• Registered: 2019-10-24
  • Posts: 2

Topic: Power amp connect

Hi,
I'm a new owner of ADI-2 DAC. My setup is as follow: ADI-2 DAC --> XLR --> Headphone amp (Airist audio Heron 5) & ADI-2 DAC --> RCA --> Power amp (nuForce STA-200). The ADI-2 DAC match with Heron 5 as expected and this couple drive my HD800s like never before. However, I got trouble when trying the ADI-2 DAC as a preamp. Please help!

My question is:
1. What happens with Auto Ref feature if I turn on both headphone amp and power amp. I have never done that wink
2. If I turn off Headamp, turn on the Power amp and Auto Ref Level set to on --> I have Auto Ref Level set to - 5dBU, the volume setting is fixed at -21dB and I can not adjust the volume. The speaker is too loud. Is there any volume lock setting that locked my DAC volume in this case? And is this a "level mismatch" between ADI-2 DAC and nuForce STA-200? Can inline attenuator (-12dB) fix this problem?
Thank you all in advance for your support!

2 Reply by N00b (edited by N00b 2019-10-24 11:10:45)

  • N00b
  • N00b
  • MADI hero
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  • From: Near Paris, France
  • Registered: 2018-10-03
  • Posts: 460

Re: Power amp connect

Hi Zimumahi.

You should really read the manual for these issues.
https://www.archiv.rme-audio.de/download/adi2dac_e.pdf

Question 1: on page 38, section 19.6
Question 2: "Lock volume feature" on pages 21 & 62, "Auto Ref Level" on pages 20 & 37  smile

ADI-2 DAC (with stock PSU) - Neumann KH 310 A monitors - Cheap USB and XLR cables

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  • Registered: 2019-10-24
  • Posts: 2

Re: Power amp connect

Hi N00b,
Thank you so much for your support. I've just detected the problem regarding DSD Direct mode set ON. With this mode, I can not adjust the volume.
However, your support is valuable to me. I realised that my printed manual is out of date. There is no section 19.6 on page 38, not paragraph about "lock volume feature"... I have downloaded the pdf manual (v1.8) on RME website. Again, thank you for your support!

4 Reply by N00b (edited by N00b 2019-10-24 15:04:04)

  • N00b
  • N00b
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  • From: Near Paris, France
  • Registered: 2018-10-03
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Re: Power amp connect

zimumahi wrote:

Hi N00b,
Thank you so much for your support. I've just detected the problem regarding DSD Direct mode set ON. With this mode, I can not adjust the volume.
However, your support is valuable to me. I realised that my printed manual is out of date. There is no section 19.6 on page 38, not paragraph about "lock volume feature"... I have downloaded the pdf manual (v1.8) on RME website. Again, thank you for your support!

You're welcome! smile
And for DSD direct with fixed volume, it is absolutely normal, you can read explanations about that on pages 16, 26 and 32.

And yes, a lot of features are added month after month, it's better to download the latest manual on RME website (even if the printed one is a very nice object!).

ADI-2 DAC (with stock PSU) - Neumann KH 310 A monitors - Cheap USB and XLR cables

N00b's Website