1 Topic by jn4u.jn4u (edited by jn4u.jn4u 2021-06-29 08:48:58)

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Topic: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

I’m normal user that’s like use like to record my game play to disk. Make some simple changes with sound when sound when on teams meeting. And I also listen to music. And record some sound and video for family use. For a couple of month ago, I goth a RME Babyface Pro and AKG 712 to my computer setup. What I wounder is what to except of the built in DAC converter, is it good one? Do need get an external headphone preamp? What will an ADI-2 DAC FC give me? Will really give me a wow experience? OR is better off get new headphones? Explain to me?

2 Reply by ning (edited by ning 2021-06-29 07:16:47)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

> What I wounder is what to except of the built in AD converter, is it good one?

there's no AD converter in ADI-2 DAC

If you're talking about the Pro, there's no mic preamp built in.

if you are talking about DA converter. yes, it's better but you won't hear the difference between this and babyface pro.

> Do need get an external headphone preamp?

If BabyfacePro cannot drive your headphone (it should be able to drive most headphones, including your akg),
a cheap dedicated headphone amp may have lower output impedance, lower noise and higher power.

> What will an ADI-2 DAC FC give me?

It's a good DAC + headphone amp with many music listening dsp features built in.
so no (and no need to use) totalmix fx.

3 Reply by jn4u.jn4u (edited by jn4u.jn4u 2021-06-29 08:50:04)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

If i komplement my Babyface pro with the external ADI-2 DAC FC and Connection the with spid. Will i hear a diffence AKG 712 Pro or will i need to upgrade to the more Expsive AKT K812 to even hear the diffrence. For example when playing music or watching a movie?

How much better is the DAC inside the ADI-2 DAC FC compare with Baby Face Pro?

4 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2021-06-29 09:59:46)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

jn4u.jn4u wrote:

If i komplement my Babyface pro with the external ADI-2 DAC FC and Connection the with spid. Will i hear a diffence AKG 712 Pro or will i need to upgrade to the more Expsive AKT K812 to even hear the diffrence. For example when playing music or watching a movie?

How much better is the DAC inside the ADI-2 DAC FC compare with Baby Face Pro?

I think "sound-wise"  it's similar to this thead here, you need to check, whether it brings advantages to you.
This you can test only with your own ears and equipment: https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.ph … 18#p172118

Otherwise it's possible to integrate the ADI-2 Pro / DAC into your setup like described here:
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … our-Setup/

At the end the ADI-2 DAC/Pro will give you a better user experience by all the additional features that it offers
only a few example:
- slow ramp-up of volume if you either plug/unplug phones or switch between line out / phones
- Bit test giving you an easy test possibility to check for lossless audio transmission "end-to-end"
- selection of different AD and DA filters that the DAC chip supports
- four reference levels for analog inputs (Pro) and outputs
- SRC for connecting DACs with fix sample rate (Pro)
- Crossfeed
- Dynamic Loudness, 5-band PEQ, B/T dials for quick adjustments
- Auto Reflevel that takes all these EQ and dynamic loudness changes into account and automatically selects optimum Reflevel
- connection of balanced phones (Pro)
- 2nd analog playout path (Pro)
- remappable keys in the front
- Diagnosis display for troubleshooting digital connections
- etc etc ..

This sticky gives you a quick model overview
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=32506

This new blog article shows you other aspects of these devices ...
https://www.tonstudio-forum.de/blog/ind … ses-EN-DE/

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

5 Reply by ning (edited by ning 2021-06-29 10:43:30)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

> Will i hear a diffence AKG 712 Pro or will i need to upgrade to the more Expsive AKT K812 to even hear the diffrence. For example when playing music or watching a movie?

You won't hear the difference in normal volumes. I have the ADI-2 Pro and my employer just bought a UFX II after I requested. I tried to ab test between the two, using three popular phones with different impedances, and I could hear zero difference at normal listening volume. THD+N specs of all RME devices are all beyond human hearing range so they don't really matters.

