• Registered: 2022-08-30
  • Posts: 3

Topic: ADI-2 PRO plus additional stereo DAC

hello,
I just bought an ADI-2 PRO FS BE to use as a stereo DAC and headphone amplifier.
I need only two channels so far but, before reselling my former DAC, a nice Wadia 121, I want to ask
for the possibility to cascade/parallel the two units in order to build a two way DSP crossover.
The possible configuration would be something like
  CamillaDSP(PC) --usb-- RME ADI2 in Multichannel Mode--optical--Wadia 121
Two analog outputs provided by the RME and two more by the Wadia.
Will the DSP actually see four DAC channels and be able to route the signal ? Are the two DACs in sync? Can the RME knob act as a master volume?
Or do I need a Digiface USB driving both DACs ?
As a second option, can the ADI-2 PRO and the UCX-II work together in a DSP controlled multichannel xover?
  I ask this after browsing tons of forum threads, but I couldn't find an answer.
  thanks a lot in advance!

  • vinark
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Re: ADI-2 PRO plus additional stereo DAC

The adi2pro can provide 4 outputs on its own (via the phones 3/4), Audio quality will be 100% identical to the XLR. There is no magic happening in a XLR connection, except less sensitive to radio interference, which does not happen at line levels (only long mic cables at mic level)

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • Registered: 2022-08-30
  • Posts: 3

Re: ADI-2 PRO plus additional stereo DAC

vinark wrote:

The adi2pro can provide 4 outputs on its own..

Ok but.. will the four channels be handled separately, carrying a different information each? 
L channel low pass, L ch hi pass, R Lo and R hi?
I read many answers about the ADI-2 not to be used as a digital crossover, but if we move the DSP duties to an external source it will actually provide 4 channels. Great.
   thanks

4 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2022-08-30 22:13:48)

  • KaiS
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  • Registered: 2020-02-05
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Re: ADI-2 PRO plus additional stereo DAC

c_door wrote:
vinark wrote:

The adi2pro can provide 4 outputs on its own..

Ok but.. will the four channels be handled separately, carrying a different information each? 
L channel low pass, L ch hi pass, R Lo and R hi?
...

Yes, look into the manual’s block disgrams of the various “Modes” and select a fitting one.

Class Compliant Multi-channel mode (page 40) should work.
Wadia can be feed additionally through ADI-2 USB output 5/6 AES digital, or 7/8 SPDIF Optical or Coax.

1/2 and 3/4 volume can be linked by “Dual Volume”, just press the VOL-Button (not the dial) twice.
Exit to main screen by pressing I/O or SETUP twice, or EQ 3 times.
To break the link press the dial.

KaiS's Website

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

Re: ADI-2 PRO plus additional stereo DAC

ADI-2 does not have crossover so you have to do it in CamillaDSP.
It only has rear outputs for 1/2 so you have to use HP out in the front for 3/4.
I have such setup and it’s pretty inconvenient, and I have been push for rear 3/4 for some time.
Not being able to do all DSP in hardware is also a drawback, as the biggest reason I purchased my ADI-2 was to be able to run everything on hardware.
Fortunately ADI-2/4 will change everything, and I am looking forward to it!

  • Registered: 2022-08-30
  • Posts: 3

Re: ADI-2 PRO plus additional stereo DAC

Thanks for all the info.
So, with an ADI-2 coupled with a secondary dac and an external computer it would be possible to experiment a three way dsp crossover.
A temporary solution to play with the DSP features, maybe a bit tricky because of the cabling and the volume controls.

7 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2022-09-01 21:17:10)

  • KaiS
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Re: ADI-2 PRO plus additional stereo DAC

If used as multi-way speaker x-over, keep in mind that different DAC’s might have different signal delays, don’t work “in sync”.

Even ADI-2’s DAC Filter options have different latencies, which are sample rate dependent too, look at manual page 73.

To work around this if you need 3- or more-way, you could use the “extra” DAC(s) for the lowest x-over bands, where a minor delay variation doesn’t change much.

KaiS's Website

8 Reply by fieldstu (edited by fieldstu 2022-09-01 17:55:58)

  • Registered: 2020-10-05
  • Posts: 287

Re: ADI-2 PRO plus additional stereo DAC

Agree with Kai above so even with one digital box driving all dac’s you’d still have various delay and thus not sample accurate playback. For low freq it might differ less though if you want 3 way x-over then in the mid and hi freq that would be undesired.

On another thought 1x adi pro and 1x adi dac @ same signal source and same filter settings might work?

ADI2, Digiface, ARC