• Registered: 2021-11-11
  • Posts: 8

Topic: Connecting RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter with optical portless Mac Mini

Hi Forum,

I am currently contemplating the purchase of a RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter, which I would primarily use to digitise analogue audio signals. The digitised audio signal is then to be fed into an Apple Mac Mini M1 (2020) for further processing. These two pieces of hardware, however, are not a natural match, as the RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter doesn’t have an USB port, and the Mac Mini is lacking an optical S/PDIF port. My question here is what options there are to connect this converter and computer? The market doesn’t seem to offer a lot of options for converting signals from optical S/PDIF to USB, and what I come across is of unknown quality and offered by manufacturers with (at least to me) unknown credentials. I am hence curious to know whether any of you is using the RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter in combination with a computer that lacks an optical port and what solution you employ to feed the digitised audio stream generated by the converter into your computer? I am aware of the existence of the RME Digiface USB, but since this seems to be a bit of overkill, I’d be grateful for any other suggestions you may have.

Cheers,

Simon

2 Reply by mwilson (edited by mwilson 2021-12-21 15:38:04)

  • Registered: 2021-11-22
  • Posts: 34

Re: Connecting RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter with optical portless Mac Mini

How about something like this in between your ADI-2 and Mac Mini?

https://www.rme-audio.de/digiface-usb.html

Edit: Never mind, I see you already mentioned this product. A simpler path albeit more costly is to just upgrade the ADI-2 that you have and get the ADI-2 Pro, which does have a USB interface for your computer.

Cheers,
Nick

3 Reply by vinark (edited by vinark 2021-12-21 17:59:33)

  • vinark
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Re: Connecting RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter with optical portless Mac Mini

In stead of the ADI, how about a bayface pro fs (I have it, very good converters and options to record and listen) or even cheaper get a very good converter quality motu m2 or m4, with usb but no digital in or out.
Otherwise any cheap audio interface with the correct digital in and outs will work with the adi, since you are digitizing and not a musician[producer and don`t need the ultra low latency of RME, only the good quality audio...

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632

4 Reply by ning (edited by ning 2021-12-21 17:57:28)

  • ning
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Re: Connecting RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter with optical portless Mac Mini

The ADI-2 Pro FS R will do the work for you. just use the usb port.

5 Reply by Quokka_61 (edited by Quokka_61 2021-12-22 15:41:19)

  • Registered: 2021-11-11
  • Posts: 8

Re: Connecting RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter with optical portless Mac Mini

@ mwilson, vinark and ning: thank you very much for taking the time to reply to my question, and for your suggestions. With respect to the latter, I do have a couple of follow-up questions.

vinark wrote:

In stead of the ADI, how about a bayface pro fs (I have it, very good converters and options to record and listen)

The product page for the Babyface Pro FS at the website of RME doesn't make this immediately clear, and nor does the users's guide, but do I understand correctly that this piece of gear does AD and DA conversion? Are there any things that I should be aware of, or is the Babyface Pro FS comparable to the ADI-2 Pro FS R when it comes to analogue to digital or VV conversion?

ning wrote:

The ADI-2 Pro FS R will do the work for you. just use the usb port.

What I am not entirely sure of is whether the USB port of the ADI-2 Pro FS R is full-duplex. What I am hence wondering about is whether it would be possible for this AD / DA converter to digitise an analogue audio stream, feed this over USB to my Mac Mini for further processing, and receive it back over the same USB connection for DA conversion, after which the signal is fed to my monoblock power amps? The block diagram at page 39 of the users's guide for the ADI-2 Pro FS R leads me to believe that this is indeed possible, and that the end result of the AD > USB > Mac Mini M1 > USB > DA route is available from the XLR outputs, but I would much appreciate to have this confirmed.

Another question with respect to the ADI-2 Pro FS R is whether this piece of gear offers an analogue bypass from the analogue input to the analogue output, like the RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter does. The block diagram at page 39 of the users's guide seems to suggest it doesn't, because it looks like the signal is converted twice (AD and DA) before it is available at the XLR outputs. However, in case I am interpreting this diagram incorrectly, I gladly stand corrected!

Again, looking forward to any replies.

Cheers,

Simon

  • ning
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Re: Connecting RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter with optical portless Mac Mini

>  and that the end result of the AD > USB > Mac Mini M1 > USB > DA route is available from the XLR outputs, but I would much appreciate to have this confirmed.

This is possible.

> Another question with respect to the ADI-2 Pro FS R is whether this piece of gear offers an analogue bypass from the analogue input to the analogue output,

No. It can only do AD-(DSP)-DA so act as a digital preamp, not pure analog one.

But 1) this conversion quality is so high so you do still get perfect result.
2) you are able to do processing inside ADI-2 Pro itself ( such as EQ and Loudness, and a lot more) this way, which the simpler ADI-2 FS does not have. In most scenarios you can omit your computer from the chain entirely. IMHO it’s much more convenient and has much lower latency,  compared to your route, unless you want to do DSP beyond what is offered (such as convolution).

7 Reply by vinark (edited by vinark 2021-12-22 15:57:58)

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Re: Connecting RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter with optical portless Mac Mini

Yes both can do what you want. The babyface is a very very good ad/da converter and more (mic amps, totalmix adat and more), the ADI2pro is a very very very good AD/DA converter. Both are full duplex of course.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632

8 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2021-12-24 16:12:00)

  • KaiS
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Re: Connecting RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter with optical portless Mac Mini

If you would truly hear a difference in the AD conversion between ADI-2 FS, ADI-2 Pro or Babyface Pro - I doubt.

There are differences in the spec’s, i.e. SNR and supported samplerates.
If this matters to you is on your decision.

ADI-2 Pro, as well as Babyface, is “full duplex”.

ADI-2 Pro and Babyface don’t have an analog bypass like the ADI-2 FS.
Maybe you will not need it any more once you digitized all your ... vinyl, tapes, ... etc.

KaiS's Website

  • Registered: 2021-11-11
  • Posts: 8

Re: Connecting RME ADI-2 AD / DA converter with optical portless Mac Mini

@ ning, vinark and KaiS: again, my thanks for replying to my questions, you've given me the answers I needed to decide how to further proceed. It is good to know that RME offers several options that allow me to digitise an analogue signal, route this to the USB port of my computer and send it back for D/A conversion and replay. Being connected over my LAN to a NAS that houses my entire digital music collection, my Mac Mini M1 is the core of my audio setup, and HQPlayer 4 Desktop that runs on it as a music player not only offers me possibilities for upsampling and dither / noise shaping but also features a convolution engine I’d like to play with. Knowing that I could do the same with signals coming from an analogue source, it is now indeed up to me to decide how important specs like SNR are to me and how much money I’d like to spend on equipment. Food for thought :-)

With best wishes for the Festive Season,

Cheers,

Simon