• Registered: 2021-11-11
  • Posts: 8

Topic: RME ADI-2 DAC / PRO preamplifier combination

Hi,

Are any of you using the RME ADI-2 DAC FS in DSD Direct mode? If so, I’d be interested to hear what balanced stereo preamplifier you could recommend to attenuate volume levels, be it passive ones or not. When searching the web, it is no problem to find examples in the 25-50 k (!) range (or ultra-cheap stuff from China), but what I am actually looking for is a preamp that (qualitatively and prisewise) is a ‘natural fit’ for the ADI-2 DAC (or the ADI-2 PRO), and that is able to feed my monobloc Hypex Ncore NC250MP power amplifiers, for the specs of which please see https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/power-am … 14445.html.

Any ideas and suggestions are much welcomed!

  • From: Hongkong
  • Registered: 2021-06-30
  • Posts: 720

Re: RME ADI-2 DAC / PRO preamplifier combination

Quokka_61 wrote:

Hi,

Are any of you using the RME ADI-2 DAC FS in DSD Direct mode? If so, I’d be interested to hear what balanced stereo preamplifier you could recommend to attenuate volume levels, be it passive ones or not. When searching the web, it is no problem to find examples in the 25-50 k (!) range (or ultra-cheap stuff from China), but what I am actually looking for is a preamp that (qualitatively and prisewise) is a ‘natural fit’ for the ADI-2 DAC (or the ADI-2 PRO), and that is able to feed my monobloc Hypex Ncore NC250MP power amplifiers, for the specs of which please see https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/power-am … 14445.html.

Any ideas and suggestions are much welcomed!

Is your Adi-2 Dac Fs with AKM chipset? please note DSD Direct (Line) – not available on ESS units.

And also please note (according to the manual):
Even more extreme is DSD Direct. If activated (SETUP, Options, Phones / DSD), the DSD signal
is not converted to PCM within the DAC chip, therefore there is no volume control at all – except
for the analog reference levels, which can be used to set the coarse output level / volume. Left
with no volume control, the ADI-2 DAC intentionally deactivates the headphone outputs in DSD
Direct mode – the analog signal is only available at the rear outputs.

Pacifist, dumb, not stupid
Listen music out from a box which sounds
Reading words on paper/ screen
  • Registered: 2021-11-11
  • Posts: 8

Re: RME ADI-2 DAC / PRO preamplifier combination

Yes, it is, and the Setup menu allows me to switch to 'DSD Direct'. I am also aware that when doing so, I'll lose the possibility to adjust volume levels (and digital signal processing) at the DAC level. This is exactly why I asked for suggestions with respect to (passive) balanced stereo preamps that other forum members think are worth to be considered. As to signal processing; this is done by HQPlayer 4 Desktop at my dedicated music server, which has quite a bit more resources than any DAC has. By going for DSD Direct, the signal as output by the music player goes straight to analog conversion, without additionally being altered by the ADI-2.