Topic: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

When I had read the specification of the ADI-2 Pro I was sure to have found the device, which I had waited a long time. It should be used as a high-quality monitor controller and headphone amplifier. After the acquisition of the device I was initially very satisfied. Easy installation, infinitely versatile and excellent quality. However, when I wanted to use the EQ function for the correction of my monitor setup, I was very disappointed. Incomprehensibly, the frequency range of the individual EQ bands is limited which limits their meaningful use. Especially for the correction of room influences often more than two EQ `s, in the frequency range below 150 Hz, are necessary. This is not possible due to this nonsensical restriction.

Why is not the full frequency range allowed for each band?

2

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

First usability. Having to scroll through the whole range for every band is cumbersome. Also the order of the bands gets quickly turned upside down and twisted. I also doubt there will be more people who need more than two filters below 150 Hz.

But the main reason is that processing low frequencies needs higher computing accuracy than middle or high frequency ones. This is especially true at higher sample rates, and the ADI offers extremely high ones. We therefore had to take care that the EQ will not overload the DSP in such cases, which is why there are just two lower bass bands in the EQ.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

3

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

I absolutely agree with Wanderfalke and also feel it's a strong limitation of the otherwise great EQ feature of the ADI-2 Pro when you are dealing with room correction instead of "hifi curves" or headphone correction.
For room eq only the area below 500 Hz, mainly the area below 200 Hz is really interesting. A four band fully parametric eq would be an improvement vs. the now limited freqs 5 band, maybe this could be a selectable option to avoid overload.

4 (edited by babyfesse 2017-03-14 16:16:54)

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

I wholeheartedly agree with Wanderflake, and I'm fairly certain that a lot of people need more correction in the 40-200 range
than in the 200-500 range. Would it be conceivable as WP is suggesting to have a "DSP friendly" 4band mode with the 2 middle bands being completelly free to operate below the 150 limit?

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

For Band 1 +2 frequency goes down now to 20 Hz.
Lowest frequencies of the other bands: 3: 150 Hz, 4+5: 200 Hz

I assume you just replied to this thread but didn't test later versions of firmware.

For strange reason I couldn't find it in the README, when this came in into the firmware / driver.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

6 (edited by babyfesse 2017-03-14 19:26:19)

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

I have indeed the latest firmware and still would greatly benefit from the 3rd and 4th band not having restrictions. 

Example, in the room I'm in right now, Ideally I would lo-cut at 40, boost around 80, narrow cuts at 130 and at 180


With the present restriction, this is impossible to do. The workaround I found was to use the bass boost to replace the one I would normally do with the parametric EQ and combine the 2 EQ's. but it's not ideal, both in range, and in sound.

7 (edited by babyfesse 2017-03-14 19:26:52)

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

allowing the 3rd band to go down, maybe NOT all the way to 20hz, but maybe 100 would be quite usefull imho

and allowing the 4th below 200, but not past 150.

8

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

ramses wrote:

For Band 1 +2 frequency goes down now to 20 Hz.
Lowest frequencies of the other bands: 3: 150 Hz, 4+5: 200 Hz

I assume you just replied to this thread but didn't test later versions of firmware.

For strange reason I couldn't find it in the README, when this came in into the firmware / driver.

It was like that from the beginning (you misread the first post which basically states this too).

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

9 (edited by babyfesse 2017-03-17 10:49:43)

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

Matthias, 

just for the sake of clarity, is this

- feasible with the available dsp horsepower ? (3rd band down to 100hz, 4th down to 150, this would allow to cover/correct most primary room modes)

- at all considered for an update ?


just so it's clear w/o any expectations

thnx

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

For room modes, it is the easier way to use this
http://www.dspeaker.com/en/products/20-dual-core.shtml
With included microphone and automatic calibration - without try and error - perfect adaption in 5 minutes

Adi-2 Pro, Adi-2 Dac Fs

11 (edited by babyfesse 2017-03-17 11:25:36)

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

from experience I'd rather tune the primary modes it by ear, automatic software solutions all have a tendency to overcorrect and give a
"too flat and clinical" result that is not necessarally awlays the best when you need to "feel" things and not only hear them

12 (edited by jchan 2017-03-20 11:59:07)

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

Meanwhile wishing for this feature being implemented, at least for lower sample rates, I can recommend trying the dual EQ mode and notch the worst peaks on each speaker separately which for me gives a cleaner sound than Stereo EQ and it reduces the need for more bands since my speakers have a little different placement and therefore resonating the room at slightly different frequencies. Using this handy little sine sweep generator http://www.szynalski.com/tone-generator/ its easy to find the notes.

Worth a try..

Just my 0.1 cents

/J

13 (edited by babyfesse 2017-03-23 13:06:51)

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

very cool tool! actually pretty awesome.

I was looking for a non-webpage freeware, and found this : http://vincent.burel.free.fr/download/index.htm



cool as well with loop-sweep functions, not as smooth when sweeping manually through frequencies (surprisingly)

14

Re: ADI-2 Pro / EQ

The new firmware DSP 76 now allows to use the third band  down to 20 Hz.

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=25454

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME