful functions, the ADI-2 DAC quickly became the reference. Thanks to its combination of high-end DA conversion with two exceptional headphone IEM outputs and a remote control, it has received countless enthusiastic reviews for its sound, flexibility, and technical capabilities.

The current version of the ADI-2 DAC comes with an extended remote control, a further improved DA conversion and an adapted analog output stage for even better noise and distortion values. To address the home and HiFi users, RME exchanged some of the Pro’s studio features with typical home and HiFi ones. With an adapted feature set and much simplified operation RME proudly presents the ADI-2 DAC. Built on the technology, concept and features of the ADI-2 Pro, the DAC concentrates on DA conversion in top high-end quality, along with two exceptional headphone and IEM outputs.

DAC
Packed into the compact half 19” format factor, this little gem is filled with the finest high-end electronics, offering a reference class conversion from SPDIF coaxial, SPDIF optical (ADAT compatible) and USB to RCA, XLR, TRS and mini-TRS.

As the most versatile DAC available, the ADI-2 DAC offers balanced/unbalanced analog I/Os, an Extreme Power headphone output, a super low noise IEM output, SteadyClock FS, 4-stage hardware output level control, DSP-based signal processing, external power supply operation, Class Compliant USB compatibility, sample rates up to 768 kHz as well as DSD and Direct DSD playback. The SPDIF input signal can even be recorded via USB – as one would expect from RME the DAC is a true 2 channel Full Duplex audio interface.

Improving DA
The updated ADI-2 DAC uses AKM’s AK4493 in a special circuit variant developed by RME engineers that allows the chip to perform at its best. With noise levels of 123 dBA, distortion less than -120 dB, or THD+N of -116 dB, the device delivers outstanding measured values. Even the IEM output, with -118 dBu already the world’s lowest noise headphone output, improves to a sensational -121 dBu. In addition, there is 4 dB of digital headroom, so that even high intersample peaks do not produce any audible distortion. Finally, the device now also offers a clear reserve in volume setting. +2.5 dB result in a still undistorted analog output signal.

All these improvements are completely transparent in the previous menu navigation. There are no changes in operation, features and behavior compared to the predecessor, which is why neither appearance nor name have changed. The only difference: with ‘Low Dispersion’ another digital filter is available for selection. Explanations for this filter can be found in the detailed manual of the ADI-2 DAC.

Super Low Noise for IEM lovers
The headphone revolution not only brought headphones but also IEMs (in ear monitors) back into the attention of audiophiles and music lovers. Modern IEMs have a reference sound that easily competes with bulky over-ear headphones, making them not only a mobile alternative, but also an interesting solution in home.

Modern IEMs are extremely sensitive and operate on very low voltages. As a side effect they uncover the noise floor of the player, DAC or headphone amp. When RME developed its Extreme Power headphone stage the basic noise floor was taken care to be as low as possible. Which was then confirmed in many reviews (most black background). Even when used with IEMs.

Still RME wanted to make sure that even the most sensitive IEM combined with the most sensitive listener receive the full dynamic range on playback. Also capable outputs like the Extreme Power ones are not fully safe against operating errors and might blow up ears or IEMs.

RME’s solution: adding the most advanced IEM output imaginable as second phones connection to the front of the ADI-2 DAC. Its ground noise floor is an astounding 10 dB lower than the one of the Extreme Power output (black hole background), output impedance is near zero Ohms, THD reaches new record lows, click-free on/off is included as well as volume ramp-up, and the sound quality with any IEM is just amazing. We’re sure you will love it!

Lights Out!
A studio converter with all lights off? Defective. But on a DAC it was one of the most often requested features from our ADI-2 Pro HiFi customers. Here we go: display, function keys, volume knob, even the standby summary – they all go off after 10 seconds of no user operation when AutoDark is activated in the unit’s menu. Touching any summary or control will turn on all lights for 10 seconds. Using the remote AutoDark can also be switched off / on, and using any summary on the remote turns lights on for 3 seconds. Once again: we’re sure you will love it!

Special features
The ADI-2 DAC comes with a remote that is not the usual cheap add-on. This nicely designed remote control has clearly labeled summarys, readable even in low light conditions without reading glasses, a nicely laid out summary arrangement that is easy to remember, and perfect summary ergonomics. Plus: It won’t interfere with your ATV or other devices.

New extended Multi-Remote Support (MRC)
The ADI-2 DAC remote control provides summarys for standby on/off, volume, balance, bass and treble, input selection (optical, coaxial, USB), mute, on/off loudness, bass/treble and EQ. In addition, there are four programmable summarys that provide access to 32 different functions and commands for maximum flexibility. There is no other converter or comparable device with such a sophisticated, easy to use and at the same time versatile remote control!

Note for owners of the previous remote: the new MRC is also available separately as an accessory. It can be used with all ADI-2 DACs, even older ones, if they are equipped with the latest firmware (at least version FPGA 27, DSP 33).