The ADI-2 however, is able to drive those phones to absurdly high volumes .

So, as long as your Babyface Pro drives your headphone loud enough, there won't be any difference.

> How much better is the DAC inside the ADI-2 DAC FC compare with Baby Face Pro?

as is explained above. the DAC quality exceed human audibility limit for all RME products. Better chips have better specs, but you won't be able to tell the difference.

ADI-2 and Babyface are just devices for difference purposes --- their user interface is completely different. For one you have to do almost everything via TotalMix, good for studio recording, for the other all functionalities are exposed in the menu, good for music appreciation and mastering. Take crossfeed and loudness for instance, they are not available in Babyface Pro. Both are killing DSP features for headphone/monitor listening.

Apart from what ramses listed, the most handy feature is the remote control. you can sit 5 meters away from your monitors and still be able to control the device.

6 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2021-06-29 11:35:46)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

jn4u.jn4u wrote:

If i komplement my Babyface pro with the external ADI-2 DAC FC and Connection the with spid. Will i hear a diffence AKG 712 Pro or will i need to upgrade to the more Expsive AKT K812 to even hear the diffrence. For example when playing music or watching a movie?

If you buy an AKG K-812 you will hear a really big difference – not beween Babyface and ADI-2, but the AKG K-812 headphones sound completely different to your AKG K-712!

I prefer the 812 very much above the 712, but remember, sound and taste is a very personal thing!

If possible, give it a try.

KaiS's Website

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

understand that equipment is important. But nothing is better than the weakest link. If the source is the same a DSD or SACD for example. Will I with my simpler headphone K712 really hear a differs in the sound between my Baby FacePro FS compare to a ADI-2 DAC FC or do also need to upgrade my headphone to something like the K812. I really want to simple term is RME BabyFace Pro FS and ADI-2 DAC FC compering to pair of sportscars or sportcar vs familycar.

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

babyface pro does not support dsd. You have to convert it to pcm first.

9 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2021-06-29 14:38:59)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

jn4u.jn4u wrote:

Will I with my simpler headphone K712 really hear a differs in the sound between my Baby FacePro FS compare to a ADI-2 DAC FC or do also need to upgrade my headphone to something like the K812. I really want to simple term is RME BabyFace Pro FS and ADI-2 DAC FC compering to pair of sportscars or sportcar vs familycar.

Under no circumstances you will hear a significant difference in the basic sound quality, even if you would use a STAX SR-009.
Believe me, I have the STAX.


BUT - if you start to use ADI-2‘s features, like DA-filter selection and specially the EQ and the Loudness function, it can make a night and day difference.


E.g., if you‘re not satisfied with the amount of bass your K-712 delivers, the ADI-2 can easily fix that.

If your sound gets dull and liveless when listening quieter, Loudness Function can fix this... etc.

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

Kais is right. Short answer: If you need a device to appreciate your music, ADI-2 DAC is the device.
Babyface is for recording/mixing.Focus on its feature, its UI, and decide which one is for you.


You won't be able to tell the difference between well designed DA converters and headphone amps.
But you will hear night and day difference when IIR filters are applied.
You could emulate a couple of DSP features ADI-2 provides in babyface, but doing it that for your music listening is cumbersome.

11 Reply by jn4u.jn4u (edited by jn4u.jn4u 2021-06-30 10:05:05)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

Tank you all for help and time spent...

12 Reply by flipflop (edited by flipflop 2021-07-06 13:39:41)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

Tbh Adi-2 Dac makes a big difference once you are used to what the Babyface is capable of. The separation is much higher, wider sound (stereo field and frequency bands), cleaner sound (especially lowmid/bass and high freqs), there is also added top end clarity (for example "sheen" freq content) which I can´t even hear with Babyface. Also in some material there can be subtle distortion with babyface, but it´s non existant with the ADI-2. But you definately need high quality headphones or speakers to hear the difference.

The "sound" is pretty much the same though, and sometimes they sound exactly the same depending from the material.

So unless you are very critical/demanding with your sound the difference is very small.

But like others recommended, upgrade your headphones instead..

13 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2021-07-06 18:42:40)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

flipflop wrote:

Tbh Adi-2 Dac makes a big difference once you are used to what the Babyface is capable of. The separation is much higher, wider sound (stereo field and frequency bands), cleaner sound (especially lowmid/bass and high freqs), there is also added top end clarity (for example "sheen" freq content) which I can´t even hear with Babyface. Also in some material there can be subtle distortion with babyface, but it´s non existant with the ADI-2. But you definately need high quality headphones or speakers to hear the difference.

The "sound" is pretty much the same though, and sometimes they sound exactly the same depending from the material.

So unless you are very critical/demanding with your sound the difference is very small.

But like others recommended, upgrade your headphones instead..

What you describe tells me Babyface’s headphone amps power is not sufficient, you need to overdrive the amp (if this is possible at all, with Babyface’s gain structure?), or you don‘t get it loud enough.

You either have “hard to drive” headphones or listen quite loud, or a combination of both.
Or Babyface‘s higher output impedance causes changes in the ˋphones frequency response, this happens with multi-driver IEMs e.g.

Which headphones model are you using?
Do you have to max out the volume with Babyface?

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

KaiS wrote:
flipflop wrote:

Tbh Adi-2 Dac makes a big difference once you are used to what the Babyface is capable of. The separation is much higher, wider sound (stereo field and frequency bands), cleaner sound (especially lowmid/bass and high freqs), there is also added top end clarity (for example "sheen" freq content) which I can´t even hear with Babyface. Also in some material there can be subtle distortion with babyface, but it´s non existant with the ADI-2. But you definately need high quality headphones or speakers to hear the difference.

The "sound" is pretty much the same though, and sometimes they sound exactly the same depending from the material.

So unless you are very critical/demanding with your sound the difference is very small.

But like others recommended, upgrade your headphones instead..

What you describe tells me Babyface’s headphone amps power is not sufficient, you need to overdrive the amp (if this is possible at all, with Babyface’s gain structure?), or you don‘t get it loud enough.

You either have “hard to drive” headphones or listen quite loud, or a combination of both.
Or Babyface‘s higher output impedance causes changes in the ˋphones frequency response, this happens with multi-driver IEMs e.g.

Which headphones model are you using?
Do you have to max out the volume with Babyface?

No there is definately difference when you a/b. Babyface has slightly muddy bass/lowmid and not so detailed top end. Stereo field is also much better with adi-2. When I first tried the adi-2 I thought that everything just sounds better, but I think it´s only because the separation is greater so it sounds clean, but there is also added top end clarity. I agree though that the occasional distortion might come from the amp (not sure though). In simple words adi-2 sounds big and open while babyface sounds more closed and bit smaller. Using mainly Beyerdynamic dt1990s and high end Focal monitors.

15 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2021-07-07 06:46:39)

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Re: Getting A ADI-2 DAC FC

flipflop wrote:

... there is definately difference when you a/b. Babyface has slightly muddy bass/lowmid and not so detailed top end. Stereo field is also much better with adi-2. When I first tried the adi-2 I thought that everything just sounds better, but I think it´s only because the separation is greater so it sounds clean, but there is also added top end clarity. I agree though that the occasional distortion might come from the amp (not sure though). In simple words adi-2 sounds big and open while babyface sounds more closed and bit smaller. Using mainly Beyerdynamic dt1990s and high end Focal monitors.

Calculated from the spec’s, maximum peak level Babyface / DT 1990 Pro is 119 dB SPL.

Enough for privat music listening to fully mastered tracks if one stays with healthy levels.
A bit short for studio work, where you happen to listen to signals with full, unlimited dynamic range.


BTW: the DT 1990 Pro’s 250 Ohms is a near perfect match for Babyface’s 1/4’ headphones output, giving 48 mW output power.
200 Ohms is the value for power match, giving the nominal 60 mW, just 1 dB more.
(All calculated from specs).

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