• Registered: 2022-04-30
  • Posts: 5

Topic: ADI 2 Pro FS: External Loopback while Balanced Headphones monitoring?

Hello,

I'm a happy new owner of a RME ADI 2 pro fs be. I mostly use it to monitor in Balanced Headphones mode.

I was wondering if while using this mode I could still send audio to outboard gear (analog OUT 1/2) and then come back to the unit (analog IN 1/2). It's not totally clear to me how this could be done if both 1/2 and 3/4 OUTs would be occupied from the headphones monitoring.

If someone could help me out with this I'd be very grateful since I'm planning to invest in some new analog stuff in the near future and it would be amazing to keep the ad/da conversion in one compact single unit. I thank you in advance for the patience.

Gio

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

Re: ADI 2 Pro FS: External Loopback while Balanced Headphones monitoring?

When in balanced headphone mode, your rear analog output no longer sends stereo signal. So the answer is no.
Input 1/2 can still be used.

What headphone are you using? In 99% of the cases, balanced headphone mode does not offer any benefit. If single ended output is loud enough, there is zero reason to go balanced mode

  • Registered: 2022-04-30
  • Posts: 5

Re: ADI 2 Pro FS: External Loopback while Balanced Headphones monitoring?

Hey ning, thanks for your reply.

I'm using HEDDphone. I've already tested between single ended and balanced mode and I can hear a quite important difference... I always monitor at really low volumes (-42.0 locked on the screen when playing back music at -23LUFS) so detail is really the main difference. Also verified with other HEDDphone users.

So let's say if I use headphone single ended mode I can send through OUT 1/2, come back in IN 1/2 and monitor with OUT 3/4 right? Makes sense. Maybe it's convenient since I'd be working on a quite compact hybrid setup, to use single ended whenever using analog and balanced mode when I don't need to send audio out 1/2.

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  • KaiS
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2020-02-05
  • Posts: 3,150

Re: ADI 2 Pro FS: External Loopback while Balanced Headphones monitoring?

gcordova wrote:

I'm using HEDDphone. I've already tested between single ended and balanced mode and I can hear a quite important difference... ...so detail is really the main difference. Also verified with other HEDDphone users.

I had HEDDphone for some time.
I intensively evaluated it, balanced was on the table too.

As you found by yourself HEDDphone by no means is “hard to drive”, myth busted.

The comparison balanced/unbalanced on ADI-2 revealed no difference for me.
A strict blind A/B (my usual way of testing) isn’t possible as immediate switching isn’t possible in this case.

So I went long term, listening one way or the other for an hour of so.

It’s easy to miss that you have to match the levels when comparing, balanced is 6 dB louder per see, on every amp I know.
Guess most fall in the trap of louder sounds better.

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  • Registered: 2022-04-30
  • Posts: 5

Re: ADI 2 Pro FS: External Loopback while Balanced Headphones monitoring?

Thanks for your message KaiS, what you are sharing is so interesting.

In my case it's definitely out of "placebo zone", I mean that the low end tightness and definition and level of overall detail is better in balance mode no doubts. I guess there could be a slight difference between the units or because I'm using two distinct cables for L and R instead of a Y adapter? What kind of cables did you use? Also, you said that you had HEDDphone for some time... what are you using now? Did you really find something better than RME+HEDD? smile

Anyway, going back to the topic...  what if I decide to monitor through speakers (plugged OUT 1/2)? How can I send the signal to the outboard gear in that case? Sorry this may be silly fro some of you but I got the RME just recently and I've only used working "In the box" till now.

gcordova's Website

6 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2022-04-30 23:24:24)

  • KaiS
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2020-02-05
  • Posts: 3,150

Re: ADI 2 Pro FS: External Loopback while Balanced Headphones monitoring?

For balanced separate L/R cabling is mandatory in general, it doesn’t work anyway else.

I tested several cables, copper that I have from my AUDEZE headphones (of course reversed the phase for those in ADI-2), and special made pure silver.

I still would bet a lot of money you just listen louder balanced, for you to find “quite important differences”.
I wouldn’t insist if this did not make you feel being forces to make simple things complicated.


I have a huge collection of TOTL headphones, STAX 009, 007, 700, Sigma,..., Hifiman HE-1000 , Sennheiser 800, 800S, HE-60,...
Lots of vintage ones like Sony MDR CD 3000, Jecklin Float, AKG K-1000,...

My current favorite is the dream-team ADI-2 + Mysphere 3.2.
But have the HE-1000 and the SR-009 always at hand.

The HEDDphone was a sidestep, inspired by my ERGO A.M.T. that uses an Air Motion Transformer too and sounds absolutely great with ADI-2’s EQ.

HEDDphone didn’t fit my taste, but headphones are a very personal thing, so YMMV.

KaiS's Website

  • Registered: 2022-04-30
  • Posts: 5

Re: ADI 2 Pro FS: External Loopback while Balanced Headphones monitoring?

Woah! Thanks for sharing your experience KaiS!

I'm satisfied with my current setup but still in the early stage of my studio investments so I'll definitely keep everything you said in consideration for the future.

gcordova's Website