SteadyClock FS
The ADI-2 DAC is the first device in RME’s range with SteadyClock FS. There is not much to improve with SteadyClock, it has earned its accolades over years of flawless operation in numerous RME devices, guaranteeing that using the internal clock will produce exactly the same sound as when using an external one. SteadyClock highly rejects jitter and handles all digital interface formats in an exemplary way. That’s why SteadyClock’s design and behavior didn’t change in the DAC.

With SteadyClock FS the focus was put on reducing the self jitter of SteadyClock to new lows, by improving its second, analog PLL circuit, and referencing both Direct Digital Synthesis and PLL to a low phase noise quartz crystal. The self jitter measured through DA conversion now reaches levels that usually are only available in master quartz clock mode, while SteadyClock still always runs in PLL mode – no matter if internal or external clock, sound is exactly the same (again). The low phase noise oscillator driving the updated circuit reaches jitter specs lower than a picosecond (ps), an area called FemtoSecond. Hence SteadyClock FS.

Technical Specifications

General
Lock Range: 28 kHz – 200 kHz
Jitter suppression: > 50 dB (2.4 kHz)
Jitter when synced to input signal: < 1 ns
Accepts Consumer and Professional format
SPDIF coaxial
1 x RCA, according to IEC 60958
High-sensitivity input stage (< 0.3 Vpp)
AES/EBU compatible (AES3-1992)
SPDIF optical
1 x optical, according to IEC 60958
ADAT compatible
ANALOG OUTPUTS
XLR
Output level switchable +19 dBu, +13 dBu, +7 dBu, +1 dBu @ 0 dBFS
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) @ +7/+13/+19 dBu: 120 dB RMS unweighted, 123 dBA
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) @ +1 dBu: 117 dB RMS unweighted, 120 dBA
Frequency response @ 44.1 kHz, -0.1 dB: 0 Hz – 20.2 kHz
Frequency response @ 96 kHz, -0.5 dB: 0 Hz 44.9 kHz
Frequency response @ 192 kHz, -1 dB: 0 Hz 88 kHz
Frequency response @ 384 kHz, -1 dB: 0 Hz 115 kHz
Frequency response @ 768 kHz, -3 dB: 0 Hz 109 kHz
THD @ 0 dBFS: < -120 dB, 0.0001 %
THD+N @ 0 dBFS: -116 dB, 0.00016 %
Channel separation: > 120 dB
Output impedance: 200 Ohm balanced, 100 Ohm unbalanced
Cinch
As output XLR, but:
Output: 6.3 mm TS jack, unbalanced
Output level 6 dB lower than XLR (-5 dBu to +13 dBu @ 0 dBFS)
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) @ +13 dBu: 120 dB RMS unweighted, 123 dBA
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) @ +1/+7 dBu: 116/119 dB RMS unw., 119/122 dBA
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) @ -5 dBu: 112 dB RMS unweighted, 114 dBA
Phones
As Cinch, but:
Output: 6.3 mm TRS jack, unbalanced, stereo
Output impedance: 0.1 Ohm
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) @ +22 dBu: 120 dB RMS unweighted, 123 dBA
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) @ +7 dBu: 118 dB RMS unweighted, 121 dBA
Output level at 0 dBFS, High Power, load 100 Ohm or up: +22 dBu (10 V)
Output level at 0 dBFS, Low Power, load 8 Ohm or up: +7 dBu (1.73 V)
THD @ +18 dBu, 32 ohm load, 1.2 watts: -120 dB, 0.0001 %
THD+N @ + 18 dBu, 32 Ohm Load: -114 dB, 0.0002 %
THD @ +14 dBu, 16 Ohm load, 0.94 Watt: -110 dB, 0.0003 %
Max power @ 0.001% THD: 1.5 W per channel
IEM
As Phones, but:
Output level at 0 dBFS: -3 dBu, 0.55 V
Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) @ -3 dBu: 118 dB RMS unweighted, 121 dBA
Max power, 8 Ohm, 0.001% THD: 40 mW per channel
DIGITAL
Clocks: Internal, SPDIF In
Jitter suppression of external clocks: > 50 dB (2.4 kHz)
Effective clock jitter influence on DA conversion: near zero
PLL ensures zero dropout, even at more than 100 ns jitter
Additional Digital Bitclock PLL for trouble-free varispeed ADAT operation
Supported sample rates for external clocks: 28 kHz up to 200 kHz
Internally supported sample rates: 44.1 kHz up to 768 kHz
GENERAL
Included power supply: external switching PSU, 100 – 240 V AC, 2 A, 24 Watts
Standby power consumption: 120 mW (10 mA)
Idle power consumption: 7 Watts, Max. power consumption: 18 Watts
Idle current at 12 V: 570 mA (6.8 Watts)
Dimensions (WxHxD): 215 x 52 x 150 mm (8.5″ x 2.05″ x 5.9″)
Weight: 1.0 kg ( 2.2 lbs)
Temperature range: +5 up to +50 Celsius (41 F up to 122F)
Relative humidity: < 75%, non condensing