• Registered: 2022-04-11
  • Posts: 4

Topic: Advice on new headphone to be paired with RME ADI 2 FS

Hello,

I am one of the super happy owner of the RME ADI 2 FS, freshly bought and deeply satisfied.

At the moment I have a Fidelio x2hr, a Sundara, plus a HD650 and a NAD HP50 both arriving next week. In order to close the circle (for the moment) I would like to ad a closed back medium/high level and I was looking at a couple of Drop's offers:
- E-MU WOOD (25 Ohm, 106dB)
- Dan Clark Aeon Closed X (12.5 Ohm, 91dB)
- MRSPEAKERS ETHER CX CLOSED (23 Ohm, 92 dB)

Do anyone of you have tried one of the above with RME ADI 2 FS? I am a bit worried because their are all pretty low impedance and low sensitivity (which according to referenced reviewers could end up in non optimal/struggling combo for this DAC/AMP).
Do you think it will be able to drive any of them easily?

In case you have any additional suggestions about closed premium under $700 that would fit within my collection you are more than welcome (please note I am in EU).

Thanks a lot in advance

  • ning
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • Registered: 2019-06-08
  • Posts: 579

Re: Advice on new headphone to be paired with RME ADI 2 FS

Whether it can drive to sufficient level depends on your own listening level. You can do easy calculations using
https://www.headphonesty.com/headphone- … alculator/

For instance, I input Dan Clark Aeon Closed X (12.5 Ohm, 91dB/mW) and to reach 120dBSPL it just needs 3.15V.
The even harder to drive MRSPEAKERS ETHER CX CLOSED (23 Ohm, 92 dB) needs 3.81V to reach 120dBSPL.
By referring to the power graph on Page 61 of the ADI-2 DAC manual it can certainly reach that level without any issue
(based on the graph, output voltage can reach way over 4V when load is > 16Ohm).

  • Registered: 2022-04-11
  • Posts: 4

Re: Advice on new headphone to be paired with RME ADI 2 FS

Hello Ning,

Thanks a lot for your reply, I didn't know that calculator super useful.

Very much appreciated

4 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2022-04-20 07:54:10)

  • KaiS
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2020-02-05
  • Posts: 3,132

Re: Advice on new headphone to be paired with RME ADI 2 FS

ilbescio wrote:

- E-MU WOOD (25 Ohm, 106dB)
- Dan Clark Aeon Closed X (12.5 Ohm, 91dB)
- MRSPEAKERS ETHER CX CLOSED (23 Ohm, 92 dB)

Do anyone of you have tried one of the above with RME ADI 2 FS?

...  under $700 that would fit within my collection you are more than welcome (please note I am in EU).

ADI-2 FS, or ADI-2 DAC FS?

You will have a hard time finding headphones that challenge ADI-2 DAC.

• I have the E-MU Teak (suggested over the Bamboo!), no problem to drive of course.

• My Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire (13 Ohm, 92 dB/mW) runs at -30 dBr Volume setting.


Your collection misses an AUDEZE, the EL-8 Titan is a great addition.

KaiS's Website