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RME ADI-2 fs DAC: Not Loving It

I took the plunge about 6 months ago and replaced my Peachtree DACiTx with ADI-2.  I got the DACiTx to play files via computer and from my old but beloved JVC XL-Z1050 CDP.  

Can't say that I've noticed a marked improvement using the RME over the Peachtree. 

I picked the RME because of the glowing reviews and the fact that it had DSP.  I'm 61 yrs. old and last time I had my ears checked I haven't really lost much in the high freq's. But, I thought that it was inevitable that I would and the EQ that RME has may be a bonus.

In reality, it is not very user friendly and I'm no techie.  I thought by playing with it for a while it would get easier but really all I want to do is listen to music.

I'm no longer using a computer but a Bluesound Node 2i for my files and also use Tidal.

Not really a headphone guy but thought it would be nice to have the option seeing that neither of my preamps have a headphone jack.  I was only using my headphones with portable devices.  

I have mostly listened to vinyl over the years but really wanted to upgrade my digital front end as I'm getting lazy in my old age. 

The rest of my system :

Preamps: 
Classe CP-50
Rogue Audio Model 99 Magnum

Power Amps:
McCormack DNA-0.5 Deluxe Edition 
Black Ice Audio Fusion 3502P

Speakers:
PBN DP's
ACI Titan II LE subwoofer

Still using the JVC as a CD transport.   
I usually mix and match tubes with solid state.  Right now I'm using the Classe Pre with Black Ice Audio tubed power amp.

The RME sounds rather neutral, lean and dry to my ears.  Nothing exciting.  It doesn't make me sit up and take notice like when I first added the Peachtree to my system.  I was like wow! This is what I been missing all these years.  So, I thought the RME would be a significant upgrade over the Peachtree.  So far, not impressed.  Maybe if I was headphone guy?  Can't comment there other than both headphone outputs work.  

Any suggestions on what to try or what direction I should take next? 
nicktheknife
adg101
1,062 posts
 
The RME does not need expensive cables, upgraded linear power supply to sound really good. I started stock and it outperformed my Cambridge 851C which is a fairly decent player for the money, which outperforms my Oppo 205 which some are nutty about, but that’s another day. The DAC in my BS Vault 2 is not even worth mentioning, which I ran the Vault through my 851C which was a nice improvement.


What I and others are saying is add a better power supply and it steps up a good notch to a better DAC, actually much better. The RME is good enough that it continues to distinguish the difference between cables and the better the cables, well you guessed it. It is a really good DAC, but that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone, just like someone else may not like a MHDT, Denafrips, Schitt and etc.

No doubt there are better DAC’s but I think ones going to spend much more to really hear much improvement but only differences. I do think that if one gets into the settings and starts messing with tone controls, the EQ and filters one could end up with a sound they do not like and not realize what they did as I agree it is fairly complex to navigate through all its settings at first.


Don’t recall you mentioned what filter you are using.

nicktheknife OP
194 posts
 
I was just using the sd sharp and switched to sharp.  I haven't really intensely listened using that filter setting yet. I'll give it some serious listening time tomorrow.  I did turn off the eq just in case. 
yuviarora's avatar
yuviarora
537 posts
 
I have the RME DAC... it is a so so DAC out of the box. 
I had to upgrade the power supply,  went to battery power, it made a pretty significant difference. Then I had to change the capacitors inside the DAC to some Audionote Kaesei capacitors. The stock sound is dry, lean, and too clinical. The caps gave it that analogue  weight and texture. 
I don't get the praise it gets on these forums to be honest, it  was not something I  would keep in it's stock configuration.... pretty meh to be honest. 
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
nicktheknife, power supplies do make a substantive difference, but imo they do not save the DAC. While an upgraded PSU is nice, it will not utterly transform the DAC such that it would outperform any other given DAC with similar treatment. Power cords, digital cable, i.e. USB or Coax, are all important, too. 

DACs that are super-analytical, when dropped into dull, syrupy systems, will wake up the system and the owner will think they've hit a home run because they had made such a dull system that when they hear so much more of resolution, they attribute it to the DAC, as opposed to realizing they didn't build such a resolving rig. Put a whiter, more clinical and analytical DAC into a system that is already very high resolution and it may not be acceptable. Tonality is exceptionally important to the ear, and it can take a LOT of work with some components to reach a pleasing point. Generally, if I have to work that hard to make a component sound wonderful, then you probably won't adore the sound long term. I used to try to "save" so-so components to make them work. No longer, as it's not worth the sacrifices made on performance long term. 

This is not discussion of the DAC in question per se. It's general guidance based on building hundreds of rigs. The variance in performance of DACs across systems is stunningly wide. It would take about 12 discrete systems, and ideally with several different genres of speakers, to have a global understanding of any DAC's performance. 
nicktheknife OP
194 posts
 
@douglas_schroeder 

" Generally, if I have to work that hard to make a component sound wonderful, then you probably won't adore the sound long term."

I see what you're getting at.  If I have to put that much work and money into an already fine piece of equipment to get it to sound good in my system I may as well put that money into something I will be happy with long term.  And I can add very good cabling, power supply, etc. later on to 'tweak' something I already like in my system to a possibly better sound.

I'll think I will play with the ADI for a while longer, double check my settings until I'm sure it works or doesn't work for me.  Maybe even put the Peachtree back in and compare it to that again.  I may even just use the Bluesound with it's onboard dac as well.   Just for the heck of it.


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